Minnesota Civil 3D User Group

November Users Group Meeting

2010-10-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

November Meeting

Host: Cad Technology Center

Topic: Unique Corridors:

Presenters: Brian Levendowski, P.E.
Brian has nearly ten years experience in the Civil Engineering industry. Brian has worked as a design engineer and inspector for TKDA, also as a Land Surveyor for Gorman Surveying, and is currently a Civil Applications Engineer for CAD Technology Center (CTC).

This month topic will be Working with Unique Corridors applying corridors in atypical situations, including multiple baselines, assemblies, targets

After the monthly topic we will have time to cover issues and problems everyone maybe experiencing.

Location:
CTC
1000 Boone Ave North, Suite 200
Golden Valley, MN 55427
Phone: 952-941-1181

Date: November 16, 2010.
Time: 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. (refreshments will be provided)

Directions:

http://www.cadtechnologycenter.com/company/mapdirections.html

If you are planning on attending please contact Sam Teut at SamT@cadtechnologycenter.com or 952-941-1181

Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, and Production Drafters?

AUGI CAD Camp Nov 9th

2010-10-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

Don't Spend any more of your career looking up. Attend the powerful single-day Autodesk boot camp when it arrives in Minneapolis, MN.

Register to attend AUGI CAD Camp 2010 today.

Registration rates

AUGI members: $195

Non-member: $295

Student Registration: $125 (must present current student ID upon check-in registration)

Sponsor: $195 (complimentary with use of company promotional code):

November 9, 2010

ITT Technical Institute

8911 Columbine Road

Eden Prairie, MN, 55347

888-488-9646

http://www.augievents.com/

July MN C3D Users Group Meeting

2010-06-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

Topic: Data Shortcuts

Presenter: Doug Benoit

Doug will be discussing the use of Data Shortcuts for data sharing and file size reduction when working with Civil 3D data and drawings. He will also be discussing project management as it relates to source, base and production drawings. This should take 30-45 minutes with the remainder of the meeting to discuss this meetings topic along with any issues, tip-and-tricks, and future topics.

Location,

Managed Design, Inc.

7200 Metro Blvd.
Edina, MN 55439

Date July 13, 2010

Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Cookies and soda will be provided by Managed Design

Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, and Production Drafters?

See attached maps for directions.

March MN C3D Users Group Meeting

2010-02-11T04:40:00.000-08:00

March Meeting

Topic: Feature Lines

Presenters: Bob Gilman (Kimley-Horn )

This month topic will be Working with Feature Lines.

1) Creating Feature Line
2) What is Feature Line Priority
3) Setting Feature Line Priority
4) Creating Stairs using Feature Line Priority
5) Using Feature to correct up contours
6) Issues, Problems and Questions

Location:
URS
Fifth Street Towers
100 South Fifth Street, Suite 1500Minneapolis, MN 55402Phone: 612-370-0700

Date: March 9, 2010.
Time: 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. (refreshments will be provided)

See attached map for directions and parking.
If you are planning on attending please contact Ian Burrell at Ian_Burrell@URSCorp.com or 612-373-6424

Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, and Production Drafters?

January Meeting at Alignex, Inc

2010-01-15T03:40:00.000-08:00

The meeting will be next Tuesday January 19th at 6:00pm at Alignex, Inc.

Doug Benoit will be giving a presentation on the Subscription Advantage Pack tools. This should take about 30-40 minutes with the remainder of the time will be used to discuss problems, issues and your tips and tricks.

Direction to Alignex.

7200 Metro Boulevard, Edina, MN 55439
http://bit.ly/6dP3Bd

Subassembly Studio by Cad Artisans LLC

2009-11-16T05:22:00.000-08:00

I seen a demo on this a few weeks ago and thought that this was really interesting and wanted to share this with the group.

Custom Parametric Subassemblies without programming! Graphically construct intelligent custom parametric subassemblies for AutoCAD Civil 3D quickly and easily:
* Generate self-licensing, true .NET subassemblies that are used in exactly the same way as a conventional subassemblies
* Subassemblies may be created in mere minutes in an interactive, graphical environment similar to AutoCAD
* Fully supports target mapping
* Fully supports superelevation
* Include logic to react to and build alternate configurations based on corridor conditions
* Supports curved and parabolic subassembly links
* Automatically creates the tool catalog file
* Automatically deploy your exported subassemblies on your machine
* Compatible with AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 and 2010

Please visit our website for more information: http://www.cadartisans.com

November Meeting Review

2009-11-16T05:12:00.000-08:00

Thanks to LHB for hosting the November meeting.

The meeting was conducted by Dan Stine of LHB. Dan showed how to create a network delpoyment and what are some of the various options involved. He showed us LHB method to deliver the deployment package to the end users. Dan also went over how LHB manages the end user profile and CUI files.

Dan also provided a tip on how to Centerlized Tool palettes.

A big thanks to LHB and Dan Stine for hosting and presenting to the group.

November Meeting

2009-10-20T04:05:00.000-07:00

November Meeting will be held on
November 10th @ 6:00 pm
at LHB Corporation (See image below for directions)

Presentation overview:

This presentation will focus on the management side of Autodesk Civil 3D 2010. Two major aspects of Civil 3D are installation and end user configuration. A wide variety of users will benefit from this presentation:

CAD Managers

End users (if one desires to have a better understanding of the software)

Network Administrators (if they create the Autodesk deployments)

First, a “live” overview of how to create a network deployment and the various options involved (this applies to both network licensed and stand alone installs). One method, used by LHB, on how to deliver the deployment to end users will be shown; this process does the following:

Installs Civil 3D plus any Service Packs

Creates a few folders on the user’s network drive and hard drive

Copies a user menu (CUIx) and Profile (ARG) to the user’s personal network drive

Creates a “company” desktop icon (which loads the user profile and workspace)

Installs the Raster Design Object Enabler (required to view MrSID files)

Second, a presentation on how to setup and manage end user Profiles and CUI file will be given. This includes showing how to split the end user menus and CUI files from the office and OOTB (out of the box) files; the use of “enterprise” CUI files will be employed.

