surface from points read from spreadsheet

hello,

i think i have a fairly simple question. i have imported a set of 9 points from a spreadsheet and i'd like to make a surface from those points. i have set my u value to number of points + 1 (10) because i believe from reading elsewhere that is what i should do. i receive the error message that the u count is not valid for this operation.

any suggestions?

files attached.

thank you,

prentiss

Attachments:

coordinates from spreadsheet.gh, 9 KB
points.xlsx, 8 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Gustav Fagerstrom on September 20, 2013 at 1:17pm

the u value should correspond to the number of points per row (3), not the total number of points (9). in this case, with your total of 9 points arranged 3x3 set the U input to "3" and it will work.

Permalink Reply by pwdarden on September 20, 2013 at 1:20pm

thank you, gustav!

Permalink Reply by pwdarden on September 20, 2013 at 2:34pm

i've made some progress and i have a surface but it is a flat plane and does not show variation in the z direction. any ideas on what is going on and how to fix it? files attached.

thank you

Permalink Reply by pwdarden on September 20, 2013 at 4:13pm

oops, files attached now.

i think the problem has to do with the way the information is arranged in the spreadsheet. i could make 5 separate lines of 7 points and then loft the 5 lines, as an alternative to what i've done here.

do you have suggestions as how to create a line from the first 7 points (that run along the x axis from left to right)? i'm having trouble with that in grasshopper.

Attachments:

receptor points_overall field_scenario 1.xlsx, 10 KB
coordinates from spreadsheet.gh, 9 KB

Permalink Reply by pwdarden on September 20, 2013 at 6:43pm

ok, i've solved my problem. just needed to put a line component on the end of the xyz component and then loft the separate lines together.

Permalink Reply by Martin Siegrist on September 21, 2013 at 2:35am

no need of a line component.

You have to cull the first line of your coordinate list. That's causing an issue in the point component. Then set the U count to 5 and toggle Interpolate in the surface component.

file attached, need to update the path for your spreadsheet

Attachments:

coordinatesfromspreadsheet_mrtn.gh, 6 KB

Permalink Reply by pwdarden on September 21, 2013 at 12:51pm

wonderful, that was really helpful. thank you, martin.

Permalink Reply by pwdarden on September 21, 2013 at 1:26pm

hmm, it worked when i opened your file, and now i can't get it to work again.

i think when you said "need to update the path for your spreadsheet" you just mean i need to right click on the path component and set one file to the spreadsheet, yes?

what could be happening?

Attachments:

coordinatesfromspreadsheet 005.gh, 10 KB
receptor points_overall field_scenario 1.xlsx, 10 KB
surface from spreadsheet.PNG, 107 KB

Permalink Reply by Martin Siegrist on September 21, 2013 at 1:30pm

you might have opened the spreadsheet in excel

Permalink Reply by pwdarden on September 21, 2013 at 2:01pm

these are the latest files.

if i understand correctly, the problem is having the excel file open and then grasshopper won't work. this is what you were referring to, yes?

Attachments:

surface from spreadsheet coordinates.gh, 13 KB
field_1.xlsx, 9 KB

Permalink Reply by Martin Siegrist on September 21, 2013 at 2:22pm

You need to have a proper grid, so in your case 35 points. Don't cull the first point.

Leave away the cull component and set U Count to 5

Permalink Reply by pwdarden on September 21, 2013 at 5:18pm

i can see the surface now, but it appears as a flat plane whereas it had a change in z value when i had it working the first time i tried your definition (the one with the cull).

i'm so puzzled why the cull worked the first time but now now....

thank you, i do appreciate your help.