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Default Methods for adding surface labels

21 REPLIES 21
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Message 1 of 22
Nikki101
799 Views, 21 Replies

Default Methods for adding surface labels

I am placing a lot of suface slope labels in my drawing (as in hundreds).  The default settings force you to choose a surface, and then to place it by selecting 1-point /or/ 2 points.  The CAD default is the 1-point.  Is there a way to change this default to the 2-point so I dont have to change it everytime?

Any help would be much appreciated. 

Thanks

21 REPLIES 21
Message 2 of 22
wfberry
in reply to: Nikki101

After you make the first one you want, can't you just copy it to your heart's content?

 

Bill

 

Message 3 of 22
Kevin.Spear
in reply to: wfberry

While i understand the OP's request, i was going to suggest the copy option as well... 🙂

Thanks
Kevin

Kevin Spear, PE
Message 4 of 22
Nikki101
in reply to: Kevin.Spear

Thanks guys.  I have been using the copy thus far, I was just curious if anyone knew how to actually adjust the default settings for the insertion of slope label...

 

Message 5 of 22
g_k50
in reply to: Nikki101

Is that something you can change in the style?

Message 6 of 22
Nikki101
in reply to: g_k50

I dont thinks so....

 

Message 7 of 22
jmayo-EE
in reply to: g_k50

No unless something is new there is no OOTB control for this.

 

I understand the wish as well. I also refrain from coping because you then have to go around and grip edit the label to get into better location/rotation/length. I would rather deal with the prompt & place them where needed than go though the process twice.

John Mayo

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Message 8 of 22
wfberry
in reply to: jmayo-EE

I disagree.  I believe I can copy to the same spot in either instance.

 

Bill

 

 

Message 9 of 22
Nikki101
in reply to: Nikki101

What do you mean by this?

Message 10 of 22
jmayo-EE
in reply to: wfberry

No one said you can't copy. I just feel it's more work if I need to go & grip edit or rotate all the copies so they are aligned with the slope I need to report. You take one process (add with two points) and make it three processes (add one two point, copy, rotate or grip edit). I have never had a surface where every slope label had the same rotation. If I did the copies would be better suited for me. 😉

John Mayo

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Message 11 of 22
Nikki101
in reply to: jmayo-EE

Hey John Mayo, 

 

Sorry for the confusion.  I understood what you were saying.  It was Bill's comment that was vague.... 

 

I am working with a mixed situation.  I have some property line swales on my plan - some of which are the same (or typical) from one lot to another, and the labels for these can be copied without the need to do grip editing.  However, these are only a few of the many areas where I need the labels, and for all the other (non-typical) labels - as you said - it is much more work to copy and grip edit them. 

 

Further more, we don not show negative slopes in our plans.  Our arrows only point in the direction of flow. If the label style is set to not display a (-) on a slope, you really have to be careful when you copy a slope label to an area with the opposite slope.  The arrow direction is based on the 2 point selection (the arrow is directed to the 2nd point selected) and would display as a negative slope if the (-) sign is displayed.  But the slope percentage does not change.  So the slope direction arrow and text will actually display the opposite of what is really happening with the surface.  If placing labels individually/properly, chosing your 2 points from the high point to the low point, you avoid any chance of this error.  And I must say, we look pretty incompetant as civil designers when we show water running uphill....

 

Thanks for your input.  I will keep pluggin away - one label at a time....

Message 12 of 22
wfberry
in reply to: Nikki101

I use the 1-point.  Always downhill.

 

Bill

 

Message 13 of 22
Nikki101
in reply to: wfberry

True, and this works great when labelling a 1-way slope, or when labelling existing ground surfaces where there is no rhyme or reason to the direction of the arrows, and no need to display the slope along a certian item.

 

However, in civil disign, almost all proposed ground surfaces have some sort of a cross slope, and more often than not, a 1-point method of label insertion will not display exactly what you want.  For example,  I have a ditch with side slopes of 1:3 (33.33%) and a longitudinal slope of 1%.  If my label is not placed exactly on the centerline of the swale (and sometimes even if it is) the label begins to rotate and the slope percentage begins to increase significantly.... Obviously not displaying what I want. Which in turn leads to more editing of the label crating more wasted time.

 

In the file I am currently working on, there will most likely be over a 1000 of these labels, so it would be nice to not have to be 100% precise with my label placement, and more importantly, to not have to edit them.

Message 14 of 22
Nikki101
in reply to: wfberry

And no offence Bill, but for an *Expert Elite*, you come across very condesening, close minded, and non-helpful.  If you can't understand the question or don't care to open your mind to alternative ways of drafting, please don't comment.

