Civil 3D Trix and Wishes

My experience with Window 7 and Civil 3D

2009-10-05T13:38:00Z

I've been running the Windows 7 Ultimate RC 64 bit (Build 7200) since early July. And just the past week I have installed Win 7 Enterprise (Build 7600) 64 bit which is claimed to be the final build version that will be released to the public on October 22.

What I have noticed is that the Enterprise version seems to be just a bit snapper than the RC, maybe it is because I have less install and it is a new install with less overhead. Ask me in a month when I'm back to the same processes! Currently at 65.

AS for the install that was ins testing! I first started at 9:30am last Monday and by 11:30 am I had not made past the initial install window. It was telling me that it could not find a driver for my CD disk. I looked on dells website and all they had were flash updates which did me no good. So I decided to wait until 4pm for my expert Win 7 guy to come home from school. (my 13 year old son).

I asked him if he could help me and when I told him what was happening he said, dad don't you remember when we install the RC? We had to take your HD and put it in my Dell laptop and install win 7 and then move it back to your laptop and have it do the rest. I said "oh ya now I remember"........ getting old thing!

So we do just that, and in about 40 minutes bamm I'm back up and running win 7. What was cool is that Win 7 will heal itself, meaning when we install win 7 on my HD on my sons laptop with his drivers needed for his laptop everything was changed by Win 7 when we moved it back to my laptop. The driver it was missing before was no longer even a question or issue. No idea but it worked. Also found the Nvidia just came out with a new beta driver for there cards as of the 27th of August.

So the bottom line! Hire your 13 year old son for $10 and stand back and be proud! Best ten bucks I have spent in years!

All is good now and just dreading the next time I will need to reinstall win 7 when the full blown version comes out at the end of the month. "We bleed so you don't have too"

p.s. Buy MS stock!

Certain assets of BOSS International are now owned by....

2009-08-26T16:29:00Z

http://pressreleases.autodesk.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=627

Check this out! This is huge, this puts Autodesk on the map for Hydrology analysis software. This is a bunch of steps above what they are offering today! Now the question is when will this be incorporated in to our current C3D. And what does this mean for our current Storm software they bought 2 years ago?????

StormNET, RiverCAD and WaterNET Software Tools to Provide Autodesk Civil Engineering and Utility Customers with Comprehensive Water Analysis Capabilities

Got this from a Tweet from Angel! ...

Guess what? 2010 SP1 is finally here!

2009-07-31T15:42:00Z

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=13620951&linkID=9240698

Go check it out and let me know what you think!

For all of those that waite until SP1 comes out before you finally jump! Well now is the time to jump.

Bill N. ...

I almost forget to tell you that while I was away on Vacation I recieved notice that I will be presented again at AU!

2009-07-14T18:12:00Z

Yes! Great news I will be presenting again at AU this December in Vegas! Yes Oh Yes Vegas baby!

This will be my third time and this time will also be a new topic!

Corridors Are for More than Roads: How about Parking Lots? 90 Minute Power user class

I've already started on the dataset for the class, I was able to get a real life parking lot from a great client of mine!

So mark your calandars for December 1st to 3rd! It is one day shorter, in the past the last day was a travel day anyway and not many made to class. I was so glad I never had class on the last day of AU.

This year it is at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and signup starts early August!

http://au.autodesk.com/

SO hopefully see you there!

Layer1 and layer filters within Layer manager

2009-07-08T21:15:00Z

How many use Layer filters? How many times have you created a new layer while in a layer filter only to go darn it, now where is that new layer at now? When AutoCAD creates a new layer it calls it Layer1, but the problem is you are currently in a layer filter that is filtering only C3-* layers. So where is that new Layer1? Somewhere under the base filter right!

Well a thought came across my mind when this happened today! Why not just include in every layer filter a filter to include Layer1. Too simple right! Why didn’t Autodesk think of this years ago? Heck why didn’t I think of this years ago? So the next time you create a layer filter at the bottom of the list of filters just add in one for Layer*, this way all new Layers created will now show up in any of your layer filters.

