Can we really count the improvements in the next release of AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013? There are lots more than 13 of them of course. No one is interested in a number count anyway. We want to get our survey and civil engineering work done quicker and with less hassle. We want more robust software that includes more capabilities to tackle our real world problems.
The CadPilot’s 13 Favorites for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013
I normally do a summary Favs list about this time that is well read and passed around. Thanks to all of you that read this Civil 3D blog and follow the c3dCadpilot on Twitter or on YouTube!
You’ll soon discover I wrote the New Features of AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 article that will appear in the April AUGI World. Doing so forced me to root around a lot in the new AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 in the betas.
I’ll put out a series of Civil 3D blog posts on the new release details. Some things I couldn’t really stuff into the AUGI World piece and/or I discovered them after that went to press. Come back here. I’ll update the Fav titles below to links.
The Favs 4 AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013
By the way here is the link to the official AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 features lists.
Here are the official AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 system requirements.
The Cadpilot favorites - Not in any particular order
Performance
The new AutoCAD 2013 dwg and display system engine tweaks provide much Civil 3D users improved performance benefits. On the same hardware you’ll get more performance for the buck.
Visual Styles and All That Stuff
The core interface changes made over the last few releases are actually more useful and practical to employ for Civil and Survey users.
A Better Download Manager, Install and Deployment
From the Autodesk Cloud to your working desktop got better - Really. The AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 download and install is bigger than ever so it matters.
Load Time and On Demand Loading
Civil 3D’s initial load time has historically been a source of valid complaint. 2013 loads faster. Civil 3D is a big beast. Don’t expect a miracle. Even better – 2013 Civil 3D appears to handle demand loading of its many and ever-growing number of parts better than before.
Pumping It In and Out
Structured text formats are something every surveyor and civil engineer must deal with. Cudo’s to Autodesk for making better Calls.
AutoCAD CIvil 3D 2013 Performance features here
Surface Feature Tweaks
Surfaces are what we civil engineers and surveyors do a lot. The ability to employ one surface boundary as the Hide boundary in another surface is a real goody. There’s more surface stuff too.
Survey to Surface
A structured link between the point and figure data in a Survey database and a Surface Feature Definition is more than Way Cool. The new Survey Queries in Civil 3D 2013 do help bring some more management potential to the process of surface construction and edit.
Volume Dashboard Integration
This great tool is now the official Civil 3D way to get Volumes done and manage and publish your results. Bounded volumes are better in almost every way. I do wish they’d left the old quick and dirty tool in the Ribbon as “Quick Volumes.
AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Surface Improvements
Corridor Interface Tune Ups
The new ACAD 2013 display engine helps a lot, but there are a bunch of fit and finish issues that make the Section Editor, Viewport Configurations, and the rest of the Corridor construct and edit interface much more pleasant and productive to work in. No more silly Simple Corridor command either. There’s never ever anything simple about a corridor is there?
Corridor Region Geometry Locking
The old school Station locking in corridors was annoying when you had to make changes. It forced us to do unnecessary corridor reconstructions. Geometry locked Regions make more sense.
Rail Alignments Cant Be Impossible
All the previous alignment and corridor work over multiple releases finally made the new Rail alignment type and Cant (superelevation for rail) possible. Dang it. Now we have to learn the Imperial Railway Standards.
AutoCAD Civil 3D Corridor Improvements
Pipes Under Pressure
All the previous gravity Pipe Network over multiple releases also finally gets us a decent beginning for Pressure Pipe Networks. It’s pertinent to mention we have new Civil 3D 2013 Features, Styles and Label Styles to create, edit and manage too - Appurtenances and more.
AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Pressure Pipes
Style Stability
Since the Autodesk civil development team had enough to deal with moving to the new ACAD DWG for 2013, they were kind enough not mess with the existing Civil 3D object model much. Good News.
Your 2012 Civil 3D templates and Civil 3D styles should upgrade nicely. That is… if you built them consistently with a well thought-out and structured plan and process in the first place.
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You should be able to…