From the Ground Up
A European perspective on design and out of the box thinking with Civil 3D.
About Jack About OveLatest Post
- posted 02/25/07 by chris berends Trimble TPS data import
- This week I want to start a discussion about the best way to get your surveyed linework as automatically on your screen importing a Trimble TPS job file
feel free to ad a comment if you know a better/ easier way to do it...
as extra tool i've used TrimbleLinkforAutodeskCivil3D2007.exe (downloadable from or Autodesk/civil or Trimble website... the tool results in a pulldown menu directly in Civil3D
Pull down menu Trimble import job
Because the current version of civil3d CAN’T work with alphanumeric point numbers you have to make a view small pointnumber changes if the surveyor used alphanumeric ones.
View image
in this sample you have to change the name A en B in 99999 and 88888
And change the rest of the alphanumeric numbers automatically by selecting the invalid numbers option
As result you don’t see any alphanumeric numbers
Create a new network using the Trimble UI or select a existing network from the pull down list
While importing all alphanumeric point numbers are converted to numeric point numbers
View image
till now only pointdata is displayed.... what is the best way to draw the linework directly from the job file????
my proposal
All imported Trimble survey Job data can be exported to a .fbk file to ad figure/line work commands
use your text editor to make additional changes like the ditto command as described in previous posts to begin and close a figure and delete all spot level points because you don't need them twice.
save the text file as a .fbk file
re-import the changed fieldbook file.
as a result all surveyed linework is displayed
you can easily combine the inserted fieldbook together with the earlier used job file
View image
again, any better idea how to insert the linework directly from the used job file (points are surveyed with description keys, VEB for begin figure, VE for figure point and VEE for figure end)
more to come....Chris Berends
2 comments In From the Ground Up > Survey
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Previous Posts
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Tunnel - post 2
Posted 02/21/07 by Ove Cervin
Hi again,
Still winter in Sweden - I DO need some warmth really soon... ,-)
Last week I started this Tunnel post serie. Today I'm continuing on how to create a Tunnel Subassembly from Polylines. Hang on!
Below is a "complete" Assembly. This is what we're gonna achieve in this post.
For those of you who look really deep into the screen you might see that the ToolTip in the picture tells " Link #1, with codes, rb- l1 (right_bottom_tunnel_outer) "
I have created this Assembly from a total of eight Subassemblys.
Each one of the Subassemblys are created from their own Polyline (mentioned in last weeks post)
They are all named in a consistent way - good or bad...
If I move the cursor over one of the Links in the Subassembly we get a ToolTip presenting the name of the Link and that it has codes.
To get that far you start with the Polyline, like below.
Make sure that each Polyline has an increasing X-value coordinate for each and every vertex. If neccesary, move a vertex one mm in either way.
Use "Create Subassembly from Polyline" in the menu.
Give the new Subassembly a name that you can recognize later on.
Choose CodeSetStyle and make sure you have "Link creation" set to "Multiple".
I also prefer to "Erase existing entities". Otherwise they frequently get selected by mistake...
After doing that you get this. The ToolTip says there is no codes on the Subassembly yet.
If the curser is moved over a Link or a Point we get the code information (or lack of it - uncoded)
Select the Subassembly part and right click. Choose "Add code".
Enter a code. Make sure you have thought about a really good naming convention before proceeding.
Select the Subassembly Link or Point.
After doing that you can check the ToolTip again over the actual Point/Link. In this case the code is "rb2" (right bottom, point nr 2)
Do the same with ALL Points and Links on that first Subassembly.
Then we must tell where the connection origin is on the Subassembly. That is the point wich gets hooked up to the Assembly.
Select the Subassembly - right click and choose "Modify Origin". Select Origin point.
If neccesary you can create a temporary ACAD Line or Point to be able to select a proper Origin point for the Subassembly.
Under the Corridor menu - create an Assembly. Place it where you want your connection point for Alignment/Profile.
When the Assembly line is in place, the Subassembly is created and has Links and Points with codes - select the Subassembly and right click. "Add to Assembly".
Later on I will post more info on how to proceed on this Tunnel creation.
Have a great week!
Best regards / Ove Cervin -
Visualisation Part 2 – Recycling those lines and surfacing
Posted 02/16/07 by Jack Strongitharm
Ok we left with having a surface with a hole.