If time allows, a technique on how to implement and manage several tool palettes on a network will be shown. We could talk about how check-out and surveyor laptops are dealt with when not connected to the server.

We can also have a discussion on managing detail libraries, blocks and lisp routines.

Hopefully this will generate discussion on this topic that will help us all walk away with a better understand of the issues, tricks and workarounds others are using.

About the Presenter:
Dan Stine is a registered Architect with eighteen years experience in the architectural field. He currently works at LHB (a 180 person multidiscipline firm; http://www.lhbcorp.com/ in Duluth Minnesota as the CAD Administrator (providing training, customization and support for two regional offices). Dan has worked in a total of four firms. While at these firms, Dan has participated in collaborative projects with several other firms on various projects (including Cesar Pelli, Weber Music Hall – University of Minnesota - Duluth). Dan is a member of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI) and the Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) and also teaches AutoCAD and Revit Architecture classes at Lake Superior College, Duluth, MN, for the Architectural Technology program; additionally, he is a Certified Construction Document Technician (CDT) and an Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 Certified Professional. Mr. Stine has written the following textbooks (published by SDC Publications), which are used across the United States by High Schools, Colleges and professionals:

Residential Design using Revit Architecture 2010

Commercial Design using Revit Architecture 2010

Residential Design using AutoCAD 2010

Commercial Design using AutoCAD 2010

Chapters in Architectural Drawing (with co-author Steven H. McNeill, AIA, LEED AP)

Bowties are Gone

2009-09-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

Check out this helpful Corridor tip out on Civil 3D.com.

http://www.civil3d.com/2009/09/bowties-be-gone/

Autodesk Univesity Sessions are quickly filling up

2009-09-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

Autodesk Univesity Sessions are quickly filling up, and AU registration rates increase by $500 after Friday, October 9, so register now for the classes you want and the savings you need.

Autodesk University 2009 UserConference and Exhibition
Mandalay Bay Resort
Las Vegas, USA
December 1-3, 2009

Reasons to attend AU.

AU Delivers More Value Than Ever

AUGI Events and Networking
Connect with AUGI members and industry professionals from throughout the world and benefit from their ideas and advice.

Product CertificationTake advantage of Autodesk Certification Exams on-site for free - go back to work with a valuable credential that affirms your skills and elevates your professional standing.

Free Passes to AU Virtual
Receive four (4) complimentary passes to AU Virtual, a new, web-based learning event, to share with colleagues back in the office - a $400 value.

Education Credits
Earn continuing education credits (CEUs) through the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and other professional organizations.

Classes and Labs
Choose from more than 640 sessions including labs that provide valuable hands-on instruction for users of AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Revit-based products, AutoCAD Civil 3D, 3ds Max software, and more.

Immersive Learning with AU PowerTracks
Experience tightly focused, in-depth training through classes that build upon each other, providing advanced learning that surpasses what can be gained from taking individual classes.

Now, more than ever, you can't afford to miss AU. Register today!

Early Bird Registration RatesConference and Hotel
$1,895Conference-Only Pass
$1,695Qualified Educators
$1,395Get Complete Details

September Meeting

2009-08-25T12:20:00.001-07:00

Topics: Tips and Tricks for doing Pressure Pipes in Civil 3D
Problems and Issues for Group Discussion

Bob Gilman from Kimley-Horn Associates, Inc. will present various tips and tricks fordoing pressure pipes in Civil 3D 2009.

Speaker Bio:

Bob Gilman
Mid America Regional Autocad Coordinator
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
St. Paul, Minnesota

Professional Affiliations Certifications:
City of New Prague Planning and Zoning Commissioner
AUGI Member
BRW Alumni

Experience:
Bob has 20+ years of experience in civil engineering and surveying for new construction and reconstruction of highways and urban roadways, including roadway layout, profiles, utility, cross sections, pavement marking, signing, signalization, lighting, traffic control, earthwork and bid item quantities computation.

Please forward this e-mail to anyone you know that might be interested.
Please e-mail Bob Gilman at bob.gilman@kimley-horn.com if you are planning on attending.

Date: Tuesday September 8th, 2009.
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, and Production Drafters?

Location:
Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc
Court International Building
2550 University Avenue West
1st floor conference room
St. Paul, MN 55114

For a map and directions,
http://www.kimley-horn.com/kha/flashmap.asp

July Meeting

2009-06-17T09:22:00.001-07:00

Changes to the meeting:

After the last meeting we decided to make a couple changes to the group meetings.
We decided to change the start time from 5:30 to 6:00. This will allow for more time to get from your place of employment to the meeting.
Discontinue the pizza and pop. This is due in to the economic time.

Now for the meeting.

July Meeting:
Date: Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Agenda:
· Users expectations and direction of the users group
· Reseller involvement
· Long term plans for using C3D
· Dialog on Civil 3D; successes and frustrations
· Implementation and training
· 2010
· ?

