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The Polyline tools are a set of tools for performing various types of editing and inquiry operations on polylines.

Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Join 3D Polylines 
Command line: GT_3DJ 

Joins 3D segments (lines or polylines) and combines them into a 3D polyline. The PEDIT command does not allow  joining of 3D segments. This command fills the need by allowing the Join subcommand to be applied on 3D polyline segments or lines. The segments to be joined must be exactly touching each other.

Once the command has been issued, the prompts that follow are similar to the PEDIT command. You are prompted to select polylines. If a line has been selected, you are prompted to convert it into a polyline. Then you select the objects to join. All touching segments are joined to the first segment resulting in a joined 3D Polyline.

Select 3d polylines/lines to join (or ENTER to select by layer[s]):
Select objects: (do so)

If you are selecting multiple layers for processing, GT_3DJ will join them individually in their respective layers. They will not be joined across different layers except if they are selected explicitly from the command line.

See Also: GT_PLJOIN

GT_3DJ Tutorial



Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Automated join 2D Polylines
Command line: GT_PLJOIN  
Automatically fuses (joins) all selected line or polyline objects together. The objects should be touching each other at their ends.

See Also: GT_3DJ



Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Change 2D to 3D Polylines
Command line: GT_CH2D3D 

Converts all the selected 2D Polylines to 3D polylines. A 3D polyline can hold different Z values in each of its vertex. The new 3D polylines thus formed will look exactly like the 2D polylines except that internally they are 3D and therefore can hold Z values.

The standard object selection dialog appears and allows polylines and lines to be selected. Click Apply and all the 2D polylines are converted into 3D polylines. The original 2D polyline will be erased.

Tech Info: GT_CH2D3D changes the DXF Group Code 70 of each polyline, adds the 8 bit and recreates a 3D polyline. The 3D polyline thus created has the 3D flag set. The 3D polyline acquires new handles but any extended entity data in the 2D polyline will be transferred to the 3D polyline.



GT_CH2D3D Tutorial

See also: GT_CH3D2D


Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Change 3D to 2D Polylines
Command line: GT_CH3D2D 

Converts all selected 3D polylines and lines into 2D polylines and lines. Depending on the setting of the PLINETYPE variable, the 2D polylines thus formed will be either heavy weight polylines or light weight polylines. 

While creating the 2d polylines, you can specify the constant elevation that the 2d polylines should acquire.

The following options are possible:

Set to 0.0
Lowest Z of each 3d polyline
Highest Z of each 3d polyline
First vertex elevation
Average of all vertices (default)

The standard object selection dialog appears and allows polylines and lines to be selected.

Click Apply and the all the 3D polylines and lines are converted into 2D polylines. The original 3D polyline will be erased.

Tech Info: CH3D2Dchanges the DXF Group Code 70 of each polyline, removes the 8 bit and recreates a 2D polyline. The 2D polyline acquires new handles but any extended entity data in the 3D polyline will be transferred to the 2D polyline.


See also: GT_CH2D3D


Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Classify elevation contours in different layers
Command line: GT_CONTCLASS 

This command places objects representing contours (polylines or LDDT contour objects) into different layers according to their contour interval.




You can select a maximum of five contour intervals and specify a layer name for each of these contour intervals. The selected contour objects are then placed in their allotted layers. You can select AutoCAD polyline objects or LDDT contour objects.

Tip: GT_CONTCLASS can be used as a terrain analysis tool or for creating map output showing contours of specific elevations only.

See Also: GT_CONTLABEL

Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Label contour polylines
Command line: GT_CONTLABEL 

The GT_CONTLABEL command places labels along polylines, lines, arcs and splines. You can use it to label just about anything that is a linear object such as label roads, fences, boundaries, traversas, etc. The label can be the elevation of the object or you can specify a user string to be placed as a label.




What to label?

Elevation: Check this option to label the elevation information of the polyline

User String: Check this option to enter a user-defined string value that is used to annotate along the polyline. 

Curve Length: Check this option to label the length of contour. 

Text Orientation

Always upright: Check this option to create labels that are always face up. This cause any text that is between rotation angles of 90 and 270 degrees AutoCAD-wise to be flipped by 180 degrees.
Always aligned: Check this option to create labels which are always aligned to the direction of the line. This can result in inverted text.

