Brian Johnson | Applications Expert
With the release of Civil 3D 2020, there is an update to the Survey Database format. In prior versions the database format was Microsoft SQL Server Compact (SQL CE). Civil 3D 2020 has transitioned to the SQLite format and any previous version survey databases that you need to access in the new version must be converted to SQLite.
Conversion Tool
Autodesk has provided a way to convert the previous SQL CE version to SQLite via an Autodesk Civil 3D Survey Database Migration Utility.
This is a standalone utility that must be downloaded and installed from: Civil 3D Survey Database Migration Utility
Any SQL CE database will be displayed with a yellow out-of-date warning icon on the Survey tab of the Toolspace. If you try to open it, you will get a prompt directing you to download and install the migration utility to migrate it to the SQLite format.
NOTE: Once a survey database has been migrated to SQLite, it will not be compatible with earlier versions of Civil 3D. I recommend making a copy of the SQL CE version prior to migration.
Any previous survey databases created in Microsoft Access will not show up on the Survey tab of the Toolspace in Civil 3D 2020. To make it accessible in Civil 3D 2020, you will have to update them to SQL CE format in a previous version of Civil 3D then update it again using the migration tool to the SQLite format.
This change to the survey database format in Civil 3D 2020 may seem minor, however, if this feature is one that you rely on to get your work done, you will want to understand the change and how to manage it.
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