AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Readme

AutoCAD^® Civil 3D^® 2013 Readme

Thank you for using AutoCAD^® Civil 3D^® 2013.

This Readme contains important information about AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2013 that may not be included in Help. For reference, save or print this document. It is strongly recommended that you read this entire document before you install.

Because AutoCAD Civil 3D is built on AutoCAD® and AutoCAD® Map 3D, it is recommended that you also review the AutoCAD and AutoCAD Map 3D Readme files at the following locations.

AutoCAD® 2013 Readme

AutoCAD® Map 3D® 2013 Readme

Join the Customer Involvement Program
Database Migration
Data Files
Open Source Components
What's New in the AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 API
Data Shortcuts
General
I nstallation
Pressure Networks

Return to Top

You are invited to help guide the direction of Autodesk design software.

If you participate in the Customer Involvement Program (CIP), specific information about how you use AutoCAD Civil 3D is forwarded to Autodesk. This information includes what features you use the most, problems that you encounter, and other information helpful to the future direction of the product.

See the following links for more information.

Learn more about the Autodesk Customer Involvement Program: http://www.autodesk.com/cip
Read the Autodesk Privacy Statement: http://www.autodesk.com/cipprivacy

When you join, you will be able to view reports that can help you optimize your use of AutoCAD Civil 3D.

To turn the CIP on or off

On the InfoCenter toolbar, to the right of the Help button, click the drop-down arrow.
Click Customer Involvement Program.
In the Customer Involvement Program dialog box, select to start or stop participating.
Click OK.

Return to Top

Support for 64-bit Operating System requires database migration

Due to the requirement to support a 64-bit operating system, existing external project point databases and survey database files must be migrated to Microsoft® SQL Server® Compact 3.5 format from Microsoft Access Database format.

Support for 64-bit Operating System requires Vault project migration

Vault projects must also be migrated due to the requirement to support a 64-bit operating system.

When you perform the migration, Vault checks the project out, migrates the files, then checks them back in, and the version number is incremented.

The migrated project files are not backwards-compatible with previous versions of AutoCAD Civil 3D.

On the Prospector tab in Toolspace, expand the Projects collection. An item that requires migration displays the "out-of-date" icon to provide a visual cue that it requires migration. To complete the migration, right-click the item and select the migration command.

Return to Top

Data files

Data files are stored in the following folders.

Windows 7: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D 2013\enu\Data

Note: The ProgramData folder may not be displayed by default. To display the ProgramData folder, click the Start button > Control Panel > Folder Options. In the Folder Options dialog box, on the View tab, ensure that Hidden Files And Folders > Show Hidden Files And Folders is selected.

Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\C3D 2013\enu\Data

Return to Top

Open Source components can be found at the following location:

http://www.autodesk.com/lgplsource

Return to Top

Porting Code to AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013

COM API: If you are using the AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 COM API, you need to update the object version to 10.0 (from 9.0 used in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012). The objects and interfaces exposed have remained the same, but you should reference the new libraries, which are installed by default to: "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\Civil Engineering 100".

.NET API: In AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013, we introduced a namespace restructuring that will simplify referencing objects moving forward. The "feature" part of the namespace has been removed, so you will have to update your "using" statements to include the new namespace. As an example, previous releases will expose "Land" related classes and types in the "Autodesk.Civil.Land.DatabaseServices" namespace. In AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013, these classes and types will be in the "Autodesk.Civil.DatabaseServices".

