Label Precision Values

[shannon.summers]

I'm trying to set my label precision for my contour labels to 0. instead of 0.000. I have drawn my contour label line and then gone into "Contour Label Line Properties" This gives me three options. Major Style, Minor Style and User Defined. I then go into edit current selection on one of the styles. Scroll to "Text Contents" then "modifier" then "precision" where it appears that I can change the decimal places in my label display. When I do this and then press apply, nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?

I am running Civil 3D 2005

Thanks in advance!!

[mjfarrell]

Is this 'non' effect even after you set the precision to 0.0,
and then update the lables, or re-apply them as well?

You shouldn't have to, although try deleting the contour label line,
set the desired presicion, and then create a new one.
And see if it accepts your settings.

[stephen.cowling]

Did you solve this one Shannon? I think I did the same thing yesterday. If you want me to explain what did and didn't work, I'm happy to.

[mjfarrell]

I think the preferred process is to Open your Toolspace.
Then go the the settings tab, and find the contour label
styles under the Surfaces collection.
There create two styles one for Existing Contours and
one for Finished grade, within these styles one sets the
accuracy settings, color, and font, then when you create your contours
in the working drawing assign the proper style to them
through their properties available with a right-click.

I'm pretty sure one can also apply an override within the current
drawing, in the Prospector tab of the Toolspace

[stephen.cowling]

I'm not sure about all that, Michael. If you've got it working, I'll take you word for it. Interesting though - how are you using two different label styles for existing and finished?

I'd better say how I see it, now that I've gone this far:

The contour label styles are stored within each label line. To change existing label lines, you need to go to Surfaces>labels>contour label line properties, then follow the prompts to a dialog box which lets you choose a different style.

If you edit a label style, then any existing label lines referencing this style will be updated. Correction, should be.

I realise I'm working backwards.

To edit the label style, it gets a bit interesting - go to toolspace/settings, then surface>label styles>contour and double-click on the style to be modified (I haven't dared go beyond 'standard'). Go to the layout tab and click the edit box in contents (properties tab if you're not already there). Here, I think, is where Shannon got mixed up.

You need to click on the bit of code of the right hand side (it should highlight), make the changes you require on the left, then click on the arrow in the middle. Obvious. :)
Once I get my head around it, this style of dialog box will probably be pretty efficient. It's just difficult to reverse engineer.

[mjfarrell]

Stephen

The short ramp to Civil 3d would appear to be this.
Open a drawing and define all standard layer names.
The overall impression I have is the more generic you name things
the better.
This drawing with all of your standard layer information becomes the
DWT.
The Settings tab of the Toolspace, this is where you establish your
standards, not only for drafting, but your typical assemblies, all label styles
for everything, various grading element settings say for retaining walls
and pads.
Thusly when working and one is going to build say an existing surface or
a design surface it has the correct display style assigned at that moment.
Same for all other standard label styles for everything that 3D will label.

My mistake must have been reading the help files before I started using it.

My impression is this new Toolspace Settings tab is the equivalent of
the old Project Prototype, only with a great deal more settings made more
transparently controllable. My early experiments involved creating a
surface style for existing and proposed, various contour styles, etc.
The tools lend themselves directly to the manner I was already accustomed to
with Land Desktop, and it translates pretty linearly from that base line.

[stephen.cowling]

"My mistake must have been reading the help files before I started using it."

I see your mistake, and I raise you mine: I'm trying to switch my workflow mid-project from ALD. I've brought in my surfaces etc. with remarkable success. I've now set about the task of bludgeoning my existing data into not yet created standards and learning the software at the same time.

It's a testament to Civil3D that I'm able to do this at all. It's a testament to the Civil3D marketing hype that I think it will be easy.

Removing my tongue from cheek now, thank you for you replies and advice. I've been out of the forum loop since the email LDD list ceased to be. Civil3D seemed a good excuse to get back in it. Hopefully as this forum is populated I'll lurk less and learn more.

[shannon.summers]

Thank you both! I had to jump back into 2004 and crunch on a project. I even missed the Webcast today. Darn!! As soon as I get a quiet moment, I'll open my test 3d project and educate myself. Thanks again!!