Tin Surface

[Anonymous]

I am trying to build a profile for our existing ground.  Having trouble getting the existing ground line to show in the profile after it is created.  I have a tin surface from surveyor, but it will not recognize it when creating the surface.  How can I create the surface with only from "tin lines" not a tin file?? 

[enderak]

If they are 3d lines, add them all as standard breaklines.

[Anonymous]

not to sound like a totally idiot, but listing any of the lines, none of them are 3d lines but I they did create the lines with an elevation.  So how can I make them 3d lines?  I have been working with autocad for a while but just getting familiar with civil 3d.....

[Anonymous]

See if the surveyor can provide an XML of the TIN and import that.

[Anonymous]

he did supply the tin as a .dwg, but I guess what you are saying is that he needs to send it as either a XML or TIN file??

[enderak]

If you have Z values in the properties box when you select a line, they are 3D lines.

Just create a new surface, then under Surface Definition, go to add breaklines, then make sure it is set on "Standard" and then select all your lines (isolate the layer first if needed).

[Anonymous]

that worked a little but I had a ton of errors after it created the surface.  Even after the surface was created, I tried to create my profile and it still doesn't recognize the new surface.  Not sure what to do next or what I may be doing wrong.

[enderak]

Can you post your drawing?

[Joe-Bouza]

I may be wrong but I dont think so: just add the tin lines you have, as "lines"

[enderak]

That should work too. I always add as breaklines to ensure that the tin lines in the new surface match the old tin lines exactly (i.e. you don't have to worry about flipping faces), but it looks like if you check "Maintain edges from objects" that would do the same thing.

Recreating a surface using tin lines as breaklines is an old trick from Land Desktop, so the technique may be outdated now... But it should still work (I know I've done it myself once or twice in C3D 2011), and it shouldn't give you any errors unless your tin lines are crossing, endpoints have different elevations, or some other strange reason.

JoeLondon, if you continue to have problems with the surface or profile, post your drawing and I'm sure we can figure it out.

[Anonymous]

it will not let me attach the drawing because of size, even with it zipped up.  Is there another way I might be able to get you the file.....maybe email if possible???

[Anonymous]

where would I find this command???  I cannot add the attachment even as a zipped file because it says its too large to send.

[Joe-Bouza]

expand the surface collection in the prospector >> then expand the definitions collection>> RC drawing objects and add the lines

[Anonymous]

not sure if either I am doing something wrong or if its just not recognizing the lines.....but I have cleaned up my drawing some more and I have attached it below....please let me know what I need to do differently, thanks!

[Jeff_M]

The surface built fine for me. What C3D version are you using?

[Anonymous]

civil 3d 2010.....ok so maybe it is something I am doing wrong....I know my way around autocad well when it comes to drafting but not when it comes to using the program effectively, I am still learning how to make everything in 3d to work right, so I can use it to our advantage.  Could you explain what I may need to do different since it work for you?

[Anonymous]

Just a thought but... did you happen to purge your styles from this attached dwg? The only surface display style in this dwg is the "standard" one. This style is set to have pretty much everything turned off (display wise) in both plan, model, and section view except for the border. So even if you did create a surface, as you stated earlier, you won't be able to see it unless you create a new or edit the "standard" surface style. 

Like I said just a thought...

[Anonymous]

yes I did purge it from the drawing because it wasn't reading any elevations from the "tin".  I have attached the error list I get everytime I create a surface

[Jeff_M]

IMHO you shouldn't add the TIN lines as breaklines (you get the errors you see unless you enable the "Allow crossing breaklines" option. Instead, use the Drawing Objects-Lines option. 

Also, in the Surface Definition, Build options, enable the "Use maximum triangle length" and set this to something around 200, this will help minimize the amount of surface created outside the actual boundary.

[Anonymous]

ok I want to make sure I understand this correctly.....when I create the surface "do not add breaklines" to the tin, correct??  Also I may need to look more into the info from the tin lines because I was able to create the profile with the existing ground showing but comparing it to the plan, you can see that there are to many tin lines in different areas where it makes the existing ground jump up and down to many times.

One other question, I may trying creating the tin lines myself using the points that the surveyor provided us with.  Can this be done?