As you have seen with other Civil 3D features, Civil 3D makes use of specialized objects to perform specific tasks. Creating parcels is no different. It involves the use of specialized objects whose behavior makes the process of creating and modifying parcels as efficient as possible. The objects that are applied in this case are called
parcel segments. You can think of parcel segments as just lines and curves that have been identified as sides of a parcel. They can be drawn from scratch using a special toolbar, or they can be created by converting lines, arcs, and polylines. Parcel segments must be assigned to a site so that Civil 3D understands that they should react to one another. When parcel segments in the same site form a closed shape, that shape becomes a parcel object. This is a rather unique arrangement because you cannot directly create a
parcel object; instead, you create other objects to form a closed area, and then Civil 3D creates the parcel object for you
(see Figure 12.1).
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| Figure 12.1 The four parcel segments on the left do not form a closed shape; therefore, no parcel is created. On the right, a parcel object is created automatically, as shown by the black outline and the LOT 1 label. |
In the same manner, any modifications to the fundamental objects that make up a parcel will result in an automatic update to the parcel itself. This is most evident when the parcels are labeled with area, bearing, and distance information.
