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Spot Grades - live spot labels along a path or on a grid

Live surface spot elevation labels in bulk: every N ft along picked polylines (optionally offset left / right / both) or on an X by Y grid inside a picked window . They are Civil 3D surface labels, so a regrade moves the numbers. A re-run on the same path or window offers Replace .

Command VDCSPOTGRADES · VDC Civil tab › Grading panel
Live surface spot elevation labels in bulk: every N ft along picked polylines (optionally offset left / right / both) or on an X by Y grid inside a picked window. They are Civil 3D surface labels, so a regrade moves the numbers. A re-run on the same path or window offers Replace.
Path mode: every 25 ft along the curb, offset to the lot side (left) → Grid mode: 25 x 25 ft inside a window (right) Picked curb line, every 25 ft, offset 3 ft left x 341.52 x 341.21 x 340.90 x 340.61 x 340.10 stations 0, 25, 50 ... + the far end; vertices optional; labels read the surface live Picked window, 25 x 25 ft grid, off-surface points skipped x 352.10x 352.35x 352.60 x 351.80x 352.05x 352.30x 352.55 x 351.50x 351.75x 352.00x 352.25 corner 1 corner 2 re-run on the same window: Replace / add beside / cancel
Live spot elevation labels   Picked line / surface   Picked window

What it does

  • Path mode: select polylines, lines and arcs; labels at 0, N, 2N ... ft, the far end and the vertices on request, pushed off the line left / right / both sides by the offset.
  • Grid mode: pick a window; labels from its lower-left corner every X by Y ft (5000 per run at most).
  • Live: every label is a Civil 3D surface spot elevation label on the chosen surface, in the chosen spot style, on the chosen layer.
  • Replace: labels are stamped with the path handle or the window corners; a re-run on the same path or window asks Yes (replace) / No (add beside) / Cancel.

Notes

  • Points off the surface are skipped and counted (switch the skip off to let Civil 3D try anyway).
  • A run that places nothing says NOTHING CHANGED and writes nothing.
  • Settings under %APPDATA%\VDC\SpotGrades\ (override VDC_SPOTGRADES_SETTINGS). Civil 3D only.

Dialog

Spot Grades - live spot labels along a path or on a grid dialog
Spot Grades - live spot labels along a path or on a grid - VDCSPOTGRADES

When to use it

  • A grading plan needs spot grades every 25 or 50 ft along the curb lines, swales or pad edges.
  • A parking lot or pad wants a grid of elevations and the surface is still moving.

How to run it

  1. Run VDCSPOTGRADES. Pick the surface and the spot elevation label style; set the layer.
  2. Choose Along picked polylines (every N ft, offset and side, ends / vertices) or Grid inside a picked window (X by Y ft).
  3. OK, then select the polylines (Enter when done) or pick the window's two corners.
  4. Read the summary: labels placed, points skipped off the surface, earlier labels replaced.

Options

  • Offset side: left, right or both sides of the pick direction - the label sits beside the line, the elevation is read there.
  • Skip off-surface: a station or grid point outside the surface is counted and skipped instead of asking Civil 3D for a label it cannot fill.
  • Replace: a re-run on the same path or window asks Yes (replace) / No (add beside) / Cancel.

Watch out for

  • The labels read the surface you picked; a surface in an xref cannot be labelled from the host drawing.
  • A grid is capped at 5000 points per run - widen the spacing or pick a smaller window.
  • The pick direction sets left and right: pick the line from the end you think of as the start, or use Both sides.

Related: TC and BC Labels · Pad Label · Surface QC