import-export point formats and thoughts

[achillesgr]

Hello, I am using Carlson survce collector software and c3d 2014. I simple store points ,transfer them in c3d , add some new stake points in c3d , back to the collector again for stake out. I am not using c3d for long time and I have some issues with that'proccedure.here is where I am so far: 1.if I use the Carlson connect and import points from two files for example file one with points 1-15 and file two with points 1-20 , I end up with a DWG file with points from 1-35 and the problem with that is I loose control of my points and what they represent.when I store the point I keep note for example that the point #18 is a specific building corner , but with the c3d import the #18 point becomes 15+18=33 in the above example . I do not use descriptions when I store the points.I thought as a solution to export an ASCII from the survce as P,E,N,Z and then import that in c3d as Raw descr,E,NZ. and with that way I transfer the point number from survce as Raw description in c3d. So the Carlson connect solution is abandoned so far. My first question is can I have more control to the Carlson connect or not? How you guys overcome those problems? 2.when I need to stake out. The new points in c3d have point numbers of course and some descriptions .same problems with the Carlson connect. So again the carlson is abandoned and I export them in P,E,N,Z,D text and import in survce. Question :am I right so far or I am missing something? How you guys work? 3. I did not use database so far. I will use it if I could some how store my points distinguished buy date and work file .is it posible? I mean if I have points from 1-15 in a job to import those as exactly 1-15 in database. I hope I was enough clear for what I am doing and what i want to do.I do not have any experience in c3d or procedures like that. I appreciate any help. Thanks

[mathewkol]

A Civil 3D drawing nor the survey database can have 2 points with the same number. You can never bring in points 1-15 and then 1-20 and have the numbers the same.

When you import the second set, have Civil 3D add a number to your second set. Like 100. Your new points will be 101, 102 etc. You can still kind of see the original numbering scheme. This can be done in the DWG or the survey database.

[sboon]

I haven't used Carlson Connect, but if you imported your points using names instead of point numbers then it should be possible to do what you're looking for.

Point names cannot include duplicates, but there are options which allow a suffix to be added when duplicate names are created.

Steve
Please use the Accept as Solution or Kudo buttons when appropriate

[NMRollo]

So many ways to skin a cat!

I often deal with several surveys in a project coming from different surveyors over a period of time. How I deal with it is:

1. Each surveyor is allocated his own number which he starts numbering his points with on each job. eg. 3000 
2. Each data download (csv) includes the numeric date in the file name. The scanned field notes (pdf) have a corresponding file name.. eg 022514-nmr
3. In a spreadsheet, I amend the point numbers by prefixing them with the date eg pt#3051 becomes 2253051
4. Now, when I  import the points file into ACAD, each point has a unique number that is also easily related to its source survey.
5. This idea can be extended to points being created in ACAD and exported to upload files.eg. #99001 -99004 in attached screen shot. 

This concept can be adapted and applied to most scenarios.

I hope that this is of use to you.