Workflow:

1. Flowchart
Organize complex, related geometry in a flowchart that is nested within another
flowchart.
Note: A flowchart does not have properties assigned to it.
2. Sequebce
Organize a series of related geometry elements as a subset of a flowchart.
Note: A sequence does not have properties assigned to it.

Example

To see an example of how this geometry element is used, open the following Sample
PKT file:
Sequence Example.pkt
In this example, the subassembly is composed of three sequences that form top, middle,
and bottom layers. The Sequence - Top layer was created first, and then the
Sequence - Middle layer was built onto it. Finally, the Sequence - Bottom layer was
built onto the Sequence - Middle layer.
Note: If a sequence is deleted, all the geometry contained in it is deleted.

3. Decision

Specify two geometry options, the application of which depends on a specified condition.
Decisions can use conditions such as true/false, yes/no, and cut/fill.
A decision enables you to specify a condition, and then define a True branch and a
False branch in the flowchart:

 If the specified condition is met, the geometry in the True branch is drawn.
 If the specified condition is not met, the geometry in the False branch is drawn.
Note: When an input parameter string is used to define a decision, the input parameter
string is case sensitive. For example, if a decision is defined as "Variable="XYZ"",
entering "Variable="xyz"" as the input parameter value will return the false condition.
Properties

Specify the following parameters in the Properties panel.

Miscellaneous

Condition Defines the condition.

Click [...] to open the Expression Editor, where
you can enter or calculate a value.

False Label Specifies a label to display in the flowchart for

the False geometry branch.
True Label Specifies a label to display in the flowchart for
the True geometry branch.

Example: Yes/No

To see an example of how this geometry element is used to reflect an input parameter
setting, open the following Sample PKT file:
Decision Yes No Example.pkt
In this example, a shape is drawn when the DrawShape input parameter is set to Yes.
Note: To test this condition in the example, on the Input/Output Parameters tab, in the
DrawShape row, toggle the Default Value between No and Yes.
 Example: Cut or Fill Condition

To see an example of how this geometry element is used for a cut or fill condition, open
the following Sample PKT file:
Decision Cut or Fill Example.pkt
In this example, an Auxiliary Point is used to obtain the elevation of the target surface.
The Y value of P3 relative to the Y value of AP1 surface determines the geometry:

 When the distance between P3 and the surface is less than 0 (a cut condition), a
ditch is created before sloping up to the surface.
 When the distance between P3 and the surface is greater than 0 (a fill condition),
it draws a link that slopes to the surface at the same slope as L2.
Note: To test this condition in the example, on the Target Parameters Tab, change the
Surface Preview Value.
Example: Range of Values

