AUTODESK CIVIL 3D CAD MANAGER’S GUIDE
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Chapter 3: Civil 3D Configuration and
Content Management
A successful implementation of Autodesk Civil 3D requires an appraisal of current
hardware and software, careful planning of user training, and preparation of necessary
background support customization and templates. A successful CAD manager
understands not just the software features but also the effort that goes into making
software use as effortless as possible for the end user. This chapter introduces Civil 3D
styles, discusses strategies for developing styles, and looks at management techniques
for keeping a company’s expanding collection of styles and content in check.
An Introduction to Styles
Civil 3D works with on a collection of custom elements representing alignments, surfaces,
profiles, and other design objects. Display of Civil 3D objects is based entirely on styles.
Styles control the color, linetype, lineweight, and linetype scale of Civil 3D objects and
their nested components. Learning how to use, develop, and manage styles in Civil 3D
can mean the difference between a successful transition from other CAD platforms or a
frustrating, costly experience that results in the firm reverting to its original design
package. This chapter provides background information on Civil 3D styles needed to plan
a strategy for their development and management within the CAD organization.
Styles apply not only to objects, but also to labels for those objects. In Civil 3D, display of
the Civil 3D objects can take either a ByStyle or ByLayer approach. The following table
summarizes key differences in these two approaches.
Advantages Disadvantages
ByStyle
Approach
• Hard-coded display helps
ensure that standards are
followed.
• Style-level display control
means fewer layers to manage.
• A single dialog box controls the
display of most Civil 3D objects.
• Difficult to manage
downstream data.
• Not obvious to layer-trained
users.
• Requires a new style for every
display permutation.
ByLayer
Approach
• Comfortable to end users.
• Works well with others using
Civil 3D content as background
or xref data.
• Fewer styles to manage.
• AutoCAD users can manipulate
display using familiar layer
controls.
• Requires layering and Civil 3D
standards for adequate
control.
• Difficult to track down various
component controls.
Because Civil 3D styles cannot be modified in any other version of AutoCAD
®
software,
most Civil 3D implementations currently use the ByLayer approach. That approach allows
the creation of styles in Civil 3D that are the most flexible for more users.
In addition to the main Civil 3D objects having their own styles associated, many
subcomponents have a style as well. For example, contour labels are a subcomponent of
the surface object, and major station styles are a subcomponent of alignments. In the
entire Civil 3D model, more than 100 types of styles can be defined. Thankfully, you don’t
have to create them all from scratch.
