Styleless DREF Mechanics in Civil 3D

Whether or not we choose to employ Styleless Data References in our Civil 3Dprojects is a business decision that deserves some careful consideration. There are Civil 3D technical, stability, and project performance reasons to take the time to do so.

For the most part the NoStyles workflow mechanics are mindlessly simple to execute. In the context of most Civil 3D projects, the man-hour investment to perform these mechanics is negligible. There is significant business value that can be generated from that work.

In the earlier Styleless Data References in Civil 3D post, we walked through the important reasons to employ No Styles DREFs. We won’t repeat those arguments here except to first review exactly what a Civil 3D No Styles Data Reference (DREF) is for the sake of clarity.

The NoStyles Data Reference

A NoStyles Data Reference contains only the Civil 3D Standard styles that are created by the Civil 3D code itself.
Standard styles are by definition built by and updated by the Civil 3D Object Model code itself.
DREF sources that contain only automatically generated Standard Civil 3D Styles are easier and cleaner for the new code to Update.
The data behind of any updated Civil 3D Features is less likely to fail in Civil 3D Upgrades and Updates.

No Styles means, as much as is possible, that as few of our custom Styles are embedded in the DREF.

Simple Styleless DREF Mechanics

We produce a set of data behind for a Civil 3D Feature (Surface, Alignment, etc.) that is worth sharing into the project context. How do we make it a NoStyles DREF?

We need a NoStyles Civil 3D Template constructed from an appropriate raw ACAD CTB or STB dwt file.
We supply STB and CTB versions inside the Templates Only product for next to nothing.

The Civil 3D code automatically generates the Standard Styles when the Civil 3D virus infects a drawing.

Typically, we want the required basic Civil 3D Units settings and perhaps our most basic textstyle defaults included so Standard Label Style results are readable.

The general Rule of thumb – Do as little as possible to customize a Civil 3D NoStyles template.

Seven Steps to Better DREFs

1. Publish the Data Shortcuts into the DREF project structure as would be normal
   A regular Temp folder in the DREF project structure is a good place
2. Start a new drawing from a NoStyles Civil 3D Template and set the project coordinate system
3. Save and store that new drawing with the appropriate name into the appropriate place for DREFs of that type in the project structure
4. Promote the previously shared DREF data from the Temp folder into the new drawing
5. Rebuild, Rename, Clean up, etc the promoted data as necessary – do not take this lightly
   Yes. We can go back and add related/dynamic child Features to the DREF(s).
6. Delete the temporary Data Reference(s) previously created from the Temp folder
7. Publish the cleaner NoStyles DREF(s) from the new drawing into the DREF project structure

We like to point out that going through the NoStyle DREF mechanics process recognizes the change of State of the drawing and data it contains within the project context. The process creates an auditable project benchmark.

There are other important human factors at work in the NoStyles DREF mechanics workflow.

As Much As Possible Matters

No Styles means that as few of our custom resources are embedded in the DREF as much as is possible.

If we ritually and regularly employ the NoStyles DREF mechanics workflow, the practice significantly reduces the chance of problematic DREF dependencies in our Civil 3D projects.
Put another way - Not performing something like this workflow tends to produce projects with DREF and/or XREF dependency and performance issues.

For example: Civil 3D Alignments have lots of children and related Features.
There are Alignment based Civil 3D Data References that do inherit references like View Frame Group Frame definitions.
DREF Corridors that are DREF dependent on Alignments, child Alignments, Profiles, child Profiles, and/or Feature Lines require more planned, consistent, and systematically managed DREF mechanics.

Familiar use of this practical Civil 3D NoStyles DREF workflow helps to teach and train Civil 3D users how to replace and/or upgrade DREFs and those dependencies in projects. The mission critical Data Shortcut Manager (DSM) tool deserves a shout out here. These are Civil 3D skills we need to encourage.

Civil 3D Project Performance Matters

The thoughtful and managed separation of our project Data Reference (DREF) data from our custom Civil 3D Styles certainly affects Civil 3D project performance.

Note that regularly performing the NoStyles DREF workflow outlined above tends to lead to better project construction practice because of the important separations of DREF structures inside of them.
That result does produce recognizable and identifiable increases in Civil 3D project performance.

Don’t believe it? Test the NoStyles DREF workflow in a project.

Civil 3D Projects and Optionality

Optionality is an important concept and practice in Civil 3D.
We need to employ improved workflows the better allow us to change and update our work.
See the series of posts on Civil 3D and Optionality that start with the How To Be Ready When Civil 3D Changes post.

The potential DREF replacement methodologies that allow for faster design development via the access to and ability to employ other and additional design options are dependent on these same Civil 3D user DREF, DSM, and in-project management skills.

The NoStyles DREF workflow isn’t some arcane, rocket-science engineering practice. Improved Civil 3D in project optionality is an optimized version of a typical phase-based concept-to-design-to-published deliverable project mechanics we have all employed for a long time.

Better Civil 3D skills produce improved project workflows and superior results faster.

Civil 3D Project Templates and the Endgame

The discussion leads us back to whether we’ve already made a concerted investment in our Civil 3D Project Templates and the significant help that a well-built, well-endowed Civil 3D Project Template offers.
See the Civil 3D Project and Setup page for videos and links that can help us make it real.

We can enable our Civil 3D users to work smarter not harder.

Make Civil 3D Work  Better
Get the Framework for Civil 3D

 

Data Relationships in Civil 3D

Updates, additions, and fixes to the posts in this series are on-going.