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
1.

Action
From the Toolspace, Settings tab, expand the Surface > Label Styles > Spot Elevation.

Result

2.

Right-mouse click on the Spot Elevation, and select New

The Label Style Composer dialog box should appear.

3.

On the Information Tab, named the Label Style Cut-Fill Surface Ticks

The New Label Style is named.

4.

The new Label Style is populated with a default value. Remove this Component by selecting the Red X.

The component will be deleted.

5.

From the drop down to the right of the component name, select the Block to Create a new Block Component. Repeat this twice.

Block.1 and Block.2 components will be created.

6.

From the Component name drop down, select the Block.1 component. Make the following edits: Name: Anchor Points: Block Name: Cut Block Middle Center AECC-MINUS

The settings for the Cut Tick have been changed.

7.

Repeat Step 6 for Block.2 with the following edits: Name: Anchor Points: Block Name: Fill Block Middle Center AECC-MINUS

The fill Tick settings are set.

8.

Repeat Step 5 to create two Text Components.

Two text label components are created.

9.

Edit the Text Components as follows: Name: Cut Anchor Component: Cut Block Anchor Point: Middle Right Repeat for Fill. Name: Fill Anchor Component: Fill Block Anchor Point: Middle Right Accept the changes for now and Press the OK button on the bottom of the Label Style Composer. From the Toolspace Settings Tab, Surface > Label Styles > Spot Elevation > Expressions, Right-Mouse click on Expressions and select New to Create a new expression.

Two components have been created and set for each case.

10.

We need to create a couple of expressions that will allow this label to work for both Cut and Fill Conditions. The new Expression dialog box appears.

11.

12.

Following the Civil 3d Best Practices Guide, create an expression called Negative Value .

13.

14.

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. Create a new Expression. Name: Minus Scale Expression:
IF({Negative Value}>0,0.00583,0.0001^10)

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 .

15.

Repeat Step 14 for Plus Scale. Name: Plus Scale Expression:

IF({Surface Elevation}>0,0.00583,.0001^10)

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 .

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.

Three expressions should be completed: Negative Value Minus Scale Positive Scale

17.

Edit the Cut Block Component. Set the Block Height to: Minus Scale Set the Block Color to: red

The Cut Tick Setting is set.

18.

Repeat Step 17 for Fill. Block Height: Positive Scale Block Color: blue

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. The Fill Component settings are correct.

When the Surface Elevation value is negative, indicating cut, the Postive Scale expression returns a tiny number, shrinking this label to nearly nothing visibile.

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 button on the bottom of the Label Style Composer.

Cut-Fill Tick Label are ready to be used!

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