• Civil 3D

Understanding dynamic objects and object properties

Describe dynamic objects, and update object properties and layer styles.


00:03

Objects are the dynamic building blocks that enable design work in Civil 3D.

00:08

Instead of designing with simple lines, arcs, or circles, you design using dynamic objects that work together,

00:15

such as points, surfaces, alignments, corridors, and more.

00:21

To see this distinction in this pipe network, open the Toolspace, and on the Prospector tab, expand Pipe Networks > Networks.

00:30

Pick Network – (1), then right-click and choose Select.

00:34

Right-click in the drawing and select Object Viewer.

00:37

Here, you see that the pipe network is a three-dimensional object, and not just a series of lines.

00:44

From Prospector, you can view and manage the objects in your projects, such as Surfaces, Alignments, and more.

00:52

The benefit of using dynamic objects for design is that the objects work together and essentially talk to each other.

00:60

For example, if a parcel is created from an object, and in the same site, a parcel line is created,

01:06

then the objects interact and the parcel is split into two parcel objects.

01:11

One of the best examples of object interaction is corridors.

01:16

To view how corridor objects interact, start by splitting your screen.

01:21

In the View tab, select Viewport Configuration > Two Vertical.

01:26

With the corridor in the left viewport and the profile in the right viewport, right-click the corridor and select Corridor Properties.

01:35

To change the surface style, in the Corridor Properties dialog box,

01:40

on the Surfaces tab, expand the Corridor and click the icon in the Surface Style column.

01:46

In the Pick Corridor Surface Style dialog box, expand the drop-down, and select Borders & Contours.

01:53

Click OK twice.

01:55

Many different objects build a corridor.

01:59

For example, sub-assemblies build the assembly within a corridor, corridors have feature lines,

02:05

alignments establish horizontal control, and profiles establish vertical control.

02:11

Any changes will dynamically apply to all objects within the corridor.

02:16

Now, in the profile, zoom in near stations 10 and 11.

02:21

Click and drag the profile up to raise the profile.

02:26

In Prospector, expand Corridors, then right-click Corridor (1) and select Rebuild – Automatic.

02:34

Do the same for Surface.

02:36

Now, any change to the profile will automatically adjust the corridor.

02:42

Each object has its own style.

02:45

For example, in the drawing, select the surface, and then open the Properties palette.

02:52

On the Information tab, note that the object Style is set to Contours (Background).

02:58

Each object also has multiple layer styles.

03:02

On the Home tab, > Layer panel, the layer is set to C-TOPO.

03:07

In the drawing, right-click the surface, and select Edit Surface Style.

03:13

In the Surface Style – Contours dialog box, you can see that there are multiple layers within the main style.

03:20

For example, Major Contours are set to C-TOPO Major, and Minor Contours to C-TOPO Minor.

03:27

Click Cancel to exit.

03:29

On the Layer panel, click the lightbulb icon to turn off the main C-TOPO layer, and in the left viewport, the entire object freezes.

03:38

Turn the main layer back on, and now, from the Layer drop-down, turn off only the C-TOPO Minor layer.

03:45

Note that the C-TOPO Major contours still display in the drawing.

03:51

To further explore object properties, in the left viewport, select the pipe structure, then right-click and select Structure Properties.

03:60

In the Structure Properties dialog box, the Information tab contains the Name, Description, and Structure style.

04:07

Select the Part Properties tab to view part properties that tie to other objects.

04:13

For example, here, Reference Surface is set to the road surface.

04:18

To adjust the surface, click Browse (…) to select an alternate value.

04:23

Here, leave the road surface selected, and click OK.

04:28

Review the Connections, Catchments, and Rules tabs, and then click OK.

04:35

In the left viewport, right-click the surface and select Surface Properties.

04:42

In the Surface Properties dialog box, select the Definition tab to adjust the definition options,

04:48

and select the Analysis tab to set the properties of a selected surface analysis type.

04:54

An analysis must match the style, so in this case, Slopes are turned on to view the analysis in the model space viewport.

05:03

In Civil 3D, each object has an object style and multiple layer styles, as well as associated label styles,

05:10

all of which determine how objects will display and function within your drawing.

