Working with Point Data - Digital Riverdrh2.img.digitalriver.com/DRHM/Storefront/Company/adsk/...3. In the drawing area, select an arc, line, or lot line. 4. Enter a point description

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Working with Point DataSection 1:

Skill Objectives

This section covers the following skill objectives:

■ Create points based on a parcel, surface, or alignment.■ View and edit point data with the Toolspace item view and the drawing window.■ Create description key sets and point groups.■ Create and apply label styles.Sa

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2 ■ Section 1: Working with Point Data

Creating Points

Performance Task

After completing this lesson, you will be able to perform the following task:

■ Create points based on a parcel, surface, or alignment.

Introduction to Point Settings

In most cases when you create a point, you are prompted to provide information such as the point number, elevation, or description. You can simplify the process of creating points by setting default values that are used automatically each time that you create a point.

About Point Settings and Point Groups

Point Settings

Point settings determine the properties of the points that you create. They are a set of default values for properties (for example, point number or elevation) that you can modify so that you can quickly organize point information as it is imported or created.

Point Groups

You can use the point creation settings in conjunction with point groups to organize your point data. Point groups organize points that have a common name or function, so that you can manipulate points with similar properties as a group. By assigning a specific property to points when they are imported or created, you can automatically assign them to a specific point group.

Benefits of Using Point Creation Settings and Point Groups

You can use the point creation settings to give all new points a common raw description and create a point group that includes all points with this raw description. Any new points that you create with this raw description become part of the point group and can be manipulated as a group. For example, you can hide all new points by hiding the layer on which the point group resides.

Components of a point

Point marker Point elevation

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Creating Points ■ 3

As you develop your design, you can collect the points that you create into a point group. By creating a point group that represents your work on a design, it is easy to isolate the points you have added in order to:

■ Control the appearance of the points to highlight the additions and edits you have made to the original drawing.

■ Export the points as a group.■ Roll back or hide your changes to explore other design options.

Introduction to Changing Point Creation Settings

The two primary places where you access the settings for default point values are the Points collection on the Settings tab, and the Commands item located under the Points collection. You use the feature settings accessed using the Points collection to determine values for points created using any method. You use the command settings only to determine values for points created using the CreatePoints command.

The following procedures describe how to use point creation settings to organize your point data as it is imported or created. You use feature settings to set point numbering. You use the CreatePoints command settings to give points a default description and elevation. You use both sets of settings to assign newly created points to a specific point group.

Procedure: Changing Default Point Numbering

The following steps describe how to change default point numbering. The values that you select for point feature settings are used for all point-related commands.

1. On the Settings tab of Toolspace, right-click the Point collection and click Edit Feature Settings.

2. In the Edit Feature Settings dialog box, expand Point Identity.

3. For Next Point Number, enter the number that you want to assign to the next point that you create.

4. For Use Sequential Numbering, do one of the following:

■ Select True to have point numbers assigned in sequence starting with the Next Point Number value.

■ Select False to have the application prompt you to assign point numbers as you create points.

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Procedure: Changing the Default Description and Elevation

The following steps describe how to change the default description and elevation.

If you enter default values for point elevations and descriptions, you must change the Prompt for Elevations and Prompt for Descriptions values to Automatic. If the value of both Prompt for Elevations and Prompt for Descriptions is Manual, the preset values are ignored and you are prompted to enter values whenever you create points.

For more information, see “Edit Point Settings Dialog Box” in Help.

1. On the Settings tab, expand Point. Expand Commands. Right-click CreatePoints. Click Edit Command Settings.

2. In the Edit Command Settings dialog box, expand Points Creation.

3. Edit the default point settings as required.

The following illustration displays the Point Creation settings that you can edit.

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Procedure: Adding New Points to a Point Group

The following steps describe how to configure the default settings for point creation with a point group.