C3D 2009, Civil 2009 and yes LDT 2009 - SP3 is out........ what you say a service pack for 2009?

2009-06-02T02:20:00Z

Check it out there is not one not two but three new service packs out for LDT, C3D and Civil 2009.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/index?siteID=123112&id=2334435&linkID=9240698

Just go down the list and pick off what you need.

Also read the readme files. This service pack must be installed on top of 2.1 IT DOES NOT INCLUDE 2.1

And also the service pack looks like it is mostly dealing with AutoCad issues!

As per the Readme file:

As a result of detailed information from customers who used the Customer Error Reporting Utility, a number of problems were identified and fixed. Updates have been made in the following feature areas:

2D Display
3D Navigation Tools
Annotation Scaling
Blocks
CUI
DBX-ACDB
Display Drivers
Dynamic Dimensions
eTransmit
Graphic System
Hatch
Impression Toolbar
Layer
Materials
MDI
Modify
Open/Save
Object Snaps
OLE
Plot
Properties Palette
Publish
Purge
Render
Section & Flatten
Visual Styles

Intersection in 15 seconds!

2009-04-18T19:36:00Z

Yes! You read that right! I can now buid an intersection in 2010 in 15 seconds flat! Just ask the attendees to last weeks rollout show in Edina or Sioux Falls! (Took 17 seconds there).

I may try to beat that In Bismarck, ND in two weeks! I know I can I might even get it down to 10 seconds or less!

Below what completed in15 seconds! With turn lanes!

Where did my menus go? Ribbon.......what?

2009-04-18T19:09:00Z

Yes, I know I'm going to take flak for this post! Yes Autodesk and Microsoft is bent on having us users switch to the new Ribbon.......

Why? More efficient they say! I don't necessarily disagree, but where the heck is my menu at now? I know where something is or should I say was in 2010 and I know that it has got to be somewhere on the Ribbon?

But where?

We'll I'm going to show you two new things........

One! Where is my Command?

Yes that is what they call it "Where is my Command?"

Way up top to the far Right you will see a Big little question mark ?

Click on this and you will see the "Where is my Command?

Click on this and you will see our old 2009 menu bar list. Just click on the it and find your old command and it Will list where to find out where it exists today! See the attached document for more info!!!!!!!!! Menus 2010

It's here.......C3D 2010,,,,, well almost....

2009-04-04T21:29:00Z

Yes, Autodesk has finally released that release date for Civil 3D and Civil..........and the date is.........(opening the e-mail.....)   April 17th............

So there you have it April 17th, 2009 is the day that they start shipping C3D 2010.

So just what is in C3D 2010.

We'll you're going to have to come to one of our Roadshows to see. We will be demostrating both C3D 2010 and AutoCad 2010.

Sioux Falls, SD           April 14th

Des Moines, Iowa      April 15th

Edina,MN                      April 16th

Bismarck,ND               April 28th

Fargo,ND                      April 29th

If yo are interested in any of these shows just e-mail me at bneu@alignex.com and I'll make sure you get an official invite!

Oh and yes they are free!

Service pack time again! Can u say 2.1..... C3D,Civil and LDT 2009 sp 2.1

2009-03-01T16:42:00Z

Yes, there are service packs out for all three programs.

And yes, they can all be installed over 2.0

Have fun!

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/index?siteID=123112&id=2334435&linkID=9240698

Bill N. ...

C3D 2010----- and now the list!

2009-02-08T15:54:00Z

Here is the first look at what 2010 will bring to the table! Wow! All I can say is Wow!

This is by far the biggest release we have had since day one! There are more new goodies added than ever before! Go to the below link and download the Press materials with the bullet points.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=11268974

Below is a cut and past from the Civil.df extracted from the above link.

I'm a bit confused myself since the title is AutoCad Civil 2010 and not Civil 3D 2010.......... ?

