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NYSAPLS 2009 Annual Conference

“Field to Finish” Using AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 Speaker Jerry Bartels – Autodesk

How long does it take you to turn your field data into "useable" Civil data? In other words, are your lines and symbology created for you automatically when you import your field data, or are you spending lots of time playing "connect the dots"? Join Jerry Bartels of Autodesk as he demonstrates how to accomplish "Field to Finish" using AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2009.

About the Speaker: Jerry is a civil engineering technical specialist for Autodesk. For more than 18 years, Jerry has worked in all areas of civil engineering, surveying, and mapping, providing clients with services in CAD management, implementation and network administration. He also has 10+ years of experience teaching Autodesk products and developing curriculum at Elgin Community College in Illinois. At Autodesk, Jerry specializes in civil engineering and mapping solutions, and currently provides pre-sales, training and support services throughout the country. He has received several awards from Autodesk for his presentations. [email protected]

“Field to Finish” Using AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009

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Introduction…

During this 4 hour session, we will discuss as well as demonstrate the concept of “Field to Finish”. Before we begin, we must first understand what “Field to Finish” actually means. Our definition of “Field to Finish” is the ability to create “Near Production Ready” drawings solely as a result of how the data is collected in the field. In other words, your line work and symbology is automatically drawn for you based on how the data is captured. No more connect the dots!!

The concept of “Field to Finish” is not new. In fact, “Field to Finish” techniques have been around for almost 20 years. (Back in the D.C.A. days ☺ ) As software has evolved over time, our abilities to leverage “Field to Finish” have become easier and easier. Unfortunately, to date, only a modest number of firms have embraced “Field to Finish”.

This is primarily due to several misconceptions. The most popular ones are that “Field to Finish” is difficult to learn and even more difficult to implement. One of my favorites is the notion that “I’m not going to spend 50% more time in the field just to make the CAD person’s job easier!”

Our goal today is to dispel these misconceptions as well as others regarding “Field to Finish”. Essentially, if you are willing to invest an additional 5% more effort in the field when collecting your data, you too can easily master “Field to Finish”. In doing so, you will greatly increase your productively as well as significantly reduce the amount of time it takes you to complete a project. There are few things where such a small investment can make such a huge impact!

After attending this class, participants: • will learn the components and procedures

required to utilize “Field to Finish”

• will have witnessed Survey equipment working directly with AutoCAD Civil 3D

• will learn how to leverage “Field to Finish” when using AutoCAD Civil or AutoCAD Civil 3D

• will understand the business benefits of collecting field data in a way that line work and symbology are created automatically.

I’m sure you would agree that we could spend the entire 4 hour session on any one of the objectives listed above. Knowing this, our discussion will be more usage oriented rather than detail oriented. In other words, we will focus our attention on using the tools rather than concentrating on everything the tools can do. In doing so, we will focus primarily on the information necessary to understand the concepts and get you up to speed quickly.

Let’s get started!!


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Software: The software we will be using for today’s session is AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009. My intention is that all of the techniques described during our time together will be applicable to both AutoCAD Civil and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009. If we stray into any area where this may not be the case I will be sure to note it. Having said this, the terms Civil 3D and Civil should be considered synonymous. Links providing additional information are below: AutoCAD Civil 3D: www.autodesk.com/civil3d AutoCAD Civil: www.autodesk.com/civil

Hardware: At the time of this writing, the survey hardware we intend to use will be a Trimble S6 Robotic total station as well as a Trimble Data Collector running Trimble’s Survey Controller collection software. NOTE: The techniques shown today will be applicable to all survey hardware and collection software. If you do not use Trimble equipment, the information presented today will still be applicable to you. Links providing additional information are below: Trimble S6 Robotic Total Station: www.trimble.com/trimbleS6.shtml Trimble Survey Controller Software: www.trimble.com/tsc.shtml

Misc: We will be connecting the data collector to our workstation using Microsoft’s Active Sync software via. a USB connection. Most modern data collectors support this form of connection. (Yes, connections via. COM ports are still supported. ☺) We will be using SOTI’s Pocket controller software to display the data collector screen on the projector. Links providing additional information are below: Microsoft ActiveSync: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/help/synchronize/activesync45.mspx SOTI Pocket Controller Software: http://www.soti.net

Goal: At the end of the day, using the tools just described, we will demonstrate the workflow necessary to successfully accomplish the task of “Field to Finish”. Essentially, automatically creating the image on the right based on the data collected on the left.


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Field to Finish Basics: “Setup” If we boil the act of data collection down to its simplest terms, we find that everything collected in the field falls into one of two categories:

• Points: These include such things as fire hydrants, ground shots, control points, inlets… Essentially anything that can be defined with a single shot. This shot will ultimately be represented in Civil 3D as a point object with an appropriate label and symbol. For now, we will focus on the act of collection and leave the detailed discussion on how symbols and labels are added for different session.

