Profile view labels are directly linked to the profile view: the grid, grid labeling, and bands that serve as the backdrop for one or more profiles. Because of this, you can use labels that are independent of any profiles. For example, you might use a station and offset label to call out the location of a pipe crossing through the profile view. Since the pipe crossing is not directly affected by any profile in the drawing, it wouldn’t make sense to associate this label with a profile. Instead, you would use a profile view label that is specifically intended for the pipe crossing.
There are three types of profile view labels available in Civil 3D: station elevation, depth, and projection. You will work with the first two in the next exercise, and the third will be covered later in this chapter.
Tips :Be sure that your background color is set to white before proceeding with these steps.To create profile view labels in a profile view, complete the following steps:
- Open the drawing named Profile View Labels.dwg located in the Chapter 08 class data folder.
This drawing is zoomed in to the left end of the Jordan Court FGCL profile. At this location, there is a PVI where the new road ties to the edge of the existing road. There is also a V shape in the existing ground profile that shows the existence of a roadside drainage ditch (see Figure 8.8).
Figure 8.8 The beginning of the Jordan Court FGCL profile where there is a tie to the edge of the existing Emerson Road as well as a V-shaped drainage ditch - Click one of the contours to select the surface, and then click Add LabelsAdd Surface Labels on the ribbon.
- While holding down the Shift key, right-click and select Endpoint from the context menu.
- Click the center of the black-filled circle at the second PVI marker.
- Repeat the previous two steps to specify the same point for the elevation. A new label appears, but it’s overlapping the grade label to the left.
Tips :You must provide the location in two separate steps: First, you specify the station (step 4), and then you specify the elevation (step 5).
- Press Esc twice to clear the selection of the profile view and end the command. Then click the newly created label, and drag the square grip up and to the right.
- With the label still selected, click Edit Label Text on the ribbon. This opens the Text Component Editor.
- In the text view window on the right, click just to the left of STA to place your cursor at that location. Press Enter to move that line of text down and provide a blank line to type on.
- Click the blank line at the top, type TIE TO EDGE, and press Enter.
- Type OF EXIST ROAD. The Text Component Editor dialog box should now look like Figure 8.9.
Figure 8.9 Additional text added to a label in the Text Component Editor dialog box - Click OK to return to the drawing. The label now clearly calls out the station and elevation where the new road should tie to the existing road.
Tips :Nearly all Civil 3D labels can be edited in this way.
- Press Esc to clear the current label selection. Click one of the grid lines of the profile view, and then click Add View LabelsDepth.
- Pick a point at the invert of the V-shaped ditch, and then pick a point just above it approximating the top of the ditch.
Tips :Invert is a term referring to the lowest elevation of the ditch. It is also used to refer to the lowest elevation of a pipe or a structure, such as a manhole or inlet.
- Press Esc twice to end the command and clear the selection of the profile view.
- Click the newly created depth label, and then click one of the grips at the tip of either arrow. Move the grip to a new location, and note the change to the depth value displayed in the label. Both the station elevation label and the depth label can be seen in Figure 8.10.
Figure 8.10 The station elevation label and depth label added to the Jordan Court profile view
Remember Exaggeration?
The roughly 1-foot (0.3-meter) depth shown by the label might seem a bit small to you based on the dramatic plunge of the V in the profile. Remember that this profile view is exaggerated in the vertical aspect by a factor of 10. If you were to measure this same depth using the DISTANCE command, you would get about 10 feet (3 meters). Profile view labels automatically factor in the vertical exaggeration of your profile view.