AutoCAD® Civil 2010

AutoCAD Civil 2010 software for civil engineering design and construction documentation

helps civil engineering technicians, drafters and surveyors complete transportation, land

development and environmental projects faster. AutoCAD Civil helps to boost productivity and

streamline time-consuming design tasks such as intersection and corridor design, parcel

layout, pipes and grading, with purpose-built tools and customizable standards. Deliver more

consistent construction documentation with styles-based drafting and wizard-driven plans

production, and improve coordination with design and drafting that remain synchronized.

Accelerate learning in a familiar AutoCAD environment with tools and processes you already

know.

What’s New

Improved User Interface

New customizable ribbon toolbar is task-oriented with redesigned, intuitive icons.

Consistent user interface between most Autodesk programs allows users to move

between programs more smoothly.

Customizable Quick Access Toolbar allows one-click access to an individual user’s

favorite and most frequently used tools.

New application menu enables easy access to a list of commands such as Open,

Save, Export, and Publish; also use the application menu to access recent documents.

Surveying and Design Enhancements

New Intersection Design Wizard helps take the complexity out of modeling typical

intersections and facilitates the creation of truly dynamic 3D intersection models,

helping to automate the creation of intelligent intersections that can be updated more

easily when the design changes.

Enhanced field-to-finish capabilities allow survey data to be processed directly from

the field without tedious translations or conversions.

Enhanced parcel generation capabilities and more streamlined workflow allow users to

size parcels based on frontage offset, minimum width, and minimum and maximum

depths.

Two new design tools have been introduced: Alignment Offsets for synchronizing

offsets to the original alignment, and Alignment Masking for controlling alignment and

label displays beyond the functionality of the alignment styles.

Production drafting

Help make construction documents easier to navigate with the introduction of labeling

improvements that include the ability to stagger overlapping labels in profile and

section views.

More easily project standard AutoCAD® software blocks or lines on profile or section

views, which helps give users the flexibility to add simple or complex objects to profiles

or cross sections, all with a dynamic link to the related object.

The introduction of a new feature called Profile Hatching allows users to more easily

add hatching between various profiles in profile view. Hatching is controlled by styles,

making them highly customizable to help meet company CAD standards.

Autodesk and AutoCAD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA

and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for

typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

And the wait is finally over! SP2 is here.

2009-01-15T22:02:00Z

Both LDT2009 and C3D 2009 service packs are now available!

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/index?siteID=123112&id=2334435&linkID=9240698

Audit
Corridor Design
Grading
Pipes
Parcels
Points
Profiles
Project Management
Surface
Survey
Toolbox

This update includes the resolution of over 70 issues. This section of the readme documents the resolved issues that previously caused loss of data or unexpected failures of Civil 3D, or reflect a change in functionality.

General

Several issues that prevented the AUDIT command from working properly have been resolved.
Selecting a large number of civil objects in a drawing with the Object Properties window set to Autohide no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
Opening a drawing after adding a new tool to the Toolbox no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
Slope stake reports now display the correct Grade value.
An issue with polylines not retaining their settings has been resolved. Previously, linetype settings would not remain defined when a drawing was saved and reopened.
Previously the program may have closed unexpectedly when you selected File > Save As, or used the Save As command to change from a template to a drawing format.
An issue with migrating point group data from previous versions of AutoCAD Civil 3D has been resolved. Previously, opening a drawing with point group data resulted in the program closing unexpectedly.
Using the WBLOCK command to select and insert a drawing that contains pipe network parts in profile view now works as expected. Previously, attempting to insert a WBLOCK with pipe network data in profile view would result in an "Invalid" message and the insertion would not occur.
Use of the following workflow no longer results in an unresponsive drawing or an unexpected closing of the program:

API

Setting a feature line style when you create a feature line from a polyline now works as expected. Previously, the style would be ignored.
The XRecord attached to a point group in the API extension dictionary in a Civil 2008 drawing can now be accessed in Civil 3D 2009. Previously, the XRecord to the point group did not migrate correctly.
The feature line name value can now be changed using the API. Also, the minimum grade value no longer incorrectly displays the minimum elevation value.
AeccAlignment::MoveToSiteless works as expected.
The Profile View ElevationMin and ElevationMax values can be set as expected. You must set the ElevationLocked value to True before setting the ElevationMin and ElevationMax values. Use the following settings:
oProfileView.ElevationLocked = True
oProfileView.ElevationMin = -50.0
oProfileView.ElevationMax = 200.0

Corridor Design and Subassemblies

An issue with using the Profile Grid View panorama vista to edit profiles has been resolved. PVI elevation edits in the Profile Grid View are now reflected in the Corridor node on the Toolspace Prospector tab.
Volume reports are now generated as expected. Previously when generating a volume report for a cross section, the volume calculations were incorrect.
Using the Apply To A Range Of Stations dialog box to specify a station range for an assembly override, and then selecting the corridor and expanding the View/Edit Corridor Section toolbar, no longer results in an error. Previously, the error dialog box would redisplay multiple times. In addition, attempting to save the drawing would result in the program closing unexpectedly.
Material volumes are no longer missing from section views. Previously, the Cut Area, Fill Area, and Fill Vol properties displayed a value of zero.

Criteria Based Design

A drawing that contains design criteria and was saved in a Windows XP environment can now be opened using Windows Vista. Previously, the design criteria file could not be found.
Previously, it was not possible to superelevate a planar road with the current superelevation files. Now when you change from a crowned roadway to a planar roadway, the roadway superelevates as expected.

Cross Sections and Cross Section Views

Sample line vertices are now reported from left to right when working with sample line data through the API. Previously, the vertices may have been reported out of order.

Grading and Feature Lines

An issue with Stepped Offset command has been resolved. Previously, the Stepped Offset command would not get the correct reference elevations from the source feature line if the number of points on the offset feature line was less than the number of points on the source feature line. It would use zero as the reference elevation.
Creating a grading feature line from a corridor and using the Smoothing parameters in the Create Feature Line from Corridor dialog box no longer returns incorrect results. The feature line is smoothed as expected.
An issue with the Smoothing options in the Create Feature Line From Corridor dialog box has been resolved. Setting the Horizontal deviation, Arc inclusion distance, and Weeding distance parameters results in straight line segments displaying as expected.
An issue with opening a drawing containing grading objects and pipe network data references has been resolved. After opening a drawing containing pipe network data references, use the AUDIT command before working with the data.
The program no longer closes unexpectedly when you paste one surface into another surface with the option for automatic rebuild selected. Previously the program might close during the rebuilding process after new grading objects were added to a grading group.
Using the Explode command on feature line arc segments created in Civil 3D 2008 no longer results in straight line segments. The Curve Tessellation: Mid-ordinate Distance setting on the 3D Geometry Tab (Site Properties Dialog Box) is enabled for editing and controls how closely the arc segment is approximated.
An issue with creating grading transitions from straight line segments to surface targets has been resolved. In AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009, the ability to grade to an absolute elevation target from a straight line segment was enhanced to improve the resulting daylight line. Previously, this enhancement resulted in possible incorrect results when creating transitions from straight line segments to surface targets. Grading from straight line segments to surface targets now works as expected. Use the following registry key to enable the ability to grade to an absolute elevation target from a straight line segment to function as it did in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R17.2\ACAD-7000:409\AEC\5.7\AeccLand60\EnableNewTransition = 0

Set this option to 1 to allow the AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 transition rule to be used for grading to an absolute elevation target (default if setting is not present).

Labels and Tables

The Grade In, Grade Out, and Dist to PVI properties for Profile Geometry Point Labels at Grade Break now display the correct values.
Reference surface labels in drawings created in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2007 now display in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 as expected.
Crest and sag curves are now correctly labeled in vertical geometry data bands.
Dragged profile labels from previous versions of AutoCAD Civil 3D now appear correctly. Previously, the labels appeared in an undragged state.

