Drape a Point or Line on a Surface
Use the Drape Object on Surface command to vertically project points and 2D or 3D lines onto a surface to create new 3D line geometry lying on the surface. For draped lines, the geometry is dependent on the location and shape of the originating line and the surface's topography. Draped points are dependent on the location of the originating points and the surface's topography.
Prerequisites:
- See the Subscription Plans page. For a license matrix by command, see the License page in the TBC Community. Also see View and manage licensed features.
- Surface
- Point or line that is planimetrically coincident with the surface (in the Plan View)
To access the command:
- Select Drape Objects On Surface in Surfaces > Create.
Options:
- Surface sharpness - Select an option for how smoothly surface colors graduate at the draped line.
Note: This draped line setting has no effect on the surface on which the line is draped. The draped line lies across the triangles of the surface on which it is dependent; it does not influence the surface like a breakline. The Surface sharpness setting has an affect only when the draped line is added as a member of a different surface (other than the one on which it is dependent). The texture boundary part of the setting can, however, be used in constraining textures to areas of either surface.
| Soft |
Select this to have shading gradually change at the draped line, giving the visual appearance of a soft edge. |
| Sharp |
Select this to have shading abruptly change at the draped line, giving the visual appearance of a sharp edge. |
| Sharp and texture boundary |
Select this to use the draped line as a boundary for surface textures. |
- Reference line/point - Pick the point or line that you want to project vertically (either up or down) onto the surface.
- Select multiple - Check this box to enable the selection of multiple points and lines as the reference objects.
Scenarios:
- If the line and surface are not coincident in vertical space, you can run the command, but the draped line will not appear on the surface. Only the portions of the reference line that can be projected vertically onto the surface will contribute to the formation of the draped line.
- If you want to offset a draped line from the surface it is draped on, change the Horizontal and/or Vertical offset values in the Properties pane for the draped line.
Notes: You can use the Explode command to create independent objects from draped lines.
Dependencies:
- A draped line is dependent on both the shape of the reference line and the topography of the surface; if either changes, the draped line geometry changes accordingly. Since geometry of a draped line remains dependent on the surface on which it is draped, it cannot be used as a member of that surface. A draped line can, however, be used as a member of a different surface, thereby forming a daylight line along which the two surfaces intersect.
- Draped points are dependent on the specified surface and will update if the surface changes. The elevations of the source points do not change.
