Using Civil3D 2023 as AutoCAD

[m.castaldi]

Hi everybody.

I just installed C3D 2023 some days ago but I am not able to use it as a simple AutoCAD.

Everytime that I open a dwg it is opened as C3D. I am not able to find "Civil 3D as AutoCAD" option in search bar anymore.

Has someone faced the same issue?

Best regards

[Pointdump · Accepted solution]

Hi Marco,
@Jeff_M shows how to get Civil 3D as AutoCAD >>>Here<<<.
Dave

[m.castaldi]

Thank you. It worked

[FrankK_at_Creos]

.....???Really? it works?!???

IMHO and in 2022 version it does not.

I do not get native AutoCAD without any C3D overhead. It always ist loading AECC.... things.

[Jeff_M]

@FrankK_at_Creos Looks like it is due to a Country Kit being installed.

Normal C3D English install running the C3D as AutoCAD shortcut:
Customization file loaded successfully. Customization Group: EXPRESS
Customization file loaded successfully. Customization Group: APPMANAGER
Customization file loaded successfully. Customization Group: FEATUREDAPPS
Customization file loaded successfully. Customization Group: CHRONICLE
Customization file loaded successfully. Customization Group: BLUEBEAM
Regenerating model.
**** System Variable Changed ****
1 of the monitored system variables has changed from the preferred value. Use SYSVARMONITOR command to view changes.
Initializing..........Done.
AutoCAD menu utilities loaded.*Cancel*
Command: *Cancel*
_RIBBON
*Cancel*
properties
COMMANDLINE
Command:

After installing the Germany Country Kit:
Initializing..........Done.
Loading AEC Base...
Loading AECC Base...
Loading AECC Building Site...
Loading AECC Land...
Loading AECC Subentity Selection...
Loading AECC QTO......
Loading AECC Roadway...
Loading AECC Pipe Part...
Loading AECC Pipe Network...
Unable to access Shared Pipe Catalog folder.
Please verify configuration.
Run 'setNetworkCatalog' to reset.
Unable to access Shared Pipe Catalog folder.
Please verify configuration.
Run 'setNetworkCatalog' to reset.
Loading AECC Plan Production...
Loading AECC Survey...
Loading AECC Hydrology...
Loading AECC Point Cloud...
Loading AEC Base Extended...
CADsys GaebImportAddin: Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys GaebImportAddin: Done Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys OkstraGrunderwerbAddin: Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys OkstraGrunderwerbAddin: Done Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys OkstraAddin: Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys OkstraAddin: Done Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys RoadSegmentationAddin: Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys RoadSegmentationAddin: Done Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys SuperelevationBandAddin: Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys SuperelevationBandAddin: Done Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys SurfaceModificationAddin: Initializing AssemblyResolver
CADsys SurfaceModificationAddin: Done Initializing AssemblyResolver
AutoCAD menu utilities loaded.*Cancel*
Command: *Cancel*

[FrankK_at_Creos]

Tanks Jeff,

that you clarified this around a setting C3D with a country kit installation  and using "C3D AS AUTOCAD".

I'm new to C3D since 2022; but this architecture with the "country kit" behaviour  seems to be an awful design by Autodesk.

This means I have to uninstall the "country kit" when ever I like to use a "native AutoCAD" ?!

I'm upset.

[pendean]

---

@FrankK_at_Creos wrote:

This means I have to uninstall the "country kit" when ever I like to use a "native AutoCAD" ?!

I'm upset.

---

You can tell Autodesk all about it by posting in the IDEAS forum here https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-ideas/idb-p/31

HTH

[FrankK_at_Creos]

set: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-ideas/keep-quot-civil3d-as-autocad-quot-as-a-native-autocad/...

[jason_ensell]

I can fill in some detail on what is going on here.  The Country Kit behavior is not related to Civil 3D shortcut or the Civil 3D as AutoCAD shortcut.  This would be reproducible even if only AutoCAD was on the system.

The German and several other Country Kits add tools authored as AutoCAD bundles.  These plug-ins are placed in the %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins and always load on startup regardless of what profile AutoCAD (or Civil 3D or Map or ACA) is launched.  The many bundles in the Country Kit leverage Civil 3D components so those are demand loaded on startup, that is why you see the "AECC" items listed.  If you copied the same bundles to a workstation with only AutoCAD on it, they would still try to load but I suspect there would be a series of errors as it tried to find those AECC components that are not present.

Ideally, we should be able to define which of these .bundles are started with each AutoCAD profile.  I'll update the Idea Board request with some clarification.  It's definitely a valid request but I want to make sure those who see it understand what should be done.  This is a change that AutoCAD team would need to implement.

[Jeff_M]

@jason_ensell thanks, Jason. One way I see that would make this work would be for Autocad to recognize when a PureAcad profile is being used and then honor the Platform setting in the PackageContents.xml file in the bundle(s). If it is set to Civil3D do not load the bundle when IsPureAcadProfile is true.

As it is now, if C3D is installed the bundle gets loaded regardless of which profile is used.

[jason_ensell]

This is definitely a possible approach and a great suggestion.  

[FrankK_at_Creos]

Thanks Jason, for this clarification.

On an simple user basis the behaviour is hard to understand

[FrankK_at_Creos]

Jason: " This would be reproducible even if only AutoCAD was on the system."

I don't have pure "AutoCAD" on my system.
I do have AutoCAD LT 2019 and Civil3D 2022. So there might be more with this "Country Kit (de)" behaviour.

[FrankK_at_Creos]

imho this is not true on my system. I'm using "Civil 3D as Autocad" an get the aecc things loaded and that is not what I suspect, if i like to use this as "pure AutoCAD". Something I do not understand.