Lines and Curves

The Curve from End of Object command now returns correct results when a degree of curve is specified.

Parcels

Using the Copy To Original Coordinates command to copy parcels into a new drawing, and then saving the drawing, no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly when you try to reopen the drawing.
When you generate a Map Check report, the Northing and Easting properties now display the correct values.
Using the Export DGN File command on a drawing that contains parcels no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
Editing a parcel curve no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.

Pipes

Grip editing a pipe object with Osnaps enabled no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
Copying pipe and structure rules now work as expected. Previously, some rules would be missing when the drawing was reopened.
Pipe 2D inside edge to inside edge length values are now calculated as expected.
Running the pipes rule "Pipe To Pipe Match" on a pipes-only network no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
Structure descriptions in data shortcuts are now updated when structures are edited in the source drawing. Previously, edited structures would retain their original descriptions.

Points

Selecting a point with QPMODE set to 1 no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
Performance is improved when using the Create Points On Grid command.
Using the WBLOCK command with points now works as expected. Previously, using the WBLOCK command to select and insert a few selected points into a new drawing would result in all of the points in the drawing being added to the WBLOCK. Now only the selected points are included.

Plan Production

Matchline text is now displayed in sheets that are placed into a new drawing.

Profiles and Profile Views

Creating a data shortcut to a profile in situations where the alignment does not exist in the drawing now places the alignment on the Alignment object layer. Previously, the Alignment was placed on the Profile object layer.
A label set is now applied as expected when you create a reference profile.
Horizontal clipping now clips to the existing ground or the highest profile, and the grid lines do not extend beyond the profile object.
There is a workaround to prevent layout profiles from moving when profile views are copied and pasted. Do not use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V to copy and paste a profile view. This may cause the layout profiles to be displayed in a new location. To copy and paste a profile view:

Project Management and Data Shortcuts

Structure names in data shortcuts are now updated when the structure name is changed in the source drawing.
Data references now work as expected when you copy new drawings to another computer. Previously, the data references were broken.
Promoting a data-referenced alignment no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
Checking in a drawing that contains a surface no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
The $ (dollar symbol) in a file name no longer causes errors when you try to create data shortcuts.
Undoing the creation of a reference alignment no longer results in the program closing unexpectedly.
Using data shortcuts to reference multiple objects from multiple drawings into a single drawing no longer causes duplicate alignments to be displayed on the Toolspace Prospector tab when you reference multiple profiles. Now when you reference a surface, an alignment, and multiple profiles into a drawing, the Toolspace Prospector tab displays a single data-referenced alignment as expected.
Now you can delete a source object reference and recreate it using the same name. Previously, you would not have been able to use the same name for a new data shortcut that had been previously used unless you use the external data shortcut editor to set the name as a criteria. Now the criteria for searching the object is HandleOrName instead of HandleOnly when you create a new data shortcut.

Surfaces

Deleting a surface edge using a Fence selection no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
The slope and slope arrow color schemes set in the surface style are now correctly applied to surface properties.
Several issues have been resolved that were causing out of memory messages to display when working with large surfaces.
There is a workaround to prevent the display of memory errors when working with large surfaces. Once a surface has to stop drawing due to an out of memory error, all surfaces in any drawing you save are saved in external files for the remainder of the current session. If you encounter this issue, please take the following steps:

Survey

The MOD ELS BY command now returns the expected results for control points and non-control points.
Importing a field book with incomplete coding no longer causes the program to close unexpectedly.
Sea Level factors are now calculated from the Mean Elevation. Previously, the sea level factor was calculated from the Instrument Elevation.

Buddy, buddy, buddy! Here buddy!

