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Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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Here's another third-party option:
http://www.quuxsoft.com/SincpacC3D_Help/SP_Display
You should be able to also manage it in C3D without third-party help, using techniques like the one Jeff mentioned above, but it's a lot more time-consuming.
Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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Just a little update. After trying and combining the suggestions everybody posted I have found a way to do this that gives the same results as terramodel.
Import as-build points (CSV) into drawing. Elevate points to surface used for design DTM. Export points to a new CSV. Copy elevations from one elevated points CSV to the as-build point CSV, subtract the elevation differences and you have all the deltas for each individual point.
For display, I create a new CSV with the deltas as the description, import into C3D and display the description.
Thanks everybody for the help and suggestions. I would not have figured this out without them.
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Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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I didn't read the rest of the post but those results are the same as updating elevation from a volume surface of EG vs As-Built.
Joseph D. Bouza, P.E. (one of 'THOSE' People) Civil 3D 2012 & 2013
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Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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(No connection with Autodesk other than using the products in the real world)

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Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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Joe-Bouza wrote:I didn't read the rest of the post but those results are the same as updating elevation from a volume surface of EG vs As-Built.
The confusing thing about that is you need additional points. Typically, you don't want to change your Survey point elevations. So you don't want to just select your Survey points and adjust their elevations to match a Volume surface. And creating copies of those points just adds clutter.
But there are options... As I said, you may not NEED third-party support like what we and Terry offer, but it can make your life much easier...
Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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In the method I described earlier, the dealings is more with the CSV's than with the points in the drawing. You elevate them once and then delete them as soon as you export. I have tried some third party software and i can not find anything that will generate the delta's and produce a report or points with attributes that represent the deltas.
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Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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Copying the required points to a new point group e.g. Deltas and then elevating to the TIN volume surface (might have to create a new surface and paste the TIN volume surface into it for this to work) will allow you to create a C3D table of XYZ of the points of interest where Z will be the delta value.
If you need this in Excel then C3D tables do not lend themselves to doing this unlike vanilla ACAD tables. It is possible by exploding the table and using a lisp to create a vanilla ACAD table and then exporting to Excel.
(No connection with Autodesk other than using the products in the real world)

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Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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I do not create a TIN volume surface to complete this process. I just simply elevate the points to the surface I used to create the DTM and export them, then compare them to the points taken in the field. It is a very simple way to do this. Creating a TIN volume surface seems like an unneccassary step in the process.
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Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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Not for nothing but a desire to not make extra points sounds silly -Not saying Terry's and your app dont look useful, they seem very usefull.
But..... Do you want to save the changes to the file (yes / No)
Choices, life is all about choices
Joseph D. Bouza, P.E. (one of 'THOSE' People) Civil 3D 2012 & 2013
HP Z210 Workstation
Intel Xeon CPU E31240 @ 3.30 Hz
12 GB Ram
Note: Its all Resistentialism, so keep calm and carry on

64 Bit Win7 OS
Re: Compare Points Perpindicu lar to Surface
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I agree. Life is about choices. What would be ideal is a report than can be created where you select the surface and the points you want to compare and it spits out an xls worksheet with the required info. I have been speaking to some people who say this may be possible in the future but I have not had any positive results.
For me it's about keeping it simple. Importing, exporting, and deleting points is a very simple way to get this task done. However, I would much rather see a solution that is specifically designed to produce these results without creating extra points or surfaces.
Dell Precision M6600 Mobile Workstation
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Civil 3D 2012 SP 1
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