AutoCAD Civil 3D :: Linework And Text Turning Gray?
May 23, 2013
Using 2013 C3D. My text and linework is now gray. During opening/initializing of drawing, everything appear fine until it finishes loading, then everything is gray. It just started yesterday when I was bringing in shp files of wetlands in various ways (dragging/dropping, fdo conect and mapimport). Maybe the shp file had nothing to do with it, but I've never seen cad do this.
When I grip the line, the color in layer comes up as correct color, but the line on screen is gray. Also if I copy the multileader or line, the color reverts back to correct color until I save, exit and reopen. BTW - the only thing that isn't gray is my civil 3d pipes and structures.
When I draw new linework and text it shows up greyed out, even though it should be showing up full tone. Curiously, blocks that are inserted on the same layer as the linework and text come in full tone.
The attached image provides an example of what's happening (it's difficult to see the greyed out text reading "TEST", the leader, and a sawtooth section of polyline).
More info:
Xrefed drawings are displayed at full tone.
Linework from earlier sessions are displayed at full tone - this is only affecting new work.
This happens only in this drawing.
This happens on different sessions of C3D (i.e. different computers).
This happens on when drawing on any layer.
The layers are unlocked.
This occurs in both model and paperspace. The drawing has been audited (no errors were found). Everything prints out properly.
I suspect there's a variable that deals with visibility has been inadverdantly changed in this particular drawing.
My company is switching from ctb files to stb files. With the ctb file, we make concrete hatch with two layers. A top layer with the concrete hatch pattern and a background layer with a solid hatch patern. The ctb file concrete plots the concete hatch black and the solid background hatch light gray. I am using civil 3d 2013 and the hatch allows a seperate background color mask. I am trying to make all my concrete layers (Top of Curb, Curb Flowline, etc.) a certain color scheme, i.e. shades of green. I would like my on screen concrete hatch patern to be a green color with a gray background, but plot the concrete hatch black with a gray background. I can not figure out how to do this without making two layers. Is there a way to use one layer and utilize the background color mask to show on screen green and gray, but plot black and gray?
I have used the same basic skin retouching method for hundreds of pictures. Usually I end up with very nice, natural looking skin. Today, the same technique is turning the skin gray on any picture I attempt to use it on. I cannot figure out why. Essentially, I copy the background layer. I do my spot healing on this layer.
When I'm through, I make 3 more layers. On the first, I use the Median filter. On the second, I use a high pass filter. Then on the 3rd, I add I layer mask, painting in black, and go over the skin. It is always gray on the mask. I then go back and reduce the opacity of the high pass and median layers. Usually I end up with smoother, but natural skin and it's normal color. Today, every time I attempt to do this, the skin stays a muted gray. I cannot figure out why. what might be different that I'm not noticing?
I also draw on paper, and now as I want to edit stuff on Photoshop CS2 I find that I am not able to easily and smoothly make the image transparent through a grayscale image of the image...
For some reason when I place new text or line work in a file it is fine, but when I save the drawing, close it and re-open it all of the text and line work found in model space goes gray. Yet if I place new text and use the match property command on text placed previously, that is now gray, and use it on new text, the new text recieves the attributes of what the previously placed text has minus the appearance of being gray. In my drawing I am using a shape file and a data connect image through planning and analysis.
I could download a .shp file that contains the section linework for indiana in state plane Coordinates? I am not looking for perfect coordinates, just graphically pleasing. I would like to start a database of the section corners we have recovered and I think it would be neat to have the whole state.
Civil 3D 2013 HP Z400 Workstation 6GB of RAM 296GB HDD ATI FirePro V5700(FireGL) Win 7 Home Professional
I currently use Leica Viva Smartworks for surveying and it captures the linework codes in its own field, so when I export my CSV file my Descrition comes on with the feature code but the linework code is another field. Is their a way that using the Format field in the description Key that I can get the Full description field to read something like "V-DOMW-PIPE B", which would pull the feature code from the raw descrition field and the begin line code from the Linework field.
I am currently using a FBK to run my auto-linework. I am having a problem generating curves, closing lines, etc... Everything works fine unitl I hit a curve or try to close a line. I have tried many different point code variations and the only one that worked on curves was a "BC1 BC, BC1 EC". Problem is I need multiple points on a curve to pick up laydowns, PVI's, etc... I tried the "OC", no "OC".......just about every variation I could think of to no avail. Is there an alternative to a FBK that works better?
