I'm going to add my voice to the outcry over this statement. There is just no inherent reason that C3d linework by F2f should be worse than the linework out of any other F2f package. True, the lines will be Survey Figures and not polylines. But that is rather an enhancement.?ÿ
Yes and no.?ÿ I have found that that the SMO command is similar, but not quite the same.
"SMO: Use this code to smooth the line through all of the points. This code must occur on the
first point of the line."
p.101
http://survce.com/SurvCE%206.0%20User%20Manual.pdf
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Some crews have had difficulty adapting to the whole "field to finish" thing where I have previously worked.?ÿ They used C3D so we told them to just start adding the OC to the linecode whenever they were shooting anything w/ an arc.?ÿ A minimum of 4 shots on a small curve (basically works out to being BC, 2 on the curve, and EC).?ÿ It's not nearly as pretty, sometimes needs manual correcting, and takes more shots, but then they only had to learn one method for curves.
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This works out similar to using the SMO command over and over.
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(ie. EP1 B, EP1, EP1, EP1 OC, EP1 OC, EP1 OC, EP1 OC, EP1, EP1
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looks similar, yet slightly different, to
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EP1 B, EP1, EP1, EP1 SMO, EP1 SMO, EP1 SMO, EP1 SMO, EP1, EP1
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Note that there are no BC or EC shots for either).
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The Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) requires no generated arcs and shots every 10 degrees of arc deflection (ha!).?ÿ Nobody does the latter.?ÿ Usually, crews are just instructed to shoot every 45 degrees on small arcs and every 3 to 5 paces on large ones.?ÿ Since most crews in the area are trained to that standard, we just tell them to code for the BC & EC and follow that methodology.?ÿ ?ÿNot nearly as pretty, but they adapt to it easily.
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For exports, we would use the figure2poly LISP.
https://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?94974-Convert-Survey-Figure-and-Feature-Line-to-2D-Polyline
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Steamroller also works, but from what I remember, it's not as pretty.
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The one thing I miss since we switched to Carlson for FtF is that the 3dpolylines come in w/ a boatload of vertices on arcs.?ÿ It was quite shocking coming from the Survey Figure mindset.?ÿ I'm not sure if there's a Carlson equivalent, but I would be interested if there was.
Sounds like I need to put more effort into learning the nuances of C3D.?ÿ
@jaccen excellent, thank you!
hey if somebody is just looking to convert survey figures to 3d polylines to 2d polylines then I've used this method before:
1)explode survey figures
2)select 3d polylines that were created from exploded survey figures
3)click on "modify" on the ribbon or menubar (I always get these two confused) -> the drop down panel on "design" -> "convert 3d polylines to 2d polylines"
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I mean it's not a single command of course but it works just fine for me and only takes maybe a few seconds unless it's an extensive amount of work. I like survey figures & 3d polylines for my surfaces' definition but I do prefer simpler things like utility linework locates (communication, gas, water, etc.) to be 2d polylines that are for display purposes only
Looking at your description keys and figure prefixes I notice that you don't have a desc key for EOP, but you do have a figure prefix, you need both.?ÿ The desc key takes care of the points, and the figure prefix the linework.
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So you need a desc key of EOP*. EOP* takes EOP followed by anything else.
You still need the figure prefix, but you're good with that already.
Also your Linework codes are not correct if you want to use PC and PT to start and end curves.?ÿ Yours say BC and EC.
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in order to make it work the way you want, you need to code like this:
EOP1 B
EOP2 B
EOP2
EOP1
EOP1 PC
EOP2 PC
EOP2
EOP1
...
EOP1?ÿ
EOP2
EOP2 PT
EOP1 PT
EOP1
EOP2
EOP2 E
EOP1 E
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It's been a while since I did it that way, but I believe the arcs of the survey figure then get converted to multiple vertice 3plines.?ÿ It, uh, "looks ugly" as our civil department put it.
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The figure2poly lisp converts the survey figure to a 2dpline w/ an elevation of 0 while preserving the arcs. The way I used it:
-save a copy of the file so you don't wreck the surface/database
-QSELECT, Survey Figures, Layer, All
-Figure2poly LISP
-all survey figures get converted to 2dpolylines w/ arcs at an elevation of 0 on the layer they came in on (ie. Survey Figure on layer XASPH gets converted to 2dpolyline on XASPH) with one execution of the LISSP.?ÿ From memory, it also purges the drawing of Survey Figures.?ÿ I think I once modified it so they came in on layer 0 if I wanted to change what layer they were to go on.?ÿ Shooter's choice.
