Track Line Edge
Command Licensing and Default Menu Location
- The Track Line Edge command is part of the RPS Modeling Toolbox
- The command is located on the Modeling macros menu ribbon
- The command is located in the Sections menu group
Command Description
This command allows you to pick an alignment and a selection of linework e.g. for road pavement section lines in order to create the edge lines (pavement edge lines) in the direction of increasing station and / or a boundary around the selected lines. Part of the CAD / PDF cross sections takeoff workflow, this facilitates rapid 3D modeling from converted PDF or CAD cross sections.
The command is typically going to be used in combination with the Explode Lines command prior to CAD or PDF cross section conversion to 3D linework and then it will work on the 3D section lines post conversion. The more work that you put into separating the data elements for the cross sections out in either the sheet view (PDF) or plan view (CAD) the easier it will be to utilize this command on the 3D data. The video at the base of the help document shows you how to use this combination of commands to best effect.
Command Training Video
The following video shows how to utilize the Explode Lines and Track Line Edge commands
Update Information
Command Interface Description
The Track Line Edge command dialog looks as follows
Reference Line:
Select the alignment or reference line that will be used to determine the sequence used for creating the linear features that will run somewhat parallel to the reference line - typically for road projects use the main alignment for the road or ramp being modeled. For retaining walls, it is often necessary to utilize a wall alignment or reference line for this purpose.
Create edge lines checkbox:
If you wish to create linear features (longitudinal features) between the ends of the selected section lines check this checkbox. When checked the features will be created on a layer defined by the layer mask setting.
Layer Mask:
If the source section lines are on a layer called Curb then the linear features that are created from these section lines will be on a layer called Curb-Edge when the layer mask is set to {L}-Edge. The {L} tells the command to use the layer of the selected source lines and the -Edge tells the command to add -Edge to the source layer name i.e. Curb is the source layer name so the result layer for the linear features is Curb-Edge.
Create Boundary checkbox:
If you wish to create a boundary line around the selected section lines, check this checkbox.
A boundary line can be used later on when you are trying to make a surface model out of the section and or linear feature lines that you have created. The boundary line can be applied as a surface boundary to create an “island” in a surface model. This is helpful when you have areas of a surface that are in patches along an alignment e.g. over-excavation areas or left and right cut or fill embankments or where you have surfaces approaching and then departing from a bridge area etc.
Layer Mask:
Same approach as that described above, this time for the boundary lines.
Name Suffix:
The linear features and or boundary lines that you create can have a suffix applied to the names of the objects being created. Enter the suffix value here if required. The objects will be named using the layer name on which the source lines reside plus the suffix. i.e. If you select some curb top lines that are on a layer called CADXS - Curb-Top, and you enter a suffix here e.g. -001, then the left edge line will be called CADXS - Curb-Top-Edge-L-001 and the right edge line will be called CADXS - Curb-Top-Edge-R-001.
Override segment length checkbox:
When you build surface models from 3D linework, the TBC surface modeling engine uses the Project Settings - Computations - Surface - Breakline Approximation parameters to “densify” the surface model by adding computation nodes into the lines at intervals defined by these parameters.
When building 3D models from cross sections that are e.g. 50’ apart, the surfaces that you create really only want to be “modeled” at the locations of the cross sections and not at these densification locations.
TBC linestrings have a property called “Override segment length” that when set to “Yes” allows the entry of a max segment length value that changes the interval between the additional computation nodes that are computed. For Cross Section work enter a value here that is greater than the distance between the cross sections or a very large value like 10,000 to stop these nodes being computed at all. This will create better surface models from the cross section data.
Lines to track:
Select the lines that you wish to create the edge lines for. The lines that you select should be perpendicular to the alignment or reference line that you selected. If you select more than one line at each station, the furthest left and furthest right node will be determined and linked by the linear features created.
Command Tips
Header Commands
In the header bar of the command you will find command icons that link you to other commands that you may need access to while using this command. In this command the following commands are linked
- Help - this document access
- RPS Settings
- Takeoff LInes
- Smart Edit
- Adjust Linestring Elevation
- Create Alignment
- Create Horizontal Alignment Labels
- Relayer
- Geometric Selection
- Increment Text
- Explode Lines
- Insert Line Segment
- Create Points from CAD
- Track Cross-Section
- Nudge
Apply
When you tap apply, the edge lines and boundary lines will be created 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 without further execution.
Use Case Videos
The following videos show the use of the Track Line Edge command in a work process context
Feedback and Enhancement Requests
If you would like to provide feedback on the use of the Track Line Edge command or to request enhancements or improvements to the command please click Reply below