This Natural Regrade command gives the user single-click access to a 3D GeoFluv™ surface viewer that is based on the GeoFluvTM design. The 3D GeoFluv Surface Viewer displays, in 3D, the surface created from the linework that was drawn by the Design GeoFluv Regrade command. This resulting surface is the same one that is used for volume calculations. Alternatively, the 3D GeoFluv Contour Viewer displays, in 3D, the surface created from the contours of a GeoFluvTM design which has more and smaller triangles lending a smoother appearance to the 3D image.
Note that these commands use linework from particular layers in the drawing. This means that any editing the user makes to the linework in these layers will be reflected in the resulting 3D image.The prerequisite to using the 3D GeoFluv Surface Viewer is that the linework for a GeoFluvTM design must already exist in the drawing. To create the GeoFluvTM design in the drawing, the user can click on the Draw Design Surface button on the Output tab of the Design GeoFluv Regrade command.
Clicking on the 3D GeoFluv Surface Viewer command causes the 3D Surface Viewer dialog box to appear on the screen.
The user has many options for viewing the image available in the View
Control tab dialog
box on the right side of the 3D Viewer screen. The 3D project
view can be rotated on the x,
y, and z axes using the sliding Rotation
Axis controls to the right of
the view. By left-clicking and dragging the slider control
below the image, the user can clip off forward portions of the
view. The viewer
has the ability to
add vertical exaggeration to aid inspection of lower-relief areas by
left-clicking on the arrow to the right of the "Vert. scale" edit box
and selecting a factor from the dropdown menu. The
viewer can also change the position of the sun on the
project to
evaluate sunny and shady areas throughout the day, a very useful tool
for
identifying optimal areas for different plantings. The
user can either left-click on the 'sun' (yellow box in
the blue circle)
and drag is across the 'sky' from the west (the blue circle is the sky)
or move the slider buttons surrounding the blue circle. The 3D viewer has the ability to
color the view by elevation
layers by a toggle setting at the top of the dialog
box. These views are
helpful
for construction to help workers visualize how the final project
surface can be
built in a series of lifts, for example by using GPS-guided truck
dumping.
The toggle buttons on the dialog box below the blue and yellow 'sun and sky' indicator control:
Pan The user holds down the left-click button and moves the mouse across the drawing to pan the drawing in the 3D Viewer.
Rotation The 3D
project
view can be rotated on the x,
y, and z axes by left-clicking the rotation toggle button and then
holding down the left-click button while moving the mouse on the
drawing.
Dynamic Zoom The user can zoom in and out of the 3D view by holding down the left-click button and moving the mouse up and down on the drawing.
Shading The user can toggle to fill with shading (color) between the TIN file's triangular edges to give the drawing a solid surface appearance.
Average Elevation The user can toggle to have an arrow appear on the drawing surface that indicates the average elevation at the point at which the arrow points.
Reset to Plan The user can left-click on this button to cancel all rotation settings and return to plan view.
The Carlson Software 3D Viewer's Advanced tab has options to block model objects, shade the view, export the view image, and save the view that are fully described in the General Commands/View Commands documentation.
The user can exit the 3D Viewer
by left-clicking on the X at the upper
right or the door at the bottom of the dialog box.
Pulldown Menu Location: Natural Regrade
Keyboard Command: gfView3D
Prerequisite: Design geofluv
File Name: \lsp\geofluv.arx