Getting contour lines from a mesh

[Anonymous]

I know how to apply 2d contour lines to a mesh such that the mesh takes on the 3-d characteristics of my 2-d survey; I'm wondering if there's a way to go the other way.

That is if I start with a mesh and manipulate the mesh by elevating nodes, just generally shifting parts of the mesh around can I then have it tell me what the contour lines are? I am reminded of a tool, which I believe was called "contour", in Form-Z which I always used for making cnc templates out of irregular objects.

Basically, I'd like to be able to just grab points on a mesh, move them where ever the new architecture suggests they should be and then have ArchiCAD tell me what the contours would be.

[Nader Belal]

Comments ?

[vdentello]

11 Years later, does the same solution still apply? Only through intersected Meshes?
GH Solution shouldn't apply to this case, buying another software shoudn't be necessary.

[Anonymous]

Yes. There is an old wish here for a New Landscape Tool that includes automatic mesh contours. Probably you already voted.
Meanwhile, you could try Contour Generator by Daniel Kovacs.
I haven't checked it yet, but by the curriculum of the father of the child, I bet this is awesome.
Cheers,

[Minh Nguyen]

Hi all,

I just came across this thread. Unfortunately, as of now we do not have a native solution for this problem yet. However, as Braza mentioned, the Contour Generator Tool is a quick and easy way to generate the contour line from Meshes. We made an article on how to use the tool here: https://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/knowledgebase/96850/

(Fun fact: this is my first article for Help Center )

Have a great weekend!

Best regards,
Minh

[runxel]

There actually is some kind of native solution, okay well, a workaround, but it's in fact quite neat. And it is live!
While the use of an object was already mentioned, I propose Morph surfaces spaced along the Z axis in the distance you want your contour lines to show.

You will use the rarely utilized "intersection" SEO with the Morphsurface as target (sic!) and the mesh as operator.
A more detailed version is written here (german, but you'll get the spirit; it has pictures! :P)

[Anonymous]

Thanks Minh. This solution is very straight forward and useful information for the Help Center.

@runxel
This is a brilliant solution too. Another advantage of this technic is that you can also generate Floor Plan sensitive live contour lines for existing, demolished and new terrains/meshes with the same morphs.
Thanks a lot!

[Anonymous]

Another advantage of runxel's technic, is that you can associate a tag to each individual morph with its elevation autotext and generate automatic level dimensions.