AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016 Essentials

Autodesk Official Press

Eric Chappell

• Publisher: Sybex
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781119059752
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: CAD-CAM
• Index: Computer Science

Start designing today with this hands-on beginner's guide to AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016Essentials gets you quickly up to speed with the features and functions of this industry-leading civil engineering software. This full-color guide features approachable, hands-on exercises and additional task-based tutorials that help you quickly become productive as you master the fundamental aspects of AutoCAD Civil 3D design. Each chapter opens with a quick discussion of concepts and learning goals, and then briskly moves into tutorial mode with screen shots that illustrate each step of the process. The emphasis is on skills rather than tools, and the clear delineation between "why" and "how" makes this guide ideal for quick reference. The companion website provides starting and ending files for each exercise, so you can jump in at any point and compare your work with the pros. Centered around the real-world task of designing a residential subdivision, these exercises get you up to speed with the program's functionality, while also providing the only Autodesk-endorsed preparation for the AutoCAD Civil 3D certification exam.

• Master the AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016interface and basic tasks
• Model terrain using imported field survey data
• Analyze boundaries, pipe networks, surfaces, and terrain
• Estimate quantities and create construction documentation

If you're ready to acquire this must-have skillset, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016Essentials will get you up to speed quickly and easily.

Chapter 1
Navigating the User Interface

If you’re new to the AutoCAD^® Civil 3D^® software environment, then your first experience has probably been a lot like staring at the instrument panel of an airplane. Civil 3D can be quite intimidating, with lots of buttons, strange shapes, and unusual icons—all packed into a relatively small area. In addition, you may be even more intimidated by the feeling that there is a lot of power under the hood.

This leads us to our main objective for this chapter, which is to alleviate that feeling of intimidation and make you feel much more at ease within the Civil 3D environment. Let me start you down that path by saying that there’s a big difference between an airplane and Civil 3D. In Civil 3D, if you really mess up, you can simply close the drawing file without saving. When piloting an airplane, it’s a little more difficult to undo your mistakes.

After completing this chapter, you will have achieved a greater comfort level within the Civil 3D environment by being able to identify the main user interface components and utilize them for basic functions. You will also be able to use two specific features that will serve you well throughout the program: the Transparent Commands toolbar and the Inquiry Tool.

In this chapter, you’ll learn to:

• Navigate the Civil 3D user interface
• Launch general commands through the application menu
• Launch key software commands and functions using the ribbon
• Navigate the design contents using the Toolspace
• Navigate the model using the drawing area
• Communicate with Civil 3D using the command line
• Access and modify design information using Panorama
• Access specialized commands using the Transparent Commands toolbar
• Get information about your design using the Inquiry Tool

Getting to Know the Civil 3D User Interface

To begin learning about the Civil 3D environment, let’s take our airplane analogy down a notch and think about this as learning to drive an automobile. When your parents first sat you down at the wheel and talked about the car’s controls, they probably didn’t mention the air conditioning or the radio. Those, of course, are important parts of the driving experience, but I’m betting they started with the most important parts, such as the steering wheel, the gas pedal, and, most important of all, the brake pedal. We’re going to approach your first experience with “driving” Civil 3D in much the same manner.

There are many, many parts to the Civil 3D user interface. For the purpose of this book, I’ll cover just the ones that will be most important in enabling you to navigate the software effectively. Figure 1-1 shows the major components of the user interface.

Figure 1-1: Major components of the Civil 3D user interface

1. Application Menu The place where you can find everyday file-handling commands that enable you to do things like open, save, and print your drawings
2. Ribbon The place where most Civil 3D commands are launched
3. Toolspace The Civil 3D “command center” where all the data and settings are laid out in an organized fashion
4. Drawing Area The place where the drawing is created
5. Command Line The “chat window” where you and Civil 3D talk to one another
6. Panorama A multipurpose window where you can view and/or edit drawing information and properties
7. Inquiry Tool A tool with many smaller tools within it that enable you to get information about your design
8. Transparent Commands Toolbar A toolbar with special commands that allow drafting and geometric construction to be done in the way that civil engineers and surveyors do it

Working with the Application Menu

The application menu (see Figure 1-2) expands out from the square AutoCAD Civil 3D icon located at the top left of your screen. Here, you’ll find commands for creating, opening, saving, and printing your drawing files.

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The Quick Access Toolbar just to the right of the AutoCAD Civil 3D icon is a handy subset of your most commonly used general-purpose tools. It can be customized to add more tools if you like.

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Figure 1-2: Part of the Civil 3D application menu

Exercise 1.1: Use the Application Menu to Open a File

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If you haven’t already done so, download and install the files for Chapter 1 according to the instructions in this book’s Introduction.

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In this exercise, you will use the application menu to open a file.

1. Launch Civil 3D by double-clicking the ...