Profile 1m below the surface

[qchenTPPXV]

Greeting,

I want to create a profile and the minimum distance from the surface is 1 meter. Is there any more efficient way rather than calculate and draw it manually.

Thank you for your help!

[cyberflow · Accepted solution]

Hi @qchenTPPXV,


1st method (Static) :

You can select that profile and select it's properties.

After then go to the Profile Data tab : 

• 
  
  Change the profile to "Static"
  
  Click ok
  
  Then you can do a copy as if it's a drawing object inside the profile view grid
  
  Copy it 1m bellow (Launch copy command, pick a point as base point and then pick 1meter bellow)
  
  It will create a 2nd static profile 
  
  Dont forget if you have a vertical exageration you'll need to take that in account so your 1m if its a x5 well it will be 5 drawn meters, x10 will be 10 drawn meters and so on
  
  Don't forget to re-select the original profile and set back that informations to "Dynamic" if you have changes to the surface profile
  
  NOTE : That will create a static profile so wont be able to modify it if the main one changes
  
  2nd method : 
  Create a new surface
  Assign it a style that doesn't have no visual
  Afterward paste the primary surface that is used inside your profile 
  Do a "Raise/Lower Surface" to have an offseted vertical surface of -1.0m than the original
• 
•  
• 
  Choose the "Rebuild automatic" for the surface
  
  
  Create a surface profile with that 2nd surface and there you go you'll have a dynamic profile that will be offseted of 1meter in vertical

[brian.strandberg]

@cyberflow, I would make one change to your procedure.  You can copy the profile but keep both dynamic, then make the copy static.  (I hope that makes sense).  I do this procedure all the time when I am working on utility design and need to maintain a min and max depth.

BTW - I like method 1 much better.  A profile will have at the most hundreds of points, copying the surface will likely add tens of thousands of points to the drawing.  If I was going to do this I would sample the profile then make it static and remove the surface.

[cyberflow]

@brian.strandberg 

Indeed not all solutions are perfect.

Instead of copying the main surface profile that has it's status to Static you just copy it, it stays at the same place has the original. Then you change the 2nd one to static to move it down a meter ?

Yeah that works too 🙂
Sounds like a case of "All roads goes to Rome" for me.

And your right, the 2nd method asks a lot of juice to make it run if it's a big surface
You could put a boundary could help a little bit but still has the same effect

[brian.strandberg]

@cyberflow it totally is the similar thing, but I'm currently writing a document for my company on how to handle Vertical Datum changes, the idea of that profile being static rather than dynamic just gives me the heebie-jeebies.  

Otherwise, totally great.

[cyberflow]

Your right, it a better practice you solution so a user doesn't change the main surface profile and forgets to put it back to dynamic.

[Joe-Bouza]

Paste the surface into an empty surface then lower by the desired units. 

[teerawat.pSCHYQ]

I would say like this, you can do like a create another surface that may no need to display, and then Raise / Lower surface what do you would like, after that you can create another surface profile, then if you have adjust alignment, then your profile will updated and then distance between 2 profile will updated automatic.  please note, this way, you may get a big file size base on your surface.

Another way, after you have profile , then you can copy that profile , after that you would need to change the profile name what you like, then change the Profile update mode from "Dynamic" to "Static" then you can move up or down what you would like, so then when you adjust alignment, this profile will not automatic following to adjust alignment, then you need to change back the profile update mode from "Static" to "Dynamic", after that your profile will following to the adjust alignment, then you need to change back from "Dynamic" to "Static" again, then you move up or down this profile to what you need. ( this way will save your file size that because you no need to have duplicate a surface) 

[qchenTPPXV]

Thank you for you response. I like those two ways. Do you know if I could set a smooth line. For example, the line is straight for the 1m below as shown for the yellow line.

[cyberflow]

There's the best fit profile tool : 

I never used it - Only in testing but should help you make something neat.

[chriscowgill7373]

To add another little detail that may be useful:

You can use the Copy profile button to copy it to a new profile in place, without using the AutoCAD Copy command,

then you can select that copy, change it to static, rename it, and use the Raise/Lower PVI's button to drop your profile