Exporting Civil 3D Drawing doesn't give same layer names

[jgjDXYZW]

Hello

I have a pond that I've created in Civil 3D, by Grading down in 1 meter intervals from a Feature Line. Each of these 1 meter intervals (Feature Lines) in Civil 3D has been put into a layer using Properties and adding changing which layer it was in. However when I reference that DWG (or export the DWG into DGN) it doesn't keep the correct layer. And when I use the Export Civil 3D Drawing the layer is also changed (along with changing featureline to polyline). 

It seems to me like it keeps the grading layer for the feature line overruling the manual layer I've set. Is there anyway to keep/make sure it uses the layers that I want?

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Look at (edit) the styles used for your feature lines and grading objects. The display tab should indicate where the objevcts will end up if they are converted to plain old autocad objects, NOT the layer that you put them on.

AEC object styles function in ways like blocks. Ever explode a block on Layer 1234 and find the resulting objects are now on Layer 5678? That is because in the block defintion that is where they were put - on Layer 5678 (i'm making these layer names up). Similar to styles - if in the style, Display tab, you told the feature line to be on Layer FeatureLine but then selected the feature line and put it on Layer VeryCoolFeatureLines, when you explode it or convert it by exporting a C3D dwg it goes to the layer set in its style - FeatureLine, and NOT VeryCoolFeatureLines.

Like blocks, if you want the objects in AEC features to acquire the layer that you put them on you have to go into the feature style editor, Display tab, and put the components on Layer 0. Layer 0 is special this way, it works the same with blocks.

It's harder to explain than to do - edit a style and put the display of everything on Layer 0, put the feature on Layer TestFeature (your choice), export it and see what you get.

[jgjDXYZW]

@Anonymous Thank you for a very thorough and well thought out response! Much appreciated. 

I may have hit the solution button a tad early, as I had a side question. Since I'm grading from one Feature Line (and thereby grading new Feature Lines in the interval of my grading) will I be able to move the new graded Feature Lines to Layer 0 as well, as I don't seem to be able to use Edit Feature Line Style on those created by the grading. 

[Kyle-L · Accepted solution]

The feature lines created as part of a grading are controlled by the grading Cut and Fill styles.

If you select your grading and look at the Properties palette you will see the styles being used from cut and fill:

If you then edit one of those styles you will be able to assign the colour and layer for each part of the grading. The line that you are most likely looking for is the daylight line as can be seen here:

Having said that, you can also select the daylight feature line and change its style to any other feature line style where you set the layer to 0, but changing the grading style will ensure any future gradings you do will be correct.

[jgjDXYZW]

@Kyle-L In the mean time I found out about the Daylight Line, but your suggestion with Cut Style and Fill Style makes everything much better. 

Appreciate all the help!