there should be a tool that quickly associates all selected pipe network parts to an alignment. In fact it should know by association of the centerline; you should have to tell it to not be associated to the alignment when the alignment defines the centerline of the parts.
I agree! Forgetting to set the reference alignment before you start inserting structures can make it a drag to go back through the properties of every structure and change the reference alignment.
Yes!
When creating an alignment from network parts and then proceeding to create the profile view, C3D should populate the panorama with the alignment.
I guess a problem with this would be junction structures. But if a structure is already populated with a reference alignment, then leave it alone in the above process.
I shouldn't think that would be too hard.