This command serves to manually assign a material to certain triangles on the current surface, with the aim of improving its presentation in the Terrain Route and Road Route commands. The Viewer is launched on closing the window.
Each triangle in the MDT surfaces file is associated to a triangle type indicator. When the program creates a surface, all the triangles or of Normal type. However, when the Earthworks or Obtain Modified Terrain commands are executed, they are assigned with another triangle type corresponding to the new triangles generated if the current surface is modified. Additionally, when one inserts a geo-referenced image using the Insert Image command, the program creates a new triangle type associated to the image and assigns it to all normal-type triangles on which the image is projected.
The following kinds of triangles are differentiated according to the command with which they are generated.
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Type
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MDT Command
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Normal
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Create Surface
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EWSubgrade
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Earthworks
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EWCut
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Earthworks
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EWFill
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Earthworks
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Median
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Modified Terrain
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RoadBed
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Modified Terrain
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Ditch
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Modified Terrain
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Cut
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Modified Terrain
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Fill
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Modified Terrain
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This command allows one to consult or modify the information about a surface’s triangle types. Firstly, a message appears enabling us to select the type of surface representation, 2D solids or polylines; we recommend working with 2D solids in order to take full advantage of the different colors of the materials.
The image below illustrates a line of command and MDT9 - Maps > Materials/Objects on the options ribbon with the different options for the assignment of materials:
Materials: Shows a text box enabling the user to select different materials and conduct different operations.
Edit: enables us to change the color and / or texture of a type of triangle.
The Description of the material is for informational purposes. It describes the type of triangle in which the material is to be used
The Color of the material is used in case of not using the option to assign materials under the Draw Solids command. In this case the execution of the command is faster.
The Texture indicates the type of texture to be used in the material in the model.
Replace: enables us to change material for another.
New: enables us to create a new type of triangle for use with one of the assignment options.
Delete: removes the types of triangle which have not been predefined.
Statistics: covers the current surface and shows a list of the types of triangles assigned.
Designate: Enables us to designate a triangle on the surface to use the material of the selected triangle.
Apply: Enables us to see the changes in the drawing when applying texture using any of the following options when the mode of model selected is SOLID 2D.
Objects: enables us to select the triangles to be modified by selecting entities of the 3DFACE, 2DSOLID or POLYLINE type.
Boundary: we need to select a closed polyline which delimits the triangles to be modified.
Segment: requests a segment file used to generate an internally modified terrain and copies the types of triangles (Median, Platform, etc.) to the current surface.
Properties: enables us to select one or more triangles and features a text with the name of the material in a dropdown list on which we can select another material and replace the triangles selected with the new one.
Polyline: we need to select a polyline and apply the material to all the triangles whose edges cut that line.
All: applies the material selected to all the triangles.
The Surfaces > Represent As command is used to change the way of representing the surface.
To see all textures supplied with the installation, consult the Textures section in the customization manual.
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Assigning images as texture
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Having a surface in the drawing and an image inserted enables us to select this image and assign it to the surface as a texture.
This command allows you to insert blocks in the drawing, at the elevation of the terrain that has the current surface, according to the designated points. There are two options: Insert 3D objects individually, or along a horizontal alignment.
To see all 3D objects supplied with the installation, consult the 3D Objects section in the customization manual.
Individual Mode
Initially a dialogue box is shown with the blocks that have been defined in the Code Database, associated with specific elements, and that has at least one block associated with the floor.
There is a Category drop-down list, where you can choose the category that will be displayed in the dialogue.
In addition, if a 3D object is associated with the block, the associated 3D object will be displayed in the Route by Terrain or Route by Road commands.
The program allows you to specify the Scale Factor or multiplier factor of the selected block, in all three dimensions (XYZ), as well as the Angle with respect to the XY plane.
Horizontal Alignment Mode
In addition to what is explained in the Individual Mode, this dialogue box also shows the Initial and Final Station (section during which the 3D objects will be inserted), Interval (how often a 3D Object will be inserted) and Offset (if it is positive, it will be placed to the right of the horizontal alignment, and if it is negative, to the left).
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