To create linear features using connected points, someone has to tell those features when to start, when to end, when to draw curves, when to draw straight lines, and so on. In other words, it can be a bit more complicated than “Draw a line from point 1 to point 2.” Field crews use codes to carry out these geometric instructions. For example, they might include the string BEG when locating the first point on a fence line, which means to begin a new feature at that point. The linework code set correlates these field codes with instructions that control the generation of linework in the drawing. This is the way of telling Civil 3D that BEG means “begin drawing here,” BCV means “begin curve here,” and so on. Another way to think of a linework code set is as a translator between field language and Civil 3D language.To assign a linework code set to your drawing and apply it to points that have been imported, follow these steps:
- Open the drawing named Linework Code Set.dwg or (Linework Code Set.dwg (METRIC)) located in the Exercise_03 class data folder.
- Click the Survey tab of the Toolspace.
- If the contents beneath the Essentials 2 survey database are not visible, right-click Essentials 2 and select Open for edit.
Tips :The Essentials 2 database is the result of correctly completing the previous exercise. This database is provided to ensure that you start the current exercise with the correct version.
- Expand Import Events. Right-click Topo Survey.txt and select Properties.
- Click the Browse icon next to File to open the text file. Notice the codes BEG, BCV, ECV, and END. These are the codes used in the field to represent Begin Feature, Begin Curve, End Curve, and End Feature. If you scroll down within the text file, you will also see the CLS code, which represents Close Feature.
Tips :If you receive an error message here, you may not have installed the datasets correctly. Refer to the Introduction for instructions on installing the datasets.
- Close the text file, and click Cancel to dismiss the Import Event Properties dialog box.
- Click the icon in the top-left corner of the Survey tab to edit the survey user settings.
- Click the Browse icon next to Linework Code Sets Path, browse to the Exercise_03 class data folder, and click OK. Click OK to dismiss the Survey User Settings dialog box.
- On the Survey tab, right-click Linework Code Sets and select Refresh. Click the plus sign next to Linework Code Sets. You should now see Essentials listed as a Linework Code Set.
- Under Linework Code Sets, right-click Essentials and select Make Current.
- Under Linework Code Sets, right-click Essentials and select Edit. Notice that the codes used for Begin, End, Begin Curve, End Curve, and Close now match what you saw in the text file. The codes in the linework code set named Sample were different, and therefore no linework was drawn when you imported the survey data.
- Click Cancel to dismiss the Edit Linework Code Set dialog box.
- Under Import Events, right-click Topo Survey.txt and select Re-Import.
- For Current Linework Code Set, select Essentials and click OK.
- On the Duplicate Point Number dialog box, verify that Resolution is set to Overwrite. Then check the box next to Apply To All Duplicate Point Numbers and click OK. This time, linework is drawn as the data is imported.
Tips:You may need to repeat steps 13-15 for the lines to be drawn.