To Work With Surfaces From Survey Data

AutoCAD Map 3D toolset allows you to create GeoTIFF raster surfaces from point data. You can enter point data in a variety of text formats as well as from AcDb point data and block references in your drawing. AutoCAD Map 3D toolset also supports LandXML data sources that include a surface element.

To create a surface from a source file

  1. In the Planning And Analysis workspace, click Create tab > Surface panel > 3D Surface or enter MAPCREATESURFACE at the command line.
  2. In the Create Surface Dialog Box, click and select File.
  3. In the Select a Point File dialog box, select the file format and navigate to your point file.
  4. Click Open.
  5. In the Formatting section, specify the formatting and vertical (Z) unit of your data file.
  6. In the Output File Name field, click and enter a file name and save location.
  7. In the Layer Name field, enter a name for the new Display Manager raster layer.
  8. In the Coordinate System Assignment section, specify the coordinate system of the source data. You can either enter the code in the text field, or click to choose from a list.
  9. Click OK. AutoCAD Map 3D toolset generates a raster surface in GeoTIFF format and adds it to a new feature layer in your map. You can also see the new raster connection in Data Connect.

To create a surface from a data connection

    You can create a surface using point data stored in a database or geospatial file format (such as Autodesk SDF).

  1. If you are using an ODBC data source, specify the coordinate columns and add the data to your map as a vector layer before creating a surface.
  2. In the Planning And Analysis workspace, click Create tab > Surface panel > 3D Surface or enter MAPCREATESURFACE at the command line.
  3. In the Create Surface Dialog Box, click and select Connection.
  4. In the Source Data Dialog Box, select the data source.
  5. Click OK.
  6. In the Output File Name field, click and enter a file name and save location.
  7. In the Layer Name field, enter a name for the new Display Manager raster layer.
  8. In the Coordinate System Assignment section, specify the coordinate system of the source data. You can either enter the code in the text field, or click to choose from a list.
  9. Click OK. AutoCAD Map 3D toolset generates a raster surface in GeoTIFF format and adds it to a new feature layer in your map. You can also see the new raster connection in Data Connect.

To create a surface from points in your drawing

  1. In the Planning And Analysis workspace, click Create tab > Surface panel > 3D Surface or enter MAPCREATESURFACE at the command line.
  2. In the Create Surface Dialog Box, click and select Points In Drawing.
  3. Select the points in your drawing from which to create the surface. These points must include elevation data.
  4. In the Output File Name field, click and enter a file name and save location.
  5. In the Layer Name field, enter a name for the new Display Manager raster layer.
  6. Click OK. AutoCAD Map 3D toolset generates a raster surface in GeoTIFF format and adds it to a new feature layer in your map. You can also see the new raster connection in Data Connect.

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