DTM Conversion from CAD to Microstation

LandXML

In doing some searching (thatcadgirl's website is pretty good), it looks like LandXML is the best way to swap data between the two. I've already created a file and waiting for the Microstation person to try it.

Andy,

I have been providing DTM to our clients with Inroads for years. The simplest thing to do i just export the TIN lines and let them import them as 3D break lines. A couple of years about we purchased PowerSurvey so we could do the process in house. I have tried to use the LandXML route but good old LDD09 does not support break lines so the Inroads DTM will be a little different. Found this out trying to bring in a scanner derived DTM for the local DOT. I'm not sure how Carlson handles it.

LandXML

We have a client that is exclusively MicroStation. An XML file is a standard transfer to them. Just make sure your export units are U.S. Survey Foot and not International Foot....:-$

:pinch: You should be able to save the triangles to a separate layer, then import that into Inroads or Geopak and create a DTM from graphics. If you have the need for this very often, get a copy of Power Survey and create your DTM there. It is not that hard to learn, if you have the desire. I contract for a LOT of surveys, that are required to be in Microstaion and Inroads. After a lot of problems in the past, we just don't hire survey contractors that do not have Microstation and Inroads, and people that know how to use it.

When we were having problems with it, XML was not an option. We found a solution and have never tried XML. XML should work, but we have never tested it.

MicroStation used to input and output ASCII data for DTM.

Files were simple x,y,z (or n,e,z)

There were 3 types of files.
1 - spot
2 - breaklines
3 - edge border

The linear elements had an additional field in the x,y,z record.
It was a "pen-up" or "pen-down" flag given as a 0 or 1
to denote the start or end of the line.

VERY SIMPLE

Question is whether the other software has this.