Hi there,
I'm trying to export these contours (with assigned elevation heights) into a dwg file - in so to import into sketchup and create a surface. I had created this contours by: (1) creating a tiff using the "create from points" (2) creating contours from the rastered tiff. I had exported the file into a dwg, however, when I open it with regular CAD the contour lines are all at elevation 0.
Hoping someone can help me out!
Thanks,
I see you know how to upload images to the forums. You'd be surprised how many users are unwilling, or unable, to upload images from their monitor. Kudos to you, BIG TIME!
Those contours can be raised to their proper elevation using Map 3D, but in order for it to do that, you must have 'data' associated with the contours. You can tell if you have the appropriate 'data' by highlighting the contour layer (make it blue) just like you've done in your image, then clicking TABLE, which is the spreadsheet looking icon at the top of the Map Task Pane. Take a screen grab of the entire table then upload it.
You can't use the contours as-is, but if your contours have an attribute, or column heading, listed in the TABLE named elevation (or something similar) then you can use that attribute and run MAPIMPORT which will do two things while you're running the command: (1) create contours which are AutoCAD polylines and (2) have those AutoCAD polylines moved up to their respective elevation above mean sea level.
But first things first. Upload a screen shot of the TABLE because, before anything else, we need to determine whether or not you have 'elevation data' and if you don't, what's a feasible alternate, if any, that can be used to get your lines to work in sketchup.
Chicagolooper
Thanks ChicagoLooper. The image below shows what comes up!
Are you working with shp? If you are good. If you're working with gdb then you'll need to pull out the feature class using Arcmap or ArcCatalog (or whatever way you know how) in order to get a shapefile. Assign your State Plane (or whatever appropriate CS you want) coordinate system to modelspace. Now you can run MAPIMPORT to bring in your shapefile (see image-1). You won't be needing any of those red contours shown in your uploaded picture.
Notes:
When finished, you'll have this (see image-2). Notice that Object Data (OD) appears at bottom of properties palette, e.g. in this example, the elevation data (or column's heading in the Table view) is CONTOURELE and contains the value that will 'raise' each individual contour from 0 to its proper elevation which, for this contour, is 2540. Currently elevation=0, but once the query is executed it will be 2540. Before running the query, though, you must save this drawing, then close it. I named mine Contours_without elevation.dwg so would know what it contained even if I didn't, or couldn't, open it (the title says it all). Note: this procedure won't work unless Contours_without elevation.dwg is closed.
Next, watch this >>VIDEO<< to make the contours move from 0 to its respective elevation shown in the OD section of the properties palette. The video begins by attaching the 'saved drawing' to the Map Explorer Tab of the Map Task Pane.
In the video, all objects that reside on the layer named contour is queried. The query also performs an Alter Properties operation, which is the operation that overwrites an existing property, or Elevation=0, to a value contained in OD, which is CONTOURELE, or the proper elevation. When the query is executed, the contours will physically move and be properly elevated. (In your case, you will use OD named 'Elevation' to overwrite the 0's.)
In image-2 above, 0 is altered, or replaced, by 2540, which is the value taken from the individual contour's OD. When the operation is completed on one contour, it goes to the next contour, then the next, until all contours have been elevated correctly. Don't blink, it happens very fast. Once it done, you may verify, click a contour and check properties palette to see whether elevation=0 has been replaced by a positive value.
When completed with the query, you may right click the attach drawing on Map Explorer Tab of Task Pane and select DETACH from the shortcut menu. Save this drawing with the correctly elevated contours so you can take it to Sketchup.
Chicagolooper
So no - I am not working with any shapefiles. The data I received is a dwg containing points that have assigned elevation (z coordinate) values (see image). I was able to turn these points into a surface and then generate contours (image from previous post).
OK, I can clearly see by looking at your Map Task Pane in Post 5 of this thread that you are not working with shapefile. Your are, however, working with an SDF file, AutoCAD's proprietary version of a geospatial file, or a pseudo clone of ESRI's Shapefile.
In the work flow instructions, you may replace a shapefile with an SDF file and the procedure will still work. You can use EITHER shapefile OR sdf file when you run the MAPIMPORT command. Either way will result in the creation of AutoCAD contours lines (which are good ol' polylines).
Those newly created AutoCAD polylines, however, are all at 0-feet above mean sea level or Elevation=0 as shown in the GEOMETRY section of the Properties Palette. If you have performed the MAPIMPORT command according to the instructions, you'll also have Object Data (OD) as shown at the bottom of the properties palette when a single contour is selected. In your particular case, ELEVATION is the Data that you want to leverage, or use to replace Elevation=0. By replacing the 0's with the Object Data named ELEVATION, you contours will be at their appropriate elevation and in your desired form for using in Sketchup.
The ELEVATION shown in geometry section of properties palette is what moves, or raises, the contour to the proper elevation. The Elevation shown in the OD section at bottom of properties palette is OBJECT DATA and cannot move your contour to a higher elevation, but still can be used, or harvested, to replace all those 0's. The procedure to harvest, or leverage Object Data, is known as a Query.
If you are still unable to do this, then share your sdf file, the one with the the red contours. When you created those red contours from the Green Raster (same raster shown in the Map Task Pane in Post 5) you SAVED that sdf in a folder somewhere on your hard drive or on a shared server. Upload that sdf so a screencast can be provided with the required steps.
Chicagolooper
Hello
If you have 2D Plines with Elevation into an OD (Object Data) Table with a Numeric Field = Elevation
1) You can use the DWG Group of MAP and do a Query to Elevate the 2D Plines to right/real Elevation from OD ...
This workflow is right but it's slow ...
2) OR you can use a Lisp routine that will do the same thing directly from the current DWG ...
It's much faster !!
Please find attached a french routine : OD2DXF38 which does the job !
Loading LSP routines with the command : APPLOADD <Enter>
Execute with : OD2DXF38 <Enter>
Thanks to @CADaSchtroumpf for its beautiful routine !
Regards, Patrice
Patrice BRAUD
