C3d Data Shortcuts

Civil 3D Data Shortcuts and Cross-Drawing References

Use this skill when working with data shortcuts, creating or managing cross-drawing references, synchronizing imported references, repairing broken references, or configuring data shortcut working and project folders.

Overview

Data shortcuts allow Civil 3D objects in one drawing (the source) to be referenced read-only into other drawings (the host). The .NET API exposes this through the DataShortcuts static class and the DataShortcutManager class in Autodesk.Civil.DataShortcuts. The assembly is AeccDataShortcutMgd.dll.

Working Folder
  └── Project Folder (_Shortcuts/ subfolder)
        ├── Alignments.xml
        ├── Surfaces.xml
        ├── Pipe Networks.xml
        ├── Pressure Pipe Networks.xml
        ├── Corridors.xml
        └── View Frame Groups.xml

Supported Reference Types (RefType Enum)

The DataShortcuts.RefType enumeration defines the publishable entity types:

using Autodesk.Civil.DataShortcuts;

// Available RefType values:
// RefType.Surface
// RefType.Alignment          (parent alignments)
// RefType.AlignmentChildren  (child offset/widening alignments)
// RefType.Profile
// RefType.PipeNetwork
// RefType.PressureNetwork
// RefType.Corridor
// RefType.ViewFrameGroup

Managing Working and Project Folders

Get and Set Working Folder

using Autodesk.Civil.DataShortcuts;

// Get current working folder path
string workingFolder = DataShortcuts.GetWorkingFolderPath();
ed.WriteMessage("Working folder: {0}\n", workingFolder);

// Set a new working folder path
DataShortcuts.SetWorkingFolderPath(@"C:\Civil3D Projects");

Get and Set Project Folder

// Get current project folder (relative to working folder)
string projectFolder = DataShortcuts.GetProjectFolderPath();
ed.WriteMessage("Project folder: {0}\n", projectFolder);

// Set project folder (relative path from working folder)
DataShortcuts.SetProjectFolderPath("MyProject");

// Get the data shortcut project ID for a given path
int projectId = DataShortcuts.GetDSProjectId(@"C:\Civil3D Projects\MyProject");

// Associate a data shortcut project with the current drawing
DataShortcuts.AssociateDSProject(projectId);

Listing Published Items

// Get all published items in the current project
DataShortcutManager dsMgr = DataShortcuts.CreateDataShortcutManager(ref projectId);

int count = dsMgr.GetPublishedItemsCount();
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
    DSEntityInfo info = dsMgr.GetPublishedItemAt(i);
    ed.WriteMessage("Name: {0}, Type: {1}, Source: {2}\n",
        info.Name, info.RefType, info.SourceDrawing);
}

// Clean up (DataShortcutManager implements IDisposable)
dsMgr.Dispose();

Creating Data References (Importing Shortcuts)

Using DataShortcuts.CreateReference

using Autodesk.Civil.DataShortcuts;
using Autodesk.Civil.ApplicationServices;

// Create a reference to a published surface in the current drawing
DataShortcuts.CreateReference(
    doc.Database,           // target database (host drawing)
    "EG Surface",           // entity name in the source drawing
    RefType.Surface         // entity type
);

Using DataShortcutManager.CreateReference

int projectId = 0;
DataShortcutManager dsMgr = DataShortcuts.CreateDataShortcutManager(ref projectId);

// Find the published item index by name and type
int itemIndex = -1;
int count = dsMgr.GetPublishedItemsCount();
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
    DSEntityInfo info = dsMgr.GetPublishedItemAt(i);
    if (info.Name == "Main Road CL" && info.RefType == RefType.Alignment)
    {
        itemIndex = i;
        break;
    }
}

if (itemIndex >= 0)
{
    // Create the reference in the current drawing
    dsMgr.CreateReference(itemIndex, doc.Database);
    ed.WriteMessage("Reference created for alignment 'Main Road CL'.\n");
}

dsMgr.Dispose();

