Problem with Tutorials-AutoCAD Civil 3D-2014

[e_jolliffe]

I am trying to go through the tutorials in AUTOCAD Civil 3D 2014 and when I bring in the drawings that are referenced in the tutorials, they come in as blocks. When I explode them it throws off the elevations. Why is this occuring?

[Patchy]

You're using plain autocad to open C3D tutorial drawings?

[e_jolliffe]

No. I am opening C3D first, then trying to open in that program. I even try to drag and drop. It will sometimes give me the message that the drawing is in use and do I want to view as a read only. I close the progam and reopen where I can then insert the drawing, but it comes in as a block.

[Patchy]

Drag and drop means it inserts as a block.

You're setting your SDI = zero and you open it again that is why it prompted you that the dwg is read only.

Change your SDI to 1 , exit autocad completely and restart.

[e_jolliffe]

How do I change this SDI setting?

[Patchy]

Type in SDI

[e_jolliffe]

Ok I did that and it will still ask me if I want read only.

[Patchy]

Is your file properties read only?  

WHOHAS and check who has it opened.

[Jay_B]

Hi,

This Post really should be posted in the AutoCAD Civil 3D General Discussion Group.

It sounds like you may be misunderstanding how the Tutorials were intended to be used.

The Tutorial drawings are found here:

<AutoCAD Civil 3D installation location>\Help\Civil Tutorials\Drawings

Then if the following folder doesn't exist on your system copy / paste the tutorial drawings to below location:

C:\Users\[user name]\My Documents\Autodesk\

2014 Help Tutorial locations

Now access the Tutorial files using the OPEN command and you can SAVE them if you desire as you work through the tutorials.

Don't INSERT them as BLOCKS and EXPLODE them as they likely won't function properly.

You Might Start Here

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@e_jolliffe wrote:

when I bring in the drawings that are referenced in the tutorials, they come in as blocks. When I explode them it throws off the elevations. Why is this occurring?

---

Likely may be because the Drawing you're in when you inserted the Tutorials were set up in different Drawing Units.

HTH

[dgorsman]

When you say "bring in a drawing", are you attempting to open it, insert it as a block, or insert it as an XREF?  Or add it as a data reference?

[e_jolliffe]

I am trying to open the drawing in C3D.

Ed Jolliffe
Survey Technologist





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(780)424-5511 ext. 261
Suite 200-9945 50 Street
Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6A OL4
ejolliffe@challengergeomatics.com
WWW.ChallengerGeomatics.com

[Jay_B]

How was Civil 3D launched?

Using the provided Civil 3D Imperial or Civil 3D Metric icon on desktop or via Start Menu under Programs>AutoDesk?

The above method ensures everything you need including proper C3D workspace etc. will work.

Or was Civil 3D launched as AutoCad?

If it was launched as AutoCad it won't be able to properly load necessary behind the scenes Civil 3D functions.

[e_jolliffe]

It was launched using the desktop icon.

Ed Jolliffe
Survey Technologist





[cid:image001.gif@01CBDF43.2CA1B870]





(780)424-5511 ext. 261
Suite 200-9945 50 Street
Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6A OL4
ejolliffe@challengergeomatics.com
WWW.ChallengerGeomatics.com

[Jay_B]

Does a tutorial dwg work ok when you open a Tutorial.dwg using the Open command from a writeable location such as under your "My Documents" folder structure?

[e_jolliffe]

Sorry I couldn't get back to you earlier. No it will not open with the "open With..." from the explorer. It continues to ask for read only.

Ed Jolliffe
Survey Technologist





[cid:image001.gif@01CBDF43.2CA1B870]





(780)424-5511 ext. 261
Suite 200-9945 50 Street
Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6A OL4
ejolliffe@challengergeomatics.com
WWW.ChallengerGeomatics.com

[Jay_B · Accepted solution]

Hi Ed,

The reason your seeing this message is your trying to open the Tutorials from a "Read only" location on your computer.

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2014\Help\Civil Tutorials\Drawings\ is normally "Read Only" to protect program files from getting messed up.

If the following folder doesn't exist on your system, create it at this location for (Windows 7).

C:\Users\your user name\Documents\Autodesk\2014 Tutorials\

Then copy & paste all tutorial drawings from C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2014\Help\Civil Tutorials\Drawings\

into C:\Users\your user name\Documents\Autodesk\2014 Tutorials\

Now Launch Civil 3D using the Icon on your Desktop that was installed with Civil 3d.

Click on the Application Menu (Civil 3d icon) on upper left corner of workspace & choose "OPEN", browse to C:\Users\your user name\Documents\Autodesk\2014 Tutorials\

Don't open the files by double clicking or by "open with" in explorer as it's hard to know what is actually being loaded.

Launching the Software and File Open is the better method to ensure the proper user profiles etc. are loaded.