• Lines:

Anything that is not a discreet point will be part of a Line. Lines define things like Back of Curb, Road Centerlines, Top of Bank, Overhead Electric… In most cases, the lines that are collected are intended to be displayed in the final plot. In other cases they are collected for the sole purpose of assisting in surface creation. (i.e. top of bank, toe of slope, flow line…) These lines will ultimately be represented in Civil 3D as Survey Figures that match company standards for layer, color, linetype, pen width… Like Points, we will focus initially on the act of collection and save the discussion of formatting for conclusion of this session.

Mission Planning: When we collect points and lines in the field we must establish an agreed upon standard “coding” system so that our collection process remains organized. In other words, the Office people need to know that the Field people use the code “BC” to represent the back of curb and the code “FH” to represent a fire hydrant. I know what you are thinking, what could be more obvious! I only take the time to mention this because I have been in numerous offices that attempt to manage multiple coding “standards”. For example, “We have four crew chiefs and they all like to collect things a little bit differently”. If you have rigid coding system and have not experienced this situation, congratulations, you are one of the lucky ones. ☺ Fortunately, Civil 3D can accommodate multiple “Standards”. If you must use more than one you certainly can. Having said this, countless problems can be eliminated simply by ensuring the Office people and Field people remain on the same page by leveraging a single coding standard. We can establish a standard coding structure by creating a “code” for everything that will be collected in the field. Because most Field people do not want to write a story for every point that is collected, two or three characters should work fine. Most firms will choose an all “Alpha” format for collection. The remaining firms standardize on an all numeric system. Civil 3D can accommodate either format. For the purpose of today’s session we will be using an “Alpha” format. For example: Points: Lines: GS = Ground Shot BC = Back of Curb FH = Fire Hydrant CL = Centerline CP = Control Point SW = Sidewalk


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If you work with field collected data, I am sure this is something you are already very familiar with. However, if you are currently not creating automatic line work, there is one more item we need to add to your already familiar process. Figure Commands: Figure commands are the tools which “Connect the Dots” so to speak. These include: BEG = Starts a Figure Line C3 = 3 Point Curve MCS = Multi Point Curve Start MCE = Multi Point Curve End CLOSE = Closes a Figure OFFSET = Offsets a Figure Left or Right RECALL = Draws Figure using previously collected point CLOSE BLD = Closes a Building CLOSE RECT = Closes a Rectangle Using Figure Commands, we can collect data such that our line work is automatically drawn for us. This includes straight lines, arcs, reverse curves, compound curves, closed objects… Essentially, using the commands listed above we can automatically create more than 95% of the lines we encounter in the field. During our session we will discuss and demonstrate the use of the figure commands listed above.

Using Figure Commands: “Data Collection Techniques” How do Figure Commands work? The process is actually quite easy. Depending on your data collection software, they will be added as either “Notes” prior to a Point being collected or as part of the Point Description itself. During today’s session we will demonstrate both methods. To make things simple for now, let’s look at a quick example where the Figure commands are added to the Point descriptions.

Note: This is not an all inclusive list. By looking in the Civil 3D Help under Figure Commands you can find a complete list of the commands available. Once again, our goal today is not to cover everything that can be done but rather what can get you up to speed quickly.


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Let’s say our goal is to collect data to represent the street shown on the right. At the time we collect the data we would like to capture it in such a way that will automatically draw the curbs and centerline for us later. To accomplish this we will collect the field data using our standard field codes. At the same time, we will incorporate one of the Figure Commands listed on the previous page. The command is “BEG” and it is arguably the most important Figure Command as it is used to define every line you collect. We begin by taking the first shot on the south curb. When we collect the point, we add the Description “B BC1”. We use our standard “BC” for Back of Curb and we add a “1” after it. We do this to make the shots along the South curb unique from the shots along the North curb. We also add a “B” to the description. (Abbreviation for BEG) By adding the “B” the system knows we are beginning a new Figure/Line along the south Back of Curb. Next, we take a shot at the road center line and add the Description “B CL1”. The “1” is not required. It is being added as good practice in the event we would like to collect additional center line Figures. Also, note that our collection strategy is such that we are collecting data in a traditional cross section workflow. You are not required to collect the points of your line one immediately after the next. (Another misconception ☺ ) Finally, we collect the first shot on the north curb. When we collect the point, we add the Description “B BC2”. In doing so, we have successfully initiated three unique Figures/Lines.


