Definition Tab (Surface Properties Dialog Box)

Use this tab to switch various data and edit items on or off, or remove surface definition items.

The bottom part of the tab lists the surface definition (operation types) in the order that the operations were performed. You can reorder the surface operations in the list.

Note: Properties that are not applicable for the current surface type are unavailable.

Build

Note: You can set the default settings for the Build properties in the Edit Command Settings - CreateSurface dialog box, which is accessed from the Settings tab on the Toolspace (under <drawing-name> SurfaceCommands, right-click CreateSurface and click Edit Commands Settings).

Copy Deleted Dependent Objects

Specifies whether a drawing object is copied to the surface definition item if the object is deleted:

• Yes: Copies the drawing object data to the surface definition if you delete the drawing object data. When you add a surface boundary, breakline, or point group to a surface, the surface definition stores the Object ID. If the drawing object, such as the original polyline used to define the surface boundary, is deleted from the drawing, the coordinates of the polyline vertices are copied into the surface definition and saved. Thus, the surface boundary definition remains in the surface definition.
• No: Deletes the surface boundary, breakline, or point group definition if the drawing object is deleted. The definition item is removed from the surface definition when the surface is rebuilt.

Exclude Levels Less Than

Specifies whether a level less than a certain value should be excluded when the surface is built. Click Yes to exclude levels less than the value specified in the Level < when the surface is built.

Note: The Exclude Levels Less Than and Exclude Levels Greater Than settings are not applicable to surfaces created by importing a TIN or LandXML file. These options are inactive when the first Operation Type listed on the Definition tab is "Import XML File" or "Import Legacy TIN".

Level <

Specifies the levels to exclude when the Exclude Levels Less Than property is set to Yes.

Exclude Levels Greater Than

Specifies whether a level greater than a certain value should be excluded when the surface is built. Click Yes to exclude levels greater than the value specified in the Level > when the surface is built.

Level >

Specifies the levels to exclude when the Exclude Levels Greater Than property is set to Yes.

Use Maximum Angle

Specifies whether the triangles on the exterior border of the TIN will be assessed to see if they exceed the Maximum Angle Between Adjacent TIN Lines. If Use Maximum Angle is set to Yes, triangles on the exterior border of the TIN are assessed. A triangle is removed from the TIN if the angle which faces to the border edge exceeds the maximum angle specified. This process is iterative so that when a triangle is removed, exposing one or two new border edges, the new border triangles are tested and removed according to the same criterion.

This operation assesses triangles that border exterior boundaries. Triangles on interior boundaries are not affected by this operation.

Note: For an illustration of the effect of this setting, see Edit Feature Settings - Surface Dialog Box.

Maximum Angle Between Adjacent TIN Lines

Specifies the maximum angle to use for the Use Maximum Angle option. A triangle is removed from the TIN if the angle which faces to the border edge exceeds the maximum angle specified.

Note: If both Use Maximum Triangle Length and Use Maximum Angle are set to Yes, then the Use Maximum Angle operations are completed before the Use Maximum Triangle Length operations.

Use Maximum Triangle Length

Specifies whether the surface triangles that exceed the length specified by the Maximum Triangle Length property are removed from the boundary of the surface. Click Yes to remove triangles with a length greater than the value specified in the Maximum Triangle Length when the surface is built.

Maximum Triangle Length

Specifies the triangle length to use when the Use Maximum Triangle Length property is set to Yes.

Convert Proximity Breaklines to Standard

Specifies whether proximity breaklines are converted to standard breaklines when the surface is built. For more information, see About Breaklines. Click Yes to convert proximity breaklines to standard breaklines.

Allow Crossing Breaklines

Specifies whether breaklines can cross each other. Click Yes to enable the correction of crossing breaklines when they occur. If a new breakline touches an existing breakline, you can specify what level to use at the calculated intersection point. The XY coordinate location is calculated and the level is set by the Level To Use property.

This setting does not apply to breakline intersections that occur at the endpoints of breaklines. You can change the level of such points using the surface Modify Point operation. For more information, see To Modify the Level of Surface Points.

Level To Use

Specifies the level to use for the crossing breaklines:

• Use First Breakline Level At Intersection: Uses the first breakline level to determine the level at the intersection.
• Use Last Breakline Level At Intersection: Uses the last breakline level to determine the level at the intersection.
• Use Average Level At Intersection: Uses the average of the first and last breakline to determine the level at the intersection.

Data Operations

All Data Operations properties specify whether a data definition of a certain type is included in the surface build.

• Yes: All data operations of the specified type are selected in the Operation Type list and included in the surface build.
• No: All data operations of the specified type are cleared in the Operation Type list and not included in the surface build.

If the Operation Type list contains mixed selected and cleared items of a specific data type, the specific data operation is displayed as **Varies**.

For information about data operations supported by each surface type, see About the Surface Definition.

Edit Operations

All Edit Operations specify whether surface operations of a specific type are included in the surface build.

• Yes: All edit operations of specified type are selected in the Operation Type list and included in the surface build.
• No: All edit operations of the specified type are cleared in the Operation Type list and not included in the surface build.

If the Operation Type list contains mixed selected and cleared items of a specific edit type, the specific edit is displayed as **Varies**.

For information on edit operations supported by each surface type, see About Surface Editing Operations.

Operation Type

The Operation Type list displays the surface operations and their applicable parameters in the order in which they were performed. Clear an operation to remove it from the surface definition.

Edit the definition list by selecting or clearing a definition item, or deleting the item from the list. When definition items are cleared, the surface is updated, but the surface still has a reference to the definition item. If the definition item is deleted from the list, the definition item data is permanently removed from the surface.

Reorder surface operations in the surface definition using the following controls:

Moves a selected operation to the top of the list.

Moves a selected operation one position up.

Moves a selected operation one position down.

Moves a selected operation to the bottom of the list.

For information about errors that can occur in the Operation Type list, see About Surface Definition Errors.