Autodesk Civil 3D started out to establish a change in the civil engineering paradigm. First get the model and, most importantly, the data behind that model right. For practical purposes that word right means - suitable. From that suitable model we may automatically publish what we need to deliver in many forms.
It is safe to say that Survey in Civil 3D got dragged along for the ride for years. It took a good number of Civil 3D releases for a truly practical Civil 3D Survey emerge. Whether as a surveyor or civil engineer we would like how Civil 3D Survey does that or not – productive survey work in Civil 3D is more than possible today.
From the One the Many
At this point we must ask that most famous civil training question,
“How many existing surfaces are there in a Civil 3D project?”
Why…As many as we need. Of course. Eheh.
As Many Points As We Need
Civil 3D creates multiplied complexity better than any other civil engineering and survey software around. We do get a chaos of choice in Civil 3D. This is both the bad news shiver and the good news tingle down the leg.
For our Civil 3D environment to be productive we are responsible to manifest managed choice and a consistent structure. This should not be the burden of the daily Civil 3D user. For them their managed choices and their working project structure should be a realized benefit.
Order From Chaos
The Framework for Civil 3D integrates all the parts into a managed structure and cohesive whole. The designed in resources, tools, and structures allow Jump Kit and Templates Only customers manage and change that whole into their own productive advantage. The Framework produces a competitive advantage we deliver to many happy customers at an affordable price.
We must echo another important Civil 3D Survey question:
“How many Survey Dbs are there in a Civil 3D project?”
Don’t Call it the Survey Db
The benefits of multiple Survey Dbs are way too easy to overlook.
In brief multiple Survey Dbs:
- Allow us to better separate the existing from the proposed and all those proposed options
- Allow us to phase larger scale projects
- Allow us to separate the recorded from the found but publish the results together
- Help a lot if the mix of survey data is in different coordinate systems and/or data sources
- Allow us to store backups and audit trails based on project benchmarks
- Are perhaps easier to manage the multiple Networks, Ranges of Points, and other inside Civil 3D Survey management methods that can be employed when we employ only one Survey Db.
- It remains a good idea to have and maintain a project Point Range Plan.
- Are really good for managed annotation both based on location and annotation not based on location
- Allow us to share common data and processes across projects with only the creative use of some basic Civil 3D Survey user management skills - aka
Where is the Survey Working folder now?
The last couple in the list perhaps require some more detailed explanation. More on those built-in benefits a bit later on.
Where to Start
Want to get a great start and/or an in-depth course in the practical use Civil 3D and Survey?
Visit our Civil 3D Survey at Jump Speed page.
Register and get more in-depth help, documentation and training for Autodesk Civil 3D.
Show Me the Money
Civil 3D Point Wizardry
We trust it is clear from the video that by switching between systems of integrated DescKeySets and Figure Dbs, we can employ the same coded survey data to produce deliverables in different Layer and/or Symbol systems with less effort.
See the Point Wizardry in Civil 3D page for site plan examples and more.
The project structures, workflow, and Civil 3D User work remains consistent and repeatable. Only the current application of the integrated system of Civil 3D Style specifics changes.
Make Civil 3D Work Better
Get the US Imperial Country Kit for Civil 3D