Point File not importing

[tmccar]

I am trying to import a .csv file which has Latitude and Longitude values but I'm getting the message "Does not match selected point file". I had created a new point file format and it looks ok in the preview but will not import.

[ChicagoLooper]

Ballyhaunis, correct? What is the point file format your are using?

[tmccar]

Yes, that's correct.

I generated a point file format from scratch which has latitude, longitude and elevation

[Pointdump]

Works OK for me:

Dave

[ChicagoLooper]

There are several Lat/Long formats and choosing the right one is critical. As the guru Mr. @Pointdump has already shown, your csv file requires you to use 'DECDEG Latitude' and 'DECDEG Longitude' format. If you use another Lat/Long format you'll have issues.

[tmccar]

Not sure why it is working for you.
What is your coordinate system set to? (Drawing Utilities - Settings)

[Pointdump]

Tom,
I used TM1965/b.IrishGrid, but any Projected Coordinate System that covers your project will work.

(I didn't save my drawing, so I can't attach.)
Dave

[tmccar]

Ok, I changed my point file format column name to "DECDEG Latitude" and "DECDEG Longitude" and the point file is now being read. Thanks for that.

  But my surface looks a bit strange:

[ChicagoLooper]

For a sure-fire way to do this, switch your workspace to Planning and Analysis. Then go to

Insert Tab=>Import Panel=>MapImport Button (MAPIMPORT command)

Then make your settings as shown below:

The points, for some unkown reason, will come in very big. So big they're usable. You'll need to select all the points  and adjust the X, Y and Z scales in the Properties Palette. For your specific csv file, reducing the  X, Y and Z values to 10.0 would be a good starting point. You can make further adjustments to scale as needed.

The MAPIMPORT command doesn't require you to format a new csv file, it only needs to know what coordinate system your csv file is referenced against. Step 5, when combined with your modelspace's assigned coordinate system, will allow the MapImport command to transform your Lat/Longs to your current drawing's geospatial environment.

[tmccar]

This is where I am with the Mapimport command. I don't seem to have the option of selecting Latitude and Longitude

[Udo_Huebner]

@tmccar 

Tom, why do you think your surface looks strange?

The elevations in the given CSV files are between 91m and 93.283m.

If you currently use "Contours 2m and 10m (Background)"  as your surface style (The default for new Surfaces in "_Autodesk Civil 3D (Metric) NCS.dwt" template), you will only see one contour line at 92m. Additionally You see the boundary as green line. This is as expected.

Otherwise, upload your drawing for further review.

[ChicagoLooper]

OK, go back and click the WORLD button, it looks like a globe. Next, in the search box, enter 'LL84' (without the quotes). From the results of the search, select and highlight LL84 ( EPSG 4326), then click the SELECT. 

The coordinate system shown in your uploaded image (UTM84-29N) should be assigned to your modelspace. Even though your points in the csv file are referenced against LL84, it's OK. The MapImport command will transform the geospatial point coordinates from LL84 to be consistent with your map, which has the assigned coorsys named UTM84-29N.

Yes, the MapImpost command with read, digest and understand the Lat/Long degrees and make your points plop down correctly with their geospatial positions expressed in meters.

[tmccar]

Drawing attached

[tcorey]

The point file format you show in the jpg has a point number column, although your csv is lat lon and z only.

[Udo_Huebner · Accepted solution]

@tmccar 

As mentioned your Surface model is ok and currently shows a 2m Contour line. If you expect a different look, you have to assign (or create) different styles.

Here is a short (8min) Screencast for you: https://autode.sk/3k1V78b

[tmccar]

That's correct, but none of the Formatting options have Latitude and Longitude formatting.

[ChicagoLooper]

Use NEZ. Don't be afraid, just use it.

Unlike the Civil3D workspace, the Planning and Analysis workspace is smart enough to know when you feed it an NEZ file formatted as csv, it will treat the 1st column as latitude, the 2nd column as longitude and the 3rd column as elevation. You are afraid it won't know, that it's not smart enough to condsider the northing in the csv as Lat and the Easting as Long, but it is smart enough. It does know. It will treat the nothing column as Lat and treat the easting column as Long. And do it despite the absence of a format labeled 'latitude and longitude.'

Q: How does it know? How does it acquire the smarts to do this?

A: Because you clicked the WORLD button and manually selected LL84 as the georeference for the csv's coordinates.

This is in sharp contrast to Civil3D where the csv itself must be formatted with specialize columns in point file.On the other hand, Planning and Analysis only needs to know the SOURCE of your coordinates, or where you start, and where you want your points to end up, which in your case is UTM84-29N for Ballyhaunis.

[tmccar]

---

@Udo_Huebner wrote:

@tmccar 

As mentioned your Surface model is ok and currently shows a 2m Contour line. If you expect a different look, you have to assign (or create) different styles.

Here is a short (8min) Screencast for you: https://autode.sk/3k1V78b

That's a great help , thanks.

I am finding that my spot elevations are appearing a long way below the surface - why would this be?

---

[tmccar]

---

@ChicagoLooper wrote:

Use NEZ. Don't be afraid, just use it.

Unlike the Civil3D workspace, the Planning and Analysis workspace is smart enough to know when you feed it an NEZ file formatted as csv, it will treat the 1st column as latitude, the 2nd column as longitude and the 3rd column as elevation. You are afraid it won't know, that it's not smart enough to condsider the northing in the csv as Lat and the Easting as Long, but it is smart enough. It does know. It will treat the nothing column as Lat and treat the easting column as Long. And do it despite the absence of a format labeled 'latitude and longitude.'

Q: How does it know? How does it acquire the smarts to do this?

A: Because you clicked the WORLD button and manually selected LL84 as the georeference for the csv's coordinates.

This is in sharp contrast to Civil3D where the csv itself must be formatted with specialize columns in point file.On the other hand, Planning and Analysis only needs to know the SOURCE of your coordinates, or where you start, and where you want your points to end up, which in your case is UTM84-29N for Ballyhaunis.

---

Ok, thanks for the explanation

[ChicagoLooper]

You can change the appearance of your surface by increasing the contour interval. Right click your surface and select EDIT SURFACE STYLE from the shortcut.

In the Surface Style Editor go to Contours Tab and hange the Minor Interval to 0.10 and the Major Interval to 1.00. See image below. You can now add labels the contour lines.