Toolbar Tools Reference

Create & Manage Your Model

Data Sources

Imports and configure data from file-based or database sources.

Alternatively, you can use the Model Builder to automatically create a base model for a specified area of interest, and then use the Data Sources panel to bring in other desired data layers.

keyboard shortcut: Alt + 1

Surface Layers

Manages the order and visibility of different surface layers in your model, such as roads, railways, watersheds, ground imagery, and coverages.

In an InfraWorks model, the terrain (elevation data) represents the land upon which the model is built. Surface layers are draped to the terrain. When importing data, specify Don't Drape for features that you don't want to drape to the terrain.

Model Explorer

Controls the visibility, display, and selectability of features in your model.

Hide or show feature classes or subsets.
Adjust level of detail for a feature class or subset.
Make a feature class or subset selectable/unselectable.
Activate/clear highlighting for feature classes or subsets.
Create subsets of feature classes using filter expressions.
Quickly select all objects within a feature class or subset.

keyboard shortcut: Alt + 3

Properties

Displays associated metadata for one or more features that you select.

Whenever multiple features are selected (even if they are of the same type), values may display <various values> unless the features share the same value for a particular attribute. You can also use the Properties palette to edit feature property values and update your changes.

keyboard shortcut: Alt + 2

Model Properties

Specifies model settings such as name, description, coordinate system, model extents, default terrain style, model time, and road design standards.

Style Palette

Manages style catalogs, applies styles, and adds or edits styles. You can add or edit feature styles, material styles, 3D model styles, and animated object styles. You can also import style catalogs from a styles.json file you specify.

keyboard shortcut: Alt + 6

Proposals

Displays information about all proposals, including your original model, known as the master. You can manage proposals by performing actions such as adding proposals to the master, removing proposals, merging two proposals, and adding features to a proposal. You can also switch between viewing your proposals in 2D or 3D.

keyboard shortcut: Alt + 4

Scripts

Runs scripts using JavaScript. Scripts can be started with a debugger. You can also use scripts during import.

keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + 2

Thumbnail

Updates the model tile thumbnail for individual models. Local and cloud models appear on InfraWorks Home. Each model displays a thumbnail image of the model in progress. Until you download a cloud model or add data to a model, the thumbnail will display the InfraWorks application icon.

Style Rules

Manages style rules in a model. Style rules use expressions to specify criteria that determine which styles will be applied to individual features in a feature class, based on the values of a data source property or model property you specify.

keyboard shortcut: Alt + 7

Point Cloud Terrain

Processes your point cloud data and generates terrain from it.

Point Cloud Modeling

Extract features and assign vertical features after processing point cloud data.

Point Cloud Themes

Compares point cloud distributions by elevation, classification, single color, intensity, elevation and intensity together, or the direction that a face is pointing.

Linear Feature Extraction

Models linear features of roads from extracted point cloud data.

Export Point Cloud Extraction

Exports features extracted from point cloud data for downstream design and analysis.

Point Cloud Image Lookup

Imports images corresponding to the point cloud data to display real world pictures at specific locations on the terrain.

Select Model Features

Zoom to Selected

Zooms to your current selection in a model.

Clear Selected

Clears the current selection. You can also press Esc.

Window Select

Selects features that are within or crossing a window you specify.

Rectangular Select

Selects features that are within a rectangular area you specify.

Polygon Select

Selects features that are within a polygonal area you specify.

Radius Select

Selects features that are within a circular area you specify.

Filter Select

Filter and select features by creating attribute filter(s) using expressions.

Create Conceptual Design Features

Roads

Sketches standard planning roads using the road style you specify. You can add or modify planning roads in a model or proposal.

Barriers

Sketches barriers in a model or proposal using barrier styles or 3D model styles. You can sketch a single barrier object at a specified point, or sketch multiple barrier objects in a line that you draw. You can also adjust the height, angle and rotation of the barriers.

Buildings

Sketches building perimeters in a model or proposal; creates the building for you using the facade style(s) you specify. You can modify building facades for selected sides of a building, an entire building, or the entire building feature class.

City Furniture

Sketches city furniture in a model or proposal. Any type of 3D model, including landscaping items like trees and bushes can be used.

Coverages

Sketches coverages in a model or proposal. Coverages can be used to shape terrain, create terrain holes, specify avoidance areas, and create surface modifications. You can also add or modify coverage areas to resemble parks, empty lots, parking areas, etc. You can also make coverages transparent.

Grading Areas

Sketches grading areas in your design. Similar to coverage areas, grading areas are used to identify areas for development. When you sketch a grading areas in a model or proposal it will flatten the terrain surface. Grading areas can also be used to add grading styles to a specified area. Grading styles allow you to specify cut slope, cut material, fill slope, and fill material values.

Pipelines

Sketches pipelines in a proposal or model.

Pipelines are independent of terrain. They do not drape on the surface but are placed under it. You can adjust pipeline elevation offset settings or directly modify pipeline elevation. Pipelines snap together at their ends, and can also snap to pipeline connectors.

Note: This basic sketch pipeline tool creates generic, style-based pipelines. In contrast, Drainage Design for InfraWorks can sketch 3D drainage features from a component object parts catalog.

Pipeline Connectors

Sketches pipeline connectors in a model or proposal. Pipeline connectors can snap to the ends of pipelines. You can also export pipelines and their connectors to IMX format.

Points of Interest (POIs)

Sketches points of interest in a model or proposal. POIs can be associated with a geographic location a feature.

