Trimble Business Center

I have inslope linestrings and I was curious how do get those to show up in a on a subgrade surface when I export it as a landxml file.

Not sure that I fully understand the question, however I will take a shot at giving you an answer

When you export a LandXML file it can contain surface models, Corridor surface models, alignments and utilities (defined by Utility Module), in our implementation.

When you select a surface model, whether that be a Corridor Surface Model or a Normal Surface Model we will export all associated data to that surface model as what is termed "Source Data" in the LandXML file. The Source Data can include Points, Breaklines, Boundaries (Holes, Islands and Outer Boundaries).  In addition we output the list of 3D Points (the nodes of the TIN Model) and the Triangle Face Descriptions (Point 1,2,3 etc are linked to form a triangle).

If your surface model in TBC came from e.g. a TTM file or a Triangle Based Definition Model Only, it has no Points, Breaklines or Boundaries that are a part of the surface model that can be shared through a LandXML Exchange. If you imported e.g. a Siteworks Work Order that had the Points, Breaklines, Volume Boundaries, Outer Boundaries defined and then you made a surface from those in TBC and exported the surface to LandXML then you would have the Points, Breaklines etc in the exported LandXML Surface Model.

So if you have linework that actually lies on the surface that you want to export to LandXML then you can Add Remove Surface Members to add the linework to the surface prior to exporting the surface to LandXML and the Lines will be a part of the output LandXML (depending on the settings used during Export). If you are not sure whether the lines "lie on the surface or not, you can use the Change Elevation Command to drape the lines on the surface prior to adding them as Surface Members to the the surface model.

During Export to LandXML you can select the following options for the data being exported

1. Points and Breaklines
2. Triangles
3. Optimize for Data

Options 1 and 3 should work best for Point and Line based surface models - 3) should give you the TIN plus the Points and Breaklines whereas (1) should give you the Points and Breaklines only (the TIN would be formed by the third party software from the source data). Triangles will give you just the TIN model which is not what you are trying to achieve.

The only way to pass linework through LandXML is if it is a part of a surface Model. You can always create a "Fake Surface" made up of a group of lines that you want to export to LandXML and add the lines to the Fake Surface - just remember to delete the Surface leaving the Breaklines after import into the third party software.

If you are trying to move data between TBC Projects always use the VCL export / Import from the Construction Tab in the Export Menu.

Hope this helps - if not let me know

Alan

Hi,

I´ve tried with Alans instructions but can´t seem to get linework work with surface.

In TBC it shows both linework and surface, but for example Trimble Connect or any other software doesn´t show surface when linework is included in export. It only shows the linework.

When I don´t select linework with surface surface is shown correctly.

What am I doing wrong? Or why it is showing OK in Business Center, but not anywhere else?

Cheers,

Mikko

If you take a look in the LandXML Files that are generated there are typically the following parts

1) Source Data which includes the points, Breaklines and boundaries of the surface

2) the TIN model which includes the node list and then the face list (faces are made up of a list of 4 points where the first and last node is the same)

I don’t have a laptop with me on PTO but my guess is that Connect only works with the 3D faces data because it has no TIN engine of its own to make a TIN out of Source Data and my guess is that it doesn’t support linework in a LandXML that is defined as Source Data

When you export LandXML we only export Alignments and Surfaces and when you select a surface we can output the source data or the triangles or both - depending on the options you select in the export dialog (at the bottom).

So if you want to use the data in Connect use the Triangles only option - if you want the triangles and source data then select both definitions

I have raised this many times over the past few years with the Connect team so they are aware of the issues that they have with their viewer - the new viewer may be better but I have not tried that

In Connect the data from the LandXML is extracted into a database and when you select the file for viewing the data from the file is actually retrieved from the database. The Connect viewer is more about BIM ie 3D solid objects more than it is about CAD (points and lines) but it can view CAD files like DWG and DXF so use those formats for linework and use LandXML or IFC for Surfaces and Solids.

Alan

Sent from my iPhone

Other Software May or may not read the Source Data and know to make a surface out of it if the surface is missing

Sent from my iPhone