C3D 2013 Volumes Dashboard

[neilyj666]

Been looking at the available information about C3D 2013 and in particular the integration of the Volumes Dashboard into the ribbon.

Has the ability to calculate a volume between two surfaces (_AeccReportSurfaceVolume) been removed as the Dashboard seems to occupy the same ribbon location??

[neilyj666]

Someone must have seen it......

[GTVic · Accepted solution]

When you click on the Volumes Dashboard the Panorama palette comes up with only the Volumes Dashboard tab by default. If you type in _AECCREPORTSURFACEVOLUMES then the Composite Volumes tab is added.

There is a command button called Surface Volumes for that command in the CUI but I cannot see it in the default ribbon panels. However, it was quite easy to add it to the Volumes and Materials panel as there is a blank spot at the lower right.

Of course I haven't seen the shipping version so that may change...

[neilyj666]

Thanks for this, hope it hasn't been demoted in the shipping version - whilst the Volumes Dashboard is a major improvement over the old Bounded Volumes, I don't always want or need to create a volumes surface.

[mathewkol]

We can't say for sure until the shipping version. There may have been discussion about this 😉

[neilyj666]

It's command line only although I've added to the ribbon like GTVic has

[sstacy344]

I have not had much experience adding things to the ribbon like you did.  Could you please expain the process?

[GTVic]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have not had much experience adding things to the ribbon like you did.  Could you please expain the process?

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Hi SStacy334,

Since there are quite a few tutorials on this on the web I will just give brief instructions specifically for this change.

1. CUI command, Customize tab
2. Select Main Customization File (c3d.cuix) at the top left pull-down
3. Expand Ribbon, Panels, Civil 3D Analyze Volumes and Materials, Row 1, Sub-Panel 2, Row 3
4. Locate Surface Volumes in the list at the lower left under Command List
5. Drag Surface Volumes into Row 3 above the existing "Aligner" item (see note below)
6. Right-click to remove the "Aligner" item since you no longer need an empty placeholder in that spot
7. Select/highlight the newly added Surface Volumes item
8. In the Properties panel at the lower right, change Button Style to SmallWithText
9. Click the OK button to close the dialog

Note that if you drag the command straight up and enter the box from the bottom it will scroll the entire list so Row 3 is no longer visible. It is better to drag over to the right, then up and then left to enter that box from the side to avoid the scrolling.