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Now that the Figures have been initiated, we can continue to collect using our normal workflow. For example, when we advance down the road and collect our next shot on the north back of curb we will code the point as “BC2”. Civil 3D will recognize the “BC2” and connect the dots automatically. The object created is a Survey Figure/Line called BC2. We continue by collecting the next point that defines our Centerline. Once again, Civil 3D recognizes the description “CL1” and automatically creates our line work. Finally, we collect the second point on the South Back of Curb. Our three Survey Figures are beginning to take shape. As we continue to collect data, we should make sure that one thing is clear. So long as the code assigned to a point matches an existing Survey Figure, Civil 3D will automatically continue the line. We do not need any Pen Up, Pen Down, Continue, End… commands that are required in other software packages. Also, we are free to collect other objects at any time. For example, we reach a point in our collection where it makes sense for us to capture the fire hydrant. We need only walk over and collect the point. At the same time, we could easily collect additional objects such as a mailbox or valve vault. We could even start collecting a new Survey Figure to define a driveway.


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After collecting our additional objects, we can effortlessly return to our line collection by simply collecting the next point on the south Back of Curb and assigning it the code “BC1”. Once again, Civil 3D will recognize the “BC1” Description and automatically resume the Survey Figure / Line. As we continue our collection, we next capture an additional point on the center line. Like the South Back of Curb, after coding the point as “CL1”, Civil 3D automatically continues the CL1 Survey Figure. As we continue to collect multiple lines, we should also take note of the fact that there is no limit to the number of lines that can be collected at one time. Our example shows three but we could easily collect 8, 10, 20 or as many as the situation requires. We conclude our example by collecting the final point on the North Back of Curb. Looking back at the process we used, other than the “B” we used to initiate the line work and the numbers we added to the codes to ensure they were unique, I’m certain the rest of the process is reminiscent of what you currently do today.


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1000,1979629.0133,1004375.4443,100.0000,B BC1

1001,1979642.9503,1004375.9172,100.0000,B CL1

1002,1979657.1238,1004375.6808,100.0000,B BC2

1003,1979656.6515,1004417.5082,100.0000,BC2

1004,1979643.6590,1004417.2723,100.0000,CL1

1005,1979629.0133,1004417.0359,100.0000,BC1

1006,1979621.2175,1004450.5925,100.0000,HYD

1007,1979628.5406,1004474.9325,100.0000,BC1

1008,1979644.6040,1004474.4602,100.0000,CL1

1009,1979657.3601,1004474.4602,100.0000,BC2

BEG BC1 NE SS 1000 1979629.01330 1004375.44430 100.00000 "BC1" BEG CL1 NE SS 1001 1979642.95030 1004375.91720 100.00000 "CL1" BEG BC2 NE SS 1002 1979657.12380 1004375.68080 100.00000 "BC2" NE SS 1003 1979656.65150 1004417.50820 100.00000 "BC2" CONT CL1 NE SS 1004 1979643.65900 1004417.27230 100.00000 "CL1" CONT BC1 NE SS 1005 1979629.01330 1004417.03590 100.00000 "BC1" END NE SS 1006 1979621.21750 1004450.59250 100.00000 "HYD" CONT BC1 NE SS 1007 1979628.54060 1004474.93250 100.00000 "BC1" CONT CL1 NE SS 1008 1979644.60400 1004474.46020 100.00000 "CL1" CONT BC2 NE SS 1009 1979657.36010 1004474.46020 100.00000 "BC2"

Using a Field Book (.FBK): “Transfer to Civil 3D” Now that we have collected some data, we next need to discuss how to get the information into Civil 3D. First, Civil 3D uses a Field Book (.FBK file) to automatically create line work. The .FBK file is essentially an ASCII file which can be easily viewed (and edited) using Notepad.exe. Why does Autodesk use a .FBK file you ask? Simple, it is a standard format that is independent of the hardware used to collect it. For example, I used to collect data using an SDR 33 data collector. Data collected with an SDR 33 was viewed / manipulated using a software package called SDR Link (Later called ProLink). There were other people in my office that used Trimble equipment. They viewed / manipulated their data using a software package called TGO. The problem arose in that we needed people who were proficient in multiple packages depending on what equipment was used to collect the data. Using Civil 3D, so long as I can convert the raw survey data into a .FBK file, I can view / manipulate data collected via. any survey hardware. (The fact that I can do it using the free application Notepad only makes it nicer. ☺ ) At the end of the day, whether my raw survey data is in the format .SDR, .RW5, .JOB, .RAW, .CR5, ASCII… once converted to a .FBK they can all be utilized in the same manner. Let’s take a look at a quick example. If we use the survey data for the 3 survey figures we discussed on the previous pages, we would have “RAW” data similar to the box on the left. Note: For this example, the RAW data is in a PNEZD (Comma Delimited) format. Converting the “RAW” data produces the .FBK in the box on the right.

