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The Conversion tools are a set of tools to carry out various commonly encountered drawing objects conversion. They form a range to tools helpful for the conversion and structuring of data into a format most appropriate for use in your project.

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Change 2D to 3D
Command line : GT_CH2D3D 
See Under Polyline Tool Set 1



Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Change 3D to 2D polylines
Command line : GT_CH3D2D 
See Under Polyline Tool Set 1



Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert zero length polylines to point objects.
Command line : GT_0LEN2PNT 
See Under Polyline Tool Set 1

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Scale Z values of objects.
Command line : GT_SCALE_Z 

Updates a 2D or 3D POLYLINE by multiplying the Z of each vertex by a factor. Also supports Z scaling for POINTs, BLOCKs and SHAPEs also.

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert ARC polylines to linear polylines.
Command line : GT_PLARC2PL 

Converts arc segments in polylines or ARC objects to polylines with linear interpolated segments. The arc section is approximated by connecting with a number of straight line segments. The linear segment of the original polyline is left as it is. The arc approximation (interpolation) can be done by any one of the three methods:

Angular
In this case, sampling is done at the specified angular interval (in degrees) along the arc segment. This is useful when you want to replace an arc or circle with linear segments at every fixed angular interval like 5 or 10 degrees. This method is usually not preferred to deal with polyline arc segments in surveyed horizontal curves where it is desirable to adopt either of the other two parameters described below. 

Chord Length
This is the maximum allowable chord length during the interpolation of the arcs.


Chord Perpendicular (crown distance)
This is the maximum crown distance of the chord that is allowable during the arc interpolation. The crown distance is the distance from the midpoint of the chord to the arc.

Layer to place:

Source: Choosing this option places the converted polylines in source object layer.

Current: Choosing this option places the converted polylines in current layer.

Delete original objects: Checking this box deletes the original objects.

See Also: GT_PLINE2ARC

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert linear polyline segments to arcs / arced plylines.
Command line : GT_PLINE2ARC 

The GT_PLINE2ARC command converts linear segment polylines into arc objects or polyline with arcs. If you have polylines defined with a number of points connected by linear segments and would like to approximate it with an arc segment that connects every n th vertex, then GT_PLINE2ARC is the command to use. An arc is defined by three points.

Create arc for each polyline segment: Checking this box creates arc between each segment of polyline which will be useful to prepare data for many CNC applications where you need to provide the input as arc instead of polyline geometry.

Number of vertices between arc points: Specify the number of vertices to skip between arc points.

Output Mode: Specifies the type of output object to be created. This can be either an ARC object or polyline with arc segments.

ARC objects: Choosing this type causes the output to be ARC objects.

Polyline arcs: Choosing this type creates polyline object with arced segments.

Layer to place  

Source: Choosing this option places the result in the layer in which it was created (source layer)

Current: Choosing this option places the result in the current layer

Specify: Choosing this option allows to specify the layer in which the resultant object to be placed

Layer-name: Displays the name of the layer selected

Select: Clicking on Select button pops up the select layer dialog box

Delete original objects: Checking this box deletes the original source object (polyline) after converting into arc

See Also: GT_PLARC2PL

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert polylines to 3DFaces.
Command line : GT_PL23DFACE 

The GT_PL23DFACE command creates 3dface objects out of any 3 or 4-sided 2d/3d polyline objects.


See Also: GT_3DF2PL

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert properties from ByLayer to ByEntity.
Command line : GT_BL2BE 
Converts color and line-type property of selected objects from "BYLAYER" to "BYENTITY". 



Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Create POINT at every Block/Shape insertion.
Command line : GT_BLKSHP2P 
Creates a point at the insertion point of every AutoCAD shape, block or text object in the selection set. Optionally, the source objects can be deleted.



Tech Info: If there is any extended entity data or object table data in the source objects, they will be transferred to the points.
 
Layer to place  

Source:  Choosing this option creates points in the source layer
Current: Choosing this option places the points in the current layer

Specify: Choosing this options allows to specify the layer in which the points will be created

Layer-name: Displays the name of the layer selected

Select: Clicking on Select button pops up the select layer dialog box

Delete original objects: Checking this box deletes the original source object (block/shape) after creating the points

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Create a Block or Shape at every Point location.
Command line : GT_P2BLKSHP 
Replaces all selected AutoCAD point objects with Blocks or Shapes.

Tech Info: If there is any extended entity data or object table data in the source objects, they will be transferred to the new target objects.

Replace with:

Block: Choosing this option allows to replace selected points with block.  

Shape: Choosing this option allows to replace selected points with shape.

Insertion Settings:

Scale Factor: Allows to enter the required scale factor for the block/shape.

Rotation Angle: Allows to enter the required rotation angle for the block/shape.

Block Name: The "Blocks" button allows selecting the block for insertion.

Shape Name: Enter the shape name to insert

Layer to place  

Source:  Choosing this option creates block/shape in the source layer

Current: Choosing this option places the result in the current layer

Specify: Choosing this option allows to specify the layer in which block/shape is to be created

Layer-name: Displays the name of the layer selected

Select: Clicking on Select button pops up the select layer dialog box

Delete original objects: Checking this box deletes the original source object (point) after creating the block/shape

GT_P2BLKSHP Tutorial

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert spline to Pline.
Command line : GT_SPL2PL 
See Under Polyline Toolset  2

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert Pline to Spline
Command line : GT_PL2SPL 
See Under Polyline Toolset  2

GT_PL2SPL Tutorial



Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Automatically inherit properties from objects in vicinity.
Command line : GT_ASN_PROP 
Assigns either of the two primary properties (Thickness or Elevation) to selected AutoCAD points, shapes, blocks or circles. These properties are inherited from nearby text objects or from block attributes and converted to their floating point values. Typically, any AutoCAD object, which has only one DXF Group Code 10, can be used.




