ericepv Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 I need to import terrain data into Chief but the only thing my client can provide is a PDF which does me no good. I know I could trace elevation lines over the PDF but that would be very tedious and time consuming. A contour map is available from the county GIS site in several formats (CSV,KML, Shapefile, GeoJSON) but no DWG or DXF. I did download the CSV file and tried to bring it to Chief using 'Import Terrain Assistant' (the only one of these Chief will accept) but because the data is not in an x, y, z format, it didn't work. I'm open to suggestions. - Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renerabbitt Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 post the pdf here please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneDavis Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 You've watched the Chief training vid showing how easy? And the Dan Baumann one? Easier. With Chief terrain, less is more, unless the terrain is the side of a mountain with cliffs and outcrops. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 1 hour ago, Renerabbitt said: post the pdf here please 2020.06.30 - Topographical Survey of Property.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 1 hour ago, GeneDavis said: You've watched the Chief training vid showing how easy? And the Dan Baumann one? Easier. With Chief terrain, less is more, unless the terrain is the side of a mountain with cliffs and outcrops. Chief yes, Dan B no. It's easy as long as I have a DWG/DBX (which I do not). Is there another way that I'm missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiAngelo Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Can you post in the kml and shapefile formats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark3D Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 PDF to cad there a app for iOS and probily android then just import the outputed cad file and import to chief then give the elevation lines there correct height Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopsaw Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 9 hours ago, ericepv said: I did download the CSV file and tried to bring it to Chief using 'Import Terrain Assistant' (the only one of these Chief will accept) but because the data is not in an x, y, z format, it didn't work. What format was it ? There are 12 import choices and if none of them work you should be able to edit the file in excel or even note pad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 10 hours ago, JiAngelo said: Can you post in the kml and shapefile formats? Unfortunately, much too large to post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 7 hours ago, Mark3D said: PDF to cad there a app for iOS and probily android then just import the outputed cad file and import to chief then give the elevation lines there correct height I do have a DWG which a fellow user created from the PDF. Unfortunately, the contour lines are all in small sections. I could join them but that's probably the only thing I'd be doing for the next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 7 hours ago, Chopsaw said: What format was it ? There are 12 import choices and if none of them work you should be able to edit the file in excel or even note pad. Are you referring t the CSV file? This is one of the formats supported by the 'Import Terrain Assistant' but the data is not presented in an X, Y, Z format as is required by the assistant. In regards to editing the file in Excel or notepad, that's not something I'm familiar with. The CSV file is attached. Contour_10ft_Line.csv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark3D Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 31 minutes ago, ericepv said: I do have a DWG which a fellow user created from the PDF. Unfortunately, the contour lines are all in small sections. I could join them but that's probably the only thing I'd be doing for the next week. when importing try Selecting Convert lines with shared endpoints into polylines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 19 minutes ago, Mark3D said: when importing try Selecting Convert lines with shared endpoints into polylines I tried that but I still get a multi-segmented line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark3D Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 17 minutes ago, ericepv said: I tried that but I still get a multi-segmented line. Sorry i should have looked at your pdf those dashed lines are the problem i am trying a convert on my end just to see what happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robdyck Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 1 hour ago, ericepv said: The CSV file is attached Unfortunately this won't work because the CSV file isn't using point data. For a CSV file to work, you need x,y,z coordinates for each point. When you only have a pdf there really won't be any super quick way to model the terrain, but I can offer a bit of advice. I'd start by importing the pdf and aligning it. I like to draw a transparent cad mask over top of it to soften it's visual effect. I'd recommend placing elevation points around the perimeter of the property using the pdf as a tracing guide, starting with the 5' increment points only. Then build the terrain and visually compare the generated contour lines. Draw some CAD grid lines to evenly divide the property and repeat that process using elevation points. Don't over do it! Start with a center grid line, and then keep 'halving' those spaces as needed. Using your grid lines as a reference for placing elevation points, compare Chief's contours to the survey plan. Add elevation points on your grid lines to match up with the survey primary contours. Fill in the 'blanks' with more elevation points, on your grid, aligning with the survey secondary contours only where it is clearly needed. Use elevation polylines or splines to replicate the primary contours ONLY in a smaller area around where the buildings are located. Use a CAD polyline around the building so you can cleanly control the start and end of the elevation lines. Experiment by making the CAD polyline around the buildings, say 50' larger all the way around. Increase only there is an obvious need or benefit. There's probably no need for elevation lines for the entire property, plus Chief will slow down to be unusable. Make sure elevation lines do not end too close to your own elevation points, just to avoid conflicting data. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneDavis Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 How big in acres is the parcel? I did a new house on a 7 acre mountain lot and only modeled the terrain for the house footprint plus about a 40 foot larger bounds. All the cut and fill was within. