need help with civil map

hey hey cad gurus...

long time no see... sort of speak. i haven't been working...again... however i just downloaded civil 3d on my computer and i have a map that i've been trying to create . just simple controur lines. i had a .asc file that i converted to a .txt file and brought in the points to civil. points came in ok, but now i can't create the topo for the life of me.

I've attached the VAGLARSKI Point map here witht he .txt file if anyone can give it a shot to see why i can't create contours. my settings were 1' to 5' (background as the contrours) and i think this is where the glitch is. i need more precise settings. if you take a look at the points. they looks something like. 1989.3256" and 2000.12345'

heeeellppp! i've been trying to follow cad tutorials from youtube with no real luck to as what i can fix this map.

anyone??

thanks for the help!

just as a side note.. i'm not a student.... i posted this perhaps in the wrong section.

Just looked at the txt file and all the elevations are 0.00000

Nobody could get contours from that!

AutoCAD has no preference between csv & txt so I prefer to leave them csv so I can edit them in Excel.

hmm...

i saw that too in the text file... but if you open up my cad file... there shows elevations.

can you have a look see at my cad file?

in the cad file when i brought it in... there shows a northing and easting... and elevation.

i'm confused... maybe i didn't convert the file correctly or something. i just renamed the .asc file to a .txt file.

i brought in the points directly from the .txt file.

i can't attach the .asc file on here.

it says invalid file name. i was going to put the raw file i've been working from.

This answer is based on you using CIV3d if you have LT no method of contouring is available.

I just opened you dwg copied the points into my DWT added you point group _All points and contours appeared. Sounds like you have no contour styles in the dwg you have added the points to, use a correct DWT or use Importstyles.

yes... i'm using civil3d 2016. i just downloaded it off of autodesk.

how do i set my contour styles? big sorries... i've only worked with LDD... but it was a while back. i just opened civil3d for the first time today. so i'm really new at this.

after looking at the drawing, i thought something was wrong with some of the settings i might have. the points look fine and it says it created the surface. so stuff was created... i'm just not seeing it.

did you change my cad file? i don't have a dwt to work from. i just used the dwg that cad opened me to. is there a specific dwt that comes with civil that i should use. maybe you have a dwt that might work??

thanks for the help.

violet

so what's the settings. having a hard time trying to figure this out.

i'm gonna need to be carried on a stretcher after this i swear.

in my profile i put cad LT, but i have civil 3d, revit, solidworks, full cad, ... on my computer.

Was at home last night & couldn't open drawing till this morning. Simply adding the _All Points Point Group gave me the contours. They were pretty dense though so I copied your Contours 1' and 5' (Background) and renamed it Contours 20' and 100' (Background). In Surface Properties to the right of the Surface style: pick the ▼ down arrow then "Copy Current Selection". After renaming the Surface Style select Contours tab, then the + by Contour Intervals, change the Minor Interval to 20 then select the Major Interval and it will automatically switch to 100. Click Apply then OK. Still kind of dense to me, but that should get you started.

I moved your thread to the http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?57-Civil-3D-amp-LDD forum, please post your Civil 3D related questions there.

It may also help to let everyone know you are using Civil 3D by updating your profile or at least mentioning in the original post the program you are asking the question about.

It may also help to let everyone know you are using Civil 3D by updating your profile or at least mentioning in the original post the program you are asking the question about.

""however i just downloaded civil 3d on my computer and i have a map that i've been trying to create . just simple controur lines. i had a .asc file that i converted to a .txt file and brought in the points to civil. points came in ok, but now i can't create the topo for the life of me.""

I usually use just plain AutoCADfor work, so that's why I have that under my profile to the left, but I did include in my post that I just downloaded Civil 3D and brought this map into Civil. Maybe not clear enough I suppose.

You know I'm a CAD Operator and can dissect everything lol. I "pay special attention to detail"... lol... but I couldn't find the LDD section. I have old tired eyes.

