Civil 3D pipe network labelling problem

[lewistumelty]

Hi all,

Pretty new to using Civil3d so not sure if there is an easy solution to this or not. I have had a look through but cant seem to find anything on this forum yet. (Unless im not looking in the right places!)

Basically, I have a drainage model, the data for which has been imported from microdrainage into Civil3d (.sws file) .

The engineer working on the project is playing around with the Invert and Cover levels so I reload the same updated .sws file into my model almost daily expecting the information shown in the labels of the pipes and manholes to simply change. Instead mine seem to disappear and I have to relabel the whole network again.

This wouldnt be much of a problem because labelling only takes a few minutes but with this particular scheme, the client wants the labels shown in a box with a leader. When I relabel, the boxes automatically snap to the centre of the manholes without a leader and i then have to drag each one away from the manhole to get the leader to show up. Its a massive scheme and also very congested in some areas so now I have all the labels in their correct positions I dont want to have to keep wasting hours redoing them if I dont need to.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Lewis

[emelendez]

Lewis,

First of all, welcome to the wonderful, frustrating, awesome world of Civil 3D!

I have done this only a few times but from what I have experienced, this is something you are going to have to deal with until the engineer stops changing things. everytime you reload the external file, it is as you created the pipe network for the first time. Therefore, your labels go bye-bye. If possible, I would ask the client if they would be ok seeing the structure information in a structure tabel until the design is finalized. then you could just label the structures with a number/letter. this would clen up the congestion a lot. If not, then ask the engineer to print out a report for the structures and then you would have to manualy adjust the data for each structure to match. yes that would take time, but at least you wouldn't have to move the labels again......and again......and again.......The good thing about adjusting the data yourself, is that you can do it through the prospector table instead of having to go to each structure throughout the site.

Hope this helps.

[lewistumelty]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply!

When I bring the external file back in, there is a dialog box with the option to 'create new' or 'add/update' and because the .sws file name hasn't changed, it automatically selects the 'add/update' option for me. It also has a summary box showing exactly what has changed from the previous version.This leads me to believe that it is reckognising the pipe network I already have in the drawing and not as a new pipe network. Can you shed any light on this? (See screenshot)

If im wrong and what you're saying is true its a bit of a shame as I can see this being an issue with a lot of jobs we have in the future. I like your suggestion about getting the micro drainage report printed and changing them manually. This would definitely be a hell of a lot quicker than relabelling in this scheme so thanks for that 🙂

Lewis

[emelendez]

well, again, I am not very well versed at this task, but logically it makes sense that it is updating what is already there. But by the way it is acting is not the case. This is part of the frustrating aspect of Civil 3D. It looks like it is going to act a certain way, but doesn't. If it were me, I would just get the report and adjust the data. just hope the engineer didn't add any structures. If he/she did add structures/pipes, you could import the file again and tell it to create a new network. Then move the structures/pipes from one to the other. That would limit how much recreating labels would be needed. THen all you would have to do is delete the "newer" imported network after you have moved the parts and pieces over to the "old" network. Does that make sense to you?

[lewistumelty]

Yer, it is a bit frustrating. Maybe someone who works more closely with this aspect has a solution! who knows?!

I understand what you mean with regards to any design changes. Basically import the new design and use it as a stencil to move/add the old design to and then delete it out after. Again, a handy solution, thanks.

I just think there has to be another way! The next issue isn't due out for another 2-3 weeks so I have a bit of a rest bite to have a play around with it and maybe explore other options. The majority of the CAD team here in Arup are Microstation and Inroads users and as my background is predominantly in Autocad, I was burdened with the task of learning Civil 3d so I have little/no help here! I was stuck in the office until 10pm last friday evening sorting problem among other problems out so it would be a huge advantage if I can be ahead of the game next issue so I can enjoy a full weekend ha!

[emelendez]

Microstation........ahhhh.....get it away, get it away. LOL.

I will say this, YOUTUBE!!!! Tons of great videos out there to help learn how to utilize the program. I watch all kind of videos regularly. They may not give you the work around or tips and tricks, but very useful.

[lewistumelty]

Any other suggestions out there? Or am I just going to have to suck it up and persevere?

[drazen-ars]

Not an answer to your specific problem. Just an idea how we (creators of 3rd party pipe solution based on Autodesk) solve that problem.

We faced with that problem, in some bit different circumstances. In the case when we would like to import part of network from external database, we created the new network, and of course if label the network, labels will be positioned in default position, whatever is that.

So, we managed that problem in a way that after initial repositioning of labels we can, together with other data, we can write to the database all data about associated labels (label name, scale, relative position to node, and so on). So, whenever we reimport any part of the network, we can automatically import labels too. We do not write to the database exact value of data which are labeled, but they are taken from current node values (terrain elevation, invert elevation, ...).

So, think that in your case, you have to find help from some programers. Utility should do as I explained. Take current node names, data about associated label and save it to, for example, in some text file. Than after you update your network you have to have second function which will label the new network according to data earlier stored in the text file.

We are not experienced with C3D API, but for sure around there are lot people who can do something similar.

Regards,

Drazen Galic

d dot galic at studioars dot hr