Wiley AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 Essentials 978-1-1180-1678-7 Manuel D’Utilisation

AutoCAD Civil 3D, then your first experience has probably 

been a lot like staring at the instrument panel of a 747. Civil 3D can be quite 
intimidating, with lots of buttons, strange shapes, and strange icons—all 
packed into a relatively small area. In addition, you may be even more intimi-
dated by the feeling that there is a lot of power under the hood. This leads 
us to our main objective for this chapter, which is to alleviate that feeling of 
intimidation and make you feel much more at ease within the Civil 3D envi-
ronment. Let me start you down that path by saying that there’s a big differ-
ence between a 747 and Civil 3D. In Civil 3D, if you really mess up, you can 
simply close the drawing file without saving. When piloting a 747, it’s a little 
more difficult to undo your mistakes.

After completing this chapter, you will have achieved a greater comfort 

level within the Civil 3D environment by being able to identify main user 
interface components and utilize them for basic functions. You will also be 
able to use two specific features that will serve you well throughout the pro-
gram: the Transparent Commands toolbar and the Inquiry Tool.

Getting to know the Civil 3D user interface





Using the application menu





Using the ribbon





Using the Toolspace





Using the drawing area





Using the command line





Using Panorama





Using the Transparent Commands toolbar





Using the Inquiry Tool