3D/Land Desktop Upgrade Questions

[fparent]

Hello –

I’m currently running Land Desktop R3, but need to upgrade as it’s becoming difficult to share with others who have more recent versions.

My main question is, is Civil 3D worth it? Land Desktop 2008 is still available, as is Civil 3D 2008. Getting both is nearly $10k (new licenses for each).

At my old office we upgraded to Civil 3D & Land Desktop; our cad guy pretty much never used 3D. It seemed like 3D had some better features for profiling/cross sections but we got by without using them.

I’m not doing overly complicated designs. I need to take survey data and turn it into a surface/contours, etc.; create profiles of roads, waterlines, sewerlines, stormsewers; create road cross sections, run roadway templates. I’m not designing highways or creating complicated 3D models of overpasses.

I realize the Land Desktop functionality has been rolled into Civil 3D 2009 and will no longer be available separately. So, eventually I’ll get Civil 3D, but if I don’t need it right away that’s a purchase I’d love to put off a few years.

Also, has anyone heard about how much 3D 2009 will cost?

If this would be better off posted in a different discussion area, please let me know.

Thanks

[auzzie2776]

are you on a subscription program ?, if so you may have a little more flexability on which path you choose.

with civil 3d its the 10k, plus the time and learning curve for all your technicians, customisation of your templates and style sets, but the result is a fantastic application that will blow your socks off.

the other is the civil 3d land desktop companion 2008, from which you will notice very little differnce from your current application, and from what you said, may still fit your needs

if you have the resources, look into the subscription program, as with it you can have the civil 3d and LDD08 and play with them both

[Anonymous]

Civil 3D is $7,495 list. Your not going to want to by the stand a lone Land
Desktop because it DOES NOT contain Civil Design. Civil Design is the module
that you should be using to create Templates and Cross Sections.

Talk to your reseller. There might be a way to upgrade you in a way so when
you purchase a subscription (automatic with C3D) you can get the Civil 3D
Land Desktop Companion included in the purchase. You can use that just like
your R3 until you learn Civil 3D.

Civil 3D is a little painful to setup and learn. I'd definitely suggest
training. But once you have it up and running there are many improvements.
Both building surfaces and creating assemblies (templates) is much better in
C3D. In a way you're lucky. The 2008 release is much better than the
previous ones and more improvements promised for 2008.

Remember to check the hardware requirements for both LDT and C3D 2008.

Allen

wrote in message news:5902317@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hello -

I'm currently running Land Desktop R3, but need to upgrade as it's becoming
difficult to share with others who have more recent versions.

My main question is, is Civil 3D worth it? Land Desktop 2008 is still
available, as is Civil 3D 2008. Getting both is nearly $10k (new licenses
for each).

At my old office we upgraded to Civil 3D & Land Desktop; our cad guy pretty
much never used 3D. It seemed like 3D had some better features for
profiling/cross sections but we got by without using them.

I'm not doing overly complicated designs. I need to take survey data and
turn it into a surface/contours, etc.; create profiles of roads, waterlines,
sewerlines, stormsewers; create road cross sections, run roadway templates.
I'm not designing highways or creating complicated 3D models of overpasses.

I realize the Land Desktop functionality has been rolled into Civil 3D 2009
and will no longer be available separately. So, eventually I'll get Civil
3D, but if I don't need it right away that's a purchase I'd love to put off
a few years.

Also, has anyone heard about how much 3D 2009 will cost?

If this would be better off posted in a different discussion area, please
let me know.

Thanks

[fparent]

Thanks. This is what kills me with AutoCad. There IS a difference between Land Desktop 2008 and the Civil 3D 2008 Land Desktop Companion, right? I think everything I need is in the companion (until I take the time to learn C3D, that is).

I also think if I buy C3D '08 now with a subscription, I'll automatically get C3D '09 when it's released next month... and Land Desktop is supposed to be incorporated into C3D '09.

Right after I check my hardware settings, anyway.

[auzzie2776]

yes good tip on the hardware allen, my machine runs great with companion, but with civil 3d it bogs down.

[fparent]

So you can launch Companion separate from C3D?

[Anonymous]

Definitely. They're both built on AutoCAD and Map. But they are 2 different
programs and launch separately.

wrote in message news:5902396@discussion.autodesk.com...
So you can launch Companion separate from C3D?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Subscription will get you 2009. Make sure that you will get LDT
Companion. We got ours because we've been on subscription all the time. I'm
not 100% sure it comes with a new purchase.

And there is a difference between LDT 2008 and LDTCompanion 2008. As I
mentioned LDT used to come with a couple of additional modules you could by.
Civil Design and Survey. Civil Design was the package that did the Templates
and Cross-sections and maybe the profiles too.

All the functions you have in LDT will be in C3D. Even Survey. But it will
work quite a bit differently. It is better but very different. You're still
creating surfaces, alignments, templates (assemblies), profiles and
cross-sections. The tools work a little differently. Have I said different
enough times.

If possible I'd suggest hiring a consultant to set up the styles for you.
There are some included with the program and if you're willing to use them
it could save some money. Use it on training!

Participate in the NG, use civil3d.com and all the other websites devoted to
C3D. By Mastering Autocad 2009 when it comes out.

Luck
Allen

wrote in message news:5902395@discussion.autodesk.com...
Thanks. This is what kills me with AutoCad. There IS a difference between
Land Desktop 2008 and the Civil 3D 2008 Land Desktop Companion, right? I
think everything I need is in the companion (until I take the time to learn
C3D, that is).

