Adding stakes to Site Model

[Alison Shearer]

I'm fairly new to site modelling. I've created a model from stake objects but it's not looking right so I've created a few more stakes by estimating. How do I update the model to include them or do I have to delete the model and start again? The Update button only seems to work when adjusting site modifiers. If I do have to start again, can I save my Site Modifiers or will they be lost too?

Thanks, Alison

[Tamsin Slatter]

Hi Alison

You can do one of two things:

1) Change the mode of your Stakes to Site Modifier, but set them to modify the existing site.

OR

2) Make sure your stakes are set as Site Model Source Data. Select all of your Stake objects and cut them (Edit>Cut). Right click on your site model and then choose Edit Source Data. Use Edit>Paste in Place. Click the large, orange exit button on the top right corner.

All the best

[olgab]

Is this possible to get back from created Site Model to Stakes?

[Benson Shaw]

@olgab 

Right click the site model. A dialog box appears.

Choose Recreate from Source Data (or Edit Source Data in earlier versions)

Work with the stake objects as needed. Drawing area will have an orange border.

Accept the edits by clicking the Exit button @ upper right corner of the drawing area.

 

In newer versions, a dialog appears warning that previous edits to contours will be lost.  This refers to edits made via the Edit Contours Existing/Proposed options in the site model right click dialog.

 

Experiment with a simple site model so you understand the dialog which warns that edits to contours revert to original when you exit the Recreate from Source Data.

 

-B

Edited August 20, 2018 by Benson Shaw

[Shane W]

@Tamsin Slatter I still need a bit of help with this.. 

For some context, what I'm trying to do is improve the accuracy of my site model which is built on 2013 LiDAR DEM data converted to 50 cm contours in QGIS, exported out as a Shapefile and then imported into Vectorworks to build a site model. 

So far so good. 

Then, when I take my survey points (which are centimetre-level accurate) and import them (also as a shapefile from points in QGIS) into VW, I can convert them to Stake Objects and Source Data.. but then when I paste them into the Site Model and exit.. I get this.. 

 

..which is not what I expected. 

I would have thought it would re-draw the contours and site model to work those points in.. instead it seems to have just sunken holes wherever there was a point..

 

Any idea what's happening here? 

[Benson Shaw]

They look like they are acting as site modifiers, connecting individually  to the nearest mesh nodes, rather than as source data connecting to each other and surrounding source geometry. Would a grade limits help? If they are assigned to the DTM Site Modifier class try reassigning to another class. 

Just curious. Are these stakes too low, perhaps by a consistent value that could be corrected en masse? Some offset in play? Or are the two clusters supposed to define depressions? 
 

-B

[Shane W]

19 hours ago, Benson Shaw said:

They look like they are acting as site modifiers, connecting individually  to the nearest mesh nodes, rather than as source data connecting to each other and surrounding source geometry. Would a grade limits help? If they are assigned to the DTM Site Modifier class try reassigning to another class. 

Just curious. Are these stakes too low, perhaps by a consistent value that could be corrected en masse? Some offset in play? Or are the two clusters supposed to define depressions? 
 

-B

Shortly afterwards VW froze so I have to start again anyway..  ..but the stakes are the 'accurate' data, which I am importing because the contours (from 10yo LiDAR data) is "fine" but not sufficient really to get realistic cut & fill calculations for a contractor to quote on, nor (really) to generate an accurate detailed drawing of the modifications to be proposed... hence why I did the surveying ..with the intention of using those points to further refine the site model in specific areas where that detail would be helpful. 

 

I am noticing that in the area (left of centre) where there is a dam wall that the contours do seem high (as suggested by the survey points taken. While it's not going to solve my main issue, I am wondering if lowering the contour lines to match those points across the dam wall as a reference might help? .. Not that I know how to do that. 😉

 

The main issue (I think) is that the stake objects as site data are not being understood / treated correctly by Vectorworks in generating the site model. 

[Jeff Prince]

4 hours ago, Shane W said:

Shortly afterwards VW froze so I have to start again anyway..  ..but the stakes are the 'accurate' data, which I am importing because the contours (from 10yo LiDAR data) is "fine" but not sufficient really to get realistic cut & fill calculations for a contractor to quote on, nor (really) to generate an accurate detailed drawing of the modifications to be proposed... hence why I did the surveying ..with the intention of using those points to further refine the site model in specific areas where that detail would be helpful. 

 

I am noticing that in the area (left of centre) where there is a dam wall that the contours do seem high (as suggested by the survey points taken. While it's not going to solve my main issue, I am wondering if lowering the contour lines to match those points across the dam wall as a reference might help? .. Not that I know how to do that. 😉

 

The main issue (I think) is that the stake objects as site data are not being understood / treated correctly by Vectorworks in generating the site model. 

 

It's not possible to give clear advice from screenshots alone.  Perhaps you should post your site model for closer scrutiny.

 

Reading your posts, it strikes me that you have started with less than stellar Lidar/DEM data (points), converted it to an even less desirable interpretation of those points (contours), and have now added presumably more accurate and trustworthy field collected data.

 

The fix? Move your contours to the corrected elevation.  Then, clip out the contours in proximity to your stakes.  Easy to do by drawing a poly around your outermost stakes and offsetting it to a suitable buffer.  I typically use a few meters, sometimes more depending on the data and topography.  Your goal here is to make things less confusing for Vectorworks.  This is how we typically marry Lidar and field collected points.  In an ideal world, all of your source data would only be points, which Vectorworks would then interpret into contours for you.

 

If you don't clip the contours, Vectorworks will struggle to resolve the discrepancies between the data sets, hence your pock marked surface.