Any way to activate - deactivate a surface ?

[Anonymous]

I'd want to have a way to activate or deactivate a surface , 

Is it possible ? 

(i think not, but ...)

Thanls.

[troma]

There is no 'Active Surface' in C3D, such as there was in LDT.

What does 'activate' or 'deactivate' meant to you? What do need to accomplish?  Are you trying to change what the surface looks like, or change how some commands work?

[Anonymous]

I'd want to have control on surfaces to avoid unneccesary waste of time when draw or when use to any purpose.

An option of change styles is a boring and tedious method......

Thanks anyway

[Neilw_05]

I posted a wish in the C3D wish forum for a way to toggle surface display on and off without having to change their styles. Chris F. at Civil3DReminders created a handy macro to do this. You can purchase the tool for $2.00 U.S. at the Autocad Apps Exchange website. I think this is what you are looking for.

Here is a link to the post with all the details:http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Civil-3D-Wishes/Toggle-surface-display-on-off/td-p/2689794

[sboon]

Put each surface on its own layer and freeze the ones you don't want to look at.  You can also change settings so that each surface goes to its own layer when you create it.

[Neilw_05 · Accepted solution]

Did you see how Chris' toggle tool works Steve? http://screencast.com/t/FHH1u3Kb2H

No need to set up layers and filters or for layer manager or prospector. Toggling surface display is always a keystroke away. For 2 dollars it's a no-brainer!

[sboon]

Yes I am aware of this tool.  My solution is appropriate for users who share drawings with others (who may not have it) or if you need to export drawings to ACad with surfaces on separate layers.

[Anonymous]

The best way is to have the wild card used for the surface name in the Drawing Settings for Object Layers. Each surface is on it's own layer with the surface name as part of the layer and the layfrz express command will let you pick any graphics displayed of the surface to freeze it.

If exporting to a unique layer is required, you will want to setup a style just for that.  Use layer 0 for the objects that are to be exported and created as CAD entities. The entities will then be created on the unique layer the surface is on. Should you need to share something with someone that does not have C3D, and are willing to give them the actual drawing, they can get the viewer installed to see the objects (but not edit them) with just ACAD.

[Hidden_Brain]

very neat tool! I am assuming that I would need to have a surface style previously set up (in drawing or template) called "_No Display" for this tool to work, correct?

[Neilw_05]

As Chris notes in the video, the tool will automatically apply whatever style displays the least of the surface components. So you would not need to create a style named "no_display" if there is an equivalent style already defined.