About Exchanging Data with AutoCAD Civil 3D

Important:

See About Exchanging Data Between AutoCAD Civil 3D and InfraWorks 360

This AutoCAD Civil 3D online Help topic contains important, detailed information for InfraWorks 360 users, as well as for AutoCAD Civil 3D users. The topic includes details about:

• Data exchange workflows.
• Requirements for each application.
• Coordinate systems and units of measurement.
• Two tables listing object and data type translation between the applications, with notes on how the objects behave, settings, and restrictions.

Summary of Data Exchange Workflow

1. Open InfraWorks 360. Create the conceptual design in a model or proposal. Close InfraWorks 360.	2. Open AutoCAD Civil 3D. Open the InfraWorks 360 model (entire model or specify an Area of Interest). Choose which model objects to configure and bring into a AutoCAD Civil 3D drawing. Complete detailed design on the exchanged objects. Close AutoCAD Civil 3D.	3. Open InfraWorks 360. Link the AutoCAD Civil 3D drawing to the model as a Data Source file. Select the data types you want to add to the model and display their translated versions. (Optionally) Style the display of model objects using customized style rules.

To Modify AutoCAD Civil 3D data previously brought into a model

If your InfraWorks 360 model is connected to a local AutoCAD Civil 3D DWG drawing, you can reimport the DWG drawing into your model to make updates. See About the Behavior of Alignment and Entity Types when Exchanging Data Between AutoCAD Civil 3D and Autodesk InfraWorks 360 for more information.

1. Open AutoCAD Civil 3D. Make changes to the drawing which was brought into the model. Close AutoCAD Civil 3D.	2. Open InfraWorks 360. Use the Reimport command to update the AutoCAD Civil 3D drawing in your InfraWorks 360 model and reflect design modifications you have already made to the drawing in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Read-only Design Roads When Some Complex Geometry is Added in Civil 3D

However, AutoCAD Civil 3D supports some geometry elements that InfraWorks 360 does not support. If an AutoCAD Civil 3D alignment contains any geometry unsupported in InfraWorks 360, the design road will be displayed but will not be editable. You can still perform other operations with these objects such as site analysis and storyboards. For details, see About the Behavior of Alignment and Profile Entity Types when Exchanging Data Between AutoCAD Civil 3D and Autodesk InfraWorks 360.

If you want to make changes to design road objects brought in from AutoCAD Civil 3D, make the changes in the AutoCAD Civil 3D drawing, then reimport the revised drawing into InfraWorks 360.

Drainage Design Pipeline Connectors Part Catalog

Autodesk Drainage Design for InfraWorks 360 uses a new default part catalog with component object parts for pipeline connectors (manholes and inlets). This catalog is also available to AutoCAD Civil 3D. If users of both applications use parts from this catalog, then, when these objects are brought back into InfraWorks 360, it can display them with realistic visualization and preserve AutoCAD Civil 3D design work. (The Utility type should be set automatically for these drainage objects brought into AutoCAD Civil 3D.)

Where there is no match of pipeline connector parts from the catalog, Drainage Design displays pipeline connector objects (manholes and inlets) using generic, style-based objects.

Bridge Design

Autodesk Bridge Design for InfraWorks 360 allows you to work with your bridge designs in AutoCAD Civil 3D. When you open your InfraWorks 360 model data in AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Civil 3D will perform a conversion on InfraWorks 360 model objects. Your bridge will become a group of 3D solids.