Topic: Simple Civil 3D question

[Ken]

I'm trying to test drive Civil 3D to see if I can get the upgrade. So far I like how it works, except I can't figure out how to do some simple things.

I'm trying to insert some Vertical Curves on an Alignment and Profile I've created, but I can't figure out how to get the Toolbar that has those insert Icons on it to pop up?? I'm sure it's a simple thing, but I can't find anything in the Help file that tells me how to get that Toolbar to show up.

If there's anybody out there using Civil 3D that can help me I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

Ken

[Mark]

Give me a couple days Ken and I'll see what I can find out. I should be upgrading to 3D in the next couple days.

[Dent Cermak]

I don't have Civil 3D yet, but my first question is, "Is that toolbar turned on ?" If not, go to "VIEW", pick "TOOLBARS" and see if that toolbar is checked. If not turn it on. That's probally not it, but it might be ?

[Ken]

Sorry Dent, but it doesn't seem to work that way in Civil 3D. I know there are specific Toolbars that pop up to do most of the things that are usually on a pull down menus or data dialog boxes. There's nothing in the View pulldown menu to control them. I can't even figure out a way to get the information to come up in a data Dialog box that I'm used to using in LDD. I know you can do it that way in Civil 3D. but I can't even figure out how to get there yet.

I think Civil 3D is going to be great, but the learning curve looks pretty steep right now.

Ken

[Mark]

The one thing that bothers me about 3D is how it handles plotting. Ken, can you elaborate on the plotting process at all? As in how different is than plain acad.

[Ken]

Mark, I haven't even got to the printing part yet. I'll try to look at it today and see if it looks much different than LDD. Will let you know what I find out later.

[Mark]

Thanks Ken.

[Mark]

It looks like plotting from 3D won't be a problem.

With a hybrid approach using Autodesk Land
Desktop 2004 and Autodesk Civil 3D, there is
no need to open a plan and profile drawing
created in Autodesk Civil 3D in Autodesk Land
desktop just to put a border on it and plot it.
Autodesk Civil 3D includes all the AutoCAD
capabilities and drafting features required to
perform this task.

[Ken]

Mark, I just got through getting my plotting setup and you're right, it's not much different than before. Just took a minute to get the .PC3 and .CTB files in the right Civil 3D folder. The Dialog Box looks a little different, but seems to work the same. If you print to file as I do, after you hit Okay, the Browse Dialog Box pops up to set the file location and file name. The file location is no longer a part of the main Plot Dialog Box.

Plotting looks the same, but everything else is a whole new world.

Ken

[Mark]

thanks for the feed back Ken. I look foward to working with 3D.

[Dent Cermak]

Ken, have you tried typing "TOOLBARS" at the command line or checked out the "HELP" files?
Another thought; the Civil3D thing you get now is like a beta or evaluation version. I don't think it's the final product yet. So maybe all of the bells and whistles are not in place yet ?

[Ken]

Dent, typing in Toolbar, does allow me to bring up a number of toolbars, but these are not the specific ones that allow you to drag and drop a vertical curve into an existing profile. These are new to Civil 3D and I know there are lots of them you can use for other operations, I just can't find a way to access them. Tanks for the suggestion.
Ken

[Ken]

Today I found part of my solution! After highlighting the Profile Line, a right click pops up a menu, from that menu you have to select "Edit Profile" and then a "Profile Layout Tools" toolbar pops up. That's the  toolbar that allows you to insert PVI's, Vertical Curves, etc.

Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions.

Once more people start switching over to Civil 3D, I think there's going be lots and lots of questions about how things work. Especially if you can't get some real hands on training from somebody who knows what their doing. A lot of it has to do with setting up "Styles" for everything .... and I mean "Everything" to make things look the way you want them to. After that, I think Civil 3d will save all of us an enormous amount of drafting time.