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    Civil 3D: Plan Production Styles

    Posted on by David Medeiros

    Do you use Civil 3D’s plan production tools?  Do you wonder where the styles come from, the design file, the production template?  Read on to find out.

    If you’re not familiar with Civil 3D’s plan production tools, here are the Cole’s notes.

    • Paper space layouts complete with your company’s title block and plan and/or profile viewports are created automatically along the entire length of a selected alignment.
    • A plan production template must be selected which contains a layout configured for use with this feature.
    • These layouts can be created in one of three places:
      • In the current drawing.
      • In new drawings, one layout per drawing.
      • All layouts in a single new drawing.

    When the option to create layouts in a single new drawing or multiple drawings is chosen, there are three files in play.

    • The design file
    • The selected plan production template
    • The production sheet file the tool creates

    Both the design file and the selected template can contain styles.  They could be the same styles, or they may be different.  When creating the new drawings, which of these two files does Civil 3D use as the template: the starting point?  Where do the styles and settings come from?

    The answer is both, sort of.  Here is what happens:

    1. Civil 3D uses the design file as the template.  All styles and settings come from this file.
    2. Any styles present in the production template are then duplicated into the new production sheet drawing.
    3. If there are any styles in the production template that are the same name as the design file, they are ignored.  The design file styles are maintained.

    Note that Style 3 is present in the Design and Template files.  In the Sheet file, Style 3 is the same as the Design file.

    Civil 3D: Profile Grade Intersections

    Posted on by Diana Gonzalez

    The goal in this example is to design the profile where each grade is an even number.  It’s not as obvious as you might think.  Thanks to my colleagues Dave Hill and Jae Kwon for pointing out the proper tool.

    Read on to learn more…

    Begin by modelling the first 2 segments.  I’ll assume you know the best tools for this, but I’ll give you a hint.  Use the Grid View; it’s your friend here.

           

    To model the last 5% grade is not entirely obvious.  Yes, a 5% tangent can be drawn from the end of the 1% grade, but it doesn’t end in the right place.

    We sort of want to draw backwards from the end of the red profile and then extend the 1% grade.

    Use this tool and follow the prompts.  First select the 1% grade, then pick Station and Elevation and the tie-in point.  Then enter the grade, in this case -5% (the grade from the intersected PVI).

             

    C’est voilà.

     

     

     

    Civil 3D: Model Existing Underground Utilities Efficiently

    Posted on by Diana Gonzalez

    Civil 3D: Model Existing Underground Utilities Efficiently

    Must you draw existing gas, tel, and other similar underground utilities for your projects?  If you’re not using the technique described below, you’re using too much time!  Read on to find out more.

    Join us at Infrastructure University, session 3, on October 20th for more information about this technique. For now:

    Facts:

    1. For nearly every civil engineering project, we must identify existing features on our construction drawings so they may not be disturbed during construction and so we may design proposed works without conflicting with these existing features. They must appear in both plan and profile.
    2. It can take considerable time to draw and label them in the plan, and even more project them into profile.
    3. When there is an edit to the alignment, the profile locations must be recalculated, taking more time.
    4. Experiments have shown that it can take 84 seconds to draw each utility. Then 26 more seconds each when the alignment is edited.
    5. Using the technique described below, the time is reduced from 84 seconds to 20 seconds. But 0 seconds when the alignment is edited.
    6. For 160 utilities:
      1. 3.7 hours using the manual technique.                   69 minutes each time the alignment is edited.
      2. 53 minutes using the automated technique.         No extra time when the alignment is edited.

    Method

    1. Create pressure network parts lists, one for each utility. Assign styles accordingly.
    2. Create pressure networks, one for each utility. Assign the parts list and label styles accordingly.
    3. Model the existing utilities as pressure networks and project them into profile. The depth below ground can be automated.

    Civil 3D: Alignment Creation – Fixed Entities

    Posted on by David Medeiros

    Alignments are created in Civil 3D by selecting AutoCAD objects or by using specialized tools.  Sometimes selecting objects is appropriate, but when the alignment is required to be very flexible in terms of editability, utilizing those specialized tools can be critical.

     

    There are three types of Alignment segments present within those specialized tools: Fixed, Floating, and Free.  The use of these tools is not always obvious, so we have created 3 video which explains the use of them.

     

    The first of the three videos, Fixed Entities, can be viewed at this link or below. Come back in a week or two for the next video.

