Moving an Existing Point

[Rubixcube10]

There are points in my drawing that I want to move.  Everytime I right click on the point and choose "Move", it doesn't work.  I'm able to pick the base point but when I choose the new location it just goes right back to the original spot.  I've seen the unlock option in the points groups but that doesn't seem to work for some reason.  Any advice on how to move my points?  Thanks

Rob

[antoniovinci]

Switch off OSNAP (toggle with F3), check the layers' state (thawn and on), bind every XREF, and try again...

[Rubixcube10]

Well so far my snaps were turned off and all layers turned on.  bind every XREF, I don't know exactly what this means.

[antoniovinci]

Are you sure that all the layers are unlocked..?

About binding a XREF, it means "melting" it in the current drawing: press F1 and look for XREF command options, sir. 

[Rubixcube10]

Yes all my layers are still unlocked.  (light bulbs on).  I went to the Prospector tab and right clicked on the point groups and clicked on unlock points.  But still it won't let me move my point.  I've looked for the XREF command options in the help menu but it must be buried in a certain topic.  I've even did a search for it and still can't find what this means. 

I'm assuming i'm missing something because according to the help menu, all I have to do click on the point and grip and click move point.  But like I've said when I choose the new location it just goes right back to the same original spot.

[Rubixcube10 · Accepted solution]

I figured it out.  I had to go to my database, go to points and click unlock in drawing.  Thanks for the help.

[mathewkol]

Now that you've done that you've pooched the relationship between the survey database and your drawing. You've changed ONLY the drawing. If you were to reimport points from the DB that moved point will go back to its original spot.

[Rubixcube10]

Interesting...then what do you recommend me doing?  Do I export my points or something and create a new database so this point won't go back to original location if I have to send it to someone else?

Also, is the Search option on this board not working for anyone else too??

[mathewkol]

It depends on how you brought the points into the survey DB in the first place and how you want to use the DB. One way is to ensure ALL the points in the DB are in your DWG. Unlock ALL of the points, remove thm from the survey DB and readd your DWG points to the DB.

This will add all of the points but if you used an FBK and you need to perform a traverse analysis you will no longer be able to.

If you used the FBK language to automatically draw linework it may not be drawn the same way after this as well.

Like I said, it depends on how your DB started and how you need to keep interacting with it.

I suppose one question is why do you need to move that point? If you used an FBK ideally you'd change the observational data to move it; a new rod height, bad angle etc. I know that isn't always practical but that's the ideal method.

[Rubixcube10]

I brought my points in using the text file.  I imported the points into the Foresight and exported them creating an ASCII file.  Then imported them into Civil3D.  Most of the linework automatically connected themselves.  I needed to move a couple of points because my breaklines were crossing each other. 

 Example is I did a TOPO Survey on a bridge and one of the wingwalls was hanging over towards the stream.  The top of the wingwall (stream side) was shot and the bottom of the wingwall was shot (Stream side).  I needed to Move the Top Shots of Wingwall over so they're on the outside of the stream line and not in the water.  So I'm not having shots 10 feet higher than my ground shots in the stream.

[mathewkol]

Great explanation.

So you have no need for any of Civil 3D's observational editing tools for FBK, you just have a simple text file that you've inserted.  This gives you now a couple of options.

Are you planning on sharing points between drawings?  This is something the survey DB can help with, at least a little.  If you're not planning on sharing, can you think of a good reason to even keep the DB?  Yes, it will help keep your points safe should you accidentally rease them, but do you really need the DB?  I have clients that use the DB so they can connect lines using survey figures.  They then unlock all of the points in the DWG and explode the figures to polylines and then turf the survey DB alltogether.  I'm not saying this is the best solution, but if all you need are lines drawn you don't really need to keep the DB around, especially if you will be moving some points around.

If you think you'd like to keep that DB around, maybe for when you move a point and you need the linework to automatically redraw itself, here is whatI do.

1. Insert the points into the drawing, not the survey DB.  Obviously no lines will be drawn.
2. Add those points to the DB specifying "Points fron drawing" and not points from a file.  Your lines will get drawn at this point and all of the poiints in the DWG will be unlocked.
3. Feel free to move the points around in the DWG as required, but every time you do, Right click the Import Event in the DB and pick Re-Import.  All of the points in the DWG will again be added back to the DB along with, of course any changes you made.  The DWG will be in sync with the DB.

This is by no means a perfect workflow, but it's one that can work if you need to move points around inside the DWG AND keep the DB in sync with those changes.

[AllenJessup]

Personally I don't like to move points that represent a field observation even if it's inconvenient. I would leave the point where it is, edit the position of the Top of Wall feature line and remove the point from the surface definition. That way you have a good looking wall. But you haven't moved a point that might be move back by a reimport.

I do it this way because I was taught, and agree with the reasoning, that you never alter a field point unless there was an observational error. You can do adjustments on the whole network because that is reproducible.

Allen