The TIN Surface tab is displayed on the ribbon.

This is known as a
contextual tab, and it contains all the tools related to surfaces. Depending
on the type of object that is selected, different tools are displayed on the
contextual tab. The tools on all AutoCAD Civil 3D contextual tabs are
arranged in a similar series of panels:
■ Labels and Tables

■ General Tools

■ Modify

■ Analyze

■ Object Tools

■ Launch Pad

5 Press Esc.

6 Select the corridor.

8 | Chapter 2 Getting Started Tutorials

 The Corridors tab is displayed on the ribbon. When an object is selected,
the appropriate object contextual tab is available on the ribbon.

7 Press Esc.
The corridor is deselected, and the Home tab is active, and the contextual
tab is removed.

To continue this tutorial, go to Exercise 2: Understanding the Toolspace (page

9).

Exercise 2: Understanding the Toolspace

In this exercise, you will learn how to use the AutoCAD Civil 3D Toolspace,
which provides an object-oriented view of your engineering data.
For more information, see the AutoCAD Civil 3D Help topic The Toolspace
Window.
This exercise continues from Exercise 1: Finding Tools (page 6).

Exercise 2: Understanding the Toolspace | 9

 Explore the Prospector tab

NOTE This tutorial uses Intro-1.dwg from the previous tutorial.

1 In Toolspace, click the Prospector tab.

Toolspace can be docked, but it can also float. The Prospector tab provides
you with a categorized view of all objects in the drawing.

NOTE If the Toolspace is not visible, enter ShowTS on the command line.
The command line is not case sensitive, but in this document, commands
are written in mixed case.

2 Click next to the Sites collection.

The drawing contains only one site, Site 1.

3 Expand the Site 1 collection.

Notice that the Site 1 collection includes sub-collections for the following
objects:

■ Alignments

■ Feature Lines

■ Grading Groups

■ Parcels

A site provides a logical grouping of objects that form part of the same
design project, or are otherwise related. An object can belong to only one
site.

4 Expand the Parcels collection to see the names of individual parcels

in Site 1.
Notice that the drawing includes different types of parcels, such as
Single-Family and Easement.

5 Click a parcel name.

The parcel is displayed in a preview region of the Prospector tab.

10 | Chapter 2 Getting Started Tutorials

 NOTE If the preview does not work, you can activate it. First, ensure that the

item preview button at the top of the Prospector tab is pressed in. Then,
right-click the Parcels collection and click Show Preview.

6 Right-click one of the Single-Family parcels. Click Properties.

The properties of the parcel are displayed in a dialog box. Note the
detailed survey data shown on the Analysis tab. Review these properties
as you wish, but do not change anything.

7 Click the Information tab. Change the Object Style from Single-Family
to Open Space. Click OK.
Notice that the appearance of the parcel changes in the drawing, and in
the item view preview. The name of the parcel changes in the Parcels
collection on the Prospector tab. This happened because the style name
is part of the naming template that is associated with the parcel.
A distinct set of custom styles for each AutoCAD Civil 3D object type can
be saved in a drawing template. Object styles can be changed as needed
to change the display of an object.

Explore the Settings tab

1 Click the Settings tab.

The Settings tab contains a tree structure of object styles and settings for
the drawing. Like the Prospector tab, it has object collections at several
levels.

2 Expand the Settings tree by clicking next to the Intro-1. Expand

the Parcel ➤ Parcel Styles collection.

This collection displays the styles that are available in the current drawing.

3 Right-click the Standard parcel style. Click Edit.

The object style dialog box displays the current style attributes. Explore
the contents of the tabs to see the various attributes that can be changed
when you create a style.

4 Click Cancel.
Further exploration: Expand the Settings tree and look at several style
objects and commands. Right-click various objects to see the available
menu selections, but do not change anything.

Exercise 2: Understanding the Toolspace | 11

 To continue this tutorial, go to Exercise 3: Using the Panorama Window (page
12).

Exercise 3: Using the Panorama Window

In this exercise, you will learn how you can use and customize the Panorama
window.
For more information, see the AutoCAD Civil 3D Help topic The Panorama
Window.
This tutorial continues from Exercise 2: Understanding the Toolspace (page
9).

Display object data in the Panorama window

NOTE This tutorial uses Intro-1.dwg from the previous tutorial.

1 Use the Pan and Zoom controls to locate the beginning of the
alignment and pipe network on the far right side of the site.

2 In the drawing, click the green alignment.

12 | Chapter 2 Getting Started Tutorials

3 Click Alignment tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Geometry Editor .

4 In the Alignment Layout Tools toolbar, click .

A table called Alignment Entities is displayed in a separate window called
the Panorama. Notice that the table name appears on a tab. The main
control bar is labeled Panorama. Each table in Panorama is called a vista.
These tables are useful for editing object attributes. You can edit data in
cells that appears as black text. You cannot edit data in cells that are
shaded (unavailable). In the next few steps, you will learn to use some
of the Panorama controls.

5 If the Panorama window covers the alignment, move it by clicking the

middle part of the vertical control bar where you see the Panorama title,
and then dragging the window to a new location.

TIP To move the Panorama window, hold down the Ctrl key to prevent the
Panorama window from docking when you move it.

6 Press Esc to deselect the alignment.

7 In the drawing, click the blue structure marker.

Exercise 3: Using the Panorama Window | 13