C3d Points

Civil 3D Points

Use this skill when working with COGO points - creating, querying, grouping, styling, or using description keys.

Points Collection

All points are in CivilDocument.CogoPoints (CogoPointCollection):

CogoPointCollection cogoPoints = doc.CogoPoints;

// Add individual point (useNextPointNumSetting: true = auto-assign number)
ObjectId pointId = cogoPoints.Add(new Point3d(4958, 4079, 200), true);

// Add with description
ObjectId pointId2 = cogoPoints.Add(new Point3d(100, 200, 225), "GRND", true);

// Add with description + description key matching
ObjectId pointId3 = cogoPoints.Add(
    new Point3d(100, 200, 225), "GRND",
    useDescriptionKey: true, matchOnParams: true, useNextPointNumSetting: true);

// Add multiple points
Point3dCollection pts = new Point3dCollection(
    new[] { new Point3d(4927, 3887, 150), new Point3d(5101, 3660, 250) });
ObjectIdCollection ids = cogoPoints.Add(pts, true);

// Add multiple with description
ObjectIdCollection ids2 = cogoPoints.Add(pts, "GRND", true);

// Lookup and membership
ObjectId found = cogoPoints.GetPointByPointNumber(100);
bool exists = cogoPoints.Contains(100);   // check by point number
uint total = cogoPoints.Count;

// Iterate
foreach (ObjectId pid in cogoPoints)
{
    CogoPoint pt = pid.GetObject(OpenMode.ForRead) as CogoPoint;
    ed.WriteMessage("Point #{0}: Elev={1}\n", pt.PointNumber, pt.Elevation);
}

// Remove
cogoPoints.Remove(779);             // by point number
cogoPoints.Remove(pointId);         // by ObjectId
cogoPoints.Clear();                  // remove all points

CogoPoint Properties

CogoPoint pt = pointId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite) as CogoPoint;

// Identity
pt.PointName = "point1";
pt.RawDescription = "Point description";
pt.DescriptionFormat = "$*";           // Format string ($* = raw description)
pt.PointNumber = 100;                  // Throws if number already exists
pt.Renumber(100);                      // Uses default conflict resolution
pt.Renumber(100, PointNumberResolveType.UseNext); // Explicit resolution type

// Read-only descriptors
string fullDesc = pt.FullDescription;  // Computed from DescriptionFormat + RawDescription
Point3d location = pt.Location;        // Read-only, use Easting/Northing/Elevation
ObjectId primaryGroup = pt.PrimaryPointGroupId;
bool movable = pt.IsMovable;
bool survey = pt.IsSurveyPoint;

// Position (read/write)
double easting = pt.Easting;
double northing = pt.Northing;
double elevation = pt.Elevation;

// Grid coordinates (read/write)
double gridE = pt.GridEasting;
double gridN = pt.GridNorthing;

// Geographic coordinates (read/write)
double lat = pt.Latitude;
double lon = pt.Longitude;
double conv = pt.Convergence;          // read-only

// Display properties
pt.IsLocked = true;                    // Lock/unlock point
pt.ShowToolTip = true;
pt.MarkerRotation = 0.785;            // radians
pt.LabelRotation = 0.0;
pt.LabelLocation = new Point3d(100, 200, 0);
pt.ScaleXY = 1.0;
pt.ScaleZ = 1.0;
double scale = pt.Scale;              // read-only computed scale

// Label visibility and pinning
pt.IsLabelVisible = true;
pt.IsLabelPinned = false;
bool dragged = pt.IsLabelDragged;     // read-only

// Leader properties
pt.LeaderVisibility = LeaderVisibilityType.Always;
pt.LeaderAttachment = LeaderAttachmentBehaviorType.TopOfText;
pt.LeaderTailVisibility = LeaderTailVisibilityType.UseStyle;

// Label text component overrides
ObjectIdCollection compIds = pt.GetLabelTextComponentIds();
pt.SetLabelTextComponentOverride(compIds[0], "Custom Text");
string overrideText = pt.GetLabelTextComponentOverride(compIds[0]);
bool isOverridden = pt.IsLabelTextComponentOverriden(compIds[0]);
pt.ClearLabelTextComponentOverrides(compIds[0]); // clear one
pt.ClearAllLabelTextComponentOverrides();          // clear all
pt.ResetLabel();
pt.ResetLabelLocation();
pt.ResetLabelRotation();

// Style assignment
pt.StyleId = pointStyleId;
pt.LabelStyleId = labelStyleId;

// Project points
if (pt.IsProjectPoint)
{
    bool checkedOut = pt.IsCheckedOut;
    int version = pt.ProjectVersion;
}

