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Survey Figure's... whats the point?

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Message 1 of 73
lhampton
2974 Views, 72 Replies

Survey Figure's... whats the point?

So, ive given up. This feature is pretty much useless and creates a TON more work for me and the other guys switching from LDT. I would like to know if there is anyway to make lines come in and NOT BE SURVEY FIGURES. I would LOVE to have my NORMAL 2D POLYLINES back. So would the 25 survey engineers that I work with.

 

Is this even possible in this pice of junk extremly expensive software?

Intel i7 2600 /z68 Gigabyte
8gigs DDR3 1800
Intel 320 Series SSD
Quadro 600 (1gig)
C3D 2016 / LDT 2009 / Win7 x64
72 REPLIES 72
Message 61 of 73
owenmull
in reply to: Jasono2009

Well, according to your posts, no, in fact, you dont use the tools given. Just saying.......

-Owen
Windows 7 x 64 bit

Civil 3D 2017
______________________________________________________________
Usually, I find that the problem is between the keyboard and the chair.
Message 62 of 73
TerryDotson
in reply to: AllenJessup

... mention 3rd party programs line SmartDraft, Toolpac and Sincpac.

 

Thanks for the mention.  The Point AutoDraw function in our MapWorks Points module will automatically create flat LwPolys, graded 3dPolys (even around curves) or FeatureLines if desired.  Anyone interested should try the 30-day full working evaluation.

 

The problem with Civil3D isn't it's capabilities, it's the fact that it's a pain in the arse to use.

Message 63 of 73
jonathan
in reply to: lhampton

AllenJessup  Thanks for bringing up 3rd party survey linework software.  I mentioned also back on page 3 of this post, but had no replies.  JohnM, thanks for your input.  

 

Any other opinions on 3rd party survey line work software?

Message 64 of 73
AllenJessup
in reply to: jonathan


jonathan wrote:

 

Thanks for bringing up 3rd party survey linework software.  I mentioned also back on page 3 of this post, but had no replies.  Any other opinions on 3rd party survey line work software?


Sorry. I was only following this thread in a general manor until I acutaly posted and started getting email replies. I mentioned the ones I'm somewhat familiar with. I know that EaglePoint has a lot of front end utilities for C3D but I've never used any.

 

In a general way I agree that you shouldn't have to turn to 3rd party software for everyday tasks. But the reality is that, especially for Survey, it makes things much simpler.

 

Allen



Allen Jessup
Engineering Specialist / CAD Manager

Message 65 of 73
MarySeufert
in reply to: AllenJessup


@AllenJessup wrote:
I know that EaglePoint has a lot of front end utilities for C3D...

I have. They have really good add-ons to use while transitioning to C3D Their Pinnacle series is a nice one to go with for guiding your less frequent users through design tasks, kinda like a virtual help as you go. The Surveyor's Companion might be beneficial to the OP. We received a subscription for Data Reduction and Designer's Companion free for a year for choosing them as our reseller. Nice perk, and I will use the Pinnacle series for my less technically inclined users when the economy gets better in my area...

EXPERT ELITE MEMBER
Message 66 of 73
owenmull
in reply to: MarySeufert

You say "when the economy gets better."

 

You must have some supreme confidence.................

-Owen
Windows 7 x 64 bit

Civil 3D 2017
______________________________________________________________
Usually, I find that the problem is between the keyboard and the chair.
Message 67 of 73
MarySeufert
in reply to: owenmull

Not really confident about it, but it will happen..... eventually Smiley Frustrated

EXPERT ELITE MEMBER
Message 68 of 73
lhampton
in reply to: MarySeufert

Well its been 2 years since I created this post. And guess what? Even in new Civil 3d 2015 Autodesk STILL has not addressed this issue with the survey figures broken functionality, the "Survey Figure Properties" dialog DOES NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED! UNACCEPTABLE! We've put in formal complaints, opened tickets, etc. etc. etc.

 

PLEASE GIVE US NORMAL 3D POLYLINES BACK!

 

WE ARE NOT WILLING TO BUY 3RD PARTY SOFTWARE THAT "FIXES" BASIC FUNCTIONALITY!

 

This just goes to prove that Autodesk really does not listen or care at all about customers that pay upwards of $18,000 a year for this junk! Cheers AUTODE$K!

Intel i7 2600 /z68 Gigabyte
8gigs DDR3 1800
Intel 320 Series SSD
Quadro 600 (1gig)
C3D 2016 / LDT 2009 / Win7 x64
Message 69 of 73
Cadguru42
in reply to: lhampton


@lhampton wrote:

Well its been 2 years since I created this post. And guess what? Even in new Civil 3d 2015 Autodesk STILL has not addressed this issue with the survey figures broken functionality, the "Survey Figure Properties" dialog DOES NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED! UNACCEPTABLE! We've put in formal complaints, opened tickets, etc. etc. etc.

 

PLEASE GIVE US NORMAL 3D POLYLINES BACK!

 

WE ARE NOT WILLING TO BUY 3RD PARTY SOFTWARE THAT "FIXES" BASIC FUNCTIONALITY!

 

This just goes to prove that Autodesk really does not listen or care at all about customers that pay upwards of $18,000 a year for this junk! Cheers AUTODE$K!


What is the feature you're calling broken? The fact that they're figures and not 2d polylines?

C3D 2022-2024
Windows 10 Pro
32GB RAM
Message 70 of 73
lhampton
in reply to: lhampton

Im still here, litterally years later still struggling with this hilariously bad Civil 3D survey "functionality" ive put together a list of issues:

 

Functionality still broken in Civil 3d survey figures:

 

Any edits done using the survey figure properties box revert the figure to layer 0 no matter what.