Message 15 of 22
neilyj666
in reply to: Nikki101


@RobRaminsh88 wrote:

True, and this works great when labelling a 1-way slope, or when labelling existing ground surfaces where there is no rhyme or reason to the direction of the arrows, and no need to display the slope along a certian item.

 

However, in civil disign, almost all proposed ground surfaces have some sort of a cross slope, and more often than not, a 1-point method of label insertion will not display exactly what you want.  For example,  I have a ditch with side slopes of 1:3 (33.33%) and a longitudinal slope of 1%.  If my label is not placed exactly on the centerline of the swale (and sometimes even if it is) the label begins to rotate and the slope percentage begins to increase significantly.... Obviously not displaying what I want. Which in turn leads to more editing of the label crating more wasted time.

 

In the file I am currently working on, there will most likely be over a 1000 of these labels, so it would be nice to not have to be 100% precise with my label placement, and more importantly, to not have to edit them.


I think I'd question whether you actually need this many labels and whether there may be a more efficient way of communicating the information?

neilyj (No connection with Autodesk other than using the products in the real world)
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Message 16 of 22
wfberry
in reply to: Nikki101

Sorry you feel that way Rob.  I hate to read notes that ramble on and on, just get to the point.

 

BTW, my mother told me not to use words I couldn't spell.

 

Smiley Happy

 

Bill

 

 

Message 17 of 22
Nikki101
in reply to: wfberry

Bill,

 

First off - i tried to get to the point as quickly in the first post, but obviously you didn't understand it, so I elaborated.  It is also obvious that this didnt help you any.  If you weren't aware, Civil3D is a very elaborate program, and sometimes questions can't always be short and sweet for people who don't like to read.

 

Second off - I thought these forums were to help people with thier questions and probelms, not only to point out how you go about them.  It's called a discussion, to get people thinking about different situations and to come up with a solution. I realize there are many ways to do everything in AutoCAD, and everyone has their own way about drawing the things they draw.  However what you are saying you do, does not get the results of what I am trying to do, and if you understood the question, you would have understood that what you accomplish and what I am trying to accomplish are not the same thing.

 

Your extremely short / non-useful responses make me feel like my questions are being answered by a child who doesn't understand the question - which is not why we pay high yearly rates for a subscription.  And which I guess explains the comment about your mother....  and your inability to see past a spelling error in a sentence and actually see the point.

 

Lastly, you mustn't hate these long posts too much as you continue reading them, continue posting unhelpful responses and continue wasting everyones time.

Message 18 of 22
Nikki101
in reply to: neilyj666

neilyj,

 

I wish they weren't all required, and generally we aim to put as little information necessary into our grading plans to allow room for contractors to work thier magic in thier equipment without deviating from the overall design. 

 

However this is a very large subdivision i am currently designing with a very extensive storm water management design.  We have to show enough to make sure it will be built right, and to satisfy the municipality for thier approval.  In this particular situation - that results in an over abundance of slope labels to show everything we have designed. 

 

Even with the annoyance of this "non-preferred" way of inserting these labels, it is still much faster than the old way (using a block and peice of text) - especially when we make changes to the design.  There is too much room for error in grading design changes using the old method on a site as large as the one I am working with now.

 

That being said, if you can think of a faster way, I am all ears.... (or eyes I guess) lol

Message 19 of 22
troma
in reply to: Nikki101

Some ideas that might help on occasions:
1. Label feature lines. I presume you have a featureline defining the ditch. You can label the featureline with a grade and flow arrow, and it will always be 1%.

2. Set your slope label style to display the negative. That way you will see that you have it facing the wrong way, and flip it around. If one gets missed it may contravene your drafting standards, but at least it is accurate. Another possibility: use 'hide negative values' and the text will disappear when negative.

Please bear in mind that there is nothing special about the "Expert Elites". ( I don't even like being called 'elite', it comes across as snooty.) We are mostly just users of the program just like you, and none of us is getting any of that yearly subscription that you're paying.

Mark Green

Working on Civil 3D in Canada

Message 20 of 22
Neilw_05
in reply to: Nikki101

You've totally misread Bill. He's a humble sincere guy which is evident in his posts (note his self deprecating comment) and is immediately evident if you ever have the opportunity to meet him.

 

Perhaps he didn't understand your issue fully. I think most of us have done that. Please don't take the short answers as being curt. He didn't get to be an Expert Elite by being arrogant or condescending. I hope you allow yourself to get to know him better.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com

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