Long time Eagle Point user switching to ACAD Civil 3D

If you could find a good dictionary of extremely foul cuss-words it would probably help. 😉

Although I do not use C3D regularly (we have MicroStation at the office) I was an EP fan for a lot of years. Just remember they all do pretty much the same thing, you just have to know where the toggles are.

I bet everybody here will help you through the "learning curve".

gawd, I miss Eagle Point.:-(

First Tip, Switch To Carlson

Easier switch, since Carlson is "survey logical".

Paul in PA

First Tip, Switch To Carlson

From what I've seen on this board, Carlson sounds great, but nope, it's out of my hands. 🙁

Do you drink whiskey? If so get a biiiiiiig bottle.

I suggest taking classes. I do like how C3D handles points. And it generates topo fairly easily. But that's where my like for C3D ends.

I like civil 3D, but it took a loooooong time. And whiskey will definitely help. It sounds like you are used to doing a lot of your work in the field with data collection software. Just accept that it is going to be a big change, and many things may seem counterintuitive. Again, just accept it and learn it becaus getting mad about it won't help. Once you figure it all out you can really breeze through some drafting.

I use Carlson at work now, and it's definitely more user friendly for surveyors. However you can accomplish the same things with either program. Good luck!

Thanks for the replies, but you guys are scaring me, lol. It's just that I was so fluent in EP, and C3D doesn't sound very friendly.
Signed, Old Dawg. :dog:

Zapper,

I will be watching this post with wide eyes.

I also have been spoiled by Eagle Point for the last 20 years.

It just has been everything I needed for my business, but as you said it is no longer in the main stream and does not convert very well to the newest stuff.

But I will go to the grave bragging on how this software was easy to use, did everything I ever needed to do from just simple plats, easy road design, complex volume survey's and the sweetest and most easy to use dtm program I have ever seen.

I also think they were a frontrunner in field to finish.

Since my IT guy is myself and my excuse has always been that I do not have the time to learn anything new, I feel I have painted myself in a corner and I have to make a switch soon (kicking and screaming like a little kid).

I went to a buddy's office last year and watched him do a topo in Carlson and was not impressed with how he had to jump around to many commands to just get some contours.

So Long Eagle Point, you were the best in my books.

Randy

> Does anyone have tips for a longtime Eagle Point user to make the transition to Civil 3D less painful?
Longtime LDT user. Have had some experience with Carlson.

I ordered a "Civil3d for Land Surveyors" training CD from AGTCAD last week, and it just arrived yesterday. I've only had time to browse a little. While I don't think this will tell me everything I need to know, it appears to be worth the price. Which was $150.

It doesn't matter to me whether C3d is the best software or not. It is something I'm going to have to know a little about as I go forward. If I'm not using it I'll be working with people who do. I feel the same about Microstation/Inroads.

In your shoes 4-5yrs ago. I bought "Pinnacle" the eagle point product to help you make the transition along with the phone support. Worth every penny.

Steve

Went through the same transition a couple years ago. I had used Eagle Point with AutoCAD for the previous decade, and had never used LDD. My thoughts:

-Buy the "Surveyors Companion" and "Data Reduction" menus that Eagle Point sells. They will show up on the menu ribbon fully integrated into C3D. Then your import/export, field codes, point manipulation, etc. can remain virtually unchanged from Eagle Point. These two add-ons were awesome and worth every penny.

-The C3D surface modeling tools are vastly superior in every way. I mean by a mile. Jump in with both feet and you will not be disappointed.

-The C3D alignment tools are also way better. C3D made a big jump in alignment construction options between R2011 and R2012. If you sit there and think, Gee, I wish I could do this/edit this with the alignment geometry, you probably can.

-If possible, purchase the Sincpac add-ons (just google it). For surveyors, by surveyors. Sincpac software has the best return on investment of any software purchase I've ever made. Also fully integrated into C3D.

It took several months of head-banging, but now...wouldn't ever want to go back!

Another note: somebody in your organization should be tasked with standardizing annotation, text, and table styles. This needs to be centralized and standardized. If each discipline is doing its own thing, you will all waste massive amounts of time.

Good luck!

I was told by a EaglePoint/Autodesk rep that they have a special tool kit (my words, not hers) for those coming to Civil 3D from EaglePoint. Not sure exactly what it was since I didn't upgrade but it may be worth checking it out.

This may be what she was talking about:
http://www.eaglepoint.com/products/surveyorscompanion/index.html#.UwWEK85IXr8

James

Carlson Contours is just one Menu to tell software how you want it to present your data on your screen. No hoops anywhere.

> Another note: somebody in your organization should be tasked with standardizing annotation, text, and table styles. This needs to be centralized and standardized. If each discipline is doing its own thing, you will all waste massive amounts of time.
>

Excellent point! I could not agree more. One important concept is that it's all styles. When something doesn't come up on the screen the way you want, change the style whether it's a point style, point label style, annotation, line/curve label or whatever. It is kind of a pain in the butt to change them, but modify your template for the next time. Then that item will come in the right way and you can fix the next problem. After a few jobs the stuff starts coming in halfway done for you. (At least for what I do)

I downloaded the videos last week and have been watching them off and on. They are helpful, but you will really need to have all of your styles set up first as with anything in Civil 3D

Zapper,

Even though Civil 3D is a bit complicated, I think it's a joy to use. You have a lot of people willing to help you. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

Here's the hierarchy of Help I use:
1. C3D Help Section.
2. C3D Tutorial Section.
3. C3D Forum.

There's also a world of YouTubes and Videos, like this field-to-finish video by the late Sinc at the Quux Software site:
http://www.quuxsoft.com/videos/ProcessingSurveyData.aspx

Dave

I remember going to an AutoCAD "Cad Camp" probably around 15 (?) years ago where the speaker was going on at great length about all the new and groovy things AutoDesk was working on. I said more than once to a co-worker sitting next to me, "Eagle Point already does all that stuff!"

Oh well, change happens. Wish me luck.

Thanks again to everyone for your tips (and commiseration, heh).

We are looking into the EP Pinnacle series, so that's bound to help me. I am the only remaining Eagle Point user in this office, so it just isn't important to everyone else here.

I'm not a drinking gal anymore, but there was a time when I surely would've followed your advice, Joe and Dan! 😉

Switched from EP to C3D 3 years ago. Its been a long transition but I am happy not looking back to EP. There are pains with C3D, (not being able to rotate annotations is a pain, but the more you forget EP the more you find little work around with C3D to get the desired results. I use Surveyor's companion and Data Reduction, but never invested any time with pinnacle, can't install at home and no extra time at work to watch instructional videos. EP signed a non-compete clause with autodesk and no longer supports EP, so if one day EP stops working your going to be in for a world of hurt. So might as well learn as much C3D now, because EP is dead!!!!!!