TheSwamp
CAD Forums => CAD General => Topic started by: jbhale01 on October 11, 2005, 09:27:52 AM
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Hey guys,
I am trying to create contours in AutoCad 2000. I can use 2004 as well but prefer 2000. Anyway, I have a .txt file with the x,y, and z coordinates already into the drawing. I got the points from a total station where I had surveyed some land for a project we are working on. I used to manually interpolate each point and manually put the contours onto the drawing. The sales rep. who sold us the total station told us it would only take a few minutes to get the info. into cad and create the contours we need. Now, I have the coordinates and can't get in touch with him to figure out how to get the contours. This may be an easy fix, but I just can't find it. I am needing to get this done for my boss and with over 300 points I really don't want to have to go back interpolating each point. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!
Thanks
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Maybe this will help...
http://manufacturing.cadalyst.com/manufacturing/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=180710
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thanks Ron,
I checked it out and although it could come in handy it isn't really what I am needing. It interpolates between two plines that the user has to create. I am needing somthing that will interpolate between all of the points that I have. It wouldn't work if I figured the highest elevation contour and the lowest and ran the lisp becauses it would only interpolate between those two plines and not take into consideration all of the other points in between. Thanks, I appreciate your input. I use CAD everyday but am by no means an expert at all of the functions. This is one I have not ever used before I can't seem to get a handle on how to go about it.
Thanks again,
John
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Post your drawing and I'll take a look at it.
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In order to generate contours you need a tin and to the best of my knowledge vanilla autocad has never generated tins.
You should also have breaklines and not just points...
I can import and contour those points in about 2 minutes ... but I cannot guarantee the work in any shape form or fashion.
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post the point file please.
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I have an old lisp routine that will interpolate betwen x,y,z coordinates but I can''t get it to accept input by selection - only at the command line. If some lisp guru wants to tackle making it work I will post it.
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I will just post it . . . there is a reason it may look a bit out of date; it was made for release 10 by a David Kramer (not THE D.K.)
(DEFUN C:INTPZ ()
(if (= (tblsearch "layer" "intpz") nil)
(command "layer" "m" "intpz" "")
(command "layer" "t" "intpz" "s" "intpz" ""))
(setq êconti (getint "\nEnter countour Interval <1> <2> <5> etc.: "))
(setq êscalez (getint "\nEnter drawing scale <10> <20> <30> etc.: "))
(setvar "pdmode" 35)(setvar "pdsize" (* êscalez -0.1))(setvar "osmode" 64)
(setq êpt1 (getpoint "\nPick first point ")
êpt2 (getpoint "\nPick second point "))
(setvar "osmode" 0)
(setq êpt1z (caddr êpt1)
êpt2z (caddr êpt2))
(if (> êpt1z êpt2z)(flippts))
(setq êdist12 (sqrt (+ (expt (-(car êpt1)(car êpt2)) 2)(expt (-(cadr êpt1)
(cadr êpt2)) 2)))
êdeltaz (abs (- êpt1z êpt2z))
êslopez (/ êdeltaz êdist12)
êazmuithz (angle êpt1 êpt2)
êstopz (fix êpt2z)
êstartz (fix (+ êpt1z 1))
êremz (rem êstartz êconti))
(while (/= êremz 0) ;*********** TEST FOR COUNTOUR INTERVAL
(setq êstartz (1+ êstartz)
êremz (rem êstartz êconti))
);end while
(while (<= êstartz êstopz)
(setq êdeltxy (/ (- êstartz êpt1z) êslopez)
êptxy (polar êpt1 êazmuithz êdeltxy)
êptxyz (list (car êptxy) (cadr êptxy) êstartz))
(command "point" êptxyz)
(setq êstartz (+ êstartz êconti))
):end while
);end defun
;***********************
(defun flippts ()
(setq êpt1a êpt1
êpt1 êpt2
êpt2 êpt1a
êpt1za êpt1z
êpt1z êpt2z
êpt2z êpt1za)
(princ)
);end defun
(C:INTPZ)
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Here is the original point file in .txt format.