2008-10-28T15:23:00Z

http://au.autodesk.com/event/buddypass/

Autodesk is now offering a buddy pass to AU08. There are restrictions but for $595 you can bring someone along and they can get into the classes too! No hotel is included but if your really good friends. or they go to Expedia and do a search for hotels in Vegas (They are really cheap right now!) Either way this is one heck of a deal for AU!

$595 for 15 or so classes! Let do the math here...... 595/15=39.666666 a lot of sixes......

So about $40/class! Man or man is this cheap! Or should I say inexpensive!

Oh and when you sign up, sign up for my class Tuesday Dec 2nd at 3pm CV 114-6

Making Points Act Like AutoCAD® Land Desktop: Sit, Roll Over, and Lay(er) Down!

Bill Neuhauser P.E.

C3D corridors for more than just roads!

2008-10-26T20:50:00Z

Below is a link to a doc file, this doc show you a new way of using corridors in designing many other things other than just corridors!

Below is a few lines from the doc file. If you want more just click!

Ok! I’ve been wanting to do this posting for a long time and now that my Vikings are on a bye week I now have the time!

I’ve been wanting to show everyone my way of doing major intersections, parking lots and roundabouts with one corridor! Yes one corridor and others than the major intersection few or no Targets! And more importantly I am about to model not just the Top surface of these but also the Datum surface of all of these all at the same time the Top is modeled.

Many out there have ways of modeling the Top surface of all of these different designs, but I have yet to see anyone model the Datum surface of all of these at the same time. Or at least I may be the first to actually blog about it……

So what am I doing that is so different! What is so different that Autodesk would have me fly out to Manchester and show them?

Here are a couple of screen captures of a roundabout, Major intersection (with medians) and a very large parking lot (with 50 islands, 2 ponds and two building sites over 45acres).

My_Corridor

How do you change the default project templates folder location.....

2008-10-23T21:14:00Z

How do you change the default location of your Project templates for data shortcuts?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R17.2\ACAD-7000:409\AEC\Directories\ProjTemplateDir

This obviously is product version specific.

But if you want to move your project templates to somewhere else other than you own hard drive this is what you will need to find and edit. Just hoping this will be easier in future releases!

Until next week.

"May the Force be with you"

Bill N.

One more DOT down a few more to go!

2008-09-18T19:33:00Z

Alaska DOT

Massachusetts DOT

Wisconsin DOT

And now the Florida DOT! Home of Bentley! ............ that has got a hurt!

Read the below link.........

news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Feed=PR&Date=20080917&ID=9153991&Symbol=ADSK

Come on Minnesota DOT lets see the light!

Bill N.

...

Its been way too long since my last post!

2008-09-18T04:06:00Z

Just looked at my blog and noticed it has been just about 3 months since my last posting! What does that mean/ It means I've been way too busy helping companies move from LDT to C3D! That is the good news the bad news is that I have had zero time to post.

Since my last post I have been to Nebraska, taken pictures at two music festables and spent a week in Alaska training a company C3D and now I'm about to leave for a week in New Hampshire to visit The Mother Ship "Auto desk"! Should be a fun week but the problem when I get back I can't tell anyone about it! No disclosure agreement! ......... Top Secret!

But what I can tell you is what got me the ticket!

About a month ago I had a client that was having issues with Feature lines and a very large parking lot project. This parking lot is something like 45 acres in size includes something like 50 islands and two large ponds an out lot (convience store location) and the large building pad for the main store. (Can't tell you what store it is but it is huge hear in the central states.) He was trying to use feature lines to create the 50+ islands, the couple of thousand of feet of outer Curb and gutter and everything in between! Can you say fun! Not!

We'll I thought about it for a little and decided to try a concept I had used on a round about I did for another client. Now right now most people are modeling the top of the parking lots or better known as the top surface. What I have come up with is a way to model not just the top but also the datum surface; therefore allowing the designer to calc the true earthwork volumes of the entire site!

How you wonder? One word is corridors!...................... yes you ask so what.............. how are you going to stretch you subasseblies across all of those islands? And what about the high pts in between needed for drainage purposes?

