I have an interesting problem. I have imported a shp file from a state agency. This file contains contours for an area. When I tag the pline, it shows a "zero" elevation, but shows a numeric elevation within the DXF_ELEV feature. Please see the attached image. I am needing to convert these to pline with elevation to work on in autocad. Can someone tell me how to get polyline w/ elevations to export from c3d? Thanks for any help you can give.
Solved! Go to Solution.
Solved by thepworth. Go to Solution.
See if you can follow using the import & change properties by drawing query - I put a document together & posted in the following thread:
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Civil-3D/Object-information-to-object-geometry/td-p/3367841
That query workflow is no longer required. Civil 3D has a tool built in for that now. Import Tab, Insert Panel.
sorry, it was data specific for that user - I think I have the original document on my PC at home, but not sure.
In general, the idea was to mapimport the gis data into a drawing & create object data. The we were transforming from the drawing with the imported data (contours at 0 elevation) and using a "alter properties during drawing query" to force the contours to the correct elevation.
I'm sitting in on a webinar today, so if you have specific questions, or want me to look at what you're wanting to do, I'll be happy to do what I can so I don't die of boredom here 🙂
I am wanted polylines with elevations, so I can work on it in autocad. Is there a way for me to attach the cad file?
Create a new drawing & assign the coordinate system to match the .prj file from the shapefile.
Mapimport & create object data. Make sure the object data includes the elevation assigned to the line in the shp file (shape files are 2.5D - elevation is an attribute).
then attach this drawing to your design/destination drawing in your design coordinate system. - from the "map explorer tab" of mapwspace, right click on drawings & follow the dialog to attach.
then query the drawing and use "alter properties" to assign the object data of the elevation from the shp to the z values of the resulting polylines.
detach the intermediate drawing & ignore the warning message.
HTH
Not 2011, this is why it's important to include your version in every post you make.
Thank you for the workflow. It just helped me out.
Is this two drawing process still the most efficient C3D process for ESRI Shape>C3D contours @ elevation?
Ok, I need to apologize, I was off on the location in the Ribbon. It's here.
Thanks. The C3D 2013 Help is saying the same thing you were saying though, see below....?
I don't see Import panel > Map Import on my Insert Tab. Is there some CUI setting I need?
Matt, isn't the Surface from GIS function expecting a shape file with a surface defined, as opposed to the OP's issue which was a shape file with lines/polylines? I am pretty ignorant on ArcView so please enlighten me if I am wrong.
Best regards,
Tim
No Tim. It's actually expecting a shape file with contours at elevation. I don't think there's even a way to define a surface within a shape file. This tool was really a welcome addition when it was introduced. Means we didn't have to go through all those hoops with that crazy query workflow.
I just did this GIS Surface routine now and it did not do very well with these City 2' shape file format contours. It came up with a lot of crossing breakline errors, and thus resulted in a poor representation of the contours. I don't "see" any crossing contours in the shape contours.
I have polyines at elevation now from the Query workflow that I can use to create a surface if I don't get this working with Crossing Breaklines settings.
Anybody know where the Insert Tab> Import Panel > Map Import is the C3D 2013 Help refers to?
That being the case, it seems odd that the program doesn't let you minimize flats areas during the import. I guess you can always go back and perform that as a later edit.
After I do a "surface from gis data" i have a minimize flat areas edit in my surface definition. I received a crossing breaklines message too, but I didn't see anything wrong with the subsequent surface.