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Dagnabbit; grrr.
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Whoa Camel... what did that text file come from?
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MOST of the time point values are exchanged in a format like PointNumber,Northing,Easting,Elevation, Description or some variation of those at the rate of 1 point per line
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No no (don't misinterpret my last post) -- my system at work is locked down so tight even a text file is considered to be a download threat.
<insert Rolling Eyes Icon and Chicken Little Quotations here>
Grrr.
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Well it looks like ...
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Well it looks like ...
Looks like the "sales rep" may be talking about some other software he may have sold him.
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Thanks Swift. So the original file has no carriage returns or is that a by-product of posting to the swamp?
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No carriage returns
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Thank you sir.
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There seem to be no cariage returns in the downladed file either. It is using the underscore instead of a space delimiter. Negative coordinates too.
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So what kind of Total Station or Data Collector did this come from? what software was running on it? Do you have a raw data file?
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That is how the text file looks when opened in any typical text browser program. Topcon (total station) has a program topcon link which when you open this file in it shows you the point number, elevation, easting, and northing. Insert this file into autocad and you get the point locations with the point number next to it. I found a program (3dfield) and it works for the most part but the contours are not coming out exactly right.
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It is a Topcon GTS-226 and yes, I have the raw data file. It looks exactly like the file above.
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Are there options for the input order with your software? The data in you file is pt #, x,y, elevation. the wrong order may mess up the output.
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there is and in the program topcon link you can change the order. But this only gets me the points in the correct location, labeled correctly. I have that and am trying to figure out how to get the contours. Any ideas.
thanks
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Post us a dwg with the points or a revised txt file and I'll contour it for you ... but you can't really do it in 'just' autocad
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what do i need because this isn't going to be a one time deal. We do this type of work pretty often, we just used to do everything manually (interpolation). Is there a program that will do this? I know that land surveying and some others will but we can't really sink that much money into it right now.
thanks again
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If I remeber correctly, Carlson (http://www.carlsonsw.com/) has about the cheapest packages out there. You can get into DTM for around a grand.
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This is not an endorsement. I have not tried THIS (http://www.download.com/3DField/3000-2191_4-10370008.html?tag=lst-0-3) but if it performs as described it may work for you in the short term.
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I love and use carlson Survcadd.
I've been working on an opensource dtm/contour routine for autocad but it is no where near deployment. sorry.
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GUYS GUYS GUYS!! WRONG ANSWERS!! :ugly: You cannot contour using offsets and the code I see here. You would get lines not contours. Proper contouring CANNOT be done in plain jane AutoCad. PERIOD. As stated above you need Carlson (and it SUX!!) or at least the Survey Pack from AutoDesk.
When ever I see lisp routines posted here, I'm SORRY, but that has to come from someone that has no clue as to the rules of contouring. The contours MUST be built on a surface (TIN file) and then they will have to be edited, because the package will be showing ONE possible result out of 27 possibilities.
i'm PROUD that everyone thinks that what I do is so easy, :pissed: but most of y'all truely don't have a clue. I'm not trying to chap anyone off, but you are wrong on this one. (I've been doing this mess for 40 years now and I know of what I speak.)
And that sample file is not the coordinate file or RAW or RW5 file.I have never seen anything like that before. It won't work with any of the above packages.
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I can import and contour those points in about 2 minutes ... but I cannot guarantee the work in any shape form or fashion.
WHAT!! Want to move to Mississippi? I need some help with the workload.Or are you saying that you can give him "squiggkies' in 2 minutes. No tin, no breakline = no real contours.Thus your disclaimer?
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Years ago (like about 12), I used to use QuickSurf (http://www.rockware.com/catalog/pages/quicksur.html) from Shreiber Instruments. Looks like Shreiber was bought up by Rockware (based on url redirection). Seems to me it was around $1000 (found the current price: around $1200; $400 academic). Anyway, 12 years ago it was the cat's meow, produced tin files I used to determine volumes of borrow pits, dugouts and drainage analysis etc. I don't know about now.
As for even viewing any pages noted in this thread: Grrr.
