LANDSurface Configuration

LANDSurface

A LANDSurface is a dynamic LAND4 Object – a 3D surface created from Spot Levels, Ridge Lines and Contour Lines.

Its surface is made up of triangles (triangulation) and as a minimum requires three reference points.

LANDSurface, 2D

In 2D a LANDSurface displays as an ARCHICAD Fill within a selected area. (Illustration: Grey area)

A dotted line outlines available 3D information held in the selected area. If 3D information is present in the entire selected area, the LANDSurface border and dotted line will converge.

LANDSurface, 3D

This illustration is a 3D view of the LANDSurface depicted in 2D above.

Here, only the available 3D information in the selected area will be visible.

The green crosses are 3D representations of Spot Levels.

LANDSurface Settings

Object Settings

1. Go to:
   • LAND4/Group Palettes/Show LANDSurface Palette, or
   • LAND4 Palette/LANDSurfaces
2. Press LANDSurface Settings button.

3. The LANDSurface section in Object Default Settings menu now opens.

Object Default Settings menu

In the LANDSurface section you have access to:

• Preview and Positioning
• Custom Settings
• Floor Plan and Section
• Model
• Classification and properties
• Layer*

*Note! Layer settings in default Category Settings overrule layer settings in the Object Default Settings dialog.

Change settings for selected LANDSurfaces

If you select one or more LANDSurfaces and subsequently make changes in the Object Default Settings dialog, the changes will only affect the selected LANDSurfaces.

Change general LANDSurface settings

If you make changes in the Object Settings dialog without first selecting any LAND4Surfaces, the resulting settings become the new defaults.

LANDSurface Custom Settings

Custom Settings for LAND4Surfaces are grouped as follows:

• Surface Attributes
• Level Lines
• 3D Structure
• Volumetrics materials
• Stamp

Surface Attributes

• 2D or 3D
• Triangulation: Smooth or sharp
  (Sharp means triangulation will be visible in 3D)
• Arc Secmentation Distance
• Surface materials and pen settings

Level Lines

• 2D and/or 3D
• Smooth lines ON/OFF
  (Smooth ON ensures rounded level lines. This can also be set in Model View Options)
• Height Distance (equidistance between Level Lines)
• Start Level: Minimum height for displaying Level Lines
  • Note! In Volumetrics, CUT volumes will be negative. Level Line Start Level should therefore be set below the resulting surface.
• End Level: Maximum height for displaying Level Lines
• Text Display Options
• Surface material
• Pen settings and show/hide various lines

Text Display Options

In Text Display Options you can choose to have Level Line heights displayed as text.

To manually set Level Line Text

1. Go to Object Default Settings/LAND4 Surface/Custom Settings/Level Lines/Text Display Options
2. Check: Set Each Text Manually
3. In 2D-view, select relevant Level Lines.
4. Hotspots (violet cross) appears.
5. Select Hotspot.
6. Set Level Line Text to ON/OFF.

3D Structure

Here, you can chose if you want a:

• Surface only.
• Surface with thickness: surface and undersurface run parallel.
  • Landsurface Thickness determines the thickness of the surface.
• Terrain body: undersurface follows defined level/plan.
  • Base Level determines level for undersurface to adhere to.

Volumetrics Materials and Stamp

These settings are primarily used in connection with volume calculations.

Here you can choose different materials and colours for Cut and Fill respectively. And in the STAMP settings, you can set e.g. stamp position, text pen, font and size.

Model View Options

To edit LANDSurface Model View Options, go to Model View Options/Options for LAND4/LANDSurface.

Here you can adjust settings for:

• LANDSurface in 3D
  • Show LANDSurface thickness/body in 3D, if existing.
    NB. This setting will apply to all LANDSurfaces and cannot be overruled by indidual object settings.
• Level Lines in Floor Plan
  • Smooth Level Lines ON/OFF, decides if Level Lines should be rounded or not. This MVO-setting can be overruled by individual LANDSurfaces’ Object Settings.

Fill Selection Settings

Since a LANDSurface is built on the Fill Tool in ARCHICAD, you can access two more LAND4 parameteres in th Fill Selection Settings:

1. Arc Segmentation Distance
2. Critical Angle for Level Line.

To access the Fill Selection Settings, you need to select the relevant LANDSurface/FILL and press the Settings dialog button:

Arc Segmentation Distance

The Arc Segmentation Distance value is expressed in the working units of the current project, and this parameter applies only to the curved segments contained by the surface geometry/border/boundary.

Default value

The default value is set to 10 mm, and the lower you set the Arc Segmentation Distance value, the more accurate/organic the LANDSurface border will get.

Note that depending on the LANDSurface geometry and size, a low value can cause the project files to become heavy!

The Arc Segmentation Distance represents the maximum distance between the LANDSurface and the Fill used to create the surface when using curved segments.

Comparison of values, 2D

Another example of Arc Segmentation Distances, viewed in a larger scale. Left (small value) and right (high value). The LANDSurface is represented by the dashed line:

Comparison of values, 3D

Comparison of two different Arc Segmentation Distance parameters (10) and (100) of the same LANDSurface, and how do they apply to the LANDSurface thickness. Preview in the 3D:

Critical Angle for Level Line

This parameter allows the user to control the smoothness of the level lines representing the LANDSurface. This value is set as a minimum angle between two lines, contained by the level lines.

Default value and recommended range

The default value is set to 180 degrees. The lower value, the more round/organic representation of Level Lines on the FILL. The recommended range is between 45–180 degrees.

Note that small critical angles can make the Level Lines cross in certain situations. In that case, try with a larger angle value!

Comparison of values, 2D

In the images below, the Critical Angle for the Level Lines are set to 180 degrees (left) and to 45 degrees (right):