We then want to start to create surfaces within our site.
By this we can reuse lines as many times as we want.
This part will show how to create surfaces and apply a render material.
1. From the boundary line we have an inside channel line for a car park and also a kerb top. Between the kerb top and the boundary line we want to have a landscape strip with a grass finish.
View image
2. By creating a new surface add the outside boundary line and also the kerb top.
View image
3. We have triangles also inside the kerb top which we need to remove. So by adding the kerb top line again but this time as a boundary with the hide option will remove the triangles and only surface the two lines we want
View image
4. Under the surface properties add a render material such as grass
5. Finish and continue creating surfaces with a individual render material
What we see here is that we can use lines in various surfaces to join surfaces and also clean excess triangles.
Then by adding a simple render material to create the final finish.
Next week we look at creating some islands and other level information
Jack Strongitharm -
Tunnel pre-study
Posted 02/14/07 by Ove Cervin
Hi again,
Today I'm going to start a series of posts for the upcoming Wednesdays - How to make a study of a tunnel in C3D!
These pictures will get you an idea of what to expect during the coming posts!
The original design of this cross section is grabbed from the project "Citytunneln" in Malmö - Sweden. It's a large tunnel for trains going under the City of Malmö. (Project link)
As a start of this design I re-created the lines in the cross section that I wanted to use as links in the C3D Subassembly. The result of that is the magenta lines below.
After doing that I made sure all "vertical" links were adjusted slightly to not be straight up/down. They are moved some 1 or 2mm (part of an inch) to avoid problems with different Z-values in the same XY- coordinate.
Then I created a Subassembly using the "Create Subassembly from Polyline"-command. (Will present exactly how in next weeks post)
We need an Alignment of course...
We also need a Profile
In the end of this Tunnel-blog series we will have something like this (seen from the tunnel and out). All done in C3D without additional software.
Don't forget to check next weeks progress on this one! ;-)
Until next week - Drive safe!
Cheers! / Ove C -
Huge field book creation time saver
Posted 02/12/07 by chris berends
Thanks to Lucy Kuhns, Civil and Survey specialist USA, responsible for a survey class at AU 2006.
The language ref command DITTO
How many times do you have an ASCII file with point number, coordinates and description key’s ?
1001000 150481.179 500553.687 50.659 "etw"
1234501 150481.717 500553.092 50.624 " etw "
1234502 150481.657 500555.331 50.570 " etw "
1234503 150482.922 500558.033 50.390 " etw "
1234504 150481.495 500554.836 50.580 " etw "
1001001 150543.456 500656.930 55.383 " etw "
1234505 150541.419 500654.317 55.248 " etw "
1234506 150541.549 500654.390 55.251 " etw "
1234507 150541.596 500654.409 55.265 " etw "
1234508 150534.932 500647.897 54.781 " etw "
.....
.....
How many times have you imported the ASCII file using the points import commands ?
How many times do you need (3d)lines between the surveyed points ?
Off course it is possible to use the transparent command after the 3dpoly command
command:3dpoly
specify start point of polyline:‘pn
>>enter pointnumber: (first point number – last point number)
The 3dpolyline will follow the point numbers range as input, even if one of the numbers in that range is missing
BUT
Using the DITTO command as a toggle
The first instance toggles the command on the second instance off
Just type figure begin and figure name
Ditto command
Ones NE SS
as extra lines in the .txt point file
As the bold text shows in this sample
BEGIN etw
DITTO
NE SS 1001000 150481.179 500553.687 50.659 "etw"
1234501 150481.717 500553.092 50.624 " etw "
1234502 150481.657 500555.331 50.570 " etw "
1234503 150482.922 500558.033 50.390 " etw "
1234504 150481.495 500554.836 50.580 " etw "
1001001 150543.456 500656.930 55.383 " etw "
1234505 150541.419 500654.317 55.248 " etw "
1234506 150541.549 500654.390 55.251 " etw "
1234507 150541.596 500654.409 55.265 " etw "
1234508 150534.932 500647.897 54.781 " etw "
.....
DITTO
Save the ASCII file as .fbk and ready for use
the result is a automatic figure called etw
was survey always as simple as this sample :-)
more to come ...Chris Berends
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Visualisation Part 1 - Cutting out holes
Posted 02/09/07 by Jack Strongitharm
To create a visualisation of a new site you will typically have a existing ground surface which requires the old areas to be removed so that the new design fits inside.