Introduction to Objects Used to Create Points

You can create points by using objects in your drawing as a reference. For example, you can create points with:

■ Parcels ■ Surfaces■ Alignments■ AutoCAD® objects

Point Data Created with Parcels and Surfaces

Creating points with a parcel object generates points that represent the endpoints of a lot line. You create points from a surface when you need to identify or isolate specific locations on the surface. Each point takes its elevation from a location on the surface.

You may need to use a surface to create points if regulations require you to mark spot elevations on your finished plan. You can add the points as needed and label and manage them as a group. You can also create random points when you need existing ground spot elevations to label a topographic survey plan, or finished ground spot elevations to create stakeout information.

1. On the Settings tab of Toolspace, expand the Point collection, then the Commands collection.

2. Right-click CreatePoints and click Edit Command Settings.

3. In the Edit Command Settings dialog box, expand Points Creation.

4. For Default Description, enter the raw description that you want to assign to any new point that you create.

5. For Prompt for Elevations and Prompt for Descriptions, select Automatic.

6. On the Prospector tab, right-click Point Groups. Click New to create a new point group.

7. In the Point Group Properties dialog box, Information tab, enter a name for the new point group.

8. On the Include tab, select the With Raw Descriptions Matching check box. Enter the name of the point group.

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Example of Points Created with a Parcel

Creating a point with a parcel is useful when you have a parcel design and need to create stakeout information. In the following illustration, points are created by selecting the line segments of a parcel. The points are placed at the endpoints of each line.

Point Data Created Using Alignments

In addition to parcels and surfaces, another common source of point data is alignments. You can create points that are based on an alignment in several ways, including points that:

■ Are offset from alignment stations.■ Are a specified distance apart or equally spaced along an alignment.■ Represent the geometry points on the alignment.

When you create points with an alignment, the application creates points at every geometry point on an alignment, including:

■ Points of curvature (PC)■ Points of tangency (PT)■ Spiral curves (SC)■ Curve spirals (CS)■ Tangent spirals (TS)■ Points of intersection (PI)

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The raw and full description for the point is automatically assigned based on the type of geometry point that is the source of the new point.

For more information, see “Creating Points Based on Horizontal Alignments” in Help.

Example of Points Created with an Alignment

In this section of an alignment, the points have the following automatically created raw descriptions.

Introduction to Creating Points Based on Objects

Each point creation method begins with the Create Points dialog box. The following procedures describe how to create points based on an object.

Procedure: Creating Points Based on a Parcel

The following steps describe how to create points based on a parcel.

Section of an alignment

Point of curvature Point of tangency

Point of intersection Point of curvature

1. On the Prospector tab, right-click Points. Click Create.

2. On the Create Points toolbar, from the Miscellaneous list, select On Line/Curve.

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Procedure: Creating Points Based on a Surface

The following steps describe how to create points based on a surface.

Procedure: Creating Points Based on an Alignment

The following steps describe how to create points based on an alignment.

For more information, see “Creating Points Based on Horizontal Alignments” in Help.

3. In the drawing area, select an arc, line, or lot line.

4. Enter a point description and the elevation for each endpoint.


2. On the Create Points tool bar, from the Surface list, select Random Points.

3. In the drawing area, select a location within a surface.

4. Enter a point description for the point.


2. On the Create Points toolbar, from the Alignment list, select a command.

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Exercise: Create Points

As part of the final design for a subdivision plan, you need to create stakeout information and label critical elevations. To simplify the management and labeling of these discrete points, you create new points from existing data and collect them in a point group.

The completed exercise

1. Open ..\Creating Points\Maplewood_Points.dwg.

2. In Toolspace, Settings tab, expand the Maplewood_Points drawing tree. Expand Point.

3. Expand Commands. Right-click CreatePoints. Click Edit Command Settings.

4. In the Edit Command Settings - CreatePoints dialog box:

■ Expand Points Creation.■ For Default Description, enter PARCEL.

■ For Prompt for Elevations, select Automatic.

■ For Prompt for Descriptions, select Automatic.

