Dynamic Cut-Fill Surface Ticks

In Living Color!
Matthew Anderson, PE
The original parts to this were posted by the author on Civil3d.com

In Autodesk Land Desktop, the frequently used method to show a cut or fill situation in plan was to utilize the
Terrain -> Grid Volumes -> Grid Volume Ticks. This method places a plus or minus tick mark together with
the value of the cut or fill. The routine places the labels and ticks on different layers to allow the user the
ability to change the layer color to assist in visualizing the areas of Cut and Fill.

This document outlines the steps needed to prepare an AutoCAD© Civil 3d Surface Spot Elevation Label that
will be a dynamic label that will label the surface elevation of a Grid volume or TIN Volume Surface in a
similar fashion as the old Grid Volume Tick. The Volume surface is a comparison of two surfaces, typically
used to calculate the difference between two Civil 3d surfaces.

Prerequisites: Create two blocks named AEC-MINUS and AEC-PLUS. The AEC-MINUS block will be a single
line, 0.08 units long with the insertion point at the mid-point. The AEC-PLUS block will two 0.08 unit long
lines arranged in the form of a plus with the insertion point at the mid-point of both lines.
A General > Multipurpose Styles > Marker Styles > _No Markers will also needed.
Step Action Result
1. From the Toolspace, Settings tab, expand
the Surface > Label Styles > Spot Elevation.

2. Right-mouse click on the Spot Elevation, The Label Style Composer dialog box should appear.
and select New…

1
3. On the Information Tab, named the Label The New Label Style is named.
Style – Cut-Fill Surface Ticks

4. The new Label Style is populated with a The component will be deleted.
default value. Remove this Component by
selecting the Red X.

5. From the drop down to the right of the Block.1 and Block.2 components will be created.
component name, select the Block to
Create a new Block Component. Repeat
this twice.

6. From the Component name drop down, The settings for the Cut Tick have been changed.
select the Block.1 component. Make the
following edits:

Name: Cut Block

Anchor Points: Middle Center
Block Name: AECC-MINUS

7. Repeat Step 6 for Block.2 with the following The fill Tick settings are set.

2
 edits:

Name: Fill Block

Anchor Points: Middle Center
Block Name: AECC-MINUS

8. Repeat Step 5 to create two Text Two text label components are created.
Components.

9. Edit the Text Components as follows: Two components have been created and set for each
case.
Name: Cut
Anchor Component: Cut Block
Anchor Point: Middle Right

Repeat for Fill.

Name: Fill
Anchor Component: Fill Block
Anchor Point: Middle Right
10. Accept the changes for now and Press the We need to create a couple of expressions that will
OK button on the bottom of the Label Style allow this label to work for both Cut and Fill
Composer. Conditions.
11. From the Toolspace Settings Tab, Surface > The new Expression dialog box appears.
Label Styles > Spot Elevation > Expressions,
Right-Mouse click on Expressions and select
New… to Create a new expression.

3
12. Following the Civil 3d Best Practices Guide,
create an expression called “Negative
Value”.
13. If you are not familiar with the Expression
editor, use the properties button to expand
the available list and select the Surface
Elevation, and use the calculator on the left
to enter the remaining portion of the
equation.
14. Create a new Expression.
Name: Minus Scale
Expression:
IF({Negative Value}>0,0.00583,0.0001^10)
15. Repeat Step 14 for Plus Scale.
Name: Plus Scale
Expression:
IF({Surface Elevation}>0,0.00583,.0001^10)
The values of 0.00583 are arbitrary and can
be changed accordingly to suit your
personal preferences.
16. After your expressions are completed,
return to edit your Cut-Fill Surface Ticks.
17. Edit the Cut Block Component.
The resulting equation should be:
{Surface Elevation} * -1
The purpose of this expression is to set the size of
the tick for display.
If the value of Negative Value expression created in
Step 2 is greater than zero (a positive number), then
we will return a value of 0.00583, otherwise we
return a very small number.
This expression will be used to size the “Cut Block”.
The purpose of this expression is to set the size of
the tick for display.
If the value of the Surface Elevation is greater than
zero (a positive number), then we will return a value
of 0.00583, otherwise we return a very small
number.
This expression will be used to size the “Fill Block”.
Three expressions should be completed:
Negative Value
Minus Scale
Positive Scale
The Cut Tick Setting is set.
4
 Set the Block Height to: Minus Scale

Set the Block Color to: red

When the Negative Value (Surface Elevation * -1) is

truly negative (indicating fill) the Minus Scale will
return a tiny number, shrinking this label to nearly
nothing visibile.
18. Repeat Step 17 for Fill. The Fill Component settings are correct.

Block Height: Positive Scale

Block Color: blue

When the Surface Elevation value is negative,

indicating cut, the Postive Scale expression returns a
tiny number, shrinking this label to nearly nothing
visibile.

5
19. Select the Cut Component from the drop
down;

Select the Ellipse next to the Text Contents

to bring up the Text Component Editor.

Add the Properties: Negative Value

Change the Sign to: hide negative value

Press the Arrow to push the properties into

the adjacent editor.

And Press Ok The adjacent editor should show a value of:

<[Negative Value(P2|RN|AP|SHd|OF)]>

20. In the Cut Component, edit the Text Color

to match the color selected in Step 17.

21. Repeat Step 19 and 20 for Fill.

The Contents should be Surface Elevation.

The Sign should remain:

hide negative value

And the Text Color should match Step 18.

22. Accept the changes and Press the OK Cut-Fill Tick Label are ready to be used!
button on the bottom of the Label Style
Composer.

6
23. From the Annotate Ribbon Panel (2010 and
above), Select Add Labels.

Change the Label type to

Spot Elevations on Grid

Change Spot Elevation Label Style:

Cut-Fill Surface Ticks

Change the Marker Style:

_No Markers

24. Press Add and follow the prompts. The surface is labeled.

25.
END OF DOCUMENT