From the Ground Up

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 SP2.1

We have just released an increment to the Service Pack 2 which addresses a small number of regression issue that were found with Civil 3D 2012 SP2.

Note that latest SP can target any version of Civil 3D 2012 (including SP2) and includes all prior fixes (including AutoCAD and Map 3D fixes).

Click here

 

 

Jack Strongitharm

Guest post - AutoCAD Civil 3D - GENIO file Export

Hi,

Jack's been badgering me to write a guest post on his blog for ages, so at last, here is my first one. My name is Ian McGregor and I've been involved in Infrastructure Product Management at Autodesk for the past 6 years or so, but I have a long history with MOSS^® and MXROAD^®.

You can install an extension for Civil 3D from Autodesk Subscription Center that enables you to import data from Bentley^® MX^® GENIO and 'modelfiles' (MX users will know what they are) and also to export GENIO files.

GENIO isn't strictly speaking a file format. It is a 'Major Option' in the MX Command Language, it's a means to import and export data from MX models, somewhat akin to LandXML but it's really a command script that drives MX, into which you can embed data. For example, this means you can put other commands in the same file to draw that data to your screen, or edit it in some way.

I've been having discussions with customers who use both Civil 3D and MX on their projects and they've uncovered a challenge when using GENIO export as a means to provide a model deliverable from Civil 3D. The challenge is that they don't have both Civil 3D and MX on their computer and they want to test the file exported from Civil 3D to see if it meets their expectations as a deliverable. So, quite logically they try to reimport it into Civil 3D to see what it looks like.

Therein lies a problem; the online help introduction states; "It should be noted that the Import/Export Extension for GENIO does not aim to provide round-trip support for GENIO and Model File data between Bentley MX and AutoCAD Civil 3D."

One of the primary reasons for this lies in differences between the way Civil 3D and MX calculate and store alignment/profile data. This makes it impossible for Autodesk to write this data in a reliable way into the GENIO format and have MX recreate a consistent alignment and profile. It is for this reason we don't attempt this functionality, but use the MX command Major options HALGN and VALGN to create the alignment/profile objects. These commands are simply embedded in the export file.

Feedback from MX users has been very positive about this approach and the quality of data produced. Whilst you can check point, feature line and surface boundary data in this way, it does mean you can't reimport the exported alignment/profile data into Civil 3D using the GENIO import option because Civil 3D doesn't understand those commands. If you need your exported alignment/profile validating, the only way you can really do that is to ask an MX user to do it for you.

I hope that clarifies things, happy to field comments/feedback either here or on usual ADSK email <first>.<lastname>@autodesk.com

Ian

It's about time ... and some stuff about SketchUp files

It’s about time …..

 Jack and Jill, sorry, John, have been badgering me (and not in a good way) to get my act together and connect with the ‘blogosphere’. So while they are busy fetching pales of water I shall oblige.

 First up is a little gem of an app for AutoCAD and AutoCAD Civil 3D. Ever sat there day after day like me wondering where you could possibly get free 3D content for your design visualisation project? Things like buildings, cars, boats, dogs, nurses, fruit stalls, football stadiums, weapons of mass destruction?  Well, worry no more. On the Autodesk Exchange for AutoCAD site you can download a free app that will allow you to download any free SketchUp content from the Google 3D Warehouse.

 In this example I will show you how to download, translate and use .skp files in Autodesk Infrastructure Modeller. For those of you who are unaware of AIM, it is a very powerful 3D conceptual design tool and is, in technical terms, very, very cool. Find out more at: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=17276659&siteID=123112

 Ok, it’s as simple as I am:

1)      Launch Autodesk Exchange from your AutoCAD Application (top right of the menu bar)

 

2)      Select the AutoCAD store:

 

3)      Select the SketchUp Import tool to download

 

4)      Install the app and follow the instructions as below using either AutoCAD or AutoCAD Civil3D

5)      Once your 3D model has been imported to AutoCAD simply use the AutoCAD export tool to export to an FBX format file

6)      You can now import your FBX file into Autodesk Infrastructure Modeller as a 3D Model! Below are some examples I made of London (England, for those of you in the States) using building and aircraft models from Google 3D Warehouse.