Points

COGO Point object (CogoPoint class): Coordinate Geometry (COGO) points are now exposed. You can access/modify all COGO point properties, including styles and labels.
Point Groups (PointGroup class): Point Groups are now exposed. You can access/modify all point group properties. CivilDocument.PointGroups is the collection of all point groups in the drawing. CogoPoint.PrimaryPointGroupId indicates the point group a CogoPoint belongs to.
Point Group Queries: Standard and custom point group queries are exposed: StandardPointGroupQuery and CustomPointGroupQuery classes.
User Defined Properties: User-defined properties are exposed. You can create/modify user-defined properties, and they can be set on CogoPoint objects. The collection of all user-defined properties defined in a drawing is accessed via the CivilDocument.PointUDPs property.
Description Keys: Description keys are exposed with the PointDescriptionKey class. The collection of all point description key sets in a drawing is accessed with the static PointDescriptionKeySetCollection.GetPointDescriptionKeySets() method.
Import/Export Points: Imports points from a point file to an existing PointGroup and exports points from a specified PointGroup to a point file.

Surfaces

You can now calculate the bounded volume of a surface with Surface.GetBoundedVolumes().
The AeccSurfaceOpAdd3DFaces Surface operation is now exposed.
You can now sample Surface Points along linear entities with the SampleElevations() method.
You can now extract contour information from a surface with several new ExtractContours() and related methods.
You can now extract elements from surface objects (with ExtractBorder(), ExtractWatershed(), and ExtractGridded() methods).

Profile Views

Stacked, split, and multiple profile views can now be created using ProfileView.Create().

Labels

Parcel Area Labels are exposed (ParcelAreaLabel class). These labels are obtained from the Parcel.GetAvailableParcelAreaLabelIds() method.
Pipe labels are exposed: PipeLable, SpanningPipeLable, PipeProfileLabel, PipeSectionLabel, SpanningPipeProfileLabel, StructureLabel, StructureProfileLabel and StructureSectionLabel classes.
Catchment labels are exposed: CatchmentAreaLabel and FlowSegmentLabel.
Sampleline, Section, and SectionView labels are exposed: SectionViewDepthLabel, SectionViewOffsetElevationLabel, SectionProjectionLabel, SectionLabelSetItem, SectionSegmentLabelGroup, SectionGradeBreakLabelGroup, SectionDataBandLabelGroup, SectionSegmentBandLabelGroup, SampleLineLabelGroup.
Plan production labels are exposed: ViewFrameLabelGroup and MatchLineLabelGroup.
General labels are exposed: NoteLabel, GeneralSegmentLabel.
Intersection labels are exposed: IntersectionLocationLabel.
The GetAvailableLabelGroups() method for existing *LabelGroup classes is deprecated in favor of the more accurately named GetAvailableLabelGroupIds().

Pressure Pipes

The new .Net API for Pressure Pipes is packaged in its own assembly: AeccPressurePipesMgd (AeccPressurePipesMgd.dll) and must be referenced to use Pressure Pipes API features.

Transportation

You can access FeatureLines by code and modify their properties. You can also export Corridor FeatureLines as Polylines, Grading FeatureLines, Alignments, and Profiles.
You can export a Corridor as COGO points.
You can get the offset for a FeatureLinePoint.
You can get/set corridor region lock options while creating a Corridor though the API.
Cant View is exposed, including command settings and style.
Cant Label is exposed. You can now get/create the cant label object and access cant label's properties.
You can get/set Cant Option and Rail Alignment Options for an Alignment.
You can set the start and end station of the BaselineRegion.
You can get and set targets for Corridor, Baseline and BaselineRegion.

Survey

Survey project collection is exposed (SurveyProjectCollection class). It can be obtained from the CivilApplication::SurveyProjects() method. You can now set/get the current working folder for survey projects, get the currently opened survey project object, and get a survey project object from the project guid or path.
Survey project is exposed (SurveyProject class). You can now open and close the project, get the project's guid and name, and get the survey project's queries.
Survey queries are exposed (SurveyQueryCollection class and SurveyQuery class). You can now get the survey query object with the query guid and access the survey query's properties.
Survey queries definitions for TIN Surfaces are exposed. They include AddPoint and AddFigure survey query definitions (SurveyQueriesAddPointDefinition, SurveyQueriesAddFigureDefinition, SurfaceOperationAddPointSurveyQuery, and SurfaceOperationAddFigureSurveyQuery class). You can now add data for a TinSurface with a survey query, and access the properties of a surface operation with a survey query.

