topic Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick in Modeling

From DWG to MESH... a trick

Nando Mogollon — Tue, 09 May 2023 14:47:34 GMT

Hi,
You all may be familiar with the AC14 new option "Place Mesh From Surveyors Data"...

It is a really fast way to create real terrains with just a few clicks. The only problem is that you will need a txt or a xyz file, and not all surveys provide with them, some will give you a dwg containing contour lines at real height.

There is a workaround to use the "mesh from surveyors" option with that dwg file:

1- open the DWG as an object
2- copy the 3D script to a text editor (just the lines) and save it as txt
3- open the file in MS excel (using commas as separators)
3- use find & replace to replace the LIN_ text with a space
4- at this moment you will have 6 columns
5- take the last 3 and place them at the end so you can have a list of X, Y and Z values
6- save it as a txt , again using commas as separators

now you can use the "mesh from surveyors" option by selecting the txt file.

It worked for me with more than 12000 points, so it pretty reliable.
just be aware of the amount of polygons generated when viewing on 3D.

Let me know if any clarification is needed.

Regards

Nando

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:02:11 GMT

Cool. I'll have to add this to my bag of tricks. Thanks.

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 02:46:35 GMT

Could you explain it a little bit more? I couldn't understand.

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 05:16:13 GMT

ravoneldar wrote:
Could you explain it a little bit more? I couldn't understand.

What he is doing is editing the text of the 3D script to convert lines into XYZ point coordinates. If your library part script has LIN_ statements in it (which it probably will if it is not binary) these will each have six arguments (the XYZ coordinates for the start and end points). He is then copy/pasting the text into a text editor and then exporting to Excel to extract just the end point XYZ values as an ordered list. This can then be converted to a mesh in AC14.

This might work for your Google Earth terrain if the GDL script has the stuff you need.

BTW: To open the library part the easiest way is to select it and press command/control + option/alt + O (that's the letter O not zero). You can also find it under the file menu.

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

vistasp — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 09:19:20 GMT

Matthew wrote:
This might work for your Google Earth terrain if the GDL script has the stuff you need.

A GE snapshot that I opened has a bunch of TEVE statements which I suppose should give the coordinates in x y z. Also noticed that the TEVE was preceded by different MUL for all three. Why does that happen I wonder.

Don't have 14 so can't bring it back into AC as a mesh to check if it works.

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Karl Ottenstein — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:55:55 GMT

Great trick/tip, Nando!

In case it is not obvious to folks, this still does require that the DWG contain a 3D terrain representation. If your surveyor only sends a 2D DWG (as 2D site contours), you won't have any elevation data.

Cheers,
Karl

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:31:56 GMT

Could you try it on this file? I really didn't understand what I should do. If you can help me, I'll be so appreciated.

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Erich — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:40:30 GMT

It seems to me that this needs to be copied into the reference section. What do the administrators think?

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Nando Mogollon — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:22:38 GMT

Hi all,
I'm glad you all find it useful ! (not bad for friday problem-solving-thinking)

And yes, I have to clarify that contour lines on real height are required in the original DWG.

I'll do a graphic tutorial for my office wich I expect to publish soon.

Best regards

Nando

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:13:23 GMT

Nando, can you by more explinable.

Can you explain the exactly the steps in the ravoneldar dwg file uploaded.

1- open the DWG as an object - i understand
2- copy the 3D script to a text editor (just the lines=what lines? there are many lines) and save it as txt - i don't understan what lines, but to save to a txt yes.
3- open the file in MS excel (using commas as separators=???) - Using commans as separator?
3- use find & replace to replace the LIN_ text with a space - same ????
4- at this moment you will have 6 columns - remaning to be seen...
5- take the last 3 and place them at the end so you can have a list of X, Y and Z values - ??????
6- save it as a txt , again using commas as separators - ?????

later edit: Matthew thnaks, but i will wait to se the tutorial, because i do not understand many things.

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:24:01 GMT

jonyyybe wrote:
Nando, can you by more explinable.

Can you explain the exactly the steps in the ravoneldar dwg file uploaded.

1- open the DWG as an object - i understand
2- copy the 3D script to a text editor (just the lines=what lines? there are many lines) and save it as txt - i don't understan what lines, but to save to a txt yes.

The "lines" are "LIN_" statements that define lines in 3D. These are the source for the XYZ coordinates.

3- open the file in MS excel (using commas as separators=???) - Using commans as separator?

This is a basic spreadsheet standard. Text files converted to spreadsheets typically have commas or tabs as the separators between the data in the cells.

3- use find & replace to replace the LIN_ text with a space - same ????

This is to delete the LIN_ command which the XYZ file does not need.

4- at this moment you will have 6 columns - remaning to be seen...
5- take the last 3 and place them at the end so you can have a list of X, Y and Z values - ??????

This isolates just the XYZ coordinate values in the spreadsheet. I'm not clear about the instruction to place the columns at the end as I assume the procedure is simply to delete all but the thee columns.

6- save it as a txt , again using commas as separators - ?????

See above.

If you are still not clear on this you will have to wait for Nando to put together his tutorial.

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:10:56 GMT

Sorry but there aren't any LIN_ in my 3d script text document. I guess I should change PLANE_ or I made a mistake. Please people I need this information for starting my project. Could anyone make mesh the document which I've sent?

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Nando Mogollon — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:19:18 GMT

a couple of comments:

The DWG provided by Ravoneldar is a different kind of topographic file: instead of having contour lines with heights, contains 3D planes with heights as well.

But it serves a good example:

The main difference in the process is that instead of finding LINE_ statements you will find PLANE_ statements. Nevertheless you still have the information you want: ---X---, ---Y---, ---Z--- values for each point.

The TXT created with this DWG requires a bit more of "cleaning" before you save the final TXT for import into Archicad.

I'll try to find the time to explain this later... in a more "Human" way

Regards

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:28:15 GMT

could you please send the .pln file to my e-mail?

It's ravoneldar@gmail.com

I need it so much!!!

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Nando Mogollon — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:22:38 GMT

ravoneldar wrote:
could you please send the .pln file to my e-mail?

It's ravoneldar@gmail.com

I need it so much!!!

I try not to do baby sitting when helping others. Nevertheless this is not an "out-of-the-book" procedure so I can offer you a deal:

Here is the TXT file you will need to create your Mesh, it is important for you to try to understand the procedure. Then you do your mesh.

The procedure to obtain this TXT file was:
1- Open the DWG as an Object
2- Copy the 3D script and Paste it into a simple text editor like Notepad/Textedit
3- Save it as TXT
4- Open the TXT in MS Excel
5- Clean the content in order to obtain separate columns with X,Y,Z values
6- Save it again as (the final)TXT

Re: From DWG to MESH... a trick

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:02:19 GMT

NandoMogollon wrote:
I try not to do baby sitting when helping others. Nevertheless this is not an "out-of-the-book" procedure so I can offer you a deal:

Here is the TXT file you will need to create your Mesh, it is important for you to try to understand the procedure. Then you do your mesh.

you're absoloutly right. I'm sorry for bothering you but i'm trying this stuff for days. The problem was I had nothing to get an example. Anyway I have an example right now. Thank you for helping me again.

And I know how to do it now. I got my mistake. It was commas and so many numbers after the point.