What are USER CONTOURS?

[nmessina]

I'm currently using Civil 3D 2009, and I've always wondered what "User Contours" are within the Contour tab in the Survey Style Editor.  I've tried searching the Help and the only thing it mentions is "User Contours: User-defined contour lines."  I know you can change the layer display properties for "User Contours" but there is no settings for "User Contours". 

I would like to be able to define a User Contour for example to display a Contour of 6.7 for say a water elevation contour of a lake or pond.

[Sinc]

In your Surface Properties -> Analysis tab, select "User-defined contours" as your Analysis type, then add your user contour elevations in the lower-left of that dialog box.

[ralstogj]

Make sure you have the userdefined layer turned on in the surface style so you can see it.

Justin Ralston

[Kyle-Evans]

They are quite excellent for trying to determine a specific area, espesically for ponding. Like above, you go into the Surface Properties -> Analysis Tab -> User-Defined Contours pulldown and add as many as you wish.

[nmessina]

Thank you all for the answer to my question. Sorry I was a bit busy today to followup any sooner.   I'm not sure why Autodesk does not document this in the help when you search for "User Contour".   I'm also baffled why this is placed in the Anaylsis section, to me it should have also be placed in the Contour Tab of the Surface Style editor box.