Adding additional lines to topo data

tudor

When using the line drawing tool to add further definition to a lake bed I'm running into two problems.
1. I won't know how to tell the system whether I'm drawing something that is going further into the ground or higher up.
2. When I do draw something and then look at it in the 3D view the circles I've drawn and really far below.
I've attached a file to show the issue I'm having.  I circled the lines I drew in and their respective 3D view on the right (see how far below everything else those lines are...
Any help on both questions above would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Tudor

Mykle

When you select one of your existing contour lines (not one of your new ones), then right click and choose EDIT.  In the Feature Attributes window you will see a name associated with an elevation value, like Elevation and 1000.  Remember this name.  If you do the same with one of your new contour lines, you probably don't have an entry with the same name and an appropriate elevation value, so a zero value is used. 

Also, if you open the Overlay Control Center and select the layer containing your existing contour lines (not the one with your new ones, if different), then select the Options button at the bottom, the Vector Options dialog will be displayed.  Note the entry for "Get 'Elevations' From Attribute Value".  Open the list and you should see the attribute name that matches the name for elevation values (that you remembered above).  The current value may be <Default>, and that's fine if you are able to view your contour lines in 3D.  You can also see the current elevation for your cursor position on the bottom line of the screen (if enabled). 

You can edit each of your new lines and Add an entry.  Name it the same as the name you remembered, and give it the appropriate value.  Near the top of the dialog is Feature Type, where you should select one of the Contour Line options. 

Or, when you add a contour, you are using the Digitizer Tool and creating a new line feature.  When you finish your line, the Modify Feature Info dialog is displayed.  Then the items in the previous paragraph can be used. 

tudor

This solved my problem.
Thanks very much.

Follow up question if you don't mind.
Is there a way to select a line / duplicate it / shrink it?

The problem I'm trying to solve is I got topo data has lakes as flat surfaces and I'd like to just copy the outline of the lake and 'create' a bottom that lower.  I'm pulling all the data into Terragen and it needs physical depth to properly display the water.

Tudor

Mykle

Yes.
Select a feature like a contour line, and normal cut/copy/paste will work.  When you copy, a dialog will ask if you want it copied to the same or a different layer.  Same works fine.  Do not clear your selection, so your copy should still be selected.  Right-click and choose Move/Reshape Feature(s), then ROTATE/SCALE and choose your options.  For testing I specified a scale factor of 0.9, with "About Center of Selected Feature(s)" checked.

tudor

Thanks again.  I will give that a try.
Sorry for the horrific english... I appreciate you reading through the mistakes.

Mykle

Your english is better than that of many native english speakers :-)
You are also able to describe your problem very well. 

tudor

LOL ... I am a native english speaker ... who is woefully lacking in sleep.