// Override values (read-only, set by PointGroup)
// pt.ElevationOverride, pt.FullDescriptionOverride, pt.RawDescriptionOverride
// pt.LabelStyleIdOverride, pt.StyleIdOverride

// Apply description keys to this point
pt.ApplyDescriptionKeys();

Bulk Editing

CogoPointCollection provides bulk methods with three overloads each:

1. Single point by ObjectId
2. All points in list to single value
3. All points in list to corresponding values

// Set elevation offset for all points
cogoPoints.SetElevationByOffset(cogoPoints, 3.00);

// Set raw description for all points
cogoPoints.SetRawDescription(cogoPoints, "NEW_DESC");

// Set full description format ($* = same as raw description)
cogoPoints.SetDescriptionFormat(cogoPoints, "$*");

// Set elevation from a surface
cogoPoints.SetElevationBySurface(cogoPoints, surfaceId);

// Set position components
cogoPoints.SetEasting(cogoPoints, 1000.0);
cogoPoints.SetNorthing(cogoPoints, 2000.0);

// Set scale
cogoPoints.SetScaleXY(cogoPoints, 1.0);
cogoPoints.SetScaleZ(cogoPoints, 1.0);

// Set rotation
cogoPoints.SetMarkerRotation(cogoPoints, 0.785);
cogoPoints.SetLabelRotation(cogoPoints, 0.0);

// Set point name (single point only, or list with individual values)
cogoPoints.SetPointName(pointId, "PT1");

// Lock/unlock and tooltips
cogoPoints.SetIsLocked(cogoPoints, true);
cogoPoints.SetShowTooltips(cogoPoints, true);

// Also available: SetPointNumber, SetStyleId, SetLabelStyleId

Point Groups

Point groups define subsets of points. All groups in doc.PointGroups.

PointGroupCollection pgCollection = doc.PointGroups;

// Create
ObjectId pgId = pgCollection.Add("My Point Group");
PointGroup pg = pgId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite) as PointGroup;
pg.Description = "Optional description";

// Lookup
bool exists = pgCollection.Contains("My Point Group");
ObjectId existingId = pgCollection["My Point Group"]; // by name
ObjectId byIndex = pgCollection[0];                    // by index
int count = pgCollection.Count;

// Special group: all points
ObjectId allPtsId = pgCollection.AllPointsPointGroupId;
string allPtsName = PointGroup.AllPointsGroupName; // static property

// Remove
pgCollection.Remove(pgId);
pgCollection.Remove("My Point Group");

// Check membership and get points
if (pg.ContainsPoint(cogoPoint.PointNumber))
    ed.WriteMessage("Point is in group\n");
uint[] pointNumbers = pg.GetPointNumbers();
uint pointCount = pg.PointsCount;
bool isAllPoints = pg.IsAllPointsGroup;

// Lock/unlock all points in group
pg.LockPoints();
pg.UnlockPoints();
pg.IsLocked = true; // lock the group itself

// Delete all points in group
pg.DeletePoints();

// Point style/label style overrides for group
pg.PointStyleId = styleId;
pg.IsPointStyleOverridden = true;
pg.PointLabelStyleId = labelStyleId;
pg.IsPointLabelStyleOverridden = true;

// Override elevations for all points in group
pg.ElevationOverride.FixedElevation = 100;
pg.ElevationOverride.ActiveOverrideType = PointGroupOverrideType.FixedValue;
pg.IsElevationOverridden = true;

// Override raw descriptions for all points in group
pg.RawDescriptionOverride.FixedRawDescription = "OVERRIDE";
pg.RawDescriptionOverride.ActiveOverrideType = PointGroupOverrideType.FixedValue;
pg.IsRawDescriptionOverridden = true;

// Draw order (controls display priority)
ObjectIdCollection drawOrder = pgCollection.DrawOrder;
// Rearrange as needed...
pgCollection.DrawOrder = drawOrder;

// Update management
bool outOfDate = pg.IsOutOfDate;
ObjectIdCollection staleGroups = pgCollection.GetOutOfDatePointGroupIds();
pgCollection.UpdateAllPointGroups();

Standard Queries

Match points by descriptions, elevations, names, numbers:

StandardPointGroupQuery query = new StandardPointGroupQuery();
query.IncludeElevations = "100-200";        // Range
query.IncludeFullDescriptions = "FLO*";     // Wildcard
query.IncludeNumbers = ">2200";             // Greater than
query.ExcludeElevations = "150-155";
query.ExcludeNames = "BRKL";

pg.SetQuery(query);
pg.Update();  // Apply the query

ed.WriteMessage("Selected: {0} points\nQuery: {1}\n",
    pg.PointsCount, query.QueryString);
// Output query: (FullDescription='FLO*' OR PointElevation=100-200 OR
//   PointNumber>2200) AND NOT(Name='BRKL' OR PointElevation=150-155)

Include/Exclude property values:

• Single number: "110.01"
• Range: "1-100"
• Greater/less than: ">200", "<-100"
• Multiple (comma-separated): "<-100,1-100,110.01,>200"
• Wildcards in descriptions/names: "IP*", "?X*"

All Include* properties are ORed; all Exclude* properties are ORed. Final query = (Includes) AND NOT (Excludes).

