3D Polyline

This command creates a 3D Polyline. A 3D Polyline is a version of a polyline that can have different elevation at every vertex. 3D Polylines can not have arcs and the program will instead draw a series of short chords to closely follow an arc.

The 3D Polyline command is available from the Draw pulldown menu, from the Draw toolbar or at the Command: line (3DP). Unless disabled, the Polyline 3D Options dialog box will appear after starting Carlson's 3D Polyline command.

Show Options on Startup: When this option is enabled, the Polyline 3D Options dialog box will display automatically upon starting the 3D Polyline command. If disabled, you can still get to this dialog by typing O for Options at the command prompt.

Prompt for Elevation/Slope: When this option is enabled, the elevation for each new vertex will be displayed as a prompt, giving you an opportunity to override that value by typing in a new elevation. When disabled, the elevation to be assigned to each new vertex is displayed but you are not given a chance to assign a different elevation.

Prompt for Coordinate Point Elevations: This option only applies if you specify a point number from an associated Coordinate (.CRD) file to establish the X,Y,Z values for a new 3D Polyline vertex. When this option is enabled, the elevation for each new vertex will be displayed as a prompt, giving you an opportunity to override that value by typing in a new elevation. When disabled, the elevation to be assigned to each new vertex is displayed but you are not given a chance to assign a different elevation.

Elevation Adder: Use this setting to add a constant elevation value to all default elevation values.

Check Elevation Range: Enabling this option allows you to monitor elevations assigned to 3D Polyline vertices and issue a warning (with options to correct) if the elevation falls outside the specified range. If the proposed elevation of a 3D Polyline vertex falls outside the range specified, the Warning: Elevation Range dialog box is displayed. The Warning: Elevation Range dialog box allows you to assign a new elevation to the vertex, adjust the acceptable range of elevations or turn OFF monitoring of elevations. Dual 2D Polyline: This option creates a 2D polyline in addition to the 3D polyline. The 2D polyline is drawn on a separate layer, uses elevation zero and has true arcs instead of the series chord segments used for arcs in 3D polylines.

Use Surface Model From File: Selecting this option allows you to use a Surface Model (.TIN, .GRD, .FLT) file to determine the elevation for each new 3D Polyline vertex.

Skip Inline Vertices for Extend: This setting applies to the "Extend" option with the Total Distance SubMenu option. If enabled, an existing vertex will dissolve when lengthening a 3D Polyline segment.

Prompt To Draw Another: This option stays in the command after completing the polyline and prompts whether you want to draw another polyline.

Auto-Zoom Mode: This setting provides 3 options for Auto-Zoom: Never, Proximity or Always. The "Never" setting requires you to manually Zoom or Pan to keep the current polyline vertex centered in the drawing screen. The "Proximity" setting will activate the "Proximity Level" setting and will automatically re-center the view only if the current polyline vertex is within a certain distance of the limits of the drawing area. The "Always" option will automatically re-center the view after each new polyline vertex is added.

In the "Polyline Properties" section of the dialog box you have several alternatives for specifying the layer, color and linetype of the newly created polyline.

Auto-Correct For 90 Degree Corners: This option will adjust two line segments to make an exact 90 degree corner when the original lines are nearly 90 degrees.

Smooth Polyline: This option applies for drawing smooth polylines such as a path for a stream. The Bezier smoothing method is used which passes through all the points and smooths only between the points.

Draw to 3D Viewer: When the 3D Viewer is running during Draw 3D Polyline, then this option will draw the 3D polyline simultaneously in the 3D Viewer and the drawing. This is a way to see the 3D polyline is a 3D scene with other objects while entering the 3D polyline data.

Use Current Drawing Properties: Select this option if you want the layer, color and linetype of the newly created polyline to match those currently set in the drawing.

Layer: Use this setting to manually assign the layer for the newly created polyline. You can type in the new layer name, use the "Select" button to choose an existing layer from the drawing's layer list or use the "Pick" button to select an entity in the drawing and match its layer.

Set Color: Use this button to manually specify a color for the newly created polyline.

Width: Specify the width of the newly created polyline.

Linetype: Use the "Select" button to manually specify a linetype for the newly created polyline.

Select Code: This option allows you to set the layer, color and linetype of a new polyline by using the properties assigned to a Field to Finish field code. The field code is selected from an existing Field Code table (.FLD) file that has been previously specified in the Point Defaults dialog box.