Looking at the box on the right, we can quickly see the Figure Command “BEG” (abbreviated “B”) we added to our description automatically added the necessary information to our Field Book file to automate the process of creating line work. At the same time, we can also see that CONT and END statements were automatically added. (As we talked about before, no Pen Ups or Pen Downs required!)


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Creating the Field Book File: If the .FBK file is the key to automatically creating our line work within Civil 3D, how do we get one? Essentially, the RAW survey data must be converted to a .FBK. There are several tools available to accomplish this. Survey Data Collection Link: The Survey Data Collection Link utility is included in Civil 3D. This is the same tool that was used in the Land Desktop Survey Module. It is a derivative of the old TDS Link application. If you have used TDS Link in the past, it should look extremely familiar. It addition to being a conversion tool, it also has the ability to connect directly to numerous data collectors. In doing so, you can quickly send and receive data between Civil 3D and your Data Collector. I used this tool to create the .FBK on the previous page. In doing so, I was able to convert a PNEZD file directly into a .FBK. Think for a moment about the possibilities. By adding some Figure Commands to an existing ASCII file we can automatically create line work!! Hardware Vendor Utilities: In addition to the Survey Data Collection Link utility, there are also numerous hardware vendors who have created their own “Civil 3D” utilities. Because these tools are developed by the hardware vendors directly, they provide the most accurate / effortless translation of your survey data. In addition, these tools generally offer additional features. Rather than being just a .FBK conversion tool, many also offer tools to connect to your data collector directly, export Civil 3D object information for staking purposes, integrate with Machine control equipment… Several of these tools run inside of Civil 3D. Once installed, Civil 3D’s functionality is extended to include additional menu options. Still others run outside of the Civil 3D environment. Space does not allow me to review each and every tool available. For additional information, please refer to the links below.

• Trimble Link: www.trimble.com/link_ts.asp

• Leica Exchange: http://www.leica-geosystems.com

• TOPCON Link: www.topconsupport.com

• Stringer Connect: (Not affiliated with a “hardware vendor” but very cool) http://www.civil3dtools.com/catalog24.html

• Carlson Connect: http://update.carlsonsw.com/updates.php?downloads=5761d196352911a887546aa1c84e7d4c&product=CarlsonConnect


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Using the Survey Database: “Transfer to Civil 3D” Now that we have a .FBK file, what happens next? We will use the .FBK file to populate the Civil 3D Survey Database. A graphic of Civil 3D’s Survey Database is shown below. Before we begin, let’s establish some brief base information on the Survey Database.

Civil 3D is a “Drawing Based” Application. This essentially means that Civil 3D object information is designed to be available within the drawing. In other words, you do not have to rely on pointers to numerous resource files and folders to use your data. The Survey Database, as well as the Survey related Equipment and Figure Prefix Databases are the exceptions to this rule.

The specific intent was to keep these files separate such that they can be maintained by the Survey Team. In other words, these databases provide a level of protection to the Surveyor or Field Crew. Because these files can be stored in a location that only they control, the Survey Team does not have to worry about someone in a different department deleting their control points or inadvertently rotating their survey data. This is not the case in Autodesk’s Legacy application Land Desktop. Using Land, the Surveyor’s points and the Engineer’s points are controlled by the same Point Database. (Points.MDB) Essentially, everyone is required to play in the same sandbox. ☺ These files include:

• Survey Database The Survey Database contains three categories of objects.

o Networks A Network can be considered an event in the field. In other words, you went out in the field, “Set Up” on a control point, established a “Back Sight”, set your Prism height to 5’ and began collecting points. The Network object maintains your control information, your backsight information, your setup information as well as all of your observation data. Using the Network Object, we can quickly review and or adjust our Survey data. (Because of Civil 3D’s Dynamic Object capabilities, any adjustments we make will propagate through the rest of the Network as well as your entire project!)

o Figures Figures are the linework you collect in the field. Every line you create using the Figure Commands will maintained here.

o Survey Points All points collected in the Field or controlled by the Survey Team will be maintained here.


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• Equipment Database

The Equipment Database maintains information specific to your survey hardware. For example, if you went out and bought three exact same brand new “Total Stations” they would not really be “exactly” the same. Each one could potentially have slightly different Calibration or Standard Deviation values. When computing a Least Squares adjustment these values can affect the accuracy of the results. Rather than searching for these values when they are required, they can be easily stored in the Equipment Database. When finished, you will have a list of “Virtual Total Stations” whose values match those of your real equipment.

• Figure Prefix Database The Figure Prefix Database is similar to Description Keys. Its job is to provide instructions to the Survey Figures / Linework you create. In other words, this is where you will set, what layer it is created on, if the line should participate as a Breakline, if the line should participate as a lot line, what “Style” should be applied to the linework… The main purpose of this file is to assist you in conforming to your office standards.

