Creating Topo Surfaces Using 2-D topos

[aggockel50321]

I just tried this with 6.0, & found it's much faster, imho, to create a topo surface if you only have 2d topo data. This takes advantage of being able to now select / tab to highlight a complete polyline.

1.) Import the 2d drawing into the site view. Open an elevation view, turn off the imported 2d drawing. Set up the site plan & elevation view windows side by side on your screen. Make the elevation view just wide enough to see the level tags.

2.) See what range the 2d contours are set at, then from the elevation view set up levels for the major contours (ie., 10' increments). Place reference planes at the minor contour elevations (ie, 1' increments).

3.) Pick a contour to trace, and set your work plane (in the elevation view) to match the contour's elevation.

4.) In the site plan, using the line command with the pick option, select / tab the 2d contour & Revit will select the whole polyline & place a new line over it at the work plane elevation. Click back in the elevation view, & change the work plane to the next contour & do the same, until done.

5.) Go to a 3d view, turn off the imported drawing, & export the linework out as a new drawing.

6.) Import the resultant .dwg into your project, & create the topo using the imported geometry.

No more using that topo surface point tool...

[cphubb]

Andrew,

That looks like a good system. I hesitate to tell people our method since it involves Autocad, but to be fair yours did also. Here is how we accomplish the same thing.

1. Open the 2d file in Autocad (I save a second copy)
2. Isolate the contour layer(s)
3. Polywindow select each line and set the z elevation (I have a lisp routine but the properties window will work almost as well)
4. Once all countours are set import to Revit and create the topo.

Caveats to this method. Sometimes the gaps in the contours create "holes" in the topo surface. Also if any portion of a countour line is missed it will create holes. I either go back to Autocad and close the gap/move the line or delete the offending points in Revit and clean up the contour line to follow the original.

Hope this gives an alternative method for those still using Autocad part time. If anybody would like the lisp routine let me know.

Chris

[gregcashen]

I use andrewg's method, though I have found that if you have a gap or a place where the topo freaks out, copying a point with the right elevation into the gap or freaky part will clean it up nicely.

[pnanavati]

Chris,

I know I'm responding to an old message - but do you have the Lisp file for the contour lines ? i was meaning to check it out.
Thanks

Paras

[dtownsend]

I would also like to check out that lisp.

This is something that has come up a few time lately.

[sbrown]

why wouldn't you just open the original file in autocad and move the contour lines up to there right height and reinsert.