Contour Labels

[Anthony Rhodes]

I have one drawing with 6 different Layout tabs. One tab shows the entire project and is scaled at 1"=50'. The other 5 tabs are scaled at 1"=20'. The problem I am running into is when I add contour labels that look good on the 20 scale drawings they overlap each other on the 50 scale drawing. Likewise If I add contour labels that look good on the 50 scale drawing then there are not enough lables for the 20 scale drawings. What I want to do is add two sets of labels to the drawing that are controled by layers. I want one set to show up in the 50 scale drawing and I want one set to show up on the 20 scale drawings. How do I make this happen. The only thing I can think of is to add all the labels I want for one scale and then select them and move them to a different layer, then do it again for the other scale. Is that the only way? Can I set up a style to do this automatically?

[jpaulsen]

IThe only thing I can think of is to add all the labels I want for one scale and then select them and move them to a different layer, then do it again for the other scale. Is that the only way?

That is the method I use. You could use another style that puts the text on another layer.

[kiwigraham]

I know it's a little late for a reply to the original post, but, just in case someone else wants the solve the same issue. Set up an annotative text style and use that for your contours. C3D will do this automatically once your viewport is annotative.
Why aren't more users using annotative text? I'd be really interested to hear.

[dgordon.68443]

it's not the resizing of the text that the original poster wants. That is taken care of automatically when a viewport changes scales. its the position of the contour labels and the frequency that needs to change. The methods discussed above are the best two ways to handle it.

when you zoom out of an area that is 40 scale and now you're at 200 scale added contour labels to every contour can suddenly make all the labels overwrite each other because the labels got bigger to maintain the text size in the label. So now only the major contours need to be labeled so that the contour elevations are readable.

please do show me where the annotative toggle is for viewports?

in civil 3d if all your plan notes use C3D labels, there is no need for annotative text.

Dan

[mjfarrell]

I have one drawing with 6 different Layout tabs. One tab shows the entire project and is scaled at 1"=50'. The other 5 tabs are scaled at 1"=20'. The problem I am running into is when I add contour labels that look good on the 20 scale drawings they overlap each other on the 50 scale drawing. Likewise If I add contour labels that look good on the 50 scale drawing then there are not enough lables for the 20 scale drawings. What I want to do is add two sets of labels to the drawing that are controled by layers. I want one set to show up in the 50 scale drawing and I want one set to show up on the 20 scale drawings. How do I make this happen. The only thing I can think of is to add all the labels I want for one scale and then select them and move them to a different layer, then do it again for the other scale. Is that the only way? Can I set up a style to do this automatically?

I think the 'best' method to handle this is to export the surface as a Data Reference.
Apply one style and set of contour labels as required for the 20 scale version in a file set to the correct scale.

Create a new drawing and set the scale accordingly for the work to be done at 50 Scale.
reference in the surface and apply the desired style and contour labels for that purpose.

I think this is easier than attempting to manage layers, and or styles for viewports and having multiple contour lables and other information, all cluttered about in your model space.

For Kiwi...All labels in civil 3D ARE annotative based on the drawing scale settings.
Thus my suggestion that the best method is to use seperate DWG files for drawing that need to be at different scales within the same plan set.