Support for utilities in profile

[Neilw_05]

We need better tools for projecting utility crossings such as telephone, gas, electric, etc. onto profiles. Currently we have to use the Project Object to Profile tool or create pipe networks to do this.

Using the first option, I've had to create blocks and place them at each crossing in plan view and then project those blocks to the profile. If the alignment being profiled moves, all those blocks have to be manually repositioned to the new crossing locations.

Creating pipe networks for every utility that crosses the alignment is entirely too cumbersome.

Ideally we'd need to have the plan view utlities XREF'd and have the software create crossings in profiles based on user parameters such as the size, shape and symbology of the crossing symbol, the depth from a reference surface to the utility, and the layers and/or symbology of the plan view graphics to be projected. Also needed would be label styles to display various attributes of the crossings. Perhaps featurelines would be a great way to handle this since the user could adjust the elevations of the utilities when the depths are not constant.

If the alignment moves the software recomputes the crossings and updates the profiles.

[troma]

There was a wish posted I believe to add a marker style for "feature line crossing location" on a profile view, similar to a section view. This would be a great addition for many purposes, including this one.
The other part of the puzzle is sharing the data. Can we x-ref drawing including feature lines and project one of them to profile, without projecting the whole drawing as a block? Or can we d-ref feature lines? Either one of these would be a great help.

[Neilw_05]

I was thinking DREF would be the way to go.

Yes a crossing marker for featurelines would be a good solution.

[graf_p]

I'm still on C3D 2012, but does the pressure pipe feature help when adding utilities like gas , tele & water to your profiles.

I would like to see C3D automatically add all the pipes that only cross your alignment to the profile without have to pick each individual pipe network part.

PG