Import ASCII YXZ

Convert an ASCII (text) coordinate file into a terrain data file.

Icon

Command

Shortcut Key

Toolbar

 

SURVEYIMPORTYXZ

 

 

The only essential information for import is an X and Y coordinate. Optionally, you can add a point description, Z ordinate, surface number and line connecting data.

You are asked to select the file to be imported. Once you have selected the file you want to import, a multi-page window displays which shows the first 25 lines of the selected file. The data can be in columns or delimited format, of which comma delimited is the most common.

The ASCII import functions are tolerant of erroneous data. In other words, lines of text that do not meet the importation criteria are discarded after failing inspection. Therefore, odd lines of descriptive text or blank lines can be present in the file without causing harm.

It is self evident that if the imported data includes line references, the splicing of one terrain data set to another has to be done manually.

Refer to this section if you get a Data is outside LO band error message

Procedure

  1. The file browser displays. Select a file to import. The drive and path automatically default to the last used drive and directory for this type of file.

The Files of type dropdown list presents options for Data files (*.dat), CSV files (*.csv) and All Files (*.*). Select the appropriate file type. Use "All files" if your ASCII file does not have a dat or csv extension, and then type in the extension in the Filename textbox. Dat files can still be comma delimited. The csv option is given merely to simplify exchange with other programs that read/ write csv files.

  1. Once you have selected the file to import, click Open.

  2. The Import ASCII options display.

  1. Select the data format and click Next.

  1. If you have selected the Fixed Width radio button, indicate the positions of the data columns and click Next.

  1. Assign each column to a data field by clicking on the column header as shown above.

  2. Click Finish. If you selected the Apply Filter checkbox, the standard Filter window displays. See the Filter section for details on setting up a set of descriptors to process.

  1. The selected ASCII file is scanned to determine the extents of the data to be imported.

If this extent is not wholly contained within the extents of the current .DTM file, an automatic rescale is performed to fit the new extents and yield the most efficient database structure.

  1. The Destination Surface Selection options display.

  1. Select the destination surface for the imported data and click OK.