Creating Contours From Surface DEM Files: Troubles With Coutours Appearing....

[eezzo]

Hello,

So basically I'm taking survey data files "adf"'s and inserting them into my global mappper to generate countour elevations. This works out without any problems... However when it comes to creating the contours in CAD, I'm having difficulties having the all the contours within the border to appear.

- I have manuipled the intervals between Major and Minor Contours either making them smaller or bigger. And yet... no success.
- I have changed the "base elevation". (in which is something I shouldn't I feel I shouldn't changing because I think it my screw up my profile.) And still nothing.

I have repeated many steps and through lots of trial and error, and have made them appear but the profile is screwed up. Can anyone give me a play by play instruction of setting up your contours from a surface DEM file properly in Civil 3d?

All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[jeremy2012]

I had an issue close to this one...

After I had created my surface, only the border would show up, no contours. I could place my cursor with the border and it would show an elevation; so I knew the surface was created despite the lack of contour lines. I guessed maybe that my major and minor contours were invisible and that's what it was.

Under toolspace, click the settings tab on the side. Expand surface, expand surface styles, and then right click your surface style and click edit. Check the display tab to see if your major and minor contours are visible.

Hope this helps!!

[eezzo]

Hi Jeremy2012,

First off many thanks for your response, I did try this before and got limited results....

When I viewed the *adf* file in global mapper, I saw lots of contours, however in Civid3d, after turning on the Contour displays, I only saw a few. I'm really confused on why it only shows some major contours and not the rest? Plus, if I were to change the base elevation, then all of them would appear. However, I'm not sure what I'm doing by changing the base elevation. To me, this feels like is something you shouldn't be doing. If I am to change base elevations to see more contours, then what's the calculation to get the proper number for the base elevation changes, so that eveyrthing remains constant? I want to avoid many random tries of trail and error.

Once again Jeremy2012 I thank you for your response, and if you can shed some light on this problem it would be greatly appricated.

Cheers

[CyberAngel]

Have you checked the contour settings for your surface style? It's not enough to turn them on, you have to define the intervals.

Welcome to the forum.