Chapter 1: The Basics of AutoCAD Civil 3D
Find any Civil 3D object with just a few clicks. By using Prospector to view object data collections, you can minimize the panning and zooming that are part of working in a CAD program. When common subdivisions can have hundreds of parcels or a complex corridor can have dozens of alignments, jumping to the desired one nearly instantly shaves time off everyday tasks.
Master It Open BasicSite.dwg from www.sybex.com/go/masteringcivil3d2012, and find parcel number 18 without using any AutoCAD commands or scrolling around on the drawing screen.
Solution
1. In Prospector, expand Sites Proposed Parcels.
2. Right-click on Property:18 and select Zoom To.
Modify the drawing scale and default object layers. Civil 3D understands that the end goal of most drawings is to create hard-copy construction documents. By setting a drawing scale and then setting many sizes in terms of plotted inches or millimeters, Civil 3D removes much of the mental gymnastics that other programs require when you’re sizing text and symbols. By setting object layers at a drawing scale, Civil 3D makes uniformity of drawing files easier than ever to accomplish.
Master It Change BasicSite.dwg from the 100-scale drawing to a 40-scale drawing.
Solution
1. Click on the Layout1 tab.
2. Select 1′=40 from the Scale list in the lower right of the application window.
3. Type REA↵ to regenerate and show the labels at the new scale.
Modify the display of Civil 3D tooltips. The interactive display of object tooltips makes it easy to keep your focus on the drawing instead of an inquiry or report tools. When too many objects fill up a drawing, it can be information overload, so Civil 3D gives you granular control over the heads-up display tooltips.
Master It Within the same BasicSite drawing, turn off the tooltips for the Road A alignment.
Solution Click the alignment in the drawing window or in Prospector, and bring up the Alignment properties. If the Properties palette method is used, select No from Show Tooltips in the Design tab. If the Alignment Properties dialog is used, select the Information tab and deselect the Show Tooltips check box.
Navigate the Ribbon’s contextual tabs. As with AutoCAD, the Ribbon is the primary interface for accessing Civil 3D commands and features. When you select an AutoCAD Civil 3D object, the Ribbon displays commands and features related to that object. If several object types are selected, the Multiple contextual tab is displayed.
Master It Using the Ribbon interface, access the Alignment Style Editor for the Proposed Alignment style. (Hint: it’s used by the Road A alignment.)
Solution
1. Select the Road A alignment to display the contextual Alignment Ribbon.
2. In the Alignment Properties menu, select the Information tab. Click the drop-down list next to the Proposed object style and select Edit Current Selection.
Create a curve tangent to the end of a line. It’s rare that a property stands alone. Often, you must create adjacent properties, easements, or alignments from their legal descriptions.
Master It Create a curve tangent to the end of the first line drawn in the first exercise that meets the following specifications:
Radius: 200.00′
Arc Length: 66.580′
Solution
1. Select Lines/Curves Create Curves Curve From End Of Object.
2. Select the first line drawn (N 57° 06′ 56.75′ E; 135.441′).
3. On the command line, press ↵ to confirm the radius.
4. On the command line, type 200.00, and then press ↵.
5. Type L to specify the length, and then press ↵.
6. Type 66.580, and then press ↵.
Label lines and curves. Although converting linework to parcels or alignments offers you the most robust labeling and analysis options, basic line- and curve-labeling tools are available when conversion isn’t appropriate.
Master It Add line and curve labels to each entity created in the exercises. Choose a label that specifies the bearing and distance for your lines and length, radius, and delta of your curve.
Solution
1. Change to the Annotate tab.
2. From the Labels & Tables panel, select Add Labels Line And Curve Add Multiple Segment Line/Curve Labels.
3. Choose each line and curve. The default label should be acceptable. If not, select a label, right-click and choose Label Properties. In the resulting AutoCAD properties box, you can select an alternative label.