AutoCAD Civil 3D

[#1]

I have a client that just started using C3D 2010.  When I sent him a topographic survey with contour lines (I am also using C3D 2010) he called me and asked if there was a way to select an individual contour line and have it display the elevation in the 'properties' dialog box.  I have not been able to find an answer for him.  Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,

Todd

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I'm not sure whatfor that is necessary (to select a single contour to get the height), I would create contour-labels so they show the elecation of the contours, also if you change the interval or other settings of them.

But if it's the wish: use command _AECCSURFACEEXTRACTOBJECTS and you can extract the contours to polylines, if you select now one of these polylines the property "elevation" is shown in the property-window.

- alfred -

[#3]

Liebe Alfred,
maybe I'm wrong, but I think the Todd's problem is quite different.

He has no 3D surface to extract anything from, he simply has 2D contours flattened at ground zero, with Dtext labels added (by hand) near each contour.

If so, there's a way to "catch" that label value, assigning it to the nearest contour, but let's wait for the OP elaboration...

[#4]

The contour lines are only displaying the surface which is one "object" you need to have the surface exploded, save to autocad dwg format or use contour labels. Exploding it may cause issues later if they plan on doing and civil work in the dwg. You can also use the ID command and snap to a contour line to get the x,y, & z.

[#5]

You cannot select a contour or a triangle or any other piece of a Civil 3D surface. Many of us have wished for that ability over the years.

However you don't really need to select a contour to know it's elevation. Just hovering the cursor over the surface should present a tool tip that lists the surface elevation at that point.

[#6]

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Neilw wrote:

You cannot select a contour or a triangle or any other piece of a Civil 3D surface. Many of us have wished for that ability over the years.

However you don't really need to select a contour to know it's elevation. Just hovering the cursor over the surface should present a tool tip that lists the surface elevation at that point.

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Right, if all you want is an elevation, that's pretty easy to get.  There are times, however, that I wish I could get deeper and more detailed information when I pick things like surfaces, etc.

[#7]

There are times, however, that I wish I could get deeper and more detailed information when I pick things

Yes, such as what layer the contours are on. Currently we have to dig in to the surface style to determine that. That is why we have wished for the ability to pick components in C3D objects.

[#8]

ID a point on the contour line. Use an OSnap line End, Int or Nea.

Allen

[#9]

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AllenJessup wrote:

ID a point on the contour line. Use an OSnap line End, Int or Nea.

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That was already written by Murph, but the OP goal is: "display the elevation in the 'properties' dialog box"...

[#10]

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antoniovinci wrote:

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AllenJessup wrote:

ID a point on the contour line. Use an OSnap line End, Int or Nea.

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That was already written by Murph, but the OP goal is: "display the elevation in the 'properties' dialog box"...

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You're right. I missed that in Murph's post. However the OP also wrote: "Any suggestions would be great."

I don't think we should hesitate to offer alternate methods of accomplishing what a poster asks for. Since I don't know of any way to make a contour line display in the properties box with out destroying the surface ( or a copy of it ). I just submitted the easy method I use to obtain the elevation of a contour line.

Since the OP has a client who has asked this question it would probably be better if they can answer "No. But here are some alternatives." Than to simply answer "No". Also the OP may be completely aware to all of these alternate methods, but want to make sure there isn't a way to get the answer in the properties box. But what's better, posting information that is duplicate or staying silent and not helping?

Allen