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How to add offset profiles after alignments created

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Message 1 of 16
Neilw_05
2113 Views, 15 Replies

How to add offset profiles after alignments created

Neilw_05
Mentor
Mentor

Any way to add offset profiles to offset alignments AFTER they are created? I already have the horizontal geometry for some turn lanes and don't want to start over.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
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How to add offset profiles after alignments created

Any way to add offset profiles to offset alignments AFTER they are created? I already have the horizontal geometry for some turn lanes and don't want to start over.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
15 REPLIES 15
Message 2 of 16
lim.wendy
in reply to: Neilw_05

lim.wendy
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi @Neilw_05,

 

If you have created the Offset Alignments, the Offset Profile should be created automatically and you should be able to create the profile view. Or are you having a different issue?

OffsetProfile.png



Wendy Lim

Data Nerd | Community Advocate | AEC Industry


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Hi @Neilw_05,

 

If you have created the Offset Alignments, the Offset Profile should be created automatically and you should be able to create the profile view. Or are you having a different issue?

OffsetProfile.png



Wendy Lim

Data Nerd | Community Advocate | AEC Industry


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Message 3 of 16
Udo_Huebner
in reply to: lim.wendy

Udo_Huebner
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@lim.wendy 

If I understood Neil's question correctly, he first creates a conceptual design in 2D using only alignments. At this time the main alignment is not initially assigned a layout profile. The profile to the main alignment is created later after the offset alignments have already been created. The question is, how to subsequently create offset profiles to the existing offset alignments then.

Gruß Udo Hübner (CAD-Huebner)
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@lim.wendy 

If I understood Neil's question correctly, he first creates a conceptual design in 2D using only alignments. At this time the main alignment is not initially assigned a layout profile. The profile to the main alignment is created later after the offset alignments have already been created. The question is, how to subsequently create offset profiles to the existing offset alignments then.

Gruß Udo Hübner (CAD-Huebner)
Message 4 of 16
Neilw_05
in reply to: Neilw_05

Neilw_05
Mentor
Mentor

Udo has the correct understanding. When I created the offsets I did not have a design profile for the main alignment. I was planning to let the templates control the lane slopes. Now I need more control and want to have profiles controlling the lane slopes.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
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Udo has the correct understanding. When I created the offsets I did not have a design profile for the main alignment. I was planning to let the templates control the lane slopes. Now I need more control and want to have profiles controlling the lane slopes.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
Message 5 of 16
cneely
in reply to: Neilw_05

cneely
Collaborator
Collaborator

Unless it new for 2022 it cant be done retroactively. Has to be done when the offset alignment is created. 

AEC Collection 2022
WIN 10 PRO
Dell 3650, Intel i9-11900k @ 3.50GHz, 64 GB
NVIDIA QUADRO RTX 4000
http://www.cobbfendley.com
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Unless it new for 2022 it cant be done retroactively. Has to be done when the offset alignment is created. 

AEC Collection 2022
WIN 10 PRO
Dell 3650, Intel i9-11900k @ 3.50GHz, 64 GB
NVIDIA QUADRO RTX 4000
http://www.cobbfendley.com
Message 6 of 16
Neilw_05
in reply to: cneely

Neilw_05
Mentor
Mentor

Quite an oversight by the developers isn't it? Apparently I have to tear it all out and start over.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
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Quite an oversight by the developers isn't it? Apparently I have to tear it all out and start over.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
Message 7 of 16
jmayo-EE
in reply to: Neilw_05

jmayo-EE
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Mentor

Pretty sure this has been in the idea list for some time. 

John Mayo

EESignature

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Pretty sure this has been in the idea list for some time. 

John Mayo

EESignature

Message 8 of 16
fcernst
in reply to: Neilw_05

fcernst
Mentor
Mentor

No.. those are valid individual Alignments that you can create an EG surface profile for..then their individual  Profile views…then new proposed Layout Profiles. 



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
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No.. those are valid individual Alignments that you can create an EG surface profile for..then their individual  Profile views…then new proposed Layout Profiles. 



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
Message 9 of 16
fcernst
in reply to: Neilw_05

fcernst
Mentor
Mentor

The idea behind those is to be able to create the Three profile plan and profile sheets that many of us need in our jurisdictions. 

They start off with a dynamic constant cross slope, but then we can break that connection to get true user defined sag inlet profiles, traffic calming profiles, etc.

 



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
0 Likes

The idea behind those is to be able to create the Three profile plan and profile sheets that many of us need in our jurisdictions. 

They start off with a dynamic constant cross slope, but then we can break that connection to get true user defined sag inlet profiles, traffic calming profiles, etc.