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 58 minutes ago, robdyck said: Unfortunately this won't work because the CSV file isn't using point data. For a CSV file to work, you need x,y,z coordinates for each point. When you only have a pdf there really won't be any super quick way to model the terrain, but I can offer a bit of advice. I'd start by importing the pdf and aligning it. I like to draw a transparent cad mask over top of it to soften it's visual effect. I'd recommend placing elevation points around the perimeter of the property using the pdf as a tracing guide, starting with the 5' increment points only. Then build the terrain and visually compare the generated contour lines. Draw some CAD grid lines to evenly divide the property and repeat that process using elevation points. Don't over do it! Start with a center grid line, and then keep 'halving' those spaces as needed. Using your grid lines as a reference for placing elevation points, compare Chief's contours to the survey plan. Add elevation points on your grid lines to match up with the survey primary contours. Fill in the 'blanks' with more elevation points, on your grid, aligning with the survey secondary contours only where it is clearly needed. Use elevation polylines or splines to replicate the primary contours ONLY in a smaller area around where the buildings are located. Use a CAD polyline around the building so you can cleanly control the start and end of the elevation lines. Experiment by making the CAD polyline around the buildings, say 50' larger all the way around. Increase only there is an obvious need or benefit. There's probably no need for elevation lines for the entire property, plus Chief will slow down to be unusable. Make sure elevation lines do not end too close to your own elevation points, just to avoid conflicting data. I think this may be my only option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 3 minutes ago, GeneDavis said: How big in acres is the parcel? I did a new house on a 7 acre mountain lot and only modeled the terrain for the house footprint plus about a 40 foot larger bounds. All the cut and fill was within. It's just shy of 8 acres but the client is looking specifically for a rendering of the full, undeveloped lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinWaldron Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Probably best to go back to surveyor, think I saw info on plat. Ask nicely if he would give you a dwg or possibly a 3D DWG. Lot of surveyors in my area use Carlson software so easy enough for them to do this. He also can do a 3D topo of all this data if he has typical surveyor software. ( He may charge additional to do this) kw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 8 minutes ago, KevinWaldron said: Probably best to go back to surveyor, think I saw info on plat. Ask nicely if he would give you a dwg or possibly a 3D DWG. Lot of surveyors in my area use Carlson software so easy enough for them to do this. He also can do a 3D topo of all this data if he has typical surveyor software. ( He may charge additional to do this) kw The surveyor is not willing to provide the source file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopsaw Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 4 hours ago, ericepv said: 12 hours ago, Chopsaw said: What format was it ? There are 12 import choices and if none of them work you should be able to edit the file in excel or even note pad. Are you referring t the CSV file? This is one of the formats supported by the 'Import Terrain Assistant' but the data is not presented in an X, Y, Z format as is required by the assistant. In regards to editing the file in Excel or notepad, that's not something I'm familiar with. The CSV file is attached. Yes the CSV file as Rob has commented on above. I am not even sure what that data is or how it would be of any use to anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiAngelo Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 3 hours ago, Chopsaw said: Yes the CSV file as Rob has commented on above. I am not even sure what that data is or how it would be of any use to anyone. The csv data is for a shape file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug_N Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 On 6/20/2024 at 1:12 PM, ericepv said: I need to import terrain data into Chief but the only thing my client can provide is a PDF which does me no good. I know I could trace elevation lines over the PDF but that would be very tedious and time consuming. A contour map is available from the county GIS site in several formats (CSV,KML, Shapefile, GeoJSON) but no DWG or DXF. I did download the CSV file and tried to bring it to Chief using 'Import Terrain Assistant' (the only one of these Chief will accept) but because the data is not in an x, y, z format, it didn't work. I'm open to suggestions. - Eric I think your only option if you can't get the DWG file is to trace the contour lines. I have done that a few times, and it works pretty well. Try just the major lines and then if need adjust with a few "in between lines" Fortunately CA supports spline contour lines. Once you have the lines traced you can adjust the curves between points with the advanced spline option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiAngelo Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Subscribe or Log In to view the Professional GIS Map (bookmark this link) Pay online through PayPal (includes convenience fee - view pricing) or by credit card or check payable to: Town of Huntington, 100 Main Street, Department of Planning and Environment - Room 212, Huntington, NY 11743 Request a Free 60-Day Trial of the Professional GIS Questions? Contact (631) 351-3196 or GISPro-Admin@huntingtonny.gov The free GIS doesn't give you what you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericepv Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 49 minutes ago, JiAngelo said: Subscribe or Log In to view the Professional GIS Map (bookmark this link) Pay online through PayPal (includes convenience fee - view pricing) or by credit card or check payable to: Town of Huntington, 100 Main Street, Department of Planning and Environment - Room 212, Huntington, NY 11743 Request a Free 60-Day Trial of the Professional GIS Questions? Contact (631) 351-3196 or GISPro-Admin@huntingtonny.gov The free GIS doesn't give you what you need. Good to know, I'll check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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