INVERSE BETWEEN POINTS

[jtroutt]

Hi everyone.  Our company has just switched from Carlson to C3D.  I want to find an easy way to inverse between points without having to set up a survey network and database.  I would think it should be a really simple command, but I can't seem to find it.  I have read thru quite a few of the other posts, but haven't found one to directly address my problem, short of creating a lisp routine or exporting to excel and doing the calcs there. 

Thanks for Reading,

J

Using C3D2012

[MtnMax700]

Using 2010-Inquiry-line/arc will give it to you by lines or points or point numbers.  To use point numbers you type '_.pn

[astewart]

Spoiler

I have a lisp but if your are using C3D 2010 (I think it was 2010) or later.... Type:  OPTIONS (on the command line) and press enter , then click on the DRAFTING tab and at the bottom left corner of the menu under "Object Snap Options" you will see an option that reads "Replace Z value with current elevation".  After turning this on you can use the keyboard commad "DI" and it will measure.  You will have to turn this on each time C3D is started, but you can open and close as many drawings as you wish.  But if you close C3D and then reopen it, you will have to check this box.  Good luck.

[wfberry]

From the Ribbon, go to the Analyze Tab.

Select "Inquiry Tool" for the dialog box.

Bill

[Sinc]

There's also this LIISP routine, which should still work in all recent versions of C3d (although I haven't tested it in a while):

http://www.ejsurveying.com/downloads/ptinv.lsp

Even better is the PTINV command in the Sincpac-C3D.  The Sincpac-C3D also adds an OSNAPZ toggle in the status bar, as seen below:

I've found having an OSNAPZ toggle to be an amazingly useful thing.  You can also create your own toolbar or custom code to do the same thing.  One of the benefits of the Sincpac-C3D, though, is we make sure this stuff keeps working from one annual release to the next, and that's no easy task..  🙂

[jtroutt]

Thank you for helping me out with this problem.  I will take a look at the lisp routine and check out your software recommendation.  I just find it surprising that with all the really great features of C3D, that someone would have to look outside of the program and purchase an add-on to perform an everyday (and in our office it is one of the most used commands) surveying necessity.  I appreciate everyone's responses and assistance.

J

[astewart]

I understand.  I am a surveyor also.  I was very concerned when I discovered that C3D would not give an horizontal measurement between survey points.  If your primary work is surveying, I predict that you will regeret leaving Carlson.  Good luck.

[Jason.Hickey]

I'm a little concerned with the misinformation being found here. Bill pointed it out earlier in the post - the answer is the inquiry tool. You select a Point>Point Inverse inquiry type and you pick the points, the endpoints of lines, the insertion point of blocks - anything. You can even type in coordinates if you want to, and it returns a direction and a horizontal distance. If you really want fancy and have the data set up correctly with transformations, it even returns the grid direction, grid distance, geodetic distance, and geodetic direction. Is there some sort of magical inverse command out there that does more? 

If you haven't seen it, here's the tool in action - and it comes in the box with no extra expenditure on software.

[MtnMax700]

Jason,

The point is-it's not as easy as it use to be.  Never has been SURVEY FRIENDLY.  I am survey oriented.  Don't need all the civil stuff.  Being forced to use it.  Having a COGO package would go a long way to make surveyors a lot happier with CIVIL3D.

David

[AllenJessup]

I wont argue that C3D is "Survey Friendly". But one of the reasons to by Autodesk products is they're easily customizable. I've made a Tool Palette that contains common tasks and makes inverses easy.

The one highlighted and shown in the properties will do a point number inverse with just the point numbers entered

BTW I presume by COGO Package you mean a suite of Surveyor Friendly command. Autocad and Civil 3D are all about coordinate geometry. Everything, even text, has coordinates.

Allen

[MtnMax700]

Allen,

I liked to be able to do a simple inverse without a lot of clicking or typing in '._pn to get to point numbers, do a simple traverse w/ bearings or angles right without typing line and then remembering to click on the side bar and then having to click a line end, I'd like to be able to print a point list from "point list" and not from some report, get a station/offset to a point without having an alignment.  To do a profile, I bought an outside package(TEAM BLUE).

I use less than 10% of what CIVIL3D can do.  Don't use it daily.  Getting tired of having to re-learn things.  I'd dump it and go back to LDD in a heart beat but it's what the managers want so I am stuck with it.  We're an electrical utlity-not an engineering company.

David

[peterfunkautodesk]

Have you tried the COGO Editor (Civil 3D 2012) for traverse entry?

Regards,

Peter Funk

Autodesk, Inc.

[AllenJessup]

It's possible you're right. You may be using the wrong package for what you're doing. That said.

The example I gave allows you do do a point number inverse with one click on a Tool Palette. That's not a lot of clicking (in my opinion). Higher up there is a Line by Bearing command that makes traversing easier. I agree that a Sta/Off from object tool would be handy. I find that Profiles are very easy to create in Civil 3D and much easier to work with than in LDD. Although the terminology is a bit esoteric.

I think that you're right. If you're a part time user and only use limited portions of the program. It's going to be very difficult to get used to Civil 3D.

In the other thread on this subject Terry Dotson posed a routine that will also make inverses easier.

Allen

[htls69]

try this post out and see if that helps

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Civil-3D-Customization/modify-a-lisp-file-to-work-in-civil-3d-...

[htls69]

check out this thread

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Civil-3D-Customization/modify-a-lisp-file-to-work-in-civil-3d-...

[Anonymous]

Alright smarty, where do you change the precision of the Bearing in the Point Inverse Inquiry tool?

[_Hathaway]

Drawing settings>ambient settings>direction is where it's found.

I agree the point to point inverse tool is not very surveyor friendly.  What we want is the ability to enter the point numbers quickly...as in 4500>enter>4501?enter and have the results in the command line.

I use the inquiry tool every now and again for inversing but find it cumbersome.  For the most part when inversing I use Sincpac which works just as i identified above because it was built for surveyors and surveyors that design software know what surveyors want to see.

[astewart]

I use the DI command. But first you must turn on "Replace Z value with Current Elevation" in the Options box.  On the command line type OP.  The options box will appear.  Then click on the Drafting tab.  Then under Object Snap Options turn on "Replace Z value with Current Elevation".  You will have to do this every time Civil 3D is started.

Also, if you click the Autodesk Civil 3D button  in the top left corner -->Drawing Utilities-->Units.  Then under Angle-->Type select the Surveyors Units option.  The Surveyors Units option will display a bearing between your measured points.

[AllenJessup]

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@astewart wrote:

"Replace Z value with Current Elevation"

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You can set this at the command line by typing "OSnapZ".

Value Description
0  Osnap uses the Z-value of the specified point
1  Osnap substitutes the Z-value of the specified point with the elevation (ELEV) set for the current UCS