Text spacing

Repeated: Checking this option causes GT_CONTLABEL to place the labels repeatedly along the line at an interval specified in Annotation Distance (see below)

At picked point: Checking this option allows the user to manually pick points on the line where the annotation is desired. This option does not place annotations automatically and does so only at the picked point.

At cutting line locations: Checking this option allows the user to specify two points that define a line and the program will generate annotations at every intersection of the line with the selected contour polyline objects.

At mid-point of curve: Checking this option places the label at the mid of the contour.

At ends of the curve: Checking this option to place the label at the two ends of the contour.



Other annotation parameters

Text Style: Select the text style to use for the annotation.

Text Height: Specify the text height to use for annotation.

Annotation Spacing: Specify the annotation distance between labels when the Repeated Option above is chosen.

Annotation Label String: Specify the text label to be used if the User String option above is chosen.

Label Layer: Displays the selected layer name.

Select: Pops-up the Select Label Layer dialog box for choosing the required layer.

Color: Pops-up the Standard AutoCAD color dialog box for color selection.

Break Contour object around label: If this option is checked, the contour object will be broken around the text label.

Label at midpoint of contour if length is less than spacing: Checking this option causes only one annotation of text at the midpoint of the contour if its length is less than the label spacing.

See Also: GT_CONTCLASS, GT_CHAINAGE, GT_SEGLABEL, GT_VXLABEL

See Example : GT_ContLabel

  
Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
    Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Convert zero length objects [lines, polylines and 3Dfaces] to point objects
Command line: GT_OLEN2PNT 

GT_0LEN2PNT converts all zero length objects into Points so that they can be easily identified and handled. The program accepts both lines, polylines and 3dfaces.

Often, because of a programming error or an improper import from other CAD systems or during processing of 3dface information for modeling purposes, zero length lines, polylines and 3dfaces get created. These objects are mostly redundant and do not contribute to the data in any way.

The standard object selection dialog box appears and allows the selection of polylines, lines and 3dfaces.
The elevation of the point object is the average of all the vertices.

Source: Choosing this option places the points in source object layer

Current: Choosing this option places the points in current layer.

Specify: Choosing this option allows to specify the layer for placing the points.

Label-name: Displays the selected layer name.

Select: Pops-up the Select Label Layer dialog box for choosing the required layer.

Delete original objects: Deletes the original zero length objects after converting them into points.

Tech Info: The points created will acquire new handles but any extended entity data in the source objects will be transferred to the points.




Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Change widths.
Command line: GT_CHW

The GT_CHW command is useful to change the widths of selected lines, polylines, arcs or circles. Non-polyline objects will be converted to polylines.




Specify the width to set in the width-control dialog box and select the objects to process through the object selection dialog box.


See Example GT_CHW

Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Delete polyline vertex
Command line: GT_DELVX 

Allows picking a polyline vertex and deleting it in one step. A handy shortcut resulting in much fewer mouse clicks than using the PEDITàEDIT VERTEXàNEXT.... 





See also: GT_INSVX and GT_XV (Express PEDIT commands)



Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Insert polyline vertex
Command line: GT_INSVX 

Pick any point along a polyline and add a vertex at the picked location. A handy shortcut resulting in much fewer mouse clicks than using the Pedit->Edit Vertex->Next..... 


See also: GT_DELVX and GT_XV (Express PEDIT commands)



Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Flip polyline flow direction
Command line: GT_FLIP

Reverses the direction of the polyline vertices. This command preserves the handle (see below for conditions) as well as any extended entity data that is stored with the polyline or with each or any of its vertices (in case of heavy weight polylines).




Direction Control:

Clockwise:
Choosing this option flips all counter-clockwise polylines to clockwise

CounterClockwise:
Choosing this option flips all clockwise polylines counter-clockwise

Interchange: Reverses the direction of all selected polylines irrespective of whether they are clockwise or counterclockwise.

Low to High Z:
Reverses the direction of the polylines whose last vertex elevation (Z value) is higher than the first vertex elevation (Z value).

High to Low Z:
Reverses the direction of the polylines whose last vertex elevation (Z value) is lower than the first vertex elevation (Z value).

Display graphically:
Displays the polyline direction graphically by drawing leader arrows along the polyline segments. Does not slip the polyline.

Retain same object handle for reversed polylines:
Choosing this option ensures that the reversed polylines have the same handle as the original polyline. This takes longer time to process and it does not work on polylines having arc segments. The object handle is always preserved for 3d polylines irrespective of whether the option above is chosen or not. In case of 2D polylines, the object handles will not be preserved unless this option is set. Switching this option off can greatly improve the process speed especially for long polylines.

