Interface introduction

Last updated: 2021-11-09

Total video time: 21:24

c3d-intrfc-intro-01.mp4 9:41

What you will find on the Welcome screen are:

  1. Short video tutorials, such as: user interface, surfaces, alignments, profiles, corridors, intersections and pipe networks.
  2. Exercise tutorials, show step-by-step processes on broader topics.

  3. What's New, explores new features in Civil 3D for the current year.

    Info: Most of these are web-based and will need internet connection.

    Tip: To turn-off the start screen, in the command line type Startmode, press Enter, type 0, press Enter.

    Tip: To turn-on start screen, select Help button (? button in upper right), option listed in dropdown.

c3d-intrfc-intro-02.mp4 3:15

  1. Large C icon in upper left corner.
  2. When selected once, it allows access to the general production menu. When selected twice, Civil 3D will close.
  3. Menu includes
    1. New - new drawing or sheet set
    2. Open - opens a drawing, not a template
    3. Save
    4. Save As - has different formats
    5. Export - has different formats
    6. Publish - one example, eTransmit packages all the files attached to your project, including Xrefs and data shortcuts.
    7. Print - Plot, batch plot, plot preview, page setup, etc.
    8. Drawing utilities - Set drawing properties, drawing settings, units, audit, purge, recover, etc.
    9. Close - To close all drawings or current drawing.
  4. Options button - Opens a dialog box with options.
  5. Search bar at the top, to find commands within the ribbon.
  6. Application menu also lists currently open and recently used files. Pin a drawing here to find it quickly.
  7. Exit button for exiting Civil 3D.

c3d-intrfc-intro-03.mp4 1:04

  1. Found to the right of the Application menu browser button at the top of the screen.
  2. Allows access to general commands; new, open, save, plot, undo/redo, and others.
  3. To add your own choice of command to the Quick Access menu
    1. Select dropdown > More Commands...
    2. Customize User Interface dialog box
      1. Select command name you want to add > OK
  4. To show the menu bar
    1. Select dropdown > Show Menu Bar
    2. Menu bar will appear above the tabs of the ribbon
  1. The ribbon is a user interface tool that allows all of the icon selection in Civil 3D to be centralized in a space sufficient area.
  2. The ribbon is organized into tabs that manage the different tools available.

  3. Each tab is subdivided into panels that contain the icons for the tools. If there are more tools than shown, a panel pulldown (arrow in lower right corner of panel) will display.

    Tip: To keep the panel expanded while using a tool repeatedly, select the thumbtack (icon found in lower left corner of expanded panel).

c3d-intrfc-intro-04.mp4 1:25

  1. Toolbars are the command structures for base AutoCAD, prior to the ribbon. Transparent commands is the only toolbar open by default. All other toolbars have been added to the ribbon.
  2. Selecting the dash line (found at the top or left side of the bar) you can move the bar. Right-click in the gray space of the toolbar to access a list of old toolbars.

c3d-intrfc-intro-05.mp4 2:16

  1. The command line can be found at the bottom of the screen. It is used for the typed version of commands.
  2. The command line is in a tool palette and can be moved. Like other toolbars, select the dash line (found on the left side) and drag to new location, even another screen.
  3. The command line is not in use when it displays "Type a command". Once you have typed a command, it will prompt you through to command.

c3d-intrfc-intro-06.mp4 2:13

  1. The status bar can be found below the command line. It is a series of icons that will allow for settings for certain functions within AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
  2. The status bar displays the cursor location, drawing tools, and tools that affect your drawing environment.
  3. The status bar provides quick access to some of the most commonly used drawing tools. There are function key alternatives for most of these icons, but not all.
  4. Some of the tools include; Snap mode, Ortho mode, Polar Tracking, Object Snap (OSnap), Annotation scale, and Workspace.

c3d-intrfc-intro-07.mp4 1:27

  1. The drawing scale is a representation of the drawing area the you have and is 1" = 1".
  2. The annotation scale is found at the bottom in the status bar. Use the arrow to activate a flyout menu and change the scale of your drawing.
  3. The drawing scale controls the size of text; text in labels, text in dimension labels, and text in multileaders, and space between section views in an array.