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Map 3D to IModeller?

12 REPLIES 12
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Message 1 of 13
xander_ist
1513 Views, 12 Replies

Map 3D to IModeller?

Hello.

 

I have got some blockmodels from schoolbuildings made in AutoCAD Map 3D. They are made with polyline and the extrusion tool. Is there a possibility to improt them into IModeller? I already tried it by importing a dxf-file of the models, but that did not work. IModeller gives me an error-message that the data source operation failed and thats all.

I want to import them because they are georeferenced. Drawing them direkt in IModeller is to inaccurate.

 

Has anyone an idea how I might try it else?

 

Thx Alex

12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
JamesMaeding
in reply to: xander_ist

good question. You would think dxf of regular acad solids would work.

Any Response Autodesk?

 

I am seeing far too little Autodesk interaction here given how they push this as a resource when we do subscription support requests. Gues they want to kill one bird at a time via sub support instead of hundreds at once here.


internal protected virtual unsafe Human() : mostlyHarmless
I'm just here for the Shelties

Message 3 of 13
josh.bonora
in reply to: xander_ist

im also having a similar problem, might be my lack of knowledge with map etc but ive got a bunch of files eg coastal outlines, islands that i have got picked up from a survey etc in a dxf or cad format that are georeferenced. What is the best way to get these into AIM? I cant bring it in just as an autocad dwg as AIM is giving me the message that there is no valid data source available. Tried raster image as well which also doesnt work. Also anyone know how best to bring in a google earth overlay into AIM? Civil3d 2012 had a google earth import to bring the image into a dwg which i than thought could be exported to another format for AIM? All of the examples so far that ive seen for the base models for AIM projects use shape files.

Message 4 of 13
xander_ist
in reply to: josh.bonora

@ Josh

 

I don't know if it works with lines, but I imported a lot of polygones as shp-files and displayed them as a Covarage Area.

what do you want to do with those coastal outlines?

Overlay pictures i allways import as Raster. but i use for my model orthofotos which are tiff-files and georeferenced. what kind of data is your google earth overlay?

 

I still haven't found a way to display my blockmodels in AMI. I tried to import the building footprints as a shp because I hoped i could extrude them... -.- but that doesn't work.

 

I'm now trying something else. Found out that ACAD Map 3D 2012 can export fbx-files which is one of the file formats that AMI accepts as a 3D Model. But now I get Errormassages that there are no objects that can be exported as fbx.

I just tried exporting a simpel cuboid made with the modelingtoolbox (I don't know if thats the name in the english version because i work with a german version). there are no other objects in the dwg-file but i still get the message "no exportable objects found/selected".

I don't get it! What else is an 3D-Object if not that? Even the ACAD help says "Cuboid - creates a rectangular 3D solid"

Message 5 of 13
JamesMaeding
in reply to: xander_ist

Keep in mind, these questions are really generic autocad, not specific to Map 3D per se.

The questions are:

1) how to bring in basic solids drawn in autocad.

One way is to bring them into 3ds max, and export as fbx, then bring fbx into AIM.

Those that have Infrastructure Design Suite Premiums have 3ds max. (May be the only thing you ever use it for...)

Only other promising option was dxf, but sounds like that does not work

 

2) how to bring in building footprints, or any closed shape and make buildings out of them (extrude vertically).

I do this by starting in acad map or C3D, assign global coord system to dwg, then export closed polylines as shape files.

I bet sdf would work too.

If that is not working, check that you are exporting lwpolylines, not blocks or something else. It does work and AIM makes it easy to apply vertical data to them to see as buildings.

 

3) how to bring in closed shapesfor other uses like tree areas or water.

Same process as 2, but bring in as different category in AIM.

 

4) how to bring in general linework (not just closed plines), which you want draped on the surface in AIM

I do not know how.

Please let me know as I need to pull in contours and many types of data that start as lines, arcs, and plines in acad.

It is assumed I will assign global coord system using map, coords are not the problem, just do not know how AIM lets you bring the items in.


internal protected virtual unsafe Human() : mostlyHarmless
I'm just here for the Shelties

Message 6 of 13
JamesMaeding
in reply to: JamesMaeding

I just tried the shape file method for buildings, note that it only works for closed plines, and you must go to options tab of map export dialog and check the "treat closed plines as polygons" or you get the invalid data source error in AIM.

