Topography Lines into 3D

[Anonymous]

What is the best way to convert 2d topography lines, imported from a dwg file, into a 3d archicad10 model? If I elevate each topo line to the correct elevation, is there a way to create a mesh from the lines?
thanks
chris

[__archiben]

ctaylor wrote:
is there a way to create a mesh from the lines?

there is. first ensure that each of your contour lines in turn are grouped, or a single polyline. next, draw a mesh around their outside border, setting the appropriate general levels in the mesh tool settings.

to 'elevate' each of your lines, select the mesh and then (with the mesh tool active in the tool box) space-click each of the lines in turn to create new nodes on the mesh. finally, click each of the lines in turn and use the pet-palette command shown below to give each of those lines a height value.

setting your mesh model lines to 'All Ridges Smooth' (mesh tool settings) will give you a nice looking 3D topography in the 3D window.

take a look at cigraph's architerra add-on for additional mesh features and better control if you will be modelling a lot of terrains in the future!

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

~/archiben wrote:
...space-click each of the lines in turn to create new nodes on the mesh...

I have found that most DWGs produce meshes that are much too complex. I prefer to quickly trace the contours with the spline tool and then use those to modify the mesh.

[Anonymous]

ctaylor wrote:
What is the best way to convert 2d topography lines, imported from a dwg file, into a 3d archicad10 model? If I elevate each topo line to the correct elevation, is there a way to create a mesh from the lines?
thanks
chris

When Archicad xref's a dwg file its 2d, so if the contours were created using LDD it would not matter, the 3d info is not passed on. So you can create a mesh using the spline and follow each contour line and assign it the particular elevation. If you are getting the information from a surveyor that can send you points or change the dwg to a dxf on a regular basis, Architerra is a very wise investment. Not only that I think the price dropped recently

[Dwight]

Automatic mesh methods based in contour line data tend to make too many nodes - and polygons, later - because of over-detailed data extraction. For instance, if a contour spline makes a few squiggles, this is interpreted into many polygons and aren't necessarily relevant to representing the site with efficiency.

I lay an adaptive 10x10 foot (3x3m) ((or so - up to 100x100 on a gentle site)) grid over the contour map of the site and interpolate backwards from the contours (themselves interpolated data). I add extra nodes along road edges where it counts, but otherwise I let the site relax - it is going to be covered with buildings and foliage anyway.

This method minimises nodes/polygons and allows for extra nodes where they communicate site features best.

[Aussie John]

When choosing a level on the spine dont forget to check "Apply to all"