Smart Elevate
Command Licensing and Default Menu Location
- The Smart Elevate command is one of the key tools of the RPS Smart Suite
- The Smart Elevate command is part of the RPS Data Prep Toolbox
- The command is located on the Data Prep and Smart Suite macros menu ribbons
- The command is located in the Modify menu group
Note: The Smart Elevate command was formerly known as the Adjust Linestring Elevation command. It was updated in November 2024 to Smart Elevate to reflect it being a command in the RPS Smart Suite of power tools. RPS Smart Suite is a part of the RPS All Tools command library.
Overview Video Demonstration
The Smart Elevate Command has a number of elevate options, each option is covered in a separate use case video within the help section for that option / mode of use below. The following video is a quick overview of the command dialog and options available only.
Command Description
Provides a quick and easy way to elevate and adjust elevations of lines in a variety of ways depending on the lines use case. Includes the ability to add varying elevations to lines as VPIs or 3D nodes, elevate contour sequences, elevate pads, elevate curb lines for parking lots to planar or 3D surfaces and to make elevation adjustments to sections of selected lines. Ideal for contours, pads, curb, gutter and sidewalk lines. Elevating linework is a major step in the Data Prep for Takeoff or 3D Modeling work processes.
Latest Changes
November 2024
The command has been renamed to Smart Elevate from Adjust Linestring Elevation. The command has been extended to offer a wider range of Elevate Controls for Data Prep and Takeoff purposes. The command also now has the Switch cmd control vs the normal Close command control, allowing you to rapidly switch between commands. The ESC key also pulls up the Switch cmd control next to the current cursor location on screen. Elevate contours by crossing mode has been integrated into the Contour mode of the command. All modes now have Hot Key controls.
April 24th 2024
The command has been reworked significantly to increase consistency between the modes of working as well as to add the Contour and Pad Modes of elevating lines. Hot Keys have been added for quick access to key functions.
November 30th 2023
Added elevate contour mode to rapidly elevate sequences of contours including new hotkeys to increment and decrement values, reverse direction, pop up method to reset elevation and sequence direction and more.
May 5th 2023
The command was updated to facilitate the following
- In the Delta mode, when using a range for the elevation adjustment, the values of elevations displayed in the Start to Location mode for Start and Location 1 did not update correctly when you selected a second line after completing the first line. This has now been addressed.
- In the Spot mode, depending on the source line selected for elevating, how it was created and if it had Extend Vertical enabled on adding the third elevation in 3D node mode a random elevation point was added to the end of the line. This has now been addressed.
October 3rd 2022
The command has been completely redesigned to accommodate the new Plane, Surface and Spot modes of adjusting elevations. The existing functionality has been maintained but the user interface has changed to facilitate the additions that have been made.
The new Plane mode allows you to elevate curved sections of linestrings to a 3 point plane, ideal for accurately elevating curb and gutter lines and parking islands that lie on an inclined plane. The method allows you to subdivide arcs into equal segments or to utilize arc to chord settings to subdivide arc elements for elevating purposes. This approach also adds uniformity to the model building process.
The new Surface Mode allows you to elevate curved sections of linestrings to a selected grading framework surface that defines the planar slopes of a parking lot. The method allows you to subdivide arcs into equal segments or to utilize arc to chord settings to subdivide arc elements for elevating purposes. This approach also adds uniformity to the model building process.
The new Plane and Surface modes, eliminate the issues typically associated with elevating curb and gutter using provided elevation call outs that will generate small sags or crests in curb elements due to the linear interpolation methods used to elevate lines between provided 3D points along the line.
The new Spot mode allows you to quickly and easily add elevations to 3D lines as either VPIs or as Horizontal nodes with elevation. You can click and enter elevation values or click and then click an elevation text or other 3D object to define the elevation for the clicked locations.
Command Interface Description
The Smart Elevate command dialog looks as follows
The command provides the following modes of operation, click the link for each mode to access the detailed documentation for that mode.
- Absolute (K) - Set line or partial line elevations to an absolute elevation value +/- a secondary delta adjustment
- At Intersect (I) - Elevates one selection of lines to a second set of lines at the points where the two sets of lines intersect each other.
- Contour (C) - Elevate sequences of contour lines that increment or decrement using simple elevate or elevate by crossing methods.
- Delta (D) - Adjust line or partial line elevations by a delta or delta range over the selected range to taper lines into existing grades or elevations of existing features to match existing grade.
- Model (M) - Elevate lines to a surface model with specific controls over how and where to elevate lines through arc or curved sections.
