Some Questions

[schroederC3D]

I've got a few questions regarding Civil 3D that you guys could likely help out with:

1. If I'm working on a project, and define a particular way of labeling profiles that works well for our company, how do I make that label style accessible to me later when I'm working on another project? Is there a style import function, or do I have to redefine it each time?

I suppose I could define them once in a template, but is there a way to import these styles between drawings?

Does the Vault provide any functionality for importing/storing styles?

2. If I have an existing ground surface and define a landfill by creating a rectangle, at an elevation above the ground surface and grade down to the surface at 4:1; then I define the second phase of the landfill which will partially overlap the first phase. Do I have to merge the first phase and existing ground before the grading will work, or will it grade to both the grading of the first phase and the existing surface?

It seems to me that it would be much easier (from a design perspective) to avoiding having to merge the EG & Phase 1 in order to work on Phase 2. Design iterations being as they are, it'd be great not to have to do this.

Thanks for your info, it's much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

In regards to question 1,

you can open both drawings (1 with styles, 1 needing styles) and then use the Master Settings View in the Settings Tab to drag and drop Styles from the Source to Destination Drawings Name or my favorite way is to have the destination dwg active and drag the styles from the source drawing into the model space of the destination drawing. Also you can select groups of Styles (Surface Style Folder) and drag the entire collection to the Destination dwg name or model space.

Unfortunately Vault doesnt help this. What does is always bringing your styles across to the template you use and start your projects from the template with all your styles in it...AND make sure to keep it up to date as you create more beneficial styles.

In regards to 2,

I will take a stab at it...someone tell me if there is a better way plz=P

As the grading criteria works, it only grades to one surface of your choice. With this being said i would create a new surface and paste both EG and Phase 1 into it. Then point these new grading object to that surface. If phase 1 updates then this copy will update as well and phase 2 can then update from it. I would also create a complete surface with everything pasted in it somehow if needed

So in the prospector one would have:

+Surfaces
EG
Phase 1
Composite [EG+P1]
Phase 2
Composite [Composite(EG+P1) + P2]

There might be a better way, but this is how i have done it. Hope it helps.

Matt Wright
Pacificad Inc
mwright@pacificad.com

[Anonymous]

for styles, I make drawings that have the styles needed and insert them into the current drawing.
The drawing has no visible objects, just styles...

schroedera <>
|>I've got a few questions regarding Civil 3D that you guys could likely help out with:
|>
|>1. If I'm working on a project, and define a particular way of labeling profiles that works well for our company, how do I make that label style accessible to me later when I'm working on another project? Is there a style import function, or do I have to redefine it each time?
|>
|>I suppose I could define them once in a template, but is there a way to import these styles between drawings?
|>
|>Does the Vault provide any functionality for importing/storing styles?
|>
|>2. If I have an existing ground surface and define a landfill by creating a rectangle, at an elevation above the ground surface and grade down to the surface at 4:1; then I define the second phase of the landfill which will partially overlap the first phase. Do I have to merge the first phase and existing ground before the grading will work, or will it grade to both the grading of the first phase and the existing surface?
|>
|>It seems to me that it would be much easier (from a design perspective) to avoiding having to merge the EG & Phase 1 in order to work on Phase 2. Design iterations being as they are, it'd be great not to have to do this.
|>
|>Thanks for your info, it's much appreciated.
James Maeding
Civil Engineer and Programmer
jmaeding - at - hunsaker - dotcom

[schroederC3D]

Thanks guys, that answers my styles question. And, it's about what I figured for the grading question. Using the multiple surfaces and then using a cascading phase-update method should do the trick!

Thanks again.