To see an example of how to use a series of decisions to accommodate a range of

values, open the following Sample PKT file:
Decision Range Example.pkt
In this example, an Auxiliary Point is used to obtain the distance between P1 and the
target surface. First, the distance determines whether P1 is in a Cut or Fill condition.
Next, decisions are used under the Cut and Fill branches to determine the height of the
fill, or the depth of the cut. Finally, P2 and L1 are drawn at the slope that has been
specified for the condition.
Note: To test this condition in the example, on the Target Parameters Tab, change the
Surface Preview Value.
With things being the way they are and many companies experiencing financial troubles,
some people may not be getting an end of the year bonus this year. I’m not going to be
handing out a nice fat bonus check to all the wonderful civil3d.comreaders but I do have a
little end of the year bonus for you that will save you time and in my unbiased opinion will
change the way you design behind the curb. It’s a nice “simple” shoulder subassembly but it
solves two problems that I have always grumbled about. Problem #1 is I wanted a
subassembly in fill to daylight with an upward slope if the slope it was connecting to was
sloping upward and with a downward slope if the slope it was connecting to was sloping
downward. This problem is solved with this subassembly. Problem #2 is I wanted the same
subassembly to truncate the shoulder if the shoulder intersects with the surface. This is often
the case when I am doing a road rehab job and don’t need a full shoulder and have less
area of disturbance. This problem is also solved with this subassembly.
So this wonderful end of the year bonus comes with a little caveat, it’s sort of like a Lego®
set, I’m going to give you all of the pieces but you have to put it together yourself in order to
use it. Although I can’t stop you from putting it all together and handing it out like candy, I do
encourage you to hand others the tutorial and let them put it together themselves. This is two
bonuses in one, not only will it walk you through the thought process and set up of the
Autodesk Subassembly Composer but I think it will be a subassembly that you will use again
and again. So without further ado… Your End of the Year Bonus is below the cut!
1.
A. OPEN: Open a new file in the Autodesk Subassembly
Composer. Save it as SmartShoulderDaylight.pkt [Or whatever
other file name you deem appropriate.]
B. DEFINE INPUT PARAMETERS: Select the “Input Parameters”
tab. Click “Create input parameter” to create 5 input parameter variables.
Rename them as follows [ex. Variable (Type, Default Value). Feel free to
change the default values to the most common values used in your area.]:
 ShoulderWidth (Double, 5)
 ShoulderSlope (Double, 0.03) [This subassembly assumes
that the shoulder slope is always directed to drain towards the road.]
 DaylightSlope (Double, 0.5) [This subassembly assumes the
same daylight slope is used for cut and fill but with a few modifications
you could add a second daylight slope variable.]
 TruncateShoulder (Boolean, True)
 ExtendShoulder (Boolean, True)
C. DEFINE TARGET PARAMETERS: Select the “Target Parameters” tab.
Click the “Create target parameter” to create 1 target parameter variable.
Rename it as follows:
 TargetSurface (Surface, 3) [Note that you are going to want
to change this variable once this is fully built to see how your
subassembly reacts.]
D. DEFINE THE PACKET SETTINGS: Select the “Packet Settings” tab.
Define as follows:
 Subassembly Name: SmartShoulderDaylight
 Help file: [Leave this blank for now but  we will be talking
about help files in Part 6 and this is where you would add it.]
 Image file: [You can insert any image here, I’ve
created a sample one located to the right, feel free to right click
and save it to your computer. For consistency sake I would
name it SmartShoulderDaylight.png. Then reference the file location to
where you save it.]
 Side parameter: Right [We are going to define the right side
but like all subassemblies, when you bring this into Civil 3D you can