Populating the Survey Database: Now that we understand a little bit about where our data will be going, let’s talk a little bit about how we are going to get it there. A graphic showing the possibilities (Image 1) as well as some supporting information is provided below.

Note: The Survey Database is stored in the Survey “Working Folder”. You can set this location by right clicking on the Survey Databases category in the Survey Toolspace. By default, this folder is C:\Civil 3D Projects. Equipment and Figure Prefix databases are stored under All Users… C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\C3D 2009\enu\Survey

Image 1


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Import the Field Book (.FBK) manually Once the .FBK file is created we can import it into Civil 3D’s Survey Database manually. We do this by importing the Field book into a Network Object through the Survey Toolspace. By simply right clicking on the “Networks” category under an existing Survey Database, we click New. We can then associate a name with our new Network. Because a Network is generally an event in the Field, I usually use the date the data was collected. See Below: After our Network is created, we can right click on it and select the option to Import Field Book…

Import the Field Book automatically As discussed earlier, several hardware vendors have created tools which allow field data collected using their Field Controller to be automatically added to Civil 3D’s Survey Database. We will be using one of those tools today. Because we are using Trimble equipment today we will be leveraging Trimble’s “Trimble Link” application to transfer our field data directly to the Survey Database. Keep in mind that during this process you will not see the .FBK file. This is because “Trimble Link” will seamlessly create a Survey Database (if necessary), create a Network and import the Field book into the Network in a single step. If you would like to access or view the .FBK file, you can find it the Survey Working Folder. The folder will share the same name as the Network object you create during the import.

Note: Importing the .FBK file is the key to automatically creating your line work. In other words, this is the step in the process where you can begin to appreciate the results of your handiwork. ☺


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Import “Paper” Field Data Manually For the people out there who have a stack of paper “Field Notes” and are wondering what Civil 3D can offer them, I would point them to the “Survey Command Window”. This utility provides an input method to the Survey Database where information can be manually input. (Old School style) The Survey Command Window can be found by Right Clicking on an existing Network Object in the Survey Toolspace and selecting the Survey Command Window… option. In addition to inputting Field data, this utility is also quite handy for such tasks as entering Legal Description information to create a Survey Figure of your property boundary. Transform Field Data on the Fly Civil 3D has the unique ability to Transform your Survey data “on the fly”! Looking back at Image 1, you will see that the Survey Database has a Coordinate Control System (Projection) associated to it. This is HUGE! Because of this, we can easily transform Survey data using a simple “Drag and Drop” operation. For example, let’s say we collected a large amount of utility data using a State Plane projection system. After submitting our completed paper documents to the City, they contact us requesting the coordinate information on several of the structures such that they can compare it against their GIS Data. The problem is that their GIS data is not in a State Plane projection. Instead, the City has standardized on a UTM projection. How long would it take you to translate your existing coordinate information to what they need? Using Civil 3D we can perform the operation in a matter of seconds. By simply creating a new drawing using a UTM projection consistent with the City, we can click on the desired data within our Survey Database and Drag and Drop it into our new drawing. In doing so, our data is transformed automatically. As a side note, the transformation works in both directions! In other words, we also have the ability to drag data from a drawing and drop it back into the Survey Database.

Pulling it all together: “Completing Field to Finish” Now that we have a better understanding of the components that make up “Field to Finish” let’s drill down a little deeper. Based on what we have looked at so far, we can collect data in such a way that we can draw simple line work. This is good but we can do more. (Lots more!!) Using Additional Figure Commands: For example, using the Figure Command “BEG” we discussed earlier; we can confidently collect any “Straight Line” features. This alone can account for about 80% of linear features we encounter in the field. Because all linear features cannot be represented as straight lines, let’s review the use of some additional Figure Commands.


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Figure Command – “C3” Some of our line work will require arcs. There is a couple of ways to accomplish this. The first is via. the Figure Command “C3”. Essentially, the C3 command creates a three point curve.

Workflow: A figure is initiated using the “BEG” command and at least one point is collected. When we reach the PC of the curve, we add a NOTE containing “C3” and the Figure name and then collect the point. (For example “C3 BC”) Once initiated, we MUST immediately collect the remaining two points that make up the curve. Knowing this, we cannot use a “cross section” style of collection when creating Arcs via. “C3”. No additional Figure codes are required. After collecting the third point on the curve, Civil 3D will resume linear collection. Example:

Sample Field Book (.FBK)

BEG BC NE SS 1 3053.23050 10356.95650 100.00000 "BC" CONT BC C3 NE SS 2 3053.23050 10366.95650 100.00000 "BC" NE SS 3 3050.30160 10374.02760 100.00000 "BC" NE SS 4 3043.23050 10376.95650 100.00000 "BC" NE SS 5 3033.23050 10376.95650 100.00000 "BC"


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Figure Command – “MCS & MCE” Because some curves are difficult to represent with only 3 points, (reverse curves, compound curves, very long curves…) we have the Figure Commands MCS and MCE. The acronyms mean Multi Point Curve Start and Multi Point Curve End respectively. Think of them like Bookends.

