Creating Topography in Archicad from AutoCAD Survey Data

Vimal Kumar
Graphisoft
Graphisoft

Prepare the AutoCAD file

Open Surveyor’s dwg file and check whether it is done as per local practice/standards, for example:

  • Units = Meters
  • Block or Point is used to represent each survey point and placed at a correct global coordinate (X,Y,Z) – Use LIST command and pick the element to check

to01.png

 

 

Now we are ready to Extract Data from the survey points.

 

Extract Data from AutoCAD

  1. Go to Insert tab and
  2. Choose Extract Data

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  1. As this is the first time choose Create a new data extraction. Next time you can just Use previous extraction as a template (.dxe or .blk) and
  2. Click Next >

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  1. Give a name for *.dxe file and
  2. Click Save

to04.png

 

 

  1. Choose Select objects in the current drawing and
  2. Click on the button next to it to select the objects (blocks)

to05.png

 

 

Select everything using the window selection and press Enter

to06.png

 

 

  1. Click Next >

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  1. Select the block that represent the survey point. In this it is SFIG, which we know from our first step when we listed the information about the object and
  2. Click Next >

to08.png

 

 

  1. Choose Geometry in Category filter
  2. Choose Position X, Position Y and Position Z in Properties and
  3. Click Next >

to09.png

 

 

If you get the following error message please check and correct those affected blocks.

to10.png

 

 

  1. Uncheck Show count column and Show name column as we do not need them and
  2. Click Next >

to11.png

 

 

  1. Choose Output data to external file (.xls .csv .mdb .txt) and
  2. Click on the button in front of the file name text filled

to12.png

 

 

  1. Give a name
  2. Choose the file type as *.txt and
  3. Click Save

to13.png

 

 

  1. Click Next >

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  1. Click Finish to complete the extraction.

to15.png

 

 

The text file is shown below, now we are ready to import this data into Archicad.

to16.png

 

 

Importing Data into Archicad

  1. Go to the menu File/Interoperability and
  2. Choose Place Mesh from Surveyors Data…

1.png

 

  1. Choose the file and
  2. Click Open

to18.png

 

  1. Choose meter in the units, this should match the survey drawing
  2. Choose Original location and Zoom to the new mesh
  3. Enter 100.00 meter for the Sea Level and
  4. Click OK

to19.png

 

Mesh will be created based on the point data from the selected file as shown below

to20.png

 

Verification

Go to the menu Options > Project Preferences > Project Location… to set the sea level.

to21.png

 

  1. Enter 100.00 for Altitude (Sea Level): and
  2. Click OK

to22.png

 

  1. Choose Document > Level Dimension from the Toolbox
  2. Choose Gravitate to Mesh from the toolbar
  3. Place on the level dimension on ridge (contour) intersection of the mesh as shown below

to23.png

 

  1. Select the text
  2. Click on the Settings Dialog button
  3. Choose Custom Text
  4. Remove the existing value
  5. Insert Autotext as to Sea Level

to24.png

 

  1. Click OK. The value will be shown from the sea level and it will be easier to verify now.

to25.png

 

Go to 3D view and open Mesh Selection Settings. Choose User Defined Sharp to make the mesh smoother.

to26.png

 

See you with another post soon….

Comments
Mjules
Mentor

Wow, Vimal!

 

This is a crucial post for Archicad users who work at firms that use AutoCAD, Revit, and Sketchup at the same time. This is my case for example. With the help of this post, I will continue to do magic with Archicad and they will tell me how you could do this? I'll tell them, it's thanks to Archicad. It's time to adopt it as your main work tool at the firm!

 

Once more, thanks for sharing this information!

Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin

Mjules,

 

There was another, related post that you may find interesting:

 

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Design-articles/Importing-Point-Clouds-and-Modelling-the-Terrain...

Mjules
Mentor

Many thanks, @Laszlo Nagy!

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