IMAGINiT Geospatial Solutions Blog

AutoCAD Map 3D 2010 - New Survey Tools

Another new feature in the latest release of AutoCAD Map is the new survey functionality. 

*** Sidebar: any of you 'Civil' folks that might be reading this and Civil 3D is your primary software, don't get too excited.  This new survey functionality in AutoCAD Map should not be compared to the survey functionality available in Civil 3D.  This functionality is a very basic point db management system to allow you to manage view (and edit) point data.

The new features include:

• Creation of Survey Datastore & Schema
• Import/Export of LandXML into a Survey Datastore
• Creation of domain features from Survey features
• Point Group support
• New Survey Environment
• ASCII Point import

Click here for a White Paper with instructions on how to import a LandXML file

Until next time, take care
Warren M

AutoCAD Map 3D 2010 - Raster Re-Projections

Raster re-projection in AutoCAD Map have been dramatically improved in this latest release. In previous releases of Map, raster image re-projections were a simple transformation only based on the position of the four corners of the image.

In Map 2010 the raster re-projections are based on a triangulated grid overlaid on the image, and each point in the grid is transformed to the target coordinate system.

Raster Projections in Map 2009

Raster Projections in Map 2010

And don't forget
The Raster Provider in MapGuide Enterprise is based on the same FDO technology, so this also applies to MapGuide.

Until next time, take care
Warren M

AutoCAD Map 3D 2010 - Feature Properties

One of the new features in Map 2010 that I find extremely valuable, is the ability to see Feature Attribute data in the regular Properties Manager panel.

In the screen capture below you can see the selected Feature, and the resulting information in the Properties panel.

The Feature Properties can be edited (with the exception of the Feature ID), and this is a great step forward to making FDO Features "look and behave" more like the CAD objects that everybody is so familiar with.

Until next time, take care.
Warren M

FDO - Connect to Text Files with Spatial Data

Todays post is courtesy of my colleague, Matthew Nashmi from our IMAGINiT Mississauga office.  Matthew has put together a great White Paper on implementing the Open Source FDO OGR Provider in AutoCAD Map and accessing CSV data through this Provider.

Remember, because the latest MapGuide technology framework is built on this same FDO technology, this process can be applied to configuring MapGuide to access CSV data as well.

Great job Matthew!

Until next time, take care

Warren

AutoCAD Map - Theme Palettes

I recently had an interesting inquiry during an AutoCAD Map course I was instructing, and in hindsight, I can't believe this had not been asked before?

We were working on stylizing FDO Feature Sources, a DEM to be specific, and generating a theme based on the USGS National Map palette when the client asked if there was a way to create your own palette? "Hmmm, great question!" I responded, "Let me check into that for you."

Not knowing where or how the palettes were stored, I decided to start by doing a quick search of the registry to see if the text 'USGS' existed in the registry, to give me an idea of where or how these palettes might be stored. No luck. So next, I performed a 'text in file' search in the AutoCAD installation folder to see if any of the files contained the 'USGS' text string. Bingo! Found them.

It turns out the palettes are stored in '.pf' files located in the <installation folder>\Support folder. The contents of this text file look like:

;AECIPALETTEVER 1
;Autodesk Raster Design Palette
;Title: Client Training Test
180,0,0
255,0,255
...

The line containing 'Title', is the line that defines the palette name as displayed in the palette list in Map. The remaining lines after the title line define the RGB colors that make up the palette.

Now you know how to create your palette specific to your tasks, or modify an existing palette

Until next time, take care!

Warren

AutoCAD Map 3D 2010 - Workflows

Using the Windows Workflow Foundation, a brand new, powerful workflow framework and UI has been integrated into AutoCAD Map 3D 2010. This framework will enable users to build, save and share simple and complex workflows using a visual editor. Workflows can include logic and initiate calls to other workflows.

Essentially, a Workflow automates a set of activities. A Workflow can be created from scratch, or by changing an existing Workflow.

The following, is a list of activities that can be performed in a Workflow:

Activities can be Parallel, or Sequenced.  Parallel activities are independent of other activities.  As an example, when connecting to two or more data sources, parallel connections will ensure that all of the connections will execute, even if a preceding connection fails.  A sequenced activity depends on a previous activity or activities. 

Each Activity has a set of parameters, and the parameters will vary depending on the activity being executed.  Some parameters are required, and some are optional.  If the activity is to connect to a SDF data source, the file name is required and will need to be provided.  It is also a good idea to give the activity a proper Display Name.

The Workflow Designer provides a simple to use GUI to create and design your Workflows.

As with most application configuration files these days, the workflows are stored in an XML based file, and could be edited manually outside of AutoCAD Map.  If these files are stored on a local network, they can be made available and shared to multiple users throughout your organization.

What about adding my own activities?
Well, if you have some programming experience, and can write simple .Net compliant code, you can add activities to the Workflow Designer.  For more details on this, and directions to some samples, see the AutoCAD Map help under Editing or Creating Workflows.

That's all for now, until next time, take care.
Warren M