Moderator:
Dan Thill, Bonestroo
Dan Thill is the Civil CAD Coordinator at Boneatroo. He has over 25 years of experience in the civil engineering field. Experience includes surveying, drafting and design using D.C.A., Softdesk and now Civil 3D. Dan is Softdesk and Civil 3D certified.
Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, and Production Drafters?
Hosting this month’s MNC3D users group meeting:
Bonestroo

Location:
2335 Highway 36 West
Roseville, MN
(Enter our west building and park in the lot off St. Croix Street)

Map and directions,
http://www.bonestroo.com/Locations/Default.aspx?Location=StPaul

Joining Parts from Different Pipe Networks in Civil 3D 2009

2009-06-02T05:28:00.001-07:00

Check out this tip on how to join 2 different pipe networks in C 3D 2009 out on Doug Benoit's

Blog site. http://rand.com/imaginit/1/rss/viewitem.asp?feedid=BLOGS_CIVIL_ALL&guid=454

But you should note that this is a bug in 2009 and doesn't work in 2010.

To quote Doug "Isn't it ironic that they don't fix bugs that we don't like and then they fix bug's that we do like."

May Meeting Review

2009-06-02T05:25:00.000-07:00

May Meeting Review

Thanks to the City of Savage for hosting Mays meeting and providing pizza and pop
The meeting was conducted by Bill Neuhauser, Alignex, Inc.

Bill Neuhauser is a registered Engineer in both ND and MN and an applications engineer for Alignex, Inc. Before joining the company in 2005, Bill taught civil engineering for three years at Minnesota State Community & Technical College, and prior to that worked for Moore Engineering in West Fargo ,ND for 9 years and Interstate Engineering for 3 and an Alumni of North Dakota State University with a BS in Civil Engineering.

He has logged well over 25,000 hours with D.C.A., Softdesk, Geopak, Microstations, AutoCAD Land Desktop, and now Civil 3D 2010. He has designed everything from four-lane highways and two-lane rural roads, to land fills and retention ponds. Bill has been Civil 3D ICE (Implementation Certified Expert) since 2005, both past beta tester and current Alpha tester for C3D 2010. Autodesk University presenter for the past two years and now waiting too hear back on next year’s event.

Bill covered the lesser know new feature in 2010 Civil 3D, QTO. QTO in my opinion is not getting the fanfare it so deserves! When we do a project there are really three aspects to any project; Design, Output sheets and Quantities. Design we have master pretty well and Output has always been there but Quantities past basic Earthwork numbers was lagging way behind!

Bill showed us the three areas that QTO will help you with your final project quantities! Heshowed us how we can attach the MNDOT items list to your C3D model and get final quantity numbers out in seconds! Bill even showed us a couple bugs that are in QTO.

A big thanks to City of Savage and Bill Neuhauser for hosting and presenting to the group.

ENR Article on Ups and Downside of BIM

2009-05-04T04:45:00.000-07:00

Check out this interesting article on BIM.

http://enr.ecnext.com/coms2/article_tebm0904293DModeling

Lynn Allen's Tips and tricks for Using Autocad 2010

2009-04-27T04:43:00.000-07:00

You all know the value of Lynn Allen’s Tips and Tricks. You know that she has saved you tons of time and effort. Now Lynn Allen, Autodesk technical Evangelist and AUGI Sweetheart, is offering an exclusive to our members. A sneak peek at the AutoCAD 2010 Tips and Tricks.

That’s right – before anyone else gets to see them, Autodesk is allowing AUGI members an exclusive downloadable version. This PDF download is stuffed with the best of the best from Lynn. You have used them in the past and they have made you more productive. Get the latest in a long stream of helpful hints directly from Lynn to AUGI members. You must be a member to download the booklet.

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=98905

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 Update 2.1

2009-04-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

Autodesk has released a new service pack for Civil 3D

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=12624522&linkID=9240698

May Meeting:

2009-04-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

May Meeting:
Date: Tuesday, May 12th, 2009
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (pizza and soda will be provided)

Topic: C3D 2010

Presenter:
Bill Neuhauser, Alignex, Inc.

Bill Neuhauser is a registered Engineer in both ND and MN and an applications engineer for Alignex, Inc. Before joining the company in 2005, Bill taught civil engineering for three years at Minnesota State Community & Technical College, and prior to that worked for Moore Engineering in West Fargo ,ND for 9 years and Interstate Engineering for 3 and an Alumni of North Dakota State University with a BS in Civil Engineering.

He has logged well over 25,000 hours with D.C.A., Softdesk, Geopak, Microstations, AutoCAD Land Desktop, and now Civil 3D 2010. He has designed everything from four-lane highways and two-lane rural roads, to land fills and retention ponds. Bill has been Civil 3D ICE (Implementation Certified Expert) since 2005, both past beta tester and current Alpha tester for C3D 2010. Autodesk University presenter for the past two years and now waiting too hear back on next year’s event.

Now for C3D 2010, I would like to cover a lesser know new feature of Civil 3D, QTO. QTO in my opinion is not getting the fanfare it so deserves! When we do a project there are really three aspects to any project; Design, Output sheets and Quantities. Design we have master pretty well and Output has always been there but Quantities past basic Earthwork numbers was lagging way behind!

Now with the advent of QTO (Quantity Take Off) quantities are now no longer being ignored! I plan of showing you the three areas that QTO will help you with your final project quantities! I will try to show you how we can attach the MNDOT items list to your C3D model and get final quantity numbers out in seconds! If time permits we will dig farther in to C3D to see some of the other new features as well.

Hosting this month’s MNC3D users group meeting:
City of Savage

Location:
McColl Pond Environmental Learning Center
13550 Dakota Avenue South
Savage, MN

If you are planning on attending please contact John Wichman at City of Savage 952-882-2675 or e-mail at jwichman@ci.savage.mn.us

Map and directions,
http://www.cityofsavage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=230&Itemid=460

Undocumented commands to help resolve Site issues with overlapping objects

2009-04-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

Issue
When creating Site objects (using Alignments, Grading, or Parcels), if you are not careful, you may end up with overlapping line segments. In most cases, this will not create a problem. However, in some cases, you may experience instability or AutoCAD® Civil 3D® may crash because of these overlapping Site objects.
For more on this issues.

http://help.autodesk.com/kb/display.do?ROW_ID=1-27930AG

Upcoming Autodesk Civil 3D Webcasts

2009-04-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

Autodesk has just announced a whole series of Civil 3D webcast.

