Last post we got quirky with the AutoCAD Civil 3D Section Editor. We talked about how Label Orientation Reference changed label display with the last major update to the Section Editor interface.
In Civil 3D 2012 and Civil 3D 2013 you’ll also note how Object Oriented labels perform some interesting rotational effects when you have more than one Assembly (multiple Baselines) displayed in the Section Editor’s section viewport. Why?
Section Editor Label Spin Mysteries
We’re looking across a region in an intersection at an Assembly in another Baseline’s region in addition to the one we’re “editing”.
All of the Marker labels above are defined by Style properties to be rotated 90 degrees from the object’s label anchor location. This is a typical Jump Platform and InstantOn Basic label style approach.
“Why is this happening? Why do we get the Point Marker labels rotated in such weird ways?”
AutoCAD Civil 3D is actually built from charmed quarks with uncertain spins. Just kidding…
Remember the Assembly (Marker) label’s Object Orientation is based on the VECTOR direction of the Baseline Alignment.
Vector direction always matters in AutoCAD Civil 3D.
See this post for more.
It’s About Point of View AND Object Direction
In the Section Editor remember we’re looking through the eyes of the AutoCAD Display System.
The Civil 3D Assembly Features we see are telling Civil 3D what to show you through the camera viewfinder of our current AutoCAD viewport. That Feature output definitely includes the Marker labels.
Much of the time the other Assembly’s labels will be generated by the Baseline at some other perpendicular rotation inside an intersection.
Image you Drive the Baseline Alignment(s)
The other Assembly Marker label may be coming at ya, running away, or even directly aligned with the Baseline VECTOR direction you are “in” in the Section Editor’s section viewport.
AutoCAD Civil 3D is being consistent is it's behavior, but this isn't all the intuitive from the human perspective as I pointed out in my previous post.
Yeah. You really can actually Drive the Baselines a lot more easily and effectively in AutoCAD CIvil 3D 2013 too. I consider it a regular corridor and intersection quality control step now.
Aside from all that technical Civil 3D mumbo jumbo is this good news or bad news? Mostly good.
At least you see the labels and lots of the time may be able to read them.
The Section Editor and its single applied Code Set Style approach has limitations.
I'd at least like the View/Edit Options ability to toss the other Baselines to another Code Set Style.
I still wish View Oriented labels worked. Sigh.
Next time…