Rather than deleting parts of that surface, which may have gradings and corridor targeting it, the best practice is to make a copy first.
1. Create a new surface
2. Under definition - edit – paste add the existing ground.
View image
3. This now replicates the surface
View image
4. You should have a boundary to where the new meets the old and drape to 3D using the featureline toolbar
View image
5. Add this line as a breakline
6. Add the same line again, but as a boundary with the hide selection
View image
7. Result one surface with a hole.
View image
The reason behind adding the line as a breakline rather than a non destructive boundary is that you can move the boundary at anytime and update the surfaces. This works very well with golf course bunkers, which reminds me its weekend!!
Jack Strongitharm
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Rendering is fun!
Posted 02/07/07 by Ove Cervin
Hi all,
This week we've been in Paris, learning some basics around visualization for C3D but adding rendering from what's possible in Autodesk 3DS MAX and Autodesk Maya - without being an expert... ;-)
The reason for doing this is to see all the possibilities that are within the ADSK product family.
I will get back to this issue later on and then I will explain a little more around when and what to use the different methods for. I will also highlight the benefits of MAX and Maya compared to some competitors.
Until then - here's some fun:
Things you don't want to hear during surgery
Oops!
Has anyone seen my watch?
That was some party last night. I can't remember when I've been that drunk.
Damn! Page 47 of the manual is missing!
Well this book doesn't say that ... What edition is your manual?
OK, now take a picture from this angle. This is truly a freak of nature.
Better save that. We'll need it for the autopsy.
Come back with that! Bad Dog!
Wait a minute, if this is his spleen, then what's that?
Hand me that ... uh ... that uh ... thingie.
If I can just remember how they did this on ER last week.
Hey, has anyone ever survived 500 ml of this stuff before?
Damn, there go the lights again ...
Ya know, there's big money in kidneys. Hell, the guy's got two of 'em.
Everybody stand back! I lost my contact lens!
Could you stop that thing from beating; it's throwing my concentration off.
I wish I hadn't forgotten my glasses.
Well folks, this will be an experiment for all of us.
Steril, shcmeril. The floor's clean, right?
What do you mean he wasn't in for a sex change!
What do you mean, he's not insured?
This patient has already had some kids, am I correct?
Nurse, did this patient sign the organ donation card?
Don't worry. I think it is sharp enough.
What do you mean "You want a divorce"!
I don't know what it is, but hurry up and pack it in ice.
Let's hurry, I don't want to miss "Bay Watch".
That laughing gas stuff is pretty cool. Can I have some more of that?
Hey Charlie, unzip the bag on that one, he's still moving.
Did the doctor know he would look like that afterwards?
Of course I've performed this operation before, Nurse!
FIRE! FIRE! Everyone get out!
Cheers! / Ove C -
Trimble GPS data import
Posted 02/05/07 by chris berends
Hi, this week i'll focus on the gps Trimble data import as we have done during our Northern Europe Survey bootcamp 2nd week of December
as extra tool i've used TrimbleLinkforAutodeskCivil3D2007.exe (downloadable from or Autodesk/civil or Trimble website... the tool results in a pulldown menu directly in Civil3D
Create a new local survey database
Pull down menu Trimble import job
Browse to job location and select ..........(v11.2) job
Because the current version of civil3d CAN’T work with alphanumeric point numbers we have to make a view small changes.
View image
As result you don’t see any alphanumeric numbers
View image
Changed point numbers in the job file
View image
Trimble creates automatically a local survey network.
View image
Or select a network from a existing list called Trimble
Result
View image
Raw GPS data directly imported from a Job file
More to come....Chris Berends
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Visualisation Part 1
Posted 02/02/07 by Jack Strongitharm
As you may know AutoCAD 2007 brought many enhancements to the rendering and materials and within Civil 3D we can take full advantage of these.
I was impressed by Anthony Governanti’s efforts with his car park and have taken one of my models that little bit further.
View image
Over the next couple of weeks Blogs from myself I will introduce you to some simple surface techniques to breaking up a model to give rendered materials, cameras and rendering.
The basic cars and trees are already available in Civil 3D under
C:\Program Files\Autodesk Civil 3D 2007\Data\Symbols\Mvblocks
Jack Strongitharm