Workflow: A figure is initiated using the “BEG” command. When ready to begin the curve, we add a NOTE containing “MCS” and then collect the point. We then continue to collect points that represent the curve(s). When finished collecting points on the curve(s) we add the NOTE “MCE”. After adding the “MCE” note, Civil 3D will resume linear collection. Example:


BEG SW MCS NE SS 6 3079.59310 10377.61230 100.00000 "SW" NE SS 7 3076.02260 10383.71110 100.00000 "SW" NE SS 8 3069.31700 10387.37030 100.00000 "SW" NE SS 9 3061.65340 10390.33260 100.00000 "SW" NE SS 10 3056.68950 10397.04120 100.00000 "SW" NE SS 11 3059.73760 10406.10220 100.00000 "SW" NE SS 12 3064.87560 10413.24640 100.00000 "SW" NE SS 13 3071.75540 10412.46230 100.00000 "SW" MCE


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Figure Command – “MCS & MCE” Continued Unlike the “C3” command, the Figure Commands “MCS” and “MCE” can be used in a cross section style form of data collection. In other words, you do not have to complete one figure’s curve(s) before starting the next one.

Workflow: Same as previous page only using multiple Survey Figures / Lines. Example: I added this example to help dispel the misconception that it could not be done.


BEG BC MCS NE SS 14 3100.15220 10378.97660 0.00000 "BC" BEG SW MCS NE SS 15 3107.07050 10385.73700 0.00000 "SW" NE SS 16 3101.92200 10391.69260 0.00000 "SW" CONT BC NE SS 17 3094.19930 10384.28830 0.00000 "BC" NE SS 18 3084.38500 10385.09310 0.00000 "BC" CONT SW NE SS 19 3085.18940 10393.94610 0.00000 "SW" NE SS 20 3079.71910 10399.57980 0.00000 "SW" CONT BC NE SS 21 3071.19190 10395.39480 0.00000 "BC" CONT SW NE SS 22 3085.67210 10407.62790 0.00000 "SW" CONT BC NE SS 23 3077.46670 10414.06650 0.00000 "BC" MCE NE SS 24 3069.26130 10421.47070 0.00000 "BC" NE SS 25 3058.64250 10420.34400 0.00000 "BC" CONT SW NE SS 26 3096.61260 10411.33010 0.00000 "SW" MCE NE SS 27 3098.86510 10422.11460 0.00000 "SW"


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Figure Command – “CLOSE” Because some line features will need to close back to exactly where they started, we can use the one of several “CLOSE” Figure Commands. These are important because no matter how good you are at collection, you will never shoot the exact same location twice!

Workflow: A figure is initiated using the “BEG” command. We then collect as many points as necessary to define the line work. When we are ready for the line work to connect back to the starting point, we add a NOTE containing “CLOSE” and the Figure Name. (For example “CLOSE BC”) Example:


BEG BC NE SS 28 3105.60090 10385.02190 0.00000 "BC" CONT BC C3 NE SS 29 3105.60090 10435.02190 0.00000 "BC" NE SS 30 3100.60090 10440.02190 0.00000 "BC" NE SS 31 3095.60090 10435.02190 0.00000 "BC" NE SS 32 3095.60090 10385.02190 0.00000 "BC" CLOSE BC


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Figure Command – “CLOSE BLD” When closing a figure representing an existing building sometimes we have a blind corner that we cannot see with the instrument. Because of this, it would be nice if the final corner can be determined based on the previously defined shots. The “CLOSE BLD” Figure command was created for just this purpose. This command also works great when you only want to shot three points on a four sided object. Civil 3D will use 90 degree angles to compute the final corner.

Workflow: A figure is initiated using the “BEG” command and at least three points are collected. When we are ready for Civil 3D to compute the final corner and Close the figure, we add a NOTE “CLOSE BLD”. The figure name is not required because Civil 3D will look to the previously collected point for the figure Name. Example(s):

Sample Field Book(s) (.FBK)

BEG HOUSE NE SS 34 3103.43320 10391.25600 0.00000 "HOUSE" NE SS 35 3103.43320 10406.25600 0.00000 "HOUSE" NE SS 36 3088.43320 10406.25600 0.00000 "HOUSE" CLOSE BLD

BEG SHED NE SS 37 3101.26770 10395.33890 0.00000 "SHED" NE SS 38 3117.72570 10395.33890 0.00000 "SHED" NE SS 39 3117.72570 10409.68860 0.00000 "SHED" NE SS 40 3106.23270 10409.68860 0.00000 "SHED" NE SS 41 3106.23270 10418.05920 0.00000 "SHED" NE SS 42 3093.36060 10418.05920 0.00000 "SHED" NE SS 43 3093.36060 10402.05380 0.00000 "SHED" CLOSE BLD


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Figure Command – “CLOSE RECT” [OFFSET] Occasionally we encounter a simple four sided object such as a concrete pad or pedestal. In this case we can use the “CLOSE RECT” Figure Command to collect the line work in as little as two shots.