5. Click Apply. Click OK.

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6. On the Prospector tab, expand the Maplewood_Points drawing collection. Right-click Point Groups. Click New.

7. In the Point Group Properties - Point Group -(1) dialog box, Information tab, for Name, enter Phase 6.

8. In the Point Group Properties dialog box, Include tab, select the With Raw Descriptions Matching check box. Enter PARCEL.

9. Click Apply. Click OK.

10. On the Prospector tab, expand Sites. Expand Maplewood Phase 6. Expand Parcels.

11. Right-click SINGLE-FAMILY_604. Click Zoom To.


13. On the Create Points toolbar, from the Miscellaneous menu, select On Line/Curve.

14. In the drawing area, select one of the straight interior lines of parcel 604. Press ENTER twice. Select the other straight line. Press ENTER twice.

15. On the Prospector tab, expand Point Groups. Right-click Phase 6. Click Update.

16. Close the drawing file. Do not save the changes.

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Viewing and Editing Point Data ■ 11

Viewing and Editing Point Data

Performance Task


■ View and edit point data with the Toolspace item view and the drawing window.

Point Viewing and Editing Methods

Viewing point data is a best-practice step in the design process to identify problems in the imported data. You can also use this step in the process to communicate various design scenarios.

When you view imported data, you may identify both anomalies and desired changes. Editing the imported point data involves changing individual point coordinates or editing point group definitions so that the points displayed in the drawing area and in the Prospector tab item view reflect the terrain being designed.

As shown in the following illustration, you can view and edit point data in tabular format (left), or directly in the drawing (right).

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Methods for Viewing and Editing Point Data

There are three methods for viewing data:

■ Visual Inspection

The first method involves a visual check of the drawing file displayed in the drawing area. This inspection can identify problems with the point data that would not necessarily be apparent in a listing of data point coordinates. A visual inspection is most effective when you are familiar with the terrain.

■ Prospector Table

The second method for viewing point data is checking point data coordinates listed in tabular format in the Prospector toolspace item view. By using this method, you can inspect each point for the logic of its coordinates and review the point group definitions.

■ LandXML Report

The third method for viewing point data is generating a LandXML report, and then evaluating its accuracy. Similar to the second method, with this method you can identify incorrect coordinate data by reviewing individual points displayed in tabular format. The advantage of a LandXML report is that it is a physical report, or printout, of the point data.

When editing point data, the method that you use should be appropriate for the task. If the edits you make have an impact on design calculations, you should directly edit coordinate data in the Prospector toolspace item view or the Point Editor. The Point Editor is displayed in a separate window, which provides more viewing area and greater flexibility in use of screen space. If you are simply drafting a design, editing directly in the drawing gives you a fast and flexible method for changing the point coordinates and verifying the results. Editing in the drawing area, however, is less precise than editing point data values in the item view.

Example of Viewing and Editing Point Data

In the following illustration, data points were collected to describe a terrain on which houses are to be developed. However, only the left half of the imported points represent terrain that is zoned for housing development; the rest is zoned for farming.

Imported points for a land development project

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You can quickly eliminate the imported points that cannot be represented in this development project by deleting those points directly in the drawing. In the following illustration on the left, half of the points are selected. In the illustration on the right, these selected points are deleted, leaving only the terrain zoned for housing.

By using the edited points, you can now proceed to work on the details of developing this terrain.

Introduction to Viewing and Editing Point Data

The following procedures describe how you view and edit points using the Prospector tab in Toolspace, the Point Editor, and the drawing.

On the Prospector tab, you can review all imported point data by clicking Points, or you can review the points according to their point group definition by expanding Point Groups and selecting a point group. The data displayed in the item view describes the many properties of each point. To edit any of these values directly in the item view, select the value and make the desired change.

Editing imported points directly in drawing file

View point data in item view

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To edit these points using the Point Editor, right-click the point or point group to edit and click Edit Points. This action opens the Point Editor in the Panorama window.

