Cadopolis AutoCAD 2009 Feeds

Update 2 available !

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:19 GMT

Hi all,

Just a quick notice today on the fact that Update 2 for AutoCAD Civil 3D is out and available.

You can find it here:
http://updatesdl.autodesk.com/updates/files/c3d2009sp20.exe

What I also would like to mention at this stage is the fact that you, as a valued customer, is VERY important to us getting these Updates as good as possible.
Every time you spend a little extra time on filling in these "Error forms", and a little information on the issue, it get logged. If you also provide you email address at that time you will get, as I just got, an email when the Update is out.
That email also explains what issues has been solved and if your logged issues are among those.

Please see below, part of the email sent to my address, and that it has information on my logged issues.

-----------------

-----------------

Best regards / Ove Cervin

'Junction Jack' has just retired

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:19 GMT

Hmmm, I think it is time to get a new nick name as I have been put out of work.

I have uploaded a new video (finally!) to the Youtube site of myself trying to design a junction (aka intersection) as quick as possible and then try the same design in 2010.

I had to speed up the 2009 quite a bit!!

Excited?

Its like having a mini me inside the box doing all the work for you!
For those who have learn't from first principles, you will appreciate what it is now doing, but also you can get into the design and make any required edits.

Official launch is next week, so we can start to get into the detail then while your lovely DVD's are on route to you on subscription next month.

Thanks to Dana Probert for also filling up the YouTube channel site also, so please have a look around if you haven't been for a while.

Have a great weekend, its amazing the sun is still out and it is dry!! (its normally grim up north!)

Jack Strongitharm

'GENIO Import' and now 'Export Tool'

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:19 GMT

For a little while we have had the ability to import GENIO files which are generally a file exchange for Bentley MX.

We have just released an updated tool on the subscription center which includes now Export functionality to convert your alignments, profiles, corridors and surfaces to be able to be read by MX and other software that support the format.

This will be very useful for those using Civil 3D to do parts of a project which has potentially already started on the other product.
Also for those who are required to supply a GENIO file as a deliverable.

Many of my clients in the UK and Ireland have been using Civil 3D as a complimentary product to support other project teams and also work out quick alternatives, volumes and drawing production aswell as using it as the complete solution for their projects as their skills increase.

For Import, I have included a layer table to assign 3D strings to some common layer names.

Export, will convert our potentially larger object names down to the four character names that MX can only support.

To get hold of the tool you need to log into the subscription center.

So you may need to contact your IT department and or reseller if you don't have your own access.

If you already have the previous Import tool, you will need to remove that first as this is a replacement for that.
This new tool is only available for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009.

Jack Strongitharm

Revit Civil

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:19 GMT

HA HA, I got your attention.

Revit Structure has now gained the ability to create bridge structures using data from AutoCAD Civil 3D.

It is available on the subscription center for those with Revit Structure
http://www.autodesk.com/subscriptioncenter

Bridge Toolkit for Revit Structure 2009

The Bridge Toolkit for Revit® Structure 2009 software provides information, tools, content, and datasets that will better enable structural engineers and drafters to address infrastructure build-out as it relates to bridges. Specific components include:

Box Girder Methodology and Datasets
Precast Girder Methodology and Datasets
Bridge Components .rfa Content
Bridge Modeling Using Revit Structure 2009 Software (Tips and Tricks)
Better design and model your bridge using this toolkit along with Revit Structure 2009, a powerful and parametric structural software solution from Autodesk, Inc.

You can also register for Webcast on January 27th to take a look at it.

Civil Structures with Revit Structure 2009
Date & Time: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. PST

This webcast presentation will explore the versatility of Revit® Structure and how it is used throughout the industry for civil structures such as tanks, retaining walls, and bridges.

www.autodesk.com/structure-webcasts

Jack Strongitharm

Tools - fixes and enhancements

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Hi there,

As time goes by there is always things changed and sometimes added in the world of software.
After what I know it is easy to miss out what is released regarding your daily tool (at least we hope it is ;-) I want to mention two things available to AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009.

One of those is the "Scale List Cleanup Utility". This is not only for Civil 3D, but it is a necessary thing also for us...
Most of you, I guess, have seen a loooooong list of scales in the list in some drawings. This is not useful and sometimes a bit frustrating. Use this fix and the problem is hopefully history.

The other thing is the Object Enabler, AutoCAD® Civil 2009 Object Enabler

Remember to check out the page for Civil 3D on the Autodesk.com website.

