creating surface in Arch units

[rmclemore]

I'm doing a site plan for a project that is in Architectural units. How can i tell C3D to label the contours in feet instead of inchs?

[mjfarrell]

Actually its a two part solution..

first use a minor contour interval that is an even fractional inch
as in 0.5 (6inches)
0.25 (3 inches)
I think one inch would be 0.00833

and set the major interval at one foot

then when you set up your minor contour interval label style set the units to be in INCHES you will need add the " or ' symbol to the style in the composer window...

If they are going to want 'fractional inches'
that will require you to split the label up a bit more..
using NOT full output. rather three part label...
Left of Decimal....
the Decimal character itself or none in this casse
and then RIGHT of Decimal with an Expression of some sort to return the fractional value...not entirely sure of the formula one would use here...without a bit of testing...

OR

Just label them in whole feet...1200, 1202, 1204, etc...

[sinc]

I think the OP was saying that the drawing UNITS are set to 1 modelspace unit = 1 inch.

Civil 3D is not designed to be used that way. Notice how "inches" is not available as a choice of units in your Drawing Settings (Toolspace -> Settings -> select drawing name, right-click -> "Edit Drawing Settings").

In Civil 3D, you should only use either Feet or Meters as your modelspace units; nothing else.

But if all you need to do at the moment is get some contours labeled, create an Expression that returns "Surface Elevation / 12", and use that Expression in your contour label style. Just beware that, if you do this, you are using C3D in a way that was not intended, and you are likely to run into other problems.

The ideal fix would be to scale modelspace so that you have 1 modelspace unit = 1 foot.