SHOW OR EXTRACT CONTOUR LINES FROM A GRID SURFACE

[junkins]

C3D NOOBIE.

I'm working through Civil 3d and have utilzed the Autodesk RECAP to convert some laz files to rcp.

Then uploaded the cloud file into C3D to create a DEM using mapcreatepcsurface.

I end up with this nice grid surface of the area, but cannot figure out how to extract or actuate the contour lines.

Been searching videos on line for similar subject, but maybe I'm just trying to get something that is not there.

I know in corridor it can be done and extracted, but for some reason this is evading me.

Thank you in advance for any info out there.

CJ

[BushW]

Hi @junkins

Are you having an issue applying a display style and what do you mean bye extracted? 

Do you want to export the contour lines into another file or drawing? 

Can you give provide us a little more information as to what you are trying to accomplish so, we can better help you.

Here to help!

[junkins]

Thanks for the response.

I just want to get the contours to show up.

I've tried turning the layers on and off, changing the colors, changing the spacing.

I'm missing something.

I am available for a Google Hangout anytime if you want to take a look live on my screen.

CJ

[BushW]

Hi @junkins

Have you applied a surface style and turn on Major and Minor Contours? If you still have no contour display try turning off LEVELOFDETAILOFF command.

Please review this AKN article on Surface contours are not displayed in Autodesk Civil 3D that provides you with a solution when Civil 3D has created and a contour style assigned, but there are no contours visible.

Please select the ‘Accept as Solution’ button if my post solves your issue or answers your question so, other Community members may benefit.

Thank you for doing so, and I'm here to help.

[junkins]

Thanks for getting back to me.
I tried turning off the level of detail and followed the instructions.
I don't see a CONTOURS tab on my Surface Properties Information tab.

I will try a smaller area of the map. I may be just overdriving my computer.

CJ

[AllenJessup · Accepted solution]

I believe you're created a Map Surface not a Civil Surface. You can use the command CREATESURFACEFROMPOINTCLOUD or export the DEM and attach it to a Surface. Once you have a Civil 3D Surface you and set a Display Style to show Contours.

[BushW]

Hi @junkins

It's DISPLAY TAB on the Surface Properties. 

[BrianHailey]

What is your purpose for creating this surface? Are you just trying to display contours or are you wanting to use this for a design in Civil 3D?

If you are just trying to create a map that displays contours, the way you've done it is fine. HERE is some information on getting Map 3D to display contours for your surface.

If you intend to use this for design, you'll want a Civil 3D surface so follow what @AllenJessup has recommended. If you have the AEC Collection, you can also bring the point cloud into InfraWorks, create the point cloud there (it does some automated classification so you might get a better surface then using all the points), and then open the InfraWorks model in Civil 3D.

[TerryDotson]

How about going straight from the LAZ to a TinSurface?

[junkins]

I'm finding, especially in civil3d, there are multiple ways to do tasks.

My issues stem primarily from the language of Civil work. I've been teaching cad for 20 years - Microstation, Autocad, Solidedge, etc. The difference I have found with C3d is the terminology.  Not having a heavy background in civil has made it a bit of a challenge.

That said I will try all the suggestions found here and find the one that I think will work in the classroom for students who purchase cheap computers and try to run windows software from Macs.

One of the issues that drew me to the MAPCREATEPCSURFACE command was the ability to filter the LAZ file down to the ground and eliminate the other items that create chaos.  I'm hoping to find similar filtering in these other methods. Or a way to convert my map to a surface I can see contours on so we can add proposed corridors and the students can see the physical connections from the EG to the PG.  I can use canned exercises from the textbooks, but if I can add a project that includes ground surfaces from outside the classroom or their neighborhood, it brings the lesson 'home' to them. 

We have a professor here on campus with a drone and scanner, so there could be some interesting teaching applications here if we can get the right tools in place. I've got a few months before Spring semester. Thanks all.