Click on link to check out.

http://www.adskmedia.com/civilwebcasts/index-02.php?mktvar001=114740&rid=

Autodesk Imagine Tour

2009-04-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

Attend the Autodesk Imagine Tour and learn how new Autodesk® 2010 software for civil, MEP, and structural engineering can help engineers, drafters, and designers boost productivity and deliver more sustainably-built environments.

Minneapolis, MN

Date:
Thursday April 23, 2009
Address:
Minneapolis Convention Center1301 Second Avenue SouthMinneapolis, MN 55403
View map >

Join us and see how the latest building information modeling (BIM) software for engineering, including AutoCAD® Civil 3D®, Autodesk® Revit® MEP, and Autodesk® Revit® Structure can help you visualize, simulate, and analyze – earlier in the process – to deliver boundary-pushing designs, accurate and consistent construction documentation, and better manage change throughout your project lifecycle. You'll also learn how AutoCAD® 2010 delivers groundbreaking new capabilities to tackle the most challenging design problems with ease.
Seating is limited. Reserve yours today!

The Autodesk Imagine Tour is FREE, but capacity is limited for each event.

http://experience.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/en-US/eng/event-details.php?i=3682&id=2&ch=EM

March Meeting Review

2009-03-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

Mr. Hearden has performed several roles within his 16+ year career at Eagle Point. Starting out by mastering MicroStation and AutoCAD, he quickly began providing custom training and support for small and large organizations, as well as developing standards and documenting workflows for clients. In addition to these responibilities, he has been
instrumental maintaining quality assurance initiatives among all Eagle Point product lines. He is responsible for all CAD management within Eagle Point and keeps abreast on all changes within releases to train internal personnel. For the past year, he has been working in a consultant role assisting clients with proper solutions to solve problems within their organization. Mr. Hearden came to Eagle Point with previous surveying experience, a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and his EIT certificate.

For over 25 years, Eagle Point has provided technology solutions and services to the AEC and Geospatial markets. We use a defined process to explore your business and provide you with the right balance of solutions to help your organization thrive. We've helped over 30,000 clients worldwide.

For AEC, we offer desktop solutions that run on AutoCAD® and AutoCAD® Civil 3D®. These solutions focus on surveying, civil engineering, landscape architecture and irrigation design. We also offer a stand-alone process management suite that provides clients the ability to electronically track processes and look into areas that need improvement.
For Geospatial, we offer field survey solutions run on four different data collectors, mobile RTK GPS solutions and GPS base station networking solutions.

summary of the products presented
During the user group meeting, Mr. Hearden presented several product offerings. He covered the Pinnacle Series which includes the Process Mapper and Task Navigator for Civil 3D. The Process Mapper application defines project and operational processes in a graphical environment. The dependency charts of the processes can be developed to the step level, where detailed instructions and ties to technology tools can be made. The Task Navigator for Civil 3D provides step-by-step instructions, executable links to commands, and the ability to record the completion of a task, all within a seamless integration with Civil 3D.
http://www/solutions/workflow/process/default.asp#ProcessMapper
http://www/solutions/workflow/office/civil3d/default.asp#TaskNavigator

Mr. Hearden also presented Data Reduction for Civil 3D. Using Data Reduction for Civil 3D allows you to streamline the survey transfer process. Whether you are downloading directly from the collector or importing a job already on the PC, shots described in the field using Eagle Point's popular coding methodology come into Civil 3D with proper description key symbology and linework automatically generated.
http://www/solutions/workflow/office/civil3d/datareduc.asp

Finally, Mr. Hearden discussed a new product called LandSketch. Landsketch is designed to eliminate the inefficiencies in the planning stage for land development projects. It main purpose is to allow you to quickly layout conceptual residential designs electronically and then pass that data to the designer to complete the final engineering design. This can be done by exporting a LandXML file and directly importing alignments, parcels and surface data into Civil 3D.
http://www/solutions/workflow/office/civil/landsketch.asp

A big Thanks to Dan Hearden and Eaglepoint for coming up and presenting to the group.

Civil 3D Custom Pipe Builder Catalog for Pipe Networks

2009-03-04T06:52:00.000-08:00

Axis Solutions has partnered with Comm-Tech to provide Part Builder training solutions and custom catalogs. Starting March 2nd Axis Solutions and Comm-Tech will begin selling custom part builder catalogs for use with pipe networks in Civil 3D. Attached is a PDF of the available custom parts and pricing. Additional parts will be continually added to the catalog throughout the year so subscription services for the catalog are available. Please contact Axis Solutions if you have any questions.

www.axiscadd.com

David E. Neill
CAD Manager/Owner
303-842-0440
david@axiscadd.com

Date Change for March Meeting

2009-03-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

Due to conference room issues I need to move the date of the group meeting to
Wednesday, March 11th 2009 Same Time.