Other

Namespaces under Autodesk.Civil have been merged into a smaller number to provide a more compact namespace hierarchy, making it easier to read and write code and to find classes.
A new method GetCivilDocument(Database) is exposed that allows you to access a CivilDocument object from a Database object, which simplifies the way you can write code that needs to access multiple documents.

COM Interop Changes

Interop DLLs are no longer registered as Primary Interop Assemblies (PIAs), and are deployed in the AutoCAD Civil 3D installation folder rather than the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). This means that these assemblies must now be added to Visual Studio projects using the Browse tab of the Add Reference dialog box, rather than from the COM tab as was done previously.

To compile previously written projects against AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013, you will need to remove references to all interop assemblies from your project, and then re-add them using the Browse tab.

The assemblies required for COM interop are:

Autodesk.AEC.Interop.Base
Autodesk.AEC.Interop.UiBase
Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop
Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop.Common
Autodesk.AECC.Interop.<domain>
Autodesk.AECC.Interop.Ui<domain>

Where <domain> is one of the four AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 COM domains: Land, Roadway, Pipe, or Survey.

We recommend that you set the "Embed Interop Types" property for each interop assembly to True, as this will embed all referenced types into your target assembly, and the referenced interop DLLs are therefore not required at runtime.

Return to Top

Data Shortcut management through Windows Explorer

AutoCAD Civil 3D Project folders can be copied manually through Windows Explorer, including the associated "_Shortcuts" folder. This allows for a modest amount of project management, including elementary project phasing, or automated file structure creation. For example, if an AutoCAD Civil 3D project was created: "C:\Civil 3D Projects\Job123," and a set of base plans were developed utilizing Data Shortcuts, the entire project folder structure could be copied to "C:\Civil 3D Projects\Job123_Concept1."

In the above example, the _Shortcuts folder would be copied, but the project associations would still be pointing back to the original project: "C:\Civil 3D Projects\Job123." AutoCAD Civil 3D needs to re-create the project association.

Close AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013.
Identify the "parent project" and subsequent "children projects" through Windows Explorer.
In the Child project's \_Shortcuts folder, delete the file "ShortcutHistory.xml"
(Windows 7) Delete the files ShortcutFolders.xml and WorkingFolders.xml from C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\C3D 2013\enu\Project Management
(Windows XP) Delete the files ShortcutFolders.xml and WorkingFolders.xml from C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Autodesk\C3D 2013\enu\Project Management
Open AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013, and open the "Child" project. Re-associate the data shortcuts to the child project.

Return to Top

Supported file types for Import in AutoCAD Civil 3D are a subset of the supported file types in AutoCAD

When importing a file using the Import command on the Insert ribbon, you may notice that there are fewer supported file types available in AutoCAD Civil 3D than are available in AutoCAD. When referring to the AutoCAD Civil 3D Help the list of formats supported by AutoCAD are documented even though those formats are not available in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

The VIEWBASE command in Help

The VIEWBASE command is described in the AutoCAD Civil 3D Help; however, this command is not available in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

AutoCAD Map 3D commands in AutoCAD Civil 3D

The following is a list of AutoCAD Map 3D commands that are not available in AutoCAD Civil 3D:

MAPABOUT
MAPCGADIST
MAPCGANG
MAPCGAZBASE
MAPCGCDIST
MAPCGLIST
MAPCGSETUP
MAPCGSLIST
MAPCOGO
MAPIMPORT
MAPGUIDE

Return to Top

Installation of Storm and Sanitary Analysis 2013 fails if the installation path contains special characters

During installation when you choose to install Storm and Sanitary Analysis an error message will be generated if the installation path contains non-ASCII characters. To resolve this issue either de-select Storm and Sanitary Analysis from the install or modify the installation path to contain only ASCII characters.

