ARCHICAD Tutorial #58: How to add contour lines to a Mesh in ARCHICAD

[@mbadughanneomalinxe9300]

Simple and accurate

[@geraldburwell7622]

Thanks!

[@Shoegnome]

Thank you!!!

[@sketchapp3783]

How did you just delete the contour lines your drew that were outside the box?

[@Shoegnome]

They are just polylines. So select and hit the delete key.

[@sketchapp3783]

@@Shoegnome thanks!

[@lucaslisboacoletti8752]

I'm having some trouble doing it, i can't select specific lines, only the polygon that it creates. Any idea what's going on with those unselectable lines ? :s

[@Shoegnome]

Make sure you are selecting the user defined ridges and not the ones generated automatically by the mesh. There's a toggle in the info box/selection settings. You can only select the user defined ridges (lines).

[@josuedanielsalvatierragarc1484]

Hi, thanks for the tutorial. Do you know if there's a way to label each topo line? automatically? to put 30' where is 30' for example.

[@Shoegnome]

You can place a Level Dimension. It'll display the elevation of any point on the Mesh. Placing a Level Dimension on the contour would give you the contour elevation. Note though that if the contour moves the Level Dimension won't move with it. Instead it'll show the new elevation height below it.

[@josuedanielsalvatierragarc1484]

Thanks for replying back! Although, sorry for not being clear, I meant putting a written label for each topo line. I’m not talking about the point elevations because I already know how to do it. I just want to know if there’s an automatically way to put written labels so that you can see the topo elevation on your floor/site
plan. Thank you!

[@Shoegnome]

There's no way I know of to automatically place all the labels. But if you use the Level Dimension you can manually place linked labels on the floor plan and also include manual text (or in ARCHICAD 21 autotext). If I'm still missing what you're asking for can you link to an image of a mockup of what you're trying to accomplish.

[@josuedanielsalvatierragarc1484]

That’s what I thought. I’m currently working with the 19th version so I will try to do what you said about the level dimensions because I’m not able to upgrade for now. Please, see the red numbers (levels) it's exactly what I want to get. drive.google.com/open?id=0B8puwo4v-DKIODMwWUJacTZsLW8
Since I realized there’s no automatically way to put them, I thought on two other ways. 1- Putting a simple text over a white plan (Made by Fill Tool) on the topo line so that line is hidden or 2- Deleting a section of the topo line and putting in that space the level text. What do you think?

[@Shoegnome]

For this absolutely use the Level Dimension:
helpcenter.graphisoft.com/guides/archicad-20/archicad-20-reference-guide/documentation/annotation/dimensioning/level_dimensions/
helpcenter.graphisoft.com/guides/archicad-20/archicad-20-reference-guide/user_interface_reference/tool_settings_dialog_boxes/dimension_tool_settings/level_dimension_tool_settings/
You can turn on an opaque background fill to cover up the contour line behind the text. And once you place the Level Dimension, select the text, change from measured value to custom text, and then select 'to sea level' from the dropdown menu arrow to the left of where it says custom text in the info box.
Here is an ancient article that talks about part of this process:
www.cadalyst.com/aec/how-display-elevation-values-relative-sea-level-archicad-insights-tutorial-3714

[@MarkFarrellyphoto]

I have obviously done something wrong. I do all the steps you have done but I have a flat block with the contour lines no gradient?

[@Shoegnome]

Make sure you are elevating the contours. If you are properly adding them then the only thing missing is to lift them up.