The Name Game in Civil 3D

A common use of importing points using point file formats is the case of a name-based point file. Since point file formats used for import are stored in the drawing, this is another item that you would want to have already set up in your Civil 3D template. In the following example, you will create a new file format to accommodate names (instead of point numbers):

1. Open the drawing 0304_PointFileFormat.dwg or (0304_PointFileFormat_METRIC.dwg).
2. Select the Settings tab of Toolspace and choose Point ➢ Point File Formats.
   You can also access this functionality on the fly from the Import Points dialog.
3. Right-click Point File Formats and select New.
4. Select User Point File and click OK.
5. Name the format Name-NEZD (Comma Delimited).
6. Toggle on the Delimited By option and place a comma in the field.
7. Click the first <unused> column heading, select Name from the Column Name pull-down, and click OK.
8. Click the next <unused> column and select Northing from the Column Name pull-down.
9. Leave the Invalid Indicator and Precision fields at their defaults and click OK.
10. Repeat the process for Easting, Point Elevation, and Raw Description.
    Be sure to add the columns in the correct order or the format will not work with the example file. You may notice that as you use an item from the Column Name list, it is no longer available for use in another column.
11. To test the format, click Load, select the file 0304_TestFormat.txt or (0304_TestFormat_METRIC.txt), and click Open.
12. Click Parse.
    If the format has been created successfully, you will see the file preview, as shown here.
13. Click OK to complete the format.

After you learn how, revisit this drawing and import points. You will see that Civil 3D assigns point numbers in addition to using the names.

To compare your work with a completed example, see 0304_PointFileFormat_FINISHED.dwg or (0304_PointFileFormat_METRIC_FINISHED.dwg).