March Meeting:
Date: Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (pizza and soda will be provided)

Topic: Eagle Point Software’s
a) Pinnacle Series
b) Task Navigator for Civil 3D
c) Custom Workflows with Process Mapper

Presenter:
Dan Hearden of Eagle Point Software

If you are planning on attending please contact Bob Gilman at KHA 651-643-0414 or e-mail at bob.gilman@kimley-horn.com

Location:
Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc
Court International Building
2550 University Avenue West
1st floor conference room
St. Paul, MN 55114

For a map and directions,

March Meeting:

2009-02-13T04:13:00.000-08:00

Date: Tuesday, March 10th, 2009 Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (pizza and soda will be provided)

Topic: Eagle Point Software’s
a) Pinnacle Series
b) Task Navigator for Civil 3D
c) Custom Workflows with Process Mapper

Presenter: Dan Hearden of Eagle Point Software

If you are planning on attending please contact Bob Gilman at KHA 651-643-0414 or e-mail at bob.gilman@kimley-horn.com

Location: Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc Court International Building 2550 University Avenue West 1st floor conference room St. Paul, MN 55114 For a map and directions, http://www.kimley-horn.com/kha/flashmap.asp

January Review

2009-01-14T05:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to URS for hosting the January meeting and providing pizza and refreshments. The meeting was conducted by Bob Gilman (Kimley-Horn), Dan Thill (Bonestroo) and Ian Burrell (URS).

Bob started the meeting off by going over KHA Civil 3D Workflow and Project Organization.

Dan gave a very in depth look at changes to Data Shortcuts in 2009. Then he gave a quick over view of the National Cadd Standards and why Bonestro has choosen to move to it.

Ian showed off the Autodesk University web site and all of the Civil 3D material that is available on the site.

Bob finished off the meeting by showing how to create 2 different profile styles. One style labeled both sag and crest curve with one style. The other was for showing the grade line on vertical curve. He also gave a tip on things to put in a template for creating existing DTM. We also looked at a couple tools in Map for drawing cleanup and trimming object using a boundary.

Thanks to Bob, Dan and Ian for presenting at the meeting.

The handouts have been loaded to the following FTP site.

The ftp folder has been created on the ftp site: ftp://www.kimley-horn.com/_secure

Folder name: MNC3D
Username: MNCivil3D
Password: civil3drocks

Every browser handles secure ftp sites differently. The link listed below will work with some browsers, it includes the folder and site name as well as the user name and password:

ftp://MNCivil3D:civil3drocks@www.kimley-horn.com/_secure/MNC3D

Note: Some email systems do not support hyperlinks. If this is the case, copy and paste the following url into the address line of your internet browser.

ftp://MNCivil3D:civil3drocks@www.kimley-horn.com/_secure/MNC3D

Internet Explorer 7 issues
IE 7 has implemented changes to browser FTP behavior. When opening an FTP site, you will be required to click on the "Page" icon in IE 7, and select to "Open FTP Site in Windows Explorer". An Access Denied error message may occur. Click on the "File" dropdown menu and select "Login As". They will then need to login to the folder with the appropriate username and password

Civil 3D 2009 Pipe Error

2009-01-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

Just had a user call with a error they were getting when they tried to create a pipe network.
The error message was.
There is a problem with the Script Control (msscript.ocx).
This problem may be corrected by reinstalling Internet Explorer or by reregistering the control.

I filled out a Autodesk Subscription support reguest. And before I got a reply one of my IS guys already had fixed it with the same fix Autodesk suggested.
It has something to do woth Microsoft system scripting file.

Here's what my IS guy did.

Start à Run
Type: regsvr32 C:\Windows\System32\msscript.ocx
Hit enter and you should be given a popup message saying the file was successfully registered.

Here's what Autodesk's suggested.

You can try unregistering and reregistering the indicated file. To do this, open a command prompt in Windows (from the Start menu, select Run, type in CMD and then enter.) At the command prompt, enter regsvr32.exe msscript.ocx /u and then hit enter. You will receive a dialog box that says “DllUnregister Server in msscript.ocx succeeded.” Click OK. Still in the command prompt, enter regsvr32.exe msscript.ocx and then hit enter. You should receive a dialog box that says “DllRegisterServer in msscript.ocx succeeded”

Both of these would accomplish the same thing.

Issues with MRSID images in Civil 3D 2008 and 2009

2009-01-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

I tried to open a drawing created in 2007 that had a MRSID file referenced in. The image did not show up. Well after some digging around on Autodesk website I came across these object enablers for 2008 and 2009.

AutoCAD Raster Design 2009 Object Enabler

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=11091617&linkID=9240618

AutoCAD Raster Design 2008 Object Enabler

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=9476871&linkID=9240618

Civil 3D 2008 Raster issues

2009-01-07T05:50:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when you open a drawing with a aerial image (TIFF) referenced into, the aerial is shifted off coordinates. When it is unloaded and reloaded it it’s fine. Or when you are zoomed into a quadrant of the aerial then save the drawing, when it is opened back up, it’s shifted and broken away from the rest of the aerials. Sometimes it’s off coordinates and there are multiple copies of it staggered across the screen. This Hot fix should help with this problem.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=10189158&linkID=9240698

January Meeting

2008-12-22T05:04:00.000-08:00

January Meeting
Topic: Various Things We Learned At Autodesk University

Presenters: Bob Gilman (Kimley-Horn), Ian Burrell (URS) and Dan Thill (Bonestroo)

We will discuss and demonstrate various things we learned at Autodesk University.

1) Civil 3D Workflow and Project Organization
2) Improvement and Use of Data shortcuts in 2009
3) Increasing move to NCS
4) Feature of Map 3D-Drawing Cleanup Wizard
5) Profile Styles for Labeling Vertical Curves
a. Creating 1 profile curve style to label both the Sag and Crest curve.b. Creating a short line on the profile from BVC to the PVI.
6) Favorite quote; “Discontent is the first necessity of progress” Thomas Edison – so why haven’t we made more progress?

