Toggle surface display on/off

[Anonymous]

I get really tired of jumping in and out of toolspace to toggle surface
displays on and off. I know we can use quick properties but I don't like to
have it on as it gets to be a nuisance otherwise. I wish we could have a
display on/off state for surfaces rather than depending on a style to do it,
and the toggle could be activated via command line or pop-up menu.

[Neilw_05]

I've found a couple in the ACAD customization forum. I'll post back if I find one that works well.

[Civil3DReminders_com]

Neil how much would you be willing to pay for such a button? I'd be willing to through something up on the Autodesk App Store. I'm interesting in learning how much you'd expect to pay for a Civil 3D app. So far free appears to get numerous downloads, $5 not so much.

[Neilw_05]

$5 or less is reasonable. I've not had time to evaluate the macros that have already been posted though.

[Civil3DReminders_com]

You are looking for a button that does this http://screencast.com/t/FHH1u3Kb2H ?

[Neilw_05]

Hi Chris,

Nice job on this tool. I like the way it restores the surface style when you toggle them on. That is one of the problems I have with the current paradigm (having to look for and reapply the surface styles every time you switch them off and on).

Also, by relying on styles vs. layer display you eliminate having to accomodate varying standards in the macro.

Well done.

[Civil3DReminders_com]

The app is now available on the App store: http://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/CIV3D/Detail/Index?id=appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3atogglesurfa...

Maybe now that it is available Autodesk will copy the idea and put it into the product. In addition if Autodesk is watching this group, I'd be willing to sell the code to them.

[peterfunkautodesk]

When I don't want to see a surface I just "hide object" it from the right-click menu. When I want it back, I "end object isolation". Works well for surfaces and every other entity in the drawing.

Cheers,

Peter Funk

Autodesk, Inc.

[Civil3DReminders_com]

I find the biggest problem with the isolation tool is that I can't just bring back one object. With this tool I wouldn't have to worry about that problem. For instance I might be digging down looking for a problem with a drawing isolating more then one objects, then isolate a surface, see the issue, but now I just want to be able to turn back on the surface I just hid, without showing all of the objects that I've isolated previously. With this tool I don't have to worry about this.

I know it's not supported, but I've read the isolate command in Civil 3D and AutoCAD use xRecords to save what's hidden and what's not. Would it be possible to grab the information and modify it to unhide an object? I guess that would be a useful app.

[peterfunkautodesk]

That might be possible. I can see a few other ways to do this with messing with the object style.

Peter Funk

Autodesk, Inc.