Using surface in multiple drawings

[jendres]

I have a question that is shared by all of the C3D users in my office.

We use two different files for our plan production - our survey crew creates a file that contains a surface with existing conditions - points, breaklines, boundaries and site features. Let's call this the EX file. This surface is occasionally updated, but not always, during the course of a project design. The engineering staff uses a design file that brings in the existing conditions file as an external reference. We'll call this the DF file.

In the past, we have imported a TIN from the EX file because the surveyors were working in LDT2006, and we use C3D 2011. If the EX surface was modified, we would have to import the TIN again and update the existing ground surface in the DF.

Now our surveyors are using 2011 as well, and we are having a problem bringing the EX surface into the DF file. We get all kinds of weird stuff.

Here's the objective. We would like to reference the EX surface, in the EX drawing, but have it update automatically if the surveyors change it. We would also like to be able to use that surface as a reference surface in our DF drawing, without having to re-import it or recreate it every time it's changed. We need it for cuts and fills, profiles and hydrology, just for starters.

Can anyone offer suggestions on how this should be done? I suggested just having all the data in one drawing file, and nobody liked that idea. We want to keep the EX and DF files separate. In 2006 we had projects - where all the points, surfaces and everything were all referenced by project and the surfaces and points were shared seamlessly. It's different now, and we can't figure out how to make it all work for us. There is probably a very simple solution but none of us can figure it out.

[mjfarrell]

you need to have the surveyors build the existing surfac file
then when they are happpy with the state of the exisitng surface
they then issue a DATA SHORTCUT, or a data reference to the Existing surface data.

The Engineers then bring in the Data Shortcut by cresting a Data Reference to the EG surface and apply the desired style to it. NOTE: this is NOT the same as an XREF, this is bringing in a file technically as a block that has layer control properties.
This is a data shortcut, and is accesed via the toolspace....
One should first create a Data Shortcuts folder in the project
then one can create data references inside the folder for uothers to use data in multiple files within the project.

This is a topic I typically cover in all of my Civil 3D classes.

[mike.monical]

I believe having the surveyors maintain the Existing surface Data Reference is the best practice with in house surveyors.

What if your surveyors are not in house but send you drawings with updated surfaces based on additional survey or corrected surface creation?

Is there a best practice to replace an existing data reference without having to recreate/replace all of the surface references?

[mjfarrell]

If you are getting files with surfaces in them, save them in a common location per project, create the shortcut.
Then rename the original surface shortcut file, this will for a repathing of the shortcut.
Or if you save the incoming file with the same name as the old file and the surface has the same name, and create the shortcut.
When you open the project file it should repath the shortcut itself.

For those sending files:

I would send those outside users a(n) XML version of the surface and let them chose their own stategy
as to reference or not to reference that surface into their files as they see fit.
I wouldn't send them the drawing file at all if all you are sending is a surface.
I don't see any other way to maintain the shortcuts directory structure once it leaves your IP Address.