Multiple Surface Masks for Buildings

[Anonymous]

There was no text in my previous text. I was using Windows Explorer 9 Release Candidate, and I think that was the problem. I'm now using a different computer. Anyway...

I have a drawing with an existing surface and contours. I have two buildings on site that I'd like to mask the contours that run through them. I used the mask feature for one of them, but that is the limit. How can I mask the contours so they aren't running through the other building.

Using Civil 3d 2011.

Tom Rope

[gccdaemon · Accepted solution]

Go to your surface in the toolspace> expand the definition> right click on boundaries and click add> change the type to hide and click o.k.> select the building outlines.

[Anonymous]

I just had a similar situation.  We wanted to show contours outside the buildings, but needed spots at garages etc.

In our case boundaries wouldn't work because of the spot elevations.

I ended up making a polyline with a tiny gap between all the buildings.  It worked fine.

Hope that helps,

Conan Witzel

[Anonymous]

After reading my post, I realized I should have been more specific.

I made a polyline around each building and then connected them all with a polyline offset a very short distance to make one closed polyline.

I then applied the mask.  It did "cut" the contours, but isn't noticeable when printing.

Thanks,

Conan Witzel

[Anonymous]

What about making the building pads part of the surface (FFEl)?  If you have a flat pad, the countours will go around it.  I use building outlines as breaklines all the time.  I can even grade up to the side of a building if there are planters involved.

Reid

[Anonymous]

In my case, we were doing Townhomes where each FFE was different.  This caused the contours to pass between the buildings.  In addition there were patios and drops at the garage.

Contours, in this case were basically distracting.  We did need to place spots however.

The ability to have multiple masks would be great, for cases like this.

Thanks,

Conan Witzel

[annw2]

I would also like to have multiple surface masks for areas where the surface has ugly contours and I have pretty ones for presentation.  As far as I can tell in 2012, you can only have 1 mask/surface.

Has this been updated in 2013?  Wish list for 2014?

[mathewkol]

You can define as many hide boundaries as you wish in any flavour of Civil 3D. Masks, no, hide boundaries, yes.

[Anonymous]

In order to show labels and contours wherever i would like regardless of masking, i like to create two surfaces...

Proposed (display off)

Breaklines/Contours/etc.

Perimeter boundary

Proposed Display (display on) (this surface is created as a paste of the surface above)

Hide boundaries for buildings

Show boundaries within' hides (if necessary)

Labels

Contour labels on the "Proposed Display" surface

Spots and slopes on the "Proposed" surface

I only data shortcut reference my "Proposed" surface so there is definition everywhere i would like for site sections and profiles.  When my grading file is xreffed into another dwg I am able to see my ultimate goal of contours/spots/slopes where i want them regardless of where my hide boundaries are.  Examples: FF spots on a hidden building, slope labels on a hidden ramp etc.   

[Isaiah3015]

I have a polyline around an area I want to hide. When I complete the hide task only part of the contours are hidden.  Suggestions?

[CADangrybird]

If I hide it, I can't put spot elevation on top of it. The elevation would show up like ??? which means the hide area has no data. How could I fix that?

[Hidden_Brain]

the hide boundary removes data inside of it. if you need to show surface elevation inside hide boundary but not contours:

1. make a blank surface (SURF2)

2. paste original surface (SURF1) to it (with the hide boundaries)

3. for SURF2, add the same linework from hide boundaries, this time add them as show boundaries

4. set SURF1 to show contours

5. set SURF2 to no display

6. spot label on SURF2 as required

[Isaiah3015]

Thank you!