topic Re: Looking for Pointers on Surface Creation using Line Segments in AutoDesk AutoCAD in AutoCAD Forum

Looking for Pointers on Surface Creation using Line Segments in AutoDesk AutoCAD

samXPF96 — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 22:14:16 GMT

I am attempting (and failing) at creating a solid surface out of what appears to be an exploded topographical surface - it is currently just a series of line segments populating a 3D space. I have tried the usual methods - join, convert to surface, etc. End goal is to create a 3D solid out of this topography for 3D modeling / visualization. Short of converting every single triangle here into a surface and using surfsculpt, etc., I am out of ideas.

Re: Looking for Pointers on Surface Creation using Line Segments in AutoDesk AutoCAD

parkr4st — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 22:07:42 GMT

post again with the file attached for the lines. easier to work with the data.

Re: Looking for Pointers on Surface Creation using Line Segments in AutoDesk AutoCAD

samXPF96 — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 22:20:58 GMT

Just updated the post with the .dwg file, thanks. Didn't know that was an approved action here. Appreciated.

Re: Looking for Pointers on Surface Creation using Line Segments in AutoDesk AutoCAD

leeminardi — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 01:41:05 GMT

It looks like you have a TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network) that was unfortunately exploded down to just individua line segmments for each triangle. Do you hav acess to Civil 3D? I believe it has a ffeature for creating surface from point data.

Alternatively, you could maually create 3DFACES for each set of lines that defines a triangle. It would be tedious but it will give you objects that you can convert to regions that then can be used with SURFSCULPT to create a solid given additonal surfaces (or regions) that define a water tight volume.

Re: Looking for Pointers on Surface Creation using Line Segments in AutoDesk AutoCAD

samXPF96 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 02:58:42 GMT

Thank you for looking into this. I had a concern that it was too far exploded to recover from - this all but confirms it. I do not have access to civil 3D, and the 3D faces approach is what I had been trying to avoid, mainly because the visualization exercise is likely not worth the effort.

Appreciate the suggestions here!

Re: Looking for Pointers on Surface Creation using Line Segments in AutoDesk AutoCAD

parkr4st — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 11:37:19 GMT

using DATAEXTRACTION extracted starting end points and finishing end points of the lines and put those into .txt files

In MAP3d MAPIMPORTED the starting end point data attached in the .txt file.

The points in the dwg are distorted as they sit on Maine state plane west grid and there was no coordinate system in the original dwg

Map3d can produce a surface from the points as well as civil3d and other software may produce a surface without a geocoordinate requirement.

the surface can be produced with the correct software

Re: Looking for Pointers on Surface Creation using Line Segments in AutoDesk AutoCAD

autoid374ceb4990 — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 15:18:46 GMT

I don't know if this will help you, but I took your Topo-Lines-WB.dwg file and converted the lines to 3DFACE's. The 3DFACES are in the TIN layer.

The file is in R14 format. Years ago I wrote software (ARX files) to convert survey data to TIN's for earthwork computations.