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Generating a 3D View



This Tech Tip explains how to generate a 3D View of a DTM.

 
Preparing the project

Once the project has been created and the survey data imported, the site needs to be scanned for duplicate points.

Change to Survey Mode, Editing Menu › Remove Duplicates
 



 

Use height in comparison

Check this option in order to remove points which are duplicated in horizontal, vertical AND height ordinates as opposed to the standard of horizontal and vertical ordinates only.

Retain line information

Check this option to transfer the line information from deleted points to points being retained.

Use filter

Check this option in order to apply a point filter by name and/or surface.


Click OK to continue.
 

Any duplicate points will be removed from the dtm. If the Output window is open the duplicate points will be listed. To show the Output window, Windows Menu › Toggle Output Window
 


 

The next step is to triangulate the dtm. There are two ways to generate breaklines/featurelines.

Change to Terrain Mode, Model Menu › Triangulate or Model Menu › Intelli-Lines (the differences between Triangulation and Intelli-Lines is explained in tech tip T30002)

 


 

Once the triangulation is complete, the breaklines and featurelines can be shown. Settings Menu › Display Settings, make sure the lines option is selected.

The final step before generating the 3D View is to validate the model, this scans the triangulation to ensure that there are no errors. This step can be ignored, but during the 3D generation errors might occur.

Model Menu › Validate Model

 


 

Select the surface to check, only one surface can be checked at a time.

If any errors are encountered an error message will appear.

 


 

Clicking on OK, the program will automatically zoom into the problem area.

Once the problem has been corrected, the validate model function has to be re-run. When the validation completes without any errors, the model has been successfully scanned.

 


 

Note that the validation function only works with the data visible on the screen, so make sure the whole dtm is visible at all times.

Generating the 3D View

The next step is to create the 3D View of the project.

Change to Terrain Mode, Terrain Menu › 3D View › View

 


 

If the project has more than one surface, both surfaces can be displayed in the 3D View.

Click OK to continue.

During the 3D generation the dtm will be shaded.

 


 

Error messages could appear if the Validate Model step was omitted.

 


 

After the generation is complete, the 3D view will be shown on screen.

 


 

In the 3D view dialog, there are various options available that will allow you to manipulate the 3D view. All the functions are explained in the online help. Online help is accessed by pressing F1 on the keyboard.

The 3D view can also be exported as a bitmap or even printed. This is done via the Output tab.

 

 

 

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 Last Updated: November 02, 2005
Knowledge Base: Professional Civil Engineering & CAD Design Software

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