I've downloaded a DEM and made a surface from it creating a HUGE file. I only need about an eighth of that area. How can I crop the surface to be a smaller area? I realize I can create a boundary, but I really don't need all the data outside the boundary.... I want a smaller file so it doesn't have to create one of those *.mms files.
Surely I don't have to export the boundaried area as triangles to a regular ACAD file, then make a surface from those triangles... do I? Not that it's that big of a hassle, but seems like a roundabout way of doing things.
Solved! Go to Solution.
Solved by sboon. Go to Solution.
Use a data clip boundary. You may have to change the order of operations in the Definition tab of your surface properties however.
That did it. Thanks. It's amazing what's "hiding" under those flyout options. And yes, I did have to move the boundary to the top of the heap in the Surface Properties > Definitions tab. Thanks again.
Steve's advice is likely the correct one for your situation, but also keep in mind, if you need the huge surface, but want another dwg which includes a smaller portion, that there is a crop surface tool as well.
Hi
Instead of duplicating the surface (data) and cropping a copy, how about using data shortcuts for that. Keep the source drawing with the superset of the required data and data clip in a shortcut reference drawing, then you only hold the data once get the best of both worlds and keep the drawings dynamic to a single data source.
Just my $0.02 on a hypothetical scenario 🙂
Hello Ian,
Not sure that I understand what you're proposing. If the OP uses a data shortcut to get the surface from another drawing then he will get the entire surface referenced in. I'm not aware of any way to apply a data clip boundary - or any other type of edit to a referenced surface.
Please clarify.