Batch Import Multiple References

int projectId = 0;
DataShortcutManager dsMgr = DataShortcuts.CreateDataShortcutManager(ref projectId);

RefType[] typesToImport = {
    RefType.Surface,
    RefType.Alignment,
    RefType.PipeNetwork
};

int imported = 0;
int count = dsMgr.GetPublishedItemsCount();
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
    DSEntityInfo info = dsMgr.GetPublishedItemAt(i);
    if (Array.IndexOf(typesToImport, info.RefType) >= 0)
    {
        try
        {
            dsMgr.CreateReference(i, doc.Database);
            imported++;
            ed.WriteMessage("Imported: {0} ({1})\n", info.Name, info.RefType);
        }
        catch (System.Exception ex)
        {
            ed.WriteMessage("Failed to import {0}: {1}\n", info.Name, ex.Message);
        }
    }
}
ed.WriteMessage("Total imported: {0}\n", imported);

dsMgr.Dispose();

Identifying Reference Objects

Checking If an Entity Is a Reference

using (Transaction ts = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
{
    Alignment align = ts.GetObject(alignId, OpenMode.ForRead) as Alignment;

    // Check if this entity is a data reference (read-only cross-drawing ref)
    if (align.IsReferenceObject)
    {
        ed.WriteMessage("'{0}' is a data reference.\n", align.Name);

        // Get reference information
        DataShortcutKey dsKey = align.GetReferenceInfo();
        ed.WriteMessage("  Source drawing: {0}\n", dsKey.SourceDrawing);
        ed.WriteMessage("  Source entity:  {0}\n", dsKey.SourceEntityName);
        ed.WriteMessage("  Ref type:       {0}\n", dsKey.RefType);
    }

    // Check for sub-objects (e.g., profiles that came along with an alignment ref)
    if (align.IsReferenceSubObject)
    {
        ed.WriteMessage("'{0}' is a reference sub-object.\n", align.Name);
    }

    ts.Commit();
}

Iterating All Reference Entities in a Drawing

CivilDocument doc = CivilApplication.ActiveDocument;

using (Transaction ts = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
{
    // Check surfaces
    foreach (ObjectId surfId in doc.GetSurfaceIds())
    {
        var surf = ts.GetObject(surfId, OpenMode.ForRead) as Autodesk.Civil.DatabaseServices.Surface;
        if (surf.IsReferenceObject)
            ed.WriteMessage("DREF Surface: {0}\n", surf.Name);
    }

    // Check alignments
    foreach (ObjectId alignId in doc.GetAlignmentIds())
    {
        var align = ts.GetObject(alignId, OpenMode.ForRead) as Alignment;
        if (align.IsReferenceObject)
            ed.WriteMessage("DREF Alignment: {0}\n", align.Name);
    }

    // Check pipe networks
    foreach (ObjectId netId in doc.GetPipeNetworkIds())
    {
        var network = ts.GetObject(netId, OpenMode.ForRead) as Network;
        if (network.IsReferenceObject)
            ed.WriteMessage("DREF Network: {0}\n", network.Name);
    }

    ts.Commit();
}

Synchronizing References (SynchronizeImport)

When the source drawing changes, data references in host drawings must be synchronized. References auto-synchronize on drawing open, but can also be forced programmatically.

Synchronize All References

using Autodesk.Civil.DataShortcuts;

// Synchronize all data references in the active drawing
DataShortcuts.SynchronizeImport(doc.Database);

ed.WriteMessage("All data references synchronized.\n");

Synchronize a Specific Reference

using (Transaction ts = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
{
    Alignment align = ts.GetObject(alignId, OpenMode.ForRead) as Alignment;

    if (align.IsReferenceObject)
    {
        // Synchronize this specific reference entity
        DataShortcuts.SynchronizeImport(db, alignId);
        ed.WriteMessage("Synchronized reference: {0}\n", align.Name);
    }

    ts.Commit();
}

Repairing Broken References

References break when the source drawing is moved, renamed, or deleted. The API provides repair methods.