Have a nice day! Cheers / Ove Cervin

Widening Part 1

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Got a scheme like this and wondering how to go about it.

Scenario
Creation of a ‘Ghost Island’ to enable safe turning into side road

What we want to do is
• simply extend road surface levels to the new widened channel line and
• new kerbline,
• new footway and
• tie into existing ground with earthwork slopes.

We have a 3D survey drawing.

You need two reference lines from the survey, so you made need to string them together, or in this case I copied them out of the drawing, joined them up and brought them back.

You need two alignments, one is the inside channel line, so the line you copied and joined together, covert to 2D
The second alignment for the widening.

Convert the existing channel 3dpolyline to a Civil 3D alignment and ensure you don’t tick ‘add curves between straights’.

Next with the existing channel edge alignment, create a profile from your ground surface, (you can just click OK rather than draw it)

Next we create an assembly, for this we need a subassembly that probably won’t be in your toolpalette, there are a lot more than you think!

So goto the catalog icon
Select Metric or Imperial and then ‘C3D Rehab’

The subassembly we will use is the ‘OverlayWidenMatchSlope1’

This is written slightly different as it does not have a left or right option, so set the ‘Insert Point Offset’ to a negative value for ‘LEFT’ and a positive value for ‘RIGHT’.
The value does not matter as we will be targeting our widening alignment for the width, so just enter a value so it shows in the assembly view. Also set the overlay to 0, for no overlay to be applied.
Then add the next features you need such as a kerb, footpath and earthwork slopes to the assembly.

Create the corridor using the Existing Left Channel Edge – Alignment as the baseline for the corridor. Start and finish the corridor distance to the limits of your widening alignment.
Set the frequency similar to the image below and include any critical chainage points as required.
An option is only calculate at a regular chainage interval rather than at the surface profile geometry points, if desired.

Next go to the targets of the corridor, and you will see that you can target the overlay subassembly to the ground surface as this will check the levels along the corridor.

From the help file, you can see that the ‘Sample Point’ is what we target for the centreline (in this case our centreline is a 3dpolyline (2009 only) and the insert point is actually our existing left edge alignment that we based our corridor on.
The width is what we will target to our widening alignment.

Result!
Much easier than working out levels and drawing profiles manually!

You can now see the potential of subassemblies much more than just standard widths and slopes.
Try moving your alignment grips around with the corridor on ‘automatic rebuild’.
Also if you want the nice colour scheme to your corridor, that is applied from the code set style as material area fill, where the users of the UK and Ireland country kit template have it already setup.

A day’s work down to minutes, with flexibility for change!

In the next part I will go through how to overlay and refine the profile level design as maybe the existing crossfall of the road is deformed from heavy vehicles etc.

Jack Strongitharm

AutoCAD Civil 3D Object Enabler - Update 1

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

As with what is now called Update 1 rather than Service Pack 1, see Dominicks blog for the explanation to the change of name, the Object Enabler for Civil 3D has just been updated also.

This applies to:
AutoCAD® 2009
AutoCAD® Architecture 2009
AutoCAD® Electrical 2009
AutoCAD® Map 3D 2009
AutoCAD® Mechanical 2009
AutoCAD® MEP 2009
Autodesk® 3ds Max® 2009
Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design 2009
Autodesk® Impression 2009
Autodesk® NavisWorks® Manage 2009
Autodesk® NavisWorks® Review 2009
Autodesk® NavisWorks® Simulate 2009

One of the signicant changes is the support for Navisworks and its support of Civil 3D drawings and its objects such as pipes, structures and corridors etc. Using the Object Enabler means that you can clash against Revit, Revit Structure and other data in one true BIM environment. Make a change in Civil and simply hit refresh to see an instant update and the clash resolved.

Link to download page

Jack Strongitharm

Stage Storage Extension

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Hi all,
I hope you have seen the new tools available on Autodesk Subscription center.
What I had in mind here is the new extension called "Stage Storage Extension".

Here is a description on what it does:
Stage Storage Extension for AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2009 – Download

The Stage Storage Extension for AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2009 is used to calculate incremental and cumulative volumes of a basin from an AutoCAD Civil 3D Surface. Polylines that represent the basin contours or Civil 3D surface contours can be selected to calculate basin volume and area values. Volumes are calculated by average end area as well as conic approximation. Volume and area analysis tables may be saved as .AeccSTT files, inserted into the drawing as an AutoCAD tables or sent to a .txt report file.

This extension is only available to AutoCAD Civil 3D users. The extension is available in English and will install on all language versions of AutoCAD Civil 3D.

