Inserting cross sections

Hi Bill,

Unfortunately that functionality is not available in InRoads, you must recreate your cross section set to include the new sections.

Thanks,
Sanders

Thank you Sanders.

I might suggest that this be added as a CR. The cross section dialog box took a big step backwards when OR was released. These tools need to become truly intelligent where a placed set of cross sections are like alignments. They know where they were placed and the settings (like those saved in an XIN preference) are stored with the sections. And if custom sections are used, the data stored in a saved set of custom sections (I cannot recall the extension off the top of my head) are all stored with the sections. Then you could click on a set and query it properties and the dialog box could open just like you were placing them initially, except it would be populated by the settings of the set of sections. You could then changes something, like add special stations or the vertical exaggeration and hit an update button and the sections would update.

The real key would also for any annotations to be preserved and updated.

Any time we modify a command setting and then display something, it would be nice if the settings used were somehow saved with the graphics. Many of us find it beneficial to share XIN files on the network for consistency, but that means you frequently cannot save a modified set of settings (preference) because you don't have read/write access. But sometimes, you need to tweak a setting for a project that may not ever be needed anywhere else, but you find it needed repeatedly for this one project. Adding it as a preference every time will result in preference bloat and with no description field in a preference setting, these can become problematic.

I work in a fairly small company and we use mostly DOT provided XIN files and many of them are a mess and need work before they are useful and even then, there are many preferences and settings we see little use for but leave as-is.

I love preference files for settings as the XIN format lends itself to generating reports where you can look for errors and omissions and if you are brave enough, copy and paste or even search and replace to update things. Binary files that do these things are far less user friendly for a CADD Manager as they have to use a seat to make changes and have to bore down into multiple dialog boxes to effect the changes. So it is my hope that as OR continues forward, the XIN file be retained as the key driver of many of the graphic settings for these reasons.   

Chuck, I couldn't agree with you more. Like you, I started using TDP back in the middle 80's and up to InRoads SS2. I haven't started using SS3 and above yet because our clients are not mandating it yet, but will be soon.

Cross-Sections need to be more flexible to allow editing and or refreshing. I still have issues that you cannot refresh components but you can with surfaces. If you recall Bentley tried with the first versions of InRoads to allow editing of the cross-sections. It was very slow and not very efficient. Inserting special sections would be very good as well. We work in a ever ending world of changes, it just the way the business goes. In order to make money we need to have the software work better for us. Bentley Civil though has made significant changes throughout the years and I commend them on this. They always seem to listen to us and our needs. I don't know why Bentley has not addressed this matter. Perhaps, here in the States we are the only ones that need this change? I don't know.

Regards,