Topic: Is there a way to delete a data shortcut surface once promoted in a dwg 2010

[sourdough]

Hi all
   Is there a way to delete a data shortcut surface once promoted in a dwg 2010?
I can't seem to delete a surface that is no longer valid.

Thanks in Advance

Mike

[mjfarrell]

Hi all
   Is there a way to delete a data shortcut surface once promoted in a dwg 2010?
I can't seem to delete a surface that is no longer valid.

Thanks in Advance

Mike

Send me a snapshot of your Prospector Tab...is the Data Reference STILL attached?
What do you mean the surface is 'no longer valid'?

Also it is my own personal experience that a BEST Practice would be that NO Data referenced shortcuts EVER be promoted,
The Best Practice would be to Rt Click the Data Shortcut, open the Source file, and Export the Desired Data via XML.
Start ones new file, import the XML and have a nice day.

[mjfarrell]

I the surface is truly LIVE, i.e. no longer a data reference....draw a rectangular polyline
add to the surface definition
Rebuild the surface
Select from screen, Press Delete Key
The surface will go away


Follow previous advice for future success.

[sourdough]

Hi Mike
   
Here is a snapshot of the Prospector. The surface is invalid because we updated the original surface
with a road by corridor that is now built. I tried your suggestion about adding a rect. poly and it Fatal Error
over and over. I have done a audit. The surface I'm trying to delete has the tri. symbol showing a shortcut.
My question is once you have promoted a data shortcut in a new dwg is there no way to erase it?

This started
in this order. One, fresh dwg no surfaces. Added by promotion into blank dwg the older surface. A grading group was
then created. Then the data shortcut folder was deleted by unknown source. Reset working folder. A new surface
was created that added a surface by corridor and that made a overall new surface to do additional grading of lots from
(making the older overall surface invalid to use for grading anymore).
That dwg with newer surface was added to working folder. The grading dwg then had 2 overall surfaces. The grading
object then were updated to target the new overall surface. I then tried to delete the older overall surface. It had
in rt. click no option to delete. So, I isolated that surface and tried to delete the older overall surface. It died and went to Hell.
Also, in the working folder, it wasn't present, so I put it back in. It still didn't allow me to remove it.

So, it is so screwed up now. I see that the grading groups, even with the updated target surface, can't be exported that
worked. I would just start again with the new surface and just rebuild the grading groups again in my site.

I the surface is truly LIVE, i.e. no longer a data reference....draw a rectangular polyline
add to the surface definition
Rebuild the surface
Select from screen, Press Delete Key
The surface will go away


Follow previous advice for future success.

[mjfarrell]

if there is a little yellow 'cheese nip' or Tri as you call it, that indicates that C3D thinks that someother object is using that object, you will have delete any objects that use the surface to delete the surface....Gradings, Profiles, corridors, etc.

If anything is using the surface it can not be deleted...it could also yield a FATAL error as C3D attempts to update all those objects using said surface.

Why was the 'original' surface not amended to show the 'as built' condition?
And the previous version saved in an archive is the question of process that comes to mind.

Also why is the Lot Grading Not being done as part of the corridor, NOT using gradings? (BEST Practice)  Also why I am covering said topic at AU this fall in a class called BEYOND THE BACK CURB.

If you are forced to basically start over....do NOT promote the surface. Export it using XML.
Further when a project is 'phased' as yours is, or the EG surface changes say with the addition of a corridor surface,
The new surface data should be merged with the previous Existing surface so the EG continues to reflect EXISITNG ground.
Perhaps even by Exporting EG to archive with date of it becoming obsolete entered in it's description. Then the corridor surface and the previous exsting surface need to be merged together (instructions to follow) so that EG is always current.

I guess I'm taking the long way around saying that the 'problem' is the solution.

[mjfarrell]

Once the corridor model for the roadway was built.
One would then extract the surface boundary for the corridor
Extract the contours from EG (phase 1)
use the corridor bounds to TRIM all existing contours that are within the corridor envelope
Extract the corridor contours
Export original EG to archive
or
Copy EG to a NEW name like EG OBSOLTE, EG Pre-Construction and be sure to indicate the who,when, where, and why the surface is obsolete in the Description field of the surface properties dialog.
Take all corridor surface contour data and add to EG
Now as the project continues, so to can you and the design elements (gradings, profiles, etc) continue to use EG as the target surface.