Custom Queries

For nested queries not expressible with StandardQuery:

CustomPointGroupQuery customQuery = new CustomPointGroupQuery();
customQuery.QueryString =
    "(RawDescription='GR*') AND (PointElevation>=100 AND PointElevation<=300)";
pg.SetQuery(customQuery);
pg.Update();

Operators: =, >, <, >=, <=, AND, OR, NOT, parentheses for grouping.

Pending Changes

PointGroupChangeInfo changes = pg.GetPendingChanges();
ed.WriteMessage("To add: {0}, To remove: {1}\n",
    changes.PointsToAdd.Length, changes.PointsToRemove.Length);
pg.Update(); // Apply pending changes

Changes are registered when points matching the query are added/removed, NOT when the query itself changes.

User-Defined Properties (UDPs)

UDPs attach custom data to points, organized in classifications:

// Create classification
UDPClassification udpClass = doc.PointUDPClassifications.Add("Example");

// Create UDP (integer with bounds)
AttributeTypeInfoInt attrInfo = new AttributeTypeInfoInt("Int UDP");
attrInfo.DefaultValue = 15;
attrInfo.UpperBoundValue = 20;
attrInfo.LowerBoundValue = 10;
UDPInteger udp = udpClass.CreateUDP(attrInfo);

// Assign classification to point group
PointGroup pg = pgId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite) as PointGroup;
pg.UseCustomClassification("Example");

UDP Types

AttributeTypeInfo Classes

• AttributeTypeInfoInt - integer with bounds
• AttributeTypeInfoDouble - double with bounds
• AttributeTypeInfoString - string
• AttributeTypeInfoBool - boolean
• AttributeTypeInfoEnum - enumeration

CreateUDP() accepts an optional GUID parameter to create identical UDPs across drawings.

Listing UDPs

foreach (UDPClassification udpClass in doc.PointUDPClassifications)
{
    foreach (UDP udp in udpClass.UDPs)
    {
        ed.WriteMessage("UDP: {0}, GUID: {1}, Default: {2}\n",
            udp.Name, udp.Guid, udp.DefaultValue);
    }
}

Point Styles

ObjectId styleId = doc.Styles.PointStyles.Add("My Point Style");
PointStyle style = styleId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite) as PointStyle;

// Marker type
style.MarkerType = PointMarkerDisplayType.UseCustomMarker;
style.CustomMarkerStyle = CustomMarkerType.CustomMarkerPlus;
style.CustomMarkerSuperimposeStyle = CustomMarkerSuperimposeType.Square;

// For symbol markers
style.MarkerSymbolName = "BLOCK_NAME"; // AutoCAD block in drawing

// Assign to point
cogoPoint.StyleId = styleId;

Display settings accessed via GetDisplay*(), GetLabelDisplay*(), GetMarkerDisplay*() methods for Model, Plan, Profile, or Section views.

Point Label Styles

// Access via
var labelStyles = doc.Styles.LabelStyles.PointLabelStyles;

// Assign to point
cogoPoint.LabelStyleId = labelStyleId;

Point Label Property Fields

<[Name(CP)]>
<[Point Number]>
<[Northing(Uft|P4|RN|AP|Sn|OF)]>
<[Easting(Uft|P4|RN|AP|Sn|OF)]>
<[Raw Description(CP)]>
<[Full Description(CP)]>
<[Point Elevation(Uft|P3|RN|AP|Sn|OF)]>
<[Latitude(Udeg|FDMSdSp|P6|RN|DPSn|CU|AP|OF)]>
<[Longitude(Udeg|FDMSdSp|P6|RN|DPSn|CU|AP|OF)]>
<[Grid Northing(Uft|P4|RN|AP|Sn|OF)]>
<[Grid Easting(Uft|P4|RN|AP|Sn|OF)]>
<[Scale Factor(P3|RN|AP|OF)]>
<[Convergence(Udeg|FDMSdSp|P6|RN|AP|OF)]>
<[Survey Point]>