Location:
URS
Fifth Street Towers
100 South Fifth Street, Suite 1500Minneapolis, MN 55402Phone: 612-370-0700 (Main)

Date: January 13th, 2008.

Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (pizza and soda will be provided)

See attached map for directions and parking.

If you are planning on attending please contact Ian Burrell at Ian_Burrell@URSCorp.com or 612-373-6424
Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, and Production Drafters?

Tip from AU

2008-12-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

Trying to remember a command someone told you about or you seen in a demo but can’t remember the name. The TAB key can be your best friend. Start typing in the command in the command line, and start hitting the TAB key after a few letters. The Tab key will scroll you through the list of command that begin with letters you typed in. If you ever wondered what all of the Civil 3D commands are type in AEC then start hitting the TAB key and it will scroll through all the commands.
Picked this tip up from a class called Best of Blogs: Hot Tips and Hacks for Autocad Civil 3D presented by James Wedding

November Meeting Review

2008-12-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Avatech Solutions for hosting the November meeting and providing pizza and refreshments.

Chad Studer gave a demonstration of the Leica High-Definition Surveying system. He showed how to edit point clouds. After that Jon McNelis gave an overview of the Survey portion of Civil 3D. How to import a field book then showed how to edit a field book. He went over using the Survey Database. We also had a discussion of the difference between using points brought into the Survey Database vs. points that are brought into Civil 3D using the import points.

Thanks again to Rob Black, Jon McNelis and Chad Studer of Avatech Solutions.

November Meeting

2008-10-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

November Meeting
Topic: Using Civil 3D Survey and a demonstration of Leica Geosystem high Definition surveying system

Presenters: Jon McNelis and Chad Studer (Detroit office) application engineers from Avatech Solutions

Jon is Avatech Solutions local application engineer and has over 20 years of residential & commercial engineering experience, Jon applies his proficiency with Autodesk software products to assist Avatech clients through consulting services, training and technical support. His spirit of detailed project and technical management help customers create a streamlined environment through the use of design technology.

With an extensive background in civil engineering, Jon has helped firms design and manage projects in a variety of situations. He was also instrumental in the design and implementation of CAD Standards at three different organizations, increasing each firm’s efficiency and training staff in the use of the software.

Location:
Avatech Solutions
101 East Fifth Street Suite 2100St Paul, MN 55101Phone: 651-298-0990

Date: November 11th, 2008.
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (pizza and soda will be provided)

If you are planning on attending please contact Rob Black at Avatech Solutions 651-298-0990 or e-mail at rob.black@avat.com

Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, and Production Drafters?

Best Practices of Road Reconstruction

2008-10-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

Autodesk webcast available for viewing. Click on the link to view.

https://www120.livemeeting.com/cc/autodesklearning/view?id=GOV_10_01_08&pw=Audience

For a copy of the white paper on Best Practices of Road Reconstruction.
Click on the link below.

ftp://TWCCivil3D:Autodesk@www.kimley-horn.com/_secure/MNCivil3D

AU 2008 Annual User Conference and Exhibition

2008-10-10T04:13:00.000-07:00

The Premier Autodesk Learning and Networking Event:

Autodesk is expecting over 11,000 users to attend this years event.
The event is being held December 2-5, 2008 at the Venetian Resort Hotel in Las Vegas.

Some of the highlights of the AU experience include:

• The opportunity to explore the latest trends and technologies—including concepts such as Digital Prototyping, building information modeling, and sustainable design.

• 600+ classes, labs, and lectures to help you boost your productivity and take your capabilities—and your company—to the next level.

• The chance to meet face to face with Autodesk executives and product managers, giving you a better understanding of where Autodesk is going and the opportunity to influence the future development of the products you use every day.

To signup go to.

http://au.autodesk.com/event/

Annotation Scale

2008-10-06T04:54:00.000-07:00

Annotation Objects where introduced into the Autocad world in 2008 and have caused performance issues in Civil 3D.

With the use of External References has produced and spawned a very large list of Annotation Scales. A set of drawings end up having a large number of Annotation Scales. All the files are relatively small. But the load time for each drawing is long.

Autodesk has released a tool to cleanup multiple files of the other items that will slow Civil 3D drawing – Registered Applications. These RegApps can cause performance issues with opening, plotting or e-transmitting any Autocad drawing.

Click on the link below to download the application.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=11807875&linkID=9240618

To learn more about unreferenced RegApps click on the link

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=11817088&linkID=9240617

Bob G

September Meeting Review

2008-10-06T04:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kimley-Horn Associates, Inc. for hosting Septembers meeting and providing the pizza and refreshments. Bob Gilman presented KHA’s experiences implementing Civil 3D on various projects using Civil3D 2008 and how he see’s Civil3D 2009 changing the way projects are setup and done.

If you would like a copy of the power point Bob used during the meeting click on the link below.

ftp://TWCCivil3D:Autodesk@www.kimley-horn.com/_secure/MNCivil3D

Autodesk Whitepaper "Road Design Basics with Civil 3D"

2008-09-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

If you missed the Autodesk webcast on Road Design Basics with Civil 3D.
You can download the white paper at the following location.

http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/adeskcivilengsolutions_whitepaper_technical_roaddesignbasics.pdf

Autodesk Civil 3D Road Design Webcast

2008-08-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

Autodesk just announced 3 new webcast for roadway design.

Additional webcast that cover introduction to Civil 3D 2009, points, parcels, earthwork.

Also you can find a link to on demand webcast. Click on the link below to see a complete listing.

http://offers.autodesk.com/7/82801/webcasts.php?src=indexRegisterNowPromo&mktvar001=82801

I've found that these are free webcast can be very helpful.

Bob G.