Real simple! What I can up with is with just two type of assemblies this is possible and very stable! When I was finished with the entire site of 60+ baselines and one corridor, yes one corridor! I had no, zero, none, zip..... FEs!

This Assembly called Island: consists of three sub assemblies.

Right side: UrbanCurbandGutterGeneral - and BasicLaneTransition

Left Side: LaneOutsideSuper

The kicker here is that the LaneOutsideSuper is only .01 wide! Likewise on the lower assembly but this one has the LaneOutsideSuper on both sides of the assembly marker.........

What you get when you use these two is:

or a bigger view is this.

What got Dan Philbrick's attention was this intersection. What do you think of the bull noses? And remember the datum surface matches the Top surface!

Here is a close up of the Bull nose!

Did I mention that this is way simple!

E-mail me if you want the specifics! It is midnight and I need sleep!

Bill N.

bneu@alignex.com

How do we fix this?

2008-06-25T01:54:00Z

Fix what you ask? This is something that has been there for a long time and a small thorn that needed fixing. Well the guys at Civil3D.com have found a setting in your point style you all have gotta see!

http://www.civil3d.com/2008/06/a-010-tip-about-point-styles/#comment-47120

Thanks Jason Hickey at EE nice find.

...

AU 2008.......... again!

2008-06-25T01:47:00Z

So it is now official! I will be presenting again at AU 2008 in Vegas. I was chosen to present again on description keys. Since this will be my second time presenting this topic things should be a little less stressfull! Hopefully!

I'll keep you all posted on the exact date for my class, for those that don't already know AU 2008 is the week of December 1st to the 5th at the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.

Making Points Act Like AutoCAD® Land Desktop: Sit, Roll Over, and Lay(er) Down!		90-Minute Class
Track:Civil Engineering		Intermediate

http://au.autodesk.com/event/

So time to get the knee pads on and start begging your bosses to go to AU 2008, this best training for your bucks you will find anywhere! (Other than one of my C3D class at Alignex )

Until then see ya!

Bill N.

Autodesk Civil 2009.........what no 3D?

2008-06-03T18:58:00Z

Autodesk Civil 2009? Don’t your mean Civil 3D 2009…….

Nope we now have a new package and starting July 7th you will be able to purchase it.

So what is Autodesk Civil 2009 and why do you care?

First of all if I was naming it, it would not be called Autodesk Civil 2009. I would have called it Autodesk Survey 2009, because that is who it is really aimed at! So why not call it what it is? I could go on for about 3 paragraphs on things I wish they would name something else! But we’ll leave that for another post.

We’ll what is Autodesk Civil 2009? We first off it is about $1500 cheaper! Civil 3D MSRP is $7495 while Civil is $5995. Subscription is $995 and $725 respectfully. So it is cheaper!

Why is it cheaper? Because they have pulled the H&H extensions and Map functions. (Not everything mostly the GIS stuff, will know more about this when it comes out.)

From what I get from this the pipes will still be included just not the new H&H extensions we got last December.

Why are they doing this? My take from this it that they are aiming this at the Surveyors! (They officially say Civil is aimed at the techs, drafters and surveyors, while C3D is for designers and engineers) (But my take is that they should call this Autodesk Survey 2009)This should be dropping the cost near what most surveyors are now paying for there other 3rd party packages with AutoCAD. Closer pricing just not necessarily the same or below.

And to add even more into this one must know that as of this month LDT will no longer be available unless you have subscription and only for 2009 and only as a subscription download. Meaning next year when Autocad rolls out a new dwg version (Not saying they will but they have been on the 3 year cycle on new file types of dwg) they will not need to convert LDT to the new 2010 file type. This is big for Autodesk’s programmers, meaning they can now focus just on the Civil 3D/Civil products! This is not just a good thing but a great thing!

So there you go, you now know more about the subject than I do!

Talk to our sales guys for the low down on how this can affect your company and its future purchases.