Topic: Civil 3D, editing pipe properties & parts

[alanjt]

I recently had to create a new pipe set in my catalog (vcp) and i can't figure out how to add the pipe type to the material section. right now i have to manually change it from the properties of the pipe and this is rather cumbersome.

[BuckoAk]

If I understand you correctly you need to go to the Pipes pull down > Parts Builder under Circular Pipes select one of the pipes objects then select on Modify Part Size, this will take you to the Content Builder select on the Save Part Family As and name it VCP and save it.  Then go to Toolspace > Settings Tab > Pipe Network > Parts List and right click on your style and edit it. Go to the Pipes Tab and right click on the Pipes Header and select Add Part Family then add a check mark on VCP then select Ok. Then right click on the VCP in the Network Parts List and add all of the size pipe you need.

[mjfarrell]

Alan

One need not create an entire Part Family simply to add a material type.
Create you part family using any of the stock pipe part families.
Add a part Size; select that pipe size, rt-click and select edit, in the OPTIONAL material name, Expand that column, and then Click in the box and Type in the desired material name.
Then use the Material name in your labels to include this in your pipe label styles.
BEWARE that if the column is not as wide as the material name you are going to type in, it will TRUNCATE the name (the column does not auto-size) it's a defect.

This is covered in the Land Lubber forum here:

http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=23405.0
This is part of the JOKE of autodesk saying that they 'added'  NEW pipe parts to the 2010 product, when all they really did was copy and rename existing pipe parts from the previous version.

[mjfarrell]

BuckoAk, your directions are clear enough for copying a pipe catalog, however note that in your PDF file the 'optional' material value is STILL left blank, and the user would want to add the material to the list as well.

Moderator; this propably wants to be moved into the Land Lubber discussion area.

[mjfarrell]

I was just asked to test this process of changing/adding materials within the 2009 product.
Keep in mind that I did not apply any service patches.

However it appears that somewhere along the way autodesk broke this function in 2009, and one can NOT add a material to the materials list; and have it stay. The instant you close the parts list and return it has thrown out your newly added material.

Instead one will need use the fallback method of addint the desired material to the pipe description as shown in the attached.

So one will need the Part Name in the Label style, or create a Pipe <Material Name> Label style and type the desired Material name directly in the label style composer window.

[ChristopherF]

To get the material to stick add it to the material list:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\C3D 2009\enu\Pipes Catalog\US Imperial Pipes\AeccSharedPropertyLists.xml

and/or

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\C3D 2009\enu\Pipes Catalog\Metric Pipes\AeccSharedPropertyLists.xml

The attached picture shows VCP added to the Metric Pipes material list.

[mjfarrell]

Christopher, that will sure help the 2009 product users...although it is interesting that doing this wasn't needed in previous versions.
And not needed in 2010 at all.

[ChristopherF]

Christopher, that will sure help the 2009 product users...although it is interesting that doing this wasn't needed in previous versions.
And not needed in 2010 at all.

If I'm using a pipe material often, I just add the material to the list so I don't have to worry about typing it in. It's useful for most versions.

[mjfarrell]

In versions prior to  2009 if one needed a new material one needed only enter it ONCE, and it would  stay there so they would be not need to continue to add it in because it isn't wiped out when one exits the pipe, parts list dialog.

For clarity, it appears that  2010 if one is logged on as Administrator the changes stay, and in  2009, if one adds a unique material it will not stay attached to the pipe; even when the program is run as admin.

Editing the XML seems to be the ONLY way the new material will stick ,<R2009>.

Somewhere along the way , r2009 they 'fixed' is such that the user MUST add the material in the XML file, probably because they couldn't get the stupid column to stop truncating the entries, so they simply force the user to now edit the XML file.

NOTE: this post is corrected after testing with 2009, 2010 further tests will be done with 2008 upon my return to AZ next week.