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Sharing Civil 3D-related formats in ACC

Share Civil 3D-related files that require special attention to help ensure their availability in the cloud.


00:03

When migrating projects to the Autodesk Construction Cloud,

00:07

it is important to know that some Civil 3D-related files require special attention to ensure proper sharing in the cloud.

00:14

These include references that do not maintain their links, files with long paths, surface references, and point files.

00:24

Certain file types must be updated manually, including SHP files, or GIS data, and PDFs used in a drawing.

00:34

Survey database is not currently supported in Collaboration in Civil 3D.

00:40

When using survey data, it is best practice to create and path the survey database in Autodesk Docs using a mapped drive.

00:48

Then, save all files needed in Autodesk Docs—such as your CSV and TXT file—before using the survey drawing.

00:58

Other data that requires manual sharing and local extraction includes pressure and gravity part catalogs;

01:06

and custom subassemblies, such as PKT files.

01:10

Also note that files attached via the MAPIINSERT command or connected with FDO connections

01:16

will not automatically upload to Autodesk Docs, and will need to be manually reset.

01:22

Based on the Microsoft path length limitation of 260 characters, Desktop Connector does not support file paths over 244 characters.

01:32

Even if your target folder and file length does not exceed 260 characters, the length could be exceeded if a related data folder is created.

01:42

If paths exceed 244 characters, files will not load successfully.

01:48

Some workflows affected by this limitation include file locking or renaming, folder creation, the Upload Files and References tool,

01:58

copying a folder to the connector with nested folders, and cross file references.

02:04

If you receive a Long Paths Identified warning, you can resolve the issue by reducing the file or folder path

02:11

or by placing the file closer to the parent folder.

02:15

Surface references also require special attention.

02:19

When surfaces are created for a drawing inside Autodesk Docs,

02:23

it is imperative that you save the surfaces source XML in Docs prior to importing the LandXML file into your drawing.

02:32

This prevents a related data folder from being created in Docs.

02:36

If the LandXML file is saved on a local drive, it will create a related data folder.

02:43

Should this occur, best practice is to copy the related data LandXML file into a new folder in Docs.

02:51

Then, open the surface DWG, re-path the source LandXML to the correct Docs location, and delete the related data folder.

03:02

The large size of MMS files can cause latency during opening, loading, refreshing, and saving, and may cause Desktop Connector to time out.

03:12

To help prevent this, from Docs, sync the MMS to a local cache before opening a DWG with a large surface,

03:20

and you can edit the surface to remove the MMS reference.

03:24

With some surface issues, especially XML paths for surfaces, they cannot be changed to a relative path.

03:32

This means that saving the file in Docs will create a related data folder for the XML file.

03:39

As mentioned previously, it is very important to save the XML file to Docs prior to importing the file.

03:46

The same applies to DEM files.

03:51

Point files, such as CSV, PTS, and TXT files, can be uploaded seamlessly into ACC.

04:00

If Desktop Connector is installed and the point file is synced locally,

04:05

then it can be directly inserted into the drawing from the respective project file in ACC.

04:10

If a surface is created from previously inserted points, then no connection exists between the DWG and the point file.

04:19

However, if the surface is created directly from a point file, then an absolute path connection is created between the DWG and the point file.

04:29

There are several options for managing large surfaces in Civil 3D to reduce the amount of data and avoid creating a cache file,

04:37

like an MMS file.

04:39

You can apply a data clip boundary to imported surfaces, simplify the surface, weed feature line vertices, or simplify the data display.

04:50

Other options include bringing a large surface into a new drawing and cropping it to what is needed,

04:56

using data shortcuts, or creating a new and separate master drawing that contains just your surfaces.

05:03

You can also change the data source for a surface or use other programs to create it.

05:09

Large, detailed surfaces can be created from point clouds, or you can explore other data sources,

05:16

such as GeoTIFF DEM files, especially if you use ReCap Photo or other drone data processing.

05:24

Surfaces from raster files can be much smaller with acceptable accuracy.

05:30

Reviewing and following these recommendations

05:33

can help to ensure that your Civil 3D-related files are available for collaboration in the cloud.

