#DXFin Contours?
3D mavens: This is a sub-optimal situation, but it is the one I am in: Trying
to import '3D' DXF from Acad. In general, we get lots of survey drawings of
sites that have contours, and if you are lucky, they will even have valid Z
elevations. (If not, you can usually give the correct elev with not too much
trouble.) I do not have any nifty tools to 'drape' or otherwise fit a 3D mesh
of some sort to the contours. I have been trying several variations to import
SOMETHING usable. Followed recommendations in 3Ds manuals, changed all
contours to layer 0, no text or any other junk, just '3D' plines (2D plines
with elev), DXFed each set of contours out separately. A couple will load into
3DS, but most say 'No 3D entities'. Can't merge either. I guess I'm trying to
do this the hard way not using/generating some kind of mesh, but these type of
contour files are what we get all the time, not some pretty mesh. The point in
this case also is to take as little time, as few translation and manipulations
as possible to turn around a number of small renderings quickly. Oh, have just
tried this on a small portion of a 2Meg file, so I am sure file sizes are not a
problem (files are probably 5-10k each,10 files). Advice appreciated. eof