There are also a number of new Subassemblies on Subscription center. Check them out! Hopefully they can help you in you daily work ;-)

I am also glad to tell you all that our colleague Jack finally had a son. Congratulations !!
Maybe we will see a shifted focus here on this blog in the future? A more soft "baby skin" feel to the postings ? ;-)

I'd also like to remind you going in to the AUGI webpages and review the whishlist for next C3D. Please do.

Until next time, take care! / Ove C

Restore your corridor codes

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Wow, I've actually made it one blog a day all week!!

Probably think I have nothing better to do with my time.
Well actually I am grounded at present waiting for the arrival of my first child as he is due any day now.

This is Aaron Strongitharm, time he made an appearance!

So while I have been patiently waiting I have got my AUGI and AU class papers together and hopefully giving you some good posts this week.

*Anyway back to some Civil 3D stuff.*

It seems that the Update 1 (aka service pack) has restored the codes file in Civil 3D to the US one.

What do I mean?

The codes file will ditate whether you see a feature line code in a corridor as either ETW (US terms) or EC (British term).

There is a backup of the file that was installed with the UK and Ireland Country Kit and also your local country kit that you should have installed.

With Civil 3D not open.
Go to one of these paths depending on your operatiing system

On XP
C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\C3D 2009

On Vista
C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D 2009\enu

Rename the C3DStockSubassemblyScripts to a temporary name as a backup
Change the C3DStockSubassemblyScripts_en-GB (or your country) to C3DStockSubassemblyScripts

Start Civil 3D and the British codes etc are then applied

Jack Strongitharm

Create your own subassembly toolpalletes (2009)

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Nice little feature of 2009 release is that you can create your own toolpalletes of assemblies and subassemblies.

So you are not a code person, doesn't matter.

How many times do you enter parameters into a subassembly to set width, slopes etc that you use everytime.
Also do you hunt through the palletes searching for the couple that you are using the most?.

Well that we can sort!

In a clean drawing and save it (this is temporary) click on a subassembly and hit return key (for detached)
Place it in the drawing.

On its properties, set all the parameters the way you like

Once you are ready, create a new pallete and then with left mouse button click and hold on the subassembly in the drawing and drag it to the toolpallete.

Once its there you can rename it to something sensible and also specify an image.

If you browse to
On XP
C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\C3D 2009\enu\Tool Catalogs\Road Catalog\Images

On Vista
C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D 2009\enu\Tool Catalogs\Road Catalog\Images

You can find all the Civil 3D icons

For my UK and Ireland users I have created a simple set and also included kerbs and edgings to British Standards.
These will work better than my old set that I made from polylines.
Hope they are of use.

Click here to download

To install, extract the zip file to a location on your computer and by right clicking on the toolpallete click then on customize palletes

On the left hand side, click on Import and point to the XTP file that extracted from the zip file.

Should save some time and effort on a daily basis.

Jack Strongitharm

UK and Ireland Country Kit 2009

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Hot on the trail of Ove and the Swedish.

Finally we also have released the UK and Ireland Country Kit for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009.

Easiest way to find all the country kits is from the memorable weblink

http://www.autodesk.com/civil3d-countrykits

This includes

General template for UK and Ireland
Template for Irish Local Authorities
Template for importing OS Mastermap

Roads standards file for DMRB and NRA

The UK and Ireland Pipes Catalogue for Sewers for Adoption 6th Edition and Underground Utilities

Link to Microdrainage WinDES

and other suitable reporting outputs

So worth the wait.

Also there is a pdf file with a pictorial guide to what is in the country kit and please note the installation notes as it describes how to bring in the toolpalletes for the visualisation content that is not automatically shown in the British Language Version.

This kit is an evolving set, so please let me know what you think should be part of it and supply some examples.

Jack Strongitharm

Online Blocks

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Ohla !
Hope you all had a REALLY GREAT Christmas !!

This will be a short tip on another part from Design Center that I'd like you all to be aware of.
Open up Design Center.

Starting up Design Center - as we did just before Christmas...

Select the last tab - DC Online

Browse down and check what categories you find in the list.

If we select, for example, 3D Architectural - Landscaping, we will see this:

As you can see there is an option to "Save this symbol as...."
You can also drag and drop the symbol straight in to the drawing.

It is an 3D object that can be nicely orbited.

...and another sample might be..

Put it in...

Now we have two new symbols for Landscaping drawings.

...and they are all for free.

Now we´re just about to go for a week in Munich - testing out next version, Civil 3D 2009. Looking forward to that... !!

