How to export custom outputs & using the bulk export tool

Exporting a custom output

You can export a custom area from any existing measurement or a new polygon you draw.

1. Find the measurement you want to export and click the eye icon to turn it on.

2. Click the three-dot menu next to the measurement, then click Export.

3. Choose the file type you need and hit Export. (You may need to configure options based on your file type.)

Export options by file type

To ensure you get the right data for your workflows, here is a breakdown of the available custom export file types:

Files Sent to Your Email

• Orthophoto (GeoTIFF, JPEG, JPEG2000, PNG, KML) or DEM (Digital Elevation Model in GeoTIFF) are sent directly to your inbox.

• Contours (Shapefile or DXF) with elevation lines are also sent via email.

Files downloaded directly to your computer

• Point Cloud is a representation of the area as points. You can configure the resolution and file format. These files are large and take longer to process. Once ready, you'll find them under the Files tab in Outputs for direct download.

• Outline (DXF or KML) downloads directly.

• Surface (DXF 3D faces, DXF Mesh, or TTM, including terrain edits) downloads directly.

Understanding DXF surface exports

When exporting a surface, you can choose between TTM (Trimble Terrain Model), DXF 3D faces, or DXF Mesh. Understanding the difference is key to a smooth workflow in third-party software like Trimble Business Center (TBC):

• TTM (Surface Model): When you export a TTM, it is read as a complete surface model. In TBC, selecting any part of the TTM object selects the entire surface, making it ready to use or re-export immediately.

• DXF (3D Faces or Mesh): When you export a DXF, it is a collection of individual triangles (either 3D faces or a mesh) that represent the surface. This file requires an extra step in TBC:

  • Since the DXF file doesn't contain a defined "surface" object, you must select all the 3D faces/mesh elements and use a function like "Create Surface" to convert them into a usable surface model within TBC.

  • In Civil3D and AutoCAD, the DXF Mesh export will be brought in with an associated surface object, whereas the DXF 3D faces export will not

• Why the Difference? TTM is specifically designed to be a surface file. While Propeller names both the TTM and DXF files with "-surface-tin" to signal that the data is triangulated, the DXF format itself requires your external software to build the final surface from the individual faces or mesh.

You can also use the PUSH TO feature to share any file using Trimble Connect, Procore, BIM 360, Aconex, OneDrive, or Autodesk Build.

ℹ️ The Microsoft OneDrive PUSH TO integration can only be used with a Microsoft OneDrive Business account.

From the OUTPUTS tab, open the Files window.

Select the file you want to download and click PUSH TO.

You can also download any design files you have uploaded to your site, or if you’ve used the Terrain Cleanups feature, you can export that edited terrain. In other words, you can download anything you’ve uploaded.

What files are available to download as custom exports?

While Northing and Easting information are included, the coordinate reference system (CRS) is not included in the metadata of Shapefile, DXF, and TTM files. The corresponding CRS must be set when loading into third-party software.

Please check out our other articles about file formats and outputs if you need a file type not listed above.

What can I do with exported files?

Drawing eXchange Format (DXF)

• Export the outline of a polygon or polyline measurement  

• Extract a section of your surface as a TIN surface model (3DFACE) or extract a section of your surface as 1-unit contours

TTM (Trimble Terrain Model)

• Import into Trimble software (TBC, VisionLink, etc.) for design, survey, and machine control.

KML/ KMZ (Keyhole Markup Language)

• XML notation for expressing geographic annotation and visualization data 

How to export or copy measurements in bulk  

On a PC: press and hold the CTRL key while clicking on the features you want to export or copy.  

On a Mac: press and hold the Command key while clicking on the features you want to export or copy.

They can be mixed-use, such as polygon and point data.

Click on the three dots on the toolbar. This tool also allows you to export features as a KML or DXF file, Duplicate to the same dataset, Copy to another dataset, or Promote to the site level. Bulk export does not support orthophoto, DEM, contours, or point cloud.

I still can't do it!

We wrote these articles to equip you with everything you need to get the job done on your own, but we understand that sometimes this isn't sufficient.

If you're stuck, you can connect with our support team by clicking the question mark button at the top right corner of your user portal.