Railways

Sketches railways in a model or proposal.

Rivers

Sketches a linear path (polyline) for a linear water feature. This will become a river using the water style you select. The linear water feature is surrounded by a buffer on either side.

Water Areas

Sketches a polygonal area for a pond, lake, or other non-linear water feature. The boundary will be filled with the water style you select.

Row of Trees

Sketches a row of trees along a line of points that you draw in a model or proposal. Any 3D model style, including objects such as street lights, cars, or safety cones can be used as trees. You can use a Density slider and elevation gizmos to adjust the appearance and properties of trees.

Stand of Trees

Sketches an individual tree at a point that you specify.

Style Palette

Style Rules

Analyze Your Model

Terrain Themes

Compares terrain based on elevation, aspect, or slope analysis types, using a variety of distribution methods and palettes. If you have added contours or rasters as part of the terrain, they are included in the theme. The results are shown as soon as you apply the theme. You do not need to regenerate the model.

Feature Themes

Highlights traffic emissions along streets, show power usage of buildings, compile census data, and so on, using a variety of distribution methods and palettes. If you filtered the data in your model, only the resulting feature classes for that filter are available for theming.

Suitability Maps

Previews the suitability maps service. Suitability maps help you determine optimal locations for corridors and sites as well as the analysis of existing features. Activate the suitability maps preview feature in the Preview section of InfraWorks Home.

Point Cloud Themes

Compares point cloud distributions by elevation, intensity, classification, single color, or the direction that a face is pointing. You can specify theming color ranges, palette types, and numbers of rules.

Point Cloud Terrain

Uses imported point cloud data to generate terrain and extract features in a model. You must run point cloud terrain generation to process the data before using the Point Cloud Modeling tool.

Point Cloud Modeling

Allows you to specify styles for vertical features extracted from point cloud data (trees, street lights, and signs). You can review the automatically-detected features and re-assign them as necessary.

Sun & Sky

Adjusts sun, wind, and cloud settings, including date and time, to produce a range of atmospheric effects for your model. You can also use Application Options and View Settings to adjust model lighting intensity, ambient occlusions, and shadow controls.

Point-to-Point Distance

Measures distance between two points. The distance will be measured even if the line between the two points is blocked by other objects. You can take a snapshot of each point as it is measured, but you cannot record this as part of a storyboard. Point-to-point measurement does not take into account the variation of terrain. That is, the lines between points are not "draped" on the surface. For more accurate measurements across terrain, use Path Distance (polyline measurement).

2D Distance & Slope

Measure the distance (horizontal and vertical) and slope between two points in a model.

Path Distance

Measures the horizontal and/or vertical distance along points in a polyline. You can measure the vertical distance between points for individual features within feature classes such as 3D models or buildings. The horizontal or vertical path distance along a polyline will be measured even if the line between two of the points is blocked by other objects.

Range Finder

Measures distance from your current view position to a target location that you specify in the model. A label indicates the altitude, direction heading, and angle of inclination to each target you click. You can measure multiple targets in a session.

Terrain Statistics

Measures total length, 2D and 3D area, as well as the volume of a selected terrain area. Volume information appears only if you adjusted the elevation of the measured area, for example, by adding a coverage and adjusting its height. You can also see the volume of tunnels that you added to a proposal. In the Proposals Manager, tunnel volume appears as part of the roads data.

Select Visible

Selects all visible features within your view position. Only features that are unlocked in the Model Explorer will be selected.

Filter Select

Selects the features you want using attribute filter(s) you create with expressions.

Create and Conduct Infrastructure Design Presentations

Storyboard Creator

Creates and edits storyboards, which are dynamic presentations of key parts of a model that guides viewers on a prepared tour of specified features. A storyboard can be a series of snapshot views or a dynamic, video pathway through parts of a model. It can display titles and captions and use a variety of camera angles to create sophisticated visual effects.

Storyboard Player

Opens a mini-player for viewing desired storyboards.

Watermarks

Adds watermarks for branding and identifying your models, videos and scenarios. You can specify the image source, as well as the placement, size, and transparency of an image to be used as a watermark.

Points of Interest

Sketches points of interest in a model or proposal. POIs can be associated with a geographic location a feature.

Sun & Sky

Create Snapshot

Creates a still image of your current view position in a model. The snapshot can be saved, and you can specify resolution settings, as well as aspect ratio. You can also use this tool to create high-quality renderings of your model using the time of day/year and sun/sky settings.

Surface Layers

Manages the order and visibility of different surface layers in your model, such as roads, railways, watersheds, ground imagery, and coverages.

Settings and Utilities

Duplicate

Creates a duplicate copy of your entire model.

Export 3D Model

Exports 3D model data as an FBX, OBJ, or DAE file, or multiple files. You can use the entire model or specify an area to export. Only layers that are turned on when you start the export operation are exported.

Export IMX

Exports model data in IMX format for use in Autodesk Civil 3D or other applications. You can use the entire model or specify an area to export. Only layers that are turned on when you start the export operation are exported.

Resume Generation

Resumes regenerating feature class data or the entire model's data if you have paused model generation.

Regenerate

Regenerates data for the entire model from all of its data sources, in order to reflect recent changes.

Model Cleanup

Cleans up the model's temporary files.

Message Log

Displays the application message log for your current session.

Data Table

Opens the Data Table and displays data for your current selection.

Launch Screencast

Launches Autodesk Screencast in an external web browser. Screencast enables you to capture free recordings that record the Intelligent Tools you use, files opened, and products launched.