Cheers / Ove

There is another product in there you know!

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Happy new year to you all!!

This blog is now one year old now! Thanks to all of you for keeping with us.

There is so much more to cover and we are nearing another version in April.
Myself and Ove are off to Munich ths week testing 2009 along with our other Autodesk AEs and also a number of top Civil 3D users from around Europe.

Anyway, we often dont really cover much on Map even though it is sat there in front of your eyes.

However one of my English colleagues, Greig Richardson, has created a blog site decicated to everything Map and also Mapguide.

Find it here

http://cad2gis.wordpress.com/

Jack Strongitharm

C3D 2009 Country kit - Swedish

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Hi all,
This has really been a fully loaded period in my calendar, but finally we're right ON track again - getting new stuff up here.

I just have to mention two things that has happened to me the last quarter;

First - I went skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland, during Easter holiday. There I found a slope named "cervino" on the Italian side of Matterhorn. Oh yes - "cervino" is my login name on Autodesk! Cool!

Second - I was recently on Iceland again, what a nice place to visit. BUT - beware!! I was, by group pressure, forced to eat of their traditionally SPECIAL food - ROTTEN SHARK! Don't ever try that...

I was there with Bruce Harfield from 3AM-Solutions. Bruce didn't really like the shark either...

If someone wants to try it out - check this:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/places/culture-places/food/iceland_rottensharkmeat.html
or http://www.simnet.is/gullis/jo/shark.htm

To the proper stuff - this week we are very happy to announce that the Swedish Country kit for Civil 3D 2009 is out on the Autodesk website for download:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=7271531&linkID=9240698#2009

There are more CK coming out real soon... I do know my colleague Jack is desp.... to get the UK one out... ;-)

Downloaded Country Kits that can be added to your AutoCAD Civil 3D 2007, 2008, and 2009 installations giving you access to country- specific reports, templates, and much more.

Content varies by country and may include:
- Drafting and design standards (Civil 3D label and object styles)
- Design standards files for calculation of superelevation
- Drawing templates (AutoCAD .DWT Files)
- Sheet templates for Plans Production (AutoCAD .DWT files)
- Codes files to localize the point, link and shape codes for corridor models
- Reports

Below is what the page looks like (the links below can't be used from here as it is an image)

Getting back to you soon again

Cheers / Ove Cervin

GENIO Import Tool for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008/2009

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Hopefully this is not necessarily new news to you all, as your Communication Centre in Civil 3D should have already alerted you to this new import tool for GENIO files into AutoCAD Civil 3D.

For those that have to deal with files from other design and survey companies etc that come in GENIO format you need a method to bring that into Civil 3D. Also if it is a design file that contains, surfaces and alignment and profile geometry wouldn't it be nice to actually have them converted to Civil 3D objects!

Well that is what this tool does!

GENIO files orginated from 'MOSS/Mx' and has been used in the industry for many years for transferring data with design and survey data.

So where do you get it, well this tool is for you guys that are on subscription as an additional benefit to what came in the box software.

You need to login into http://www.autodesk.com/subscriptionlogin and download it from there.

If you don't know your login details, please contact your IT department who looks after your Autodesk software and or your reseller who supplied you the software.

Finally want to watch a short webcast on how to use it?

Join me, next Friday 6th at 2pm UK time

https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/autodesklearning/join?id=MF8HBK&role=attend

Add to my Outlook Calendar to help with time zones:
https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/autodesklearning/meetingICS?id=MF8HBK&role=attend&i=i.ics
AUDIO INFORMATION
-Telephone conferencing
Use the information below to connect:
UK: +44 (20) 70980710

Australia +61 2 8211 1378
Austria +43 1 92 80 004
Belgium +32 2 401 7012
Finland + 358 106 33 156
France + 33 1 7075 25 91
Germany +49 69 2222 20599
Greece +30 80 1 100 0630
Hong Kon + 852 2286 5624
Ireland +353 1 431 9674
Italy + 39 02 3600 0507
Japan + 81 3 5539 5146
Netherlands +31 20 713 3466
Norway + 47 21 59 00 05
Singapore +65 6883 9189
Spain + 34 91 414 08 12
Sweden + 46 8 506 92 118
Switzerland + 41 44 580 4209
Taiwan + 886 2 2795 7338
USA + 866 617 1530

Participant code: 2489307

FIRST-TIME USERS
To save time before the meeting, check your system to make sure it is
ready to use Microsoft Office Live Meeting.
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=90703

Drawing overviews

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Hello everyone
Hope all has seen some sun by now, even Sweden has... ;-)

We are working on several Blog posts, me and Jack, that will cover a lot of the new functionality in the 2009 version.
To get something up here during this "working period" I thought of this nice tool to get an overview of all drawings open on you computer.
As all users of AutoCAD knows, there are several tools at the very bottom of the screen, OSnap, Ohrto etc etc. Now we have a few new ones again.
Check this one out;
If you have some drawings open like this (three in this case),

Check the bottom of the screen, to the right side. There is an icon showing a symbol like a "book".