[AllenJessup]

Yes. Autodesk terminology is somewhat difficult. In Civil 3D you can create an AutoCAD Surface, a Map 3D Surface or a Civil 3D Surface. @BrianHailey gave some good pointers and the Tools posted by @TerryDotson look very interesting. Although you probably want to teach from the OOTB software first.

[junkins]

Terry, are there any tutorials or videos on the use of the LIDARCONV, LIDARTILES OR LIDARTIN commands. I'm missing a step on how to lasso the point cloud on the screen to get it into the tin surface. Thanks. CJ

[TerryDotson · Accepted solution]

No point cloud is created or needed !!!  If your files are in LAS/LAZ format, the LIDARTIN command should allow you to select them and window off the area of interest.  It might a good idea to draw the LIDARTILEs first to see the extents.  If your data is not in LAS/LAZ format, the included LIDARCONV tool should do it, or visit RapidLasso for the works on Lidar tools.

Note, we just added a tool to project Lidar files to another coordinate system if anyone needs it.  If other tools (or instructions) are needed let me know.  The main thing is to stop thinking in terms of how many hoops am I going to jump though today and start thinking of get your data in LAS/LAZ format and go straight to a TinSurface, set your style (for contour intervals,etc).

[junkins]

Terry,

Only takes me a few seconds to get lost here. I will check out the Rapidlasso to see if it points me in the right direction.

I don't know why this process is failing me so badly.

Appreciate your patience and help.

Claude

[TerryDotson]

As I mentioned in the previous post "It might a good idea to use the LIDARTILE command to draw the tiles", then zoom extents.  Then you know you're picking a window inside the data limits.  Also, the tile draw tool will tell you what classes are used, so you can verify that class (2) ground points are available.

[junkins]

I'm making headway but it is slow.

Seems I have a z depth that goes way beyond the limits? If I have any limits.

Your thoughts?

[TerryDotson]

Fortunately your filename turned up in a web search and I found your lidar source.  Two thumbs up LAZ being the download format, in a flash I had your file downloaded (a mere 8mb for 2,155,852 points) !!!

Your file is in lat/long values, so the width/height is nearly nothing, the thickness (elev diff) is in meters.  That's why the bounding cube you 3dOrbitted was tall/skinny.  So back to fortunate, it's good that we added the LIDARPROJ tool to the set, you may need to download again.

You need to know your drawing system, the ADESETCRDSYS command or CGEOCS variable should tell, could be something like ME83-EF?  Then use the LIDARPROJ tool on your LAZ files, select all 4 (that I saw).  The source system may be LL83 or NAD83/HARN.LL (you decide from the USGS page), then enter your drawing system code for the target.  This will take a minute and you will have new LAZ files with (ME83-EF) at the end of their filenames.  These are your new working files, clean up everything you did with the originals (if you saved) and start over with these.

We will add width and height to the label, that would have raised a flag with a line like 0.0001w 0.0001h.  We will also add a zoom to results as a default.

[junkins]

Thanks, now I need some help getting the old DLL files off the program and using the new DLL.

I tried deleting all the old DLL files from the original LIDAR netload.

Now I get this error message when I try to load in the new DLL files using the netload command.

Any ideas to get it cleaned up?

Thanks,

Claude

[junkins]

Ignore the last question. I had to delete all the old DLL files and replace them with the new. Then had to 'unblock' the files so they could be read into the system.

Still a little foggy on getting the right coordinate system in place, but I will go to  the USG site to look into that further.

Thanks,

Claude

[junkins · Accepted solution]

I know this was not a waste of time now that I have seen it through. Appreciate everybody's patience.

The Lidar tools from Terry Dotson at Dotsoft were the real deal once I figured out what country I lived in.

The exported dwg file locked itself right on top of our campus infrastructure map without a bit of adjustment.

Thanks for everybody's help on this.

Now I just need to do it a few more times while writing up a cheat sheet so I don't forget it when it comes time to teach.

Claude Junkins, UMaine