Hi,
With OpenRoads Technology I saved a lot of time on 3D modeling stage of my project. Unfortunatelly, now I have to payback this saved time twice when annotating cross-sections. Since I am stuck with cross-sections I hope someone here would be able to help me to move on.
1) There are no update-cross section option. Hence I can not display on/off any additional crossing features after CS are cut. The 3D model need to be displayed along with all edge lines (and other lines you want to annotate) before you cut CS. I hope I missed sth and there is an update CS command...
2) It seems there is no filter when you annotating features in cross-sections. You can not even sort them with alphabet order. I need to annotate 4 pavement layers from my corridor in frame below CS in seperate rows - two rows (offset and elevation) for each layer. Selecting features without filter is really time-consuming. It could be faster to downgrade to SS2 and create 3D model once again...
I was quite sure that since there is no filter in CS annotate features command it would be possible to control that with levels display on/off. But it is not.
3) There are some Filters in Project Explorer/Civil Standards - how shall we use these filters. Can I use them with Cross-Sections?
4)end area volumes - unsuitable material by feature is missing in SS3 what would be the workaroud for that? It was very usefull for me when calculating material to be removed (just an example : existing pavement structure with topsoil on both sides varying in depth).
I think that CS are still some kind of industry standard and for some of our clients are more important than 3D/BIM model. So, what is the Best Practice workflow for Cross-Sections (creating, updating, annotationg, etc.)?
Thanks.
Adam
Microstation v8i SS3
Inroads v8i SS3
The rumours said, SS3 (OpenRoads technology) still does not have all cross-section, profile commands and annotation possibilities we had with InRoads SS2.
Regards
Frank
since 1985: GIS, CAD, Engineering (Civil) Senior Consultant : [Autodesk Civil 3D , Esri ArcGIS, VertiGIS: in previous days : Bentley MS V4 - V8i, GeoGraphics, Bentley Map V8i, InRoads, HHK Geograf, IBr DAVID] : Dev: [C, C++, .NET, Java, SQL, FORTRAN, UML][direct quote by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmut_Schmidt]: "Wer Kritik übel nimmt, hat etwas zu verbergen"Wer Grammatik- und/oder Rechtschreibfehler findet, der darf sie behalten :-)
Hello Adam,
I'm glad to hear the success with the Modeling with OpenRoads technology. But I like to address the comments that you have on the Cross Section Sheeting and annotating.
1. Your assesment that their is no Update/Refresh to the cross section sheet is correct for this release. The Cross Section will need to be recut if you need to show additions or modifications to your corridors and surfaces. This function did not make this release but is in our roadmap. As you know the SELECTseries 3 OpenRoads release brings dynamic section technology to the table, which gives you the ability to cut through what is displayed in the DGN, which even includes DWGs that are referenced. We plan to expand on this technology and tie this into the HyperModeling that MicroStation Platform brings to the table, which is where we like to tie in the Update/Refresh Cross Section Sheets function that you seek.
2. The cross section sheets are created on from what is displayed in the DGN 3d model. What you see is what you get. Thus if there are features that you do not want to annotate, simply shut off the level before creating the sections and they will not be populated in the Cross Section Annotation features list. However, I believe with the 4 layers of pavement you are annotating, so you are doing multiple passes with annotation with different preference for each pass. So you are seeking to filter features once the cross section are created. If this is what you are looking for, we do have CR that we are evaluating. And you are correct that once the sheets are cut the Level On/Off does not impact the filtering of the feature with the annotate tool.
3. Project Explorer>Civil Standards>Filter do not impact Cross Sections. However, do you believe this to be of value to have this filter your features in sections? Particualrly in conjunction with Levels On/Off?
4. Adding the existing Pavement to cross section can be achieved in several ways, which does replace unsuitable by features function. The existing pavement can be built as a simple overlay component into your template to represent the existing pavement. You can build a seperate corridor reflecting this or even do an Surface template that represent this. However way you choose to achieve this, you need to make sure the classification of this is defined in the End Area Volume tool appropriately.
These are all good questions with what the OpenRoads bring to the table. And I would be interested to hear additions comments and thoughts on this. As you stated these are the items that are important on what we do in the industry and ulimately it is what pays the bills.
Thanks for the posting.
Joe Waxmonsky, PE
Bentley Civil
Joe Waxmonsky
Joe,
re 2. Yes I use multiple passes with different preferences for each pass to annotate cross-sections. It is good to hear that there is the open CR for that filters option. Filtering crossing features with levels would be good enough. However more advanced filtering (by feature definition along with level on/off option) would be even better. btw. Where these preferences are stored now, I guess it is not XIN file, is it? How can I share these preferences for annotating CS across my organization?
re 3. As mentioned above, filtering features in CS with toggling levels on/off would be good enough but still it is good to have filters that are common across the software, like in InRoads we had filters and filter lock.
and sorry for asking again - how these filters from Project Explorer/Civil Standards work? The help documentation regarding this particular filtering option is very poor. I hope I would be able to use these filters to filter the 3D graphic before cutting CS. Am I right?
re. 4. surface template would suite to the most workflows when unsuitable materials are removed. BTW - surface template is a real productivity booster.
-----
If you could only combine the power of OpenRoads Technology in the field of 3D modeling with SS2 annotating/reporting and other data extraction capabilities we would get kind of rocket fuel for designers, a huge advantage of technology.
Thanks for explanation.
Kindly,
Adam Wieczorek