To review imported data points, right-click a point in the item view and click Zoom To to go to that point in the drawing area, where you can make changes directly in the drawing. Alternatively, you can use the ZOOM and PAN commands to go to the desired point in the drawing area.

Procedure: Viewing and Editing Point Data in a Table Format

When you select a point group on the Prospector tab, tabular information for the point group is displayed in the item view, located either below the Toolspace, or to its right.

The following steps describe how to view and edit point data in this item view.

Edit data in Point Editor

1. On the Prospector tab, expand Point Groups. Click a point group.

2. In the item view, right-click the point number to view a point in the drawing area. Click Zoom To.

3. Click the value you want to change to edit the point coordinate. Click it, again. Enter a new value.

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Procedure: Editing Point Data in the Drawing Area

You can edit point data in the drawing area on a point-by-point basis, or by selecting points as a group. The following steps describe how to edit point data in the drawing area.

1. In the drawing area, select the point.

2. Select the point again to make it active (red).

3. Right-click the point. Click Move.

4. Select a new location for the point.

Moving a point from within a drawing file

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Exercise: View and Edit Point Data

In this exercise, you view and edit point data. You are a civil engineer working on a design for the Maplewood subdivision. You have imported new point data into your drawing file in the form of spot elevations. You need to review the coordinates of the imported points and make manual edits to one or more points.


1. Open the file ..\Viewing and Editing Point Data\Maplewood_Points2.dwg.

2. On the Prospector tab, expand Point Groups. Right-click Spot Elevations. Select Edit Points.

3. In the Panorama window, right-click point number 1006. Click Zoom To.

4. In the drawing area, select point 1006.

5. Select point 1006 again to make it active (red). Select a new location for the point.


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Managing Points ■ 17

Managing Points

Performance Task


■ Create description key sets and point groups.

Introduction to Description Keys

Description keys interpret the way a point is inserted into a drawing. Description keys are coded to interpret the raw description given to a civil point object when it is inserted into a drawing. Depending on the coding, the insertion may cause raw descriptions to be replaced automatically with full ones, points to be organized onto layers, and different point styles or point label styles to be applied.

Definition of Description Keys

Description keys determine the properties of points imported into a drawing file. A description key uses a point’s raw description to determine point style, point label style, the layer a point is placed on, and overrides for scale and rotation values.

For example, when you import points from a LandXML file, you can use a description key to assign the point style or to place the points on a specific layer.

Description keys help you simplify and standardize the creation of point data in your drawings. After you create description keys using your organization’s standards, you can save them as a part of a drawing template (.dwt). When you use the template as the starting point for your drawings, any objects that you import or create have the same appearance, reside on the same layer, and are displayed in the same groupings.

How description keys manage imported points

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Example of Using Description Keys to Create Standards

An organization can create a single set of description keys and use this set to import data from a number of organizations.

The entries in a description key set should take into account different organizational standards. For example, a set can have entries for the raw descriptions APPLE* and TREE*. These entries ensure that an appropriate point style and other properties are assigned whether the source data has a category for each specific type of tree or a single generic tree category. Instead of creating a description key set for each source of data, a firm can use the same set of description keys any time point data is imported.

Introduction to Creating and Editing Description Keys

Description keys are grouped into description key sets. You create and edit description key sets in Toolspace, on the Settings tab. The following procedures show you how to create a description key set and how to create and edit description keys.

Procedure: Creating a New Description Key Set

The following steps describe how to create a new description key set.

1. On the Settings tab, expand Point.

2. Right-click Description Key Sets. Click New.

3. Enter a name for the set. Enter a brief description.

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Procedure: Creating and Editing a Description Key

You create and edit description keys using the Description Key Editor. You can also edit the keys using the item view, located below the Toolspace when a description key is selected. However, the Description Key Editor provides a larger view and the ability to move the window in your workspace.

The following steps describe how to create and edit description keys.