Video transcript

00:03

Objects are the dynamic building blocks that enable design work in Civil 3D.

00:08

Instead of designing with simple lines, arcs, or circles, you design using dynamic objects that work together,

00:15

such as points, surfaces, alignments, corridors, and more.

00:21

To see this distinction in this pipe network, open the Toolspace, and on the Prospector tab, expand Pipe Networks > Networks.

00:30

Pick Network – (1), then right-click and choose Select.

00:34

Right-click in the drawing and select Object Viewer.

00:37

Here, you see that the pipe network is a three-dimensional object, and not just a series of lines.

00:44

From Prospector, you can view and manage the objects in your projects, such as Surfaces, Alignments, and more.

00:52

The benefit of using dynamic objects for design is that the objects work together and essentially talk to each other.

00:60

For example, if a parcel is created from an object, and in the same site, a parcel line is created,

01:06

then the objects interact and the parcel is split into two parcel objects.

01:11

One of the best examples of object interaction is corridors.

01:16

To view how corridor objects interact, start by splitting your screen.

01:21

In the View tab, select Viewport Configuration > Two Vertical.

01:26

With the corridor in the left viewport and the profile in the right viewport, right-click the corridor and select Corridor Properties.

01:35

To change the surface style, in the Corridor Properties dialog box,

01:40

on the Surfaces tab, expand the Corridor and click the icon in the Surface Style column.

01:46

In the Pick Corridor Surface Style dialog box, expand the drop-down, and select Borders & Contours.

01:53

Click OK twice.

01:55

Many different objects build a corridor.

01:59

For example, sub-assemblies build the assembly within a corridor, corridors have feature lines,

02:05

alignments establish horizontal control, and profiles establish vertical control.

02:11

Any changes will dynamically apply to all objects within the corridor.

02:16

Now, in the profile, zoom in near stations 10 and 11.

02:21

Click and drag the profile up to raise the profile.

02:26

In Prospector, expand Corridors, then right-click Corridor (1) and select Rebuild – Automatic.

02:34

Do the same for Surface.

02:36

Now, any change to the profile will automatically adjust the corridor.

02:42

Each object has its own style.

02:45

For example, in the drawing, select the surface, and then open the Properties palette.

02:52

On the Information tab, note that the object Style is set to Contours (Background).

02:58

Each object also has multiple layer styles.

03:02

On the Home tab, > Layer panel, the layer is set to C-TOPO.

03:07

In the drawing, right-click the surface, and select Edit Surface Style.

03:13

In the Surface Style – Contours dialog box, you can see that there are multiple layers within the main style.

03:20

For example, Major Contours are set to C-TOPO Major, and Minor Contours to C-TOPO Minor.

03:27

Click Cancel to exit.

03:29

On the Layer panel, click the lightbulb icon to turn off the main C-TOPO layer, and in the left viewport, the entire object freezes.

03:38

Turn the main layer back on, and now, from the Layer drop-down, turn off only the C-TOPO Minor layer.

03:45

Note that the C-TOPO Major contours still display in the drawing.

03:51

To further explore object properties, in the left viewport, select the pipe structure, then right-click and select Structure Properties.

03:60

In the Structure Properties dialog box, the Information tab contains the Name, Description, and Structure style.

04:07

Select the Part Properties tab to view part properties that tie to other objects.

04:13

For example, here, Reference Surface is set to the road surface.

04:18

To adjust the surface, click Browse (…) to select an alternate value.

04:23

Here, leave the road surface selected, and click OK.

04:28

Review the Connections, Catchments, and Rules tabs, and then click OK.

04:35

In the left viewport, right-click the surface and select Surface Properties.

04:42

In the Surface Properties dialog box, select the Definition tab to adjust the definition options,

04:48

and select the Analysis tab to set the properties of a selected surface analysis type.

04:54

An analysis must match the style, so in this case, Slopes are turned on to view the analysis in the model space viewport.

05:03

In Civil 3D, each object has an object style and multiple layer styles, as well as associated label styles,

05:10

all of which determine how objects will display and function within your drawing.

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