I am running Carlson civil/survey 2010 w/AutoCAD, I need to assign coordinates w/elevations to a large 3D model that was created with Carlson 3d polylines, Carlson’s draw-locate point command only allows to select one point at a time, because there is a couple of thousand points to create I have loaded this drawing model into LDD 2004 where it has an point command (automatic) where you can assign coordinates to an csv file simply by putting a window around the area. The problem is when the csv file is created it assigns all the elevations in the file to "zero", when I "ID" the polyline in cad it shows a distinctive elevation. I am pretty savvy with both software programs and I am quite sure I have all my LDD settings correct with my elevation toggle "on". I have even rolled back to softdesk-8 with the same results. Is there something goofy with Carlson’s 3d polylines that other programs don’t quite recognize or is there something I am not doing. ? Any help would greatly be appreciated. Thank you.
Make sure the "Locate Points on Real Z Axis" selection is checked.
Sorry, misread your post. My comment was for Carlson. LDD pretty much only works in 2D, from what I've seen. I don't have much experience with it. Carlson Draw-Locate can draw all of the points at once, though, just import the CSV and type in "all" in the draw range field.
In COGO use Draw Points from Entities.
If there are many nodes along the polyline you will end up with points at all these nodes.
Thank you for your response, I realize Carlson’s draw-locate command will plot an csv file all at once, but what I am looking for is a command that will create points all at once without individually selecting them, Carlson does not do this, LDD does this but for some reason it keeps all the elevations to zero even though I have all the proper settings selected.
Thank you for your response, this was the command I was looking for, I didn't think to look under cogo as I was looking it under points.
Thank you again..:-)
You can create the points from the surface tin file.
First you need to create a tin file from the triangle mesh. Turn off everything but the tin file (as a LDD user you probably put those lines on layer "SRF-View".
Now go to the SURFACE menu button and click on it. Scroll down to the command that says "MAKE A 3D GRID FILE". In the pop-up window set the SOURCE DATA to SCREEN ENTITIES. The rest of the options are pretty straight forward. Be sure to select MODELING METHOD to TRIANGULATION. When done, hit OK. Any other windows come up, just pick what you want, they are pretty self-explanatory. It will ask you to set the limits, so window everything. Then it will ask you to select objects so using the crossing option select everything.
Nothing will seem to happen, but on the command line you will see that several thousand points have been created. Now you have a *.grd file.
NOW, click on the COGO button, go down to the BIG RED "E" in a circle that says CREATE POINTS FROM ENTITIES. Select that.
Set ELEVATION TO ELEVATE BY SURFACE MODEL.
Keep it simple so set the description settings to SAME DESCRIPTION FOR ALL POINTS have it name them whatever lifts your skirt. You'll probably want the points to come in on layer zero. Hit OK and roll on to the next page. This page is VERY self-explanatory so set whatever moves you.
Now hit OK and sit back and watch the magic happen. B-)
Side note:I used LDD for MANY years. To date I have not found one thing that LDD does that Carlson cannot do also. The trick is to learn what Carlson calls it and where it is located. You must get out of the convoluted Autodesk logic and look at things in a simpler manner. That, generally. is the way Carlson looks at tasks. Remember, just because you do not know how to do something doesn't mean that you are dealing with an inferior product. It's simply and indication that some specific training would be a BIG help. The days of picking up an modern software and teaching yourself are LONG gone. I'm not picking on you, MANY people have the same problem. Find other Carlson users in your area and compare notes. Local user groups need to be developed into a local support network. Without that you are on your own. Jennifer DiBona and Rick Ellis have some great manuals out on Carlson Survey. They may help you with a better understanding of the basics of Carlson so you can get on with your efforts.