I received a 3D drawing but only need linework from it. I have flattened it out so I am able to export the linework. The problem is when I import the drawing into another software (Trimble Business Center), the lines are still 3D face and am not able to treat it like linework. Is there a way to convert a 3D face into line or polyline in C3D?
What's the best workflow to extract the linework from a corridor - I need the linework as 3D polys for export to another modelling system?I have tried the extract feature line from corridor but it is incredibly tedious so I have lately done the following
1 Rebuild Corridors and Save file. 2 Select Corridor, Isolate and Explode twice. 3 Select all the lines and JOIN which then creates 3D polylines. 4 Wblock the 3D polylines. 5. DO NOT RESAVE...!!!
Is there a better way?
IDSP Premium 2014 (mainly Civil 3D 2014 UKIE SP1 & Infraworks with some limited 3ds Max Design) Win 7 Pro x64, 256Gb SSD, 300Gb 15,000 rpm HDD 16Gb Ram Intel Xeon CPU E5-1607 0 @ 3.00GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.0GHz NVIDIA Quadro 4000, Dual 27" Monitor, Dell T3600
Any way to generate liework with point numbers. I have survey data of a pipeline and all the points are in order, if there was just a way for linework to connect them by increasing point number in my drawing?
We are using the linework coding to process our figures and the survey .txt file provided to me uses codes to begin lines with "+" & "-". For example, driveways are coded + DR1 for begin and - DR1 to end the line. The linework process works fine, its when I go to display the point in the description keys that are causing me problems. All the points that are in between the begin and end points display to the appropriate style because they are coded as DR*. The begin and end do not display correctly as the + & - isn't being recognized in the description key. I tried many alternate ways such as *DR*, + DR*, - DR*, with nothing working.
Is there a different format I need to be using? There are way to many points to go thru to move the + & - behind the code.
We are now working in civil 3D 2011, and have started using the .txt files now instead of the fieldbooks of the past. I have created a Description key set, along with a figure prefix database and a linework code set. everything works fine as long as the field crews use EP1, EP,2 EP3, ETC.. But we would really like to utilize the Begin and End function of this. I have unchecked the box that says Automatic begin on figure prefix match, but still no luck. I have also checked the linework code set and it all looks good <Space> delimiter etc..
I have created a MANHOLE UDP which defines inverts in & out etc as well pipe types and sizes. Is there a way to automatically generate a polyline or feature line which picks up the invertout to invert in of the next manhole by point number? hope that makes sense! I am using Civil3D 2012.
The normal color scheme for xref'd entites is the color gray. Is there a way to change them so that the linework can be more distinguishable? With everything being gray, it is hard to differentiate between contour lines and feature lines.
See attachments. See the green linework in each plan that is skipping across the corridor. These are two different projects. I have seen this numerous times but have not found a solution or even what is causing the problem.
How do i go about placing text/symbols over the top of linework without braking the line. Is there a method of masking out the line with the text/symbol
I have imported surveydata into the survey database from FBK and processed linework. I do as many edits to my figures as I can by editing point codes and processing linework, then I fix the rest of the figures manually editing them and pushing the changes back to the survey database.
Once you have started manually editing figures you can no longer 'process linework' as you get double ups of figures you manually edited.
My issue is that I have made some adjustments to some of my control point coordinates after manually editing figures, so that all my survey points move. I try to update the survey figures so that they move with my points but Civil3D tells me that it cant update them because they were made by processing linework.
Is there anyway I can get my figures to match my points without reprocessing linework and then making all the manual edits again or exporting an FBK from the database, remove the figures and points from the dwg, reset the network and import the new FBK?
We should be able to update figures without processing linework, even if that was how the figures were originally made!
Is there a way to edit the point descriptions in the drawing and update my auto line work to match it. I can edit the point description fine, but my auto line work will not update?
i have a bunch of pipes we surveyed in the field, the linework code we were using was p01 B 10"
the "B" being "begin"
my description key set is set up as follows:
p## = Code
and
Ex Pipe $1= format
the trouble is, this works nicely for all of the inbetween shots, but for shots containing "B" and "E" it uses the B for the $1 instead of the desired 10" pipe size. How do I prevent this from happening?
We were origially using the code B p01 10" but the description keys were geting hung up on the B and not sorting the point to the desired layer.
what is the best method for coding in the field? and how do I get the 10" to show up in the label instead of the B and E
Can I use the description key set to not show point parameters with particular characters?I use the Linework Code Set codes to control survey figures and so the linework codes show up in the Raw descriptions. That's great for editing survey data.