I'm a few years ahead of you in having migrated from Land Desktop Companion 2009 to Civil 3D 2011, and this was of great help to me then - just be mindful that Civil 3D is an entirely different platform, from the ground up, so they way you did things in LDD/LDC aren't always going to help you to use the new tools:

Moving from Land Desktop to Civil 3D

Cheers

Heyyy!! Thanks for the pdf. Yea, I have a lot ahead of me with this Civil 3D. Last time I worked with LDD was years ago. I'd venture to say back in 2006 ish... Loooong time.

On a side note.... not being able to find a steady CAD job is really disheartening to this whole CAD career. Not even sure I'd like to pursue it anymore. As of late I've been in pretty crummy environments, with some people that made my soul hurt. I fell into depression, and it's taken me months to get out of it. Seems like anything is better than doing CAD anymore. I've been getting some pretty sh**ty treatment for being a contractor, and not having some type of BA just gives people the reason to pay me a lot less than my co workers, yet doing the same work and a LOT of drafting at that. CAD was a blessing and curse.

I'm a few years ahead of you in having migrated from Land Desktop Companion 2009 to Civil 3D 2011, and this was of great help to me then - just be mindful that Civil 3D is an entirely different platform, from the ground up, so they way you did things in LDD/LDC aren't always going to help you to use the new tools:

 

Moving from Land Desktop to Civil 3D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

Its a real bug that CIV3D out of the box has so few styles set up, just like you have found with contours, we have around 12 styles for contours. To give you an idea of what you need we have around 350 individual point code styles this matches our field survey data. Then you have so many other styles that you will need.

NO DONT GIVE UP. Your location Bay area CA suggest you need a imperial dwt. The cost say a few paypal dollars for a few beers, we are talking hours of work to set up from scratch.

Your next post ask nicely describing what you are doing, I am sure someone can help with a suitable DWT. Mine is metric.

On a side note.... not being able to find a steady CAD job is really disheartening to this whole CAD career. Not even sure I'd like to pursue it anymore. As of late I've been in pretty crummy environments, with some people that made my soul hurt. I fell into depression, and it's taken me months to get out of it. Seems like anything is better than doing CAD anymore. I've been getting some pretty sh**ty treatment for being a contractor, and not having some type of BA just gives people the reason to pay me a lot less than my co workers, yet doing the same work and a LOT of drafting at that. CAD was a blessing and curse.

Being an independent contractor can have some advantages, but having to find the work and do if for different people who each have their own idea of what the want from you would break me as well. Not getting rich, but 3 years from retirement from a low stress government job has kept me stress free. I'd keep looking for a position working for someone else and let them have the stress. Licensed professionals risk a lot signing drawings so they're naturally more comfortable signing ones drawn by someone they supervise and work with on a daily basis. Permitting offices need plans examiners, lots of construction related jobs require the ability to read plans. Maybe a nice job out there for the skills you picked up getting to where you are now. I do Civil in Florida and could share a dwt, but every firm you work for uses their own templates and would probably prefer you use theirs instead. As I posted earlier had to add a custom Surface Style for your drawing anyway, we don't have mountains in Florida.

Good luck with whatever choices you make,

I added all the point groups and I still don't see contours. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. I also changed the styles to 20' and 100' (Background).

I added all the point groups and I still don't see contours. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. I also changed the styles to 20' and 100' (Background).

Looks like you added another Point Group "Point Group - (1), just delete that.

On the Prospector tab of Toolspace expand Surfaces → Surface2 → Definition and right-click Point Groups then click Add… select _All Points, Apply, then OK. Right-click Surface2 & select SurfaceProperties… then set Surface style: to "Contours 5' and 25' (Background)". In Surface Properties to the right of the Surface style: pick the ▼ down arrow then "Copy Current Selection". Copy your Contours 5' and 25' (Background) and rename it Contours 50' and 250' (Background). After renaming the Surface Style select Contours tab, then the + by Contour Intervals, change the Minor Interval to 20 and hit enter, Apply, and OK. Make sure the Surface style: is set to "Contours 50' and 250' (Background)" in Surface Properties and click Apply, then OK. That should do it.

I see now you added the Surface Style "New Surface Style" and set the intervals. All you need to do is edit that Surface Style, go to the Display tab and turn the Visible on for Major Contour & Minor Contour and click Apply, then OK. That should do it.

Did it. Still can't see anything on my screen. Ohhyyy!!!

here's what i have now.