topic Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines in Civil 3D Forum

C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Chaznsc — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 20:19:27 GMT

Strange issue with a feature line generated contours. Drew basically two rectangles, 2 feet of elevation change. No radii or anything exotic. Look a the contours?

See two images below, first shows feature line limits, the second, contours.

C3D2018 - ALL UPDATES AND SERVICE PACKS INSTALLED

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Chaznsc — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 20:23:34 GMT

Added some interval points...........closes the gaps but adds in some dumb.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Joe-Bouza — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 21:43:56 GMT

Without the elevation points try a grading infill

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Chaznsc — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:12:15 GMT

Seems silly the software cant do a straight interpolation as previous versions. I am not impressed.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:54:33 GMT

Can you show an image with the triangles switched on. I have a suspicion about triangle angles

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

chriscowgill7373 — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 23:48:16 GMT

I was thinking maximum triangle length, but triangle angles could cause the same.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Pointdump — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 08:05:29 GMT

Charles,

Please post your drawing. This Forum will accept files up to 75MB.

Dave

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

rl_jackson — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 08:58:37 GMT

without the existing grades its really difficult to see what is going on. This could be something very simple. I've never had an issue with C3D doing interpolation from featurelines or anything else that would be used as a breakline. It's way better than the LDD days, and has shaved hours off surface creation from those days.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Chaznsc — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:52:59 GMT

Here is a slightly altered version of the same area.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

odoshi — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:58:16 GMT

You might have to tip one of those points .001 vertically.

Regards,

Mike

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

chriscowgill7373 — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:02:24 GMT

can you show a screenshot of the first one with the triangles on? that is what we are trying to solve, is why it thinks it needs additional points to triangulate properly. Or is that not the issue?

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Chaznsc — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:03:13 GMT

@odoshiwrote:
You might have to tip one of those points .001 vertically.

Regards,
Mike

Really? I have used this product for years and never had this sort of issue, EVER. In this instance, 2018 is dumber, not smarter than its predecessors.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

odoshi — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:05:01 GMT

We're all dealing with it...

However, I have seen flat areas create looped/intersecting contours in prior versions.

Regards,

Mike

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Chaznsc — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:12:20 GMT

@chriscowgill7373wrote:
can you show a screenshot of the first one with the triangles on? that is what we are trying to solve, is why it thinks it needs additional points to triangulate properly. Or is that not the issue?

Here is a similar situation. Bottom line is I have to spoon feed the surface, and even then its not complete.

My point is that, in my opinion, the software in this area is going downhill (no pun intended). I have done dozens of sites and use a lot of feature lines without ever had this sort of issue.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Chaznsc — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:15:52 GMT

@odoshiwrote:
We're all dealing with it...

However, I have seen flat areas create looped/intersecting contours in prior versions.

Regards,
Mike

We may all be dealing with it, but this is the problem we are facing. Continuous product "updates" that are increasingly problematic. Autodesk needs to tap the brakes and slow down this process. I dont need, want, desire, a release every year. Spend that interim year making it more solid, faster, smaller, better.

I dont have time for this nonsense, and in this instance, I cant just go back to the previous version.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

MMcCall402 — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 16:18:25 GMT

I'm with Chris Cowgill on this, I think the maximum triangle length set for the surface is exceeded by the long sides to the outside feature line.

Check the surface properties, definition tab, build, max. triangle length settings.

another option would be to check the supplementing factors box when adding them to a surface as breaklines and have it add additional surface points along the feature lines. The supplemented surface points will update with any edits to the feature lines.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 02:45:17 GMT

This is, in my opinion (along with other professionals on here), the maximum triangle length. A simple solution would be to add a distance to the supplemental factor when adding the feature line as a break line. Typically, if not changed, the default setting is 100 feet (imperial). When dealing with small areas, if often change it to 5 or 10 feet.

Re: C3D2018 - Contours from feature lines

jmayo-EE — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 16:41:11 GMT

You have a surface with two rectangles. In other words you have a surface with two elevations. The contours look exactly as they should.

Google Delaunay Triangulation it's been around and the same much longer than Civil 3D and this, along with user input is what dictates contours. Not Civil 3D.