Description Keys

Automatically apply styles and settings to points by matching descriptions:

// Create key set
ObjectId keySetId = PointDescriptionKeySetCollection
    .GetPointDescriptionKeySets(acaddoc.Database)
    .Add("My Key Set");
PointDescriptionKeySet keySet = keySetId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite)
    as PointDescriptionKeySet;

// Create key matching "GRND*"
ObjectId keyId = keySet.Add("GRND*");
PointDescriptionKey key = keyId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite) as PointDescriptionKey;

// Apply style and label style
key.StyleId = pointStyleId;
key.ApplyStyleId = true;
key.LabelStyleId = labelStyleId;
key.ApplyLabelStyleId = true;

// Scale from description parameter
key.ApplyDrawingScale = false;
key.ScaleParameter = 1;
key.ApplyScaleParameter = true;
key.ApplyScaleXY = true;

// Fixed rotation
key.FixedMarkerRotation = 0.785398163; // radians (45 degrees)
key.RotationDirection = RotationDirType.Clockwise;
key.ApplyFixedMarkerRotation = true;

// Set search order (priority)
var allKeySets = PointDescriptionKeySetCollection
    .GetPointDescriptionKeySets(acaddoc.Database);
ObjectIdCollection searchOrder = allKeySets.SearchOrder;
// Rearrange searchOrder as needed
allKeySets.SearchOrder = searchOrder;

// Apply to point group
pointGroup.ApplyDescriptionKeys();

Wildcards ? and * are supported in the Code property.

Using Points with TIN Surfaces

// Add point group as surface data source
TinSurface surface = surfaceId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite) as TinSurface;
surface.PointGroupsDefinition.AddPointGroup(pointGroupId);

// Set elevation from surface (bulk, on CogoPointCollection)
cogoPoints.SetElevationBySurface(pointId, surfaceId);
cogoPoints.SetElevationBySurface(pointIds, surfaceId);

Import / Export Points

// Get available file formats
PointFileFormatCollection formats =
    PointFileFormatCollection.GetPointFileFormats(acaddoc.Database);
PointFileFormat pnezd = formats["PNEZD (comma delimited)"];

// Import points from file
uint importedCount = CogoPointCollection.ImportPoints(
    @"C:\points.csv", pnezd);

// Import into a specific point group
uint importedCount2 = CogoPointCollection.ImportPoints(
    @"C:\points.csv", pnezd, pointGroupId);

// Import with coordinate options
uint importedCount3 = CogoPointCollection.ImportPoints(
    @"C:\points.csv", pnezd,
    useAdjustedElevation: false,
    shouldTransformCoordinate: false,
    shouldExpandCoordinateData: false);

// Export points to file
uint exportedCount = CogoPointCollection.ExportPoints(
    @"C:\output.csv", pnezd);

// Export specific point group
uint exportedCount2 = CogoPointCollection.ExportPoints(
    @"C:\output.csv", pnezd, pointGroupId);

Reading / Writing UDP Values on Points

CogoPoint pt = pointId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite) as CogoPoint;

// Set UDP values (typed overloads)
pt.SetUDPValue(udpInteger, 42);
pt.SetUDPValue(udpDouble, 3.14);
pt.SetUDPValue(udpString, "hello");
pt.SetUDPValue(udpBoolean, true);
pt.SetUDPValue(udpEnumeration, "ValueName");

// Get UDP values (typed overloads)
int intVal = pt.GetUDPValue(udpInteger);
double dblVal = pt.GetUDPValue(udpDouble);
string strVal = pt.GetUDPValue(udpString);
bool boolVal = pt.GetUDPValue(udpBoolean);
string enumVal = pt.GetUDPValue(udpEnumeration);

Gotchas

• PointNumber setter throws if number exists; use Renumber() for conflict resolution
• FullDescription is read-only (computed from DescriptionFormat + RawDescription)
• Location is read-only; modify via Easting, Northing, Elevation
• Accessing IsCheckedOut/ProjectVersion on non-project points throws
• All Add overloads on CogoPointCollection require a bool useNextPointNumSetting parameter
• Point group overrides take precedence over individual point settings
• StandardPointGroupQuery ORs all includes and ORs all excludes
• Pending changes aren't registered when the query itself changes, only when matching points are added/removed
• Description key search order determines priority when multiple keys match
• SetPointName on CogoPointCollection has no "set all to same value" overload (unlike other bulk methods)

Related Skills

• c3d-label-styles - Point label style creation
• c3d-surfaces - Points as surface data
• c3d-root-objects - Accessing point collections
• acad-editor-input - Selection sets for COGO point operations
• c3d-survey — Survey points imported as COGO points