ProfileToolBox: tool to create Autodesk Civil 3D profiles in a profile view based on a polyline.
I needed to draw profiles in profile views in Civil 3D based on a polyline and I found the ProfileToolBox tool at: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-forum/profile-from-polyline/m-p/6012180/highlight/true#M293493 but it didn't work!
So, today, I got the idea to decompile it and try to figure out what goes wrong. I already had some Revit API programming experience, but no Autocad experience, so it was fun to try. Also, I hope I don't violate any copyright laws by doing this this way -- I do not know the original creator of this tool, so I cannot ask in advance!
I found two problems in the code, which I think fixed the tool:
Problem 1: The tool was creating a new profile, but it didn't contain any visible geometry. I think this was because the newly created profile wasn't opened for writing -- hence the change. Original:
Profile profile = tx.GetObject(profByLayout, OpenMode.ForOpen) as Profile;Changed to:
Profile profile = tx.GetObject(profByLayout, OpenMode.ForWrite) as Profile;Problem 2: There is a section in the code, which tries to get the mid point of a polyline arc, but it was doing it with 10 points choosing 6th point -- which isn't the mid point. I changed it to 11 points choosing 6th point -- remember, the index of points is zero-based, so it is number 5 -- this gives the correct midpoint. Original:
Point2d samplePoint = ((Curve2d)arcSegment2dAt).GetSamplePoints(10)[6];Changed to:
Point2d samplePoint = ((Curve2d)arcSegment2dAt).GetSamplePoints(11)[5];The tool worked on first compile after that, see gif for proof. ;)
To get it to work, download the compiled .dll here or compile it your self in VisualStudio and use 'netload' in acad to load the tool. Then call command: 'mypfp' to start the profile creation process.
Remember to ublock the .dll in right-click properties window before the netload! If you unblock the .dll after netload you have to restart C3D.
Compiled and tested with Civil 3D 2019 version. For other version you will have to compile .dll yourself.