Tool catalogs can contain tools, tool palettes, and tool packages, all of which may be organized into categories.
You can define categories and subcategories in a tool catalog to organize a large number of items. For example, the Corridor Modeling catalog contains dozens of tools. To make it easier to find tools, the Corridor Modeling catalog is organized into categories and subcategories.
A tool palette is a collection of tools used to support a task. For example, you might want a palette to contain tools for creating different types of subassemblies (LaneStandard, UrbanSidewalk, and so on) typically used in a subdivision project. Storing a tool palette in a tool catalog makes the palette available to multiple users. You can drag an entire tool palette from the Content Browser into the Autodesk Civil 3DTool Palettes window. This makes the entire set of tools associated with that tool palette easily accessible from the user’s workspace.
The date and time at which the tool palette was created and last modified are identified in the Tool Palette Properties dialog box. To view the dialog box, right-click the tool palette and click Properties. For information about other tool palette properties, see Adding a Tool Palette to a Tool Catalog.
A tool package is a group of tools stored together for distribution. For example, a package might contain a set of productivity tools and utilities. You can drag a tool package into a tool palette that exists in a catalog in the Content Browser, or into a tool palette in the Tool Palettes window.
The date and time at which the tool package was created and last modified are identified in the Tool Package Properties dialog box. To view the dialog box, right-click the tool package and click Properties. For information about other tool package properties, see Adding a Tool Package to a Tool Catalog.
You customize a tool by copying it to a palette in the Autodesk Civil 3D tool palette set, modifying the tool’s properties, then copying it back to any location in the tool catalog. If you copy it back to the original location, you will be prompted to overwrite it.