topic Re: Create Alignment from points in Civil 3D Forum

Create Alignment from points

ksorsby — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 11:57:49 GMT

Good morning,

I have a point file and I need to create an alignment from the points. Not a best fit alignment, but an alignment that joins the points up with straights, no curves, in the order that the points are in the file.

I'm probably being a bit dim but I can't see a simple way to do it! I can import the points and manually snap to them, I can create cogo points and use the 'PN transparent command to get a polyline to connect to the next cogo point number but both of these are time consuming when there are hundreds or even thousands of points and several point files to do.

I'm wondering if there's a way to create a polyline or feature line directly from the point file?

I can't believe there isn't an automated way to do this, create an alignment from points - or am I indeed being stupid?

Cheers,

Kevin

Re: Create Alignment from points

rl_jackson — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:13:56 GMT

Kevin,

I would think you could use the Best Fit Alignment option set the max radius to 0, and but the points you wish to use in a group. if you just going point to point the best fit would be point to point I would think (just guessing)

Edit: You may need to make the selection of the entity a ACAD entity (maybe)

Re: Create Alignment from points

ksorsby — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:17:24 GMT

No, tried that. Just puts an alignment roughly fitting the general route and misses the points entirely. I need all the node points to be hit specifically.

Manually snapping will (and is) taking forever.

Thanks!

Re: Create Alignment from points

rl_jackson — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:23:49 GMT

Yeah I see what its doing its always forcing a linear regression, almost like there needs to be a weeding factor for angle and distance on those objects, or some sort of min-max setting.

Re: Create Alignment from points

ksorsby — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:26:08 GMT

Or an option just to force it to hit target object coordinates and/or add simple curves. I don't need the curves, just an alignment that joins the dots.

Re: Create Alignment from points

rl_jackson — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:35:10 GMT

Here's a work around, import the points to a survey database with a automated linework code. This will draw the line at elevation, which you can then covert to an alignment (might require an explode)

Edit: The explode would be just one which would convert it to a FL or 3dPL, then convert from object instead.

Re: Create Alignment from points

jmayo-EE — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:39:51 GMT

If your points are numbered in an increasing ordser along the alignment,

Start the polyline command and before clicking a point onscreen type 'pn (for point number) and enter the range of points ( 1-100) without the quotes.

A polyline is drawn through all the points.

Create Alignment from object.

Re: Create Alignment from points

ksorsby — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:48:11 GMT

Yes, that works well. It relies on the points being in line order, so to speak, which they are in my case so it joins them up quickly and correctly.
I can imagine if you have a set of cogo points which as imported are in a line but aren't in number order then it'd have to be done manually.

Cheers!

Re: Create Alignment from points

rl_jackson — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:58:00 GMT

Wish I'd asked if they were consecutive, good hit John. (sometimes I over analyze - dam surveying) 🙂

When I deal with points there never consecutive (survey), and I draw no lines I let the software do it on import by the description (survey database required), if the description of the points is the same you can draw between any number of points in any order.

You could also create a custom CSV if they were out of order that could be copy - pasted to the command line if you had that situation and didn't want to use the database.

Re: Create Alignment from points

sfelipe8PQ85 — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 00:40:49 GMT

Would this work for points with elevations? It seems it only draws a 2D polyline.