Civil 3D point basics

Last updated: 2021-06-17

Total video time: 05:31

pnt-basc-01.mp4 5:31

Exercise Files:pnt-basc-data-begin-c3d20.zip

Point types

AutoCAD Point (aka Node)

  1. XYZ marker, marks Cartesian coordinate location.
  2. Not used for most Civil 3D workflows.
  3. PTYPE Enter
    1. Point Style dialog box
    2. Select a Point Style (style will affect every AutoCAD point in the file).
    3. OK
  4. Limited display control; only Layers.

COGO Points

  1. Typically used for proposed construction staking points, not existing survey data predominantly.
  2. Appearance is controlled by Civil 3D Styles with Description Key Set. Point Style for the symbol, Point Label Style for the text.
  3. Select on marker or text is all one unit.

Survey Points

  1. Survey Points are COGO points held in the Survey Database and can only be edited in the Survey Database.
  2. Survey points are imported into the file from the Survey Database.
  3. Appearance can be changed through Civil 3D Styles and Description Key Sets the same as COGO points.
  4. When inserting Survey Database Points into a file, use the Survey Template so the correct Styles are available for the survey points.
    1. Toolspace > Survey tab > Survey Databases

Description Key Set

Toolspace > Settings tab > Point > Description Key Sets

  1. Uses point data to place the point on the designated layer, assigned style or label, and other properties.

Point Groups

Toolspace > Prospector tab > Point Groups

  1. Point Groups section off groupings of points so point style or labels can be assigned. Also you can gather points by a common characteristic or control need, such as, surface definition points.
  2. A point can be a part of as many point groups as they have been defined to. The Toolspace listing of point group names is a priority listing of style assignment when any point is part of more then one conflicting point group style.
  3. Point Groups can hold both survey and COGO points.