Workflow: A figure is initiated using the “BEG” command and we collect the first corner. We advance to the next corner and collect the second point. Immediately after recording the second corner we add the NOTE “CLOSE RECT” and add an OFFSET. Your first two corners determine the four sided object’s width. The OFFEST you enter will establish the length. Entering a positive value will offset right and a negative value will offset left. Example:


BEG CONC NE SS 44 3094.14360 10393.44920 0.00000 "CONC" NE SS 45 3109.75850 10393.44920 0.00000 "CONC" CLOSE RECT 25


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Figure Command – “RECALL” Currently Civil 3D does not allow you to “Double Code”. Essentially, if two Figures share the same point, (For example when a driveway intersects with a Back of Curb) we technically need to shoot the same point twice. Having said this, Civil 3D does have a “RECALL” Figure Command which can help in this area. The “RECALL” function will allow you to connect a Figure to a previously collected point. Knowing this, the “RECALL” command can be quite a powerful tool. (With a little creativity, we can even approach Double Coding!)

Workflow: A figure is initiated using the “BEG” command and at least one point is collected. We next collect points necessary to define the Figure. At the point we would like our current Figure to intersect a previously collected point, we add a NOTE containing “RECALL” followed by the Point number we would like to connect to. If this point is participating with another Figure, we will intersect with it exactly. Example:


BEG BC NE SS 46 3098.24410 10438.45920 0.00000 "BC" NE SS 47 3098.24410 10416.81330 0.00000 "BC" NE SS 48 3098.24410 10394.81330 0.00000 "BC" BEG DW1 NE SS 49 3125.04390 10397.81330 0.00000 "DW1" BEG DW2 NE SS 50 3125.04390 10413.81330 0.00000 "DW2" NE SS 51 3101.24410 10413.81330 0.00000 "DW2" RECALL 47 CONT DW1 NE SS 52 3101.24410 10397.81330 0.00000 "DW1" RECALL 48 CONT BC NE SS 53 3098.24410 10373.16730 0.00000 "BC"


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Figure Command – “OFFSET” [FIGURE] [DISTANCE] While collecting line work in the Field we occasionally would like to collect parallel lines. For example, we encounter a four foot sidewalk. Rather than collecting points on both sides of the sidewalk, we can collect one side and have Civil 3D create the other side for us automatically. Keep in mind that the automatically generated side will share the same elevations as the original side. If you would like to offset horizontally as well as vertically, (For example in the case of Back of Curb and Flow Line) Civil 3D has a Stepped Offset drawing tool that will serve this purpose. (“AECCOFFSETFEATURE” in case you were wondering ☺ )

Workflow: A figure is initiated using the “BEG” command and we begin collecting points. When we are finished collecting points that define our Figure, we add the NOTE “OFFSET” as well as the figure name and distance to offset. Entering a positive value will offset right and a negative value will offset left. As you can see from the example below, the “OFFSET” Figure Command can be used multiple times if necessary. Example:


BEG SW NE SS 54 3131.06890 10385.48130 0.00000 "SW" NE SS 55 3117.13120 10395.80260 0.00000 "SW" NE SS 56 3115.76480 10415.48820 0.00000 "SW" NE SS 57 3102.51030 10427.51820 0.00000 "SW" OFFSET SW 5 OFFSET SW 5.5 OFFSET SW 6.5


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Note: In today’s session we are focusing specifically on proper collection and creation of line work.

Detailed information about Points, Point Styles and Description Keys are outside of the scope of this session. These topics are readily available at au.autodesk.com

