assign reference alignment to pipe network

[tadas.jan]

Hi,

is there any quick way to assign reference aligment to pipe network parts?

I use practise to create one pipe network and afterwards i expand my pipenetwork by editing with lots of aligments (create aligment from network part function i use). Bur there occur a problem in my profile view, when i want to represent station value of aligment and there is now reference aligment in pipe part.

I hope explained understandable..

[Jay_B]

If I'm understanding your question correctly...

Pipe Network Properties - It can be overridden here under "reference alignment".

[Ntuthuko.]

Hi Jay_B

Allow me to latch onto this question since I also need an answer. The problem I foresee is that a network consists of numerous branches, all of which have their own alignments. Your proposition would allow one to assign one alignment to the entire network, which does not solve our problem. Do you know how a person can assign multiple alignments to different branches of the network?

Regards,

Ntuthuko

[MMcCall402]

Try this:

Select the the structures in the toolspace panorama, right click on the Reference Alignment column heading and choose Edit. This edit with edit all selected structures in one shot.

[cstringer-ns]

There is an add-in that does that, that works rather well.

Husson Engineering - Set Pipe Alignment

[drazen.galic]

The problem in that method, what you proposed, could be in order of structures in panorama view. Initially panorama view order is "historical", means that structure order is organized with the time how they are created. If you do not add new structures in already defined branches than order is ok. But it happened to me that one complete branch is not shown in proper order from the first upstream one to the last downstream one.

Sorting by some value will not give appropriate results (sorted from upstream to downstream).

Drazen

[MMcCall402]

Sort by name?

Our usage is to name/number structures sequentially along each branch.

[TerryDotson]

This dialog in DotSoft's C3DTools sets the reference alignment and/or surface.

[drazen.galic]

Think that, by default,with the name it is the same situation in which sorting cannot help. Imagine the next procedure:

1. Draw four structures and 3 pipes. Structures will be named like St1, St2, St3, St4

2. Insert new structure between St1 and St2 - it will by default has name St5

In panorama view the order will be St1, St2, St3, St4 and St5. But we need St1, St5, St2, St3, St4. Ok, you can change the names, but if I well understand, again order in names will not be right one. Except if you do not go structure by structure.

Just imagine situation with many branches (not just one) and many added and erased structures. The crucial problem, how I see the thing, is that basically Civil 3D does not recognize topology. In some commands, like apply of rules or drawing pipe alignment you can select first upstream then last downstream structure. But not in renaming structures for example.

I never tried (in my region nobody uses that software), but from reading some posts, preparation of C3D network for MicroDrainage has some algorithm which does renaming of structures by branches.

Drazen

[Ntuthuko.]

Add-on after add-on after add-on. Why can't Autodesk incorporate all this functionality. I guess they won't because all these add-on companies need to make their money.

Ntuthuko

[Ntuthuko.]

MMcCall402

If I could I'd mark your post as the solution. Thanks.

Regards,

Ntuthuko

[drazen.galic]

Hi,

I would like to give you my view on the fact that you are unsatisfied with OOTB C3D functionality. On purpose, I will not mention any company or products names, to stay on general level without using this thread for marketing purposes.

I am CEO and head of development in a company that develops applications based on Autodesk platform. We have two lines of development. The first one is complete and comprehensive application with its own data model. The second one is a collection of add-ons for C3D.

We are not USA based company. The practice of designing in civil engineering varies a lot. It is not only question of styles or country kits. It is question of general approach. We have experience in relatively small region (compared to US market), and even in that region we are faced with so different requirements from the users, that sometimes we cannot understand what users really want?

What is the reason for that? Don't know exactly. But it is a fact. Is it education, history, habits or some other specific reason? Probably combination of everything.

So, the crucial question is: Is it possible to make one application in civil engineering which will be equally useful and functional for the whole world for all disciplines in civil engineering? My personal opinion is that it is not possible. Even if I can imagine that somebody will sometimes manage that kind of software, it would be very, very complicated and probably not efficient enough.

I think that Autodesk knows and understands that fact. And this is probably the reason why they made good API with which it is possible to make some general solution applicable in certain regions or in certain fields. All development companies, like my company, can do variety of solutions, more or less complex which can fit well to user needs.

So, if I were you, I would be happy to have solution with add-on from Husson Engineering or DotSoft, which is, if I understand good, even free of charge. I am 100% positive that Autodesk cannot make everything what is necessary to satisfy all the users.

Regards,

Drazen

[drazen.galic]

I am replying to myself () and correcting myself. Sorry @MMcCall402, IT IS possible to rename parts from upstream to downstream structure, so your suggestion about sorting structures in panorama views functions. Sorry for my mistake.

Drazen

[davidurbanpe]

what would be nice is a routine that I could select the network and it would go through each structure and pipe and determine which alignment the structure or pipe is on and then change it to that alignment.  the dot soft program is no different than the Husson program.  want it to be more automated.