Ireceived this drawing from a surveyor that has elevations. I want to build a surface of the EG and therefore convert these points to cogo points. I have watched all tutorial today and C3D does not seem to want to recognise these points.
Rick Jackson
Survey CAD Technician VI
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Trevor,
Thanks for posting your drawing.
As @Anonymous notes, there are no points, just circles. And a Surface won't allow adding Drawing Objects of type Circle. Using Data Extraction you can get the XYZ of each Circle, But there's a problem--half of the circles have a Z of 0:
So if you can figure out how to sort 1016 Rows into non-zero elevations you can add the point file to your surface and you're off to the races.
@Anonymous ,
Rick, I tried using _AeccCreatePtConvertAdeskPts, but got "ERROR: Invalid selection set!" when I selected the Circles.
Dave
Dave, I used the CREATEPTCOVRETADESKPTS (the one inbetween the LDD & SoftDesk in C3D2018, I noticed the file I uploaded was acting a little wonky so I exported the points from that file and created a new metric file from the OOTB dwt. Attach here. No elevations were at 0
Hey Rick,
I'm using 2018, but it's not working for me. I keep getting "invalid selection set".
I do notice that there are 2 kinds of circles, different layers, one with and one without elevations. If I could Data Extract only the Circles that have elevations, I could make it happen. I'm unable to find a way to get Excel to select all the rows with 0 elevation. You'd think that would be possible, but my Google-Fu is failing me.
Anyway, an interesting exercise.
Dave
I have unhidden the zz Ground Surface Layer Tin and creating the surface from the Drawing objects (lines or 3D Faces). I am able to grab onto the 3D faces, but I think because an elevation is not right the C3D doesn't let me to create the surfaces.
I'm trying to convert autocad points (survey points) to COGO points while maintaining the layer each point is in and producing a raw description that is the same as the layer name (so that I can later produce point groups). Any idea how I would do this? It doesn't seem to be possible using the point tools.
>>convert autocad points (survey points)
What do you mean by that?
Each layer name is different from all of the others? Each raw description is also different or are some the same?
What are you ultimately trying to do ?
I realise that I can create a TIN surface straight from AutoCAD points but the problem is that the points are not just ground surface etc. they include building roofs, top of fence posts, many points that need to be excluded. The process of selection when adding points to a surface does not easily allow for the exclusion of such points. So I figure Point Groups are my best bet.
So I want to convert AutoCAD points to COGO points using the convert AutoCAD points tool. The points I receive are all in layers (NaturalSurface, Fence, Building, Roof, etc.) but the convert points tool only allows all points being converted to be put in one layer (either current layer or chosen layer), thus destroying the only differentiating information I have. Converting points layer by layer is an option I guess, but seems like a (tedious) work-around rather than a real fix.
What I'd like is to be able to convert all the the points I receive while maintaining their original layers, plus using the oringal layer name as the raw description for the new COGO points, so that I can easily create point groups after that.
I tried the data extraction option but when I go to import points from file there's no option to import .dxe and the process of setting up the exported .xlsx into .csv PENZD format seems laborious since the point numbers and labels need changing. I'll keep trying with this one but I was hoping for an easier way. It just seems like something Civil 3D should be able to do pretty easily. Maybe I'm wrong. Thanks for the suggestion anyway.
How about doing a saveas convert all points you want to use for your surface file, export the resulting points to a PNEZ file (since they wont have a description). Then import the resulting text file into the surface definition. You don't need the points in the drawing to create a surface. Then use your linework as proximity breaklines were needed.
Edit: As a further note you could just use the Points that are in the drawing to define the surface, no conversion at all assuming there at elevation, as they are an object that can also be selected in the surface definition.
So just have the surveyor create a csv (txt) file, your done, import those to C3D with all the data they coded. This same data can be used to draw all the improvements, create breaklines for the surface, insert symbols etc....... (If C3D is setup to do these things) And it all can be sent to 1 or multiple layers.
Allen Jessup
CAD Manager - Designer
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This is possibly a poor example but I'm not at work today and it's all I have access to. Often there are buildings and roofs etc. (points usually measured reflectorless, i.e. half way up a wall or on a gutter) which need to be excluded. You see that the points are all in individual layers. What I'm thinking is convert these to COGO points with raw descriptions the same as current layer names, so that I can create point groups and then a DTM from the right groups, but I'm completely open to better ideas. Thanks.
Okay, that's what I'm after. I can see that you've added the points on three occaisions. How did you go about selecting them when adding to the surface definition? Did you isolate layers and manually select?
One key here the file you sent had a ton of layers that were OFF (including layer 0). Layer 0 is like the GOD layer, it can not and should not ever be off/frozen (or anything else). I did not change anything as far as your points in the drawing. You can added your linework to the surface also, using a right-click over the Breaklines.
There are ways to attack this with the data you have, I did and you can without changing your workflow. If that's your workflow and has been so be it. I'm not going to say do it this or that way, EVERYONE here uses this MONSTER in a different way to achieve one goal GET THE JOB DONE.
Okay, thanks. No condescension read, thanks for the advice. It's a small office and I've only been doing survey drafting for a year (pandemic-related career change) and have never used Civil 3D before (I just use AutoCAD atm), apart from a few tutorials. We're crazy, crazy busy right now and if I can get good at producing DTMs then I can take a bit more pressure off the surveyors. I'm wary of including unwanted points in the surface definition but I guess what you're saying is that breaklines will remove the influence of those points. I'll go right through the process and see what happens.
On a large job. You might want to DataExtract the X,Y,Z for the points you want to use in the Surface. Then attach the point file that was created to the Surface. No need to import as Cogo Points. Remember the file will be in an E,N,Z format.
A *.csv file from excel is exactly the same as a comma delineated *.txt file, on the extension is different, you can change that back and forth with no effect on the contents or use of them by excel or acad/c3d.
I'm trying to export my DWG file out as an STL, but apparently first I need to convert my block reference into a 3D solid. I just keep getting the error "Object cannot be converted". I'm a complete AutoCad n00b so would appreciate any advice or help you can give. Thanks!
Instead of arc I created a flat spline around the arc using all of the bottom endpoints at the "bull nose" transition. I then copied the spline and frame, trimmed the frame, and joined the entire profile to get the matching flat for your object.
I am also having trouble with converting AutoCAD DWG to Adobe PDF. I have tried several different methods. I've tried outputing the color PDF to a post script file, however that is still in color. I've tried using custom Color Plot Styles (monochrome.ctb) and Named Plot Styles (monochrome.stb), but since I did not create the original AutoCAD DWG (it is 10 years old from 2004), they are not the correct plot style files. I do not have AutoCAD and use ProE/Creo instead. I've tried importing into my CAD tool, however all the fonts are different. I've also tried exporting the PDF to a raster format like TIFF but the resolution is really bad for engineering drawings. If I increase the resolution, then it sometimes will say that the image is too big and in cannot save/export the image.
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