Video transcript

00:03

When migrating projects to the Autodesk Construction Cloud,

00:07

it is important to know that some Civil 3D-related files require special attention to ensure proper sharing in the cloud.

00:14

These include references that do not maintain their links, files with long paths, surface references, and point files.

00:24

Certain file types must be updated manually, including SHP files, or GIS data, and PDFs used in a drawing.

00:34

Survey database is not currently supported in Collaboration in Civil 3D.

00:40

When using survey data, it is best practice to create and path the survey database in Autodesk Docs using a mapped drive.

00:48

Then, save all files needed in Autodesk Docs—such as your CSV and TXT file—before using the survey drawing.

00:58

Other data that requires manual sharing and local extraction includes pressure and gravity part catalogs;

01:06

and custom subassemblies, such as PKT files.

01:10

Also note that files attached via the MAPIINSERT command or connected with FDO connections

01:16

will not automatically upload to Autodesk Docs, and will need to be manually reset.

01:22

Based on the Microsoft path length limitation of 260 characters, Desktop Connector does not support file paths over 244 characters.

01:32

Even if your target folder and file length does not exceed 260 characters, the length could be exceeded if a related data folder is created.

01:42

If paths exceed 244 characters, files will not load successfully.

01:48

Some workflows affected by this limitation include file locking or renaming, folder creation, the Upload Files and References tool,

01:58

copying a folder to the connector with nested folders, and cross file references.

02:04

If you receive a Long Paths Identified warning, you can resolve the issue by reducing the file or folder path

02:11

or by placing the file closer to the parent folder.

02:15

Surface references also require special attention.

02:19

When surfaces are created for a drawing inside Autodesk Docs,

02:23

it is imperative that you save the surfaces source XML in Docs prior to importing the LandXML file into your drawing.

02:32

This prevents a related data folder from being created in Docs.

02:36

If the LandXML file is saved on a local drive, it will create a related data folder.

02:43

Should this occur, best practice is to copy the related data LandXML file into a new folder in Docs.

02:51

Then, open the surface DWG, re-path the source LandXML to the correct Docs location, and delete the related data folder.

03:02

The large size of MMS files can cause latency during opening, loading, refreshing, and saving, and may cause Desktop Connector to time out.

03:12

To help prevent this, from Docs, sync the MMS to a local cache before opening a DWG with a large surface,

03:20

and you can edit the surface to remove the MMS reference.

03:24

With some surface issues, especially XML paths for surfaces, they cannot be changed to a relative path.

03:32

This means that saving the file in Docs will create a related data folder for the XML file.

03:39

As mentioned previously, it is very important to save the XML file to Docs prior to importing the file.

03:46

The same applies to DEM files.

03:51

Point files, such as CSV, PTS, and TXT files, can be uploaded seamlessly into ACC.

04:00

If Desktop Connector is installed and the point file is synced locally,

04:05

then it can be directly inserted into the drawing from the respective project file in ACC.

04:10

If a surface is created from previously inserted points, then no connection exists between the DWG and the point file.

04:19

However, if the surface is created directly from a point file, then an absolute path connection is created between the DWG and the point file.

04:29

There are several options for managing large surfaces in Civil 3D to reduce the amount of data and avoid creating a cache file,

04:37

like an MMS file.

04:39

You can apply a data clip boundary to imported surfaces, simplify the surface, weed feature line vertices, or simplify the data display.

04:50

Other options include bringing a large surface into a new drawing and cropping it to what is needed,

04:56

using data shortcuts, or creating a new and separate master drawing that contains just your surfaces.

05:03

You can also change the data source for a surface or use other programs to create it.

05:09

Large, detailed surfaces can be created from point clouds, or you can explore other data sources,

05:16

such as GeoTIFF DEM files, especially if you use ReCap Photo or other drone data processing.

05:24

Surfaces from raster files can be much smaller with acceptable accuracy.

05:30

Reviewing and following these recommendations

05:33

can help to ensure that your Civil 3D-related files are available for collaboration in the cloud.

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