Detect Broken References

int projectId = 0;
DataShortcutManager dsMgr = DataShortcuts.CreateDataShortcutManager(ref projectId);

int brokenCount = dsMgr.GetBrokenDRefCount(doc.Database);
ed.WriteMessage("Broken references: {0}\n", brokenCount);

for (int i = 0; i < brokenCount; i++)
{
    ObjectId brokenId = dsMgr.GetBrokenDRefEntityId(doc.Database, i);
    Entity ent = ts.GetObject(brokenId, OpenMode.ForRead) as Entity;
    ed.WriteMessage("  Broken: {0} (ObjectId: {1})\n", ent.Name, brokenId);
}

dsMgr.Dispose();

Repair a Broken Data Reference in the Drawing

// Repair a broken DREF by pointing it to a new source drawing path
DataShortcuts.RepairBrokenDRef(
    brokenEntityId,                          // ObjectId of the broken reference entity
    @"C:\Projects\Source\Design.dwg",        // new target drawing full path
    true                                     // auto-repair other broken refs to the same source
);

Repair a Broken Data Shortcut in the Project

int projectId = 0;
DataShortcutManager dsMgr = DataShortcuts.CreateDataShortcutManager(ref projectId);

// Repair broken shortcut by index (in the project XML, not the drawing)
bool repaired = DataShortcuts.RepairBrokenDataShortcut(
    shortcutIndex,                           // index of the broken shortcut
    @"C:\Projects\Source\Design.dwg",        // new target drawing full path
    true                                     // auto-repair others pointing to same source
);

if (repaired)
    ed.WriteMessage("Data shortcut repaired.\n");
else
    ed.WriteMessage("Repair failed.\n");

dsMgr.Dispose();

Batch Repair All Broken References

int projectId = 0;
DataShortcutManager dsMgr = DataShortcuts.CreateDataShortcutManager(ref projectId);
int brokenCount = dsMgr.GetBrokenDRefCount(doc.Database);

if (brokenCount > 0)
{
    // Repair first broken ref with autoRepairOther = true to fix all from same source
    ObjectId firstBrokenId = dsMgr.GetBrokenDRefEntityId(doc.Database, 0);
    DataShortcuts.RepairBrokenDRef(firstBrokenId, newSourceDrawingPath, true);
    ed.WriteMessage("Attempted repair of {0} broken reference(s).\n", brokenCount);
}
dsMgr.Dispose();

Gotchas

• Data reference entities are read-only in the host drawing; opening ForWrite on referenced properties throws an exception
• DataShortcutManager holds unmanaged resources; always call Dispose() or use a using block
• SynchronizeImport requires the source drawing to be accessible at the stored path; if moved, repair first
• SetWorkingFolderPath and SetProjectFolderPath do not validate the path; invalid paths cause failures on next shortcut operation
• RepairBrokenDRef with autoRepairOther = true only repairs entities referencing the same source drawing; entities from other sources need separate repair calls
• Reference sub-objects (e.g., profiles imported with an alignment) cannot be individually removed; removing the parent reference removes all children
• Creating a reference to an entity that already exists as a DREF in the drawing throws an exception; check IsReferenceObject first
• The _Shortcuts subfolder is created automatically by Civil 3D in the project folder; do not manually create or modify its XML files
• The AECCFORCESYNCHRONIZEREFERENCES built-in command can synchronize all references interactively, but the API method SynchronizeImport is the programmatic equivalent
• Pressure network references require Civil 3D 2020+ API; earlier versions only support gravity PipeNetwork

Related Skills

• c3d-root-objects — CivilDocument, transactions, and collection access patterns used with reference entities
• c3d-alignments — Alignment creation and queries; alignment DREFs are the most common reference type
• c3d-surfaces — Surface objects that can be published and referenced across drawings
• c3d-profiles — Profiles that accompany alignment references as sub-objects
• c3d-pipe-networks — Gravity and pressure pipe networks publishable via data shortcuts