To speed it up further, I bound FF as an alias to figure2poly.
That drawing then became our linework "export" to the civil/arch. departments for site plans, etc.?ÿ They just want 2d dumb CAD.?ÿ I think they are missing out on a bunch of Civil features and complicating their design, but they only use CAD or even LT for the junior guys (cost savings).?ÿ Besides, they are our "client" in a manner of speaking.?ÿ You can advise a client on the best method to use data, but the responsibility resides on them.?ÿ As long as you are doing your professional duty, they are responsible adults who can do what they will with the data.?ÿ "Staying in my lane" has resulted in quite a few less headaches over the years.?ÿ Also, some additional consulting fees when they ignore your advice and bugger it up 😉
Making sure that the box is checked to process the points in number order is a must.?ÿ You description key codes and your figure prefix codes can be the same.?ÿ
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Description keys:
I would recommend that you add wildcards to handle the numbers as in BC1 or EOP1.?ÿ For each of your codes that have corresponding lines, you will add a code with the wildcard characters.?ÿ For instance, EOP would be a code for a single shot and EOP#* would handle any and all lines assuming that they are using numbers after the code.
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Figure Prefixes:
Add the same two codes here.?ÿ EOP for a single line and EOP#* for all other lines.
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I attached a couple of images showing how I have ours setup, and a couple of PDFs that we provide our crews on line
coding.
?ÿLet me know if you have any questions.
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Thank you,
Stacy
@stacydunn - wow thank you for all of that!! been backed up with some design work but I'll look into this again when I get a chance
No more funky looking curves in your drawing, no more visually scanning out in the field trying to identify the PC and the PT.
Are the funky-looking curves you refer to shaped like incandescent light bulbs, such as a curve at the end of a concrete median? Visually scanning for PCs and PTs is a pain, and can be subjective unless you're lucky enough to find a joint where the curbing was poured.
Yeah, that's exactly what I was talking about with the curves! Medians are a big culprit, but even just the returns of an intersection can get a kink in them sometimes.
Yeah, locating the PC and PT is subjective. I think the same person can go to the same intersection two days in a row and be lucky to get within 2 or 3 feet locating the same points.
Yeah, locating the PC and PT is subjective.
It is! Absolutely!
Are the funky-looking curves you refer to shaped like incandescent light bulbs,
I use another metaphor for that effect. I instruct field crews to cheat into the curve a little where the PC and/or PT point are indistinct.?ÿ
If the PC/PT point is not readily apparent it means that the curve is somewhat flat. Little is lost.?ÿ
@dougie?ÿ
I don't think I've ever seen one that isn't obvious. Those curbing layout crews are just messing with us when we can't recognize the geometry. Actually, the process is interesting. You have those "arms" that hold the string line, and the extruder just follows along.
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@stacydunn I'm trying to finalize my F2F settings. I'm 99% happy - seems like you might have the best grasp for this last 1% but I cant quite glean the answer from your posted info.
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let's say I want to use the code "ps" for my paint stripes (parking stalls).
Many times the field crew and I shoot these somewhat randomly, pick up a few here and a few there. That being said, I don't want the Import Survey Data event to draw a survey figure unless I tell it to with my special codes OR by use of numbers.?ÿ
My settings as of now are connecting all of my "ps" codes into one zigzagging survey figure. I want these to just be a point.
It does however make a separate survey figure for any "ps1", "ps2" or "ps beg" "ps end" - just like I want/expect.
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Another interesting anomaly occurred as I was testing some codes when importing. I wanted to see what happens with all my codes and their displayed point descriptions when I would write down a bunch of made up observations after the initial code. Just as a test I had the codes "bol leaning badly" (bol = bollard) and "up leaning" (up = utility pole). These codes ended up making a survey figure as it pinged on the "le" which I have as a code for Landscape Edging.
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I have a feeling I may need to more carefully go through my Figure Prefix Database and watch my wild cards and maybe include a space after a bunch of the prefix names? Use of the # as a wildcard? I guess I just found out you can put wildcards here?
Thought I would try to reach out to you before I do this as my Figure Prefix Database Manager runs exxxxtreeemly slow.