[sourdough]

if there is a little yellow 'cheese nip' or Tri as you call it, that indicates that C3D thinks that someother object is using that object, you will have delete any objects that use the surface to delete the surface....Gradings, Profiles, corridors, etc.

If anything is using the surface it can not be deleted...it could also yield a FATAL error as C3D attempts to update all those objects using said surface.

Why was the 'original' surface not amended to show the 'as built' condition?
Another operator worked on it before it was updated.
And the previous version saved in an archive is the question of process that comes to mind.

Also why is the Lot Grading Not being done as part of the corridor, NOT using gradings? (BEST Practice)  Also why I am covering said topic at AU this fall in a class called BEYOND THE BACK CURB. Where and when is this, and are you going to record it?

If you are forced to basically start over....do NOT promote the surface. Export it using XML. Will do.
Further when a project is 'phased' as yours is, or the EG surface changes say with the addition of a corridor surface,
The new surface data should be merged with the previous Existing surface so the EG continues to reflect EXISITNG ground.
Perhaps even by Exporting EG to archive with date of it becoming obsolete entered in it's description. Then the corridor surface and the previous exsting surface need to be merged together (instructions to follow) so that EG is always current.

I guess I'm taking the long way around saying that the 'problem' is the solution.

[mjfarrell]

I will probably record a version of this class, however my understanding is that all AU content is available on their web site AFTER
AU is finished. 
I will need to read a little closer my Speaker Agreement, to see if I'll have any issues IF I release the information before AU.

Currently the topic is covered in the last lessons of the Pirate3D series of lessons on my site. (versions prior to 2010 interface shown in those lessons.)  The concepts are the same.

[reno]

right click on the surface in the prospector and choose "select". then hit your delete key. cross your fingers it doesn't fatal error.

[scout]

I will need to read a little closer my Speaker Agreement, to see if I'll have any issues IF I release the information before AU.

Shouldn't be a problem.

[mjfarrell]

I will need to read a little closer my Speaker Agreement, to see if I'll have any issues IF I release the information before AU.

Shouldn't be a problem.

thanks for the clarification

[sourdough]

right click on the surface in the prospector and choose "select". then hit your delete key. cross your fingers it doesn't fatal error.

Thanks again for the ideas, however, I still have an issue with a Fatal Error that came with trying to delete a 'orphaned' surface that I don't want in my dwg. I have, in fact, received other dwgs that have these orphan surfaces. I tried to delete this same orphaned surface in 2011 as well and got the same greeting 'Fatal Error' anybody else have a best plan of attack for clean up of surface removal?

The other part of my question is if you have a grading object in one of these 'orphaned surfaces' and you want to claim it in another updated surface is there a way to do that?  I think the surface was orphaned by having lost the data shortcut working folder. One other note, I have added any new surface in the future as a data shortcut by not promoting it.

To me in working with the location of this folder it is Volatile if you happen to set the working folder location it erases what was in there and just says put in another, and won't allow you to use a previous location. This is in 2010, and haven't tried to use 2011 yet to see if the results are volatile there too. What do you guys/gals do with where you put the working folder. This might be more of me working remotely, and not working on their server directly, but the sharing of where a data shortcut goes seems to be a big deal. Any thoughts on how other people bridge this location issue would be appreciated.

Thanks
MJP

[Jeff_M]

Can I see one of these drawings that gives FE's, Mike?

[mjfarrell]

I want one too....

Although from your description, it sounds to be more of a process issue, and software.
Please describe in painstaking detail EXACTLY how everyone is handling moving this data around...there is NO logical reason you folks should be winding up with 'deleted' data, or information 'left behind' that I know of.
I want pictures of directory trees...shortcuts...who copies what master files to where...how you check you remote data in and out.
The location of the data shortcuts folder....inside the project folder.

[sourdough]

Can I see one of these drawings that gives FE's, Mike?

Hi Jeff, I'll send it with YouSendit to you.

MJP