DWG topographic maps

[axk5889]

Does anyone know where you can find topographic maps of different wilderness areas/national parks that are converted to DWG files? I guess there was a website called topodepot.com which used to sell them, but it's no longer up and running. Any ideas?

[Pointdump]

Alex,
There is a world of free Elevation Data available. I don't know of any source of vectorized topo maps in DWG format. More details please on what you'd like to put together.
For a quick, richly detailed topo map of wilderness areas, I use >>>CalTopo<<<. Instuctions on how to use >>>Here<<<.
Dave

[ChicagoLooper]

Topographic data can be found online. You can download either raster or vector format (gdb or shapefile) at no charge from The National Map (TNM). Topographic data can be downloaded on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. To go to the TNM website, click >>HERE<<

1-TNM download page.

It's not likely you'll be able to find topo maps in dwg format. As an alternative, download shapefile then use MAPIMPORT command to bring in the shapefile geometry. The MAPIMPORT command will convert the shapefile entities into AutoCAD entities, e.g. points, lines or polygons, during the execution of the command.

The data you download will be a zip file. When extracted, the contour data will appear in the unzipped folder like this:

2-Contour data downloaded from TNM.

Map with Elev_Contour, NHDFlowline and Trans_RoadSegment.

3-MAPIMPORT used on shapefile downloaded from TNM.

[axk5889]

This is very helpful, thanks!

It works so far except I can't import the data into autocad... The MAPIMPORT command didn't seem to show up. So I tried just importing the .shx and .shp and neither showed up in model space...

[ChicagoLooper]

Sounds like a coordinate system issue.

Have you assigned a proper coordinate system to modelspace (you must be exact, no guessing on the correct State Plane and Zone)?

Are you using the native coordinate system of the shapefile? Do not impose your coordinate system on the shapefile. Inherit, accept and tolerate the original coordinate system established the shapefile's author. 

[axk5889]

I didn't change the coordinate system at all. I opened a new blank autocad document and tried to import the elevations as I mentioned before, and nothing showed up...

[ChicagoLooper]

Did you download a zip file? If you did, don't copy and paste the contents to another folder, leave it as it is. You need a minimum of four ESRI entities for the shapefile to work under normal conditions, i.e. shp, shx, dbf and prj. 

[axk5889]

I just went to import and then tried to select the elevations... I unzipped the original folder but didn't copy or paste anything.

[ChicagoLooper]

OK. Our troubleshooting is inching forward at a snail's pace.

Are you running Macbook? Can you possibly try opening in Windows? Or have someone in your office who is running Windows? If it opens in Windows, then it's not the zip file and must be the workflow you're using to import the shapefile. Or your operating system, maybe? 

[parkr4st]

It works so far except I can't import the data into autocad... The MAPIMPORT command didn't seem to show up

OP is using AUTOCAD.  look at the top of the png.  MAPIMPORT is not available in vanilla autocad.  

Provide the name of topoquad  you want and maybe some kind soul can send you the dwg which will be lines without object data so if you need it in 3D say so.

tis the season to be generous

dave

[axk5889]

I see... so I need a different version of autocad? I'm a grad student so mine is the student version. I went to the school to try this on the PCs but still didn't see the MAPIMPORT command. 

I'm trying to learn how to make 3D contour models, and I was planning on putting my autocad drawing into rhino to do so. Just as a place to start I was looking at the El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Tamarack Flat quadrants so I could build a 3D model of Yosemite Valley. So that's the current project, but I'm also trying to learn how this process works...

Alex

[parkr4st]

https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/autocad-map-3d

Map 3d is called a "vertical".  It is a geographic information system software and will handle the file types you are in need of.

download Map3d and follow the excellent directions of the previous posts.  

[axk5889]

Hi, so I'm just getting back to this after the holidays... I have MAP3D downloaded and I used the MAPIMPORT command to import the .shp file for Elev_Contour. It seemed to import well - the contours are visible - but there isn't any elevation data attached to the contour lines - either in the elevation property tab or the z axis. Is there a way to import that data as well? The goal from here is to make an accurate 3D version of the contours...

[Pointdump]

Alex,
Read >>>Here<<< and >>>Here<<<.
Dave

[ChicagoLooper]

Yes. Excellent info provided by@Pointdump. 

Just out of curiosity, when you say you want to create ‘an accurate 3D version’ of the contours, what is your expectation? A surface created by M3D is different from a surface created in C3D. The surface you are expecting to achieve may be either one of those or an entirely different one altogether.   

[axk5889]

The goal is to eventually mill a physical version out of wood with a CNC router, so I'm not sure if a civil 3D or map 3d would be better...

[axk5889]

This has all been a huge help so far... So I correctly assigned the elevation data by following the first link, and now my challenge is that somehow the x and y axes aren't to scale. The 2D top view of the drawing is only a few square inches.  So if you looked at in 3D it is thousands of feet tall (which is accurate) and only a few inches wide (which is not accurate). Does that have something to do with how it was imported? Any suggestions on how to keep the x and y axis in the correct scale while adding the elevation data?

Thanks!

Alex

[ChicagoLooper]

If you are using Map 3D then there should be no issue with scale. Please confirm and explain:

1. You downloaded a topographic contour shapefile, correct? From where?
2. You are using an imperial template, not metric, correct?
3. You have assigned an appropriate coordinate system to your drawing, which coordinate system?
4. You used MAPIMPORT to bring in the contours, the import procedure converted the feature data objects into AutoCAD polylines, correct? Can you upload screen shot showing those polylines, select a single contour and  include the and properties palette in the screen shot.
5. Can you turn on Bing Aerial imagery as a basemap, and when you're done, can you upload a screen shot of modelspace with Bing Maps displayed as a background in modelspace?
6. Provide any other pertinent info you feel is relevant to clearly explain your issue(s). Any and all screen shots will go a long way to successfully troubleshoot your problem.

This exercise is not hard at all. With a detailed explanation of your process, a new workflow can be formulated to resolve your issue. 

[axk5889]

1. You download a topographic contour shapefile, correct? From where?
   1. Yes, from the TNM USGS site
2. You are using imperial template, not metric, correct?
   1. I believe its imperial. I've been working from the 2D template, which doesn't say which one it is in the title. Where can I look to see if it's in ISO or ANSI?
3. You have assigned an appropriate coordinate system to your drawing, which coordinate system?
   1. I did not assign a coordinate system... this could be the problem. I'm not sure how to go about that. And I wasn't sure if I needed to do that because I just need the drawing to be in scale with itself so I can pull it into rhino and then CNC route it.
4. Your have used MAPIMPORT to bring in the contours as polylines. Can you upload screen shot showing contours and properties palette?
   1. Attached.
5. Can you turn on Bing Aerial imagery as a basemap, and when you're done, can you upload a screen shot of modelspace with Bing Maps displayed as a background in modelspace?
6. Provide any other pertinent info you feel is relevant to clearly explain your issue(s). Any and all screen shots will go a long way to successfully troubleshoot your problem.
   1. On the screenshot you can see how the x and y values are very small compared to the elevation data...

[ChicagoLooper]

Your site, where is it? What County and State?