I also think if I buy C3D '08 now with a subscription, I'll automatically
get C3D '09 when it's released next month... and Land Desktop is supposed
to be incorporated into C3D '09.

Right after I check my hardware settings, anyway.

[auzzie2776]

with companion, definately install SP2, it fixes a tun of problems.

[Anonymous]

$7495!!!! HC!! (Holy Cannoli)

In 05 customers were offered to upgrade LDT to C3D & LDTC for $500. Where'd
'dat train go???

Even with all my complaining, I do not like working in LDT anymore. It's
worth it. That is also the opinion of everyone (all 6 😉 in our office.
We're not doing highways either.

--
John Mayo, PE
Project Engineer
Conklin Associates
Ramsey, NJ

Civil 3D 2008 SP2, LDT 2008 SP2, Raster Design 2008
P-IV at 3.5 GHz
2 GB Ram
Nvidea Quadro FX w/ 128 MB Ram
"Allen Jessup" wrote in message
news:5902405@discussion.autodesk.com...
Civil 3D is $7,495 list. Your not going to want to by the stand a lone Land
Desktop because it DOES NOT contain Civil Design. Civil Design is the module
that you should be using to create Templates and Cross Sections.

Talk to your reseller. There might be a way to upgrade you in a way so when
you purchase a subscription (automatic with C3D) you can get the Civil 3D
Land Desktop Companion included in the purchase. You can use that just like
your R3 until you learn Civil 3D.

Civil 3D is a little painful to setup and learn. I'd definitely suggest
training. But once you have it up and running there are many improvements.
Both building surfaces and creating assemblies (templates) is much better in
C3D. In a way you're lucky. The 2008 release is much better than the
previous ones and more improvements promised for 2008.

Remember to check the hardware requirements for both LDT and C3D 2008.

Allen

wrote in message news:5902317@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hello -

I'm currently running Land Desktop R3, but need to upgrade as it's becoming
difficult to share with others who have more recent versions.

My main question is, is Civil 3D worth it? Land Desktop 2008 is still
available, as is Civil 3D 2008. Getting both is nearly $10k (new licenses
for each).

At my old office we upgraded to Civil 3D & Land Desktop; our cad guy pretty
much never used 3D. It seemed like 3D had some better features for
profiling/cross sections but we got by without using them.

I'm not doing overly complicated designs. I need to take survey data and
turn it into a surface/contours, etc.; create profiles of roads, waterlines,
sewerlines, stormsewers; create road cross sections, run roadway templates.
I'm not designing highways or creating complicated 3D models of overpasses.

I realize the Land Desktop functionality has been rolled into Civil 3D 2009
and will no longer be available separately. So, eventually I'll get Civil
3D, but if I don't need it right away that's a purchase I'd love to put off
a few years.

Also, has anyone heard about how much 3D 2009 will cost?

If this would be better off posted in a different discussion area, please
let me know.

Thanks

[auzzie2776]

0.5 kilo bucks, i find that hard to believe. you must have been on subscription, and you paid the subscription price per seat.

[auzzie2776]

allen, do you know of anybody who has created "purchase" templates and styles that look like the standard LDC profiles, cross sections etc.

[auzzie2776]

for civil 3d i meant to add

[Anonymous]

I just got a quote for upgrade. $2295. Plus Subsciption $995.00 And phone tech $395. California taxe and shipping $3715.69. Not real fair for someone who only needs it to transfer to clients. I do not use it to draw, I use my survey software for that.

[Anonymous]

I started with the _AutoCAD Civil 3D (Imperial) NCS LDT.dwt and the metric
equivalent. Worked out pretty well. Only other source I know of is the
consultant I work with.

Allen

wrote in message news:5902574@discussion.autodesk.com...
for civil 3d i meant to add

[Anonymous]

If your Survey software will export a LandXML file. See if you can get your
clients to accept that.

Is that for more than one seat or more that one year? Seems a little steep.

Allen

wrote in message news:5902692@discussion.autodesk.com...
I just got a quote for upgrade. $2295. Plus Subsciption $995.00 And phone
tech $395. California taxe and shipping $3715.69. Not real fair for someone
who only needs it to transfer to clients. I do not use it to draw, I use my
survey software for that.

[Anonymous]

It was a subscription offer Auzzie.

--
John Mayo, PE
Project Engineer
Conklin Associates
Ramsey, NJ

Civil 3D 2008 SP2, LDT 2008 SP2, Raster Design 2008
P-IV at 3.5 GHz
2 GB Ram
Nvidea Quadro FX w/ 128 MB Ram
wrote in message news:5902571@discussion.autodesk.com...
0.5 kilo bucks, i find that hard to believe. you must have been on
subscription, and you paid the subscription price per seat.

[Anonymous]

hi, im having trouble with a land format file. i cant open it in acad2008 cause its a 2000 file, the curved sections come out as boxes, any idea if i install the civil2008 object enabler will help, the dont have an object enabler for land...

[Anonymous]

Sorry, no idea.

wrote in message news:5903621@discussion.autodesk.com...
hi, im having trouble with a land format file. i cant open it in acad2008
cause its a 2000 file, the curved sections come out as boxes, any idea if i
install the civil2008 object enabler will help, the dont have an object
enabler for land...