The GT_ASN_PROP command is useful as an "intelligence adding tool" in cases where the elevation or thickness value was created separately as a free standing text or block attribute.

This command can also be used to update an existing block with the elevation or thickness value derived out of the value of one of its attributes.

Assign what property?

Elevation: Select this option to assign the elevation value from a neighboring text/block attribute.

Thickness: Select this option to assign the thickness value from a neighboring text/block attribute.

Inherit from:

Text: Searches around the point for text objects only to inherit the value

Block: Searches around the point for block attributes (of the specified tag name) only to inherit the value.


Measure distance to:

Nearest visible location: Select this option to find any visible part of the text/block within the search distance.

Insertion point: Select this option to find the text/block whose insertion point is within the search distance.

Inherit object property only once (ignore in subsequent processing): This option ensures that the property is inherited only once from any object.

Delete object after property inheritance: The object whose property is inherited is deleted from the drawing immediately.

Attribute tag name: Specify name of an attribute tag to look for near the object.

Search Distance: Specify the distance to search around the object.

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Assign contour polyline elevatiions in a semi-automatic manner.
Command line : GT_ASS_EL 
GT_ASS_EL is an "intelligence adding" tool. It allows you to assign elevations to contour polylines which do not have elevations. You are asked to pick a reference contour and then the subsequent contours in order. On specifying the contour interval, all the contours are assigned elevations based on the reference contour and the contour interval.

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Assign contour polyline elevations from text objects
Command line : GT_ASS_EL_TEXT 
GT_ASS_EL_TEXT is another "intelligence adding" tool. It allows you to assign elevations to contour polylines which do not have elevations but, unlike the GT_ASS_EL command which performs automatic incrementing of elevations, this command asks for a text label object. You are asked to pick a contour and a text object which will represent the contour elevation



Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Changte selected object to current layer.
Command line : GT_CCL 
See Under Layer Tools



Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Copy selected object to current layer.
Command line : GT_CPCL 
See Under Layer Tools



Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert 3DFaces to polylines.
Command line : GT_3DF2PL
The GT_3DF2PL  command creates a 3d polyline from the vertices of selected 3dface objects

Layer to place  

Source: Choosing this option places the result in the layer in which it was created (source layer)

Current: Choosing this option places the result in the current layer

Specify: Choosing this option allows to specify the layer in which the resultant object should be placed

Layer-name: Displays the name of the layer selected

Select: Clicking on Select button pops up the select layer dialog box

Delete original objects: Checking this box deletes the original source object (3DFace) after converting to polyline

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert 3DFaces to polyface mesh objects.
Command line : GT_3DF2PFACE 
TThe GT_3DF2PFACE command creates a 3d polyface mesh object from 3dface objects.

Layer to place  

Source: Choosing this option places the result in the layer in which it was created (source layer)

Current: Choosing this option places the result in the current layer

Specify: Choosing this option allows to specify the layer in which the resultant object should be placed

Layer-name: Displays the name of the layer selected

Select: Clicking on Select button pops up the select layer dialog box

Delete original objects: Checking this box deletes the original source object (3DFace) after converting into polyface mesh object

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert polyface mesh objects to polylines.
Command line : GT_PFACE2PL 

The GT_PFACE2PL command is used to convert a polyface object into polylines.

Create invisible edges also - This option includes invisible polyface edges in the resulting polylines.

Layer to place  

Source: Choosing this option places the result in the layer in which it was created (source layer)

Current: Choosing this option places the result in the current layer

Specify: Choosing this option allows to specify the layer in which the resultant object should be placed

Layer-name: Displays the name of the layer selected

Select: Clicking on Select button pops up the select layer dialog box

Delete original objects: Checking this box deletes the original source object (Polyface) after converting to polyline

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert object data to extended entity data.
Command line : GT_OD2XD 
See Under AutoDesk Map Tools

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert object table data to block attributes.
Command line : GT_OD2ATT 
See Under AutoDesk Map Tools

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Convert lines, arc, circles to polylines.
Command line : GT_LINE2PL 
See Under Polyline Tool Set 3

Toolbar : Conversion Tools  
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Join nearest ends of lines/polylines.
Command line : GT_JNE 
The GT_JNE command is used to join the nearest ends of two selected lines and/or polylines with a connecting line and optionally join all the three into one single polyline.

Command: Select first object: (do so)
Select second object: (do so)
Join all segments together? [ Yes/No ] <Yes>:

Toolbar : Conversion Tools 
      Menu : GeoTools Conversion Tools Concert to 0.0 elevation.
Command line : GT_FLATTEN 

The GT_FLATTEN command is used to convert the "Z" elevation of Lines/Polylines/3D-Polylines/Circles/Arcs to 0.0 elevation. This command uses a generic flattening algorithm that changes the elevation of all selected objects to 0.0.

There is another very interesting feature of the GT_FLATTEN command which is very useful to Mechanical engineers. It can also convert Solid Models (3DSOLID) to 0.0 elevation by generating the "Projected view" of the model on the current UCS plane. By doing this, you can generate a projected view of a 3D model at any straight or inclined plane.

Prev: Polyline Tool Set 3

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