Datasheet

Using the Drawing Area

The drawing area is where you can actually see and “touch” the design model you

are creating. The design model is most often viewed from above, referred to as plan

view, but it can be viewed from any perspective. For example, because Civil 3D spe-

cializes in representing designs as 3D models, you may want to display your model

using 3D view. Figure 1.8 shows a model in both plan and 3D views.

FIGURE 1.8 The drawing area showing the same

model in plan view on the left and 3D view on the right

Using the Command Line

Think of the command line (Figure 1.9) as a chat window where you talk

with Civil 3D. Nearly everything you do is reported on the command line

along with Civil 3D’s response to it. A response can be a request for more infor-

mation, reporting of a result, or notiﬁcation of a problem. It’s good to get into the

habit of always watching the command line, because it often tells you what to do

next. You can also launch commands from the command line, but you will likely

ﬁnd it much easier to use the visual interface provided by the ribbon and other tools.

FIGURE 1.9 A view of the command line while using

a transparent command to draw a line. Notice how the

command line reports that the

LINE command has been

started and then prompts for the first piece of information:

the “first point.”