Introduction to Point Groups

Point groups provide a flexible and convenient way to identify points that share common characteristics or that are used to perform a task, such as creating a surface. You can use point groups to create groupings of points using point number, point name, point elevation, raw (field) or full description, and other characteristics. Point groups also play a fundamental role in controlling how a point is displayed in a drawing.

Definition of Point Groups

Point groups organize the points in a drawing and control how they are displayed. You create point groups by defining the characteristics that a point must possess in order to be part of the group.

For example, you can specify that a point belongs to a point group based on its point number, its name, its raw or full description, its elevation, or any combination of these parameters. Any point that matches the properties you define is drawn using the point style and point label style for the group.

1. On the Settings tab, expand Point.

2. Expand Description Key Sets. Right-click the name of the set to edit. Click Edit Keys.

3. In the Description Key Editor, right-click a description key in the Code column. Click New.

4. Click anywhere in the row to select the description key you want to edit.

5. Click each field along the row to edit values.

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After you create point groups, you can start to work with points as a group. All actions applied to the group, such as changing the style or assigning the group to a surface, are applied to the individual points in the group.

Examples of Using Point Groups to Organize Data

You can create a point group that contains only spot elevation points, and then add all spot elevation points to the surface at the same time by using the point group. You can isolate the new points in the display window or plans by applying a different object style, or remove them from the display by placing them on a specific layer and then turning the layer off.

Introduction to Creating Point Groups

Creating point groups involves creating point group criteria. You create the criteria for a point group using the Point Group Properties dialog box. With the tabs in this dialog box, you can create complex criteria. For example, you use the Query Builder tab to create point groups by combining expressions.

Example of points sorted into three point groups

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For more information, see “Creating Point Groups” in Help.

Procedure: Creating a New Point Group

The following steps describe how to create a new point group.

1. On the Prospector tab, right-click Point Groups. Click New.

2. On the Information tab, enter a name for the point group.

3. Do one of the following:

■ On the Raw Desc Matching tab, select a raw description.■ On the Include tab, select a criterion to match, and then enter a specific value.

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Exercise: Create a Point Group

In this exercise, you create a point group. You are a civil engineer preparing a terrain model for use in a subdivision design. The surveyor has supplied you with new data for spot elevations on the Maplewood site. You need to create a point group to help you track and manipulate the new spot elevation data.


1. Open the file ..\Managing Points\Maplewood_Points4.dwg.

2. On the Prospector tab, right-click Point Groups. Click New.

3. In the Point Group Properties dialog box, Information tab, for Name, enter Spot Elevations.

4. On the Include tab:

■ Select the With Raw Descriptions Matching check box.

■ In the With Raw Descriptions Matching field, enter R.

■ Click OK.

The imported points that represent spot elevations all have a raw description of R.

5. On the Prospector tab, expand Point Groups. Click Spot Elevations.

The spot elevation data is displayed in the item view.


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Creating Label Styles ■ 23

Creating Label Styles

Performance Task


■ Create and apply label styles.

Introduction to Label Styles

Label styles provide a consistent appearance to labels for objects. Label styles control the settings for the annotation and labeling of these objects. Label styles consist of three key components: general label properties, the layout parameters of the label components, and the dragged state characteristics of the label.

The following illustration shows the label for a point that has been automatically formatted to the default label style.

Definition of Label Styles

Label styles define the behavior, appearance, and content of labels. Label styles control the settings for the annotation and labeling of these objects.

Types of Label Styles

In the Toolspace Settings tree, the Label Styles collections contain one or more types of label styles that represent unique aspects of specific objects. You can create label styles for all objects, including points, surfaces, parcels, and alignments.

Points – You can create label styles for point objects to indicate information such as number, elevation, and description.

Surfaces – You can define label styles for surface objects such as slopes, spot elevation, watersheds, and contours.

Parcels – You can create label styles for parcel objects such as areas, lines, and curves.

Alignments – You can create label styles for alignment objects such as stations, station offsets, lines, curves, spirals, and tangent intersections.

