Importing csv terrain data


norryboy
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Hello all,

 

I am trying to import the following csv file as XYZ (comma delimited).  This is the only format that does not give me an error. For whatever reason, as soon as I import it the terrain disappears. I have tried reducing the number of elevation points to 2000 and 1000. I have aslo tried setting the "Map this elevation point to the origin (0,0)" with a marker positioned at 0,0. I even tried deleting the terrain and importing the data. creates the terrain but does not show. I do not usually get this involved with terrain contours and am not familiar with how its done. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Elevation Data.zip

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For one ---- Your points are so far off the grid - you will never find them. And at that scale they have no effect nor could you ever see them. Perhaps your coordinates and the elevs are not the same dims. You need to set the proper scale as your bring them in.

You need to re map the distance to some reasonable value in scale or use the conversion to some reasonable value.
Also, remap a point to the 0,0 origin so you can find at least one and keep the total plot on screen. Do not initially create a terrain. If not initially created, Chief will put a select box around the data. Be sure you have the elevation data layer turned on. Note that contours are only generated with a open 3D view or you regenerate the terrain. Be sure they are turned on.

Not sure that Chief can handle 35000 points all clustered together. EDIT: It can but you'll get garbage Try for fewer points -- couple hundred.

Note that Chief uses a 2" marker for elev data as a default so unless you know where there going to be, you're out of luck as you'll never see them.

Finally --- clean your screen!!!

 

Attached is a screen shot of your contour data at 2X scale and linear interpolation to spread out the plot. -- still unreadable - too many points.

Other than that, the file is importing correctly.

post-57-0-72584700-1401503208_thumb.jpg

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thought this was a chance to play with some Terrain Data not having done much ever ( so this may not be correct) but I got the same as Gerry above , the 3d overview took about 6 mins to build though as there are 5285 Points to allocate it said and asked if I wanted to use linear interpolation instead ( I said no)

 

 

I imported as you did as comma delimited XYZ

 

Had check box marked for "make terrain perimeter"

 

translated 0,0  to the 1st point in the file  (opened in Excel)      being  2248156.13 and  254446.91

 

left the scale at feet ,  correct?   ( it appears to be a 1380ftx1105ft lot approx?)  scale maybe off otherwise as area shows as   

                                                                                                                                                    1.52362e+006 sq ft.

 

 

it is drawn off screen for me too , so I hit the "show in window" icon and it came back center stage....

 

looked kinda faint though , so I did a 3d overview ( 6 mins? longest I've experienced so save active camera before closing window again)

 

 

but get the same look as Gerry in plan view afterwards.

 

post-315-0-35560600-1401528177_thumb.jpg

post-315-0-18566300-1401528155_thumb.jpg

post-315-0-10314100-1401528164_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

 

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think it was on the 1st page/tab of the import wizard?   but I'm not on X6 like you ....

 

I can try it again if that aint right , it was on by default so I left it actually , being a noob to this terrain import option.....

 

I can't believe a Surveyor did almost 5300 points...wow......  still not 100% sure it was in feet......and now I think of it wonder if I was in imperial or decimal feet too

 

M.

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Thanks for getting back

 

Ya I thought I remembered it and it is in the first page of the X5 dialog. It was removed in X6 and is the default now. Could be hiding somewhere else, but don't know where?

 

Also, if you check, the surveyor actually did 35496 points and Chief does bring them all in. The 5300 number is just the number Chief uses by skipping points to generate the 3D view. Apparently, they have an internal limit. BTW, I filtered the file to only 1000 through Chief and it works perfectly and looks about the same.

 

If you do a group select on the plan after bring in the points, you will see 35496 objects selected. Their just not all displayed. Probably in ft but could be metric if he was using a Total Station. and this was actually a converted GPX file. -- Good exercise.

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I can't believe a Surveyor did almost 5300 points

 

I can't either

 

at 1 point per minute that is 583 hours of input

 

at 60 points per minute that is 97 hours of input

 

something is generating all those points ...

 

Lew

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yep you are right , it was the 3D engine that told me it had the 5300 points to interpolate.....and see now at your suggestion there are actually 35,500 point ..... now I'm even more curious about how they do it ?  satellite data I'm guessing ?   

 

Part of it looks like it is "man-made" way too round , with concentric circles.... and the long "trough" on the RH side

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Ok folks. Thanks for all the feedback so far.
 
Apparently I have no clue on how to do this. Here are the steps I am trying to import the data. (I have also experimented with different settings with mixed results.I have been able to get the terrain to show but it is long and narrow and has no contours.)
 
I am starting with a blank drawing.
 
Steps:

  • File/Import/Terrain Data
  • Next
  • Browse to .csv file
  • Format is X Y Z (comma delimited)
  • Check "Restrict the amount of data imported.(Leaving X Y and Z data untouched.)
  • Import 1000 of 35496 elevation points.
  • Next
  • Check "Map this elevation point to the origin (0,0).
  • Next
  • Finish

When I build the terrain in plan view I get a dialogue asking "You have 5285 elevation points. The terrain interpolation will take a long time to generate. Would you like to use the linear interpolator instead?" I tried no this time. It took about  a minute and half to generate. The I got another dialogue box. "You are about to generate 20534 terrain contours. Would you like to increase the terrain contour interval to 1200? I selected yes. No luck..
 
Its there and generates but I can not view it. If anyone can help with the proper settings, It would be greatly appreciated. On a side note the lot is  914 ft wide. by 1205 deep. but by viewing Gerry's image the terrain data is for a lot size much larger. And yes I believe the data was generated from GPS and converted to .csv. I really don't need that detailed of a terrain. If there is a way to "take out some of the data while maintaining the size/scale". I am at a loss.
 
Thanks again for everyone's help.
 
I am attaching the plan file in case anyone would like to experiment and see maybe if its a setting in the plan.

1963513.zip

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Under map to 0,0 , did you enter the data point to be mapped  to? Just enter the first point. if not the terrain will be off screen. Do not pre-create the terrain or have one in your plan Chief will automatically create one in X6.

 

The lot size for this data set is: approx. 1105' x 1354'

if you want a small one just narrow the terrain created.

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