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Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Create and use data shortcuts as reference links in Civil 3D projects.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
6 min.
Transcript
00:03
In Civil 3D, data shortcuts provide complete reference copies of objects
00:09
that you can insert into one or more drawings.
00:12
Data shortcuts can be created for surfaces, alignments, profiles, corridors,
00:19
pipe networks, pressure networks, and view frame groups.
00:25
They provide reference links between drawings without the use of a database.
00:30
When planning to use data shortcuts for your project management,
00:34
it is important to first set the working folder and start your project before you start any drawings.
00:41
For this example, even though the surveyor started this project ahead of time,
00:46
you can still associate this drawing to your project.
00:50
On the Manage tab, Data Shortcuts panel, click Set Working Folder.
00:56
This is the folder in which all projects of this type will be saved,
01:01
and could be a project directory, a network drive, or a local drive.
01:06
Once selected, verify the path, and then click Select Folder.
01:13
Next, create a new shortcuts folder.
01:17
In the Data Shortcuts panel, click New Shortcuts Folder.
01:21
The working folder path that you just created is selected automatically.
01:27
Add a Name and Description for your shortcuts folder.
01:31
If your company has a standard for setting up project directories,
01:35
with folders for each discipline or phase of a project, you can use a project template.
01:41
This is a folder structure that is predefined according to your project and company standards.
01:47
Click Use project template, then browse to select the template.
01:54
Click OK to set the data shortcut folder.
01:58
Next, ensure that all drawings are saved to the new project directory.
02:05
With the drawing from your surveyor open, from the Application menu, select Save as.
02:13
Locate your project directory, which, in this example, is the Source Drawings > Surfaces subfolder.
02:21
Click Save.
02:24
Now that you have your drawing saved, make sure that this drawing and all its data are referenced into the correct folder structure.
02:33
In the Toolspace, under the Prospector tab, right-click Data Shortcuts and select Associate Project to Current Drawing.
02:43
Verify that the working folder and project are correct, and then click OK.
02:50
With your drawing associated to the project, you can create your data shortcuts.
02:56
In the Data Shortcuts panel, click Create Data Shortcuts.
03:02
In this example, there is only a surface in the drawing.
03:08
Select the surface, and then click OK.
03:12
The surface is now available for use in another drawing.
03:17
To continue with this example, the road design team is starting a new drawing,
03:23
and wants to use this surface as a data shortcut.
03:27
The team starts a blank drawing and sets up the Drawing Settings according to the project and company standards,
03:35
and making sure that the coordinate system is set in the drawing settings.
03:40
The drawing is saved into the same project directory, but instead of the Surfaces subdirectory, it is saved to the Alignments folder.
03:49
From the Toolspace, Prospector tab, under Data Shortcuts, expand Surfaces.
03:58
Right-click the existing ground (EG) and select Create Reference.
04:04
Edit any of the Properties, if needed, and then click OK.
04:10
Zoom to the extents, and you can see the surface.
04:15
The road design team can now start to draw and save the alignments.
04:20
With the road alignment created, you can build a profile to include this alignment as well as the surface.
04:29
From the Home tab, Create Design panel, expand Profile and select Create Surface Profile.
04:38
Both the surface and the alignment are in this file.
04:43
Even though the surface is a data reference, the elevations are understood and saved to the profile.
04:51
Use your alignment and the surface, plus any other offset profiles that you want to add.
04:57
Click Draw in profile view to create the profile.
05:02
Now, the road team can continue with the design.
05:06
In this example, the entire team has now been working on the project and adding data shortcuts.
05:14
In the Toolspace, Prospector tab, under Data Shortcuts,
05:19
you can see that there are pipe networks with sewer lines, pressure networks for water lines,
05:25
corridor models, and some view frame groups.
05:29
Your drafters can bring these references into a production drawing
05:34
and create the final product for the approving parties.
Video transcript
00:03
In Civil 3D, data shortcuts provide complete reference copies of objects
00:09
that you can insert into one or more drawings.
00:12
Data shortcuts can be created for surfaces, alignments, profiles, corridors,
00:19
pipe networks, pressure networks, and view frame groups.
00:25
They provide reference links between drawings without the use of a database.
00:30
When planning to use data shortcuts for your project management,
00:34
it is important to first set the working folder and start your project before you start any drawings.
00:41
For this example, even though the surveyor started this project ahead of time,
00:46
you can still associate this drawing to your project.
00:50
On the Manage tab, Data Shortcuts panel, click Set Working Folder.
00:56
This is the folder in which all projects of this type will be saved,
01:01
and could be a project directory, a network drive, or a local drive.
01:06
Once selected, verify the path, and then click Select Folder.
01:13
Next, create a new shortcuts folder.
01:17
In the Data Shortcuts panel, click New Shortcuts Folder.
01:21
The working folder path that you just created is selected automatically.
01:27
Add a Name and Description for your shortcuts folder.
01:31
If your company has a standard for setting up project directories,
01:35
with folders for each discipline or phase of a project, you can use a project template.
01:41
This is a folder structure that is predefined according to your project and company standards.
01:47
Click Use project template, then browse to select the template.
01:54
Click OK to set the data shortcut folder.
01:58
Next, ensure that all drawings are saved to the new project directory.
02:05
With the drawing from your surveyor open, from the Application menu, select Save as.
02:13
Locate your project directory, which, in this example, is the Source Drawings > Surfaces subfolder.
02:21
Click Save.
02:24
Now that you have your drawing saved, make sure that this drawing and all its data are referenced into the correct folder structure.
02:33
In the Toolspace, under the Prospector tab, right-click Data Shortcuts and select Associate Project to Current Drawing.
02:43
Verify that the working folder and project are correct, and then click OK.
02:50
With your drawing associated to the project, you can create your data shortcuts.
02:56
In the Data Shortcuts panel, click Create Data Shortcuts.
03:02
In this example, there is only a surface in the drawing.
03:08
Select the surface, and then click OK.
03:12
The surface is now available for use in another drawing.
03:17
To continue with this example, the road design team is starting a new drawing,
03:23
and wants to use this surface as a data shortcut.
03:27
The team starts a blank drawing and sets up the Drawing Settings according to the project and company standards,
03:35
and making sure that the coordinate system is set in the drawing settings.
03:40
The drawing is saved into the same project directory, but instead of the Surfaces subdirectory, it is saved to the Alignments folder.
03:49
From the Toolspace, Prospector tab, under Data Shortcuts, expand Surfaces.
03:58
Right-click the existing ground (EG) and select Create Reference.
04:04
Edit any of the Properties, if needed, and then click OK.
04:10
Zoom to the extents, and you can see the surface.
04:15
The road design team can now start to draw and save the alignments.
04:20
With the road alignment created, you can build a profile to include this alignment as well as the surface.
04:29
From the Home tab, Create Design panel, expand Profile and select Create Surface Profile.
04:38
Both the surface and the alignment are in this file.
04:43
Even though the surface is a data reference, the elevations are understood and saved to the profile.
04:51
Use your alignment and the surface, plus any other offset profiles that you want to add.
04:57
Click Draw in profile view to create the profile.
05:02
Now, the road team can continue with the design.
05:06
In this example, the entire team has now been working on the project and adding data shortcuts.
05:14
In the Toolspace, Prospector tab, under Data Shortcuts,
05:19
you can see that there are pipe networks with sewer lines, pressure networks for water lines,
05:25
corridor models, and some view frame groups.
05:29
Your drafters can bring these references into a production drawing
05:34
and create the final product for the approving parties.
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