Hide dialog box and run GT_FLIP with current settings:
By clicking this option, you can run GT_FLIP any number of times in the current session without the dialog box. You will be prompted to only select the polylines to flip and the program operates with the settings last set. The setting remains in place for the current AutoCAD session unless it is reset using the 'GT_ShowDlg' command. 

Tech Info: The extended entity data in the objects will always be retained.




Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Densify polylines
Command line: GT_DENSIFY 

This command can be used to add extra vertices to the polylines, i.e. 2D or 3D based on the "Number of segments" and "Length of segment"




Densify Method
Number of segments: Densifies or adds vertices with specified number of segments.
Length of segment: Densifies or adds vertices with specified length i.e. distance between each vertices.

Tech Info: GT_Densify will not work on polylines consisting any arc segments in them. Such polylines will be ignored by the GT_Densify command and must be pre-processed using other GeoTools commands before they can be densified. 


See Example: GT_Densify

Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Weed polylines based on inter-vertex distance and angular deflections
  Command line: GT_DISTANGWEED 

This command can be used to eliminate redundant vertices in a polyline by weeding out vertices that fall closer than a specified value or those segments that deflect less than a given angular value. There is also an option to create a point object at every location where a vertex was weeded.



Weed vertices closer than this value [drawing units]:
Enter the linear tolerance parameter here. This is specified in drawing units. Any two consecutive vertices that are closer (nearer) than this value will result in the second vertex to be removed.

Weed if deflection angle is within this value [degrees]:
Enter the angular tolerance parameter value in degrees.

Create marker at every weeded location:
Checking this box creates a POINT object marker at every vertex location that was weeded. This helps in identifying the locations where the weeding took place.

Weed criteria

Distances: Checking this option causes weeding based on inter-vertex distance only.

Deflection angle: Checking this option causes weeding based on deflection angle only.

Deflection distance: Checking this option causes weeding based on deflection distances only.

Deflection distance and angle: Checking this option causes weeding based on both deflection distance and deflection angle.

Distance and deflection distance: Checking this option causes weeding based on both inter-vertex distances and deflection angle.

Measure distances in:

Slope: Checking this option measures slope (actual) distances.
Horizontal: Checking this option measures horizontally projected distances.

See also: GT_DENSIFY, GT_REM_LINVERTS

Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Weed (remove) collinear vertices from polylines
Command line: GT_REM_LINVERTS 

The GT_REM_LINVERTS command removes vertices which are collinear. Any three vertices which fall in a straight line are said to be collinear and will be be removed.



Mark locations of removed vertices with points: Checking this box marks points at the location where the linear vertices were removed.

See also: GT_DISTANGWEED , GT_DENSIFY

Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Identify intersecting segments (Kinks) in polylines
Command line: GT_KINK 

The KINK command detects and highlights kinks in polylines. A kink is a "knot" or a "back twist”. A self intersecting polyline. The KINK command helps identify these intersection points so that remedial action can be taken. The kink can then be removed with the Pedit or GeoTools Express Pedit command XV. The kink intersection is highlighted as point objects in a temporary layer.

Note: Polylines which have kinks will fail when used as selection boundaries in the ESELECT command.




Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Set all 0 elevation vertices to nearest non-zero elevation.
Command line: GT_SET_Z_PL 

Often, you may have polylines in which some vertices have a zero [0.0] elevation while others have non-zero elevations. This command sets the Z values of those zero elevation vertices to the nearest non-zero vertex elevation value. The command scans through the polyline and seeks a non-zero value nearest to it and assigns it to the vertex. Thus, at the end of the command run, there will not be any polyline vertices, which are of 0.0 elevation. Therefore, this command is best used when you are sure that there should not be any vertex of elevation = 0.0 anywhere along the polyline.

GT_SET_Z_PL Tutorial

See also: GT_PL_INTER



Toolbar : Polyline Tool Set 1  
      Menu : GeoTools Polyline Tool Set 1 Assign interpolated Z values to vertices.
Command line: GT_PL_INTER

Often, you may have polylines in which some vertices have a zero elevation while others have non-zero elevations. This command fills in all the zero [0.0] elevation vertices with non-zero values based on a linear distance interpolation between the non-zero vertices.

Create interpolation output file: Checking this box creates an .txt output file of interpolation

Output filename...: Click on this button to specify the output file path.