 



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
Message 10 of 16
Neilw_05
in reply to: fcernst

Neilw_05
Mentor
Mentor

 I want offset profiles that are dynamic to the parent. The offset parameters with variable cross slopes are all I need.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
0 Likes

 I want offset profiles that are dynamic to the parent. The offset parameters with variable cross slopes are all I need.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
Message 11 of 16
fcernst
in reply to: Neilw_05

fcernst
Mentor
Mentor

Ok.. so now you will never miss that step for creating a dynamic offset profile again.. blahh 🙂

 

The workflow should probably be to always check the box, then you can break the connection to take over profile control if needed. If the centerline profile changes then your offset profile edits will be automatically overwritten (added for learners).



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
0 Likes

Ok.. so now you will never miss that step for creating a dynamic offset profile again.. blahh 🙂

 

The workflow should probably be to always check the box, then you can break the connection to take over profile control if needed. If the centerline profile changes then your offset profile edits will be automatically overwritten (added for learners).



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
Message 12 of 16
fcernst
in reply to: Neilw_05

fcernst
Mentor
Mentor

If a constant cross slope works for you, why not target your crafted Offset alignments with a constant cross slope? What am I missing here?



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
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If a constant cross slope works for you, why not target your crafted Offset alignments with a constant cross slope? What am I missing here?



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
Message 13 of 16
Neilw_05
in reply to: fcernst

Neilw_05
Mentor
Mentor

I want the cross slope to vary. 2% down at a wash crossing, 2% up in a hill cut section. It would be easy with offset profiles but I can't add them after the offset alignments were created. The only way is to erase them and start over.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
0 Likes

I want the cross slope to vary. 2% down at a wash crossing, 2% up in a hill cut section. It would be easy with offset profiles but I can't add them after the offset alignments were created. The only way is to erase them and start over.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
Message 14 of 16
fcernst
in reply to: Neilw_05

fcernst
Mentor
Mentor

I would use the Superelevation editor for a user defined curve if I wanted to preserve the use of all my alignment edit work. 

 

You don't have the nice profiles to show though, especially if you have vertical curves along the road.



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com

I would use the Superelevation editor for a user defined curve if I wanted to preserve the use of all my alignment edit work. 

 

You don't have the nice profiles to show though, especially if you have vertical curves along the road.



Fred Ernst, PE
C3D 2025
Ernst Engineering
www.ernstengineering.com
Message 15 of 16
Jowenn.Lua
in reply to: Neilw_05

Jowenn.Lua
Autodesk
Autodesk

Hi @Neilw_05 ,

 

If you missed creating the offset profile the first time you create the offset alignment then you can't re-create it to the same offset alignment unless you delete and re-create it again with the create offset profile tick in the check box.

 

We can however do some possible workaround like:

1. Create a corridor surface and control that via superelevation and create a surface profile in the offset alignment that don't have offset profile. (This is dynamic)

2. Create new offset alignment with offset profile and create a dummy corridor and build a dummy surface targeting this dummy offset Hor. and Ver. (This is dynamic if we set auto-rebuild corr and surf)

3. Or maybe just project the new offset profile back to old offset alignment but needs to have the same offset. (This seems like redoing everything but not deleting the old one.)

 

I created a sample screencast and sample dwg to show what I mean. It is not a perfect solution but may guide you some potential workaround.

 

Cheers,

Jowenn

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Hi @Neilw_05 ,

 

If you missed creating the offset profile the first time you create the offset alignment then you can't re-create it to the same offset alignment unless you delete and re-create it again with the create offset profile tick in the check box.

 

We can however do some possible workaround like:

1. Create a corridor surface and control that via superelevation and create a surface profile in the offset alignment that don't have offset profile. (This is dynamic)

2. Create new offset alignment with offset profile and create a dummy corridor and build a dummy surface targeting this dummy offset Hor. and Ver. (This is dynamic if we set auto-rebuild corr and surf)

3. Or maybe just project the new offset profile back to old offset alignment but needs to have the same offset. (This seems like redoing everything but not deleting the old one.)

 

I created a sample screencast and sample dwg to show what I mean. It is not a perfect solution but may guide you some potential workaround.

 

Cheers,

Jowenn

Message 16 of 16
Neilw_05
in reply to: Jowenn.Lua

Neilw_05
Mentor
Mentor
Accepted solution

Thank you for preparing your video Jowenn. I do understand the workarounds. I was just hoping there was a way to apply the offset profiles that I wasn't aware of. Evidently that is not the case.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com

Thank you for preparing your video Jowenn. I do understand the workarounds. I was just hoping there was a way to apply the offset profiles that I wasn't aware of. Evidently that is not the case.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com

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