Editing Survey Figures

[sfore]

I haven't had to do a whole lot of revising Survey figures.  Normally, our surveyor codes it right and does the linework in the field.  I dump it in Survey Database and continue to create a base topo map, usually with very little need to revise the .csv file or drawing.  We had a new surveyor that got some coding wrong and forgot to begin and end lines and or double coded multiple line runs.  I have spaghetti for my building's, fence, gravel, roads etc.....

Can I edit survey figures on screen by breaking, deleting, drawing and then have the database reflect what the drawing shows.  I gripped a survey figure and right clicked and saw an option that said 'Update Survey Data From Drawing', but I wasn't sure if that will do what I'm wanting it to do.

[Pointdump]

S,

Probably easier to edit the point descriptions with a text editor and then re-import. And make sure that surveyor looks over your shoulder to see how important it is to get the codes right.

Dave

[sfore]

see pic.  not sure editing .csv will fix this problem because the sequence of point numbers doesn't follow shape of concrete pad.  he had multiple setups and ran various linework for bldgs, fence, and roads back to a lower point number if that makes sense.  seems easier to just break survey figure and redraw correctly. 

[Pointdump]

S,

Oh, it's still do-able. Change the order of points in the text editor and then select "By Import Order" when you re-import. But, if you prefer, you can use the Edit Geometry Panel.

Dave

[sfore]

See 2 pics.  Import order still produced spaghetti.  He had multiple lines running at once for same object type like a building.  He should've designated a 1 in the code to differentiate between buildings since he had multiple open lines running.  I think coding is so bad, it would take longer to fix .csv than it would to either revise figures or do it old school and abandon the Survey Database and use 3dpoly's for breaklines.

If I can't graphically edit survey figures in drawing and have database to reflect drawing, then can I toggle 'NO' on insert survey figures and just draw interactively thru survey database and use the ones i need as breaklines?

[Pointdump]

S,

"...toggle 'NO' on insert survey figures..."

That's one option. Ya got a mess, alright. No easy fix. You might also assign your Figures a No-Display Style or a Layer that can be turned off and start over with Feature Lines, point to point. You can use the Feature Lines as Breaklines.

Dave

[sfore]

Ok, looks like toggle 'NO' on insert survey figures and drawing interactively or using 3d poly's is the route i'm going.

Just to clarify, there's no way to sync the survey database figures with the figures I edit or draw in interactively, correct? 

See pic, the reason I ask is because if I go to Figures in Survey Toolspace and click on a figure that I broke, trimmed or deleted to connect it properly, it still shows the blue hilighted database version on screen (when selected in survey toolspace) and the number of vertices hasn't changed.  So that means I can't create breaklines from my figures (from database) because it will factor in the ones in database even though they've been corrected on screen, correct??

[tcorey]

Update Survey Data from Drawing will update the figure in the survey database, but will not change the points from which the figure was originally created.

[sfore]

Ok, but I need to generate a surface.  If I go to Survey toolspace and click on Figures to create breaklines, will it create breaklines from latest updated figures or original figures?

[tcorey]

It will create the breaklines from the updated figures.

[sfore]

Thanks, that's what I was hoping.

In reference to toggling 'NO' on insert figures during initial dump, I was under impression that no figures would appear in survey database, but that's not the case.  They were in database, but were not visible in drawing.  I might as well insert them in drawing and just edit by breaking, trimming, deleting and drawing interactively to connect correctly. 

[_Hathaway]

Sounds like the easiest method may be to just do it old school. Get the point codes correct and manually add the missing linework or breaklines in your dwg. Sometimes it's best to just get the work done, especially in situations such as this.

[sfore]

I was able to right click on the survey figure that I drew in interactively (between the 2 cyan figures) and clicked 'update survey data from drawing'.   

Do I need to do the same thing to the survey figures that were revised?...I tried but a prompt came up.  See pic.  I broke and trimmed off connection points that weren't needed, then gripped them to try and update survey data from drawing, but the prompt in pic came up.  I'm assuming I don't need to update these and that once I break, trim and delete what I don't need, then creating breaklines will still update the revised and not original, correct??  hope this doesn't sound confusing.

[mathewkol]

When you break figures you end up with one figure that has been "edited" and another that is "new". Right click the "edited" one and "update database from drawing". The other one needs to be added to the database manually by selecting it.

After all this NEVER EVER use "process linework" ever again. It will redraw the figures based on the coding and your manual edits are now lost.

I like how the database allows us to automatically create linewokr, but this workflow is just too cumbersome, in my opinion, to use effectively. I get the database to draw the lines, I'll even edit codes and reprocess, but the moment any manual edits are required, i turf the database, do the manaul edits and forget that I ever had a database. It's just too awkward to maintain the DB/DWG sunc.

[Pointdump]

Matt,

That's excellent information and advice. Thank you.

Dave

[mathewkol]

Thanks you Dave. Not everyone agrees with getting rid of the DB as there are some good reasons to keep it. One has to weigh those reasons with the reasons to remove the DB and decide.

Oh, and one more thing. Before deleting the DB, make sure you "unlock points indrawing". Otherwise they will still be "survey points" and you won't be able to make any edits.

[Civil3DReminders]

Seems like you want to import the survey figures and then right click on the one you want to edit and choose Edit Survey Figure Properties. In the list the list of options there are arrows that will reorder the order they are added. Hitting Apply should update the Survey Database. 

[Pointdump]

C3R,

That one doesn't work for me in either 2014 or 2015. Neither right-clicking nor the Contextual Menu brings up the dialog box you're showing. Nothing happens.

Dave

[Civil3DReminders]

That image was from 2012, opened up 2014 and got the dialog box to show up. Does typing in the command work? EditSvFigureProperties Might require a repair try to see if it could fix the issue. 

[Pointdump]

C3R,

Typing in the command doesn't work. How do you repair a command?

If I select Figures, then right-click a Figure in the list, then select Properties, I can get the dialog box. That's the only way I can make it happen.

Dave