Calling All Label Gurus

[daryl.riggins]

Hi Folks,


I am admitting defeat as it pertains to how to assemble the labels I want in my profile views. Please see my attached caveman drawing to understand what I'd like to achieve. My issue is related to aligning these labels as I've drawn them. I understand how to create the various components that I've sketched, just not how to make them display, properly formatted, as I've shown. Is anyone able to provide guidance on how to get there from here?


Using Civil 3D 2011.


Thanks,
Daryl

[Jeff_M]

Like so? (More or less...this is a quickly edited version of my styles)

Which part are you having trouble with? Post your drawing?

[daryl.riggins]

Jeff,

You're a genius. Yes, that is what I am after.

The part of I'm having trouble with is aligning the text. Specifically, if I have two or more pipes coming into a structure, the way in which I'm aligning these label components results in overlapping text. It's a mess (see screenshot attached). When labeling a crossing pipe, my text is aligned with the slope of the crossing pipe, not at 0 degrees rotation relative to model space (as you have done).

So what do I need to do have items align as you have done?

[Jeff_M]

The overlapping text is due to the anchors & attachment point not being set correctly. A little tweaking of these will get you what you need.

The crossing pipe on a slope issue is due to the label's Orientation reference being set to Object. Change this to View.

[daryl.riggins]

That's awesome. The screenshots are very helpful. How do I go about aligning the line as you did?

[Jeff_M · Accepted solution]

The line component is set to be anchored to <Feature>LabelComponent, 90 degree angle, 2" long, with a start Y offset of 0.05". Then the text components start off by being anchored to the line with 0 rotation (they get the rotation from the object they are anchored to).

[daryl.riggins]

Thank you. This is very helpful. I hope Autodesk can engineer a way to make this process drop-dead simple as it seems very obtuse to me.

[Jeff_M]

Yes, the label styles can be quite confusing to setup. However, once you get the hang of it, you can essentially make a bale look any way you desire. Thus making the complexity of them become your best friend. Sure it'd be nice if they were just simple, but then we'd be back to the LDT labels (text and lines, bleck), or MLeaders. 

[daryl.riggins]

Jeff,

All is going well with the exception of the attachment point for the line. It seems center of structure is default. Where can I change the setting such that the attachment point is the top of structure?

[Jeff_M]

Before adding your labels, change the PipeNetwork Feature settings (I suggest you also do this in your DWT for future drawings...):

[daryl.riggins]

Thank you.

[daryl.riggins]

Jeff,

I hope I'm not wearing you out. Aligning the label for a crossing pipe isn't working out for me. My latest settings are attached in a screenshot. None of the combinations seem to be getting me to the right place. Ideas?

[Jeff_M]

Change the Text component Attachment point to Middle Left, add an X offset of .1", or so. You may need to play with this to get it just right. After this you are on your own, or hope someone else joins in. I'm off for the next 2-1/2 weeks for some elk hunting in Oregon and Washington. Good Luck! 🙂