Can WaterCad import survey files?

Question

Hello, 
 
 We are testing WaterCad and are not sure of it's capabilities. 
 
 We want to use survey drawings with WaterCAD. The piping layout placed on the drawing and the pipe follows the elevations so that the program can calculate friction losses, head losses and head gains. We also want to create a section views and pipe profiles using the survey map elevation information for the pipe route. 
 
 Can this be done using a DGN or a DTM file? 
 
 Thanks, 
 Regan 
 BPA cad support

MPachlhofer · Accepted Answer

If you have Microstation try to convert the file or use TREX within the WaterCAD for Microstation platform. If you don't have access to Microstation talk to your GIS or CAD person to see if they can help you convert the file to another format. 
 I don't understand why the DTM isn't working for you. If you'd like to upload it for testing use the directions in this wiki. The DTM format should work outside of Microstation.

MPachlhofer · Answer

The enhancement is logged for this request as # 693145.

MPachlhofer · Answer

Regan, 
 WaterCAD has the capabilities to model what you're asking about using a DGN or DTM file. The elevations from your survey drawings, depending on the format of the drawings, can be extracted to the node elements in the model using the Terrain Extractor tool (TREX) . The drawing file can also be used as a background file to layout the network elements in the correct spatial location. 
 Profiles can be created in WaterCAD for any input or results property . WaterCAD doesn't currently have the capability to create section views, but the information that is obtained from this type of view can be displayed using other tools. For example, if the profile was being generated to locate possible bottlenecks in the network that could be done using the color and size color coding for pipes. 
 Regards,

MPachlhofer · Answer

Regan, 
 
I have been able to confirm what you were experiencing with the DTM file and warning notification. I'm looking into this more and will be logging an enhancement for the DTM file option to be removed from the Standalone version if it can't be used.