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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Describe dynamic objects, and update object properties and layer styles.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
5 min.
Transcript
00:03
Objects are the dynamic building blocks that enable design work in Civil 3D.
00:08
Instead of designing with simple lines, arcs, or circles, you design using dynamic objects that work together,
00:15
such as points, surfaces, alignments, corridors, and more.
00:21
To see this distinction in this pipe network, open the Toolspace, and on the Prospector tab, expand Pipe Networks > Networks.
00:30
Pick Network – (1), then right-click and choose Select.
00:34
Right-click in the drawing and select Object Viewer.
00:37
Here, you see that the pipe network is a three-dimensional object, and not just a series of lines.
00:44
From Prospector, you can view and manage the objects in your projects, such as Surfaces, Alignments, and more.
00:52
The benefit of using dynamic objects for design is that the objects work together and essentially talk to each other.
00:60
For example, if a parcel is created from an object, and in the same site, a parcel line is created,
01:06
then the objects interact and the parcel is split into two parcel objects.
01:11
One of the best examples of object interaction is corridors.
01:16
To view how corridor objects interact, start by splitting your screen.
01:21
In the View tab, select Viewport Configuration > Two Vertical.
01:26
With the corridor in the left viewport and the profile in the right viewport, right-click the corridor and select Corridor Properties.
01:35
To change the surface style, in the Corridor Properties dialog box,
01:40
on the Surfaces tab, expand the Corridor and click the icon in the Surface Style column.
01:46
In the Pick Corridor Surface Style dialog box, expand the drop-down, and select Borders & Contours.
01:53
Click OK twice.
01:55
Many different objects build a corridor.
01:59
For example, sub-assemblies build the assembly within a corridor, corridors have feature lines,
02:05
alignments establish horizontal control, and profiles establish vertical control.
02:11
Any changes will dynamically apply to all objects within the corridor.
02:16
Now, in the profile, zoom in near stations 10 and 11.
02:21
Click and drag the profile up to raise the profile.
02:26
In Prospector, expand Corridors, then right-click Corridor (1) and select Rebuild – Automatic.
02:34
Do the same for Surface.
02:36
Now, any change to the profile will automatically adjust the corridor.
02:42
Each object has its own style.
02:45
For example, in the drawing, select the surface, and then open the Properties palette.
02:52
On the Information tab, note that the object Style is set to Contours (Background).
02:58
Each object also has multiple layer styles.
03:02
On the Home tab, > Layer panel, the layer is set to C-TOPO.
03:07
In the drawing, right-click the surface, and select Edit Surface Style.
03:13
In the Surface Style – Contours dialog box, you can see that there are multiple layers within the main style.
03:20
For example, Major Contours are set to C-TOPO Major, and Minor Contours to C-TOPO Minor.
03:27
Click Cancel to exit.
03:29
On the Layer panel, click the lightbulb icon to turn off the main C-TOPO layer, and in the left viewport, the entire object freezes.
03:38
Turn the main layer back on, and now, from the Layer drop-down, turn off only the C-TOPO Minor layer.
03:45
Note that the C-TOPO Major contours still display in the drawing.
03:51
To further explore object properties, in the left viewport, select the pipe structure, then right-click and select Structure Properties.
03:60
In the Structure Properties dialog box, the Information tab contains the Name, Description, and Structure style.
04:07
Select the Part Properties tab to view part properties that tie to other objects.
04:13
For example, here, Reference Surface is set to the road surface.
04:18
To adjust the surface, click Browse (…) to select an alternate value.
04:23
Here, leave the road surface selected, and click OK.
04:28
Review the Connections, Catchments, and Rules tabs, and then click OK.
04:35
In the left viewport, right-click the surface and select Surface Properties.
04:42
In the Surface Properties dialog box, select the Definition tab to adjust the definition options,
04:48
and select the Analysis tab to set the properties of a selected surface analysis type.
04:54
An analysis must match the style, so in this case, Slopes are turned on to view the analysis in the model space viewport.
05:03
In Civil 3D, each object has an object style and multiple layer styles, as well as associated label styles,
05:10
all of which determine how objects will display and function within your drawing.
Video transcript
00:03
Objects are the dynamic building blocks that enable design work in Civil 3D.
