Clear terrain data

[DaveJo]

I'm using Home Designer Pro and was using the program to design a landscaping plan for a house I designed with the program, had detailed by a draftsman and is already built.  I inputted some elevation points manually to get started using site plan data, but the plan quickly generated some really screwy contours.  So I want to start over and tried using the clear terrain tool, but the contours keep coming back.  One post I read said to close all tabs except plan view so I did that, cleared the terrain data but the contours again reappeared.  I cleared the terrain with only plan view open, saved and closed the program, then re-opened it.  Same result.  So hopefully someone has some answers on this.  Clear terrain is not much use if it doesn't stay cleared.  Thanks for any help

[DavidJPotter]

If you used "Elevation Points" I would consider that is the problem. I always use Elevation lines, splines, flat regions to emulate terrain. Where elevation abruptly changes one used a "Terrain Break" object. The reason I never use points is that they alter the terrain concentrically from the center of the point outward (terrain is rarely like that).

 

DJP

[DaveJo]

Thanks much.  Yeah, I figured maybe that was not so wise, but learned the hard way.  At any rate, I just deleted the whole terrain, redrew it along with driveway, sidewalks etc, and now will use terrain lines from the site plan to do this.  One unrelated question - in order to get the terrain right, I need for the garage slab to be 34" lower than the main house floor, same ceiling height, meaning I have a really tall garage (this happened as a result of the slope of the lot).  How should I go about that?  I assume it will be in the garage room specifications under structure, but am not sure quite what to change to achieve that result. 

[DavidJPotter]

Terrain was added as a feature back in the 90's and  has since been treated as an "add on", so what you do is manually set the Garage's floor 34 inches below the "Zero Inches" of the house and then modulate the terrain to itself as a unified object and using the "Building Pad" input box of the "Terrain Specification Dialog" to align the terrain to the structures.

 

DJP

[DaveJo]

Thanks David. Very helpful.  I thought about doing what you said with the garage floor, but the box indicated in the structure specifications for the garage under absolute elevations, "Floor "D":, is grayed out.  Not sure what to do to activate that box so I can change the value.  Or is what you mean to set the garage floor manually something completely different from that? 

[DavidJPotter]

DJP

PS: the only reason floor input box would be "grayed out" would be if you were not currently on the first floor (second-third or foundation)

[DaveJo]

I watched your video and thought I had everything set right, but when I start to draw terrain lines I get a huge terrain hump centered on the middle of the house.  I set the garage floor at -42", regular house floor is at 0, then drew a terrain line at the front of the garage and also set it at -42 to get started on the terrain.  But the result is bizarre, with a tall hill created at the front of the house.  I'm attaching the plan with it returned to the version set to the point before I drew that first terrain line that created the hill.  Thank you

GT 12-20-18 1 new.plan

[DaveJo]

Not sure I attached the right version of the

[DaveJo]

Not sure I attached the right version of the plan as Pro was not closed when I selected a file to be uploaded.  This one is correct. 

GT 12-20-18 1 new.plan

[Rookie65]

When you open your terrain settings, read how it says "Subfloor height above terrain." What I think you've done is by setting it  to -42 you have actually raised it up 42" from the floor, which is where the hill is coming into being

[DaveJo]

Here is an actual view of the house if it might help to get this right.