8 replies to this topic

[gee]

Hi All,

I need to import some contour data from microstation format to ArcMap. The problem is the z value did not appear in ArcMap. How can I import the contour line together with its z value from microstation format to ArcMap.

Thanks

[Hans van der Maarel]

I need to import some contour data from microstation format to ArcMap. The problem is the z value did not appear in ArcMap. How can I import the contour line together with its z value from microstation format to ArcMap.

I assume the Microstation lines are 3D lines? If so, you should be able to export them to a 3D DXF file, which I assume can be imported in ArcMap.

Alternatively, if you email me the dgn file, I can convert it to a 3D shapefile for you.

[Thanh]

Ensure that your countours must have elevation attribute.
Open your countour file in MicroStation. Go to File\Export\3D. Then you choose 2D Z Range/ Z Low at Z Depth Option and export to a dgn file or dwg(dxf) file.
If you use ArcMap 9.1, you can just load countour file in DWG (DXF) format into ArcMap. At 9.2, you can load direct dgn format into ArcMap.
Hope this help!

[gee]

Thanks for the feedback.

There are other problem that I realized. The elevation value is store in text (label) and not in the attribute. Is there any way to extract the value from the text and combine it with the contour line?

[Hans van der Maarel]

Thanks for the feedback.

There are other problem that I realized. The elevation value is store in text (label) and not in the attribute. Is there any way to extract the value from the text and combine it with the contour line?

You can do a spatial overlay of the text objects with the contour lines, however...

Microstation is about the worst format for this. You see, the point that the operator clicks to place the text object is guaranteed not going to be the point that Microstation stores in the DGN file. So there's no guarantee that the text points are on the contour lines, or even near enough to reliably overlay them.

I'll take another look (hadn't even noticed the text objects, they were so tiny!)

[Martin Gamache]

or even near enough to reliably overlay them.

I'll take another look (hadn't even noticed the text objects, they were so tiny!)

Would it be worth buffering the points first?

[Hans van der Maarel]

or even near enough to reliably overlay them.

I'll take another look (hadn't even noticed the text objects, they were so tiny!)

Would it be worth buffering the points first?

I did this in FME, simply snapping the points to the lines using a small enough tolerance did the trick.

[gee]

Thanks for the advices. I am now in a process of buffering the point. Hope it will work.

[Thanh]

sent me some your data. I'll process for u