IMAGINiT Civil Solutions Blog

AutoCAD and Civil 3D Updates and Hotfixes

What's Up?

With new releases of software come new issues to resolve. For the 2012 software releases, Autodesk is quick to react and has already provided several downloads you may be interested in. Whether you are experiencing some irregular behavior in a drawing, a tool doesn't seem to work the way it used to, or performance seems to have taken a dip, you should take a look at what's available. It is always in your best interest to keep up to date on updates and hotfixes provided for your design software.

What 2012 Hotfixes and Updates are Available?

AutoCAD 2012 Performance Slowdown Hotfix (32/64 bit)

This hotfix is suitable for all AutoCAD 2012 verticals and will fix the slowdown caused by the layer control update available in the ribbon. Download Hotfix and ReadMe file here.

Autodesk 2012 Block Editor Save Corruption Hotfix

This hotfix prevents possible loss of data that may occur if the drawing is saved while the Block Editor is open in AutoCAD® 2012-based products. Download Hotfix and ReadMe file here.

Autodesk 2012 Content Explorer Service Hotfix

This hotfix applies to the Autodesk 2012 Content Explorer Service (Public and Personal) and addresses the following issues:

• Users performing searches in Content Explorer may encounter incorrect paging results.
• Indexing problematic DWG files would require the Content Service to be restarted.
• Searching on a network drive that is configured to use a substitute path may not return any results.

Download Hotfix and ReadMe file here.

Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite Network License Hotfix

This hotfix addresses a possible issue with AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 pulling the incorrect license at launch.  This hotfix should be applied to all machines that have AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 installed, regardless of whether it was installed as part of a suite or as a point products (not part of a suite). Download Hotfix and read reference information here.

Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis 2012 Hotfix (localized Civil 3D and Map 3D versions Only)

This hotfix will address a connection issue between Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis and Civil 3D and/or Map 3D. Only affects localized (non-North American) versions of Civil 3D and Map 3D. Download Hotfix here.

What Else Is There?

A lot actually. There are several other hotfixes and updates available, but for more specific purposes. You can find all of those for download at this location.

Also, don't forget what additional resources may be available. For instance, you might have a plugin or 3rd party software that requires an extension be installed within Civil 3D. You can find those downloads here. Maybe you also need to coordinate with your surveyors (or perhaps, are a surveyor) and work directly with the instruments used in the field. Utilize these plugins provided by Autodesk Survey Equipment Partners. We can't forget those of you utilizing Autodesk design software outside North America either. For you, Autodesk also provides Country Kits for download.

Lastly - and this I can't forget - if you aren't sure what you might need, but are looking for what all is available for the current or previous releases of your Autodesk design software (be that AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Map 3D, Navisworks, or of the many other options) you should visit Autodesk's general support page to find what you want and/or need.

Update 2 released for Civil 3D 2011

Update 2 for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011 has been released and can be downloaded from the link below, either for a 32 bit operating system or a 64 bit.

http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=DL17290402

Some key points to know about this update you need to have Update 1 installed before you can install Update 2. You cannot deploy Update 2 through an administrative image, you’ll need to apply it to the workstations individually just make sure Update 1 is already installed. AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011 Update 2 contains the fixes included in AutoCAD 2011 Update 2 and AutoCAD Map 3D 2011 Update 2. Because AutoCAD Civil 3D is built on AutoCAD® and AutoCAD® Map 3D, it is recommended that you also review the AutoCAD and AutoCAD Map 3D readme files at the following locations

AutoCAD® 2011 Update 2 Readme

AutoCAD® Map 3D® 2011 Update 2 Readme

 The primary issues that have been fixed with this Update are listed below.

Alignments

• When using multisegments, the station range of a surface profile is now the same as the station range of the alignment.

API

• StationOffsetElevationToBaseline no longer returns inconsistent values when queried multiple times for the same object.
• Alignment.StationOffset() no longer returns inconsistent values.

Corridor Design

• Corridor feature lines now connect when the center alignment and the offset alignment have different station ranges.

Corridor Volumes

• When generating materials automatically by sample line group, canceling the dialog no longer causes AutoCAD Civil 3D to close unexpectedly.

Feature Lines

• An unexpected error that occurs when editing a feature line has been resolved.

General/Other

• A delay displaying contours on when first opening a drawing has been resolved.
• If the ApplyTransform check box on the Transformation tab of drawing settings in not selected, AutoCAD Civil 3D no longer sets the reference point on the AutoCAD Geo Data object.
• AutoCAD Civil 3D no longer stops responding after the installation of Autodesk Raster Design.
• An unexpected error that occurs when opening a drawing using the Civil 3D as AutoCAD profile has been resolved.
• An unexpected error that occurs when closing a drawing using the Civil 3D as AutoCAD profile has been resolved.

Hydrology and Hydraulics

• Importing a localized DXF as a background image in Storm Sewers no longer generates an error.
• Pipe diameter is properly matched when importing a LandXML file into Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis.

Performance

• Memory performance has been improved when repeatedly opening drawings with Alignments.
• Cogo Point, Parcel, Grading, Lot Line, Alignment, Feature Line, and Survey Figure objects should now display proxy graphics and bounding boxes in accordance with the AutoCAD PROXYGRAPHICS and PROXYSHOW variables.
• Moving tables no longer causes AutoCAD Civil 3D to stop responding.
• Performance when triangulating surfaces in 64bit has been improved.
• Hardware Acceleration no longer causes model space to flicker, a white viewcube background, or AutoCAD Civil 3D to stop responding.