00:08
Instead of designing with simple lines, arcs, or circles, you design using dynamic objects that work together,
00:15
such as points, surfaces, alignments, corridors, and more.
00:21
To see this distinction in this pipe network, open the Toolspace, and on the Prospector tab, expand Pipe Networks > Networks.
00:30
Pick Network – (1), then right-click and choose Select.
00:34
Right-click in the drawing and select Object Viewer.
00:37
Here, you see that the pipe network is a three-dimensional object, and not just a series of lines.
00:44
From Prospector, you can view and manage the objects in your projects, such as Surfaces, Alignments, and more.
00:52
The benefit of using dynamic objects for design is that the objects work together and essentially talk to each other.
00:60
For example, if a parcel is created from an object, and in the same site, a parcel line is created,
01:06
then the objects interact and the parcel is split into two parcel objects.
01:11
One of the best examples of object interaction is corridors.
01:16
To view how corridor objects interact, start by splitting your screen.
01:21
In the View tab, select Viewport Configuration > Two Vertical.
01:26
With the corridor in the left viewport and the profile in the right viewport, right-click the corridor and select Corridor Properties.
01:35
To change the surface style, in the Corridor Properties dialog box,
01:40
on the Surfaces tab, expand the Corridor and click the icon in the Surface Style column.
01:46
In the Pick Corridor Surface Style dialog box, expand the drop-down, and select Borders & Contours.
01:53
Click OK twice.
01:55
Many different objects build a corridor.
01:59
For example, sub-assemblies build the assembly within a corridor, corridors have feature lines,
02:05
alignments establish horizontal control, and profiles establish vertical control.
02:11
Any changes will dynamically apply to all objects within the corridor.
02:16
Now, in the profile, zoom in near stations 10 and 11.
02:21
Click and drag the profile up to raise the profile.
02:26
In Prospector, expand Corridors, then right-click Corridor (1) and select Rebuild – Automatic.
02:34
Do the same for Surface.
02:36
Now, any change to the profile will automatically adjust the corridor.
02:42
Each object has its own style.
02:45
For example, in the drawing, select the surface, and then open the Properties palette.
02:52
On the Information tab, note that the object Style is set to Contours (Background).
02:58
Each object also has multiple layer styles.
03:02
On the Home tab, > Layer panel, the layer is set to C-TOPO.
03:07
In the drawing, right-click the surface, and select Edit Surface Style.
03:13
In the Surface Style – Contours dialog box, you can see that there are multiple layers within the main style.
03:20
For example, Major Contours are set to C-TOPO Major, and Minor Contours to C-TOPO Minor.
03:27
Click Cancel to exit.
03:29
On the Layer panel, click the lightbulb icon to turn off the main C-TOPO layer, and in the left viewport, the entire object freezes.
03:38
Turn the main layer back on, and now, from the Layer drop-down, turn off only the C-TOPO Minor layer.
03:45
Note that the C-TOPO Major contours still display in the drawing.
03:51
To further explore object properties, in the left viewport, select the pipe structure, then right-click and select Structure Properties.
03:60
In the Structure Properties dialog box, the Information tab contains the Name, Description, and Structure style.
04:07
Select the Part Properties tab to view part properties that tie to other objects.
04:13
For example, here, Reference Surface is set to the road surface.
04:18
To adjust the surface, click Browse (…) to select an alternate value.
04:23
Here, leave the road surface selected, and click OK.
04:28
Review the Connections, Catchments, and Rules tabs, and then click OK.
04:35
In the left viewport, right-click the surface and select Surface Properties.
04:42
In the Surface Properties dialog box, select the Definition tab to adjust the definition options,
04:48
and select the Analysis tab to set the properties of a selected surface analysis type.
04:54
An analysis must match the style, so in this case, Slopes are turned on to view the analysis in the model space viewport.
05:03
In Civil 3D, each object has an object style and multiple layer styles, as well as associated label styles,
05:10
all of which determine how objects will display and function within your drawing.
Industry:
Site Development (General civil engineering), Civil / Site development contractors, Secondary education, Vocational education, Colleges and universities
Role:
Civil engineer (Hydrology / hydraulics), Civil engineer (Land and site design), Civil engineer (Geotechnical), Civil engineer (Tunnels and bridges), Civil engineer (Roads and highways), Civil engineer (Rail), Student (18 plus), Teacher/faculty
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