- Pads (B) - Elevate Building Pads, Create offset lines for subgrade, basement or overbuild using text or elevation values
- Plane (P) - Elevate lines or partial lines to a plane defined using 3 points. Ideal for curb returns and parking islands or bays.
- Simple (R) - Elevate lines to a specified elevation, delta elevation, undefined elevation or surface elevation methods.
- Spot (H) - Elevate lines using spot elevations created as either VPIs or 3D nodes on the line.
Common Selection Requirements
In the Absolute, Delta, Plane and Surface Modes, the following setup options are common to each mode.
Portion
In Absolute, Delta, Plane and Surface modes you can select the line portion that you wish to elevate. This can be any of the following options
- All - For single or multiple line selections, you can adjust the entire line or all lines selected
- Start to Location - for single line selections, you can adjust the line from its start point to a defined location along the line.
- Location 1 to Location 2 - for single line selections, you can adjust the line between two defined locations along the line.
- Location to End - for single line selections, you can adjust the line from a defined location along the line to the end of the line.
When you select anything other than All, you will be asked to select the Location or Location 1 and 2 to define the range of the adjustment.
Primary Adjustment
In these modes you can make a primary adjustment and an optional secondary adjustment. The options for primary adjustment include the following
- Constant
- Range
- Undefined (Only in absolute mode)
Constant Adjustment
In this mode you can set a single elevation that will be applied to the entire station range of the line selected. for example set the value to 100 if you want the line to be raised / lowered to that elevation over the range selected.
Range Adjustment
In this mode you can specify an absolute elevation to be applied at the start of the range and a second elevation value to be applied at the end of the range. The line will transition between those two elevations over the distance between those two points.
Undefined
In this mode you can eliminate all elevations that are defined on the line between the start and end point of the range selected. The elevation is computed at the start of the range and at the end of the range and locked in with new elevation controls, and all elevations between are removed. This mode only applies to the Absolute mode.
Secondary Adjustment
If you wish to further vary the elevations over the range, you can apply a secondary adjustment that is compounded with the primary adjustment to adjust the line elevations. For example you may wish to set the line elevation to 100 between the range points but then subgrade adjust that by a further 1’ to create the base of subgrade. The secondary adjustment can be
- Constant
- Range
- None
An example of a secondary adjustment that is constant is a simple subgrade adjustment of 1’
An example of a secondary adjustment that is a Range Adjustment would be e.g. that at the start of the range the subgrade is 1’ thick but at the end of the range it is 1.5’ thick.
When you select the secondary adjustment mode, you will be asked to enter the value or values required when the mode is anything other than None.
Standard Hot Keys
While running the command, the following Hot Keys are always available. Each mode of the command may also have additional Hot Keys that are specific to the mode in use e.g. Contour or Pad Modes.
| Hot Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Q | Rotate the plan view clockwise by 15 degrees |
| E | Rotate the plan view anti clockwise by 15 degrees |
| Shift Q | Rotate the plan view clockwise by 30 degrees |
| Shift E | Rotate the plan view anti clockwise by 30 degrees |
| CTRL ALT Q | Reset the rotation of the plan view to North Up |
| W | Pan the plan view South |
| A | Pan the plan view East |
| S | Pan the plan view North |
| D | Pan the plan view West |
Hot Keys
The command loops continuously between location and elevation fields. When you want to change lines press the N key on your keyboard to start a new line or click in the Linestring field of the dialog to initiate a new sequence of elevations on a new line.
Use Case Notes
- The location fields allow math functions, so for example for location 2 you could click on the end of the line to derive the lines total length and then enter -200 after the displayed value to move location 2 200’ back up the line.
Header Bar Commands
The following commands have been added to the header bar of the command dialog providing you with quick access to the tools that you will likely need when working with the Smart Elevate command
- Help
- RPS Settings
- Smart Draw
- Smart Edit
- Convert to Linestring
- Edit linestring
- Create Point
- Explore Object
- New Profile View
Note that if you hold the Shift key down when you click the New Profile View command, the currently selected line will be computed in the plane of the currently open profile view allowing you to see two or more lines projected into the plane of the original line used to create the profile view.
Apply
When you tap apply, the linestring elevations will be adjusted and the command will ready itself for another selection set and repeat process execution. If you do not want to make a second selection and repeat the process tap Close to finish the process.
Close
Closes the command with no further execution.
Feedback and Enhancement Requests
If you would like to provide feedback on the use of the Smart Elevate command or to request enhancements or improvements to the command please click “reply” below!