The Survey tool on the toolbar allows you to add feature points to the map overlay of your design. This helps visualize how a conductor span will look in the real world, and perform accurate measurement:
It also allows you to import elevation data from Google Maps so that you can use accurate heights in your design and analysis.
About feature points
When the Survey tool is selected on the toolbar, the Survey tool properties appear in the sidebar showing the different feature points that can be placed (click in the box to reveal them).
┻ points are terrain points and will alter the ground of your model
★ points are floating points that are created at a specific distance above the ground
To georeference your map overlay, you need to apply the correct EPSG to your design file with the Map tool.
You can change the map overlay to use:
CAD Import,
Google Maps Satellite,
CAD Import and Google Maps, or
None
Place a feature point
To demonstrate, we will place ground points to ensure that our model has the correct elevation. For example, we have this conductor span and want to import the real world elevation data:
Click the Survey tool on the toolbar and change type to Ground in the Survey tool properties panel in the sidebar.
Check that the EPSG is correctly set in the Spatial section of the properties panel and then click on desired locations to place ground points in the Perspective view.
If the EPSG is incorrect, apply the correct EPSG to your design file with the Map tool.
The model will automatically update the terrain in the perspective view and the cross section in the profile view to reflect these ground points:
Interpolate points
Once two survey points have been placed, the terrain between them can be exactly linearly interpolated using the Interpolate terrain points button in the properties tab.
This arrangement is targeted at the use case where you may have survey height data along a particular 1-dimensional slice of the terrain. In this case you will know the height and slope of the terrain along the given slice, which you can model using height spec points, but not elsewhere. Elsewhere, the terrain is approximately interpolated based on the distance to nearby terrain points.
In order to use this, click on a terrain point then click the Interpolate terrain points option on the properties panel, and then click on the end point in the perspective view - the model will automatically update with an interpolated terrain between the two points.
Import elevation data from Google
When survey file data is present in your model you can import ground elevation data for your model from Google:
Select the Survey tool on the toolbar
Select ground in the point type, as above
Place the point(s) in the desired location(s) and then click the Import elevation from Google option on the Survey tool properties panel in the sidebar. This will provide an accurate z dimension to your location:
Video