About Exchanging Data with AutoCAD Civil 3D

You can bring AutoCAD Civil 3D data into your InfraWorks model by linking an AutoCAD Civil 3D DWG file as a data source. An AutoCAD Civil 3D user can bring InfraWorks model data into AutoCAD Civil 3D by referencing a local InfraWorks model or an IMX file exported from InfraWorks.

Detail of a corridor in an AutoCAD Civil 3D drawing.	Design road displayed in InfraWorks using alignment and corridor data from the same drawing.

Summary of Data Exchange Workflow

In InfraWorks

• Create the conceptual design.

In AutoCAD Civil 3D

• Open the model (entire model or specify an Area of Interest).
• Choose which model objects to configure and bring into a Civil 3D drawing.
• Complete detailed design on the exchanged objects.

In InfraWorks

• 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.

Note: InfraWorks uses predefined style rules to style the display of AutoCAD Civil 3D data that translates into design roads and associated coverage areas. You need to update the style and style rules that are installed with InfraWorks to enable the correct display of Civil 3D corridor, alignment, and profile data. See To load predefined style rules for Civil 3D - InfraWorks data exchange.

Important:

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

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

• Workflow
• 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

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

AutoCAD Civil 3D supports some geometry elements that InfraWorks does not support. If a Civil 3D alignment contains any geometry unsupported in InfraWorks, 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 InfraWorks.

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

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). If users of both applications use parts from this catalog, then, when these objects are brought back into InfraWorks, InfraWorks can display them with realistic visualization and preserve Civil 3D design work. (The utility type should be set automatically for these drainage objects brought into Civil 3D.)

Where there is no match of parts from the catalog, InfraWorks displays pipeline connector objects using generic, style-based objects.