Knowledge Base

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Code Properties Importing ASCII Files

Updated October 04, 2023

When importing ASCII Files feature properties, it is important to note that the codes assigned in the survey data file must be organized in a specified way according to user needs.

In the Figure below, you will find the Import ASCII Options dialogue box in the code tab.

Figure: Import ASCII Options in Code tab.

After the structure of the import is done, you will find useful Add important codes from your file.
In the Extract codes from file field select Open button. 

The Open dialog box below will be displayed.

Figure: Open dialog box.

Navigate to find and select the file you are importing, then Left-Click in Open button.

Figure: File Codes were loaded into Terrain Module.

Code Properties

Each code corresponds to any type of feature obtained in the topographic survey work. Select those that share same characteristics, for example, in this case, all the Codes that contain "BLDG" are points of a building, then we select the same properties for all of them.

Figure: Code Properties Personalized.

At the right of the dialog box, choose if you want to change the Code Name, the Type (Point or Polyline), if will be connected or displayed, Line-type, Color, among others.

The different options include:
 

• Type: Point or Polyline.
• Feature Creation: Connect All, Connect Adjacent, Connect All by Code, Connect Adjacent by Code.
• Connected / Displayed.
• Breakline.
• Include in Model.
• Color.
• Line-Type.
• Symbol.
• Hatch.

These properties will allow you to visualize features according to your needs.

Loading Codes

This list follows some rules in order to find and match each code with its properties according to the character name.

When adding a new Code with Add button, it is important to choose a character that matches the correct code.

Symbols

1. Asterisk *: The (*) is a wild card - any code starting with the same letters or characters before the asterisk will fall into this category.
2. Question ?: The (?) is a mark that will match any single character. 

You might need to enter a number or character in each field you wish to match.

As explained before, A "?" matches any single characters. A * will match any sequence of characters.

For Example, ?ABC* will match.

• 1ABC
• 1ABCXYZ
• AABC

It will not match.

• ABC
• 1AB2

It is a good practice to ensure that the list of codes is in alphabetical order so that its characters can be read and matched (Note that "Load" button orders the list by itself.)

There are certain exceptions where user has different codes that starts similar. In this case, is important to shift up the most specific code first, that is, the one with most unique characters, for example:

In a list with the following codes: Sh*, Shop*, Shell*,(Note that all three starts with "Sh") the correct order to set the list would be:

• Shops*
• Shell*
• Sh*

Organizing the codes in this way, you make sure the Software matches first the most specific code, otherwise, with Sh* first, Shops* and Shell* codes would have fallen too into this category.