Vertical Alignment Editor

[Yakman256]

I'm in the process of going from LDD 2008 to Civil 3D 2012 and I'm having some difficutites with the profiles.  In LDD there was a vertical alignment editor for profiles where I could edit the surface profile stations and elevations.  Has that feature gone the way of the Dinosaurs or is it in Civil 3D somewhere?

Once in a while the profile doesn't pick up a curb line or a change in elevation.  Its just simpler sometimes to add a station and elevation without going in and spending time editing the surface so the profile reads correctly.  I'm hoping there is an easyway to do this.

Thanks in advance

[tcorey]

There is a vertical alignment editor, but it won't edit a profile created from a surface, only a design profile.

[Yakman256]

Any suggestions other than edit the surface?

[tcorey]

You could copy the profile, explode the copy, and then create a layout profile from the resultant lines. That could be edited.

[Jay_B]

In addition to what Tim suggested, This may also work for you.

[Jeff_M]

Of course, in Civil3D editing the surface may actually be quicker than editing the profile. Unlike LDD where it was a chore to make simple edits, C3D is quite simple and fast.

[Yakman256]

It's definitely NOT Faster editing the surface.  I have a 150' long pipe profile that runs in and out of a retaining wall.  Sure, I can spend the time making a surface for the 10,000 s.f. of grading, spending lots of time creating fault lines that interpret the top and bottom of wall correctly and then when I'm all done and the Landscape Architect decides that my design doesn't match her "Vision" I have to edit the surface all over again. Before I would only have to adjust a few lines.

Usually I run into the problem when I have a parking lot with curb Islands.  I want the islands to show on the profiles and It's seems faster just to draw in the islands rater than edit the surface.  Its too time consuming to edit fault lines for all of the curb islands when it takes me 2 minutes just to draw them in.  Especially when the grading changes in the parking lot. Now I have to go through an extra step(s) just to have the profile drawn correctly.

I understand the ability to make everything dynamic overall should make life easier but you should ALWAYS have the option to manually override what the software producing.  I'm seriously regretting upgrading to Civil 3D.  I should be spending LESS time on drawings not MORE time.

[Joe-Bouza]

Keep in mind civl3d is not an upgrade of LDD. So features havent gone away. Since the product is different the functionality is different.

[wfberry · Accepted solution]

Perhaps you need some training.  Just make another FG profile by tracing over your new surface.  Turn off your surface and change the profile to your heart's content.

Bill

[Yakman256]

I understand that Civil 3D is a different Product and not an upgrade from LDD.  However, an upgrade of LDD isn't available.  Civil 3D was the only product that was offered.  Just by saying that Civil 3D is a a different product doesn't make it OK for me to spend more time on drawings otherwise why spend the money.

[Yakman256]

I would agree that more training would be useful.   Can anyone recommend any tutorial programs that will get our staff up to speed.  My hope is that the additional time I save on other portions of Civil 3D will offset the extra time I have to spend copying, exploding and manually editing.

[Joe-Bouza]

I may have been misinterperted. My intent was not to tell you tough darts, but to advise you away from LDD correlations with c3d. Anything you could have done in LDD can be done in c3d (and I'll dare say with more efficiency)but "we" have to adjust to the new work flow regime.

[tcorey · Accepted solution]

Hello Yakman,

Let me revise my original suggestion about copying and exploding.

Based on the link provided by Jay_B I have learned that all you have to do is change the EG profile from Dynamic to Static. You can do this with the Properties window. This is far easier and faster than copying, exploding, etc.

One you have a Static profile, you can edit it with grips or with the profile editor. 

Thanks, Jay!

Tim

[Yakman256]

Thanks Tim That looks like the best solution.