Civil 3D 2013 Underground Hotfix

This is not an official hotfix.

This fixes a pretty gnarly, insidious little issue where object names and styles look weird. The worst part is that, unchecked, the problem spreads between open files. 

Eew. 

A fix for Civil 3D 2014 was released OFFICIALLY via sp2
A fix for Civil 3D 2015 was released OFFICIALLY via sp1

The good news is that I have files to fix the problem for 2013. Imagine me passing this to you in an unmarked manila envelope in a darkened parking structure. 

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Issue:

This issue manifests itself in several ways.  Users may see one or more of the following effects:

·         AutoCAD Civil 3D object names may appear corrupt.  The most frequently affected objects include surfaces, alignments, feature lines and site names.

·         Anchor components of the label styles may display an error, as seen here with an example surface style.

Cause:

This is a known issue in Civil 3D 2013.

Solution:

To resolve, follow this procedure:

·         Confirm AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 service pack 2 (SP2) is installed by launching AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 and typing “about” in the command line

o   The product version will be followed by “SP2” if the service pack has been installed

o   If necessary, download SP2 for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 from the Autodesk Support Page

o   http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-civil-3d/downloads/caas/downloads/content/autocad-civil-3d-2013-service-pack-2.html

·         In windows explorer, under C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013, back up the following files: AeccLand.dbx, AeccNetwork.dbx, AeccPressurePipes.dbx, AeccvBase.dbx

o   Unzip the provided folder with .dbx file versions dated 7/23/2014

o   Close AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 if it is still open

o   Copy and replace the four .dbx files from the unzipped folder to the Program Files location stated above

·         Launch the affected file in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 with SP2

·         In the Settings tab, under General, Label Styles, the anchor component can now be set to “<feature>” and the default naming convention is restored.

Important Notes:

·         Everyone using Civil 3D 2013 must have this service pack installed or the object names will revert to the pre-fixed state.

·         This fix applies to Civil 3D 2013 sp2 only!

o   If you use Civil 3D 2014, the official service pack Civil 3D 2014 sp2 will prevent the same behavior.

o   If you use Civil 3D 2015, the official service pack, Civil 3D 2015 sp1 will prevent the same behavior.

·         Note that object names will not be restored to their pre-corrupted value, but you can rename them in the object properties.

·         This fix is language neutral

·         This is not an official hotfix. I am providing this to the public out of my sense of goodwill and duty to the user community.

Downloads:

Civil 3D 2013 32-bit: https://autodesk.box.com/s/66tdy3z43fiyb01fllmu

Civil 3D 2013 64-bit: https://autodesk.box.com/s/pa7slkg3rfsnkuid1mv8