Area inquiry doesn't work

[Pointdump]

I'm trying to get an area for a rectangular lot. Using the ANALYZE TAB/INQUIRY PANEL/AREA command, the first three points rubber-band nicely with the green infill, but the 4th point doesn't "take". It says, "Lines are not coplanar." What does that mean?

Dave

[Anonymous]

it means your z elevations aren't equal.
try not using osnaps.

wrote in message
news:6350531@discussion.autodesk.com...
I'm trying to get an area for a rectangular lot. Using the ANALYZE
TAB/INQUIRY PANEL/AREA command, the first three points rubber-band nicely
with the green infill, but the 4th point doesn't "take". It says, "Lines are
not coplanar." What does that mean?

Dave

[Pointdump]

Hi Ron,
Thanks for the help. I drew a polyline through the four points, and then the AREA command worked.

Hitting the AREA command brings up the command line, thusly:
Specify first corner point or [Object/Add area/Subtract area]

[AllenJessup]

All lot corners are level when speaking about boundary because they are all on one type of grid or another. Even if it's just a local one.
As far as entering point numbers. Start the Area command than use the transparent command 'PN. That will let you enter point numbers with any command. Once you've entered the final point number ESCape out of the transparent command and then Enter out of the Area command.
Allen Edited by: AllenJessup on Mar 8, 2010 11:41 AM

[Pointdump]

Hi Allen,
Using the transparent command 'PN, I got the same result as using OSNAP NODE. It just says, "Lines are not coplanar" after the 4th point, and goes no further.

The only thing that works for me, so far, is to draw a polyline through the four points and use Object in the AREA command. I've attached my drawing.

Dave

[AllenJessup]

Sound like you have your points inserted at elevation. Either try inserting them at Zero of manually pick them with OSNAPZ set to 1.
Allen

[Pointdump]

Hi Allen,
Thanks. Yes, the 4 property corners were inserted at elevation. Setting OSNAPZ to 1 does indeed seem to work on the AREA command.

I don't understand OSNAPZ. On the distance query, setting it to 0 gives the 3D distance, and setting it to 1 gives a wild answer that baffles me. Setting it to 1 should give me a horizontal distance, but the two points I checked it on, 37.5 feet apart horizontally, gave an anwer of 800+ feet.

Anyway, thanks. Now I have two ways to get a quicky acreage number.

Dave

[Pointdump]

OK, I found another cool way to get a quick acreage number. Right now I'm reading Phillip Zimmerman's excellent Harnessing Autodesk Civil 3D 2010, and I came across this way to "flatten" the points.

In the Point Style dialog box, under the 3D Geometry tab (see attached pic), under Point Display Mode, you have 3 choices.

1. Use Point Elevation--The Z value matches the listed point elevation.

2. Flatten Points to Elevation--Assigns a user-specified Z elevation (doesn't change the listed point elevation).

3. Exaggerate Points By Scale Factor--Multiplies the listed point elevation by a user factor. (I don't know why this would be useful.)

Anyway, it works. Just change the Point Style of the points you need to be "flat" to choice #2.


Dave

[AllenJessup]

Glad you found it. That's what I was trying to hint at but I didn't have the program open to describe the process.
I don't know what's going on with your OSNAPZ. It works fine for me. I use it often and have it included on my grading palette.
Allen

[Anonymous]

Hello!!! 

I know that the post is old and my reply isn't about the z-coordinates of an area inquiry, but my problem is exactly this one: my area inquiry command doesn't work!! (I use Autocad 2013 in MAC)

When I choose the points, I have allways these three opts: 

Point or option keyword required.
Specify next point or [Arc/Length/Undo]:

but if I want to close the poligon, pressing simply RETURN, it doesn't work. It doesn't make anything. So I can't close a polygon!

Can anybody help me. 

Btw...I tryed to find out how to create a new post for this feature...but I couldn't find. How can I create a new post in this forum?

Thanks!