simple way of adding contour lines?

[soundgarden]

I am doing a finite difference problem for Heat Transfer course. I have 100 nodes in a 10 by 10 grid. Each node has a value (temperature to be specific). I need to draw Isotherms (lines of constant temperature) in the grid.

How can I do this using contour lines? I suppose I can put a point at each node and sets its z-coordinate to my value? But can AutoCAD draw lines of constant z-values?

Note: I do NOT want to connect the nodes with lines, since no node has same value.

I am using AutoCAD 2000. If there is another program/method to do this, i'm all ears.

cheers
sg

[CarlB]

No easy way that I know of. Usually accomplished with a "Surface modeling" type of program, such as used by surveyors/civil engineers.

It can be done in Autocad. Since your grid is regular, you could use the nodes (x,y & temperature) as points for a mesh. The procedure could be shortened by pasting in coordinates to the "mesh" command, such as from a text file or spreadsheet. Then convert the mesh to a solid using "m2s.lsp". Then use the "section" command to create regions of constant z value (temperature). Regions can be exploded/converted to polylines if desired.