The Default Name Format section is where you can define the macros that manage the naming of the point groups and point names when these are created. You will learn about point groups and point names in the following sections. The Point Identity section is where you can define the settings used in the numbering of the point data both when it’s created in the drawing by using the creation tools and when it is imported from outside sources. For example, here you have the option to define the starting number used, whether to use sequential numbering, and what offset should be used in the numbering. Also among these options you will find the settings that define the way to resolve conflicts in the numbering. You will usually run into these kinds of conflicts in the case of point data imported from outside sources that has point numbers that match existing points. In that case, you have the option to define how the software should proceed when one of these conflicts arises.
What’s in a Name?
Users often confuse a point’s name with its description. The name is a unique, alphanumeric sequence that some software programs use in lieu of a point number. The description refers to the allimportant code given to a point out in the field. In Civil 3D terms this is referred to as the Raw Description property for the point. Even though you could use point names as well, Civil 3D workflow favors the use of point numbers, so the Prompt For Point Names option is usually set to None. If you do have a point file that uses a name instead of a point number, you will need to create a custom point format.
