Civil Immersion

Add a Photo Gallery to Your Civil 3D Cloud Projects

Photographs play a crucial role in designing and constructing civil infrastructure projects.  They help document site conditions, monitor progress, and ensure quality control.  With potentially hundreds of images being captured by multiple teams (surveyors, environmental scientists, inspectors, and contractors), keeping track of all project-related photographs can be challenging.

Fortunately, Autodesk Build (part of the Autodesk Construction Cloud) provides a comprehensive, easy-to-use photo gallery that makes storing and managing images easy.  As photographs are collected in the field, they are automatically saved to the cloud-based gallery.  (No need to manually download or transfer pictures from a smartphone or tablet.)

Saving site images in the same common data environment with project models, plan sheets, documentation, etc., allows them to be easily accessed or referenced by project stakeholders.  If you are interested in adding/adopting the photo gallery for your next civil infrastructure project, the video below will help you get started!

-Jeff

 

Configuring Multi-Team Collaboration on Civil 3D Cloud Projects!

Today, we'll take our first look at the team space concept within the Autodesk Construction Cloud. Team spaces create an environment where multiple teams can have their own collaborative space inside a Civil 3D project.

Using a team space, each team can work independently on their content and share it with other teams when ready. Shared content is stored in a centralized folder that all teams can access to review files.

After review, teams can "consume" files to their own team space for use as data shortcuts or external references. In the future, when newer versions of files are shared, teams can simply review and consume the new versions to update any existing XREFs or DREFs.

If you are interested in exploring this workflow, I’ve created a quick video below to help you get started!

-Jeff

 

Sharing Civil 3D Cloud Project Files with Internal & External Stakeholders!

The Autodesk Construction Cloud provides several options for exchanging content with internal and external stakeholders. In our recent 30 min. Workout, we explored some formal and informal methods of file sharing.

Using the informal methods shown, Project Managers can easily share content with stakeholders (regardless of file sizes) using a single platform. They also retain a pristine copy of every file that goes out and comes in while maintaining a complete record of all file activities, including the associated names and dates.

Taking a more formal approach, Project Managers can leverage the Transmittals feature to build a searchable archive (spanning the entire history of a project) that logs all content shared between stakeholders.

If you’d like to explore these workflows, I’ve included a link to the session recording below.

-Jeff

 

Managing Civil 3D Cloud Project Meetings & Correspondence!

In many cases, email and meetings are where project-related topics are discussed, important decisions are made, and sometimes where work is assigned.  Unfortunately, emails and meetings are often managed using multiple applications associated with individual stakeholders.  Having valuable project intelligence stored across multiple locations can make it difficult to go back and determine the origins of critical decisions made on a project.

Using the dedicated Correspondence and Meetings tools within the Autodesk Construction Cloud, we can easily aggregate all project-related emails and meeting agendas/minutes into a single place to have a robust, searchable repository for all the metadata.  If you want to explore ACC’s Correspondence and Meetings features, I’ve created a quick video to help you get started!

-Jeff

 

Synchronize Files Between Civil 3D Cloud Projects Using Bridge!

Historically, Civil 3D projects hosted in the cloud have had limited access to content stored outside the primary project folder. Using the new Bridge feature, however, project files can easily be shared (and updated) between projects, even if those projects reside within different accounts!

A bridge represents data synchronization from a host project to a receiving project. Once configured, any changes made to “bridged” files in the host project will version up their respective copies in the receiving project(s). This connection allows any cloud-based Civil 3D project to leverage files from any other cloud project and ensure they always have the latest versions.

If you are interested, I created a quick video that walks through the features of the new Bridge tool. In the recording, we explore “static” vs. “automated” bridges, pausing/resuming bridges, reviewing the history of transactions, and more.

-Jeff

 

Creating Templates for Civil 3D Cloud Projects

Civil 3D projects created on a local server typically use a template to define a project's folder structure. Did you know that Civil 3D projects hosted in the Autodesk Construction Cloud can also use templates, and these cloud templates offer design teams even more configuration options?

Project templates stored in ACC not only define a project's directory tree but can also "pre-load" folder permissions, typical content, module settings, and default members, among other things. If you are interested, I've created a recording below that walks through how to create and configure cloud-based templates. In the recording, we'll walk through everything you need to start building templates for Civil 3D cloud projects. We'll also explore best practices and gain a better understanding of the nuances of working in the cloud.

-Jeff

 

Managing Civil 3D Projects in the Cloud – Pt4 – Managing Civil 3D Content

This week, we wrapped up our four-part series on getting started with BIM Collaborate Pro for Civil.  This session focused on managing Civil 3D content within the cloud platform.  Specifically, we explored creation/management workflows associated with external references, data shortcuts, and the Sheet Set Manager.

If you are interested, I’ve included a link to the session recording below.

These four sessions provide enough context to help you host a Civil 3D project in the cloud, similar to how you would do it on a traditional server.  After attending these sessions, we recommend “test driving” the BIM Collaborate Pro using your own data and workflows to understand better how it can help improve your project collaboration!

In the big scheme of things, we’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to what the cloud platform can do.  Team spaces, swim lanes, shared packages, coordination spaces, clash detection, and meeting & correspondence management (among other things) are all topics for future exploration!

-Jeff

 

Managing Civil 3D Projects in the Cloud – Pt3 – Syncing Civil 3D with ACC

On Thursday this week (Oct 19), we completed part 3 of our four-part webinar series to help folks get started using BIM Collaborate Pro to host Civil 3D projects in the cloud.  This session focused on Desktop Connector and its ability to connect Civil 3D to the cloud. 

Once installed, Desktop Connector creates a drive called "Autodesk Docs" on your machine.  This drive represents a synced environment between your local device and ACC.  Files accessed from this drive are automatically locked/unlocked/versioned in the cloud transparently to the user.  This automation dramatically reduces the learning curve for managing cloud projects, as the workflows are similar to working off a traditional drive letter.

During the session, we learned how to select projects to sync to the local workspace and demonstrated how they are automatically locked/unlocked when accessed.  We also reviewed file versioning and how to control it using a free "local save" add-in.  Finally, we wrapped up with some helpful tips for using and troubleshooting Desktop Connector.

If you are interested, I've uploaded the session recording below.

Want to attend the live sessions?  Please REGISTER HERE.  We hope to see you there!

-Jeff

 

Managing Civil 3D Projects in the Cloud – Pt2 – Controlling Access

This week, we completed Part Two of our four-part series designed to help you get up and running using BIM Collaborate Pro to host Civil 3D projects in the cloud.  This session focused on controlling access to cloud-based projects.

Among other things, we learned how to invite members to a project and assign their permissions to folder content.  Member management tasks were also reviewed at both the project and account levels.  Finally, we walked through a workflow that demonstrated how to markup a file, assign work to an individual, and then review/approve that work once completed.

If you’re interested, I’ve uploaded the session video below.

Want to attend the live sessions?  Please REGISTER HERE. We hope to see you there!

-Jeff

 

Managing Civil 3D Projects in the Cloud - Pt 1 - Project Creation

Join us for our 30-minute workout webinars on managing Civil 3D projects in the cloud! Last week's session began our multipart series, where we introduced Autodesk's Construction Cloud platform. We covered creating new projects, uploading and viewing files, and accessing cloud content using a web browser or mobile device.
(Session recording below.)

In our upcoming session (Oct 12th), we'll learn how to control access to cloud projects by inviting members and assigning permissions. We'll also explore some initial collaborative workflows made possible by the cloud. If you are interested in attending the live sessions, please REGISTER HERE. We hope to see you there!

-Jeff