Plugin Process
Civil3D can be temperamental, and sometimes your information will not show up as you expect in PVFARM. Here are some tips to make this process smoother. While there is a small chance that the issue is with PVFARM, 99% of the issues we see are due to incorrectly formatted information coming from Civil3D.
We wish we could fix Civil3D and make this easier for everyone, but alas, we are all stuck using software created in 2003. The good news is that there is 15+ years of content on YouTube of people troubleshooting Civil3D problems which can be another great resource.
If you're still stuck after troubleshooting, please contact our support team, and we'll be happy to help you chase down the issue.
The Desired End Result
Our goal is a healthy import. This is what a healthy import looks like:
In Civil3D
Make sure the DWG file contains a surface
Check the units
Check the geolocation
Visualize triangles
Information Tab → Display Tab → Model → Triangles (turn on) → OK
3D view
Check the surface parameters
Min / Max elevations
Toolspace → Prospector Tab → Surface name right-click menu → Surface Properties
Analysis Tab → ‘Run Analysis’ button
Area Toolspace → Prospector Tab → Surface name right-click menu → Surface Properties
Statistics Tab →Expand ‘General’ and ‘Extended’
Run GETSURFACES
In PVFARM
Create a new project
Import surface
View → Terrain Analysis
Terrain Analysis → Elevations → Auto-Fill Ranges
Select Surface on the scene in Model Explorer → Object Details
Confirm that the total area and the min and max elevations are accurate.
Project → Settings → Check the latitude and longitude
Non Plugin Process
DEM/GeoTiff by Civil3D