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How to create a 2D grid and contour map using the Terrain generator plugin
Hi, I am a newbie and have almost completed my first house design using SH3D. A BIG thank you to the developer(s) and contributors on this forum that enabled me to achieve this by reading your tips and advice.
I try not to post a question that someone else has already answered.
I would like to create a 2D plan showing a scale grid and contour map (no shading or texture) of a landscape design. This printed plan would enable a contractor to mark out the groundworks on the site.
The Terrain generator plugin seems ideal for designing the landscape, however I cannot find a method to display just the contour map overlayed on the scale grid without any colour or texture being applied. Please note I do not want to change the 3D view just the plan view.
Any ideas or work arounds would be greatly appreciated.
Italy
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Re: How to create a 2D grid and contour map using the Terrain generator plugin
I think this isn't possible in SweetHome3D. There are plugins for Autocad and SketchUp that can do this, so you could export the terrain as object, import it into one of these programs, convert it to contours, export as image, and then import the image as texture in SweetHome3D and apply it to the terrain. If you flag the option to show the furniture in plan as top view instead of icons, the texture will be shown in the plan and you will see the countours.
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Re: How to create a 2D grid and contour map using the Terrain generator plugin
Hi, Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately both Sketchup and Autocad do not import obj files unless you use the paid versions. I will try your method using Blender app, or QGIS app.
Netherlands
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Re: How to create a 2D grid and contour map using the Terrain generator plugin
Maybe this trick works for you: Create or copy the terrain to a new file and set a texture with a grid. For example just a black lined square. You can create a simple image if you can't find one in the texture list. The 2D view should show the texture, i.e. your terrain with a grid overlay. Adjust the texture scaling to get the correct size for the grid. Select 'Plan', 'Export to SVG format' from the menu and you get an svg image with your terrain with the grid. Make sure you only have the terrain object when exporting, that's why the new file. Otherwise SVG export will export everything visible, not what is selected. Sketchup can import svg
If you don't want the grid to strech along the elevations you can create an image the size of the terrain. Make it transparent except for the grid lines. Place a box over the terrain. Modify the box and set the top af the box to your grid image and make everything else invisible. This should show your terrain with the grid in the 2D view. Export the SVG and see if that is what you need.
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Re: How to create a 2D grid and contour map using the Terrain generator plugin
Hi, I tried the first trick. The 3D view shows the grid, however in the 2D plan the terrain shading is too prominent to see the grid. Ideally I would like to change the opacity of the shading but this is not possible in 2D plan.
SH3D is a brilliant tool, however I am surprised no other user has required this functionality for landscape design, unless they are using other tools to accomplish this task.
I will try other tools to see if I can achieve the plans required for the landscape design.
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Re: How to create a 2D grid and contour map using the Terrain generator plugin
There is another way to create a grid but it's a little more work:
1 - Use a box to create a single grid line: as wide as your terrain, 1, deep, 1 high.
2 - Install the Multiplier plugin if you haven't already done this before.
3 - Select the grid box and use the multiplier plugin to generate a series of series boxes. With the Multiplier set the X value to the distance you want between the lines and leave the Y at 0. Using the width of your terrain and the distance you set (X) you can calculate how many repeats you need. The result of the multiplier is a perfectly outlined and spaced group of lines.
4 - Repeat #3 for the cross lines with a rotated and width adjusted box.
5 - Elevate the gridline groups to the height of your terrain object.
6 - You might need to play with the distance between the lines or the tickness but my experience is that such a grid is very sharp and visible in the 2D view. You can enter a thickness using the keyboard other than the 0.5 increments you get using the mouse (even 0.01 steps but only one decimal will show).
7. Note that this grid will not follow the contours of the terrain but will be a standard squared grid that is displayed on top of the terrain.
ETA
SH3D is a brilliant tool, however I am surprised no other user has required this functionality for landscape design
Sweet Home 3D is originally an interior design program. Over the years it has grown into much more and the terrain editor is one of those additions. Since it's basically not a landscape design program this has not been added (yet?).
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[Edit 1 times,
last edit by Keet at Nov 7, 2023, 4:42:58 PM]
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Re: How to create a 2D grid and contour map using the Terrain generator plugin
Here's another trick which consists of transforming the surface to grid lines in OBJ format: - generate the terrain with the plug-in - change its color to black (or any other color you want for the grid) - export it to OBJ format, choosing Export selection option when prompted - open the generated OBJ file with an editor able to handle regular expressions - replace
f \d+//\d+ (\d+)//\d+ (\d+)//\d+
by
l $1 $2
- save the modified OBJ file - import the modified OBJ file in Sweet Home 3D
Good luck!
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(36382 bytes)
(Download count: 129)
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Emmanuel Puybaret, Sweet Home 3D creator