When you click it you will get an fast overview of all drawings currently open, and also their Layouts etc shows above the drawing.

Hoover over the Layouts for the drawing and you will get it magnified - select it by clicking on it - or use the direct "Print" as seen by the icon in the image below. Nice tool.

Promise to be back soon with some more "Civil related" stuff here... ;-)

Cheers / Ove

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Probably wondering where we have been on this for the last couple of weeks as our Civil 3D blogging friends have been revealing some of the new key features.

As Autodesk staff we have a different date we have to work to, but never mind.

So rather than just talk about the same features here is something cool and not obvious to your first glances. (i like these ones the most!)

Those that saw me at AU last year got an early look at these as we now have 3D content to aid visualisation in your 3D models.

They are designed as Multiview blocks (i.e. have a 2D display and a 3D display, similar to our Civil 3D styles)
This is so when plotting a drawing in plan you get a nice simple appearance, but when viewed in 3D you have a model.

2D

3D

Where do I find them?
Right click on the toolpalettes grey bar on the side and you can see the selection of 'MV Blocks'

There is four catagories

Highways, External Works and Landscaping

Also there are some simple Building footprints

These are all really a sample of what is possible as we could never give every single content type. But use them to create more realism and also copy what is there to change colours, image types for sign faces and even add a little model of yourself on a billboard to place in the scene!

There are plenty of hidden gems that are in this release and myself and Ove will help you explore these as you start with this great new version.

Jack Strongitharm

Just when you thought I am finished with 2008

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Most of the things you will hear from us from now on will be of course based around our new release 2009.

However we recognise that it may take some time until you all can follow.

So to keep my friends in the UK and Ireland going we have just released an update to the Country Kit for Civil 3D 2008.

So whats in it?

Pipes and Structures and plenty of them !

We now support Sewers for Adoption 6th Edition and manufacturers pipes and manholes types. Also including CAD linetypes, styles and colours.
Also to accompany the Microdrainage WinDES Link Tool a generic pipes and structures catalog, which is material independent and supports all the sizes required.
Finally to complete the set a collection of underground pipes and styles for underground utilities for gas, electric, telecomms etc

An example from Ramboll Sweden by Mats Ericsson of what can be done.

Next a new template file for Ireland for the local authorities that gives them familiar look and feel to what they are used to, all set as defaults and including the above pipe catalogs.

Finally for the UK, Ordnance Survey Mastermap template to assist in theming this newer mapping format to create maps as they were intended.

Download it from here

Jack Strongitharm

EMEA Gunslinger - Munich

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

This week in Munich in Germany we have had what we call a Gunslinger for the first time in Europe for Civil 3D.

This is where we get together a number of top users from various countries and also ourselves.
We then spend a number of days looking at the new features in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 and then design with them to test them out.

We had representation from countries such as Poland, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and more.

Also we had the Dave and Dan show(Dave Simeone, Dan Philbrick), Jessica Tar, Dave Blanchette from Autodesk US to guide us through it all.
The aim is to put everything into practice and to ultimately find any problems so that they can be addressed before release.

It has been a great week and we cant wait to discuss what is new to you.
However this will have to wait until March when we can officially release to the public.
It's not that far away.

Enjoying a small beer! (myself and Dan Philbrick)

(Dave Simeone, me, Ian McGregor, Marco Martens and Ove Cervin)

Finally a big thank you to all the users for taking out time for this event and to the companies that they work for.

Jack Strongitharm

Autodesk 2009 product range is coming!

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:18 GMT

Just in case you are not reading some of the other blogs.
Our AutoCAD bloggers are now at a point of been able to release some information on what is new in AutoCAD.

As CIvil 3D is based on AutoCAD, we all need to keep up with the new things that are coming our way.

Shann Hurley - Between the Lines

and of course

Lynn Allen

It won't be long until AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 is coming this way and the Dave and Dan Show Webcast with thousands of you clogging the internet around the world.

Fun!!