This PowerCADD™ external allows you to place a reference point object in the drawing that has a Z height and name as well as the normal X and Y location.
These objects can be imported from or exported to a text file. In PowerCADD you can do a 3D interpolation of the points, and it is also possible to automically draw a section of the terrain surface.

The tools in Topography Tools

The locations are in global coordinates, so it is possible to import X,Y,Z points from a text file and put these points over a parametric map.

These points can be exported to a text file containing the name and X, Y, Z coordinates of the point.
So you can import these points to another program that can handle the coordinate data.

With Topography Tools, you can add new points, and you can also:

• create new points interpolating in 3D space existing points;
• insert two topographic symbols;
• create sloped terrain symbols;
• create a middle line between two lines, polygons, or curves;
• create a section profile of the terrain.

Here is an example of what you can do with Topography Tools. (click on the thumbnail image to see a larger image in a new window)

Here is an example of sloped terrain symbols for a road

NEW version 8.0.4

In version 8.0.4 there is the ability to import GPX files (surveyed points using a GPS or the iPhone app GPS Kit). This GPX file contain geographic coordinate of points that where converted into a local WGS84 coordinate system where the first point have coordinate (0,0),

Also is is added the ability to import and export XYZ files using the standard PowerCADD Import and Export commands selecting the proper file format.

Finally the big news is the ability to export in DXF 3D the contour curves created using the Analyze Topo command of WildTools.
This exciting feature has come about a close collaboration with Alfred Scott (the developer of WildTools).
The WildTools  Analyze Topo command allows you to create contour lines from a scattered set of points you have imported in PowerCADD from a 3D survey with Topography Tools.

Below an example of 3D contour lines exported from PowerCADD to a 3D drawing program.



NEW version 8.0.5

We have added the ability to export 3D surfaces created from a network of surveyed points which you have imported from a 3D survey with Topography Tools.
Export 3D Surfaces will create the 3D surfaces to view in SketchUp, in2Space or other 3D programs.
And again, this feature is the result of a close collaboration with Alfred Scott (the developer of WildTools).



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