From the Ground Up

Survey settings – “beginners notes”

 

Hi

Lately I have come across a few companies trying to achieve nice looking maps over existing conditions, using the new Survey tools in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

After some initial work they end up with Points and Linework on screen, but it might not look as they prefere.

As many of you are already aware there are a lot of Styles and Settings to get a nice looking map. Point Styles, Survey Figureline Styles, Linework codeset, Description keys….    and where do we find them?

I did a small guide for a company which helped out and I thought I could publish the brief notes from that below.  Please be aware that this is not a “step by step” guide, but it highlights some points a user might consider changing in their setup.  // Ove

 

 

General things to check

Layers

In general it is a good idea to create needed layers before assigning Styles and Codes to them.

 

Survey Search paths

In Civil 3D there are a number of search paths (for files stored outside the drawing) that affects all around Survey.

Survey Databases

The file path for the Survey databases can be placed anywhere.

If there is a need to move the place, or to connect to different databases, use right click on the row "Survey Databases" and select "Set working folder..."

Figure Prefix Database

The Figure Prefix Database contains settings for how Survey Figurelines should be created.

The database contains:

Linework Code Set

The Linework Code Sets contains information on how lines are created, what code attributes are used for Start/Stop a Survey Figureline and a lot more.

The information for Linework Code Set contains:

 

Create new Codes

When you need to add new codes to be used while doing survey you need to add the same to your settings in Civil 3D. They are Styles for Points and Linework (Survey Figurelines).

 

Create new Survey Figureline Style

Layers

Make sure Layer exist with Name, Color and Linetype

 

Survey Figure Style

Make sure Layer exist with Name, Color and Linetype

Found under Settings tab

Check all settings to make sure they have BYLAYER everywhere

Figure Prefix Database

Make sure Layer exist with Name, Color and Linetype

Found under Survey tab

 

Create new Survey Point Style

Layers

Make sure Layer exist with Name, Color and Linetype

 

Point Style

Make sure Layer exist with Name, Color and Linetype

Found under Settings tab

Make sure to set ALL Layers correct under the tab Display.

All Layers under Plan, Model, Profile and Section to correct Layer (See another existing Point Style for example)

Colors must be to ByLayer at all options (just an advise…)

 

(Point Label Style)

Make sure Layers exist with Name, Color and Linetype

Found under Settings tab

If you need Labels for the Symbol/Point to be presented in a different way (Position, color, text height etc) than the existing Point Label Styles you will have to set up a new Point Label Style

 

Description Key Set

Make sure Layer exist with Name, Color and Linetype

Found under Settings tab

Use Edit Keys (Right click) to add new (or change) Survey codes to the table

// Ove C

Survey Import Events in C3D 2010

Hello WORLD !!

Yes - it IS the weird little man from Sweden that is back after a looooong time...

Luckily Jack has done a great job here and I like the fact he moved us to this interface instead!  Much easier to add blogposts!  Nice... ;-)

What I like most in the latest release in Civil 3D 2010 is, besides the cool Intersection tool, the enhanced Survey functionality. And it seems customers in my area also like this!  GREAT!

If you haven't used this before - give it a try.  You have a new "guide"/Wizard that really helps out.  That one takes you through the different steps when importing data. It sets up the database, the network, etc etc and THEN, in the end, it keeps track of what you have done and when. This is called "Import Events"

If you select one of these Import Events in the Survey tab you get all information what was imported etc. See below.

As Civil 3D 2010 also automatically adds Linework, even from simple PENZD (etc)  ASCII-textfiles, you also have the option to later re-import the whole file, or just process the linework ones again. This is great if you for example had to change the coding of the linework.

Give it a try!  ;-)

I will put more Survey info here on the Blog, and I know Jack has sent some Surveyors out to get us some proper data to work on...

See you soon  // Ove C