 switch it from the default right to the left when you want to apply it to
the left side of an assembly.]
E. DEFINE THE APPLICATION POINT (P1): Drag a point from the Tool
Box pane to the Flowchart pane and place it under the “Start”. Connect
Start to the point just placed. Define point just placed as follows:
 Code names:
 DisplayName: P1
 Name: P1
 Point Geometry Type:
OffsetAndDeltaElevation
 From Point: Origin
 Offset: 0
 Delta Elevation: 0
F. DEFINE THE DEFAULT SHOULDER POINT (P2): Drag a point from the
Tool Box pane to the Flowchart pane and place it under point P1. Connect
point P1 to the point just placed. Define point just placed as follows:
 Code names:
 DisplayName: P2
 Name: P2
 Point Geometry Type: SlopeAndOffset
 From Point: P1
 Offset: ShoulderWidth
 Delta Elevation: ShoulderSlope
G. DEFINE TRUNCATESHOULDER CONDITIONAL:
Drag a “General Condition” conditional and a
decision under point P2. Connect point P2 to the
conditional just placed and connect the conditional
just placed to the decision just placed. Define the
conditional just placed as follows:
 Condition Expression: TruncateShoulder
 Display Name: TruncateShoulder
H. ANALYZE P1 IN CUT/FILL WHEN
TRUNCATESHOULDER=TRUE: Drag a “Cut
or Fill” conditional and a decision to the
left of the TruncateShoulder decision.
Connect the the True (left) side of the
“TruncateShoulder” decision to the
conditional just placed and connect the
conditional just placed to the decision just
placed. Define the conditional just placed
as follows:
 Condition Point: P1
 Condition Surface: TargetSurface
 Display Name: Cut or Fill P1_Trunc
I. ANALYZE P2 IN CUT/FILL WHEN TRUNCATESHOULDER=TRUE and
P1=CUT: Drag a “Cut or Fill” conditional
and decision to the Cut (left) side of the
“Cut or Fill P1_Trunc” decision. Connect the
Cut (left) side of the “Cut or Fill P1_Trunc”
decision to the conditional just placed and
connect the conditional just placed to the
decision just placed. Define the conditional
just placed as follows:
 Condition Point: P2
  Condition Surface: TargetSurface
 DisplayName: Cut or Fill P2_Trunc_P1Cut
J. ANALYZE P2 IN CUT/FILL WHEN TRUNCATESHOULDER=TRUE and
P1=FILL: Drag a “Cut or Fill” conditional
and decision to the Fill (right) side of the
“Cut or Fill P1_Trunc” decision. Connect
the Fill (right) side of the “Cut or Fill
P1_Trunc” decision to the conditional just
placed and connect the conditional just
placed to the decision just placed. Define
the conditional just placed as follows:
 Condition Point: P2
 Condition Surface:
TargetSurface
 Display Name: Cut or Fill P2_Trunc_P1Fill
K. TRUNCATE SHOULDER IF P1=CUT and P2=FILL and
TRUNCATESHOULDER=TRUE (P3TRUNCFILL and L1TRUNCFILL): Drag a
point and a link to the right of the “Cut or Fill P2_Trunc_P1Cut” decision.
Connect the Fill (right) side of the “Cut or Fill P2_Trunc_P1Cut” decision to
the point just placed and connect the point just placed to the link just
placed.
 Define point just placed as follows:
 Code names: Daylight,
Daylight_Cut
 DisplayName: P3TRUNCCUT
 Name: P3
 Point Geometry Type:
SlopeToSurface
 From Point: P1
 Slope: ShoulderSlope
 Offset to use in Preview: 2
 Surface Target: TargetSurface
 Define link just placed as follows:
 Code names: Top, Datum, Top_Cut, Datum_Cut
 DisplayName: L1TRUNCCUT
 Name: L1
 Start point: P1
 End point: P3
L. TRUNCATE SHOULDER IF P1=FILL and P2=CUT and
TRUNCATESHOULDER=TRUE (P3TRUNCFILL and L1TRUNCFILL): [This is
exactly the same as the point and link used for P1=CUT and P2=FILL
except the code names are different. If you didn’t care about the code
names you could use the same point and link and connect them
accordingly.] Drag a point (P3) and a link (L1) to the left of the “Cut or Fill
P2_Trunc_P1Fill” decision. Connect the Cut (left) side of the “Cut or Fill
P2_Trunc_P1Fill” decision to the point just placed and connect the point
just placed to the link just placed.
 Define point just placed as follows:
 Code names: Daylight,
Daylight_Fill
 DisplayName: P3TRUNCFILL
 Name: P3
 Point Geometry Type:
SlopeToSurface
  From Point: P1
 Slope: ShoulderSlope
 Offset to use in Preview: 2
 Surface Target: TargetSurface