 

This is exactly what leads me to believe you cannot pull in simple linework and drape over surface, as most linework is not closed plines...


internal protected virtual unsafe Human() : mostlyHarmless
I'm just here for the Shelties

Message 7 of 13
JamesMaeding
in reply to: JamesMaeding

One idea I had for showing prop lines and contours, was to plot a pdf of them from acad, then convert pdf to png.

Pull into acad and make world file with Raster Design.

Then open png in corel photopaint, and set background color (white) to transparent.

You can only do that with png I think, I know jpg will not, correct me if wrong please.

Its too bad as png is less compressed.

I heard AIM respects pixel transparency, so I will try and see....


internal protected virtual unsafe Human() : mostlyHarmless
I'm just here for the Shelties

Message 8 of 13
josh.bonora
in reply to: xander_ist

thanks all i will try the shape file method for bringing in closed polylines etc and just use that as my outlines for my coverage areas. Previously when i wanted to bring objects in i was converting them to 3d surfaces in Civil3d 2013 and exporting them to IMX files which come in nicely into AIM, but a bit tedious.

Message 9 of 13
xander_ist
in reply to: JamesMaeding

thx for the answer.

the thing with the options tab of map export dialog and check the "treat closed plines as polygons" I already knew.

I made some closed plines and exported them as sdf and shp. thats how I made my water and coverage areas. the same I made my building footprints.

I can load them into AIM (in the screenshot the typ of category is "buildings") and i get the footprints as a gray-colored surface. i changed the offset z-value because otherwise the footprints would be under the ground surface.

but I can't change the height. when i pull the arrow up it looks like the program changes the height of the building footprint instead of extruding it. and when I let go it jumps back to its origin.

The second screenshot shows an iso of the total building that is selected in the first screenshot. if it would work with the extrusion I would make for every floor a footprint.

 

Short summery how i made the footprints in ACAD Map 3D 2012:

1. draw footprint with pline; press "s" to close and  "enter" to finish pline (don't know if its the same in english versions; "s" stands for "schließen" = "close")

2. turn all layers off except fpr the footprint-layer

3. Map -> Import/Export -> Export to -> sdf/shp -> Exportmask

4. Exportmask:

          Tab: Selection: Objecttype: Polygon

                                   Manuel selection

          -> Select Polygons press enter

          Tab: Data: Attribute: LAYER

          Tab: Options: check the "treat closed plines as polygons"

5. Press "OK"

6. Import shp/sdf to AIM chose coordinate system and typ of category "buildings"

 

Thats how I got my footprints into AIM.

The only thing i don't know is what are lwpolylines and how do I check if my plines are such lwpolylines?

can do that with pedit?

Message 10 of 13
JamesMaeding
in reply to: xander_ist

For height you can add object data via map tools. You must define a table then attach, then fill in. Same process as for gis data.
Use list to see entity type. Props dialog just confuses things.

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I'm just here for the Shelties

Message 11 of 13
xander_ist
in reply to: JamesMaeding

thx.

Now i have the problem that in the list of attributes under properties there is no entity called "OBJECT HEIGHT", I only got "HEIGHT" or "ELEVATION". When i set in IAM the roof height on ELEVATION i get a height for the object. but that would be 98 meters. when I look into the properties of my polyline there is no HEIGHT. I only got an object height.

I tried adding other object heights via map tools of AcDbEntitiys. SHAPE/object height, SOLID/object height, actully every sort of object height i could find. even TEXT/object hight. but i cant find the right one.

does somebody know the entitiy of the general object height for a polyline?

 

Message 12 of 13
JamesMaeding
in reply to: xander_ist

I'll see if an entity property can be used in AIM.

I was referring to data added via the Map object data tools.

You would define the table, add to entity, and fill in fields.

 

Seems like any data brought in by the shapefile would work in AIM though.

Did you assign thicknesses to your plines in acad to accomplish extrusion there?


internal protected virtual unsafe Human() : mostlyHarmless
I'm just here for the Shelties

Message 13 of 13
xander_ist
in reply to: JamesMaeding

it wokrs! thx a lot.

now I can give my block models the correct heights.

 

since you mentioned "thickness" for extruding plines I gave up using the entity propertys over the exporting tool.

the german version seems to have other names for entitys. when i want to give a pline thickness i have to assign to the property "object height" which seems to be the "thickness" that you mean. and i can't find the needed entity in the attribute list of the exporting funktion.

I'll just keep on defining tables for my block models.

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