 

Survey figure dialog will always default to 0 layer even when the figure is drawn on a specific layer (e.g. EX-CONCRETE figures default to 0 layer)

CANNOT OVERRIDE POINTS, only option "Resolve"

 

Cannot offset a survey figure line.

 

Cannot disable survey figures entirely

 

Cannot prevent un-defined features from drawing lines (if there is nothing in the figure prefix database, lines will still be drawn on the 0 layer)

 

No way to change default figure lines layer from 0 (even though there are many areas where it looks like you can change this setting, there is no effect)

 

Cannot manipulate survey figures at all outside of the survey figure properties dialog

 

Cannot manipulate survey figures without survey database (why??)

 

No way to update survey database points from drawing, can only create new import event, with "resolve" creating multiples.

 

Cannot create point markers outside of point node itself, symbols for things like an electric meter, have to be manually inserted. Having the point marker as the symbol for the feature leads to headaches in many different ways, this should have never been changed

 

Other issues:

 

Symbol manager is gone, you now have to create a "Tool Palette" manually to gain simmilar functionality. (why???)

 

Osnap node snap does not work on dragged state points

 

Version:

 

Civil 3D 2014

"

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"

 

 Civil 3D is a MAJOR step backwards in survey functionality.

Intel i7 2600 /z68 Gigabyte
8gigs DDR3 1800
Intel 320 Series SSD
Quadro 600 (1gig)
C3D 2016 / LDT 2009 / Win7 x64
Message 71 of 73
Cadguru42
in reply to: lhampton


@lhampton wrote:

Im still here, litterally years later still struggling with this hilariously bad Civil 3D survey "functionality" ive put together a list of issues:

 

Functionality still broken in Civil 3d survey figures:

 

Any edits done using the survey figure properties box revert the figure to layer 0 no matter what.

 

Survey figure dialog will always default to 0 layer even when the figure is drawn on a specific layer (e.g. EX-CONCRETE figures default to 0 layer)

CANNOT OVERRIDE POINTS, only option "Resolve"

 

Cannot offset a survey figure line.

 

Cannot disable survey figures entirely

 

Cannot prevent un-defined features from drawing lines (if there is nothing in the figure prefix database, lines will still be drawn on the 0 layer)

 

No way to change default figure lines layer from 0 (even though there are many areas where it looks like you can change this setting, there is no effect)

 

Cannot manipulate survey figures at all outside of the survey figure properties dialog

 

Cannot manipulate survey figures without survey database (why??)

 

No way to update survey database points from drawing, can only create new import event, with "resolve" creating multiples.

 

Cannot create point markers outside of point node itself, symbols for things like an electric meter, have to be manually inserted. Having the point marker as the symbol for the feature leads to headaches in many different ways, this should have never been changed

 

Other issues:

 

Symbol manager is gone, you now have to create a "Tool Palette" manually to gain simmilar functionality. (why???)

 

Osnap node snap does not work on dragged state points

 

Version:

 

Civil 3D 2014

 

 Civil 3D is a MAJOR step backwards in survey functionality.


1) The layer 0 bug was fixed a while ago.

 

2) You can offset a survey figure, but the offset object is a feature line. The other way to get one is to use the survey point codes to create horizontal and vertical offsets and then just process linework. It's simple and fast.

 

3) Not sure what you mean by disabling a survey figure. 

 

4) Yes, you can tell C3D to not create a feature line simply by not having the figure code for start. Duh.

 

5) Yes, you can edit figures using the tools on the ribbon. When you're done just click the Update Survey database from drawing button. 

 

6) Figures are from the survey database. If you don't want to use the survey database, then you're just not using C3D correctly and won't be able to do the field-to-finish. You're crippling your own productivity by ignoring the point of the survey database and figures. 

 

7) You're correct about editing points in the drawing. However, what's the point of doing that? Just edit the survey database point properties. It's just as easy and is the way the software is designed. You're trying to make it do things it wasn't designed to do and complaining about it.

 

😎 Not sure why you wouldn't want the symbol to be on the point itself. If you need another symbol, just insert a block like you always did even the old LDD days.

 

9) The old, outdated symbol manager wasn't based on the newer code for AutoCAD. That functionality was easier to be handled by tool palettes and can be customized easier. 

 

10) When you say dragged state points, are you talking about when a label is dragged or the point itself? If it's a dragged label the snapping works fine. If you're talking about the point itself then I'm confused. Points inserted from the database are locked for a reason. If you've moved the point, then the snapping still works on the point's node. 

 

It just sounds like you don't quite understand how surveying in C3D is supposed to work. You are fighting it, causing yourself more headaches and after two years you haven't learned much.

 

There are lots of features that Autodesk should enhance with regards to surveying in C3D. Just making the dialog boxes modeless would go a long way to helping. But to say that C3D is backwards from LDD is just plain wrong. We've embraced C3D, even with its shortcomings, and it's still much more productive for surveying than LDD ever was. 

C3D 2022-2024
Windows 10 Pro
32GB RAM
Message 72 of 73
joelmaxwell
in reply to: Cadguru42

DUH???? you don't have to be an A-Hole.... Survey Figures are GARBAGE....They are everything that is wrong with the trash AUTOdesk produces.
Message 73 of 73

If you hate it that bad, I would suggest using a different software maybe?


Todd Rogers
BIM Manager
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