Importing Surveyors DWG File

[DuncanM]

Hello!  I have watched many tutorials and looked online here to no avail... I am trying to import elevation data from a survey and am having troubles. Is there something I am missing? I watched the video through Cheif Architect and have read through some of these forums. I am able to get everything including elevation data onto the plan, however it produces just a flat pad when I render the plan.

 

I will attach the DWG, maybe one of you know what I am doing wrong?

 

Thank you so much!

Duncan

SEADOG CONSTRUCTION, LLC SITE PLAN 2018-034.dwg

[Chopsaw]

Have not looked at the .dwg yet but if you have confirmed the import of lines or points with elevation data then all you need is to create a terrain perimeter around that data.

[DavidJPotter]

The .dwg you are trying to import contains ZERO terrain data and is also exported from AutoCAD Paper space so that it comes into Chief UNSCALED. So you are wasting your time from the get-go. Site Plan files should be exported from "Model Space" only from AutoCAD. AutoCAD and Chief both use real world scale (1' = 1') and so they can exchange files easily if done correctly. Your file came directly from AutoCAD "paper space" ( a file down-scaled from model space to fit on a piece of paper (paper space) and so is useless in terms of accuracy because it must now be rescaled to represent a scale of 1' = 1' to be of ANY accurate use in Chief.

Also I say that there are two layers called "Contours" in the AutoCAD file but when imported into AutoCAD or Chief those layers were NOT visible and so for a topo would be useless.

 

Obtain a topo file from the AutoCAD user with NO "Xreffing" in the file directly exported from "Model Space" and only then will you have anything useful in Chief much less any useful topo information.

 

DJP

[DuncanM]

Thanks for your help everybody, looks like I'll have to manually enter the elevation data.

 

Thanks again!

[DavidJPotter]

Duncan, after a second look at your .dwg file, I did find some text-numerical numbers for topo but that would be insifficient for any kind of auto-creation of topography. Once properly scaled you could then sketch in over those values, Chief topo-elevation splines or lines and get a topo but the file would still have to be rescaled up to full size first to be of any use.

 

DJP

[Chopsaw]

7 hours ago, DavidJPotter said:

Site Plan files should be exported from "Model Space" only from AutoCAD. AutoCAD and Chief both use real world scale (1' = 1') and so they can exchange files easily if done correctly. Your file came directly from AutoCAD "paper space" ( a file down-scaled from model space to fit on a piece of paper (paper space) and so is useless in terms of accuracy because it must now be rescaled to represent a scale of 1' = 1' to be of ANY accurate use in Chief.

 

David,  Could you explain a little more about this and if there is a way to determine this information when importing into Chief or prior to importing without using AutoCAD.

 

I imported the file into X10 and chose ft as the scale and it seems to measure correctly.

 

7 hours ago, DavidJPotter said:

Also I say that there are two layers called "Contours" in the AutoCAD file but when imported into AutoCAD or Chief those layers were NOT visible and so for a topo would be useless.

 

I don't have AutoCAD but took a look at the file in TrueView and the CONT-MJR and CONT-MNR were both set to a hidden line style.

I was able to change the line style but found nothing on those layers although it suggested that they were used.  Does AutoCAD not have an indicator system something like the + in Chief to show if a layer is in use ?

[DavidJPotter]

The scale is not indicated on exports unless it was exported directly from paper space and that view included the intended scale. I suppose you were merely lucky when you choose "Feet" as the scale. When I imported the drawing into X10 I chose "Inches" and of course it was not properly scaled there by, My point is that had the drawing been exported from "model space" it would have natively imported into Chief at that same scale (1' = 1') since it had not been downscaled to fit on a fixed size sheet of paper. The file was also "x-ref'ed" within AutoCAD which Chief is not programmed to read properly, "X-Refing" is an AutoCAD only device. Such files do not commonly work when imported into Chief,

 

DJP

[JbeckWY]

I am new to Chief and am trying to import a .dwg file for the first time and have also been struggling. Maybe I am having the same issue. I have been able to import a boundary successfully but my elevation data I cannot quite figure out. Any tips????

Ken Hoyt Elevation.dwg

[Chopsaw]

There appears to be elevation data contained in the proposed elevation layers ( C-CONT-INDEX, and C-CONT-INTER ) that I was able to import. Also if you want to bring it into a separate plan file there appears to be existing elevation data as well on the ( EX-CONT-INDEX, and EX-CONT-INTER ) layers that will import but has some corrupted 0' elevation data that chief will warn you about but it will have to be routed out manually.  It appears to be something near the NE corner of the lot.

[Chopsaw]

This one here may be the culprit :

[JbeckWY]

Great!!! Thank you!!!

[jcaffee]

I use pCon Planner to edit the dwg file before importing into CA.  It allows layer access and I can create a "clean" file version for importing terrain data.  https://pcon-planner.com/en/