 Define link just placed as follows:
 Code names: Top, Datum, Top_Fill, Datum_Fill
 DisplayName: L1TRUNCFILL
 Name: L1
 Start point: P1
 End point: P3
M. ANALYZE P1 IN CUT/FILL WHEN TRUNCATESHOULDER=FALSE: Drag
a “Cut or Fill” conditional and a decision to the right side of the
“TruncateShoulder” decision. Connect 
the False (right) side of the
“TruncateShoulder” decision to the
conditional just placed and connect the
conditional just placed to the decision
just placed.Define the conditional just
placed as follows:
 Condition Point: P1
 Condition Surface:
TargetSurface
 Display Name: Cut or Fill P1_No Trunc
N. CREATE DEFAULT SHOULDER LINK FOR CUT (L1CUT): [This will be
used when TruncateShoulder=True but P1 and P2 both equal cut
(meaning that the
surface does not
intersect with
the shoulder).] Drag a
link to the left side of the
“Cut or Fill P1_No Trunc”
decision. Connect the
“Cut or Fill P1_No Trunc”
Cut (left) decision to the
link just placed. Also connect the “Cut or Fill P2_Trunc_P1 Cut” Cut (left)
decision to the same link. Define the link just placed as follows:
 Code names: Top, Datum, Top_Cut, Datum_Cut
 DisplayName: L1CUT
 DisplayName: L1
 Start point: P1
 End point: P2
O. CREATE DEFAULT SHOULDER LINK FOR FILL (L1FILL): [This will be
used when TruncateShoulder=True but P1 and P2 both equal fill (meaning
that the surface does not
intersect with the
shoulder).] Drag a link to
the right side of the “Cut
or Fill P1_No Trunc”
decision. Connect the
“Cut or Fill P1_No Trunc”
Fill (right) decision to the
link just placed. Also
connect the “Cut or Fill P2_Trunc_P1 Fill” Fill (Right) decision to the same
link. Define the link just placed as follows:
  Code names: Top, Datum, Top_Fill, Datum_Fill
 DisplayName: L1FILL
 DisplayName: L1
 Start point: P1
 End point: P2
P. ANALYZE P2 IN CUT/FILL WHEN NOT TRUNCATING SHOULDER: Drag
a “Cut or Fill” conditional
and decision under L1CUT
and L1FILL. Connect the link
L1CUT to the conditional just
placed and connect the
conditional just placed to the
decision just placed.  Also
connect the link L1FILL to
the same conditional. Define
the conditional just placed as follows:
 Condition Point: P2
 Condition Surface: TargetSurface
 Display Name: Cut or Fill P2_No Trunc
Q. DAYLIGHT AT SLOPE IF P2=CUT and NOT TRUNCATING SHOULDER
(P3CUT and L2CUT): [Note that all of the daylighting points will be P3 and
all of the shoulder slopes are L1 and all of the daylight slopes are L2, but
they are all named with defining characteristics for display purposes in the
flowchart.] Drag a point and a link to the left of the “Cut or Fill P2_No
Trunc” decision. Connect the Cut (left) side of the “Cut or Fill P2_No Trunc”
decision to the point just placed and connect the point just placed to the
link just placed.
 Define point just placed as
follows:
 Code names:
Daylight, Daylight_Cut
 DisplayName: P3CUT
 Name: P3
 Point Geometry Type:
SlopeToSurface
 From Point: P2
 Slope: DaylightSlope
 Offset to use in Preview: 6
 Surface Target: TargetSurface
 Define link just placed as follows:
 Code names: Top, Datum, Top_Cut, Datum_Cut
 DisplayName: L2CUT
 Name: L2
 Start point: P2
 End point: P3
R. DEFINE EXTENDSHOULDER
CONDITIONAL: [Note that the  extend
shoulder case is only pertinent when P2
is in fill.] Drag a “General Condition”
conditional and a decision to the right of
the “Cut or Fill P2_No Trunc” decision.
Connect the Fill (right) side of the “Cut or
Fill P2_No Trunc” decision  to the
conditional just placed and connect the
 conditional just placed to the decision just placed. Define the conditional
just placed as follows:
 Condition Expression: ExtendShoulder
 Display Name: ExtendShoulder
S. DAYLIGHT AT SLOPE IF P2=FILL and EXTENDSHOULDER=FALSE
(P3FILL and L2FILL): Drag a point and a link to the right of the
“ExtendShoulder” decision. Connect the False (right) side of the
“ExtendShoulder” decision to the point just placed and connect the point
just placed to the link just placed.
 Define point just placed as
follows:
 Code names: Daylight,
Daylight_Fill
 DisplayName: P3FILL
 Name: P3
 Point Geometry Type:
SlopeToSurface
 From Point: P2
 Slope: -DaylightSlope
