3D Object From Lines

Command Description

The 3D Object From Lines command enables you to select a group of lines to be used to form a shape and extrude it along a control line. Options exist to create cross section strings and 3d shells which can be used for setting out or as-built models.

Command Photo Demo Video

• Select the Extrusion control line which will be used to reference perpendicular to the shape lines. This line should run somewhat parallel to the shape lines for the best results. Option to change the selection highlight colour and to select a line from Reference files.
• Check the Restrict chainage box to set a start and end chainage or leave this empty to run the length of the control line.
• Set a chainage Interval to be used to form the sections.

Mode:

• Auto – This mode allows you to select a group of Shape lines that run relatively parallel to each other to be used to create the extrusion shape. These will be cut perpendicular to the control line to form the cross-section automatically and try to best join them up in the right order.
• Manual – This mode allows you to select a group of Shape lines that run relatively parallel to each other to be used to create the extrusion shape. This will allow you to order the selected lines to get the correct shape.
  • Once lines are selected, press the Add button to include them in the section table (Tip – the order you select them in is the order that they will initially connect). A visualisation of the section shape will be drawn at the start location where all the lines exist, or the start chainage entered.
  • Use the up and down arrows to change the order of the line connections.
  • If you select a line in the table it will be highlighted on screen to help identify which one it is.
  • Use the Remove button to remove individual lines from the selection or the Clear button to remove all.

3D shell:

• Enter a BIM Group name for the new object. This will be saved in the project explorer under the BIM Data.
• Enter a Name for the new 3d object.
• Select a Colour for the new 3d object.

Options:

• Select or create a Layer for the created data.
• Check the required outputs to create.
  • Create 3D shell – This creates a 3d shell object of the extrusion.
    • Check the Close ends box to make the shell object into a watertight solid.
    • Check the Copy line attributes to take any feature or 12d attributes from the extrusion control line and put them onto the 3d shell.
  • Create cross-sections – This creates the shape cross section at every interval location.
  • Include extrusion control nodes – This allows shape cross sections at every horizontal node on the control line.
  • Include extrusion shape nodes – This allows shape cross sections at every horizontal node on all the linestrings being used to create the shape.

Do either of the following:

• Click Apply to create the 3d solid and keep the 3D Objects From Lines command pane open.
• Click Close to end and close the 3D Objects From Lines command pane.

Tips:

• Cross sections and 3d shells will only be created where all the selected shape lines exist in the section. If one line stops then the calculated objects will stop at that location unless the control loops back on itself and then it can cause an incorrect shape to be formed.
• Duplicate lines on top of each other can cause the 3d solid to not close properly so avoid this by separating them by at least 1mm.
• Although not required you can use the “Set line Direction” command to have all the lines being used are running the same direction.
• Use the “Show line directions” command to turn on line direction arrows to make it easier to confirm control line directions.

Examples: