Terrain from contours - improve on native 'from contours'?

fredo6

Fredo, I assume Toposhaper is a work in progress and hasn't been released yet? I can't find it for download...

Cheers,

Correct, it is work in progress. However, I think I have done most of the algorithmics now and should be able to release a first simple version soon.

In the meantime, I am still interested in getting models of contours to test the plugin.

Fredo

utiler

OK, do you want them in DWG or SU? I'll send a few through....

pbacot

I'm "cooking" one up in Sandbox right now. I'll send the file when it gets done. Taking about 10 min. to do "from contours". It's a nice one with hills and saddles.

twestover

Will the plugin work with an already triangulated surface?

Say I have imported and triangulated a set of XYZ data, and wish to turn it into a solid group like your final product, with vertical sides and a horizontal bottom. Is that possible?

utiler

Fredo, would you like contours in DWG or SU?

fredo6

@utiler said:

Fredo, would you like contours in DWG or SU?

I prefer SU as I am not familiar with CAD and Archi software (I don't know DWG format).

Thanks in advance

Fredo

pilou

@unknownuser said:

I prefer SU as I am not familiar with CAD and Archi software

Except one! SU Itself

utiler

Here's a few contour Skippy's, Fredo.

Survey01 - contours or a regular residential site of about 800sqm with a 15m fall. Contours at 250mm....

survey01.skp

Survey02 - contours over a commercial development site of about 2800sqm. Contours at 200mm increments with minimum grad.

survey02.skp

fredo6

Andrew

First of all, thanks very much for posting these 2 samples. They are extremely useful for fine tuning the algorithms.

I have problem about the calculation of the concave hull for the first one, but here is the second one, in 2 flavors:

the original altitude (which are very flattish)
the exaggerated altitudes which help me to better check the calculations

utiler_survey02.skp

Utiler Survey02 by TopoShaper.png

Utiler Survey02 by TopoShaper max.png

Fredo

Krisidious

subscribed...

utiler

No problem, Fredo, I'm not surprised at issues with the first one as it was a survey of a site with an existing residence on it which prevented a uniform data to be taken...

What you've done with the other one looks good! Can't wait to see how this plugin ends up. I'll see if I can dig out some other survey plans off file and convert them for you.

fredo6

@utiler said:

No problem, Fredo, I'm not surprised at issues with the first one as it was a survey of a site with an existing residence on it which prevented a uniform data to be taken...

I evolved the algorithm for calculating the concave hull on your complex model and could obtain a result on your model, without any change, here attached.

A lot of the problem come from the small terminations hooks in several contours, like illustrated on the picture below
TopoShaper small hooks.png

The issue with terrain construction is that you need to have a correct hull in order to determine the spatial distribution of the influence of the contours.

utiler_survey01.skp

TopoShaper Utiler Survey 01.png

TopoShaper Utiler Survey 1.gif

Fredo

PS: I hope to finish a first version in 2-3 weeks time, as I have actually very few moment available currently

EarthMover

Can't wait! Thanks Fredo!

utiler

that is looking very sweet, Fredo!!!! Can't wait as well!!!

Krisidious

here's a topo I just got from a survey company... if you need tests.

HANNA-TOPO.dwg

EarthMover

Here's another set of contour lines from my current project. All welded up.

Coleman Topo.skp

pbacot

I've gone ahead and started using one of the tests you made of my contour set, Fredo. I don't have a lot to do as yet but it was really clean leveling some areas and "filling" others with Artisan. Maybe we can illustrate the cut and fill on the project with before and AFTER terrains. Thanks!

fredo6

@earthmover said:

Here's another set of contour lines from my current project. All welded up.

Adam,

Here is what I obtain on the original file. I think however that the contour should be simplified a little bit because there are a lot of edges and it slows down the calculation.

Earthmover Coleman Topo.skp

Toposhaper Earthmover Coleman Topo.png

Fredo

EarthMover

A quick play with the contours. Simplified the curves using Thom's Edge Tools. Then did a From Contours terrain. Then a Drape Cpoints / Triangulate method to retopo. Then opened the high res contour lines in 3ds Max and used the free Populate Terrain plugin to generate a similar terrain. Then brought it back into sketchup and compared the two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jiLKUsWIkY&hd=1

Earthmover Coleman Topo (1).skp

dtrarch

Terragen2 download
http://planetside.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30&Itemid=170
Someone here was looking for this and here tiz

dtr