 Offset to use in Preview: 6
 Surface Target: TargetSurface
 Define link just placed as follows:
 Code names: Top, Datum, Top_Fill, Datum_Fill
 DisplayName: L2FILL
 Name: L2
 Start point: P2
 End point: P3
T. DAYLIGHT AT SLOPE IF P2=FILL and EXTENDSHOULDER=TRUE
(P30TESTSLOPE and P40TESTSLOPE): [These are temporary analysis
points which is why I am numbering them with an extra 0 on the end to
differentiate them from the actual points which are used by the
subassembly. Since this version of the SAC only has a horizontal target
surface, try changing the value of the delta elevation of the
P40TESTSLOPE to –0.2 or 0.2 when the TargetSurface preview value is set
to –3  and ExtendShoulder is set to True when the subassembly is
complete.] Drag two points to the left side of the “ExtendShoulder”
decision. Connect the True (left) side of the “ExtendShoulder” decision to
the first point just placed and connect the first point just placed to the
second point just placed.
 Define first point just placed
as follows:
 Code names:
 DisplayName:
P30TESTSLOPE
 Name: P30
 Point Geometry Type:
SlopeToSurface
 From Point: P2
 Slope: -DaylightSlope
 Offset to use in Preview: 6
 Surface Target: TargetSurface
 Define second point just placed as follows:
 Code names:
 DisplayName: P40TESTSLOPE
  Name: P40
 Point Geometry Type: OffsetAndDeltaElevation
 From Point: P30
 Offset: 0.2
 DeltaElevation: 0
U. ANALYZE P40TESTSLOPE IN CUT/FILL WHEN
EXTENDSHOULDER=TRUE: Drag a “Cut or Fill” conditional and a decision
under point P40TESTSLOPE. Connect  the False (right) side of the
“TruncateShoulder” decision to the conditional just placed and connect
the conditional just placed to the decision just placed.
 Define the conditional just placed as
follows:
 Condition Point: P40
 Condition Surface: TargetSurface
 Display Name: Cut or Fill P40
Slope
 Define the decision just placed as
follows:
 FalseLabel: Fill/Downward
 TrueLabel: Cut/Upward
V. EXTEND SHOULDER IF P40=CUT and EXTENDSHOULDER=TRUE
(P3EXTFILL and L2EXTFILL): [P30 connects to the surface as if the daylight
slope is used. P40 is placed slightly to the right of P30. If P40 is in cut than
that means that the target surface slopes up from the connection point,
therefore in order to not create a “false swale” by sloping down the target
surface and then the existing grade sloping up, we are going to extend
the shoulder slope out to the target surface.] Drag a point and a link to the
left of the “Cut or Fill P40 Slope” decision. Connect the Cut/Upward (left)
side of the “Cut or Fill P40 Slope” decision to the point just placed and
connect the point just placed to the link just placed.
 Define point just placed as
follows:
 Code names:
Daylight, Daylight_Fill
 DisplayName:
P3EXTFILL
 Name: P3
 Point Geometry Type: SlopeToSurface
 From Point: P2
 Slope: ShoulderSlope
 Offset to use in Preview: 6
 Surface Target: TargetSurface
 Define link just placed as follows:
 Code names: Top, Datum, Top_Fill, Datum_Fill
 DisplayName: L2EXTFILL
 Name: L2
 Start point: P2
 End point: P3
W. DAYLIGHT AT SLOPE IF P40=FALSE and
EXTENDSHOULDER=TRUE: [If P40 is in fill
than that means that the target surface
slopes down from the connection point
and the subassembly behave as it would
normally by sloping down to the surface.]
 Connect the Fill/Downward (right) side of the “Cut or Fill P40 Slope”
decision to the point
P3FILL. 

X. BRING INTO CIVIL 3D: Open

Autodesk Civil 3D 2010 or 2011. On the
Insert ribbon click on the word “Import”
to extend the ribbon to show some of the
less commonly used commands. Then
click the one that says “Import
Subassemblies”. Browse to the location
where you saved your subassemblyunder
where it says “Source File”. [I’ve made
my own tool palette with all of the
subassemblies that I have been creating.
You may chose to do the same.] Once it is brought in to your Tool Palette
you can use it just like you do any other subassembly pieces.
So that’s it. Twenty-four simple steps. Go ahead and build it and try it and let me know what
you think. I would love to hear about your successes and failures so be sure to come back
and comment here!