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Just what it says... a tin without breaklines is not nothing more than a delauny(sp) triangulation you give me any set of 3d points in #,y,x,z whatever and I can create a tin and contour it in minutes. However it won't necessarily be right or worth a damn . There things like scale and national mapping standards that have to be considered for a 'good' dtm
I collect my own topos with a topcon 8005 robot and Carlson survcad and can go from field data to tin and contours within 5minutes of downloading my datacollector.
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Agreed, Dent. To do it right he needs to cough up some big bucks and get the proper tools or farm out that part and really pay through the nose. Anything less and he is just getting by, but it sounds like that is all he can do right now..
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Swift, please excuse my ignorance but what the hell is a TIN and how do you get the data into that form to get contours. I am a civil engineer in a small construction firm and have to be kind of a jack-of-all trades guy. I took a beginning autocad class in college and have basically read the books to figure out what I needed to do. Just trying to make this as quick and painless as I can.
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Triangulated Irregular Network (http://www.profc.udec.cl/~gabriel/tutoriales/giswb/vol2/cp3/cp3-2.htm).
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Good find MP, although it doesn't make explain breaklines...
Breaklines are typically 3dpolylines drawn between points that represent some kind of 'hard' change in topography. Such as if you have a concrete trapezoidal ditch there should be no fewer than four breaklines denoting the top of each side and the bottom 'corners' of the ditch. Breaklines should never cross each other.
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Apparently EZSurf (http://www.ezysurf.com/) is only $55.00 and comes with a few lisp routines. Kinda hard to beat that price.
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I have the beginning and working arx code for triangulations (based on open source code), I also have the math worked out to add breaklines but am having difficulties implementing the algorithm as I have it envisioned. I also have the basic contour code worked out just need to add smoothing algorithm. I’m willing to post it all with my notes if anyone wants to help.
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Sounds like a great class project" to me. I'd be interested to see the results. As a mech draftie, I don't see a use for it here, but there are a lot of civils out there stuck in vanilla for whatever reason. I'm sure something like this would be appreciated.
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I'll be typing my notes into something that resembles coherent thought.
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I'll be typing my notes into something that resembles coherent thought.
There was [not anymore, I think] an objectARX and C++ open source project, by David Esquinas from Spain, something like poligonar...
It was mainly for electrical projects, but included also the triangulation, interpolation, to generate the countours... it even provide the calculation of earth movements.....
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I'm sure something like this would be appreciated.
You can say that again!!
Imagining and open source survey/civil package for vanilla . . .
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I'm sure something like this would be appreciated.
You can say that again!!
Imagining and open source survey/civil package for vanilla . . .
Aha....
:evil:
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Here's a thought...........you guys could move this to one of the Code Red forums, depends on how you want to create this. This could be the first "Swamp Toolkit" app..................
Like I said........just a thought.
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JB,
you can go to http://www.aerotecusa.com/ and contact David at the Birmingham/Bessemer office and see if he and Casey can help you out..if they aren't too busy. I worked at Aerotec about 3 years ago and this is one of the main things they do. When I was there they used Quicksurf and a few other packages.
Give them a shout and tell David, Craig told you to call him. Might be worth your while
good Luck
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Here's a thought...........you guys could move this to one of the Code Red forums, depends on how you want to create this. This could be the first "Swamp Toolkit" app..................
Like I said........just a thought.
We are trying to put some open source stuff together here in KC as well. Some will be targeting Civil 3D but I want most of it for vanilla or even the Intelicad programs.
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We are trying to put some open source stuff together here in KC as well. Some will be targeting Civil 3D but I want most of it for vanilla or even the Intelicad programs.
I can say only this:
Autodesk is now in serious conversations about buying the rights of a product that runs in plain vanilla, I do not know if it is to put it out of the market to force all into the C3D or only to have another alternative.....
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Any alternative might be the end of Civil 3D. They would do better by worrying about Bentley's Power Civil than someone's vanilla suite if they are afraid of competition.
