While Civil 3D provides many objects and styles out of the box, we can create more that are customized to our workflows. Even better, we also can add additional data properties to those objects to make them more useful. This is helpful in many ways, especially when working with 4D contractors.
Creating Extended Data Properties
Figure 1: On the Ribbon under the Manage Tab, select Define Property Sets
Figure 2: In the Style Manager Dialog, select the New Style Button to create your new style.
Figure 3: After creating your new style, select the General Tab, name your style and give it a description.
Figure 4: Under the Applies To Tab, select Objects and choose the objects you want your set applied to. For this instance, I chose 3D Solids (As you can see any objects and styles within Civil 3D can have Extended Data added to them).
Figure 5: Under the Definition Tab located on the upper right side of the dialog box, select the Add Manual Property Definition button and name your new definition.
Figure 6: By following the above steps, you can add as many definitions as you require along with format styles.
Figure 7: Now we are ready to add the definition to the Extended Data of our objects. In Model space, select the object you want to add the definition to. Open the Properties Dialog and select the Extended Data Tab. With the object still selected, pick the Add Property Sets Button at the lower left corner of the Extended Data Property Dialog.
Figure 8: Under the Add Property Sets Dialog, select the property set you want to add.
Figure 9: Once you have completed this step, you can add the information to the individual objects.
Conclusion
Now you can explore Property Data Sets! Use your imagination and get creative – this added information takes your Civil 3D modeling to a new level. This method works well with 4D modeling as well as construction pour count and schedule calculation, however, it has many more application uses and purposes.
This blog is written by Civil Production Project Manager Frank Diemert.
Behind the Blog: Meet Frank Diemert
Frank has over 24 years of civil design experience in the AEC industry, helping companies translate their business goals to reality. He started working construction and excavation in high school, continuing throughout his young adult life. He has used that 15 years of experience as the basis for his civil design career. He also started his own consulting design business in 1998 and continued periodically through 2019.
He has an associate degree in Applied Science in CADD Technology, and has used Autodesk products since 1996, starting with AutoCAD R13. He has professionally utilized Civil 3D since its introduction in 2007 with the 2008 file format.
Frank has served as a senior CAD technician, a consultant for many national firms and as a project automation lead for a large international firm. From residential subdivisions, commercial and industrial complexes to large data centers, Frank has been involved in many types of civil, structural and architectural projects. Frank has been professionally utilizing Civil 3D since its introduction in 2007 with the 2008 file format.
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