     

    Civil 3D Assemblies: Tool Palette or Block Library?

    Posted on by Diana Gonzalez

    Civil 3D Assemblies: Tool Palette or Block Library?

    Civil 3D comes shipped with pre-configured assemblies that may or nay not fit your needs.  We created another BLOG post here to show how to create your own and share them with others in your team.  There is another way…read on.

    The Cole’s notes are:

    • Make a new drawing.
    • Create your assembly in this new drawing placed at 0,0.
    • Insert that drawing into your design and explode the resulting block.

    In the linked article above, we suggested creating a tool palette.  This works well for blocks so they may be placed on the correct layers.  For assemblies, since this block will be exploded, this is not a requirement.  Might there be an easier way?  There is.  You see, tool palettes require a little maintenance.  The trick below does not.

    AutoCAD’s Block Library

    In Civil 3D 2022 or later, open the new block palette introduced in version 2020.  The option I’m about to illustrate is not available with 2020 or 2021.  You will see two things: a Library tab (red) and a button to select a folder (blue).  Clicking the folder button will prompt you to select a folder containing drawings.  If each of those drawings is an individual assembly, your job is done.  Drag and drop one of those into your drawing and ensure it is exploded.  You’ve just inserted an assembly.

    No maintenance is required.  Just save a new drawing with a new assembly into that folder and the next time AutoCAD is started, you’ll see the new content.  If you prefer to have all assembly blocks defined in a single drawing, that’s fine too, simply right click the drawing and choose…

    Enjoy!

    AutoCAD 2023: New Release

    Posted on by Diana Gonzalez

    AutoCAD 2023: New Release

    It’s that time of year; Autodesk has just released the 2023 version of their flagship drafting application, AutoCAD.  Read on to discover some of the new features.

    Click to peruse Autodesk documentation.

    Compatibility

    Likely one of the most common questions is about compatibility.  AutoCAD 2023 remains in the 2018 format.  There is no need to save files to previous versions unless your recipient is using 2017 or earlier.

    Markups

    I’m intrigued by this feature more than any other this year. PDF markups are ubiquitous in our industry, but there were few tools to help manage them.

    In AutoCAD 2023, PDF markups can be overlaid and displayed more easily, and they can then be imported as a trace layer and converted to AutoCAD objects. Markup assist will use text recognition to add AutoCAD text, multileaders, and revision clouds from the PDF markup. Image file formats are also supported if the PDF is scanned and marked with coloured pens.

    Insights

    Machine learning provides tips and tricks when and where you need them.  AutoCAD generates macro insights based on your unique command usage.

    LISP

    LISP apps can be loaded and run within the AutoCAD web app.

    General

    The command line is visible within each active floating window.

    Count has been updated to enable easier navigation and selection.

    The Sheet Set Manager has been given a performance boost and has a new interface in Autodesk Docs.

    ANNOSCALEZOOM controls mouse zooming in paper space.

    MTEXT objects can be converted to MultiLeaders.

    TRACE is now available on AutoCAD desktop, not just in the web app. You can contribute to other users’ traces.

    2D Graphics performance has been enhanced. Zoom and pan performance has been increased up to 50 times with many true type text objects, long polylines, and solid hatches. 

    The new TRAVERSALTHREAD system variable controls this.

    A new 3D graphics system (GSF) has been introduced and it promised to increase performance.  GSFENABLE is the new variable that controls this. It is ON by default. To experience the benefits of this, use the visual styles named Shaded or Shaded with Edges.  FASTSHADEMODE is a new variable that controls this behaviour.

    CUTBASE is a new command (Cut with base point found in the right-click menu) to allow the selection of a base point when cutting objects from a drawing.

    Add a new vertex to the end of a polyline with the extend vertex option

    Civil 3D: Sharing Assemblies

    Posted on by Diana Gonzalez

    Civil 3D: Sharing Assemblies

    So, you’re the technical team lead for your Civil Engineering firm, and you need to share amongst your team some Civil 3D Assemblies.
    You know how to create an AutoCAD tool palette, and you know that this is the best place to share assemblies – but you’ve tried, and it’s not working.

    If you’d like to learn how this is done read on.
    Palettes can be exported and then imported onto users’ machines, but when an assembly is edited, the creator must export again and then all the users must again import. This is not efficient.