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Never used Power Civil but having used much of Bentley's wonderful "SelectCAD" series of products, Autodesk has less to worry about from Bentley's vertical apps than they do from Bentley's CAD package.
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Power Civil doesn't even use a CAD engine although dwg or dgn data can be brought into it.
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Interesting. Might not be a bad thing then.
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There is a demo availalble at Bentley's home page for viewing. . . quite interesting.
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I'm sure something like this would be appreciated.
You can say that again!!
Imagining and open source survey/civil package for vanilla . . .
That is exactly what I would like to see!
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Where this appears to be headed to is the creation of something akin to the old SoftDesk products. If y'all succede, I will buy the first copy. SDSK8 was just so easy and logical. AutoDesk bought it, scarambled it up, moved stuff, renamed stuff and screwed it up. Something easy and intuitive to use! Wow, what a dream! :angel:
I have tried SelectCad. Major suckage. Our Anygraph guys use it to get tha autoline work that I have in LDD. That saves SO much time.
We have a couple of Carlson packages in the field. I'm not really sold on it. It's a little quirky. :ugly:
Another question: does everyone use the Figure Prefix library and the descriptor keys for their topos? I have been told that only about 10% of the LDD operators use these features. I find that hard to believe.
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Another question: does everyone use the Figure Prefix library and the descriptor keys for their topos? I have been told that only about 10% of the LDD operators use these features. I find that hard to believe.
I would use them a lot more if the data I got had decent descriptors, right now I'm translating a caice xyz file into csv form then importing the points.
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Where this appears to be headed to is the creation of something akin to the old SoftDesk products. If y'all succede, I will buy the first copy. SDSK8 was just so easy and logical. AutoDesk bought it, scarambled it up, moved stuff, renamed stuff and screwed it up. Something easy and intuitive to use! Wow, what a dream! :angel:
I have tried SelectCad. Major suckage. Our Anygraph guys use it to get tha autoline work that I have in LDD. That saves SO much time.
We have a couple of Carlson packages in the field. I'm not really sold on it. It's a little quirky. :ugly:
Another question: does everyone use the Figure Prefix library and the descriptor keys for their topos? I have been told that only about 10% of the LDD operators use these features. I find that hard to believe.
The guy up here is planning to opensource everything he writes . . . treat it kind of like linux and let others make it better if they can . . . trouble is he already has a day job AND a night job and still likes to play too, so I may have to get serious about writing code yet if we are ever going to get anywhere.
Carlson never got a good trial here. They bought the 2004 version and about the time they realized they didn't know how to use it we got LDD 2005 so Carlson is on the shelf with no CAD engine.
Our surveyor refuses to use the LDD prefix library and descriptors. He wrote something that he prefers to use so we have to use his rinky output that nobody else understands. . . no dwg from him, its dxf files only . . . harumph!
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I'm sure something like this would be appreciated.
You can say that again!!
Imagining and open source survey/civil package for vanilla . . .
That is exactly what I would like to see!
It sound good, I have seen this before many times, it is possible, but requires a lot of effort.
The little I know on C++/ARX took me about three years to get somehow familiar, and another 8 months to developed my first full application with this language.
I found very little help from the masters, with the exceptions of CG, CB, FM, OW and BB and I maybe another two that at this moment I forgeting.... as you can see very few really are willing to lend a hand, and in the other side, it is not easy to code in C++ and worst in ARX.
Hope you find a team and come up with a decent product.
Good luck!
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I use ezysurf. www.ezysurf. com it works great. Draw in your breaklines and it generates the tin and the contours. It runs inside autocad. It sure beats running the contours in a 3rd party package, exporting, importing. There is a free limited demo on their site. At 55 bucks, you aren't going to find anything cheaper. I've compared the contours from ezysurf to I believe a program called TDS (Not sure though). My surveyor generated the contours with his software, I generated mine with ezysurf. They came out pretty much identical. I've compared the dirt work calculations with whatever Autocad is using and came within 200 cubic yards on a 200,000 cubic yard project. Maybe that isn't as accurate as most would like, but for what I do it is just fine, and the right price.
Scott