Frequently asked questions

Formats

Break line points having different codes

In many formats you can store break line points using different codes. E.g. a well is codes differently in a pipeline. This causes problems, because 3D-Win handles a break line as one object and all points on a line must have same code.

Solution is to set ‘Line points’ option on in conversion settings. This will copy all points having same line number (T2) but different feature code (T3) as single points. In the above example a new point is created for every well having feature code of a well.

Removing zero coordinates

In many ascii-files there might be some unwanted points with zero coordinates. There are several different reasons for this: cancelled station setup, errors in format conversion or illegal lines after editing a file with editor.

An easy way to get rid of these points is to set minimum value for X and Y coordinates in conversion settings. Set X and Y minimum to 1.0 and all points having X and/or Y coordinate less than 1.0 are removed.

Removing points having certain feature code

When reading or writing a format you can define a list of feature codes to be removed. Use ‘SkipCode’ in Special settings. Maximum of 20 codes can be defined.

In control file (or code conversion) you can convert certain codes into e.g. 999 and define this code in ‘Remove codes’.

Print

Part of the picture is not printed

Most printers must have few millimeters for margin. You should reduce the paper size. Instead of using full size (e.g. A4 297 x 210), use 285 x 200.

Axis for cross section and profile is not printed

Check CLR-definition in title file. There has to be enough space on the left side and under the drawing for the axis. See sample file CROSS.TIT.

Print preview

To see the picture as it will be in the printer, set in Paper-mode on in Zoom-menu.

Paper orientation

If you select Portrait/Landscape in 3D-Win, the same selection is used in the printer as default. But if you select this in your printer, it is not updated in 3D-Win. You can select Landscape in 3D-Win (drawing area), and Portrait in printer (paper size).

Single points on paper

Pixel size in a new laser printer is very small, hardly visible. To see single points on paper, select ‘Small cross’ on in Settings/Point view.

Method

To select center point of an arc

If you use Method to select several points and you copy the points into another file element, the center points of the arcs may not be included. Center points are not taken automatically, because not all users wish to have them.

In some cases you can use Cut rectangle/area -function to get also the center points.

Terrain model

Volume calculation in cross section window is not working

Check surface codes (T1) of the different cross sections (1,2,11).

Triangulation fails

In many cases this is caused by too long break lines, which are too close each other (cable dike) or have single points too close (< 0.2 m). You may try cutting the long lines using Edit/Arcs/Divide, with Also straight lines selected on A suitable lengths is normally 4 -10 m.

Calculation

To set calculation results in code fields (T1-T6) or attribute data

All calculation functions store the results in calculation result file, which is an ascii-file with constant column widths. After calculation read this result file using Free format (CrdInRow) and define code fields and/or attributes as wanted.