Topic: XLIST for Civil 3D

[Dave M]

Does anyone know of, or have a routine that works like XLIST on Civil 3d objects?  It can be frustrating when you want to freeze a layer or change the properties of an object in a Surface, etc. especially if the surface resides in an XREF.

Thanks!

[mjfarrell]

this suggests you use DREF's for those surfaces instead....

and or modify your styles to place various component objects on unique layers...and document that so it makes it easier to turn them off without picking them from the screen.....

[Mark]

this suggests you use DREF's for those surfaces instead....

Data Reference?

[Dave M]

I do use DREFs, but our clients don't always, and they are frequently not as organized as we are

[BlackBox]

Does anyone know of, or have a routine that works like XLIST on Civil 3d objects?  It can be frustrating when you want to freeze a layer or change the properties of an object in a Surface, etc. especially if the surface resides in an XREF.

Thanks!

FWIW - This thread may be of use.

Cheers

[rkmcswain]

Does anyone know of, or have a routine that works like XLIST on Civil 3d objects?  It can be frustrating when you want to freeze a layer or change the properties of an object.....

Works here as shown.
The selected pipe is on layer C-SSWR-PIPE in the child drawing.

[mjfarrell]

If it is on a unique layer...no need to know what layer it is on, just freeze it and move on...

If it isn't then, one would need to edit the style...or while in there, just create the DREF and switch to that and not use the xref...

I don't see how knowing what layer it is on helps...IF it isn't on a unique layer from other objects you still can't freeze or turn it off without ill effects.


"Hey look it's on Layer ZERO and so is everything else....!"

[BlackBox]

Not sure of the OP's situation, but in other threads the issue that prompted such requests was that their Styles specified the layers nested components would be displayed as, but the actual Object was not on a manageable layer, and they were attempting to query the nested component's assigned layer within the Style... Perhaps the OP can clarify?

Cheers

[cadtag]

a version of Probe that addressed c3d objects and drilled down would be nice to have -- especially with inherited drawings, or files that come from other organizations.  I may know how our system works (or doesn't  ), but files that come from others are a unknown quantity.

[BlackBox]

Per usual, Jeff has already taken care of this issue via Entity Tracker:

http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=44138.0;nowap

Entity Tracker

Also new to Version 2.12, this command started life because of the XLIST command.  We wanted to start using NCS-style layer names, but they were too long, and the XLIST command uses a dialog box that can't be resized.  Whenever we tried to use the XLIST command to identify the layer of items in XREFs, we couldn't see the useful part of the layer name.  So we initially just wanted a replacement for XLIST.

But then this command took on a life of its own, and sure has grown from there!

The EntityTracker is implemented as a Tool Palette.  Whenever you have it turned on, the Entity Tracker Palette displays information about items underneath the cursor.  And wait until you see what it displays!

For Cogo Points, you can see the layer name of the Point Marker and Point Label, as well as the layer of the Cogo Point itself.  You also see the Primary Point Group.  And if the point uses and Sincpac Dynamic Links, you will see that as well.

When hovering over a polyline, you can see data for the segment closest to the cursor.  And for 3D linework, you see both 2D and 3D lengths, as well as the total vertical change and average grade over the entire length of the object.

This command is found in the Power Module (formerly the Reporting Module) and the Power Module, as well as in the complete version of the Sincpac C3D.

[Dave M]

Here is what i get when I select a contour line in a surface.  It's listing the layer that the surface object is on, not the layer of the contour line.

I will check out the entity tracker listed above, thanks!

[BlackBox]

Here is what i get when I select a contour line in a surface.  It's listing the layer that the surface object is on, not the layer of the contour line.

I will check out the entity tracker listed above, thanks!

Thanks for confirming that you're seeking the nested component layer; aside from Entity Tracker, I think you'll find SincPac to be incredibly useful working with C3D. 

Cheers

[rkmcswain]

Thanks for confirming that you're seeking the nested component layer;

Yes, in *some* cases for us, the entity layer is the same as the 'nested' (style) layer. In others it's not.
Fortunately, we generally only work with our own drawings and most of us know the nested style layers (such as a major contour) for common objects.

[BlackBox]

Thanks for confirming that you're seeking the nested component layer;

Yes, in *some* cases for us, the entity layer is the same as the 'nested' (style) layer. In others it's not.
Fortunately, we generally only work with our own drawings and most of us know the nested style layers (such as a major contour) for common objects.

Absolutely; to know one's own Styles comes with working with them for a bit.

Methinks such functionality to be useful for when either entirely unfamiliar (yet somehow know how to use this SincPac functionality from the outset?), or that you frequently have to work with Client's Styles, etc. (i.e., cannot just LandXML Export\Import to use your own Styles).

Cheers

[Jeff_M]

Here is what i get when I select a contour line in a surface.  It's listing the layer that the surface object is on, not the layer of the contour line.

I will check out the entity tracker listed above, thanks!

Unfortunately, in most cases, the EntityTracker doesn't list the nested object, either. At one time it wasn't possible to determine which subentity the cursor was hovering over. I'll have a look into seeing if it's something that can now be supported.