Fast AutoCAD project custom text linetypes on the fly

A simple instantaneous linetype reloading system is a huge relief when you want AutoCAD custom text complex linetypes that say things like 400mm W or 1 1/2" GAS (PE). Here is a system that disrupts you minimally so you can get back to your project design.

Custom geographic projections and HEC-RAS

This is my research report on using custom geographic projections with HEC-RAS 5.0.7. All my tests were based on the NAD83 AZ State Plane Central Zone 0202 International Feet (AZ83-CIF) projection.

Best practices for HEC-RAS 2D modeling with AutoCAD Civil 3D

I've had enough experience now using AutoCAD Civil 3D and HEC-RAS for 2D flow modeling in Maricopa County Arizona to share a list of best practices. It's only a small beginning, but it's something. Enjoy.

How to export a shapefile from AutoCAD or Civil 3D

Somebody wants a shapefile and you are an AutoCAD user or a Civil 3D user. How can you give them a shapefile? It's pretty easy. And it requires nothing but AutoCAD (assuming you have the ADESETCRDSYS and MAPEXPORT commands available). But you need to learn a few new tricks and terms.

Engineering sheet plan and notes arrangement

Many engineers have not discovered this, but a contractor taught me that it is very unwieldy for us to place the most important part of a sheet, namely the plan view, near the staples. When the wind is blowing on a project site, the less a plan has to be unrolled, the better. So it is always best for us to place the most important part of plan sheets far from the staple/binding edge.

This means the plan view should always be as far right as possible on our plans.

USDA Web Soil Survey GIS interface notes for GIS novice AutoCAD users

USDA Web Soil Survey can import and export in GIS format.

How to size and calculate a simple storm water retention basin on an existing terrain with Civil 3D

Assuming you already know the Retention Volume Required (it's an Arizona thing), you need a fast way to design a retention basin if possible. Complex retention basins in tight areas have to be maximized according to the available room. Then Civil 3D volumes below a level HW surface have to be taken to determine the volume. And there is not much you can do to get more volume without spending money on retaining walls or underground retention. But some other basins are in wide open areas, and they can be relatively simple shapes. For those you need a fast way to get them drawn to the required volume.

HEC-RAS 2D Land Cover from AutoCAD

I had a bit of trouble getting a Land Cover map from AutoCAD to HEC-RAS today. I made a map, but HEC-RAS kept telling me the file "has 0 features". It turns out I needed to set the project projection to the projection exported from AutoCAD with the Land Cover map.

AutoCAD Civil 3D in Windows 10 Qsave and Xref Load Performance Quest

I am on a quest to improve the performance of my AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016 in Windows 10.  I am tracking all my attempts in a Google Spreadsheet with records of what effect each has.  Trying to be a good scientist.  Feel free to check it out and comment.

How to map a drive letter to a local Windows folder

We freelancers are using Dropbox as a virtual network for our civil engineering and AutoCAD Civil 3D files. And it's really great (especially since I have a daily backup set up).  But some programs want us all to have the same absolute path to our files.  To do that, we have to each map our Dropbox folder to the same virtual drive letter.  Piece of cake!

HEC-RAS Reach Lengths and Civil 3D Export

When you export geometry from Civil 3D to HEC-RAS using ExportHECRAS, of course you wonder exactly what reach lengths Civil 3D is exporting, since your friction losses are proportional to those lengths,  Well.  Wonder no more.  As of Civil 3D 2016, the reach lengths are exported like this:

Importing From HEC-RAS to Civil 3D using the IMPORTHECRAS command

When you export from HEC-RAS (File, Export GIS DATA) you must check the Water Surface Extents checkbox.

The "cross section" lines that come in are not really the cross sections.  They each represent a straight line from the left inundation limit to the right inundation limit.

Maybe it's time to write a LISP routine.

How to delineate flood limits in Civil 3D using HEC-RAS 5

With the release of HEC-RAS 5, we now have between Civil 3D and HEC-RAS all the tools we need to send our terrain and stream geometry from Civil 3D to HEC-RAS, delineate flood limits in HEC-RAS, and send the inundation limits back to Civil 3D.

National CAD Standard Layer Names Quick Start for Civil/Survey

It doesn't have to be an overwhelming project to start moving to National CAD Standard (AIA) layer names as shipped with AutoCAD Civil 3D.  The rules can be simplified, and with a few core abbreviations, you can get most of your work done at least in the spirit of NCS/AIA.

Simplest method to export geometry from Civil 3D and import to HEC-RAS

The Civil 3D Output ribbon provides an Export to HEC-RAS button, and HEC-RAS provides an Import Geometry Data tool.  But getting river direction, river stations, banks, and cross section stations transferred right is not as easy or as obvious as it could be.  This is a method to export as completely as possible from Civil 3D and use as few fixes as possible in HEC-RAS to fix the data.

How to create an AutoCAD dimension subscript, superscript, or stacked dimension

The secret to getting a subscript or superscript in an AutoCAD dimension is to put a stacked fraction in the dimension text override and then set the numerator or denominator blank as required.  The way to get a stacked dimension into a dimension override text is to 1) use the DDEDIT or TEDIT command (Select annotation object:), then select the dimension text, 2) type into the text a sub or superscript with a caret like ^2 or 3^ (the caret is like a hidden fraction line), 3) highlight the caret and character(s), right-click, and choose Stack, 4) highlight the stacked fraction, right-click, and select Stack properties to edit if needed.  Voila!  A subscript or superscript inside a dimension.

