[ORD 2021 R2] Can we create Civil Labels using more than one text favorite?

As I'm trying to develop our Civil labels, it looks like I can only use one text favorite per label.
Is there any way to string together multiple favorites into one label?

For example, I have a number of combinations that we use for station/offset callouts of R/W points.

Depending on the requirements, we can use 0, 1 or 2 decimal places. Some labels actually don't give the station and/or offset and just reference the R/W line. So I need Civil Labels like:

Sta (0D) / Off (0D)
Sta (1D) / Off (1D)
Sta (2D) / Off (2D)
Sta (0D) / Off (0D) Lt/Rt
Sta (1D) / Off (1D) Lt/Rt
Sta (2D) / Off (2D) Lt/Rt
Sta (0D) / RW
Sta (1D) / RW
Sta (2D) / RW
Sta (0D) / P.L.
Sta (1D) / P.L.
Sta (2D) / P.L.
R/W / Off (0D)
R/W / Off (1D)
R/W / Off (2D)
P.L. / Off (0D)
P.L. / Off (1D)
P.L. / Off (2D)
R/W / Off (0D) Lt/Rt
R/W / Off (1D) Lt/Rt
R/W / Off (2D) Lt/Rt
P.L. / Off (0D) Lt/Rt
P.L. / Off (1D) Lt/Rt
P.L. / Off (2D) Lt/Rt

If I can parse together more than one text favorite into a label, I only need to create nine favorites. If the Civil label can only be a single favorite at a time, I have to create this whole list.
I would much rather create the pieces, and build a label to meet the need, rather than try to craft every possible permutation we might need.

I'm sure I've asked this before, but can Civil Labels be created on the fly, at the time of need, without mucking up the resource XML? It's pretty common to need something that hasn't been preset. In Civil 3D we can create new labels pretty easily that are just saved into the drawing. We do our work, don't mess up the networked resource, and keep moving. Since ORD Civil labels are written to the centrally located XML, it looks as if any new labels need to be created in that file, which is NOT the way we want it. Or does everyone end up with their own personal Civil Labeler XML that they have to open to make new labels? What happens if someone else opens the drawing, and wants to place another one of those labels (but they don't have access to the personal XML)?

Thank you.

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  • Bump?

    MaryB

    Power GeoPak 08.11.09.918
    Power InRoads 08.11.09.918
    OpenRoads Designer 2021 R2

        

  • Civil Label targets are linked to the text favorite fields you create. You don't have to have 1 text favorite with 1 civil element field in it. You have a text favorite for station and offset (Plan Annotation.Point Station & Plan Annotation.Point Offset) you will have the ability to specify Target 1 and Target 2 independently if desired.

    Same Label selecting 2 different references for target 2 (offset) - 1st is relative to the ROW line, 2nd is relative to the baseline. You can tailor the descriptions of the targets to instruct the users to pick the appropriate target for the text favorite. Looks like you've identified which text favorites you can consolidate.

    Balancing modifications to a client provided XML vs. mapping to a workset specific XML per project is always difficult. I've seen people make project specific XMLs and utilize those going from project to project. I haven't tried opening an XML and copy/pasting the data from one to the other, but that may also be an option. I know others in here have messed around with that, so I would defer to them. I see this as one of the benefits of moving to the DGNLIB in the newer versions. It allows users to make these custom labels then copy those back to a workspace location.

    HTH,

    Justin

    Justin Guiliano, PE

    Answer Verified By: MaryB 

  • Unfortunately, due to client version requirements, I will not be upgrading to a newer version (with DGNLIB) any time soon.

    Between what you and Zane have said, I need to create a text favorite for every single label permutation I can imagine. There is no consolidation, because apparently Civil labels cannot be created from a selection of favorites - it is strictly one favorite per label.

    Copy an XML into the project/workset and setting the Configuration variable to look to that isn't terribly difficult. I have a workset creation application that already copies the proper template file into the project, so that same code can be edited to copy an XML as well, and a DGNLIB when we do start using them.

    MaryB

    Power GeoPak 08.11.09.918
    Power InRoads 08.11.09.918
    OpenRoads Designer 2021 R2

        

  • Hey Mary, any potential to use a newer version of ORD and just downgrade your DGNs before delivery to the client? Every newer version makes it a little easier to get things done...

    Regards,

    Mark


    OpenRoads Designer 2022 R3 (10.12)  |  Microstation 2023  |  ProjectWise CE 3.4

  • Unfortunately, I don't think a new version will help.  The Labels use "Text Favorites" for all data outputs so changing the precision or adding a prefix or varying any of the format values will require a new text favorite which is stored in a dgnlib.   I currently have over a hundred text favorites due to this design.  And will be adding more as we progress to different projects.  The biggest problem I have with text favorites is the fact the text favorites are full pathed in the label definitions.  So if the text favorites ever move to a different dgnlib or the dgnlib is renamed all the label definitions will be lost.  This has happened to me recently.  Luckily I was able to push everything back to the old dgnlib.

     Just thought I would give you the heads up while you are making labels.  

    Regards,

    Zane Pratt


    Civil Designer

Reply
  • Unfortunately, I don't think a new version will help.  The Labels use "Text Favorites" for all data outputs so changing the precision or adding a prefix or varying any of the format values will require a new text favorite which is stored in a dgnlib.   I currently have over a hundred text favorites due to this design.  And will be adding more as we progress to different projects.  The biggest problem I have with text favorites is the fact the text favorites are full pathed in the label definitions.  So if the text favorites ever move to a different dgnlib or the dgnlib is renamed all the label definitions will be lost.  This has happened to me recently.  Luckily I was able to push everything back to the old dgnlib.

     Just thought I would give you the heads up while you are making labels.  

    Regards,

    Zane Pratt


    Civil Designer

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