What I am gathering is that he has a tin file that he needs to use to create contours.
Steps:
1. Open toolspace and click on the "Prospector" tab
2. Go down to the "Surface" and expand (click on the +)
3. If you already created a surface from the tin it will show up here and you can skip to step 6
4. If the surface does not exist right click on "Surface" and select "Import TIN..."
5. Browse to the file and select it. Your surface will now show up in the window, unless you have other items drawn. In that case do a zoom to extents
6. All you will see is the border now you need to go to the "Settings" tab under toolspace.
7. Just like in the "Prospector" you need to expand "Surface" then expand "Surface Styles"
8. Double click on "Standard"
9. To show the contours go to the "Display" tab and click the light bulb next to "Major Contours" and "Minor Contours."
10. Depending on how you want your contours displayed click on the "Contours" tab. This tab controls how contours will be displayed (although they do not affect the color or linetype) You can make them spline, curve, different intervals, etc...
11. If you want 1' and 5' contours expand "Contour Intervals" and for minor type 1. It should change the major interval to 5 automaotically.
And that's how you get contours from a TIN.
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