 

7)      And just to prove that you can get almost anything on 3D warehouse (and some people really DO have too much spare time), here’s King Kong attacking the Gherkin. It’s a little known fact that pickled
cucumbers are a staple food of large gorillas!

 Bon Appetite!

Neil Brooker. PhD. (Just kidding)

AutoCAD Civil 3D Profile Optimisation on the Cloud – Project Silverstar

About time we got a cloud application to use for design purposes.

Not necessarily a magic button for design, but this tool can work out a solution based on a number of parameters for vertical slope, tie ins, volumes etc.

It is a PVI solution, so I would like you to give it a try and give some feedback based on your requirements to make this fit your design needs.

 

Anyway, download it from here

 

Once installed you run it from the toolbox

Choose what alignment and surface profile you want to use

.

 

Add mass haul information if you have any

.

Choose some maximum and minimum values

Choose how intense you want the solution

 

Within a short space of time a result is emailed to you

A PDF of the output

Then use the Profile from file option or LandXML file to import the result

There you have it

 

Put your head in the clouds

 

Jack Strongitharm

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 - Update 1

Time to get upto date

Download it here

Jack Strongitharm

Volumes Dashboard for Civil 3D 2012 is now available on subscription center

The Volumes Dashboard for Civil 3D 2012 is now available for download from sub center. This new tool provides a very easy to use workflow for calculating, reporting and visualising earthwork volumes and is available for all C3D and IDS-P/U subscribers. It’s an English language tool but can run on any language C3D 2012).

Take a look at the online help and overview video

 

Jack Strongitharm

Update to the Bridge Modeler for Civil 3D on the Labs

 

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/civil3d_bridge/

Jack Strongitharm

BIM Roundabout Design - Resource Website

As a follow up to our two webcasts, Savoy has created a mini site based around the topic and also posted the webcast (UK.Europe one as I screwed up the other week a bit !)  Also I have added two flavours of the dataset so you can drive on either side of the road so you can have a go by requesting trial copies of the software that you don’t have.

Visit

http://bimroundaboutdesign.com 

Jack Strongitharm

Corridor 3D Solid Bodies to 3D Solids

Those that have been trying out the new Labs tool for exporting your Civil 3D corridors to solids have noticed that what we export are in the form of a solid body rather than an actual 3D solid object in this release.

However I was talking to one of our top experts in the Benelux area, Cristian Otter of Breijn who mentioned to me if you export to a .SAT file and then import that file back into AutoCAD it will convert those 3D bodies to 3D solids.

I am sure there are other ways also, but this was quick and easy.

Why you want to convert? We have users wanting to merge solids together and do other creative ideas.

Give it a try

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/civil3d_corridor_solids/

Jack Strongitharm

BIM for Infrastructure - Corridor Solids

Is this the big BIM capability that make Civil 3D stand out?

Beyond the traditional surface and linework output we can now create solid objects from corridor models.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/civil3d_corridor_solids/

Create corridor solids from the shapes in subassemblies by construction areas and or corridor model regions.

Use in combination with Subassembly Composer to build unique Civil components

 

Now real tangible Civil objects in the Navisworks model

So you can see I have put a simple example of a rail project of existing rail line and constructing a new rail station and platform.

The platform is now possible to be built using solids rather than only seeing the detail in plan and section.

Review the video below to see what is now possible within Navisworks Timeliner

http://www.screencast.com/t/IV6tCK0RO

Download the Navisworks file and open in Navisworks Freedom 2012

Download the Navisworks NWD file

Download Freedom 2012

(Bear in mind this project is just an initial concept, so detail to follow yet)

Enjoy

 

Jack Strongitharm