Pipe Structures on a Tool Palette?

For my post
Civil 3D Nuts and Bolts: New Pipe Network Goodies for 2007
I received this comment
Mark said...
Do you know how to create regular pipe structures like DIs or head walls and save them in a tool pallet
Thank you for your comment, Mark!

I'd like to start off by referencing a post from the other day:
Showing and Labeling Pipe Structures...

It doesn't specifically answer your question, but it does have screen captures for the three ways you can show structures in profile, which also correspond to three ways you can show structures in plan.

1) Display the Model itself: The model is a 3D parameter part. In plan, it will see the top, in profile it will see the side. This shows a mesh representation. Most people don't like it.

2)Display the outline of the model: as above, only doesn't show the mesh

3)Display the block of your choice: Most people like this one. For MH in plan, you can pick your "Circle with an S" for CBs in profile, you can pick your regular old block from LDT if you like. ANY block can represent a structure. It just has to be in the drawing.

Either way, the way these structures look is controlled by structure style.

You don't have to build a toolpalette for them, because that is what your parts lists do for you. Build a parts list that has your common storm sewer parts (like headwalls, etc.) and map which style you want C3D to use for those parts. So HEADWALL=HEADWALL BLOCK ON X-LAYER.

In fact, building a toolpalette for structures is meaningless, since you insert structures from your parts list as you make the network.

It seems like pipes and structures would behave like road parts since they are both catalogs, but they are not the same. Subassemblies can go on a TP, but pipe network parts cannot.

Clear as mud? :)

I gotta get up early and do a long drive, but tomorrow night I am staying out on the road so I will have some time to post screen captures. Mark, feel free to comment if this didn't get you on the right track.