Import DWG or DXF file of plot survey

[tomkarp]

I have had a terrain survey of my plot undertaken and I now have this in both DWG and DXF file formats and I want to import this into FLOORPLAN, but can not work out how to do this?
Can I do this or not? If so how?

[Doug.S]

Not sure which way you want to do it, 2D or 3D

I have done the 2D way...it works OK.  I've been thinking of doing a 3D but not yet and see below for why:

2D: if you import a 2D dwg or dxf or bmp and use it to trace-over....make a plateau, set very wide/flat (push control to far right) and set it at height for each contour line (such as 3' for 3' contours), and then "trace" over your first lowest contour for the first "line" and then for the other 3 sides, draw straight lines that are beyond the terrain to "close" the path.  Then  repeat the process for every next contour in succession (each plateau "adds" to the height) until all are in place.  The advantage of this method is you can set the terrain to "cut out" around a building/basement and its fully adjustable later.  And you can place paths and driveways that "lay" on the terrain surface.

3D: my approach was to make a .3ds or .dxf or .dwg 3D model and import it like any other 3D object  (either using file import wizard or add item to catalog) and insert it in place, size, material etc.  The "down" side of doing this is it is "fixed" (not adjustable except for size and location and rotation) except to re-import and does not "cut out" around bldgs and I don't know  if a path will follow this terrain (and doubt it will)....but for some checking purposes that may be OK.  I have not tried it as yet but it seems do-able....with limitations I listed.

[Steve Clarke]

Hi Doug,

I'm surprised you can't edit a 3DS object inserted as a Terrain in v12.

This was of course possible in v7 to v11 - Import 3DS object as Terrain, and select/elevate nodes, select/elevate array (from v8), add/delete nodes, prepared site, i.e. all the actions possible on the supplied terrains.

[Doug.S]

I'm surprised you can't edit a 3DS object inserted as a Terrain in v12.
This was of course possible in v7 to v11 - Import 3DS object as Terrain, and select/elevate nodes, select/elevate array (from v8), add/delete nodes, prepared site, i.e. all the actions possible on the supplied terrains.

Like I said....I have not tried the 3D import and I don't know....I just did not think it would work that way as TFP terrains do not have separate node adjustments like FP. The terrain tools in TFP are very different than FP. 

Best advice I have for you is to try an import and report back as we all would like to learn about a 3D terrain import. 

TFP has completely different "engines" (s/w code) for drawing, making changes, and rendering, and managing objects/catalog....so anything you did in FP is done differently....tho the concepts are the same. And for the most part, TFP has much more capability.

[tomkarp]

If TFP has more capability how would I import the DWG or DXF file (I believe it is in 3D) into TFP as a Terrain?