Pipe Length

[ganorton]

Is there any way to simply assign a specific length to a pipe? I have tried to edit the length in TOOLSPACE (it wont allow it) and in the PIPE PROPERTIES (it wont allow it). Can someone please tell me how I can specify and/or edit the pipe length so I can lay my pipe out with even lengths. THANKS.

[Anonymous]

When you are drawing the pipe, click the first point, then when it's asking
for the second point type in a number that is the length. The pipe will be
drawn that length in the direction of your cursor.

Matt

[ganorton]

Thank you very much!!

[dana.probert]

i can't get this to work. if i type 100, none of the length dimensions are 100 on the pipe. with DYN turned on it works for center to center 2d length (there is a draft post in c3d.com about this right now as a matter of fact)

[dana.probert]

actually- i lied. both work equally well in 2007. see you over in myfeedback in a sec.

[Anonymous]

I think it might be too late for the RTM, but maybe an SP.

Matt

[dana.probert]

OK, here is the deal. In either version, if you use either Matt's method or DYN, it works for new networks. WHen you go into Edit Network and lay in some additional legs, the first one is always the wrong length, but the next ones respect your wishes. Why? I can't answer. Hopefully someone can cause it bothers me.

[dana.probert]

i also just worked out that DYN when used with the pipe lengthening grip (triangle) will allow me to specify a delta or total length change.

I had been working on this post as one of our April posts, but I think I will go ahead and publish it tonight since it seems timely.

This may not be groundbreaking stuff, but for some reason it has managed to ellude me until this point.

http://www.civil3d.com/index.php/2007/03/options-for-specifying-pipe-length/

[Civil3DReminders_com]

I commented on Civil3D.com, but thought I would add it here:

The program calculates the distance from where you click, not from the center of the structure or from the Center of pipe. So if you remember where you clicked from and measure to the end of the pipe you will get the correct distance. So if you want to use the method you need to make sure you click at the center of the structure or the center of the pipe. So not really a bug since this is how it is in all other commands, but not the expected result.

I tried it with the nearest OSNAP and didn’t get the correct value when going from the center of the pipe. I suspect that is pulling the actual elevation of the pipe centerline rather than the 2d length. I tried to set the elevation picker to 0 in both 2007 and 2008, but in 2007 its not showing correctly and in 2008 its not turned on and I don’t know how to turn it on.

[dana.probert]

i would expect the structure glif (aka golden snitch) to snap to the center of the manhole. When I draw pipe networks and I know I am connecting structure to structure, I turn my osnaps off and rely on the structure glifs. Where the heck else would it snap to? I’m confused. I guess I need to rethink that and perhaps use the center osnap. I just have to be aware if my “z grapper” is on or off.

In 2008, the Z grabber is under options… I forget which tab right now.

ok, so i went in and tried it and i couldn't get it to consistently work using the center osnap. it seemed to work about 50% of the time, but i can't but my finger on why. My z-snap is off.

[Civil3DReminders_com]

Yep, got the elevation thing to work in 2007 and it is pulling the pipe centerline, setting use current elevation set to 0 gives the correct results using the nearest OSNAP.