How Do I Migrate Customized Files?

Migrating Drawing Templates

The Import command on the Styles panel of the Manage ribbon tab in Autodesk Civil 3D may assist you in updating your existing drawing templates with the new settings and styles. Using this command, you can import new and changed styles from a drawing or template into a drawing file.

You can also use reference templates to update the styles in your drawings and keep them up to date. You can attach one or more templates to your drawings by using the Reference command on the Styles panel of the Manage ribbon tab in Autodesk Civil 3D.

Customize and Migrate CUIs

For company-wide customization of menus, create a partial menu. This helps avoid working inside the CUI file and manually transfer menus and toolbars. Create a partial menu from the CUI Transfer tab by creating a new .CUI.

Add your partial menu to the list of menus to load. The drop-down menu is displayed automatically after the Autodesk Civil 3D menus, and the toolbars become available.

If you have defined custom icons, place them in a separate folder. You need to make them available when you load the CUI file. If necessary, you can create the corresponding .MNR file.

During migration, specify the default location for custom icons in the project files search path. If Autodesk Civil 3D cannot find the custom icons a question mark symbol is displayed. Autodesk Civil 3D does not look at the .MNR file when loading a partial .CUI file.

Customize and Migrate Tool Palettes

When you create a new palette, an .ATC file is created that stores all the definitions of the tools in the palette. An image subfolder is also created that stores the PNG files displayed in the palette.

Assign palette and tool names that are unique and easy to identify. In preparation for migration, copy all .ATC files and PNG subfolders to a shared network folder. After upgrading, specify the path for tool palettes file locations to the folder on the network.

Customize and Migrate the Toolbox

To customize the Toolbox, copy and rename the original ToolBoxCfg.xml file in C:\Users\All Users\Autodesk\C3D <version>\enu\Data\Toolbox.

Use an XML editor to remove all entries except the RootCategory and specify a name. Restart Autodesk Civil 3D and use the Toolbox Editor to add new categories and tools. Save the new file in the Toolbox Editor Panorama.

When migrating, copy the custom .xml file located in C:\Users\All Users\Autodesk\C3D <version>\enu\Data\Toolbox.

The Report Settings file stores the Client and Owner data, and the units and precision that are used for LandXML reports. If the path for custom reports did not change, you do not need to do anything with this file.

RepGenSettings.xml is located in C:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Local\Autodesk\LandXML Reporting.

There is no need to copy this file. The new product release locates and reads this file.

Migrate Custom Subassemblies

Autodesk provides updated libraries for each Autodesk Civil 3D release. When migrating custom subassemblies, references to these libraries must be updated in VBA or .NET custom subassembly projects.

In VBA, check the new available References and update your code. You must update the following line:

Public Const g_AeccXModVersion As String = "13.3"

(to convert Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 to Autodesk Civil 3D 2022, replace "13.3" with "13.4")

In .NET, make sure the path to the reference libraries points to the installation directory for the correct version of Autodesk Civil 3D. For more information, see the chapters on developing custom subassemblies in the Autodesk Civil 3D Developer's Guide.

Note: VBA custom subassemblies should be ported to .NET. See the Autodesk Civil 3D Developer's Guide for information about porting VBA subassemblies to .NET.

Migrate Custom Pipe Catalogs

Migrate only the parts you have created. Do not copy the whole catalog because additional content may be included with the new release.

Each time you create new custom pipes or structures in a catalog, additional files are created in the following locations:

To migrate custom pipes and structures:

Migrate Survey Databases

Survey Database Migration

Autodesk Civil 3D uses SQLite databases to store survey information. Microsoft SQL Compact Edition (SQL CE) databases created in Autodesk Civil 3D 2019 or earlier versions will need be updated before they are accessible in Civil 3D.

On the Toolspace Survey tab, SQL CE databases display with a yellow out-of-date warning icon: . If you try to use an out-of-date database, you will be prompted to download and install the Autodesk Civil 3D Database Migration Utility. The database cannot be used until it has been updated to SQLite.

Important: Legacy survey databases created in Microsoft Access will not be visible on the Toolspace Survey tab in Civil 3D. You will need to update Microsoft Access databases to SQL CE format in a version of Civil 3D earlier than Autodesk Civil 3D 2020 and then further update them to SQLite format in Civil 3D.

The Survey Database Migration Utility is a separate download available at https://www.autodesk.com/civil3d-survey-database-migration-utility.

Important: Migrated databases are not compatible with Autodesk Civil 3D 2019 or earlier versions.

For more information about using this utility, see To Update a Survey Database.

Survey File Locations

When moving to a new version of Autodesk Civil 3D, you may need to point to the locations of the following survey files:

  • Survey user settings.
  • Survey databases.
  • Survey equipment databases.
  • Figure prefix databases.
  • Linework code sets databases.

Survey User Settings

This file defines where the survey database settings, the survey equipment database, the figure prefix database, and other survey specific settings are stored. You can export the Survey User Settings to a .usr_set file and then re-import the file into the new release.

In Toolspace, on the Survey tab, click in the upper left corner to open the Survey User Settings dialog box where you can specify the settings for many of the databases below and you can also specify the Import/Export options.

Survey Databases

The survey database consists of two parts, the .sqlite and .sdxx files which are stored in the project folder. The Survey Database location is specified by right-clicking the Survey Databases collection on the Survey Toolspace tab and clicking Set Working Folder. Or, if you are using Vault, it can be done in Prospector by right-clicking the Projects collection, selecting Properties, and then browsing to the working folder location in the dialog box.

Survey Database Settings

The survey databases settings are stored in an .sdb_set file. This file can be exported or imported by right-clicking on a survey database, and choosing Edit Survey Database settings. This operation is not part of migrating from one release to the next but can be used in a situation where you need to have a survey database match an older one.

Survey Equipment Databases

The survey Equipment databases are stored in an .edb_xdef file. The default location is C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D <version>\enu\Survey. Specify the path in the Survey User Settings or reimport the Survey User Settings to point to the location of your survey equipment database.

Figure Prefix Database

The Figure Prefix databases are stored in an .fdb_xdef file. The default location is C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D <version>\enu\Survey. Specify the path in the Survey User Settings or reimport the Survey User Settings and make sure to point to the location of your survey figure prefix database.

Linework Code Sets Database

The Linework Code Sets database stored in an .f2f_xdef file. The default location is C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\C3D <version>\enu\Survey. Specify the path in the Survey User Settings or reimport the Survey User Settings and make sure to point to the location of your survey linework code sets database.