September Meeting – USING Civil 3D on real life projects

2008-08-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

September Meeting – USING Civil 3D on real life projects

Topic: Using Civil 3D on real life projects

Bob Gilman from Kimley-Horn Associates, Inc. will present his experiences on four various projects using Civil3D 2008 and how Civil3D 2009 will change the way projects are setup and used.

Project description:
Approximately 1.5 miles of residential street reconstruction (6 cul-de-sacs), (existing conditions curb and gutter in some areas), new curb and gutter, new storm sewer, storm water pond and rain gardens, 1.5 miles of watermain reconstruction, sanitary sewer repairs, sidewalk, trail reconstruction,

Project description:
Approximately 1 mile of residential street reconstruction, new curb and gutter (north side first ½ mile, south side last ½ mile), storm sewer modifications, storm rain gardens, ¾ miles of watermain reconstruction, sanitary sewer repairs, sidewalk

Project description:
Approximately 2 miles of bituminous trail along TH 12, storm water

Project description:
Approximately 2 miles watermain, ½ mile of sanitary forcemain, ½ mile gravity sanitary sewer.
Date: Tuesday September 16th, 2008.
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (pizza and soda will be provided)

Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, and Production Drafters.

Location:
Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc
Court International Building
2550 University Avenue West
1st floor conference room
St. Paul, MN 55114

For a map and directions,
http://www.kimley-horn.com/kha/flashmap.asp

Speaker Bio:

Robert Gilman
Mid America Regional Autocad Coordinator
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
St. Paul, Minnesota

Professional Affiliations Certifications:
City of New Prague Planning and Zoning Commissioner
AUGI Member
BRW Alumni

Experience:
Bob has 20+ years of experience in civil engineering and surveying for new construction and reconstruction of highways and urban roadways, including roadway layout, profiles, utility, cross sections, pavement marking, signing, signalization, lighting, traffic control, earthwork and bid item quantities computation.

Education:
Engineering/Architectural Drafting Degree,
Lake Area Technical Institute, Watertown, SD.

Please e-mail Bob Gilman at bob.gilman@kimley-horn.com if you are planning on attending.

Autocad Civil 3D 2009 Update 1

2008-08-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Civil 3D 2009 Update 1 is here.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=11687614&linkID=9240698

Issues Resolved
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/autocad_civil_3d_2009_update_1_readme_final.htm#summary

2008-08-05T05:56:00.000-07:00

July's Meeting in Review

Thanks to Alignex Inc. for opening their facility and providing pizza and refreshments. Their Civil 3D guru Bill Neuhauser presented his view of applying C3D to projects and in particular his method for developing the road surface of an irregular cul de sac.
There was also some discussion about forming the organization of the user’s group by the users and Bob Gilman of Kimley Horn stepped up as the first volunteer leader. He asked for assistance from Dan Thill of Bonestroo and Ian Burrell from URS.
As an Affiliated Chapter of AUGI (AutoCAD Users Group International) they agreed to work together to develop the organization for the benefit of all users.
Brad Burgess from Autodesk was also in attendance (IDS Civil Solutions Executive, Infrastructure Solutions Division, Northeast Territory) and showed support for the users group.We are looking for topics for our future meetings so email subjects of interest as well as any questions or comments you have regarding the Minnesota Civil 3D User

2008-07-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Minnesota Civil 3D Users Group Is Under New Management

Paul Case and Doug Benoit from Imaginit originally setup the users group with the thought at some point in time it would be taken over by users. With Paul’s departure from Imaginit someone was needed to take over. They preferred someone from outside the reseller environment. The following people have volunteered to run the users group.

Main User Group Contact:

Robert Gilman
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
651-643-0414
bob.gilman@kimley-horn.com

Alternate User Group contacts:

Dan Thill
Bonestroo
651-604-4809
dan.thill@bonestroo.com

Ian Burrell
URS Corp.
612-373-6424
ian.burrell@urscorp.com

If you have any suggestion for future group meeting please contact one of us.

Thanks,

Bob G.

April Meeting - ALL ABOUT STYLE!!

2008-04-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

Topic: ALL ABOUT STYLE!!

Andy Parr from IMAGINiT Techologies will be covering the different style types and making styles default for object creation and labeling.

Obect Styles
Label Styles
Table Styles
Drawing Settings
Feature Settings
Command Settings

Date: Tuesday, April 29th
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (food and soda will be provided)
Location:

Bonestroo
2335 Highway 36 W
St. Paul, MN 55113

For a map and directions, please visit : http://www.bonestroo.com/Contact/Locations/StPaul/tabid/233/Default.aspx

Speaker Bio:

Name / Title: Alexander Parr, P.E., Civil Applications Specialist

Company: IMAGINiT Technologies

Office Location: Cleveland, OH, United States

Vertical: Infrastructure Solutions Division

Professional Affiliations Certifications:
Professional Engineer, Ohio; Surveyor in Training (SI), Ohio; Autodesk Civil 3D Implementation Certified Expert (ICE)

Experience: Andy has over fourteen years of civil engineering and surveying experience in a variety of positions ranging from design engineering to project management. These roles have provided him with a deep understanding of numerous survey and civil software programs encompassing many types of data collectors, survey, and hydraulic/hydrology methods, including Eaglepoint, SurvCADD, Autodesk® Land Desktop and AutoCAD® Civil 3D®. His expertise includes management and design work on commercial sites, residential subdivisions, municipal road rehabilitation, utilities, railroads, and airports.

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University; Surveying Certification Program from Cleveland State University; Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from Ohio Northern University

About: Andy has helped many firms and government agencies align their software usage with their workflow, design, and documentation requirements. He quickly zeroes in on key issues and delivers welltargeted, energetic and entertaining presentations to both department managers and end-users.

