Import Tab (LandXML Settings Dialog Box)

Use this tab to define how data is imported from a LandXML file to Autodesk Civil 3D.

You can set the data translation, rotation, and conversion settings. In addition, there are options to control the import of point, surface, and pipe network data.

Translation

Translate: Specifies whether to translate data to new coordinates when importing the data from the LandXML file. Select On to translate the data on import.

Note: If Translate is set to Off, all other data translation options are unavailable.
Base Point Northing: Specifies the base point northing coordinate from which all import values are translated.

Note: The units used for base point and translated values are set at the drawing level in the Ambient Settings Tab (Drawing Settings Dialog Box).
Base Point Easting: Specifies the base point easting coordinate from which all import values are translated.
Base Point Elevation: Specifies the base point elevation from which all import values are translated.
Translated Coordinate Northing: Specifies the northing coordinate value used to translate data from the base point.
Translated Coordinate Easting: Specifies the easting coordinate value used to translate data from the base point.
Translated Coordinate Elevation: Specifies the elevation value used to translate data from the base point.

Rotation

Rotate: Specifies whether to rotate data when importing it from the LandXML file. Select On to rotate the data on import.

Note: If Rotate is set to Off, all other data rotation options are disabled.
Angle: Specifies the angle about the base point where the LandXML data is rotated.

Note: The angle units are set at the drawing level in the Ambient Settings Tab (Drawing Settings Dialog Box).
Direction: Specifies the direction of rotation. Select this option to calculate the angle in a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation about the base point.

Point Import Settings

Point Description

Specifies how to map the ‘desc’ and ‘code’ attributes to the point descriptions:

Use “Code” Value: Uses the “code” attribute value for the point description.
Use “Desc” Value: Uses the “desc” attribute value for the point description.
Use “Code” Then “Desc”: Attempts to use the “code” attribute value for the point description. If a point does not have a “code” attribute, the “desc” attribute value, if available, is used.
Use “Desc” Then “Code”: Attempts to use the “desc” attribute value for the point description. If a point does not have a “desc” attribute, the “code” attribute value, if available, is used.

Surface Import Settings

Surface Data

Specifies how to import the data:

Quick Import: Imports the surface information as points. Creates a surface that has identical northing/easting/elevation points as the surface definition in the LandXML file. However, the triangulation may be different from the original surface.
Full Import: Imports both the points and the surface faces, if available. Creates the surface information from the face edges and creates a surface that is identical to the surface definition in the LandXML file.
Note: If the LandXML surface you intend to import has only breaklines (for example, no other points and faces definition data is present), the resulting Autodesk Civil 3D surface is built from the breakline data. However, the breaklines are not available for editing (that is, they do not appear in the Prospector tree).

Create Snapshot After Import

After importing surface data, a snapshot can automatically be created. By creating a snapshot after importing a LandXML file, Autodesk Civil 3D does not attempt to find and open the LandXML file each time the surface is built. Select On to create a snapshot.

Create Source Data In Drawing

Imports the surface source data (breaklines, contours, points, and chains) into the drawing.

Breaklines are created as either 3D polylines or as feature lines, depending on the Create Breaklines As property value.
Contours and chains are created as 3D polylines.
DataPoints are created as COGO points in a point group named <surface name>_DataPoints.

This data is created on the following layers prefixed with the surface name:

<surface name>_Breaklines
<surface name>_Contours
<surface name>_Chains
<surface name>_DataPoints_PntList3D

Note: This data is not added to the surface definition in the Prospector tree. You can manually add it if desired, or create a different surface from it for comparison purposes.

Create Breaklines As

Specifies whether breaklines in the source data are created as 3D polylines or as feature lines in the drawing.

Create Property Set Data for Breaklines

Specifies whether to create property set data for imported breaklines. When this option and the Create Property Set Data for All Imported Entities option are both set to On, and you import a LandXML file that contains surface breakline data, property set definitions are created in the drawing and are applied to the 3D polylines or feature lines that are created from the breakline data.

Note: No property set data is created for imported breaklines when the Create Property Set Data for Breaklines option is set to On if the Create Property Set Data for All Imported Entities option is set to Off.

Property Set Data Settings

Create Property Set Data for All Imported Entities: Specifies whether to create property set data for imported objects. When this option is set to On, and you import a LandXML file, property set definitions are created in the drawing and are applied to the objects. When this option is set to Off, property set data is not created when a LandXML file is imported.
Note: You can use the Create Property Set Data for Breaklines option to individually control whether property set data is also created for breaklines when the Create Property Set Data for All Imported Entities option is set to On.

Pipe Network Import Settings

Parts List For Part Family Size Matching: Specifies the pipe network parts list that is used to match pipe network part types in a LandXML file with pipe network part types in an Autodesk Civil 3D parts list. Review these settings prior to import to verify that settings are appropriate for your data.
Match <Part Type> With:: Specify individual part types to use when importing pipe network parts from a LandXML file into Autodesk Civil 3D. Review these settings prior to import to verify that settings are appropriate for your data. You may use the defaults, or click to specify other parts in the Part Catalog dialog box.

Conflict Resolution Settings

Conflict Resolution

Specifies how objects with the same name are handled.

Skip: Does not import conflicting objects.
Update: On import, updates unlocked drawing objects with objects in the LandXML file.
In prior releases, when using the Update option, existing objects in a drawing were deleted and redrawn when the LandXML file was imported. Now the Update option updates most object types without first deleting them. This preserves labels that have been added to the objects as well as dependent objects such as alignment offsets.

Note: This behavior does not apply to parcels. Parcels are deleted and redrawn when using the Update option.

Note: When you import a LandXML file that contains pipe network information, only the pipe network geometry is updated in the drawing. Pipe network part properties are not included in LandXML files so they are not updated in the drawing when a LandXML file is imported.
Append: Imports conflicting objects but renames the imported copy using the default name format that is specified in the feature settings.

Default Diameter Units

On import, Autodesk Civil 3D reads the <LandXML>.<Units>.diameterUnits, and if they are defined, those units are used for both pipes and structures. If units are not defined, the following unit settings are applied. Either the Imperial or Metric diameter settings are applied, based on the defined <LandXML>.<Units>.linearUnit in the file.

Imperial: Defines the default imperial pipe and structure diameter units that are applied when units are not specified in the source LandXML file.
Metric: Defines the default metric pipe and structure diameter units that are applied when units are not specified in the source LandXML file.

Alignment Import Settings

Element Constraint Assignment

Defines the default manner in which constraints are assigned to alignment entities when an alignment is imported from a LandXML file.

Fixed Only : All alignment entities are fixed (not constrained).
Floating Off the First Element : The first alignment element is fixed (not constrained), and subsequent elements are floating (constrained by previous).
Note: This option does not convert spiral entities to floating. Spiral entities are imported as fixed entities.
Free and Floating Curve Groups : Identifies curve group elements and assigns free or floating constraints to support Autodesk Civil 3D alignment curve types.