How to change the decimal places of AutoCAD Civil 3D contour labels

Changing the units precision of contour labels in Civil 3D is a process of many steps that are elusive and mysterious to anybody new to Civil 3D.  The very good news is that the steps required to change contour label precision are standard to all areas of Civil 3D.  This means that once you know how to intuitively change contour labels (including their precision), you will have made significant progress toward speaking the language of Civil 3D.  In other words, this is knowledge worth mastering.

How to Rapidly Build a Staged Earthwork Filling Curve with Civil 3D

Sometimes you have an existing ground surface and a final design surface, and you want to know what will be the earthwork quantities at different stages of completion. This is sometimes called a filling curve, and usually the stages are at level elevation increments (though this method doesn't require them to be).

Let's define our terms first:

1. Se is the existing (initial) surface
2. Sf is the finished (final) surface
3. Ss is the staged surface under which we want the stage/phase volume.
4. Volume of a surface over another surface is the fill only. We are not interested in the cut volume, and we don't want to subtract it.

Now let's set up our model:

1. Create surface Ss to have the exact same areal extent as the daylight line of where Sf meets Se. Surface Ss cannot be any smaller or larger or varying in extent from that daylight line.

2. Build surface Ss to a level elevation or to any slope and terrain desired.

Now let's calculate the curve:

1. For every desired point on your filling curve, adjust surface Ss to the desired elevation

2. At the desired elevation, calculate the volume of Sf between Se and Ss as the following difference:

Stage volume above Se and below both Sf and Ss (stage fill; blue area above)
= (equals)
Volume (fill only) of Ss over Se (Ss fill over existing; orange area above)
- (minus)
Volume (fill only) of Ss over Sf (Ss fill over final; green area above)

Summary:
By defining a stage surface whose extents match exactly the daylight line of a proposed surface compared to an existing surface, we can calculate the volume at any stage elevation as the volume of the staged surface over the existing surface minus the volume of the staged surface over the finished surface.

How to change the Parcel Line Table title in Civil 3D

I don't know why it was so hard for me to figure out how to change the Parcel Line Table title in Civil 3D. All I had to do was double-click the title in the Style editor, and a Civil 3D Text Component Editor appeared. I'm having trouble uploading a screen shot at the moment.

Civil 3D 2-digit Spot Elevation Labels Done Right

Until today I have been using a spot elevation label method that returns 4.56 instead of 04.56 for the elevation 1204.56. See my earlier post on Abbreviated (short) elevations in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009. (2018 update: After talking to various people, I still have not found an easier way to do this. To quote Chris Stevens of City of Goodyear, "It's a good thing I am the only person who ever has to do this." But if you don't mind seeing 4.56 instead of 04.56, my earlier and easier method will work for you.)

I just tested successfully a new idea for showing two-digit elevations (04.56 instead of 1204.56 or 4.56) (2014 update: I have corrected it to also show 1204.9999 as 05.00 instead of 04.00):

1. Under Toolspace, Settings, Surface, Label Styles, Spot Elevation, Expressions add an expression named "Surface Elevation hundreds" ROUND({Surface Elevation}*100)/10000

2. Under Toolspace, Settings, Surface, Label Styles, Spot Elevation, <your style>, Edit, Layout tab, enter this where you want the two-digit elevation:

This is the code that needs to end up in the right pane of the Label Text Component Editor:

<[Surface Elevation hundreds(P2|RT|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ORD)]><[Surface Elevation(Uft|P2|RN|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ODS)]><[Surface Elevation(Uft|P2|RN|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ORD)]>

In human language, the above adds the elevation in three pieces. For the elevation 1204.56, it adds 1) the "04" from 12.04, 2) the "." from 1204.56, and the "56" from 1204.56.

Explanation for elevation 1204.5588:

Code	Result	Explanation
<[Surface Elevation hundreds(P2|RT|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ORD)]>	04	ROUND(1204.5588*100)/10000 = 12.0456. Truncate it to two decimal places => 12.04. Output what's right of the decimal => 04.
<[Surface Elevation(Uft|P2|RN|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ODS)]>	.	Output the decimal sign from the surface elevation => "." (in American English)
<[Surface Elevation(Uft|P2|RN|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ORD)]>	56	Output the part of Surface Elevation right of the decimal => 56

Explanation for elevation 1204.9999:

Code	Result	Explanation
<[Surface Elevation hundreds(P2|RT|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ORD)]>	05	ROUND(1204.9999*100)/10000 = 12.05. Truncate it to two decimal places => 12.05. Output what's right of the decimal => 04.
<[Surface Elevation(Uft|P2|RN|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ODS)]>	.	Output the decimal sign from the surface elevation => "." (in American English)
<[Surface Elevation(Uft|P2|RN|AP|GC|UN|Sn|ORD)]>	00	Round the Surface Elevation normally and output the part right of the decimal => 00

I would LOVE to do Civil 3D consulting work for any of you at any time. And I am happy to share with you my template styles.