Default Z Elevation

[islandmon]

Organize>Layers>Design layer=active>Delta Z = 00

[miles]

That didn't seem to change anything. A 3-D object is still inserting at around 6,000' For instance if I placed a 3-D chair into the drawing it would be sitting at a z elevation of 6,000'

[CipesDesign]

It's not the DELTA Z (which is the "change in height")that needs to be at zero, it's the Z (which is the "starting point").

[islandmon]

Oops...

Sorry got it reversed...

Z value represents height above base elevation

Delta Z represents the default height of walls created on that layer.

Changes made to these values then become defaults for subsequent new layers.

[miles]

I have both the Z and Delta Z set to 0 and object are still inserting at the 6,000' level. If I place a symbol in top/plan and then view the object in 'front' view it is around 6,000 on the y axis.

[CipesDesign]

THREE QUESTIONS: 1) How many design layers do you have in the document? 2) Are you using LAYER LINKS or MODEL VIEW? 3) Is this a "native" VW's drawing or was it imported from a dwg (ACAD) file?

[miles]

1.63 Design Layers (of which one has 3-d objects) and 8 sheet layers

2. No to both

3. No, not native. I guess you might say invasive. It started as a survey prepared by my civil in AutoCad.

[ 01-23-2006, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: miles ]

[CipesDesign]

Curious: how come so many layers? Usually when I import an ACAD document I check the "import ACAD layers as classes" box, as this is more in line with the VW paradigm.

Question: if you make the one layer which contains 3d elements the active layer, and chose "active only" as the layer visibility, you're saying that even though the layer is set to z=zero, when you switch to a front view the object in question is 6000 ft above where you'd expect it to be?

What if you just go to front view and move the symbol down so that it sits at zero? (I know it's a workaround, but sometimes we gotta do some strange things :-)

[miles]

My default Z elevation semms to be around 6,800'. When I draw (extrude) and object or create a 3-D view I want the elevation to start at zero. How do I reset this?

[miles]

I'm a landscape architect and dealing with site design. Using classes instead of layers in my case is just not efficient. Classes are great for attribute consistency and worksheet calculations. I'm doing the workaround but it becomes a pain when creating 3-d views and calculating viewer height and 'looking toward' height.

[islandmon]

Recalling that usually the Acad coordinate page differs from VW page and visa versa.

Perhaps the objects in question are sysmbols and those symbols are set to z=6000. Editing the symbols would correct the issues. I've found these 'origin' displacement issues to be relatively common. Imported symbols often have origins well off the default VW page.

[miles]

Good idea but no dice. I agree that origin problems always exist with CAD files. I typically reset it to be within my drawing areas somewhere. Anything I draw in 3-d not just symbols go to the 6000' level. What about a working plane adjustment?

[CipesDesign]

That's the best idea yet. Remember to do a SAVE AS before you make the change, just in case.