How to create a toposurface from a csv file in Revit?

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to figure out how to create a toposurface from a csv file for the first time. I was given the attached csv file which, to be honest, is sort of gibberish to me. I assume the first three columns have been arranged in x,y,z order and I believe they're in millimetres, but I can't reach the technician who prepared them anymore so I'm kind of groping around in the dark here.

Anyway when I try the recommended steps "Massing & Site Panel > Toposurface > Create From Import > Specify Points File _ navigate to csv file _ select millimetres format _ hit OK" nothing happens. I end up back in the "Modify | Edit Surface" screen with the "Place Point" cursor activated. This appears to happen whether my model units are set to decimal feet, feet and fractional inches or millimetres.

Interestingly if I select "decimal feet" instead of millimetres I get a warning "Imported Toposurface points are a large distance from the model..." but when I select OK out of the "Modify Topo Surface" the surface doesn't appear anywhere (all topo categories are turned on in VG and nothing is hidden).

Is there a basic flaw with my csv file or my method?

Title renamed for clarity by @Viveka_CD

[Alfredo_Medina · Accepted solution]

Your .csv file contain more information than is needed to create the topography and because of that extra information, the command does not work properly.

Open your .csv file and do a Save as... another name. Delete column A (which is a serial number for the points) and delete column E (which is some kind of description). Keep only columns B, C, D, which are the x, y, and z coordinates of each point.

Save and close the .csv file.

From Revit, go to the Site view, and do this:

Massing & Site > Toposurface > Create from import > Specify points file > (select the new .csv file), accept Decimal Feet (I think that is correct), and then click on the Finish check mark symbol. You will see the topography.

[barthbradley]

I can't use it either.  

Imported Toposurface Points are located a large distance from the model and might not display properly. Points will be centered on the model instead.

Some rows from the file could not be used.

[barthbradley]

Interesting Toposurface.  

[Alfredo_Medina]

Looks like you clicked  to create one additional topo point after importing the .csv file.

[Anonymous]

Yeah mine turned out fine once I had the csv file formatted properly (I mean I have to readjust building elevations but otherwise no problems).

[barthbradley]

---

@Alfredo_Medina wrote:

Looks like you clicked  to create one additional topo point after importing the .csv file.

---

You know, I thought the same thing, so I ran it 3 more times.  Each instance overlayed exactly.  Weird that @Anonymous got a different result.  Probably a loose nut behind my keyboard.    

[Anonymous]

Additionally - is there a way to change the centre of rotation for the orbit command? I moved my model to get it into where my topography appeared (which as Revit coyly noted was a "large distance" from the model) and I've moved everything I can see with it, but now when I try to orbit in 3D view, the centre of rotation is so far away that the model runs off the screen every time. Can I fix this or am I doomed to have useless orbit function because Revit thought it would be funny to put my topo at some random location?

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

Select something before you Orbit so the center will be set to the center of that element.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, that will work! I'd still rather Revit would let me choose my own default instead of the one it chooses for me but what can you do?

[ToanDN]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
Thanks, that will work! I'd still rather Revit would let me choose my own default instead of the one it chooses for me but what can you do?

---

Yes you can do that too.   Follow the screen captures below then you can place the Pivot of the orbit anywhere on the screen.

[barthbradley]

Sorry guys, but has anybody really tried working with this particular CSV file in a live environment?  I confess that this isn't my area of expertise, but seriously: is nobody NOT struggling with these extents?     

[Alfredo_Medina]

Hello, @barthbradley

Following the steps that I mentioned above, I got a result that is correct, based on the image that the OP posted. I did see a message saying that the origin was too far and that Revit would place the topography centered in the view. But, the topography itself is ok.

[Anonymous]

I found that as well. The only other thing I would add is that the surveyor units are in metres not decimal feet, so when I was importing the points in decimal feet the resulting topography was way too small. That said, while the scale was too small, the overall shape of topography was the same, regardless of which units I specified.

[barthbradley]

Thanks for sharing, @Alfredo_Medina.   Your input is always valued.   

Cheers! 

[barthbradley]

I had to test it again.  Got totally different results this time.  I can't even replicate what I did yesterday. No matter how hard I try, Revit won't do it wrong today. Funny; this is equally as frustrating to me, because I have no idea why it was messing up so consistently yesterday.  Maybe my workstation was just mad at me yesterday. But she's feeling better now and we're all good.  he, he.  

[georgios.triantafyllidisNDY83]

Hello @Alfredo_Medina, hello everyone.

I am trying to make the toposurface from csv points, but I am constantly getting an error (not points were found in the file). My csv format seems to be fine thought... Anyone knows what could cause this problem? Thank you.

[Alfredo_Medina]

It might be the format of those numbers. When I look at one of my .csv files (below) I see the difference. Yours is using a comma and some 8 decimals, so that is probably in conflict with the format that Revit is expecting. 

[georgios.triantafyllidisNDY83]

Thank you for the answer!

I think there is an issue with the coordinates. Originally they were in UTM32 and converted them into decimal degrees.
Do you know which format is required from Revit? If I check at the project location, then it also uses the decimal degrees.

[Alfredo_Medina]

What I show above is typical here (US). Usually the units come in decimal feet as shown in my previous message. You might need to adjust settings, format.