Pay Item Labels and Corridor Solids (i.e. BIM or lack of, in CIvil 3D)

[Anonymous]

This has been asked for a thousand times, so once more won't hurt. However, I'll add images to best convey what is needed.

For the code set there should be pay item codes for shapes. Once one has computed materials, the material volume tables can contain item id's, descriptions, and specified volumetric units per item.

For corridors, corridor sections, there should be label groups. We need labels with item number, description, etc.

QTO needs unit cost.

Tables not only need header information, but footer as well (subtotal, total).

And now for some images...

Shapes need labels that specify item number, description, etc... Links, Points need labels that can be dragged. Thus the request for a corridor section label group.

Item number, Item descriptions, need to be labeled in plan view. With a corridor label group, this can be possible. However, even non-corridor components such as feature lines, need their QTO assigned properties displayed (note the beam barrier dead end street annotation).

I write this after trying out the corridor solids utility. I was underwhelmed. While the solids are nice for Navisworks, they do not contain the critical information i was hoping for, Item ID, description, etc.... Furthermore, they are not dynamic. It would have been far more fruitful to develop a dynamic link between Civil 3D corridors and extruded solids in Revit, something equivalent to Export to Civil View for 3ds Max Design. In this way, the design can be useful for architectural and landscape design, as well for construction staging in Navisworks, and dynamic as well.

Ideally, the item id/description label should be a hyperlink to pdf's, doc's, etc. When viewing a DWF/DWG I should be able to click on an item description annotation and go straight to the specification (e.g. a page in a pdf, masterspec database, etc...).

I understand that Civil 3D is not BIM, despite what Autodesk claims. It is C/GIM (Civil/Geographic Information Modeling) in conformance with LandXML, not IFCxml. I'm fine with that.  That being said, much more can be done to fulfil the needs of civil engineers for linking product information to virtual objects in Civil 3D. QTO Manager has a ways to go.

[Anonymous]

Please Autodesk, take this seriously. If I have to change an item (concrete base for pavement, 6" thick, 4.04 AC to 8" thick, 4.04 CC using NYCDOT specs) I need the design change to populate throughout the design documentation and be reflected in all labels, plan, section, etc...

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Again, I'm thinking out loud.

If a way can be made to generate a dynamic BIM model in Revit from a Civil 3D corridor, item id's descriptions, specification links, and other BIM data can be attached to the various components for the model. A dynamically linked ADSK file can then be generated and be brought back into Civil 3D, and Civil 3D labels can pull data from the model for use in sections, and plans. It's not simply, by any means.

Or maybe, just maybe, create a dynamically linked ADSK file straight from Civil 3D without the need for Revit.

My boss just told me today at lunch at how disappointed he was that Civil 3D cannot list item codes, descriptions, etc... that can hyperlink link to specifications. He must have been reading my mind yesterday.