Datasheet

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CHAPTER 1 GETTING DIRTY: THE BASICS OF CIVIL 3D
Figure 1.17
Options for the label
components
To the right-hand side is a preview of the label you are creating or editing. This view can be
panned or zoomed as needed to give you a better feel for the label style’s appearance as you make
changes.
Labels are made of individual components. A component can be text, a block, or a line, and the
top row of buttons controls the selection, creation, and deletion of these components:
The Component dropdown menu activates which component is being modified in the options
below. These components are listed in the order in which they were created.
The Create Text Component button allows for the creation of new components. These compo-
nents can be Text, Lines, Blocks, Reference Text, or Ticks. Some options are not available for
every label style.
The Copy Component button does just that. It copies the component currently selected in the
Component dropdown menu.
The Delete Component button deletes components. Elements that act as the basis for other com-
ponents cannot be deleted.
The Component Draw Order button allows the components to be shuffled up and down within
the label. This feature is especially important when using masks or borders as part of the label.
A Full Three-Dimensional Label Preview?
This preview defaults to a 3D orbit control. Don’t ask us why; we honestly are as confused as you are.
Inevitably, you will rotate the view out of a plan-top view, making the plan harder to understand. When
this happens, right-click and select Preset Views  Top to reorient yourself.
67403.book Page 20 Friday, August 31, 2007 2:12 PM