AutoCAD Map 3D Forum
Welcome to Autodesk’s AutoCAD Map 3D Forums. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular AutoCAD Map 3D topics.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Advice - AutoCAD MAP3D vs MapInfo and ArcGIS

12 REPLIES 12
Reply
Message 1 of 13
arunrnf
4463 Views, 12 Replies

Advice - AutoCAD MAP3D vs MapInfo and ArcGIS

Hi

Ive been trying to find feature comparison data between AutoCAD MAP3D and GIS software such as Mapinfo and ARC GIS but it seems hard to find. Can any AutoCAD MAP3D users here give me some advice on how the GIS capabilities of AutoCAD MAP3D differ from those of these other GIS products.... is AutoCAD MAP3D a fullly functional GIS package?

12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
Alfred.NESWADBA
in reply to: arunrnf

Ok, I start 😉

 

first: I don't know MapInfo, so I can only compare ArcGIS and Map3D (more used ot Map3D, of course).

second: whatever forum you start such a thread will result in "the software I use is the best", in that case here all use Map3D, so guess what percentage of users will mark Map3D as  best 😉

So you should also start such a thread in the ArcGIS and MapInfo discussion forums.

 

 

And now:

>> is AutoCAD MAP3D a fullly functional GIS package?

Yes, it is.

 

 

>> how the GIS capabilities of AutoCAD MAP3D differ from those of these other GIS products

The global points I see worth to be mentioned:

 

+ AutoCAD Map3D ==> editing geometry

  • as Map3D is based in AutoCAD you have a full set of tools for creation and modification of geometry (otrack, osnap, grip-functionality and a lot more)

+ AutoCAD Map3D ==> plot

  • the setup of a layout, including titleblock, multiple viewports, .... all is relativ easy to create compared to ArcGIS
  • using a lot of different plotters and plot formats (especially oversizes) is no problem for AutoCAD-based products

+ AutoCAD Map3D ==> geometry cleaning / creation of topologies

  • one of the functions I really love. Check existing geometry for defects like overshoot, undershoot, crossings, ... With a given tolerance Map3D is able to handle/repair that defects.
  • so also creation and manipulation of really topological data is a thing Map3D is able to do that. E.g. don't think that modifying a SHP in ArcGIS is topological proofed, you might get then overlaps or holes in your working area without any warning.

+ ArcGIS ==> analyses

  • ArcGIS has it's strength in analyses, Map3D get closer and closer to the abilites of ArcGIS, but Map3D has not all types of analyses yet that ArcGIS offers

+ ArcGIS ==> data amount

  • currently ArcGIS can handle much more data on high performance, especially for thematic maps. It's not a problem for 1000 or polygons, but if you have > 100000 polygons and they have to be filled in different colors based on any attributive field makes Map3D slow on display while ArcGIS plays around.

 

And now waiting for others, that's just my 2c 😉

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS ... www.hollaus.at ... blog.hollaus.at ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 3 of 13
arunrnf
in reply to: Alfred.NESWADBA

Thank you Alfred

 

"ArcGIS ==> analyses

  • ArcGIS has it's strength in analyses, Map3D get closer and closer to the abilites of ArcGIS, but Map3D has not all types of analyses yet that ArcGIS offers"

Would you be able to elaborate on this..... especially in terms of what Map3D cannot do?

Message 4 of 13
Alfred.NESWADBA
in reply to: arunrnf

Hi,

 

e.g. statistics like show on each label of a polygon a pie-chart of a percentage value of a sum of any value in the attributes

or ... in some cases it's hard to get labels as text-objects in case of high number of polygons (Map3D gets then slow on screen) and sometimes the intelligence of Map3D is to high to hold a text within it's polygon (well there are workarounds for that).

 

But to be honest: analyses like "create a thematic map" can be done with every of these packages, the difference there is in very very small details.

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS ... www.hollaus.at ... blog.hollaus.at ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 5 of 13
arunrnf
in reply to: Alfred.NESWADBA

DO you know how they compare in terms of spatial analysis?