Prompts

For A 3D Polyline With A Specified Elevation At Each Vertex:
Command: 3dp
[Continue/Extend/Follow/Options/<Pick point or point numbers>]: screen pick a point
Interpolate/Object/<Elevation> <0.00>: 150.50
Z: 150.50
[Arc/Close/Distance/Follow/Undo/<Pick point or point numbers>]: screen pick a point
Percent/Ratio/Elevation/Degree/Object/Osnap[.]/Next point or elevation<Interpolate>: 155.25
Z: 155.25, Hz dist: 324.63, Slope dist: 324.66, Slope: 1.5% Ratio: 68.3:1
[Arc/Close/Distance/Extend/Follow/Line/Undo/<Pick point or point numbers>]: screen pick a point
Percent/Ratio/Elevation/Degree/Object/Osnap[.]/Next point or elevation<Interpolate>: 148.12
Z: 148.12, Hz dist: 272.88, Slope dist: 272.98, Slope: -2.6% Ratio: -38.3:1
[Arc/Close/Distance/Extend/Follow/Line/Undo/<Pick point or point numbers>]: press Enter
Command:

For A 3D Polyline With Interpolated Elevations At One or More Vertices:
Command:3dp
[Continue/Extend/Follow/Options/<Pick point or point numbers>]: screen pick a point
Interpolate/Object/<Elevation> <0.00>: 91.73
Z: 91.73
[Arc/Close/Distance/Follow/Undo/<Pick point or point numbers>]: screen pick a point
Percent/Ratio/Elevation/Degree/Object/Osnap[.]/Next point or elevation<Interpolate>: screen pick a point
This point elevation will be interpolated upon completion.
Percent/Ratio/Elevation/Degree/Object/Osnap[.]/Next point or elevation<Interpolate>: screen pick a point
This point elevation will be interpolated upon completion.
Percent/Ratio/Elevation/Degree/Object/Osnap[.]/Next point or elevation<Interpolate>: screen pick a point
This point elevation will be interpolated upon completion.
Percent/Ratio/Elevation/Degree/Object/Osnap[.]/Next point or elevation<Interpolate>: 94.44
Z: 94.44, Hz dist: 79.39, Slope dist: 122.88, Slope: 0.8% Ratio: 122.4:1
[Arc/Close/Distance/Extend/Follow/Line/Undo/<Pick point or point numbers>]: press Enter
Command:

Note that the difference between this and the previous example is that, instead of entering an elevation for each vertex, we are screen picking another new vertex. Each time we neglect to enter an elevation we are notified that, "This point elevation will be interpolated upon completion." After we specify "94.44" as the elevation of the last vertex, the slope of the interpolated segments is calculated using the total elevation change and the total length of all interpolated segments. Now, the elevations of all vertices can be determined and set based on the resulting slope.

Options and SubMenu Options

Once all settings have been specified and the "OK" button is picked, the options shown below are available from the Command: line. To issue any of these options, simply type in the capitalized portion of the Option at the Command: line and press Enter. The default option is always shown between angle brackets < Default >.

When starting a new 3D Polyline, the initial set of options assist you in setting the X,Y location of the first vertex:

Continue: This option allows you to select an existing polyline to which you'd like to add more line or arc segments. When prompted to "Select a polyline to continue or extend:", you may pick anywhere on the existing polyline and the new segment will begin at the ending vertex nearest your cursor. New line or arc segments can be added by screen-picking or using the options at the Command: line. Once finished adding segments, they are automatically joined to the original polyline.

Extend: This option gives you many ways to lengthen or shorten an existing polyline using the abbreviated SubMenu options shown below. Some of these options create additional segments at the end of the existing polyline and some allow you to change the length of the ending segment of the polyline. When prompted to "Select a polyline to continue or extend:", you may pick anywhere on the existing polyline and the "Extend" will occur at the ending vertex nearest your cursor. Once finished Extending, the new segments are automatically joined to the original polyline.

[I / R / L / S / T / A / B / E / U / X / Help / <Enter or Pick Distance>]

