topography - autocad file 3d polylines

[Anonymous]

I have an autocad file from the surveyor including 3D polylines. I am assuming/hoping that there is an easy way to transfer these 3d elements into archicad?

In *cough*Revit*cough* generating a site model from such a thing came rather easy, probably due to the native formats.

I have seen a video where importing XYZ txt file info creates an easy topography in Archicad. However, having the AutoCAD file, I need to know how to format the XYZ information of the polylines in order to bring it into Archicad to create such a thing...

Long story short. I have an autocad file containing the site survey from the Civil engineer. From the 3d polylines already created in this file, I would like to create a topography in Archicad. I am assuming there is an answer to this question, as it seems like a pretty typical process...

[gpowless]

Place mesh from Surveyors Data.... It reads XYZ infromation directly into Archicad and produces a mesh with all the information.

[Anonymous]

hy theotheranony,

If you already have a file from the surveyor (AutoCAD .dwg file with 3D terrain points or polylines), and would like to get a 3D terrain in ArchiCAD, this is possible:

1. download this add-on LISP program "export_survey_3D_points.lsp" for AutoCAD (or other compatible CAD program with support for AutoLISP). Extract this LISP in a folder of your choice.

2. Run AutoCAD and Load this LISP typing "appload" (without apostrophe!) in command line.

3. Run the LISP typing "exportsurvey" (without apostrophe!) in command line.

4. Select the survey points or polylines (or the entire drawing). Export a 3D points in the file ".toc" (select path of your choice in the window that opens). Next rename this ".toc" file in ".txt" (ANSI) file and open it in Notepad. Delete all the points that do not have a "Z" value (it can also be a reference point, usually have a number of 6000, 7000, 9000 etc), and then save it.

5. In ArchiCAD use the menu Design > Place Mesh from Surveyors .... Data, select your ".txt" file> select Placement and Project Zero > press OK.

6. The 3D terrain is made.

[naomihansen]

Any advice on how to do this if I don't have access to AutoCAD? I have received the 3D dwg file from our surveyor, but can't change it. Is there no way around asking the surveyor to start over with the add-on?

Thanks,
Naomi Hansen

[Anonymous]

naomihansen wrote:
Any advice on how to do this if I don't have access to AutoCAD? I have received the 3D dwg file from our surveyor, but can't change it. Is there no way around asking the surveyor to start over with the add-on?

Thanks,
Naomi Hansen

There's a bit of advice in THIS THREAD explaining how you can get 3D information from a DWG file. You'll see I was struggling with it too. Procedure I eventually used attached.

[naomihansen]

Oh wow, thanks! This is very thorough and well explained for somebody like me who is not too comfortable editing GDL objects (yet). I will give it a shot.

[Anonymous]

One thing I mentioned in the other thread that I should add here too, I did find that I had to open the TXT file created from Excel again in Notepad and save it again, otherwise I got an error message when trying to import (sometimes, not always )

[naomihansen]

I followed your instructions to the letter, but ArchiCAD just won't do the "place mesh from surveyor's data" command. I've tried multiple times, and after I pick the .txt file, it just draws a blank (nothing happens, it reverts to selection tool or whatever). My .txt file looks fine to me... not sure what the problem is.

Oh no! I'm updating this in case it can help someone. I resaved the .txt file and changed the encoding to Western (Mac OS Roman) instead of Unicode, and that fixed the problem!
Thanks!!!
Naomi

(Running AC 20 on OSX10.12.4)

[Anonymous]

Excellent. Glad you got it to work.

[Anonymous]

Stuart,

Ive tried following your steps but im still coming up short.

Do i have to remove ALL text from the text file? I have surveyors notation included between paragraphs of numbers.

Your help is much appreciated.

Thanks!

AC21 | Windows 10