Pipes

• When reopening a drawing with referenced pipes in Section Views, the referenced pipes now show in section view and network section labels no longer disappear from the drawing.
• Pipe Style elements properly honor color as defined in the style.
• Structures with insertion points that are not centered are now correctly placed in the drawing.
• Drawing audit now repairs .NET pipe rules.

Points

• When selecting all points, then editing the column width, AutoCAD Civil 3D no longer stops responding.
• Importing points using custom file import no longer causes an unexpected close.
• Toggling Toolspace status no longer causes an error after exiting.
• Changes to the priority order of Description Key Sets are now retained as expected.
• An unexpected error that occurs when adding points to a dynamic points table when there are two or more tables has been resolved.

Profile View

• OSNAP behavior is now supported with multiple split profile views.

Project Management

• When exiting AutoCAD Civil 3D while logged into Autodesk Vault, a message that the AutoCAD Application has stopped working is no longer generated.
• Corridors with offset alignments are now displayed as expected when XREFed.
• Importing an AutoCAD Civil 3D project into Autodesk Vault no longer causes an unexpected close.

Surface

• Surface Style elements properly honor plot settings as defined in the style.

Survey

• The order of observations has been corrected to allow proper adjustment of north azimuth surveys.
• In Observation Editor, if the default point number is changed, two new points are no longer created.
• In Observation Editor, descriptions are now saved when entering new observations.
• Importing survey points using the CAiCE migration tool and CAiCE point format no longer causes AutoCAD Civil 3D to close unexpectedly.
• When right-clicking the traverse name in the Traverse Editor panorama and selecting Traverse Analysis, AutoCAD Civil 3D no longer stops responding.

User Interface

• Toolbox content in the Panorama window can now be saved.
• When rolling over an MPOLYGON object the tooltip no longer causes AutoCAD Civil 3D to close unexpectedly.

 

Civil 3D Subassembly Composer All Grown Up

What is Subassembly Composer?

For anyone not familiar with the Autodesk Labs preview of the Subassembly Composer (SAC), it is a very intuitive tool used for creating highly customized Civil 3D Corridor Subassembly parts. Each Subassembly created with the SAC had the capabilities of much more than a simple "Subassembly from Polyline." Actually, every aspect a Subassembly created with SAC had the potential for being a dynamic component more intelligent that many of the Subassemblies preinstalled and included with Civil 3D. Most importantly, no programming or coding is necessary to accomplish these things.

For the last several months, Autodesk Labs had released a technology preview for Subassembly Composer. That is, it was available all the way up until the middle of last month. On June 15th, it was no longer available for download, all installed copies were time-bombed, and little information was given to the future of this tool. That's all changed.

The Big News

Autodesk announced on Tuesday the SAC would be made available again, only this time it wouldn't be through an Autodesk Labs technology preview. Now, SAC is being released to anyone on Subscription with Civil 3D, Infrastructure Design Suite Premium, or Infrastructure Design Suite Ultimate. It works with Civil 3D 2011 and 2012. If you don't have SAC, but want to benefit from the superb Subassemblies created by it, you can install a simple support pack. Oh, and it is available for download by those customers from Subscription Center RIGHT NOW. Did I mention it is only a 5.5 MB download for the 32-bit version and 6.2 MB for the 64-bit version? Reading on, you'll start to wonder how that packed so many great features into such a small package.

What Can SAC Do/What's Changed?

All the original components and features are still available within the newly released Subassembly Composer. Drag and drop links and points to a flowchart area to "program" how your part will work. Preview the shape as you develop it. Input parametrics and information about each link and point to up the level of flexibility and detail in each component. But that is just the beginning. Here is a sampling of new features added to the updated release:

• Combination points and links in one element
• Drag your test surface for dynamic preview
• Add daylight rounding to just about any component
• Shape codes are now supported
• Switches to turn on/off different parts within Subassembly throughout corridor
• Subassemblies created with SAC can adapt to superelevation
• Calculate depths perpendicular to the slope is possible instead of just vertical
• Slopes, depths, and much more can change all within 1 assembly to adapt to design choices/environment
• Curves, although tessellated once placed, can be used in your Subassemblies
• Messages can be defined for reporting in the Event Viewer
• No loops in SAC to avoid infinite loops
• A help file and images can be assigned to any Subassembly
• Anything - yes anything - that follows a linear path can be created as a Subassembly with SAC

The possibilities with this tool are nearly endless. We've only touched the tip of the iceberg here and there is a lot more potential to be tapped from this powerful tool. Yet another example of what is possible for adapting to environmental and design conditions is shown below.

Additional Info

One caveat that has been discovered thus far in the development of the Subassembly Composer tool is that it isn't playing friendly quite yet with Vault as the .Net 4.0 framework is required for SAC and that breaks the link between Vault and Civil 3D 2011. Autodesk representatives have stated that work is being done to better integrate these two technologies and develop a more complete solution between them. Something else to consider before installing is ensuring Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5 SP2 is installed, since it is required for SAC to work with both Civil 3D 2011 and 2012.

Autodesk is making it easy to discover features and resources for the SAC, though, as they have implemented a Wiki style help website that allows for user input and updates to better the information available to all. You can find that Wiki site here.

As a parting gift, I'd like to also provide 2 videos Dana Probert of Autodesk (and BIM on the Rocks blog fame) has recorded.

 

 

Special thanks to several of my Twitter Tweeps for images, links, and additional information in forming this post: @kdinctPE, @C3DReminders, @civil3diva, @civil3D, @JohnEvansDesign, @LouisaHolland, @thecadgeek, @C3DPlus, and any others I may have forgotten. Plus, don't forget to follow the IMAGINiT Technologies Infrastructure Solutions team @IMAGINiT_Civil and me personally @Indydrafter.