CADit

Importing Shape files to AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 (2008 problems fixed?)

Further to my previous articles regarding the problems with importing shape files into AutoCAD Map 3D 2008. So what's changed with 2009...

As mentioned previously the issues that I had encountered were due to incorrect naming of field names in the DBase (.dbf) part of the Shape data.

Incorrect, in that the field names exceeded the 10 character naming limit, and when truncated to the first 10 characters, resulted in duplicate field names.

So what does AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 do, when I try to import my faulty shape data...

As shown above, AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 now finds the error and provides an error message telling me what the problem is, and which file has the problem...

AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 - Bug 1

The case of the disappearing Quick Access Toolbar:

One of the first things I do when installing new versions of Autodesk software is setup my own versions of the standard workspaces.

Generally I open each standard workspace in turn and save it as "My" version...

i.e. I save a copy of the workspace "Map Classic" as "My Map Classic"

I can then make changes to my workspaces, but return to the defaults when running training or demonstrations etc.

However, when I now my AutoCAD Map 3D 2009, starting with "My" copies of the workspaces, the Quick Access Toolbar is missing...

This doesn't happen with AutoCAD 2009

Anyone else having this issue? or similar...

AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 - Bug 2

The case of the Prefixed Object Data Table:

As recently published on James Murphy's "Map 3D and Murphs Law" blog...

http://map3d.wordpress.com/2008/05/01/default-is-gone-almost/

We had to suffer some "bugs" in the 2008 release of Map 3D related to the import of ESRI shape files.
When you imported a shape file in AutoCAD Map 3D 2008 the default Layer and Object Data Table names were prefixed with “Default_”
well these have been fixed in AutoCAD Map 3D 2009... not quite...
The layer name is OK (no prefix there) but the Object Data Table still has the “Default_” prefix

AutoCAD Raster Design 2009 & Civil 3D 2009 Object Enablers Available

The Object Enablers for AutoCAD Raster Design 2009 and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 are available for download...

AutoCAD® Civil 2009 Object Enabler

AutoCAD Raster Design 2009 Object Enabler

Trimble Link for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009

Trimble Link for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 has been released...

http://www.trimble.com/link_ts.asp?Nav=Collection-56702

Plot Transparency in AutoCAD Map 3D 2009

If your drawings/maps contain feature data that you have styled to be transparent, you can print the transparency by enabling the Plot with Transparency option.

To enable the transparency plotting option, enter mapplottransparency at the command prompt, then enter On.

This option appears to be off by default.

Where are our familiar Menus and Toolbars hiding in AutoCAD 2009?

For those lucky people out there that are currently rolling out their AutoCAD 2009 software, and asking questions like...

Where are my menus? or

How do I get to my toolbars?

Here's a couple of quick tips...

Menus

To display your familiar menu bar...

Right-click on the "Quick Access Toolbar", and select "Show Menu Bar"



Your menus are now displayed...

 

Toolbars

To display your toolbars...

Click on the "Menu Browser" button...

Expand the "Tools" menu and select "Toolbars"

With the "Toolbars" section expanded, you should see menu items for "AutoCAD" and "EXPRESS"

Expand the relevant section to access the standard "AutoCAD" and/or "Express Tools" toolbars...

Making More Information Freely Available

Here's a great source of geospatial data/information, from Digital Boundaries to Detailed Business Demographic Data, and more...

Under the Making More Information Freely Available (MIFA) initiative, some of the data and products Statistics New Zealand used to charge for are now free.

Take a look at the following...

http://www.stats.govt.nz/about-us/making-more-information-free/default.htm

Statistic New Zealand are also progressively making more data and products free throughout 2007 and 2008. For more details, see products and data to be made free.

To request information...

http://www.stats.govt.nz/inforequest.htm

Google Earth Extension available for AutoCAD 2009

The Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD has now been updated to include installers for AutoCAD 2007, 2008, and AutoCAD 2009 in one zip file.

For more details and to download...

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/google_earth_extension_beta/

AECDWGSETUP - Error in Civil 3D - Fixed in 2009!

Do you use the AECDWGSETUP command in Civil 3D?

Whilst this command is useful in Civil 3D, the additional settings, saved in the DWG file, can cause problems when using DWG files in plain AutoCAD that were created (or at least, last saved) using Civil 3D.

As long as you are aware of these settings and how to manage them, then you won't have a problem. However, the AECDWGSETUP command is not available in plain AutoCAD, but the settings that are managed by this command in Civil 3D are still recognised by AutoCAD.

For example: If I save a drawing in Civil 3D with the units set to metres using AECDWGSETUP, then AutoCAD recognises the drawing units as metres, which can be an issue when inserting content created/saved from Civil 3D into AutoCAD.

I suppose a good rule of thumb maybe to only create general AutoCAD content... blocks, templates etc. in plain AutoCAD, particularly for those companies that run a variety of Autodesk applications, plain AutoCAD and verticals like Civil 3D.

Anyway, with all that said... There is a problem in Civil 3D which has been there at least from the 2007 version of Civil 3D and maybe in earlier versions and certainly still exists in Civil 3D 2008.

The problem is with the Drawing Units values listed in the Dialog version of the AECDWGSETUP command, and the way the Drawing Units values are listed in the command line version of the same command -AECDWGSETUP.

This was noticed when I needed to run a script over a number of drawings to change/repair the Drawing Units settings in AECDWGSETUP.

AECDWGSETUP dialog version, lists the drawing units correctly...

-AECDWGSETUP command line version, lists the drawing units incorrectly, also showing "Meters" twice...

The Drawing Units listed in the command line version need to be corrected.

Anyway, if you do need to use -AECDWGSETUP from the command line or in a script, which I would assume to be a rare requirement...

Entering 3 will get you Millimetres
Entering 4 will get you Centimetres

The list should read...

Problem raised with Autodesk Support...

Hi John The discrepancy between running AECDWGSETUP in a dialog box and AECDWGSETUP at the command line with respect to the unit values has been resolved in the 2009 release. Thank you for notifying us about the issue. Best Regards, Autodesk Support Team

How about that for a quick response, I didn't even get a chance to post the issue to the weblog... well done Autodesk Support