Leveraging Figure Commands: The above represents the extents of the Figure Commands we will discuss today. Having said this, keep in mind that what has been presented so far is not a complete list. As we discussed on Page six, additional figure commands are also available. My goal today is not to overwhelm you with all that can be done but rather present you with enough information to get you up and running using “Field to Finish”. Once you become proficient with these Figure Commands, I strongly encourage you to explore the additional Figure Commands available. Understanding this, what we have covered so far will provide you the tools necessary to successfully collect 95%+ of the linear features you encounter in the field. Used individually, each tool is very straight forward and simple to use. Used together, there is no limit to what you can accomplish in the Field. Having said this, if you are new to collecting line work in the field, start slow at first. Don’t try and tackle everything your first time out. When I trained Survey Teams to perform “Field to Finish”, I always recommended that they start simple and only focus on collecting line work for the curb lines. In doing so, they achieved a level of success immediately as well as learned about process. The next time they went out in the field, they leveraged what they learned the previous time and collected a couple more items like Centerlines and Buildings. They achieved additional success as well as learned yet a little more about the process. What they learned the second time they leveraged the third time. (I’m sure you get the point ☺ ) At the end of the day, it did not take them (nor will it take you) very many trips in the field to become extremely effective at doing this. Final Step: We are now finished collecting line work in the Field and are ready to experience the magic of “Field to Finish” in Civil 3D. The magic happens when the data is physically brought into the drawing and the line work and symbology is automatically created for you. To facilitate this, in our session today, I used Trimble equipment to collect line work in the room around you. In doing so, I demonstrated the proper use of each of the Figure Commands listed previously. Once completed, we transferred the data into Civil 3D’s Survey Database using Trimble’s “Trimble Link” application. After doing so, our completed Survey Figures / Linework and points automatically displayed on the screen. Building the Figure Prefix Library: Because we would like our curbs to look like curbs and our sidewalks to look like sidewalks we need to complete the final step in the “Field to Finish” process. We need to configure the Figure Prefix Database. Remember, the Figure Prefix Database will map our newly minted line work to the appropriate layer, color, linetype, style… Essentially, this is how we ensure that we conform to our organization’s standards.


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Fortunately, this is a very simple process. We begin by right clicking on the “Figure Prefixes Databases” category in the Survey Toolspace and selecting New… We are then prompted to give our new Figure Prefix Database a name. Once created, you will see it listed under the “Figure Prefixes Database” category. We begin populating our new AU2008 Database by right clicking on it and selecting New… We are then presented with the dialog box below.

Using the dialog box we enter the code we will use in the field to define our line work. In this case I used “BC” for Back of Curb. Note: We do not need to create an entry for every variation of “BC” we may use in the field. (i.e. creating a BC1, BC2, BC3… is not necessary)

Next we check the box to let Civil 3D know if we would like this line work to participate as a breakline when working with surfaces. In the case of a Back of Curb line the answer is most likely Yes. In the case of an Overhead Electric Line the answer would most likely be No. Next we check the box to let Civil3D know if we would like this line work to participate as a Lot Line. In the case of our Back of Curb line the answer is No. In the case of a property boundary line the answer is most likely Yes. The advantage of defining your Survey Figure as a Lot Line is that a corresponding Parcel Object will be created as well. This means that labels as well as a legal description will automatically be available. Next we associate a Layer and a Style for our line work. The layer entry will control what layer the line work is created on. It can also control the line work’s color, linetype and pen weight. The Style entry essentially controls how the line work is created. For example, do you want the line work created as 2D or 3D line work? You can also use the Style to accomplish things like adding markers to the line work’s vertices. Finally, we can associate our line work with a Survey Site. At first glance, a Survey Site is not what you may think. It has nothing to do with your project location or project site boundary. It is instead a form of container. Because Civil 3D’s dynamic objects can interact with each other, we can use a Site Container to help limit / control these interactions. For example, our project could be broken up into logical categories such as Alternate One, Alternate Two, Alternate Three… Knowing this, we would not want changes to Alternate One to interact with Alternate Two or vice versa. Essentially, objects in one


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category cannot interact or be updated by objects in a different one. By organizing our object data into different Sites “Containers” we can easily control the interaction. After completing the first entry, we systematically create the second and all remaining entries. When finished, we are ready to begin experiencing the benefits of “Field to Finish”.

Wrap Up: What have we learned? We learned that “Field to Finish” is the ability to create near production ready drawings solely by how the data is captured in the field. We learned that integrating a handful of Figure Commands into our existing field collection process can pay huge dividends. This means we are not required to completely reinvent the wheel to begin leveraging these techniques. Essentially, without too much difficulty we can break free of our traditional workflow and begin leveraging “Field to Finish”. Along the way, we learned that Civil 3D maintains the Surveyor’s data in a protected external database environment. We also learned about the importance of Autodesk’s Field Book (.FBK) file as well as the different methods to create and utilize them. In addition, I’m hopeful that we dispelled most (if not all) of the misconceptions surrounding “Field to Finish”. Final Thoughts The concept of “Field to Finish” has existed for a quite a while. As Autodesk’s software has evolved over the years, our ability to leverage this technology has become even easier. There is really no reason not to being using it. Having said this, I hope that during our session today we have compelled you to consider trying “Field to Finish” collection techniques on one of your projects. Imagine for a moment how much more productive you would be if you could reclaim all of the time you and your organization currently spend “Connecting the Dots”.