Import topo survey/terrain question


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I've watched the tutorial but still not getting this to work.  When I import the suvey data, and assign the layer p-explode (the point layer cad blocks exploded) to the chief layer "elevation data", they still have a "0" value under elevation data.  So I can't create a terrain because all my points are 0.  I have attached a test plan with the survey imported but not layer assignments, and the native CAD survey file.  How do I get this elevation data to show in Chief?

 

Thanks!!

terrain question.plan

SITE PLAN FOR ARCH (8-11-2015).zip

SITE PLAN FOR ARCH (8-11-2015) - Copy.txt

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Yep, the points are useless. You'll have to use the contour lines. Create a Terrain Perimeter, join the contour polylines together at the breaks, then convert them to elevation lines. To refine things you can drop Elevation Points on top of the datum points. That's the best you can do with the data you've been given.

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Yep, the points are useless. You'll have to use the contour lines. Create a Terrain Perimeter, join the contour polylines together at the breaks, then convert them to elevation lines. To refine things you can drop Elevation Points on top of the datum points. That's the best you can do with the data you've been given.

This is what John Jones talked about at the UGM.  The ACAD info you get must have a z value associated with them.  I believe he went on to say that more and more you will get elevation data with a z value,  but older plans and plans from civil engineers who are working in the 16th century will not be giving you elevation points with a z value.

 

Thanks for posting,  I just wish you were able to post date that already had a z value so we could play with it.

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..... but I just selected one, ctrl+J, then select the option of all objects with elevation set to 0", click ok, and delete........

 

A neat little trick I learned from Stephen G. at the UGM......  what Jona-Thank did was to select all data info that had a z value of zero  (useless data),  he deleted them in one fell swoop and then relied on the remaining elevation data that did have a z value to create his terrain.

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Here's a picture process of what I did...

 

I too learned it from the guy sitting next to me :)

Jona-Thank,  this is good stuff.  Would you mind doing a GOTOMEETING with me,  you can explain the process,  I will record it and we can post it.  It would be easier for us peons if someone like you showed us how to do it.  Let me know if you can do it with me and when would be a good time for you.

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The contours worked for me.

 

There were a couple lines that had elevation set to 0 on them, but I just selected one, ctrl+J, then select the option of all objects with elevation set to 0", click ok, and delete.

 

Attached the revised Chief Plan...

wow, fantastic, thanks!!!   Now even dumber question- how do I import this into my architectural plan (with the buildings, etc)?

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The contours worked for me.

 

There were a couple lines that had elevation set to 0 on them, but I just selected one, ctrl+J, then select the option of all objects with elevation set to 0", click ok, and delete.

 

Attached the revised Chief Plan...

 

The offending contour data was a fire hydrant that was drawn on the CONTOURS layer. Lesson learned to scrub the data before you import - or to isolate the data layer after import and take a really close look.

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It's going to be a little trickier, but when you import the .dwg into your drawing (and go through all the steps), everything will be selected.  You can simply do a point-point move, rotate, etc... to get it to where you need it to be.

 

Like I said, it's going to be tricky and might take some back and forth to get it perfect, but definitely doable.

 

I'm sure someone has an easier way though?...

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wow, fantastic, thanks!!!   Now even dumber question- how do I import this into my architectural plan (with the buildings, etc)?

 

Pretty much like Jonathan laid out. I import the whole mess and either map all the ACAD layers to a single CA layer (for simplicity), or if I need independent control of the ACAD layers then I map them to custom CA layers that have a prefix, eg the CONTOURS layer becomes A-CONTOURS - this way I can easily find/distinguish the imported ACAD data. Then determine the rotation angle to align the site plan with your building model; select all the ACAD data and rotate it in one fell swoop; then Point-to-Point Move to stick it in the proper place (or you can do an Edit Area(All Floors) Point-to-Point move of your CA data and move it into place on top of the site plan - you're choice).

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This might be a video for the process compliments of Jona-Thank.  

 

https://youtu.be/lT3YcRzq108 

 

I think I might get out of the vid business if I keep having these many problems uploading vids.

 

not working,  I might have to redo the vid when I have time.

 

I just can not explain why uploading a vid is so hit and miss these days....  at one time I was able to do it blind folded standing on one leg,  now I have to do a rain dance to get it to upload....  I just may retire.

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It's going to be a little trickier, but when you import the .dwg into your drawing (and go through all the steps), everything will be selected.  You can simply do a point-point move, rotate, etc... to get it to where you need it to be.

 

Like I said, it's going to be tricky and might take some back and forth to get it perfect, but definitely doable.

 

I'm sure someone has an easier way though?...

Right, I know how to move the plan around, but my issue is:  Is there a way to take the revised plan that you created (that has the corrected elevation data and looks great) and import that into my architectural plan?  As far as I know, I can only import a CAD file, not a chief plan.  I tried converting your plan to a dwg. but lost all the elevation data.  Were you suggesting that I make the changes on the original cad file and import that?  Or is there some way to import the plan that you created?

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Right, I know how to move the plan around, but my issue is:  Is there a way to take the revised plan that you created (that has the corrected elevation data and looks great) and import that into my architectural plan?  As far as I know, I can only import a CAD file, not a chief plan.  I tried converting your plan to a dwg. but lost all the elevation data.  Were you suggesting that I make the changes on the original cad file and import that?  Or is there some way to import the plan that you created?

 

Open your plan. Open Jonathan's plan with the terrain. Select the Terrain Perimeter from Jonathan's plan and save it to your User Library. Switch to your plan, drag-and-drop the Terrain object from your User Library into your plan, and position it in place.

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Delete the terrain perimeter on your plan with the house on it.

 

Then, open the plan that I saved here, and select the "All Off" layerset.

 

Then turn on the terrain perimeter, and the countours (because someone doesn't know how to spell CONTOURS) layers.

 

Highlight everything, and copy; switch to the plan with the house on it and paste.

 

Your terrain perimeter that you paste will only be a polyline, so you'll have to convert it back to a plain polyline (using the magic wand with black trapezoid down below), then convert it to a terrain perimeter (using the magic wand again, only this time the trapezoid will be orangey-yellow).

 

Click ok through all of the DBX's, and it should work.

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