All the time civil engineers and surveyors call and ask what’s in the Framework for AutoCAD Civil 3D. Since the our desktop package InstantOn includes 2700+ Styles in the core templates and the Jump Kit Library 5000+ more plus a bunch of Style Tool prototypes that’s a hard question to answer.
“The odds are…It’s in there. I tell people to delete stuff they don’t need.”
“So. You’re selling me a promise. Maybe it’s an illusion?”
“Heck yeah. Civil 3D style is an art. You’re an engineer trying to pawn off your skill with obscure irrational numbers and topological math and then attempting to make subdivision roadways and sewer pipelines look sexy.”
Wait a minute…Doesn’t something seem awfully familiar about that. Catch up on the Civil 3D and Infraworks 360 updates here.
Our Problem with Style is Real
The real problem about Style in Civil 3D (and other model-based software) is that without the data behind there is nothing to see. Style is what we expect. Style is what we experience.
Style is an illusion in the context of the moment.
In truth, I once had manager at Autodesk ask me if I had a printed pictures of my Styles.
“You know…like a PDF. If we had a brochure…”
“We supply an entire project dataset to answer that.”
“Why?”
Now picture me shaking my head, laughing somewhat hysterically, and pounding my head on my keyboard. Oh yes. For years I considered supplying a replacement set of resource sample drawings for what Autodesk uses in the Civil 3D Style Composer.
I resist the template…er…The temptation to mess with the instruments of Autodesk code.
We know Styles interact with data and have behavioral relationships with other Features and styles.
It is sometimes hard to see the illusion in advance from only the parts.
Programmers do tend to have a problem with wholeness.
This has always been a bit of a problem. Eh?
Maybe Style in AutoCAD Civil 3D is like blues, jazz, and chamber music.
Some compose so many may be serene in their work.
You can buy a Templates Only to get a glimmer. Templates Only even includes our famous, or infamous, Example Corridors drawing. If you are good at Civil 3D, you have one of those of your own. Don’t you?
Did you name it Moon Module?
I must apologize for the obscure references. The wordful jazz in this post ran away with me. An early Mother’s Day must do funny things to me. The card carrying holiday conjures up visions of the absurd.
This week is the 51st anniversary of the founding of Frank Zappa’s band Mothers of Invention in Pomona, CA in May 1965. Most appropriately, the original club they performed in is now an auto repair shop. I couldn’t resist the allusion even though the name of the band - Mothers - has nothing to do with the holiday and everything to do improvisational instrumental skill.
Absurd But True
We have a new purchase or upgrade deal for the advent of AutoCAD Civil 3D 2017.
Buy or upgrade to one of our ridiculously inexpensive and productive
Release 6 Production Solution products that run in CIvil 3D 2017.
For a limited time get two (2) releases of the Framework for Civil 3D for the price of one.
Customers who purchase or upgrade to
Release 6 InstantOn Survey 2016 or
Release 6 Jump Kit for 2016
between Apr 15, 2016 and our Release 7 ship date
will automatically receive a free upgrade to
a Release 7 of their AutoCAD Civil 3D release of choice.
No other product purchases, upgrades, or promotions are included in this offer.