Converting Blocks to Points

[GWelch]

Hello,

 

LDDT 2008 user here (on this project at least).

 

I recently received a file from a surveyor, and was a bit surprised to find that everything in the drawing was at elevation zero. I've never run into this before - typically the contours are assigned an elevation, and there are points and breaklines that I can use to create a surface. However, no such luck here...

 

Something the surveyor sent to me leads me to believe that he used a Carlson product, but I can't be sure.

 

There are blocks in the drawing at each of the spot grades that the surveyor took. Again, they are at elevation zero, but they are at the correct coordinates. I'd like to convert them to points.

 

My thoughts: Export the block coordinates (y,x,z) to a comma delimited text file, import that file into a spreadsheet, create colums for point number and description, and then export that to a PNEZD file that can create points in the drawing. Of course, then I have to edit each point with the correct elevation, but it's a rainy day and I really don't have anything better to do...

 

However, it falls apart right away in the execution. I tried using ATTEXT, and it wanted a template file, so I created one with this in it:

 

BL:Y N016004

BL:X N016004

BL:Z N016004

 

This time I selected the objects, specified the template and output file, and was cheerfully informed "No Attribute fields specified"

 

Should I be using ATTEXT, and if so, what am I doing wrong?

 

Many thanks.

[ReMark]

Wouldn't you have to also extract the block name?

 

BL:NAME Cwww000 (Block name)

[GWelch]

Wouldn't you have to also extract the block name?

 

BL:NAME Cwww000 (Block name)

Thank you - I'll certainly try anything, so I added

 

BL:NAME C032000

 

but got the same result.

[neophoible]

Why not just make a copy of the drawing and replace all of the block insertions with points using a LISP routine? If such will work, you just make one point as a reference and then select all the block insertions to be replaced. Here's the link to a routine I shared earlier that should make that possible. http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?77499-Change-a-line-to-a-point&

[GWelch]

Why not just make a copy of the drawing and replace all of the block insertions with points using a LISP routine? If such will work, you just make one point as a reference and then select all the block insertions to be replaced. Here's the link to a routine I shared earlier that should make that possible. http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?77499-Change-a-line-to-a-point&

Wouldn't that make all points identical (except x,y of course)? Can points at different x-y coordinates share the same number? And they don't have the same description.

 

Don't get me wrong, that Lisp routine looks great, and it's going in my toolbox:D

 

The reason I was thinking of a file imported to a spreadsheet was so that I could create a column for point number, start numbering and then have it auto-complete, saving me numbering each point. Similarly, I can bring in a file for ground shots, label them all the same, then bring in pavement shots, do the same, etc.

[GWelch]

Well, ATTEXT was giving me problems, but EATTEXT seemed to work. It gave me a raft of options to export (most of which I didn't need, but nice to know that they are there). Made a text file, imported into Excel, added numbers and descriptions and exported back to a comma delimited PNEZD file. Now the fun begins.

 

Thank you to all who responded.

[neophoible]

Wouldn't that make all points identical (except x,y of course)? Can points at different x-y coordinates share the same number? And they don't have the same description.

Yes, I see your point (pun almost unavoidable, not that I would avoid it if I could:lol:). I was not thinking in terms of your CAD platform, which is obviously much more sophisticated than plain AutoCAD, including when talking POINTs. Anyway, glad you got it worked out.

[Organic]

was a bit surprised to find that everything in the drawing was at elevation zero. I've never run into this before - typically the contours are assigned an elevation, and there are points and breaklines that I can use to create a surface. However, no such luck here...

 

Something the surveyor sent to me leads me to believe that he used a Carlson product, but I can't be sure.h this in it:

 

My guess would be that someone new in the office made the mistake of flattening everything (putting it on 0 elevation).

[alanjt]

They surveyor likely had the points on a zero elevation (also done in LDD and C3D) so they can draw out their survey, and still be able to join plines, etc.

 

If it's Carlson, the points will be attributed blocks, but they are unable to be edited, which might throw some errors for the above named commands. Do you have a sample point you can post? AFAIK, you can't convert carlson "points" to c3d points, but one could easily extract the PNEZD to a text file.

[Murph_map]

If the OP was using an updated version of Civil3D, I would suggect to mapexport the blocks w/attributes to a shp file, then import those into Civil3D, you can even create a surface from the shp on the import.

[alanjt]

If the OP was using an updated version of Civil3D, I would suggect to mapexport the blocks w/attributes to a shp file, then import those into Civil3D, you can even create a surface from the shp on the import.

 

Ohhhh, good idea.