But when the survey is passed on to the designers I want to show a full description that does not show the linework codes.For example when surveying a road culvert I will code the first point,
"CULV B 32 600" - (CULV is the code for culvert, B is to begin the figure, 32 is the culvert number and 600 is the diameter)
The second point is coded, "CULV 32 600"I want to show full descriptions of "CULV 32 600" for both points, ie I don't want a parameter that is a "B" to show up.Can I use the description key set to not show point parameters with particular characters?
We are trying to switch over in our office to importing all the points with linework already drawn in from the field. Our problem is when we are toping an area with a roadway, we commonly do cross sections. We get 2 of every line, such as the edge of pavement. I have set up our C3D to handle all our codes, but if our crews jump from one side to the other with their linework it will create a zig zag line instead of 2 parallel lines. Does C3D recognize the line code along with a number?
For example, our code for edge of pavement is EP. So the start of a pavement line would be B EP. Since there's 2 lines, we're wondering if we can do something like B EP1, then use B EP2 on the other side of the street. Will C3D still import both of those lines onto the EP layer that I have set up?
Have 1 drawing where I get the Error Message - Open for Read when trying to modify linework. Try to change color, layer, close an open polyline, but can't do so due to the error message. By the way, using C3D 2012 with Service Pack 1 installed.
I am having trouble processing point code to correctly string the survey points. I have tried three methods of coding and each method has a draw back which isn't really acceptable to me, as it either means more work in the field or more work in the office.
Method 1: I code my points TOP 1 B, or TOE 2 or NS.
When doing this method the survey points don't string correctly. Because of the space delimitation inbetween TOP & 1 Civil3d only recognises the code TOB and doesn't pay attention to the string number. So all the points with the same code get stringed regardless of the string number. Please see file "TOP_1_B_CODE_STYLE.png" and you will see that TOP 1 E strings to point TOP 2 B.This will create a lot of work in the office breaking all the survey figures so they appear correct.
Method 2:I code my points TOP1 B, or TOE2 or NS. When doing this the points don't get coded correctly. Because the code is TOB when I import a point with the code TOB1 it doesn't recognise the code, and puts the point on the default layer 0. Please see file "TOP1_B_STYLE.png" and you will see all of the TOP1 and TOE1 are white and one layer 0. This will make a lot of office work changing points to the correct layers.
Method 3: I code my points without a string number, and only pickup one line at a time. So I would start picking up a toe of bank by TOE B then finish it on TOE E. See file "TOP_B_TOP_E.png" to see the result.
This does get the result I want but it really makes field work procedures slow. It would be very frustrating doing a detail survey of a road and having to walk each individual breakline.
I want to be able to use Method 1 but to have all points get stringed correctly. I have read a pretty good post about this here where the outcome is that all points should be put on layer 0 by default (I can't find it again though!). For me though that isn't a very good option as I often have both design and asbuilt in the same drawing, and need to be able to turn off groups and not have the associated points left on my screen.
My company had always used LDD until we were mandated to switch, our first project in Civil 3D is in the works. So far we have gotten through the beginning stages (alignments, profile, corridor, assemblies) but we are having a major issue with where to go from there. Right now I am trying to complete the design line work on the plan (wheelchair ramps, driveways transitions and signage) As of now I cannot get anything to line up easily with the corridor. I have been able to snap to the corridor so I can create a line at that exact spot to be correct, but then when I offset it will not change the elevation, I tried doing feature line and projecting the feature lines to the surface and some of it works but it becomes very buggy. My transition lines don't transition and some other lines I would expect to be at the same elevation have major grade changes. How to create the luinework at the correct elevation and with correct transisions along your corridor and surface?
Some what new to Civil 3D, so I hope I explain this correctly..
I imported points with linework and then needed to move them slightly. I unlocked the points and moved them with no problems, but I then went to re-process linework which moves the points back to their original location. I have tried relocking the points first before re-processing linework, but then it appears that nothing has happened.
Photoshop CC up to date 5 years PS experience Restart of file and PS didn't resolve the issue Creating Smart Object didn't resolve issue
When attempting to add simple text on an individual layer, the layer is turning black. This prevents me from seeing the text I'm editing. When I move to another layer the text displays correctly. When I go to edit the text by clicking the image the layer goes black again. It is like editing text in the dark, turning the light on to see the changes, turning the light off to make the changes, repeat.
