Last Friday, (2020-01-24) I presented a live demonstration that focused on modeling large InfraWorks site plans from multiple data sources. During the session I showed how to aggregate data from SHP, 3D models, LandXML and ArcGIS Online.
If you're someone who is just getting started with InfraWorks, I also walked through some of the basics when it comes to creating, visualizing and analyzing models. For more experienced users, this recording represents a great introduction to the new ribbon style interface. :) We don’t often get a chance to share "long format" recordings, so I was excited for the opportunity such that I could post the content here!
If you are interested, a link to the recording can be found below…
If you organize your Civil 3D projects into sheet sets, you’re probably familiar with the concept of Fields. Fields represent “smart” text objects that populate automatically when they’re added to a sheet set. On occasion, individual fields may present a challenge when linked to an empty (or unknown) value. That’s because fields have an inherent need to show SOMETHING. In today’s installment, we’ll learn a trick for displaying empty fields.
The trick involves using a pair of “%” symbols. Back in the day, these symbols were used to incorporate special characters into text objects. (%%C for example, placed a diameter symbol.) By simply “pulling up short” and eliminating the character after the %% will cause a field to have an empty display. Using this technique, you can create nice clean fields that only display data when you want them to.
If you're interested, I’ve created a quick video that walks through the workflow…
-Jeff
Note: In my example I am working in Civil 3D. This trick also works in ANY other AutoCAD based application.
On occasion, sectioned pipe network components may appear “faceted” when displayed in a Civil 3D profile or section view. In today's installment we’ll look at a quick way to smooth out the appearance of these objects using a system variable (unique to Civil 3D) called FACETDEV. FACETDEV is short for Facet Deviation.
FACETDEV controls how much the display of a sectioned object can deviate from its true curved shape. The lower you set FACETDEV, the closer the geometry will match the actual curve. That said, there is a trade-off. Setting it too low may impact drawing performance, so try not to be overly aggressive when assigning a value. It’s important to note that this system variable is stored within the drawing, so assigning FACETDEV in a template file would apply it automatically to all future drawings.
If you are interested, I’ve created a quick video below that demonstrates the use of FACETDEV…
Many times, when creating Civil 3D section views, each view will have its own grid. In today’s installment, we’ll learn how to display a single grid that multiple section views can share.
Typically, section view grids are configured and displayed within the Section View Style. The trick to creating a “unified grid” can be found by visiting the Group Plot Style. Selecting the Display Tab within a Group Plot Style, you’ll find a series of grid components that apply to the overall sheet. By configuring and displaying these components, a single unified grid can be displayed that is shared by multiple section views.
If you're interested, I’ve created a quick recording that walks through the process…
Quite often, InfraWorks tooltips are used to display the data associated with objects in a model. Because these tooltips are HTML based however, they can do a lot more. In today’s installment, we’ll explore a way to use InfraWorks tooltips to open files.
For a tooltip to open a file, you’ll need to provide the filename (and file path) and a description using the following HTML syntax… <a href= "Path/Filename"><font size="4">Description</font></a> This is a relatively simple example that will produce a text label called “Description” that opens a designated file when clicked. By incorporating a little creativity (and a few more HTML tags) you can create much more elaborate tooltips.
By leveraging this technique, an InfraWorks model can act much like a “kiosk”, providing a graphical representation of an overall site that users can navigate to open associated files. Everything from CAD models, to parts lists, to maintenance schedules could be accessed by simply hovering over the objects in a model!
If you’re interested, I’ve created a quick video below that walks through a possible workflow…