Zero tolerance: Enter the required tolerance value.

This command places text labels along polyline, line, 3dfaces and spline vertices. The following types of labels can be created for each vertex.

Annotate Using:

X co-ordinate value:
The X co-ordinate of each vertex is written as a text label next to each vertex.

Y co-ordinate value:
The Y co-ordinate of each vertex is written as a text label next to each vertex.

Elevations (Z):
The elevation of each vertex is written as a text next to each vertex.

XY co-ordinate value:
The x and y co-ordinates of each vertex is written as a text label next to each vertex.

XYZ co-ordinate value:
The x, y and  z co-ordinates of each vertex is written as a text label next to each vertex.

Running Number:
The vertex count starting from the beginning is written (this initial count can be set by the user)

Cumulative Slope Distance from start:
The cumulative slope distance from the first vertex is computed and written next to each vertex (the initial starting distance can be set by the user).

Cumulative Horizontal Distance from start:
The cumulative horizontal distance from the first vertex is computed and written next to each vertex (the initial starting distance can be set by the user).


Prefix Options:

Prefix with X=, Y=, Z= Choosing this option places the prefixes, X=, Y=, Z= before each coordinate value
Prefix with E=, N=, H= Choosing this option places the prefixes, E=, N=, H= before each coordinate value
No prefix (co-cordinates only) No prefixes are written, only co-ordinates values are written
Prefix with M=, P=, H= Choosing this option places the prefixes, M=, P=, H= before each coordinate value. This  is Portuguese notation for Easting and Northing.

Label first and last points only:
Places labels on the first and last points of polylines only. Useful if the polyline is too dense and you do not want lables at every point.

Reset vertex numbering for every line/polyline:
Starts vertex numbering from the specified start value for every polyline or line. If this option is not checked, vertex numbering continues incrementing across each polyline.

Apply elevation check before labeling.
Checking this box makes a check for the elevation between specified range and labels only those vertices which fall between the range

From [elevation]
If Apply elevation check before labeling is chosen then the From [elevation] box allows you to enter the start elevation for range check.

To [elevation]
If Apply elevation check before labeling is chosen then the To [elevation] box allows you to enter the end elevation for range check.

Starting Station Number:
If Running Number is chosen as the label option above, then this option allows the first station number to be set. You may want to set this to a number higher than 1 if this polyline is being labeled in succession to another polyline which was preceding it.

Starting Station Distance:
If Cumulative Distance from start is chosen as the label option above, then this option allows the first station distance to be set. You may want to set this to a number higher than 0.0 if this polyline is being labeled in succession to another polyline which was preceding it.

Label Text Height:
Specifies the label text height.

Rotation Angle:
Specifies the rotation angle for text. 

Horizontal Text Offset from vertex:
Specifies the offset distance in the horizontal (X) direction in AutoCAD units from the vertex position at which you want the label to appear.

Vertical Text Offset from vertex:
Specifies the offset distance in the vertical (Y) direction in AutoCAD units from the vertex position at which you want the label to appear.  

Label-name: Displays the selected layer name.
Select: Pops-up the Select Label Layer dialog box for choosing the required layer.

What to label?

Distances: Choosing this option places the inter-vertex distance as the label text.

Bearing: Choosing this option places the surveyor’s bearing between two vertices as the label text.

Slope: Choosing this option places the segment slope annotation as the label text.

Distances@Slope: Choosing this option creates the annotation in the format - ‘Distance @ Slope'

Distances@Bearing: Choosing this option creates the annotation in the format 'Distance @ Bearing'

Running Number: Choosing this option allows to label the segments as sequential numbers

Labelling Formats:

Distances: Clicking this option opens up a distances format dialog box. This allows the distances to be annotated in various ways.

Slope: Displays distances as actual slope distances.

Horizontal: Displays distances as horizontally projected values.

Apply Segment length check before labeling: Checks the length of the segment and if it falls within the specified range only, they will be labelled.

Bearing: Clicking this option opens up a bearing format dialog box. This allows the bearings to be annotated in various ways.

Decimal Degrees: Writes the whole circle bearing in decimal degrees.

Deg/Min/Sec (000-00-00): Writes the bearing in degrees, minutes and seconds in the DDD-MM-SS format.

0d00'00': Writes the whole circle bearing in deg, min and sec format.

N 0d00'00' E: Writes the bearing in surveyors units.