Message 6 of 13
Alfred.NESWADBA
in reply to: arunrnf

Hi,

 

>> DO you know how they compare in terms of spatial analysis?

I see no difference in doing analyses based on geography location/properties or on based on attributive properties.

Both doing that.

 

Maybe to give you one idea: besides the internal topological functionality in Map3D you have also the functionality from OSGEO built in (>>>click<<<).

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS ... www.hollaus.at ... blog.hollaus.at ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 7 of 13
arunrnf
in reply to: Alfred.NESWADBA

Thanks, would greatly approciate coments from other members to 🙂

Message 8 of 13
Murph_Map
in reply to: arunrnf


@arunrnf wrote:

Thanks, would greatly approciate coments from other members to 🙂


I concur with everything Alfred stated, just add that labeling features with attributes may be easier in ESRI.
The other main differeance AutoCAD Map3D has 3d build in, the last version of ArcGIS I used it was an add module that you paid extra for.

Murph
Supporting the troops daily.
Message 9 of 13

Alfred mentioned a plotting advantage for Map3D, and I have to agree that the multiple layouts is a huge advantage, but if you ever need to do a mapbook, (as some of us still do once in awhile), then the data driven pages in ArcGIS beats Map3D hands down.

Message 10 of 13

I am primarily an ArcGIS user but actually started with CAD and I while I prefer ArcGIS for Making actual maps I do greatly miss the geometry editing ease of AutoCAD.  Now I have Map 3D and am just getting into learning how to use it.  The ribbon based layout is different from what I learned on (14 and 2000) but that will be a minor issue overall.  Me I plan to use a blend of the two to my best advantage.

 

Paul

Message 11 of 13
parkr4st
in reply to: arunrnf

I use arcmap basic and Map3D.  agree with all the comments so far.  one area not mentioned is tranferring data to field computers and GPS.  I fnd that Map is more agreeable to incoming data collected in the field as it can handle a larger variety on input formats and actually get the georeferencing right.  Esri is easier to make a map look good and get it on paper but thats is only because not everyone will break the paper trail and go to electronic gizmos.  Terrible thing to say for a forester making a living growing trees to make paper  Smiley Happy

 

The most important part of either of these programs and probably mapinfo which I have looked at but never took to is data preparation to get the required or expected results from the GIS.  So look at the far end and output and make the data input so you can get there.  the old GIGO thing. 

 

Support for esri is more availble on the website.  the best support is in the forums which is why M3D shines; better forums; great people.

 

dave

 

Message 12 of 13
nisunze
in reply to: Alfred.NESWADBA

Generally, I agree with you;
The strength of ArcGIS is its spatial analysis capability; ArcInfo has millions of analysis tools, and you can Easley expand them using Python; I don't see Map 3D matching that capabily in near term.
But, AutoCAD Map 3D is strong at Drafting, especially when you use Parcel Tools in Civil 3D.
My Advice is to use each software where it excels at. I spend much time drafting in Map 3D and then do every analysis(almost) in ArcInfo.
Message 13 of 13

Hi I have been using AutoCad since the old 10 version for DOS!  I have to agree that doing edits, cleaning drawing, using blocks and using COGO is a snap in Autocad Map 3d.  I started using ESRI products for about ten years and have found doing layouts with analysis is much less tedious in their product.  Usually I will create county wide layers in Autocad, do all the edits, which it does in double precision, and add the base attributes that will attach to a database in Arc, and then ship that out in a shape format that has the coordinate system attached to that.  The shapefile is then manipulated in to fit the visual effects required by my users, which use ArcReader, a rather handy free program from ESRI, to do queries and some base manipulation.  Making the final map in Arc's layout view can be best described as a balance between insanity and "you've got to be kidding"

 

I have brought in shapefiles that need many changes in Autocad for the simple reason that it is so much easier and straight forward.  When you do this sort of thing you will find the snaps in Arc, which seems to be single precision, will create a huge amount of overshoots and gaps.  Fortunately, Autocad has a cleanup tool that does this in very short order.  That makes for a whistle clean file!

 

In short, draw in Autocad and show off in ArcGIS!

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Autodesk Design & Make Report

”Boost