Points, symbols point styles and Description keys

[civman_daar]

C3D 2012 SP4

Win7 Pro

I want my survey symbols to come in on their own layers, separate from the point label.  Here is how I approached it:

Lets use UPOL as an example:

I have a point style UPOL*.  It has assigned to it a block representing the utility pole.

The size is set to drawing units, and sized to .1 inches.

                                               The marker is on layer: V-NODE-POLE-SYMB

                                               The label is on layer: V-NODE-POLE

The description key is as follows.    Code: UPOL*

                                                        Style: UPOL*

                                                        Point Label Style: Standard

                                                        Layer: V-NODE-POLE-SYMB

No other parameters have been choosen; scale parameter, fixed scale, or use drawing scale.

Have I done this correctly, to accomplish my task?  I also noticed that I cannot turn the point label off by picking it.  I have to turn the layer off in the layer manager.  Is this correct behavior?

Should I use the description keys to scale the symbol, instead of the point style?

Thanks for looking...

[_Hathaway]

That's how ours function as well regarding the off/on use.

We make all our symbols dynamic so they scale with the drawing scale and it serves our purpose.

[dgordon]

the point labels can be turned on and off using point groups. It is not necessary to freeze thaw them like you did in the past.

[_Hathaway]

It's necessary if that's what you want to do. We still control ours via layering filters. I haven't played around much with controlling them through point groups. But what little time I did spend review as I couldn't see an easy way to accomplish our needs, it seemed like it wasan all labels on or all labels off scenario and that doesn't work well.

[dgordon]

the assumption that the point labels are a all on or all off is a false assumption. Point groups offer more control than Layering. One just has to get to know the new functionality of Civil 3D and forget what they knew in LDD.

[_Hathaway]

I have heard from others that they control point labels through point grouping but could never quite wrap my head around how that would be done efficiently. Do you make point groups each util (power, water, sewer, etc....) and then use the override function within the group properties? Or is it more simple than that?

[dgordon]

point groups can be made as necessary to bring about any amount of separation necessary. One key thing that helps greatly is during the initial import of the points is to not apply a default point style or point label style. If none are assigned to each individual point then none need to be overridden. The order of the point groups is also crucial. the primacy of the points you want to display or not display are moved to the top of the point group order to change the display properties. We bring our points into the drawing using point description keys which assigns point styles to certain points that we have symbols for in our standards. Points that do not have point styles are assigned no style so they can remain off until they need to be on. The all points point group which is created automatically may be initially set to none and none for point marker and point label styles. Now points that need labels would require new point groups. For example during pipe network creation of existing storm sewer it might be desirable to show catch basins, and storm manholes and there point number description and rim elevation. since all point label styles are off initially the moment you create a new group and assign a point label style they will suddenly light up in the drawing as if you had then frozen and suddenly thawed the layer. this is because the new point group is created higher in the point group display order. now move the all points group to the top and the storm structures labels will disappear. I hope this helps people who read this. Please ask specific questions if specific help is needed.

[troma]

I still think layers have the potential to give the user more flexibility than point groups. For example, I have three viewports; in one I want to see all the points & labels, in another I only want to see a specific subset & their labels, and in the third I want to see some points only with no labels. With layers set up you can easily vpfreeze and be on your way. How would you do it with point groups only controlling display?

[_Hathaway]

I now see more clearly why this just doesn't work for us. Obviously it works for your needs but this is way more complicated than simple layering off/on. Plus, how would it work across viewports with different items on/off?