March's Meeting in Review

2008-03-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank Jerry Bartels from Autodesk for flying to MN to present at our second Minnesota Civil 3D User Group. We are looking for topics for our next meeting, so please email Paul Case (pcase@rand.com) with items you would like to see presented, as well as any questions or comments you have regarding the Civil 3D User Group. Alliant Engineering (http://www.alliant-eng.com/) has offered to host the next meeting. Look for an email from me in a couple of weeks with the details.

Below you will find several links to various AutoCAD Civil 3D resources that Jerry has been compiling.

Civil 3D Resource Center
http://www.adskhost.com/2007/03/AutoCAD-Civil-3D-Resource-Center/

Civil 3D On-Demand Webcasts
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=8894388

Autodesk University Online
http://au.autodesk.com/

Autodesk University
http://www.autodeskevents.com/au2007/

Civil 3D Civil Community Website
http://civilcommunity.autodesk.com/

Civil 3D Knowledge Base
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/index?siteID=123112&id=3571865&linkID=9240697

Civil 3D Discussion Forums
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=3615113&linkID=9240697

Autodesk E-Learning courses
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/e-learningbk.pdf

Autodesk Student Resource Center
http://students4.autodesk.com/

Autodesk Civil 3D 2008 Course Curriculum
http://students6.autodesk.com/?nd=adsk_c3d2008_curriculum

Register for a Civil 3D webcast
www.autodesk.com/AEC-civilengineering-webcasts

March Meeting - Civil 3D Overview

2008-02-04T07:19:00.000-08:00

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LOCATION FOR MARCH'S CIVIL 3D USER GROUP MEETING HAS CHANGED TO PARKDALE CENTER IN ST. LOUIS PARK. SEE BELOW FOR THE ADDRESS.

Due to a last minute change to our December meeting, we will be using that agenda for our March meeting.

Minnesota AutoCAD Civil 3D User Group Meeting

Who should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, Production Drafters

Date: Wednesday, March 5th

Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Pizza and soda will be provided)

Location:
Parkdale Center
5100 Gamble Drive
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
(Google and Yahoo directions will put you a block away from the Parkdale Center building. The address is Gamble Drive, but the building is physically located on Utica Avenue)

Topic: Civil 3D 2008 Overview by Jerry Bartels from Autodesk. During this 90 Minute session, Jerry will provide a high-level overview of Civil 3D including working with Points, Surface construction and Alignment & Profile creation. Using these Objects he will create a quick corridor model, generate some cross sections and demonstrate Civil 3D’s Plan Production tools. Along the way, Jerry will discuss the many benefits of using a 3D Object Model when doing design. He will conclude with a Question and Answer session.

Speaker Bio: Jerry is a civil engineering technical specialist for Autodesk. For more than 17 years, Jerry has worked in all areas of civil engineering, surveying, and mapping, providing clients with services in CAD management and 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 training and support services throughout the country. He has received two awards from Autodesk for his presentations.

If you would like to register for this event, please email Paul Case (pcase@rand.com)

December's Meeting in Review

2008-01-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

Below is a brief overview of what was covered at the December meeting:

1. We had around 8-10 people in attendance.
2. We discussed the direction of the group. The location will vary each month.
3. There were miscellaneous questions about Civil 3D, including moving profiles and a styles overview.
4. Other topics included:

Accessing the Survey Link extension
Using the Annotation Scale & VP Scale functionality in Model Space and the Layouts
Using -SCALELISTEDIT to clean-up the list of scales when using the Annotation Scale
A brief introduction the new HydraFlow Extension
Creating PLPR sheets using the Plan Production tools
A discussion of Data Shortcuts vs. Vault
Using ctrl + left click for the selection of C3D entities
Fianlly, the importance of creating data when setting up your C3D styles

5. Doug Benoit of IMAGINiT Technologies gave a Civil 3D 2008 new features overview.

December Meeting - Civil 3D 2008 Overview

2007-11-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

Have you been looking for an opportunity to network with other professionals using AutoCAD® Civil 3D in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area?

IMAGINiT Technologies invites you to join us at the first AutoCAD Civil 3D User Group Meeting. This user group allows Autodesk® Civil 3D® and Autodesk® Land Desktop users a chance to get together to share knowledge, ask questions, and collaborate with others to resolve challenges.

Minneapolis/St. Paul AutoCAD Civil 3D User Group Meeting

Who: should attend: CAD Managers, Civil Engineers, Surveyors, Engineering Designers, Production Drafters

Date: Wednesday, December 12th

Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (Pizza and soda will be provided)

Location:
Parkdale Center,
5100 Gamble Drive
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
(attachment contains a map with an arrow on the top of the building. Google and Yahoo directions will put you a block away from the Parkdale Center building. The address is Gamble Drive, but the building is physically located on Utica Avenue)

Topic: Civil 3D 2008 Overview by Jerry Bartels from Autodesk
During this 90 Minute session, Jerry will provide a high-level overview of Civil 3D including working with Points, Surface construction and Alignment & Profile creation. Using these Objects he will create a quick corridor model, generate some cross sections and demonstrate Civil 3D’s Plan Production tools. Along the way, Jerry will discuss the many benefits of using a 3D Object Model when doing design. He will conclude with a brief Question and Answer session.

Speaker Bio:
Jerry is a civil engineering technical specialist for Autodesk. For more than 17 years, Jerry has worked in all areas of civil engineering, surveying, and mapping, providing clients with services in CAD management and 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 training and support services throughout the country. He has received two awards from Autodesk for his presentations.

If you would like to register for this event, please email Paul Case (pcase@rand.com) by December 10th.