What I Know Already

This blog will be most useful for people moving from one civil software package to Civil 3D. I'll assume a decent knowlege of AutoCAD for any readers out there.

Personally, I am coming from a firm where I used Eagle Point software extensively. I was an administrator, trainer and civil engineer all in one. Frankly, from the short time I've been playing with Civil 3D, the two packages don't even compare. Design and changes go much faster in Civil 3D. There are a few things I think Eagle Point is stronger in. For one thing, Civil 3D needs a 3RD party converter to work with survey data. Even if you have a plain old ASCII comma delimeted file, you can bring it in, but Civ3d won't read standard linework. Grrrrr.... Eagle Point also will generate Plan and Profile Sheets for you, which Civil 3D will not. Lastly, painful though it may be to use, Eagle Point does have Hydrolics and Hydrology capability. I've been told "it's on the way" for Civil 3D.

The #1 thing I like about Civil 3D thus far is the CONFLICT CHECKING! Oh, the hourse of my life I wish I could have back. Luckily, I can use that time to...oh...make Plan and Profile sheets.