Rookie - how to get continious polylines exporting contours to DWG

[Anonymous User]

Original User: offwhite

I am a green newby working my way through generating contours from LiDAR images to export contour lines into my architectural software, [ArchiCAD], in DWG format to generate better site plans for my design work. I am all of the way there with a single glitch........

When the DWG is placed/imported into my program what should, [as in I want to be], be continious polylines some up as a bi-gillion single little lines, creating arcs andcurves by splitting them into thousands of little elements.

I presume this is pilot error and with some guidance, [thank you in advance!], on how to adjust my settings this can be overcome. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[jeffwhite1]

some tidbit, someone....?

[Anonymous User]

Original User: khodge

some tidbit, someone....?

I'll give it a shot...but I'll probably create more questions than answers.

The geoprocessing tool ExportToCad will create true curves with elevations from GIS features to DWG.  So it is possible.  But....

It can only create curves if you start with curves.  In your case, it appears that your GIS features are in a shp file.  Shp doesn't support curved features, it approximates curves using short line segments--which is what you are seeing.

If you can't bypass the use of a shape file, you need to find a way to create curved features from your data.  You may be able to do this in ArchiCAD by spline fitting the vertices, but you could lose some accuracy.  You may also be able to do this in ArcMap--I'd ask the Geoprocessing gurus how to create curves from line segments.

Hope this helps.

--Karen

[BruceHarold]

Hi

There is an optional extension to the FME product - CurveFitter - which might do the job.
Sorry the function is not included in Data Interpoerability.

Regards

[Anonymous User]

Original User: khodge

Thanks, Bruce.

Also...AutoCAD can smooth the plines, but I find it doesn't do as thorough a job as I'd like.

[jeffwhite1]

thanks Bruce & Karen.........I'll continue with work-arounds.