Profile

The Profile provides a vertical section through the 3D model. It follows a line defined by two points on the 3D model. The Profile provides the distance along the surface and the (Euclidean) distance between the starting and end points of the Profile.

Procedure

1. Click on the “Profile” icon in the toolbar of the Geometry tab or use the shortcut key “P”.
2. Mark the starting point for the profile with a left button mouse click.
3. Mark the end point for the profile with a left button mouse click.
4. If required, change the positions of the points by clicking with the left mouse button. The action affects the point closest to the mouse cursor.
5. Finish the Profile measurement and continue the mapping by pressing the “Space” key or finish the Tape measurement by clicking “Enter” or by clicking the “Profile” . The length along the surface is provided instantly in an individual list in the Geometry tab.

The below figure shows the Properties pane for Profiles. The pane is opened in the context menu with “Show Properties” or by a click on “Windows | Properties” in the menu bar. It comprises the name of the Profile, the length along the surface, start-end distance, vertical distance and the horizontal distance. The name of the Profile can be edited in order to use an intuitive name or for more detailed descriptions. The plot of the Section can be printed or saved as “pdf” by a click on the “Print” button. Customized notes can be added to individual Profiles in the Notes tab.

1. Start point
2. End point 
3. Length along the surface

1. Name of the Profile (editable)      
2. Statistics
3. Notes (editable)

The Plot pane for Profiles contains the profile along the surface. The pane is activated in the context menu “Show Plot” or by a click on “Windows | Plot” in the menu bar. The reference line is the straight connection between the start point and end point. The Profile can be shown exaggerated and not exaggerated depending on whether the scale switch is selected or unselected. 

1. Scale width: Enable / disable the same scale for both axes       
2. Export profile
3. Sketch of the profile

The data of the profile can be exported by clicking the “Export”  button. The export is possible in “.csv” and “.dxf” format:

• CSV 2D - Exports the plot transformed in 2D as “csv” file
  • Header Row: distance; height
  • Data row(s): 2 numerical values
• CSV 3D - Exports the the plot original in 3D as “.csv” file
  • Header row: E, N, H
  • Data row(s): 3 numerical values
• DXF 2D - Exports the plot as “.dxf” file

Context menu

• Edit
  Moves one of the end points of the tape measure to a new position defined by a click with the left mouse button. The point closer to the mouse cursor is affected.
• Active
  Activates (shows) and deactivates (hides) the selected item
• Look at
  Centers the Profile in the 3D viewer 
• Look at and Zoom
  Centers and zoom the Profile in the 3D viewer
• Delete 
  Deletes the selected Profile 
• Show Properties
  Opens the Properties pane for the Profile
• Show Plot
  Opens the Plot pane for the Profile 
• Export 
  • Export as DXF - Exports the Profile as ”.dxf” file
  • Export as VRML - Exports the Profile as ”.vrml” file