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UCS and View Rotation Tips
Tip# 4509 By R.T. Rinehart On 20-Jul-2015
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Categories : User Coordinate System, Paper Space, Model Space
Software type : AutoCAD Civil 3D
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Here's a few tips to make rotated views and coordinate systems a little easier in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

For those of us who use AutoCAD Civil3D and frequently work in rotated views and coordinate systems. I have a few tips to make life easier.

  1. Use Dview with the twist option, in lieu of UCS or geometry rotation, to maintain coordinate integrity for rotated views. Often I get drawings where someone wanted to rotate the drawing within the viewport to get more of it on a sheet. They actually rotate the UCS to get the view rotated or, worse yet, rotate the actual drawing geometry. Those methods work but they destroy the integrity of the drawings coordinates (northings and eastings and other georeferenced data). Key in Dview at the Command line, and hit Return twice and key in TW for the twist option. Then enter the absolute angle you want to rotate the view. This method works well and doesn’t negatively affect the coordinate system or geometry.
     
  2. When dimensioning in a rotated view, your dimensions and text will default to the view rotation angle. To get the text and dimensions aligned with paper space, set up a temporary UCS rotation. Place your crosshair inside the viewport and key in UCS and the view option. This sets the UCS temporarily to the paper space view rotation for adding annotation. Once you complete annotation, key in UCS and select World to set everything back to normal.
     
  3. Many users will accidentally get themselves lost when fooling around with the coordinate system, especially with the ability to orbit the UCS on the fly with Shift+Alt+middle mouse button. Get everything back to normal no matter how messed up it is with the Plan command. Just key in Plan and hit Enter twice.
     
  4. Sometimes it's handy to be able to set a view rotation to match objects in paper space. Use Alignspace to pick target points within a viewport and within paper space to automatically rotate the view to match objects on the paper.
     
  5. Control the rotation behavior of objects within a viewport using the VPROTATEASSOC system variable. It controls weather objects within the view rotate with the viewport or not.

Remember there are instances where you use UCS rotation (i.e., setting up project-based coordinate systems or alternate norths), but for the most part the Dview command and Twist option will work 99.99% of the time.

Notes from Cadalyst tip reviewer R.K. McSwain: This one is sure to stir up some debate, because there are certainly two kinds of "view rotation" people out there. Those who do it with Dview and those who do it with UCS rotation. There are pros and cons to each method. The only thing I would like to point out is that rotating the UCS does not "destroy the integrity of the drawing's coordinates." You can always return to the original coordinates at any time by resetting the UCS to World.

 

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User comments
Comment by Barrett,Tod
Posted on 2015-07-20 17:49:39
I always use the UCS rotation based on a line object, save the UCS and save a View with the same name as the UCS, so it's easy to switch back. Also, use the "EXPLAN" command instead of "PLAN" and select an object in the model so it doesn't perform a Zoom Extents.
Comment by Roberts,Sherry
Posted on 2015-07-21 09:34:29
you may also use the MVSETUP command 1.On a layout, enter MVSETUP at the Command prompt. 2.Enter a (Align). 3.Enter r (Rotate) to rotate the view to a specified angle or with two points. 4.If multiple viewports are available on the layout, click the viewport with the view that you want to rotate. 5.Specify a base point for the rotation. 6.Specify the rotation angle or specify a second point to determine the angle of rotation. The entire view rotates within the viewport. 7.To restore the previous UCS, enter ucs and then p (Previous).