THE DESIGN AND COMPUTATION MANAGER

• Identifies graphics previously drawn with D&C Manager (as long as place influence was used when it was drawn) and displays the Geopak item automatically in the D&C Manager dialog.  It actually expands the directory structure and automatically browses to the item and highlights it.  The Place Influence option will be explained later.

 
• Graphically illustrates chains, chain stationing, profiles for final contract plans and does this automatically to agency drafting standards.

 
• Easily assists with drawing elements at the correct symbology for use with criteria and for calculating pay items, (from "Plan" view).

 
• Allows several different ways of viewing the design file (Display Mode) to focus on just those elements drawn with D&C Manager.

To invoke the D&C Manager:

The D&C Manager (shown above in "Dialog Mode") now has another look, known as the "Toolbox Mode".  The "Toolbox Mode" can be accessed by pressing the first icon (shown below) on the D&C Manager dialog.

The "Toolbox Mode" dialog is shown below.  I'll explain a little more about this later....

Since we've already talked about how to use D&C Manager for drawing chains, chain stationing and profiles, this section will be focused on using it for extracting Plan quantities... thus the "Computation" portion of it's title.

Entering Custom "pay items" and calculating quantities... (a brief explanation)...

The Design and Computation Manager does much more than we typically use it for.   In addition to drawing your horizontal and vertical alignments it can perform lightening fast computations for you...thus the name Design and Computation Manager.   These .ddb files are currently password protected.   I can set up English and Metric .ddb files that you can edit....but I'll not be supporting user modified .ddb files.   I intend eventually to have most pay items already entered.

This example and the dialog boxes above will illustrate setting up a Category called 63401 and an Item called 63401, Pavement markings, type k, broken yellow.   It's a Metric pay item and will be measured by the meter.

To create a new category for your pay items...select the Preferences icon and click on New Category.   This category and all of it's pay items can be moved later using the move option available under the Edit pull down.   Anyway...when you click on New Category a small dialog box will appear.   Simply key-in the name of the category and click on OK.
When finished...click on the New Item icon (shown below).

This brings up the Parameters for Target Item dialog box as shown below.

Under Unit, field:

• LF for English (Click on the Select button and "pick" the unit from the list)
• M1 for Metric (Click on the Select button and "pick" the unit from the list)

Under Rounding, field:

• 1.0 for English
• 0.1 for Metric

Under Quantity Factor, one would usually key in 1.0.   If for some reason one wanted the quantity to be 15% more than the actual, a Quantity Factor of 1.15 would be keyed- in.

The Deduction field would be used (for example) to deduct concrete drop inlet lengths from a continuous run of curb and gutter.

To date...I have not explored the remainder of the fields.   When finished...Press OK.

NEXT...TO COMPUTE THE QUANTITY:

Close out of all these dialog boxes and go back to the D&C Manager dialog box.   Select the Compute icon.

Select the path that contains 63401, Pavement markings, type k, broken yellow and double click on it.   You could add the other three types of striping with 63401 and compute them concurrently.   For this example, we are computing only one pay item.   Toggle the "Compute" push button to Comp Book or Item Report.   This example will attempt to find and calculate all elements with the Attribute for the item 63401, Pavement markings, type k, broken yellow.

Since we have selected View mode, the software will look in the lowest numbered opened view.   You can also toggle the push button to Fence and compute elements within a fence.   I normally use FIT VIEW in View 1 and toggle this option to View.   Key-in an output file name and click on Compute.   You may now edit or print the output file.

If a more detailed report is desired, toggle the "Compute" push button to Comp Book.   This will provide a table listing the beginning and ending stations of the pay items, as well as offsets in relation to the chain.

NOTE:  To remove an Item from the collection box, simply double click on it (in the collection box).  To clear the entire collection box of all collected items, click on the Clear Collection icon shown below.

THE "PLACE INFLUENCE" TOGGLE:

When the Place Influence tool is inactive (unchecked), Microstation commands draw and copy elements at the active Microstation level/symbology.   However, when the Place Influence toggle is checked...any element placement or copy function will draw elements at the element symbology and attributes associated with the selected item from the Design and Computation Manager.

In the example dialog box above, I've selected Guardrail as the define_dgn element to draw in my plan view.   I also have Place Influence "checked".   From this point on...ALL element placement and copy functions will automatically be drawn exactly to the symbologies previously set up for Guardrail, no matter what my Microstation element symbologies are set to.   When I "uncheck" Place Influence, all element placement and copy functions will be drawn to the active Microstation element symbologies.

This is a real "no-brainer" and a great way to keep from making "element symbologies" errors when drawing elements...especially for define_dgn elements and pay items.

The Match Point Text tool is similar to the Place Influence tool, with one major difference.   When selected...it not only places text to the attributes already set up in the D&C Manager for stored points, but it also changes the text attributes in Microstation.
 

THE "DRAW COGO ELEMENT" PUSH BUTTON:

This is the one that you all should be familiar with.   It's most commonly used to draw horizontal and vertical alignments. 

THE "SET" MODE:

This mode is used to change the attributes of an existing element to the attributes of a previously stored item.

Click on the Set icon and select an existing item.   Select Selection Set, click on ID Element, data point the existing element to change, and click on Set.

To change multiple elements all at once...select Selection Set, click on ID Element, data point an area outside the elements to change, drag the cursor across the view, (much like dynamic place fence) and let up on the cursor when outside the elements to change.   Click on Set... and all elements that are completely inside the area will be changed.   Note: The elements must be completely inside the area.

THE " DISPLAY" MODE:

This mode can be used to display pay items four different ways.

Normal:
Actually does nothing more than set the display back to normal if you have previously selected one of the following 3 display options.
 

Highlight:
Select a pay item, click on Add and click on the Highlight icon.   All elements that correspond to the attributes associated with the items displayed under Collection will be highlighted.
 

Hide:
Select a pay item, click on Add and click on the Hide icon.   All elements that correspond to the attributes associated with the items displayed under Collection will be invisible.
 

Only:
Select a pay item, click on Add and click on the Only icon.   Only elements that correspond to the attributes associated with the items displayed under Collection will be displayed.

... and a Pavement Marking Mode, (icon shown below) but are not commonly used in WFLHD.  For an explanation of how the Passing Sight Distance application (written for FHWA) works, please click here.

For more intense instructions on the use of the D & C Manager....please see the on-line help.   It goes into waaaaay more detail.   These instruction are just the basics.
 

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