    The Hard Way

    The method that Civil 3D uses to store assemblies on a palette works well, but to set it up is a bit of a bear.  Open this document to see the full details.  Here is a summary:

    • When an assembly is dragged to a tool palette a new DWG is created on your system. For my system this is:
      C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D 2022\enu\Assemblies\Metric
    • You can create a tool palette with custom assemblies, sure, but you need to make these drawings available to your users. Usually, this means copying them to a network shared folder.
    • Even when you make them available, the DWG path must be defined in an ATC file that defines the palette, This is XML programming language and it can be difficult to find and disastrous if an error is made.

    The Easy Way

    I won’t say this is “The Best” method, but I believe it to be the easiest, quickest, and most foolproof method; and it’s the one I choose to use at this time.

    I won’t go into detail about how to perform each of these steps; it is assumed you know the technique. The short answer is that each assembly will reside in its own DWG file and that file will be stored in the shared network folder. That file will be a block in the tool palette.

    Open a drawing that conforms to your Civil 3D standards. Possibly one that already contains your desired assembly. 

    1. If the assembly has yet to be created, create it. 
    2. Ensure it is on the desired layer. Assign the desired code set style to it. Move it from its insertion point to 0,0. If this last step is skipped, the assembly will not be inserted properly later.

     

    3. Save the drawing to your shared network folder.

           

    4. WBLOCK and select the assembly and subassemblies together.  Ensure the insertion coordinates are 0,0,0 and provide the file name.  Click OK to create the drawing.

     

         

     

    5. Create a new tool palette or set current the destination palette for your new assemblies.  Drag the newly created drawing into the palette.

    6. To use the new assembly, drag it from the palette into a new drawing.  This will be a block, however.  It will need to be exploded once.

    7. You may suggest turning on the Explode option in the tool to avoid the explode step.  Indeed, I thought of that as well.  Problem is, this is what you get!

         

     

    That’s it.  Once the assemblies have been created, it takes about 45 seconds per assembly to add to the palette.  If edits are required, simply open the appropriate DWG, make the edits, and save.

     

     

     

    Installing AutoCAD 2022 and Other Autodesk 2022 Applications

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    AutoCAD 2022 is here and it has a new installer.  Very few clicks are required, which is good and easy, but what if you need to customize your installation?  Read on…

    Installers can be customized by logging into Autodesk Account.  Installers or deployments can easily be created for multiple products.

    1.Log into Autodesk Account.

    2.Click Custom Install.

    3.Choose your product(s).

    4.For all selected products, select your options:

    a. choose the version and set the serial number.

    b. Set customization options.  These include installation path, custom file paths, security settings, LISP options, Express Tools, custom profile selection, and other settings.

    5. Choose which extensions to install.

    6. Create the installer.  This downloads a small EXE file which is used to create the installer.  When run, the installation files are downloaded onto the computer to C:\Autodesk.  A Windows BAT file is created with all customized options embedded.  When run, no input is requested, the app is simply installed.

    7. This installer and BAT files can be stored on a server and run by the administrator to install the product, with its customized content, onto users’ computers.

    AutoCAD 2022 is Here

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    It’s springtime and the birds are singing.  Also, Autodesk has released the latest version of their flagship CAD package, AutoCAD 2022.  Click to peruse the Autodesk Documentation. Read on to see some notes we at SolidCAD have prepared for you.

    **Please stayed tuned for the next article.  There will be important information about installing this new software**

    1. The first thing on many users’ minds is whether the file format has changed.  It has not!  We are still on the 2018 format.
    2. TRACE.  A new command enabling a safe collaborative environment to draw revisions without affecting the source drawing. Open a shared drawing in the web or mobile apps and create traces.  These traces can be managed by a CAD user in their desktop app.
    3. COUNT.  Quantifies selected blocks in a drawing and creates a dynamic table or Field.
    4. SHARE:  Shares the current drawing, with all reference files intact, to the web for others to view or edit.
    5. Push to Docs: Creates a PDF of selected layouts and saves to Autodesk Docs.
    6. Floating windows: maximize drawings on separate monitors.
    7. Redefined Start tab.
    8. New installer and options.  Very simple install.  Watch this blog page for a follow-up article.
    9. Batch publish in background uses multiple cores.
    10. Microsoft’s DirectX 12 is now supported for 2D and 3D visual styles.
    11. 3D graphics technical preview.  New 3D engine provides a better experience. It is off by default.  3DTECHPREVIEW .  Try it and provide feedback.