Add a FBX file to InfraWorks, corrdinate system in configuration problem

[Anonymous]

Hello

I'm trying to add a FBX file to my InfraWorks project. The file has been created with AutoCAD 2013 and exported over the standard function. The drawing includes three basic 3D objects. Swiss-PLUS ist the coordinate system I'm using for the Infraworks project.

My steps to get to the problem:

1) I've added the FBX file with the add 3D model under "Data Sources" 

2) Under configuration I set the correct coordinat system (see screenshot)

3) I press the "Interactive Placing" button

4) I double click the desiered position of my 3D model

5) Data Source Configuration opens up again and it changed the coordiante system to LL84 (see screenshot)

6) The 3D model doesnt get displayed at all on my drawing

Any reccomendations to properly add an 3D model?

Kind regards
Joshua

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi Joshua,

I'm assuming the error is in the first step you made.
Try setting the Swiss-Plus coordinate system in the first line of the tab:

No interactive placing will be needed if everything is set up correctly and if everything has the right geolocation.

Regards,
Karsten.

[Anonymous]

Hello Karsten

My goal is to be able to move around my object around as I desire, when I work with coordinates, this wont work.

I found this video and it worked there, isnt it possible anymore with the new version?

Maby I'm approaching the whole idea wrong, is there any other way to use a 3D model made in AutoCAD/Civil3D in Infraworks and is moveable as I wish?

Kind Regards
Joshua

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi Joshua,

I see what you mean and generally you do follow the right steps to interactively place a 3D model in the project.
Please note that InfraWorks uses two coordinate system settings when starting a project - UCS and Database.

The database system is the base coordinate system of the model/project and cannot be changed at a later time. The best choice is to set it to LL84 since all data is converted to LL84 internally anyway.

The UCS system is the displayed coordinate system and can be changed at a later time any time.

If your model has a LL84 database and if you place a 3D model interactively the coordinates change to LL84 as you have noticed. This is correct and as designed. You can still use Swiss Plus as UCS system and the displayed coordinates are in Swis PLus.

If your model has Swiss Plus defined as database coordinate system the displayed coordinates will have Swiss Plus coordinates.

I assume the main step you missed is to set the data type as for example "building", see this screencast: https://screencast.autodesk.com/main/details/c118df19-17dc-4e11-b772-efdf6334b7f0

Please let me know if this helped.

Regards,
Karsten.

[Anonymous]

Hello Karsten

Thank you very much, your response lead to to source of the problem.

In my project the database is set to LL84 as you can see in the screenshot:

The project above has been created with the model builder, using this system the database gets set to LL84 automatically.

When creating a new project without the model builder I get the possibility to set the database to SISS-PLUS, using this path the 3D model gets placed correctly.

Now I see two solutions to get it to work:

1) Manually set the database on the model builder made project to SWISS-PLUS

2) Moving the complete project from the model builder to the manually created project. Including the images from "Bing Maps" and the predrawn elements.

Is any of these two sollutions possible?

Thanks for your help

Joshua

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi Joshua,

the Model Builder will always use the LL84 coordinate system (CS) since the data is derived from public data such as SRTM, Open Street Map, etc.

I am afraid none of your two solutions will work.
As mentioned before, it is not possible to change the database CS afterwards.

In order to "move" data from one project to the other - or in other words create a new model with the contents of the Model Builder model - you need to have the base data (surface, buildings, etc.) available, because you need to add them to the new model.

The best solution for you seems to be to stick with the LL84 CS for database and use Swiss Pro as UCM. In the bottom left corner of InfraWorks you can read out the Swiss Pro coordinates for your model still.

Regards,
Karsten.

[Anonymous]

Hello 

Thanks for clarifying it to me

When keeping the LL84 CS in the database as you reccomended how do I add a 3D model made in AutoCAD/Civil3D, without entering the exact corrdinates?

I would like to add them just with a double click like shown in your screencast, only difference is that it has to work on LL84 database.

Thank you!

Joshua 

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi Joshua,

it is the same procedure.
You can also edit/change the placement of the 3D model anytime, see:

https://screencast.autodesk.com/main/details/6c32974b-ae4a-4e32-b2c3-f5c405aecc6b

Please check if you have defined the data type:

Regards,
Karsten.

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi Joshua,

for additional information, a good and detailed blog post about handling coordinate systems in InfraWorks can be found here:

http://autodesk.typepad.com/bimagination/2014/12/best-practices-for-using-coordinate-systems-in-infr...

Regards,
Karsten.