What file type is best for importing Topographical data?

[Mr S]

Hi,

Sorry to bring up an old topic again, but I'm still struggling to get this right.
Some time ago I was provided with an excellent guide on how to create terrain in SketchUp from topographical data supplied by those who do site surveys.

Please see attached .skp file which was posted to help me out.
(My apologies, I forget who created this guide).
It works great, but what file type/format should I be requesting to import in to SketchUp?
I want the site survey marks in 3D avoiding having to plot them all indivdually.

Any help appreciated.

Regards
Mr S
=======SvySymbol_2_Surface_V2.skp

[Gaieus]

Oh yes, I remember that topic.
BUT!!! Make sure you bring your triangles over as instances of the same component so you can add that construction/guide point into all at once (otherwise it is as much a pain in the neck to add each group individually as moving them separately).

[Mr S]

Hi James,

Yes, that link takes you back to the original solution provided to me.
But I have had a CAD file supplied to me with site survey data illustrated in text format on a flat 2D CAD site plan.
For me to go round all the height elevations indicated and try to create levels based on those values would be like me carrying out the site survey yet again.
Do I simply ask the site survey guys to supply me a 3D CAD file as opposed to a 2D one?

Regards
Mr S

[Gaieus]

You can either do that or ask them to send the survey in a simple text file showing the xyz coordinates and then you could use Didier's other script: cloud_v6.rb to create a mesh from the data file itself.