Property Sets - Useful?

[Cadguru42]

So I thought I'd get to learn Property Sets and started with a simple drawing. I have been biking lately and drew some polylines of my routes, created a Property Set with a description, date, name1, name2, and a calculation of converting the length from feet to miles. There's 11 polylines with the Property Set data attached and now I want to either create a simple table in the drawing that lists the Property Set data or export it to an Excel file. Sounds like a basic use of Property Sets, but that seems to be way more difficult than it should be. I've done some DuckDuckGo searches and YouTube searches about Property Sets, but nothing really explains what to do with the data once added to an object. Everything I've found is about adding Property Set data to a specific C3D object label type, such as a fitting, and getting a fitting label to reference it. Nothing about how to make a table or export of the Property Set data that's on a non-C3D object type. 

This leads me to wonder: What's the purpose of Property Sets if they're so limited? I thought Property Sets would be a way to add custom object data and the ability to create reports, tables, etc. of that data. Seems if that's possible, Autodesk needs to do a much better job of explaining it as I've scoured the interwebs and see no real solution nor purpose for Property Sets. 

[rl_jackson]

With u 😗

[АлексЮстасу]

Could it help?

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-forum/export-extended-data-from-cogo-points-to-txt-or-csv-fi...

[Udo_Huebner · Accepted solution]

Of course, Property Sets are very useful.

Civil 3D contains the same commands to Setup "User defined Propertsy Sets" as AutoCAD Architecture.

And it contains as well the same commands to create Tables.

Many samples for Property sets you will find with AutoCAD Architecture, as this Product contains PS already a long time.

1. you create your own property set definitions and assign them to a class of objects using

Command: StylesManager or

Command: PropertySetdefine

2. Switch

Command: AECPSAUTOATTACH ON

to get the Properties assigned automatically to your desired object class.

3. Input your Property values using Properties Palette > Extended Data

Command: Properties

4. Define a Schedule Table Style using 

Command: StylesManager or

Command: ScheduleStyle

5. To create a Table for insertion into the drawing use

Command: ScheduleAdd

6. To export an Excel/CSV Table with the content of the Schedule-Table use

Command: ScheduleExport

[drazen.galic]

Hi @Udo_Huebner ,

Great!!! Most recently I deal with property sets and I didn't know that you can use it in the tables or exporting. Obviously experience with ADT is missing (I never worked with ADT), only with Civil 3D.

It really opens some new exciting things. It is amazing!

The only problem what I have, when defined schedule, that command ScheduleAdd didn't do anything, just passed through command line. But then I started -ScheduleAdd (inputing parameters through command line without dialog which didn't appear before) and finally I have table. Great! It is dynamic, which is really good.

Thank you @Udo_Huebner 

Regards,

Drazen

[Cadguru42]

This is the problem I have with Autodesk nowadays. Why isn't any of that listed in the help for C3D? I was able to create a schedule table style using SCHEDULE, but SCHEDULADD does absolutely nothing. There isn't an error and the command line says "Loading AEC Schedule UI...", but nothing happens. Trying to add the table through SCHEDULE also doesn't work. 

I did do the -SCHEDULEADD and was able to get a table added. So it seems Autodesk, once again, only half-assed implementation of something in C3D then gave up on it. It's been three or four years now since PropertySets were added to C3D, yet Autodesk can't even bother to copy/paste the help files from the Architecture side of things to C3D's? And why doesn't SCHEDULEADD work in C3D?

[drazen.galic]

Hi @Cadguru42 ,

Just one correction (at least I think that). Property sets are inside of Civil 3D from the very beginning, 3-4 years ago Autodesk made it possible to use PS in labeling (i.e. in pipe network). But not in Civil 3D tables. Unless you don't know another hack. Think that I learned from @samir_rezk , if you type in column content "@PS" + PS name (or something similar, not sure - write from memory).

Basically, my above sentences emphasize your post about hidden functionality in PS data.

My personal opinion is that everything can be much more clear and visible if icon of "funnel" is not, by default, switched on. When you switch it off, there is list of all functionality in Property sets data dialog. Then, at least you can have vision that there are lot connected issues and pretty rich functionality.

Best regards,

Drazen

[АлексЮстасу]

... and direct export to mdb - EXPORTPROPERTYDATA as shown in the above video link.

[drazen.galic]

Hi @Udo_Huebner ,

Would like to thank you once again for nice explanation regarding property sets data. I have one question. Is it possible, when I have bunch of entities with attached property data and have appropriate table (Scheduleadd) to have kind of highlighting between selected entity and appropriate record (row) in the table. Like, I pick the line and somehow to see in the table which record belongs to that line. Seems to me impossible, but would be great to have that.

Regards,

Drazen

[Udo_Huebner]

@drazen.galic 

Indeed, this is possible!

Command: SCHEDULESELECTIONSHOW

Not exactly what you are asking for, but selecting the Schedule Row highlights the Object.

Well documented in AutoCAD Architecture: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-architecture/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2...

And

Command: ScheduleCellEdit

edit the selected cell content and highlights the connected Object.

And it works in Civil 3D as well. Unfortunately, the context-sensitive ribbons are missing, but surely it's possible to get them from Architecture CUIX.

[drazen.galic]

Hi @Udo_Huebner ,

Great!!! I tested and it functions. It really opens complete new perspective of efficient using of Property Set data.

Thank you very much. It would be great that it functions bidirectionally, but even without that it is very good.

Regards,

Drazen