Label with default style applied

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Example of a Label Style

The following illustration shows a label style that sets the formatting of the numeric information.

Introduction to Creating Label Styles

The following procedure shows you how to create label styles for points, surfaces, parcels, and objects. The settings that you configure for each object type are also listed.

Procedure: Creating Label Styles

The following steps show you how to create label styles for any type of object.

Introduction to Applying Label Styles

You can apply label styles manually, or automatically with the feature and command settings. The following procedure shows you how to apply label styles.

The following illustration shows a point before a custom point style and label style have been applied.

Point with an applied label style

1. In the Toolspace, on the Settings tab, expand the collection for the object type, right-click Label Styles and select New.

2. On the Information tab, under Name, enter a name for the new style.

3. Configure the other settings of the Label Style Composer appropriately.

Point before the style is applied

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The following illustration shows a point after a custom point style and label style have been applied.

Procedure: Applying Label Styles

The following steps describe how to apply a label style to a group of points.

Point after the style is applied

1. Select a point in the group to which you want to apply the label style.

2. Right-click the point and select Point Group Properties.

3. In the Point Groups Property dialog box, select the point style and point label style to apply.

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Exercise: Create and Apply Label Styles

In this exercise, you create and apply a point object style and a point label style.

Create a Point Object Style

In this exercise you create a point object style.


1. Open file ..\Creating Styles\Creating Styles.dwg.

2. Select General menu > Toolspace.

3. In Toolspace, click the Settings tab.

4. Expand the Point collection. Right-click Point Styles. Click New.

5. In the Point Style - New Point Style dialog box, under Name, enter Custom Point.

6. On the Marker tab:

■ Select the Use AutoCAD Block Symbol for Marker option button. From the list, select Bound.

■ Under Size, for Inches, change the value to .2500.

7. On the Display tab, in the Marker row, click the Layer cell.

8. In the Layer Selection dialog box, select C-TOPO-SPOT. Click OK.

9. On the Display tab, in the Label row, click the Layer cell.

10. In the Layer Selection dialog box, select C-TOPO-SPOT-LABL. Click OK.

11. Click OK.

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Create a Point Label Style

In this exercise you create a point label style.

Apply a Point Object Style and a

Point Label Style

In this exercise you apply a point object style and a point label style.

1. In Toolspace, on the Settings tab, right-click Label Styles. Click New.

2. In the Label Style Composer - New Point Label Style dialog box, on the Information tab, under Name, enter Custom Point Label

Style.

3. On the General tab, for the Label collection, in the Layer row

■ Click in the Value column.■ Click on the ellipsis.■ Select C-TOPO-SPOT-LABL from the list.

NOTE: The preview turns gray (color 8), which is the layer color for the C-TOPO-SPOT-LABL layer.

4. On the Layout tab:

■ Under Component Name, select Point Elevation.

■ Under the Text collection, for the Contents property, click in the Value column. Click the ellipsis icon.

5. In the Text Component Editor - Contents dialog box:

■ Double-click the text in the right-hand panel.

■ For the Precision property, change the value to 0.01.

■ Click to update the right-hand panel.

6. Click OK to close all dialog boxes.

1. Zoom Extents to display the single point in the drawing.

2. Select the point. Right-click and select Point Group Properties.

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3. In the Point Groups Property dialog box, on the Information tab:

■ Under Point Style, select Custom Point.■ Under Point Label Style, select Custom

Point Label Style.

4. Click OK.

5. Select the point. Right-click and select Edit Points.

6. In the Point Editor, click the Point Label Style field. In the Select Label Style dialog box, select Custom Point Label Style. Click OK.

The label style of the point changes to reflect the custom label style you created.

7. Close the file and do not save changes.

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Documents

Working with Point Data - Digital Riverdrh2.img.digitalriver.com/DRHM/Storefront/Company/adsk/...3. In the drawing area, select an arc, line, or lot line. 4. Enter a point description