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GIS Data

12 REPLIES 12
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Message 1 of 13
stingrey3
1267 Views, 12 Replies

GIS Data

I'm sure that this question has been asked already, and I have looked at some of the posts.  I am not very familiar with working with GIS, but I have a project that I need to get GIS data converted to CAD so I can edit in CAD.  I am not looking to convert it back to GIS.  I've tried the Export to CAD but all I get is line work.  The GIS data is for water, sewer & drainage.  I need to get the manholes, valves, etc.  Not being familiar with the GIS software (ArcGIS) I'm sure that I am missing some settings.  Maybe part of the problem is not using a seed file in the conversion.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Ray

Civil 3D 2013

ArcGIS 10

12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
rkmcswain
in reply to: stingrey3

So are you asking how to export the data _out_ of ArcMap or how to import the GIS data _into_ C3D?

 

R.K. McSwain     | CADpanacea | on twitter
Message 3 of 13
AllenJessup
in reply to: stingrey3

What type of files do you have available? In most cases the you can either attach the data using FDO and save it as an AutoCAD drawing.

 

FDO.PNG

 

You could also use MAPIMPORT.

 

Allen Jessup



Allen Jessup
Engineering Specialist / CAD Manager

Message 4 of 13
stingrey3
in reply to: rkmcswain

It would be both.  I need to get it out of ArcGIS and get it into C3D.

Message 5 of 13
Neilw_05
in reply to: stingrey3

What GIS file format are you needing to import? Shape files (.shp) can contain points, lines or polygons (one type per shape file). Then there are Geodatabases (.gdb) files which contain multiple types of data and raster images which can have attributes associated with the pixels. The format will determine your approach.

 

You can look in the Map help system for details on how to import or display these types of data. FDO connections allow you to display and edit the data but it does not store the graphics in yor drawing. If you want to convert the data into CAD graphics you'll need to use the import tools in Map.

 

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
Message 6 of 13
stingrey3
in reply to: AllenJessup

I've got mxd files.  I've tried the Export to CAD routine, but I can only get linework from it.  I am just not familiar enough with ArcGIS to know if there settings that need to be set and also if a seed file is needed to get the manholes, valves, etc. into CAD correctly.

 

Thanks,

 

Ray

Message 7 of 13
AllenJessup
in reply to: stingrey3

You could try this: http://www.fugro-pelagos.com/dxfexport.asp

 

I've never had to work with MXD files. But I found that with a search.

 

Allen Jessup



Allen Jessup
Engineering Specialist / CAD Manager

Message 8 of 13
Neilw_05
in reply to: stingrey3

MXD files are ArcGIS map documents. They are basically just containers for displaying GIS data in ArcMap. They don't contain any GIS data. You'll need to obtain the source data that is used by the MXD files.

 

Again, the source data could be shape files, geodatabase files, raster images, and other formats. You'll find shapefiles are the easiest format to import into your drawings.

 

A shape file data source is actually a set of files that store the various components of the data set used by GIS software. Typically a shapefile data source will include .shp. .dbf. .shx. .prj and a few other files in the set, all with the name of the dataset as the prefix. You'll need all of the files in a set when converting to CAD graphics.

 

If I understand your workflow properly, you are using incorrect terminology. You are wanting to IMPORT the data into Autocad from GIS.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
Message 9 of 13
stingrey3
in reply to: Neilw_05

Thank you very much, Neil, for that information.  I'll have to look into the source of the mxd files.  That was not sent to us.

 

Has anyone used SmartExporter or the ArcGIS for AutoCAD plug-in?

 

Thanks,

 

Ray

Message 10 of 13
Cadguru42
in reply to: stingrey3


@stingrey3 wrote:

I'm sure that this question has been asked already, and I have looked at some of the posts.  I am not very familiar with working with GIS, but I have a project that I need to get GIS data converted to CAD so I can edit in CAD.  I am not looking to convert it back to GIS.  I've tried the Export to CAD but all I get is line work.  The GIS data is for water, sewer & drainage.  I need to get the manholes, valves, etc.  Not being familiar with the GIS software (ArcGIS) I'm sure that I am missing some settings.  Maybe part of the problem is not using a seed file in the conversion.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Ray

Civil 3D 2013

ArcGIS 10


You need to know what your data is being stored as. Do you access an ArcSDE SQL database, coverages, personal geodatabase, or shapefiles when in ArcGIS? Once you know that, that'll make it much easier to import into Map (C3D). As some have already said, it's pretty easy when it's a shapefile as you can just do a MAPIMPORT or FDO connection then save into a DWG. That should bring in the data with the objects.

 

If you use ArcSDE, then you'll need to make sure to load the ArcSDE drivers in the FDO>Bin folder in your Map (C3D) installation. I have a couple threads in the Map group discussing how to do this exact thing. 

If it's a personal geodatabase, then you'll have to export it from ArcGIS itself to either a Shapefile or other Map import compatible file format. Be sure to attach the data with the objects. I know our GIS division used to have their CAD clients complain about the files they were giving out because the data wasn't attached to the objects (i.e., contour polylines were all flat and did not have an attribute of elevation nor a Z value that contained the correct elevation.). I'm not exactly sure what they did to export the files correctly, but I know it's possible.

C3D 2022-2024
Windows 10 Pro
32GB RAM
Message 11 of 13
Neilw_05
in reply to: stingrey3

I don't know anything about SmartExporter, but the GIS plugin for Autocad is for Autocad users that don't have Map. If you have Civil 3D you also have Map so you don't need the plugin.

 

Again, you should be looking for tools to IMPORT into Autocad.

Neil Wilson (a.k.a. neilw)
AEC Collection/C3D 2024, LDT 2004, Power Civil v8i SS1
WIN 10 64 PRO

http://www.sec-landmgt.com
Message 12 of 13
Murph_Map
in reply to: stingrey3

What you need to do is save the layers in ArcGIS to shp format, right click on the layer in the TOC then select save as shape format, if memory serves me right. Save the files to a new blank folder close to your c: drive.

Now in Civil3d/Map3D use the Mapimport command, select the files then in the dialog box on the in the "DATA" column select the "none" and click on create Object Data. That will get you started in the right direction. 🙂

Murph
Supporting the troops daily.
Message 13 of 13
Hidden_Brain
in reply to: stingrey3

if you see the individual layers listed on the data tree with a red exclamation sign when you open the MXD, ask the other party to create a "map package" and send to you. then you get all the data, and follow steps to bring them into Civil 3D as others have suggested.

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