Kevin Samuel, post: 455847, member: 96 wrote: I did this recently using an *.adf file in Civil3D. It took a while to import the adf file (an ESRI format I think) and create a point cloud database, but once that is done creating a surface is pretty easy. Keeping the surface in a separate drawing and using a data shortcut/reference is the way to go with Civil 3D.
Check this link and video out. Slightly different approaches but one can glean good information.
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-civil-3d/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2017/ENU/Civil3D-UserGuide/files/GUID-4494DB95-04DE-42B6-BF18-68AF06935229-htm.html[MEDIA=youtube]GottqJ5r4Cg[/MEDIA]
Civil3D is complicated, but it is also very powerful. In my experience, good workflows are forged by trial and error. I commend your efforts.
I want to work for you some day.
BlitzkriegBob, post: 456043, member: 9554 wrote: I want to work for you some day.
The bulk of my trial and error is done on my own time. On some weekends I just try things in Civil3D.
I bet your employer would happily send you home with a checked out license of Civil 3d to advance your knowledge and experience!
Kevin Samuel, post: 456045, member: 96 wrote: The bulk of my trial and error is done on my own time. On some weekends I just try things in Civil3D.
I bet your employer would happily send you home with a checked out license of Civil 3d to advance your knowledge and experience!
Thanks to EVERYONE who has offered info, advice, etc. Kevin, I do the same exact thing with Carlson, Carlson GIS, etc. We actually do have (1) license of Civil 3D that several of us share as needed. I do not know very much at all about Civil 3D. It is way too complicated for everyday use in my opinion.
I decided today that I am going to set up our extra "company" laptop, and my new personal laptop for checking out the license on the weekends, evenings, etc. If I can use our existing license of Civil 3D to do what is needed, without spending any more money, then I'll have to figure it out, and export the tin lines or an *.xml file to use in Carlson.
For Civil 3D users I note that point cloud creation has been removed from 2018. You now have to create points clouds in Recap and export as RCP format to civil 3d, or use a previous version of civil 3d and you can export a surface as xml to transfer into 2018.
Seems a backward step to most users.
Jimmy Cleveland, post: 456075, member: 91 wrote: Thanks to EVERYONE who has offered info, advice, etc. Kevin, I do the same exact thing with Carlson, Carlson GIS, etc. We actually do have (1) license of Civil 3D that several of us share as needed. I do not know very much at all about Civil 3D. It is way too complicated for everyday use in my opinion.
I decided today that I am going to set up our extra "company" laptop, and my new personal laptop for checking out the license on the weekends, evenings, etc. If I can use our existing license of Civil 3D to do what is needed, without spending any more money, then I'll have to figure it out, and export the tin lines or an *.xml file to use in Carlson.
If you are able to leverage the out of the box styles in Civil 3D and not go down the wormhole developing styles for plan production Civil3D should work great to make surfaces from lidar data. I suspect that exporting for use in other design software might be tricky (file size, point cloud/tin density, etc).
kotuku4, post: 456089, member: 8886 wrote: For Civil 3D users I note that point cloud creation has been removed from 2018. You now have to create points clouds in Recap and export as RCP format to civil 3d, or use a previous version of civil 3d and you can export a surface as xml to transfer into 2018.
Seems a backward step to most users.
Possible work around?
Thanks. I will check this out
Jimmy Cleveland, post: 455601, member: 91 wrote: I have been trying to work with a particular dataset of lidar information since about June. I have tried numerous ways of working with the data trying to get a surface or contours from it, to supplement our ground run survey for roads, creek channel cross sections, etc. This is at the request of our client. The lidar information is in an *.adf format if I remember correctly.
Jimmy
Sounds like you are a victim of ESRI"s push to fence LiDAR data off into their proprietary format.
ADF is an abomination foisted on the unsuspecting who attend ESRI training without knowing anything about LiDAR, who drink the kool aid and then spread the disease.
The open source LAS format which ESRI is trying to bury doesn't have any of these issues.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
kotuku4, post: 456089, member: 8886 wrote: ... You now have to create points clouds in Recap ...
Well actually you don't have to.
I'm late to the show but can echo many of the responses here: Global Mapper. I am wrapping up a presentation I will be giving in VT next month going through import, surface modeling, contouring, classifying, colorizing, creating video and a few other fun things. I have a webpage with some workflows, drop an e-mail if you'd like it. thadd at ese-llc.com I would also recommend the more expensive dongle license (1400 instead of 1000) as the convenience of using it in your laptop and on your desktop and letting someone else in the office use it is worth the 400.
I am a power user of Carlson Point Cloud and have a direct line to the lead programmer. I use it for the big stuff. I prefer Global Mapper for the aerial but I have processed aerial with Carlson. I had a couple Carlson guys in my office a few weeks ago and I showed them the speed that Global Mapper converts a cloud to a surface then to contours (little cloud, about 15m points) and they were stunned and said Wow. I still prefer Carlson for the extractions since my F2F codes integrate so well. One trick with the F2F codes, take all your normal Topo codes and create a second code for each that drops them onto a non-topo layer. In the field, you can locate a fence or building corner with a good Z. In the cloud, you are lucky when you can line it up.
I have Civil3d, but disregarded it when it could only take a 10m point cloud / 20m with ReCap conversion. Has AutoDesk increased their amount? I paused at 2014 as I have great hope that IntelliCAD will be there for me when I am ready to upgrade CAD.
I used to process GeoTiffs through QGIS to get contours.
Let me know if I can be of any help.
I had downloaded the GeoTif and ran it through Global Mapper. I put the contours in DWG on this wbe page http://www.ese-llc.com/tnriver .
It took longer to download the GeoTif than it did to process... (want/need fiber)
Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm on vacation this week, and have been under the weather the past few days, and away from the computer. I'll follow up with this more tomorrow.
I am definitely looking at the Global Mapper dongle license. Do you think that Global Mapper would be a better workflow than the Carlson Civil Grid File Utilities? In my emails this past week with Global Mapper staff, they said that there was not support for the Carlson *.tin format yet, but a request had been put in with their programmers. They said there had been many requests for supporting this format.
In demoing the Carlson Civil Suite, I saw some pretty nice tools in there for surfacing that I did not see in my Carlson Survey 2016 OEM version.
I do know that I have to be able to do this more efficiently in the future. I'm sure I'll have more questions and comments tomorrow when I can actually get to my laptop.
Thanks again everyone,
Jimmy
I am currently frustrated with Civil 3D. Playing with Trimble Business Centre HCE, base version is free to use, and enquiring about licence options. It can handle shape files, las files easily with import or drag and drop. So easy, why have we run round and round inside the wheel with civil 3d?
The workflow is ok in Civil 3d 2016 and 2017, and the ability to use Lidar file in Civil 3D occasionaly was one of the few good features.
