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AutoCAD

Band and Code Set Styles (CAD Clinic: Civil 3D Tutorial)

31 Jan, 2008 By: Phillip Zimmerman

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Learn to style band sets for the profile or section view and code sets to display and annotate corridor properties in a section view.

A profile and section view can have annotation at the top or bottom that is a separate object -- a band. Profile views have several band types showing important alignment data with the profile view context. Typically, a band displays profile (existing and proposed) surface elevations, but a Civil 3D band can display vertical alignment geometry, horizontal geometry, a superelevation chart, sample line numbers, and pipe network pipes and structures. A code set uses code, link, and shape styles to annotate corridor values in a section view.

Band Sets
A band set defines what band types and styles appear when applying the set. For example, the band set below uses three band types: surface, horizontal geometry, and superelevation. Each band type has list of styles from which to choose. The set also defines the gap distance between each band, if the labeling is at the beginning and end of the view, and a weeding factor controlling possible label overlap.

In the Band Set dialog box, the top left of the Band tab sets the band's type and the top center sets the band's style. A style defines a band's labeling components. After identifying a band type and style, click the Add button to add the type and style to the band set. To remove a style from a band, select the band and click the red X. The arrows move a selected band up or down the list of bands; this action sets the band order in the drawing.

The dialog box defining a band style has a unique organization. The reason is each band type annotates different design properties, and users may need a format different from other elements in the band style. For example, a superelevation band reflects the current lane state, and a pipe band displays pipe structures values. Each of these properties may have a specific location requirement or label requirements. The Band Style dialog box breaks out these properties for individual attention and formatting. Each Band Details panel includes settings for a band title and values sizing the band's ticks. The Display tab lists and controls the visibility, layer, and other layer properties for each component of the style.

The Title content for a style is located on the left side of the Band Details panel. This area defines the title's text style and its layout parameters, band height, text box width, offset from band, and its position relative to the band.

The Band Detail's middle lists the valid elements for the band. You can create a label with one or more components for each listed element. The Compose label button on the right displays the Label Style Composer dialog box for each selected element. When creating the actual label, clicking on the text's content value displays the Text Component editor. In this dialog box you select a property and format its values for the band label.

Each item listed in Band Details has its own label composure, and a label type can have multiple object properties as it components. For example, the Major Station label type for a profile data style has three components: Station Value, EG Elevation, and FG Elevation. Each component is anchored to the Major Station and offset slightly to the right or left of the tick line (of the Major Station). Because the text is anchored to the station tick (running bottom to top), it doesn't have a rotation angle. The orientation of the anchoring component is important to understand.

Band Types
Profile: defines a traditional station and elevation band. By tradition, this band has full height ticks at each major station with the elevations for the EG and FG profiles to the left and right of the station tick. This type of band can also chart the difference between two profiles as cut-and-fill elevation differences.

Vertical Geometry: draws the vertical tangents and curves and marks their PVC and PVT points within a band.

Horizontal Geometry: draws the horizontal tangents and curves and marks their PC and PT points within a band.

Superelevation: displays a superelevation chart as a table. The band displays the position and stations of the major segments of a superelevating highway.

Section: locates a section sample line and labels it with it number and distance between section sample lines.

Pipe: displays pipe and/or structure data. This type of band can include structures, their station and offset values, rim elevations, rim elevations, and other important pipe network properties.

A Section band sets label the offset stations of a section. Rarely do you want to label any surface elevations with this method. In a section, the values of the corridor model aren't the focus of the section view labels. The corridor section labels are a function of the Code set label styles. The application of these styles is from the settings of the Create Section View or Create Multiple Section view routines from the Sections menu.

Code Set Styles
The code set styles create the annotation for a corridor section. A code set style has three sections corresponding to an assembly's points, links, and shapes. Point codes produce offset and elevation labels. Assembly links create grade labels. Assembly shapes provide data for section shape labels.

The Code Set Style dialog box assigns the description for each code type (point, link, and shape), assigns the style (how they display), and assigns the label style for section views.

A code set uses the label styles listed beneath them in the Label Styles of the General branch.

Summary
Band sets and their styles are important components of a profile or section view. Some band types are appropriate for in-house design aids and others are important for submission documentation. Any implementation should review what is needed to best aid the design process. Code set styles focus on the display and annotation of corridor properties in a section view.

The next column will discuss defining and creating the various styles discussed during the past year.