SURFOFFSET Command

[Anonymous]

I am having an issue using the SURFOFFSET command. When prompted to "select surfaces or regions to offset", I click on the target surface and I am returned "Not a valid object type." Can anyone help me figure out what the problem is?

[wfberry]

Perhaps I am wrong.  I believe that the surface that command is referring to is not OUR surfaces in normal Civil 3D.  It probably is referring to AutoCad surfaces (solids, etc.)

Bill

[AllenJessup]

I concur with @wfberry. It's not possible to offset a Civil 3D Surface at this time. See THIS idea for more info.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your input. Is offsetting Civil 3D surfaces something we will be able to do in the near future?

[AllenJessup]

It's marked for "future consideration". I think that translates to maybe later but not real soon.

[tcorey]

Where there's an api, there's a way:

;surface offset function

(vl-load-com)

(defun c:go()

  (setq srf (vlax-ename->vla-object (car (entsel "\nSelect Surface: "))))
  (while (not (= (vlax-get-property srf 'ObjectName) "AeccDbSurfaceTin"))
    (prompt "\nYou must select a TIN Surface...")
    (setq srf (vlax-ename->vla-object (car (entsel "\nSelect Surface: "))))
    )
   
  (setq newsrf (getstring "\nEnter new surface name: "))
  (setq offdist (getreal "\nEnter offset distance: "))
  (vlax-invoke-method srf 'Copy)
  (setq srf (vlax-ename->vla-object (entlast)))
  (vlax-put-property srf 'Name newsrf)
  (setq point (vlax-make-safearray vlax-vbdouble '(0 . 2)))
  (vlax-safearray-put-element point 0 0)
  (vlax-safearray-put-element point 1 0)
  (vlax-safearray-put-element point 2 offdist)
  (vl-cmdf "move" (entlast) "" (vlax-safearray->list point) "")
  (princ)
);end defun