Prior to installing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 and Storm and Sanitary Analysis 2013 all folders and all files from Beta versions of Storm and Sanitary Analysis need to be removed. The folders or files associated with Beta versions may cause issues as a result of invalid files left behind.

Installation of Storm and Sanitary Analysis 2013 after installing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013

To install Storm and Sanitary Analysis after AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 has already been installed it is required to restart the AutoCAD Civil 3D install and add Storm and Sanitary Analysis. It is not possible to add Storm and Sanitary Analysis as a feature through the Windows Control Panel.

Installation of Subassembly Composer 2013 after installing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013

To install Subassembly Composer after AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 has already been installed it is required to restart the AutoCAD Civil 3D install and add Subassembly Composer. It is not possible to add Subassembly Composer as a feature through the Windows Control Panel.

Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 requires Windows Imaging Component

If the Autodesk Installer prompts you to install the Microsoft .NET 4.0 Framework, the .NET 4.0 Framework installer may prompt you to first install the Windows Imaging Component (WIC). This can occur if you do not have the latest Microsoft Windows updates or service packs. You are most likely to need WIC if you are running Windows XP SP2 without certain Windows Updates installed. If required, the Microsoft WIC installers are available at the following locations:

Uninstall order

When uninstalling AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 it is important to observe proper order to avoid possible errors when removing products. Please uninstall in the following order:

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 32 & 64 Bit Object Enabler on Storm and Sanitary Analysis 2013
Autodesk Content Service
Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis 2013 x64 Plug-in
Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis 2013
Autodesk Subassembly Composer on AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013
AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013

Return to Top

It is recommended that text not be used in blocks assigned to fitting and appurtenance styles. The text in these blocks may become upside down and backwards as parts are rotated into position during layout. Label styles should be used instead to display any text required for fitting and appurtenance symbols.

Deleting a pressure network with the Fitting or Appurtenance vista open in the Panorama window may cause AutoCAD Civil 3D to close unexpectedly.

The Minimum Radius value for a curved pipe is not calculated correctly when the pipe size has been changed during the layout command.

The Follow Surface command may leave pipe segments at their original elevation for the first and last pipes selected if the alignment and profile view were created in the opposite direction than the pressure network parts. If this occurs, create a temporary alignment and profile view in the same direction of the pressure network and use the Follow Surface command in that profile view; the temporary profile view may be deleted afterwards.

Continuing the layout of a pressure network that has an alignment created from it may cause unexpected results if the new pressure parts that are created are perpendicular to an existing station of the alignment. The addition of new parts in this situation may cause the alignment to be created incorrectly. If only one pressure network part has been added, then you can grip edit a previous pressure network part along the alignment to resolve this issue. If multiple pressure network parts have been added, then you can recreate the alignment from the pressure network to resolve this issue.

Some unexpected results may occur when working in a UCS that is not set to World:

Adding fittings or appurtenances along an existing pipe will add the part at the end of the pipe.
Curved pressure pipes that are created in a UCS that is not set to World are not created tangent to the previous part.

Some Feature and Command Settings are inconsistent with other AutoCAD Civil 3D objects:

The New Entity Tooltip State settings for pressure pipes networks and the Show Tooltips check box in the object properties dialog boxes are not working as expected. The Show Tooltips check box in the object properties dialog boxes is always unchecked, even if tooltips are on. You can turn on tooltips by selecting the check box and clicking Apply. You can turn off tooltips by selecting the check box, clicking Apply, and then clearing the check box and clicking Apply again.
Default label styles are not automatically assigned in the Create Pressure Pipe Network dialog box.
Default object styles set in the CreatePressurePartList Command Settings do not override the Feature Settings.

Return to Top

Contents

Customer Involvement Program (CIP)

Database Migration

Data Files

Open Source Components

What's New in the AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 API

Data Shortcuts

General

Installation

Pressure Networks