Author Topic: How would you do this? (Read 8498 times)

ronjonp · « **on:** February 11, 2004, 01:25:40 PM »

What is the easiest way to draw contour lines in this drawing?

http://theswamp.org/lilly.pond/Ron/Knapp.dwg

Mark · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:37:25 PM »

Is this a one time job or do you do it all the time? The reason I ask is because if you have some type of point file I can create the contours in a hurry with LDT.

ronjonp · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:41:02 PM »

One time deal.

ronjonp · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:43:12 PM »

Point file?

Mark · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:46:16 PM »

Do you have any structures on the property? In other words item that the contours would go around and not through.

forget the point file, all ready made my own.

ronjonp · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:49:47 PM »

Mark,

I just talked to the CAD guy working on this and I will have more than one to do. Could you explain the process of how you would go about making these contour lines? Are these point files .gsi text files?

Thanks for your help,

Ron

Dent Cermak · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:53:42 PM »

Mark, how did you make the point file? I tried and my LDD won't read the points.

Mark · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:54:52 PM »

What version of acad are you using?

ronjonp · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2004, 01:59:36 PM »

AutoCAD 2002......could possibly have acces to LDD as well.

Mark · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2004, 02:03:23 PM »

You will _need_ LDD! That's what I'm using to create them. You can do it by "hand" but you have to interpolate the elevations and it's very time consuming.

-Dent
Points ->Point Utilities ->Convert from ACAD points

they already have elev's on them.

Dent Cermak · « **Reply #10 on:** February 11, 2004, 02:10:02 PM »

"Access to LDD"

? And someone to run it for you?
The "simple" question you just asked Mark will fill pages in reply. Here's the deal, if you don't know how to contour, don't try. This envolves building a surface, editing the surface and then generating the contoure. You point files have no descriptor so II don't know if there are any breaklines to deal with. The truth is that if this is wide open property, with no curbs, buildings, sidewalks, etc. you can hire this out much cheaper than buying LDD and learning how to use it. If you could send out a comma delimitered .asc file of the coordinates, and this is all open land, you can have it contoured for less than $50. If this is a plant site, with curbs, sidewalks, trees, ditches, ad nausium, then this could run several hundred dollars to farm out. But if you are not "fluent" in LDD and topographic mapping, then you are asking for trouble to take yhis project on.

Dent Cermak · « **Reply #11 on:** February 11, 2004, 02:31:32 PM »

Ronjonp, this is what you are looking for. This took me less than 10 minutes and is therefore not fully edited, but will give you an idea of what you are up against.

http://theswamp.org/lilly.pond/Dent/knapp.dwg

Remember , there is more here than meets the eye. I've been doing this stuff for over 30 years so for me it's a snap.

Craig · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2004, 02:55:20 PM »

Ron and this is also a question to Dent and Mark,

I did this type stuff for a brief time...2 1/2 years but can't FelixCAD automate the contouring for Ron. From what I remember we received our data from PLSCADD in txt format with all these points and read the points (txt file) into FelixCAD and it spit out the contour in Autocad.

Dent Cermak · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2004, 03:18:35 PM »

Problem with FelixCad is it spits out the contours and I don't remember it having a lot of editing capabilities.
My point is that if your firm does not normally do topos, either (a) get the software and training to do it or (b) farm it out to someone who knows what he/she is doing. There's just so much more involved here than software packages. If you don't know if the answer the package gives you is correct, you're doomed. Put out an incorrect topo to some one who is doing cut/fill comps based on your drawing? Real good way to end up buying a lot of dirt at a premium price.

ronjonp · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2004, 03:35:19 PM »

Dent, thanks for your help with this. This is the output that I need. Is this process very labor intensive?http://theswamp.org/lilly.pond/Ron/contours.zip

Mark · « **Reply #15 on:** February 11, 2004, 03:45:11 PM »

Quote from: ronjonp

Dent, thanks for your help with this. This is the output that I need. Is this process very labor intensive?

Only if you don't know how to do it.

Dent Cermak · « **Reply #16 on:** February 11, 2004, 03:56:57 PM »

Mark just gave the perfect answer !! Like I said, what I posted took me 10 or 15 minutes. it's not complete. Still need contour labels and spot shots, but then I've been dragging contour lines for probably longer than you have been alive. Can you be taught to do it ? Sure. But is your company ready to spring for that cost?
I can crank out open area topos like that all day long for $30 or $40 a pop. You'd have to have 100 of them to make a good contour pack worth buying. Find someone in your area that does it and farm it out if you have just a few to do. That's really the only cost effective answer I can give you. (or send them to me!!)

Mark · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2004, 03:59:59 PM »

Ron check the lilly.pond under 'Ron'

ronjonp · « **Reply #18 on:** February 11, 2004, 04:15:15 PM »

Mark and Dent,

Thanks for your help on this. I'll get back to you both when I'm deeper into this project.

Dent.....I'll talk to "the powers above" and see how much time will want to be spent learning this stuff. You may have some sidework coming.

Thanks again,

Ron

Spageddie · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2004, 05:26:35 PM »

Ron....if all you need to do is add contours from a point "TXT" file to dwg ?
I have an ARX that creates contours from txt files
(ie. a txt file x,y,z values) it can also create 3D terrain from this aswell.

CADaver · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2004, 05:34:38 PM »

Quote from: Spageddie

Ron....if all you need to do is add contours from a point "TXT" file to dwg ?
I have an ARX that creates contours from txt files
(ie. a txt file x,y,z values) it can also create 3D terrain from this aswell.

Well post it already

Spageddie · « **Reply #21 on:** February 11, 2004, 05:50:26 PM »

OK,OK,OK....settle down....hehehe

http://theswamp.org/lilly.pond/Spageddie/LandSculptor.zip

ENJOY....

ronjonp · « **Reply #22 on:** February 11, 2004, 06:06:12 PM »

Thanks Eddie....I'll let you know how it goes.

Spageddie · « **Reply #23 on:** February 11, 2004, 06:09:42 PM »

No probs

Dent Cermak · « **Reply #24 on:** February 11, 2004, 08:17:02 PM »

Ronjonp. I dropped a drawing "knappf.dwg" in your folder in the Lily Pond. If you can get the lisp routine to output something that looks like that drawing file, then you've got a winner.

ronjonp · « **Reply #25 on:** February 12, 2004, 12:04:07 PM »

Thanks Dent.

News:

Author Topic: How would you do this? (Read 8498 times)

Dent Cermak

Dent Cermak

Dent Cermak

Craig

Dent Cermak

Dent Cermak

Spageddie

CADaver

Spageddie

Spageddie

Dent Cermak