CompuServe Thread

No 2d format can understand 3d terrain data. Let me tell you what I have done with interfacing with Civil Engineers. They use a data collection device for the contour control points in the field and then transfer the data to their PC sytem with LandCADD running inside AutoCAD. They then make me a 3d DXF file which I import into the 3d module of GFX-CAD using CrossDOS. These contours are strings(continuous polylines) that represent 2' contours placed at the correct elevation on the Z axis. They don't have surfaces between them. You can place surfaces by "exploding" the contour strings into lines and then using the 'DRAW SURFACE' command to add sufaces between each line segment. This is boring and tedious on a large project but it does work. ACAD and LandCADD cost about $5300 for software! That's an expensive way to get the joib done. I run MiniCAD+4.0 via AMAXII on the Amiga to share files with my structural Engineer. The same company that makes MiniCAD also makes a program called 'Contours PRO' and this might just be the answer for 3d contours. I'm going to have them send me a demo disk. I'll keep you posted once I have a view of what it can do.