I - Input mode - This option toggles the distance input between feet & inches (will prompt first for feet, then prompt again for inches) and decimal feet.
R - Right rotate - From the ending vertex, turns the pointer 90-degrees to the right and then prompts for a distance.
L - Left rotate - From the ending vertex, turns the pointer 90-degrees to the left and then prompts for a distance.
S - Switch direction - From the ending vertex, turns the pointer 180-degrees and then prompts for a distance.
T - Total distance - Prompts you to "Enter total distance (100.00)" and displays the current length of the segment in parentheses. If a number smaller than the current distance is entered, this option will shorten the existing segment. If a number larger than the current distance is entered, this option will lengthen the existing segment. This option is also affected by the Skip Inline Vertices for Extend setting in the Polyline 3D Options dialog box. If "Skip Inline Vertices for Extend" is enabled, then the existing vertex will be dissolved when lengthening a segment. If the setting is not enabled, then the existing vertex will be left intact and an additional segment will be created inline.
A - Angle change - From the ending vertex, prompts you to "Enter Angle (ddd.mmss):" to turn the pointer by a specified angle and then prompts for a distance.
B - Bearing/Azimuth/Turned/Deflection - From the ending vertex, this option allows you to set the pointer direction by specifying an Angle. The Angle format is Qdd.mmss and there are a variety of ways to use the "Q" value to specify the Angle. See here for more.
E - Extend to edge - Extends current segment to another line or entity
U - Undo - Undo last action
X - Quit extend mode - Returns to normal 3D Polyline Draw mode
Help - Displays the descriptions of the Extend options
Enter or Pick Distance - Distance to extend the current segment

Follow: This option allows you to trace all or a portion of an existing polyline. After issuing the "Follow" option, you are prompted to "Select the polyline to Follow:" and then to "Specify the first follow point:". After snapping to a starting point on the polyline, you are asked whether you want to "Interpolate follow vertices elevations?". After answering Yes or No, you will then be prompted to specify the "Last follow point or follow distance:" where you can snap to another point on the polyline or type in a distance to trace the existing polyline.

Options: This will display the Polyline 3D Options dialog box.

Pick Point or Point Numbers: This is the default prompt for the command. From here you can set a new polyline vertex by screen picking, entering coordinates in X,Y format or entering a point number from the associated Coordinate (.CRD) file.

After setting its location, the next set of options help you calculate the elevation of the initial vertex:

Interpolate: This option will set the elevation of the vertex by calculating the slope between other vertices of known elevation.
Object: This option allows you to "Select an elevation label or a point on a polyline:" to set the elevation of the vertex. Elevation labels such as "FFE: 124.85" or "Z: 124.85" can be selected.
Adjust: This option allows you to add or subtract an amount from the elevation like for a curb offset.
Elevation: This is the default option and prompts you to type in the elevation for the vertex.

For subsequent 3D Polyline vertices, several options are added to assist you in setting the X,Y location of each new vertex:

Arc/Line: New polyline segments can be either an Arc or a Line segment. If the last polyline segment drawn was a LINE, then the "Arc" option will be shown as an available option; however, if the last polyline segment drawn was an ARC, then the "Line" option will be available.

When in the "Arc" mode, there are many additional SubMenu options available to you for creating an arc segment within the new polyline. The options are generated directly from the standard CAD version of the PLINE command and include Radius Point, Radius Length, Arc Length, Chord and Second Point (Point on Curve).

Close: This option will create a new Line or Arc segment back to the starting vertex of the polyline and results in a closed polyline.

Distance: This option allows you to first enter a distance for the new Line segment and then to specify the direction using one of three methods: Cursor, Line or Angle.
Cursor - This method will draw the polyline segment in the direction of your cursor position.
Line - This method prompts you to select a line or polyline segment to which it will draw a parallel segment.
Angle - This method prompts you for an Angle to determine the direction of your new polyline segment. The Angle format is Qdd.mmss and there are a variety of ways to use the "Q" value to specify the Angle. See here for more.

Undo: Undo the last drawn polyline segment.

After setting subsequent vertices, several more options are added to help you calculate the elevation of each new vertex:

Percent: This option allows you to specify the slope in Percent format (3%) from the previous vertex.
Ratio: This option allows you to specify the slope in Ratio format (for 3:1, enter 3) from the previous vertex.
Degree: This option allows you to specify the slope angle in decimal degree format (dd.dddd) from the previous vertex.
Osnap[.]: Using the [.] will toggle Running OSNAP settings ON or OFF.

Angle Entry Methods
The Angle format is Qdd.mmss where: Q=quadrant/angle, d=degrees, m=minutes and s=seconds.
The Quadrant/Angle can be specified as:
1=NE (NorthEast)
2=SE (SouthEast)
3=SW (SouthWest)
4=NW (NorthWest)
5=AZ (AZimuth)
6=AL (turned Angle-Left)
7=AR (turned Angle-Right)
8=DL (Deflection angle-Left)
9=DR (Deflection angle-Right)

Pulldown Menu Location: Draw
Keyboard Command: 3DP
Prerequisite: None

Converted from CHM to HTML with chm2web Standard 2.85 (unicode)