C3D

The feature line tools will allow you to edit the figures, insert, and remove vertices, set elevations, etc. You have to have the figure display mode set to display elevations in order to edit them.

Really, I just explode them and create a feature line from them when things get too complex.

Have you tried using vertical and horizontal offsets in your field codes so you only have to take one shot for the entire curb (the gutter shot). I haven't done it personally, but it is an interesting theory... Allows you to draw multiple lines from the same points according to reports, such that one set of points along the gutter in this case would draw three lines (gutter, face of curb, back of curb).

If anyone has used it, I'd love to hear the results.

@ paul - I have not tried using curb templates (or just offsets in civil I guess, dont know yet) as I am still figuring out the workflow from field to finish. I will eventually get there and post the results.

@ mark - feature line tools are seperate from the figure editor? I'll google a bit and see if I can find out what you mean. What I am using is a right click in the figure list and edit figures through the survey database. This tool is a pain in the but as it takes over my zoom in the drawing and has way too many clicks to accomplish a simple goal.

I have considered exploding also, but these figures become my breaklines, so one explode gets me to 3d poly (messes up linestyles) and two explodes gets me to lines (no elevation). It almost sounds like we are comparing apples to oranges. Sounds like I need to look into feature lines as opposed to survey figures. Your thoughts?

Thanks for the response guys - I really appreciate it!

Mark, your a life saver. Thanks for the advice.

If you use the feature line commands often, check this link out. I think you will like it.

http://tomsthird.blogspot.com/2009/05/autocad-civil-3d-2010-feature-line.html

Joe,
What version of C3D are you using? I am using 2008 with the feature line toolbar.

Figure lines and feature lines are two different but similar C3D drafting objects. Figure lines are a holdover from Land Desktop. Feature lines are the preferred objects to use for breaklines in surface modeling. They are easier to manipulate, curve, and control linetype than with 3d polys.

Like I mentioned earlier, I use the feature line toolbar to edit the vertices of the figure lines. I usually try to correct any issues by correcting the fbk file first then re-importing. One or two imports usually will take care of the glaring issues, then individual vertice edits as needed.

I have used 2010 and the ribbon now pops up with the feature line tools when you select a figure line.

There is nothing wrong with exploding the figure back to a 3dpoly, editing, then creating a feature line from it either. I do whatever it take to get the surface modeled properly and to display the linetype properly, with as minimal time as possible.

I am running 2011. The ribbon does show feature line commands if you know where to dig them out.They are spread out and illogical to me as a surveyor. It probably works for an engineer, but it seems like they are hiding the good stuff to me. The tool bar you are using is gone after you upgrade. 🙁

We want to be able to bring in points files, so there is no fbk to correct. We use other programs for checks and adjustments then export points. Exploding back to 3d poly would be the answer if it didnt mess up the line types, but it does...

The figure line commands have been the answer though. With the link I posted earlier, I have been using the key in commands. I expect I will be buildng a custom toolbar before C3D goes to the everyone else here to use.

I, unfortunately, cannot just do what works. I must have a workflow that works everytime, so everyone here can transition out of Eagle Point without the massive overhead I have had over the past few weeks.

You should have heard me celebrate when I finally got points and line work automated. Now its time to tackle label styles... wish me luck.

A possible workflow you could develop to improve the usability of the linework

Let the software draw the figures.
Fix the obvious point errors, typos, mis-codings etc.
Use select similar and pick the desired linework.
Explode to 3dpoly.
Select Similar again.
Create feature lines from objects.
This way you can use the advanced feature line tools to add curves, vertices, join, break, trim, set elevations and offset vertically.

In your template you can create the feature line styles to display with the desired linetype, layers and colors.

Then select similar again and "Add to Surface as Breakline"

I find that it is much easier to edit a feature line than a 3d poly or figure.

As far as the ribbon goes, they are trying to reinvent the wheel again. First we had the command line, then the menus, then toolbars, then the tool palette, now the ribbon. Five different ways to do the same thing, and now they want to hide the commands inside the interface because they know the workflow better than the users.

Things should be a fair bit simpler in C3D 2011, or in C3D 2010 if you have the additional editing commands added by the Subscription Advantage Pack.

First off, you no longer need to use a FBK file, so you don't need to fix things in the FBK file and reimport it. You can just import the points directly. There's some difference from that point on, depending on if you import the points through the Survey Database (creating Survey Points) or if you import the points directly into the drawing first, then create the linework. But the new tools make it easy to fix certain errors, such as miscoded points, or points that connect in the wrong order.

I still don't think it's as nice as it could be, but they've made progress. And every once in a while, our field guys actually manage to do one with no significant errors in codes... That's when it's REALLY nice... 🙂

I wouldn't particularly recommend exploding Survey Figures and recreating them as Feature Lines. You tend to lose any curves in the Survey Figures that way. You also lose the ability to easily create all breaklines by simply clicking on your Figure collection and selecting "Create Breaklines..." But some things get kind of complicated/nasty, and if that's the best solution, go for it.

The problem that we find REALLY annoying is that there's no way to turn on Linetype Generation for Survey Figures or Feature Lines. So we often end up exploding things like fence or utility lines, and turning the 3D Polylines into 2D Polylines, so we can turn on Linetype Generation. That's been a major hassle for years now, and hopefully one of these days Autodesk will fix the issue.