Cut/Fill For Split Surface

[anarie]

I have a split surface that will not report cut/fill no matter what I do. I have tried starting a new file, and went through this process:

1. Create surface in Existing Phase

2. Split surface in Existing Phase

3. Grade split surface in New Phase by creating exact copy

4. Edit interior points BEFORE finishing the graded surface

Cut/Fill does not report

or 4. Edit surface AFTER finishing the graded surface

Cut/Fill does not report

This process seems to have worked for others, and it's not a setting in my file, because I tried it with a blank file, too. I've attached the file here. The only topo that matters here is the area around the house where you see survey data. Please help.

[barthbradley]

---

@anarie wrote:

I have a split surface that will not report cut/fill no matter what I do. I have tried starting a new file, and went through this process:

1. Create surface in Existing Phase

2. Split surface in Existing Phase

3. Grade split surface in New Phase by creating exact copy

4. Edit interior points BEFORE finishing the graded surface

Cut/Fill does not report

or 4. Edit surface AFTER finishing the graded surface

Cut/Fill does not report

This process seems to have worked for others, and it's not a setting in my file, because I tried it with a blank file, too. I've attached the file here. The only topo that matters here is the area around the house where you see survey data. Please help.

---

Sounds like you missed a vital step.  Did you do this?  

...so, what you want to do is Split Surface in Existing and then use Edit Graded Region to send a copy of it to the next sequential phase. Now you have 2 Topsurfaces:  the Source in the Existing Phase (Phase Demolished will automatically be set the the following Phase),  and the Copy in the following Phase (Phase Demolished will automatically be set to "None"). Now when you edit the Copy, it will report Cut/Fill, based on how the copied Toposurface varies from the Source Toposurface in the Existing Phase.  

TIP: Give the Source and Copy unique identifiers (e.g. different Marks or Comments).  

[barthbradley]

See attached.

Select the Toposurface in Existing Phase and note its "Mark" value, Phase Created and  Phase Demolished.  Next go to "Demo" Phase and select the Toposurface there.  Note its "Mark" value, Phase Created and  Phase Demolished.  Now, edit the "New" Toposurface in "Demo" Phase and, as you do, look at the Cut/Fill values group under "Other" on the Topo's Properties.  

[anarie]

Yes, that's how I made the Graded Region in the first place. I used the graded region tool to demolish the existing topography and create a new one that was identical. It doesn't work.

[barthbradley]

Your file worked for me. Did you check it out?  

[ToanDN]

---

@anarie wrote:

Yes, that's how I made the Graded Region in the first place. I used the graded region tool to demolish the existing topography and create a new one that was identical. It doesn't work.

---

See attached file.

[ToanDN]

---

@barthbradley wrote:

Your file worked for me. Did you check it out?  

---

Removal of 1.1 million c.f. (over 4000 c.y.) of earth seems excessive?  No?

[barthbradley]

@anarie : I didn't Cut/Fill anything in the file I returned back to you. I have no idea how you want it graded.  But if you grade the "New" Topo in the "Demo" Phase yourself, the Cut/Fill will be reported.  Try it.  You'll see.  

BTW: the screenshot I posted, was just showing you what happens when I Edited the Topo and Simplfied Surface using a value of 30,000.  I was just an example.  The file I gave you has no Cut/Fill.  It shows zero Cut/Fill. 

[anarie]

I'm trying to get cut/fill on the area surrounding the house. It's a separate piece of topography that is much smaller. I've given names to all the pieces of topo in the project and reattached the file. It still doesn't work for me. I've made a new surface in the next phase, in the existing phase, I've made building pads in the phase created, in later phases, nothing works.

[ToanDN]

See the file I posted above.

[barthbradley]

It's all wrong in the file you returned.  That little split area of earth at the house is reporting cut/fill, but has no source.  Merge that Split Surface with the surrounding Topo, and start all over using the workflow I described.  

...Examining your file and I think I know where you may have errored.  The large land masses are all existing, so they should all be in the Existing Phase.  What you should have done is Split that Surface in Existing to make that separate Topo around the house, and then use Graded Region only on that Split Surface.  Nothing else is effected.  Then in the next phase, grade that Graded Region copy that was created.  

[anarie]

I'm trying to replicate what you did in my own file, but I'm not exactly getting the right solution. If I demolish the existing topo in existing phase and create a new topo in existing phase, it works. But if I demolish in excavation phase and create a new topo there, it doesn't. I see that your phases are set the correct way but I have no idea how you accomplished that.

[barthbradley]

Source and Copy phases MUST BE sequential.  

The workaround is to has a DEMO phase proceeding each Phase.  

Attached is an exhibit I did for another member explaining the process. 

....edit: reattached RVT 

[ToanDN]

---

@anarie wrote:

I'm trying to replicate what you did in my own file, but I'm not exactly getting the right solution. If I demolish the existing topo in existing phase and create a new topo in existing phase, it works. But if I demolish in excavation phase and create a new topo there, it doesn't. I see that your phases are set the correct way but I have no idea how you accomplished that.

---

Yes it is a bit of trick to get to that.  The steps you have done are the same as AKN tutorials and they are entirely correct - for the entire topo surface.  Split surfaces?  It never works, ever, at least for me.

What i did to your file is split it into two files, one with the huge existing topo, the other is the house and the split topo.  Now, the split topo has no connection to the surround topo so you can perform the steps from the tutorial, grading region, adding building pads, etc... and the Cut/Fill will report properly.  When done, you can either link the huge topo file in, or copy paste it in the existing phase like I did.

[barthbradley]

Can you link me to that  AKN article you're talking about being inaccurate?  

[barthbradley]

---

@anarie wrote:

I'm trying to replicate what you did in my own file, but I'm not exactly getting the right solution. If I demolish the existing topo in existing phase and create a new topo in existing phase, it works. But if I demolish in excavation phase and create a new topo there, it doesn't. I see that your phases are set the correct way but I have no idea how you accomplished that.

---

If you are trying to make that Split Region that you currently have work  -- it won't.  It's messed up. You need to create it again.     

[ToanDN]

---

@barthbradley wrote:

Can you link me to that  AKN article you're talking about being inaccurate?  

---

Read again.  I never said it was "inaccurate".

[barthbradley]

Okay, whatever. "Accurate" or "Inaccurate" -- I was just curious what specific AKN article you were referring to? But, never mind; it ain't important to me.  Thanks anyways.  

[anarie]

This is where I am so far. Let me explain a little more. The surveyed terrain never had any relation to the larger surrounding shoreline or the lake, I only brought those in for rendering purposes and they were never connected to the surveyed terrain. I created the surveyed topo separately. I only had to split my surveyed topo in order to accurately depict the shoreline, and I deleted the parts I split off. If I have to separate the surveyed topo to sever any connection to the other surfaces, I'm not sure why, or how to do that. I deleted all the other surfaces from the file, and tried to perform the steps all over again, but it still didn't work. I really appreciate all of your help, both of you, and if it comes down to setting the created phase of the new terrain to existing and just hiding it I guess I can do that, but it means any building pads created in any phase outside of the one where the topo originates doesn't calculate cut/fill. ToanDN, I even tried grabbing the topo you had in the file you sent back and pasting it in, but nothing. Can you explain how you separated the surfaces so it would work?

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

See the screencast.  The few minutes of it is all it takes to fix the file.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/94cc6efe-2148-4241-a426-873df98035c1