Radians: (0.000r) Writes the whole circle bearing in radians

Gradients: (0.000g) Writes the whole circle bearing in gradients (One gradient=1/400th of a circle) 

Slope: Clicking this option, opens up a slope format dialog box. This allows the slopes to be annotated in various ways
 
As percentage: Choosing this option causes the grade annotation to be created as a percentage. For example, uphill grades are created as "2% Up" and downhill grades are created as "2% Down".

As decimal: Choosing this option causes the grade annotation to be created in decimal format. For example, uphill grade will be created as "1:50 Up" and downhill grade will be created as "1:50 Down".

Direction: Choosing this option causes the strings "Up" or "Down" to be written along the segment depending on whether the slope is going downward or upward.

Arrow in Elevation Direction [Up->Down]: Choosing this option draws an arrow along the segment in Upward to Downward direction with respect to the elevation.

Arrow in Elevation Direction [Down->Up]: Choosing this option draws an arrow along the segment in Downward to Upward direction with respect to the elevation.

Degrees: Choosing this option causes the slope values in degrees to be annotated next to the segment.

Precision for grade value: Enter the number of decimal places to be used in the precision for grade values.

Treat polyline as elevation value: If this option is checked, the polyline is treated as an elevation view (or long/cross section as called in some countries) and the segment slope annotation is done accordingly. In elevation view, the polyline is assumed to be drawn in the Z plane.

Annotation Position:

Along Segment: Choosing this option places the annotation text along the direction of the segment.

Perpendicular to segment: Choosing this option places the annotation text perpendicular to the direction of the segment being annotated.

The next two options further specify the annotation text placement positions by specifying if the annotation is along the segment, above or below it. For Perpendicular to segment option above, The Above, Below and On Segment option in this section will be grayed out.

Above Segment: The annotation will be placed above the segment. For the purpose of determining the position of anotation, the segment is imagined from its start point to end point as a horizontal X-axis, and the the space above it is considered as the Space Above and vice versa.

Below Segment: The annotation will be placed below the segment. For the purpose of of determining the position of anotation, the segment is imagined from it start point to end point as a horizontal X-axis, and the space below it is considered as the Space Below and vice versa.

On Segment: The annotation will be placed on and along the segment.

Left of segment: This option enables the annotation to be placed to the left of the direction of the segment being annotated. This is applicable only when the Perpendicular option is chosen.

Right of segment: This option enables the annotation to be placed to the right of the direction of the segment being annotated. This is applicable only when the Perpendicular option is chosen.

Text Orientation:

Always upright: Flips text by 180 degrees to make them readable.

Always aligned: Does not perform any text flipping. The rotation angle will be as determined, entirely by the segment direction.

ARC label options:

Midpoint of arc: Choosing this option places the label at the midpoint of each arc segment. This may be an arc segment of a polyline or an ARC object in AutoCAD.

Midpoint of chord: Choosing this option places the label at the midpoint of each chord length of the arc segment. This may be an arc segment of a polyline or an ARC object in AutoCAD.

Label Formatting:

Label Text Height: Specifies the label text height.

The GT_ANGLABEL command is used to quickly label all interior / exterior / left or right angles of a selected polyine.

If an open polyline is selected, GT_ANGLABEL offers the options to label either the Left or Right side included angles.

If a closed polyline is selected, GT_ANGLABEL offers the options to label either the Interior or Exterior angles.  

Label layer: Displays the selected layer name.
Select: Pops-up the Select Label Layer dialog box for choosing the required layer.

What to place?:

Points: Choosing this option allows to place points on vertices of Pline/Line. On specified layer.  

Blocks: Choosing this option allows to place block on vertices of Pline/Line. On specified layer.

Block Name: Clicking on the button "Block Name" allows to select the block for insertion.
(Note: You can select one block at a time)

Insertion Settings:

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

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

Which layer to place?:

Source: Choosing this option places the block/point in source object layer.

Current: Choosing this option places the block/point in current layer.

GT_PL_PLACE Tutorial

Select source objects: (do so) - allows a filtered selection of 3d polylines only

Select target objects: (do so) - allows a filtered selection of linear objects like lines, polylines (both 2d and 3d), arcs and splines.

After GT_DRAPEPOLY runs, there will be new vertices created on the source polylines at every point where they intersect the target objects. If the intersecting objects are 3d, their 3d intersection value will be computed and used.

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