Custom Subassemblies

[J_Wheats]

Need an improved way to share custom subassemblies accross the team. Currently users have to create a new palette and import, which means they my not be using latest revision of a sub and this method is not ideal when using shared palettes. The imported tools folder can be copied to each users machine but again this is a manual process that could be streamlined.

Additionally when a sub is revised there is not a clean way to replace the previous revisions in your dwg. You have to click update tool properties from the palette and select each sub to be updated, the problem is that the existing subs will inherit the default property values and not keep any changes that had previously been made (including switching sides from left to right). This issue makes tweaking and improving subs more time consuming.

[doni49]

@ceethreedee.com:

RE the need to modify the stock assemblies, if they were to publish pkt files (or whatever file type they end up using with the new Composer) that should handle that request.

[doni49]

The SA definition doesn't need to have actual VB code -- it just needs objects that tell the INTERNAL CODE what to do and the internal code is what actually does the work.

This is similar to the way Acad lines don't require windows level system code -- the dwg file contains object info that tells acad that a line is needed from Pt1 to Pt2.  Acad then processes the line using internal code to show the line.

[doni49]

And here's ANOTHER idea (feature request in which this would be helpful).

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-civil-3d-ideas/ability-to-manage-centrally-located-enterprise-...

[Dexterel]

joantopo has the best idea. Making subassamblys work directly whit data shortcut will be brilliant.

If subassablys are stored in dwg, if something changes in the project you need to hunt down all dwg and make the same change all over. This is way  I don't support storing subassambys in dwg.

[joantopo]

@Dexterel but also in both directions. You can use an alignment or corridor from SAC, this way you could test transitions in SAC. Right now you can test the BaseLine class. In fact, section 3d software has this workflow.

[joantopo]

Take into account that custom subassemblies must be shared in several computers (huge projects require working in group). Imagine those PKT files are stored in a server.

So, PKT files must be treated as data shortcuts.

[Mohamed.E.Salem]

Sometimes, it is essential to modeling some assemblies using SAC. After importing these assemblies, we need to make few changes or adding the codes for points / links / shapes. Instead of removing  the assembly and importing it again, it would be extremely helpful if the assembly is connected dynamically with the pkt file to accept the changes or updates by SAC.

[doni49]

Here's an idea I posted some time ago that I believe would make it SIGNIFICANTLY easier to manage changes to subassemblies.  It still needs votes.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-ideas/sac-within-c3d/idi-p/5580901?search-action-id=67648491...

[doni49]

5 years later and it's still needed.

[TimYarris]

This idea is under research for an upcoming release of Civil 3D. Please continue to vote for it on the Autodesk Civil Infrastructure Public Roadmap.

[Amber.Gupta]

We are group of engineers working on project server folder. In case, one of us build few subassemblies, import them into their Civil 3D and build few assemblies; they can use it to build corridors. But, another engineer cannot directly use the assemblies in the same Civil 3D file to build new corridors as the "parameters" are missing. Can we have workflow to resolve this? Further, workflow to ensure that any changes to .pkt files are automatically reflected in Civil3D assemblies and for all the team members working on the project server.

[TimYarris]

Hi @Amber.Gupta . Management of subassemblies and assemblies is something we are actively researching. While the automated portion of your workflow is certainly valid, we need to be mindful of customers who want to maintain control over whether a new version of a subassembly overrides previous versions in a project. For example, recently we've spoken to customers who would not want a new version to override older versions used in drawings that have been permitted/approved.

[zen.rookhuyzen]

I work on a multi member team for designing roadways, etc. 

I've built a corridor using a nice custom subassembly, but the minute someone else opens the file there is an error, that they don't have the subassembly. I'm not sure why when I use an assembly it isn't just imported into the file, almost like a block entity? That way everyone automatically has what they need and we can continue to develop the subassembly as we continue on. 

With COVID we all work over the internet, so it's not a matter of sharing a network drive anymore.

I looked around, this forum is from 2016, and is still doesn't seem to be addressed? 

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-ideas/custom-subassemblies/idi-p/5573312

[doni49]

@TimYarris ,

This suggestion would solve that completely.  https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-ideas/custom-subassemblies/idc-p/5580901/highlight/true#M103... .

In this scenario, my dwg file that contains my corridor definition would have the custom subassembly defined in it -- similar to having a block defined within a dwg file.  All users that open that dwg file would automatically use the latest version of the custom subassembly (latest as of the date that it was embedded in the file).

If I need to update the subassembly for use on multiple projects, I would make the edits, export it and then import it into the other projects as needed.

[TimYarris]

Now available in Civil 3D 2024!