Workflow - 2D polyline + 3D points => 3D polyline

[bertrand.savarit]

Hello,

I would like to know if you have an efficient workflow to transform 2D polylines and 3D points (my 2D polyline vertex have the same X,Y coordinates than my 3D points) into a 3D polyline?

My data source is a 6km long network detection so i have a lot of points and polyline to treat...

Thanks a lot.

[Pointdump]

Bertrand,

Are your points AutoCAD Points or COGO Points? If COGO, are they numbered sequentially?

Can you post your drawing or data?

Dave

[odoshi]

You could make a surface from the points, add the 2D polylines as proximity breaklines.

Convert the 2D polylines to Feature Lines, with elevations from surface, without intermediate grade breaks.

Then explode the feature lines back to 3D polylines.

Just a guess...

Mike

[Simon_Blain]

make a surface out of your points (if it's too linear add a couple random points nearby to make sure triangles are created).

Drag your 2d polyline to your surface using the modify featureline tools «elevations from surface», works on polylines IIRC if it doesn't work, convert your polyline to a featureline and then use «elevations from surface».

edit: replied before seeing odoshi's answer 😉

[drazen.galic]

Hi @bertrand.savarit

In StudioARS application Urbano there is exact function which you are looking for. Contact support@studioars.hr for test licence for 15 days (fully functional) and according to attached video make the job. Of course if I well understood your problem.

The function offers bit more than you asked:

- 3D points can be positioned in some buffer zone around polyline node (user input)

- instead of 3D points could be text or block

Hope it will help you.

Regards,

Drazen

[TerryDotson]

Another third party option is C3DTools > Figure > Snap, which snaps the vertices of a selection set of figures to nearby CogoPoint locations (with specified horz distance tolerance).

[bertrand.savarit]

Actually my points are Blocks but i already have a workflow to convert them in 3D points easily.

You will find attached an extract of my file.

[bertrand.savarit]

@odoshi, @Simon_Blain

As you can see in the file attached, if i make a surface out of  all my points without isolating each network my polylines will be projected on the surface with distort vertex on the triangles coming from other networks detection points.

[Simon_Blain]

With a quick look (sorry don't have more time to help you)

Your polylines have more vertex than the number of elevations. that will cause a problem.

Otherwise it should work fine each vertex should have the same elevation has the point on it (if it has a point on it).

So in other words, for odoshi and my idea to work, each vertex needs a 3d point to tell it's elevation.

Otherwise you're gonna have to use the featureline tool to correct the wrong elevations

[drazen.galic]

Hi @bertrand.savarit

I tried to implement function which I recorded previously. But in your file there are no 3D points, only blocks, as you mentioned.

I tried in another way. Just for checking I took the system SS_AEP_RESEAU with associated blocks TCPoint and attribut ALT.

After converting polylines I have 287 node points, but only 235 blocks (52 blocks are missing). Tried to find some rule but there are several situations which I noticed. There is of course possibility to manually add elevations, but in some examples I am not sure what elevations I can take.

In many cases block (insertion point) is not positioned exactly over node point, but bit aside. It is problem for every automatic routine. If you put some buffer, then it can use some other values. Tricky.

You said that you have the procedure to make 3D point above every node. If you can reach that, then everything is much easier. If not, DTM option is the only way, what I see.

Regards,

Drazen

[drazen.galic]

Hi @bertrand.savarit

Ok, I sent you the final result for SS_AEP_RESEAU. There is profile here and on the layer 3D_SS_AEP_RESEAU there are 3D polylines generated mostly with automatic reading of block values, 30-40 with interactive reading (hmmm, according to what I thought) and approx. 10 with linear interpolation.

It took me 1 hour, but think that results are not 100% correct.

I was interested to see how our software reacts in such cases.

regards,

Drazen

[bertrand.savarit]

Hi @drazen.galic,

Thanks for your results, in my case it seems a bit long. For your information Covadis can make what i wanted to do in three clicks but as for you if the polyline has a node but no elevation point exactly over you have to correct the elevation on the 3D polyline.

I'm surprised that Civil 3D doesn't have the same functions than Covadis for points, blocks and polylines processings...

[drazen.galic]

Hi @bertrand.savarit,

Obviously many software solutions, in the case that it is "one to one" situation with node + 3D point (or block with attributes) offer acceptable solution (@TerryDotson solution, Civil 3D by creating DTM, Covadis, Urbano...). And all solution can quite quickly offer solution (as you said - few clicks). The problem is what if (like in your case) you do not have all necessary 3D points/blocks. 

For the very first network what I did with Urbano, in few clicks (create configuration for reading neighboring data, start configuration) I had initial elevations. But, as I said, from 287 nodes, 235 nodes have elevations. 57 elevations are missing. So, now it is necessary to go one by one, check every situation, decide which elevation to use... In that procedure I took 1 hour.

Out of my curiosity, can you explain what are you really doing in that project. Existing utilities? For some new project? Do you have to do it in 3D (BIM)?

Regards,

Drazen

[bertrand.savarit]

It's a new urban project so we have to repositionned some networks. We have do to it in 3D for our digital mock-up.