COGO Tools

COGO Tools

Win64, English

High-Fructose Software
A set of tools to streamline grading design with COGO Points

General Usage Instructions

Points can be added to the current drawing using the built-in Autodesk® Civil 3D® points tools, or added at the ends of lines within the drawing using the PlacePointsAtLines command (great for lot corner grades). Point elevations are recommended to be set to the elevation of an existing ground surface or similar as a starting point (Points > Edit Points > Elevations from Surface...) or from alignment/profiles in the drawing using PointElevationFromProfile command. Labels can be added between points using the LabelPointGrade command. Points can then be modified based on specified grades or elevation differences from referenced points (GradePoints). New points can also be added at set distances/grades from existing points, or at calculated grade intersections using PlacePointAtDistance and PlacePointAtPVI commands.

When COGO Points are modified using these tools, any existing grade labels are updated automatically. If points are manually modified, the UpdatePointGrade command will update all labels within the drawing.

These tools can be used to grade large sites quickly at a high level, similar to hand calculating intersection grades on paper with a scale, but much quicker and the points can be utilized to create surfaces for earthworks comparisons etc. Full detailed lot grading can also be done quickly and easily.

Screenshots

Commands

Ribbon/Toolbar Icon Command Command Description

LabelPointGrade

Add a grade label between two existing COGO points. By default, grade labels show percent grade and an arrow pointed in the direction of the grade. The visibility state of the grade label can be manually modified to show the elevation difference instead, or both the grade and elevation difference.

UpdatePointGrade

Update all point grade labels within the current drawing. Any labels referencing point numbers that no longer exist will be removed from the drawing, and labels for points that have moved will be moved and rotated to reflect the revised point locations.

GradePoints

Set the elevation of an existing point from on the elevation of a reference point based on either a specified grade or elevation difference.

PointElevationFromProfile

Select a reference alignment, then profile to set point elevations from. Selected points will then have their elevation set from the selected profile elevation with either a specified elevation offset, or specified grade from the alignment and profile elevation.

PlacePointsAtLines

Add COGO points at the endpoints of existing lines in the current drawing. Lines can be either specifically selected, or all lines on a specified layer can be utilized. The option is also given to add grade labels between the created points.

PlacePointAtDistance

Add a new COGO point to the drawing at a specified distance and grade from an existing point, in the direction of another point. Grade labels can also be added between the new point and the two existing points, replacing existing labels between the reference points.

PlacePointAtPVI

Add a new COGO point between two existing points at a calculated intersection point of specified grades. Alternatively, an existing point can be selected to be updated to be at the location/elevation of the calculated intersection point. Grade labels can also be added or updated for the new or modified points.

COGOToolsSettings

Bring up the settings dialogue box to allow setting the default layer and description for created points; layer, state (showing % grade, elevation delta, or both), number of decimals to be shown and size of grade labels and a toggle to enable resizing existing labels based on the current settings or not.

RotatePtLabels

Select existing COGO points in the drawing, then the user is prompted for the label rotation property of all selected points to be changed either to match another selected point, a specified rotation, or to have the rotation changed by a specified amount.

Installation/Uninstallation

The installer that ran when you downloaded this app/plug-in from Autodesk App Store will start installing the app/plug-in. OR, simply double-click the downloaded installer to install the app/plugin.

You may need to restart the Autodesk product to activate the app/plug-in.

To uninstall this plug-in, exit the Autodesk product if you are currently running it, simply rerun the installer, and select the "Uninstall" button. OR, click Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features (Windows 7/8.1/10/11) and uninstall as you would any other application from your system.

Additional Information

Points are created utilizing the settings present in the Civil 3D "CreatePoints" window apart from any settings within the COGOToolSettings dialogue.

Grade labels are a simple dynamic block named "PtGradeLabel". This block can be modified in the current drawing or the block provided in the Resources folder of the plugin can be modified to suit a desired size/style. The block must remain named "PtGradeLabel", and keep the same attributes for the referenced point numbers, grade, elevation delta, etc.

Known Issues

Contact

Company Name: High-Fructose Software

Author/Company Information

High-Fructose Software

Support Information

This software is provided without warranty, and the author accepts no liability for it's use. For support or questions, please contact HighFructoseSoftware@gmail.com

Version History

Version Number Version Description

1.2.0

- Added support for Civil3D 2025 - Added settings to specify number of decimals to show for grade/delta values on labels, trailing zeros are also no longer truncated - Added RotatePtLabels command to quickly set the rotation of point labels

1.1

- Added a settings menu to set default layer and description during points creation, default layer, size and state of grade labels. - Added license authentication in order to allow free trials. - Minor bug fixes.

1.0

Initial release.
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