AutoCAD/DWG TrueView export DWG, experience, tips, tricks and workarounds

In case of mass export a set of files there are many ways to do it.

1.File/Export
2.File/e-transmit
3.SheetSet manager/e-transmit/archive
4.DWG TrueView

Mass export : 2,3,4
Start on view that DWG was saved last : 1,2,4 (3 always fails. Always starts at Model Space)
Keep XRef insertion point at correct position when insertion is at PaperSpace : 1,4 (2,3 may fail!!!)
Auto find and export all non XRef files DWG is depended from (eg ctb,shx etc) : 1,2,3
Quaranteed export to selected version : NONE
Quaranteed export with AEC objects exploded : NONE

Tip : Before exporting through case 1 to 3 preview Export Report. If it is to fail exporting to selected version it will be mentioned.

Unfortunately, i found no workaround to always create safely an export to the selected version/AEC exploded. I can not understand why autodesk does not fix this problem. It exists through all previous releases.

SAC : New limitation found. Points entered in Decision branches.

I entered a Decision.
False produced a new Point. True also produced a new point.
None of them was available when i tried to use them in a link at a following flowchart although they were both preview visible for their case to take place.

So Points entered by decision are not available for Links. And i guess that their properties (.x,.y,.offset,.elevation,.isValid) are also not available.

Civil 3D 2014 : Corridor surfaces tips and workarounds

Creating corridor surfaces can be done by two main ways.
Feature lines and Links.

When created by links there are many cases that civil 3d jump from links to points that do not belong to those links.
So the best way to create a correct surface is to use feature lines.
But in this case when creating custom subassemblies you must assign codes to all points for all cases.
Another disadvantage is that there are cases that surfaces may end to points with various coding.

Another serious issue has to do with boundaries.
Selecting automatic corridor edges in most cases gives a wrong boundary.
Interactive works fine.
By object works fine.
The best of all is to select which feature lines to use.But it can not be used for all cases.

Leica RoadRunner-LandXML import

I do heavy use of autodesk Civil 3D and Leica RoadRunner 5.0 for roads, bridges, underpasses, overpasses etc.

At present time i prefer to use my programs to do the exporting from Civil 3D to LandXML.
I use the Civil 3D LandXML export only for the alignment and profiles.
Then with a program i developed i export CrossSections consisting of the points i choose in the order i set.
Finally i use another program of my own with which i join alignment and cross sections on the fly (although i can do this by hand-using a simple text editor to edit do the proper LandXML file joining)

This is just an online guide to remind me problems and tricks for future use.

1. DesignCrossSectionSurf are ignored. Only CrossSectSurf are loaded.

2. Multiple axies can exist in a single LandXML file but...
    2a. only one axis with cross sections can be loaded or else an error is reported and importing stops . Unfortunately even though a success message is displayed when importing multiple axies with only one of them containing cross sections in fact not a single cross section is loaded. Layers do exist. One for each alignment. But each layer is an empty of cross sections alignment.
    2b. user cannot select which axis to load. All of them are loaded. Each axis is set on a seperate layer mention this having in mind Carlson SurvCE way of improting LandXML.

3. Each CrossSect can have multiple CrossSectSurf . They will be represented as layers with their correspondent names. But the points will not be named with the codes mentioned in Civil 3D since CrossSectSurf format does not keep point codes. The names used are of type for example L1:3. L if left side, 1 for the first point in sequense,3 the ascending number for the layer when imported (it was loaded as the third one).

In case someone wants to preserve the point naming, since DesignCrossSectSurf are ignored, has to use Autodesk Civil 3D->Toolbox->Leica Geosystems->X-change->Export data to job.

But ALL points for each feature line checked when building corridor will be assigned. No layering takes place inside a baseline. Layering takes place only if multiple corridor and/or baselines exist.

For example if a corridor has three baselines but only the two of them were checked when building the corridor then the RoadRunner job will include those two base lines as layers with all of their points that belong to checked feature lines.
This means that point joining to lines for X-Slope will be sequential using the axis criteria. So if those lines are not the desired then the user has to go back and edit road job using the include/exclude key and store it.

Finally using Leica X-change for autodesk Civil 3D user can have multiple corridors with multiple baselines all in one job. Layering takes place at baseline level.

4. While in RoadRunner staking or checking then only points in selected layer appear. Again i mention this having in mind Carlson SurvCE in which all layers are visible but only the current is selectable.
A good practice is to include a layer with all points in it just for checking that no mistaken assignment took place when building LandXML CrossSectSurfs (layers).

Addition 2015-03-16

LandXML supports multiple gaps in CrossSectSurf . Multiple PntList2D are meant to be gaps.
But Leica RoadRunner importer does ignore them. No gaps. All points are joined sequentially.

But it is possible to enter points in what ever order. Points are joined the way they are ordered in PntList2D. That is perfect compared to Trimble's logic (Trimble Link-exporting road as surface). This way it is possible to enter points with same horizontal offset the way user wants to or even draw correctly closed shapes !

Addition 2015-03-17

If CrossSects->CrossSectSurf->PntList2D starts from right to left (descending order by offset) then ALL points are named as right even if there are points with negative offset.

Also if points start with negative offset but they are not ordered by ascending offset, just after the first positive offset, then all points even if negative they are named as right.

So for the points to get correctly named by RoadRunner LandXML importer, a good practice is to be ordered in PntList2D from left to right. But even if not correctly named this leads to no mistakes while staking or checking.