Volume surface as dynamic 3d shape

[robert06]

Terrain modelling would be much more advanced, if we had actual 3d solids featured in real time. We need dynamic solids in addition to cross-section shapes, 3d-lines and surfaces to view, to present and distibute them as separate objects (road pavement layers etc), to have the cubic volumes without calculation operations (properties by a single click), to project cross-sections without defining hatch areas between profiles etc.

First of all we should have volume surfaces in C3D as dynamic 3d solids (so far presented as a calculated volume and the upper surface of it).

Currently in C3D 2017 the extract solid feature is mostly not capable of exporting the solid out of the volume surface as well.

[dgorsman]

Along with those advantages, that would result in several downsides at this time: abandoning the AutoCAD platform (requiring more investment in development and maintenance), and abandoning DWG format (meaning no longer directly compatible with other DWG-based applications, and possibly not able to easily migrate existing content).

If that's all you're working on day-in, day-out, it's not such a problem.  But for those who will be consuming that data downstream of the application it's a serious consideration.

[robert06]

Nor is c3d format directly compatible with other cad apps nowdays. 'Export to autocad' should deal the conversion, I can't to go deep with the file format issue though.

As a user I'm hoping to have the 3d content in solids to simplify engineering. Make othe other cores as a separeate enginge to calculate the solids by reading data from c3d if can't be done in the main app.

Talking about volume surface, if not a solid, could it be visualized as a pair of surfaces initially as it is by content?

[dgorsman]

"Nor is c3d format directly compatible with other cad apps nowdays."

Not true.  I'm regularly XREF'ing Civil3D models into other AutoCAD applications, viewing them with TrueView, and including them in Navisworks.  Although certain objects cannot be edited properly, they can still be worked on in AutoCAD e.g. updating title blocks, notes, and so on.

Things get a little different with DWG-reading programs from other developers which cannot host the object enabler.  But that's on them, not Autodesk.

[robert06]

Doesn't this narrow to reading a 3d solid?