Import GIS data for site plan

[jim3thornton]

I am an AutoCAD Architecture user and have recently download a shapefile from our county's gis site in order to create a site model.

Rather than trace an image, I would like to use the available data. The download files are AutoCAD Shape Source, AutoCAD Complied Shape and Data files. Are these manageable in at Civil environment? I am trying to figure out I can translate them into the ACA environment.

Thank you for any suggestions.

[Anonymous]

NCJIM wrote:

> I am an AutoCAD Architecture user and have recently download a
> shapefile from our county's gis site in order to create a site model.
>
>
> Rather than trace an image, I would like to use the available data.
> The download files are AutoCAD Shape Source, AutoCAD Complied Shape
> and Data files. Are these manageable in at Civil environment? I am
> trying to figure out I can translate them into the ACA environment.

What you have are ESRI shapefiles, a collection of vector and attribute
data typically containing SHP, SHX, DBF (and other) files. Even though
AutoCAD has registered the extensions (like SHP) they aren't AutoCAD shapes.

I'm fairly certain ACA won't import these files. You will need to
obtain the services of someone to import them for you or acquire an
add-on (like MapWorks Base http://www.dotsoft.com/mapworks.htm) to
import them.

Terry
--
Never start any job without the right tools!
AutoCAD Add-on Tools at http://www.dotsoft.com

[AllenJessup]

Yes. Civil 3D handles them nicely through Map. see http://discussion.autodesk.com/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=6316154恺
Allen

[Anonymous]

If you have a current version of Microstation you can reference shapefiles
directly into a DGN. From there you might be able to export to DWG.

[auzzie2776]

see, i wish i knew more about microstation, that little tid bit is priceless

[Anonymous]

Bentley has taken a different approach to Geocoordination. They have built
Georeferencing into the core functionality of Microstation so any ustn user
can work with Georeferenced data. XREF's from differing coordinate systems
and units will automatically reproject the host drawings. Likewise for
imagery (which they could do for years now).

They have also added support for referencing Shapefiles so they can be added
and displayed with some GIS styling capabilities. I haven't worked with it
yet as I am not on the newest release, but it is demonstrated on a video on
their product web site.

[Anonymous]

If you have Civil 3D 2010 on subscription there is a tool that will turn a
shape file directly into a Civil 3D surface model in one simple step. This
could then be displayed in ACA (with the OE loaded) or exported as 3D faces.

Cheers,

Peter Funk
Autodesk, Inc.

[Anonymous]

I am trying to import a GIS shape file and have a subscription for Civil 3d.  What is the tool to import a shapefile?

[Neilw_05]

You have 2 options for utilizing a shapefile.

The first is to convert the shapefile into live Autocad graphics. For this you would use the Map Import tool. Once imported you will no longer use the shapefile. The imported grahics can have the shapefile attributes attached as object data which you can then use to theme the lines and symbols.

The second is to attach and display the shapefile via Map's FDO providers. This approach is much like attaching an XREF in that you are not actually adding the shapefile elements to your drawing but rather you are displaying the contents which you can stylize according to the attributes of the shapefile. In this scenario you will need to keep the shapefile available. This would be the best approach if the shapefile is also used in other applications such as a department GIS. You can also edit the shapefiles in their native format via the FDO connection vs. having to convert them to ACAD graphics and back using theMap Import/Export tools.

[Neilw_05]

If you do not have Map or Civil3D, there are some free shape to DWG converters out in cyberspace. Do a search.

[AllenJessup]

You can do pretty much the same thing in Civil / Map 3D with FDO. It's not built into the AutoCad core though.

Allen

[AllenJessup]

Once you have the shape files connected through FDO and have edited the style so it looks as you want. You can then click on Tools in the Task Pane and use "Save current Map to DWG" to save all your stylized features as AutoCad entities in a new drawing. You can save the original drawing with the FDO data attached so if there are any updates to the shape file you can save out new entities.

Allen

[Anonymous]

Thank you!

[Sinc]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
Bentley has taken a different approach to Geocoordination. They have built
Georeferencing into the core functionality of Microstation so any ustn user
can work with Georeferenced data. XREF's from differing coordinate systems
and units will automatically reproject the host drawings. Likewise for
imagery (which they could do for years now).

---

That makes so much more sense than what Autodesk did.  Autodesk managed to completely mangle this, and turn it into a giant mess.  And it's not just the georeferencing part - the fact that Autocad also can't understand "US Survey Foot" units also creates problems.

[Matt.Anderson]

Civil 3d 2010 SAP and 2011 both contain a tool to import a SHP file directly into a Civil 3d surface which ACA will recognize.

No need to import using MAPIMPORT or FDO representation of those contours.

Peter Funk's reply is the best solution to turn GIS data into a form that ACA will recognize.

Matthew Anderson, PE

[dgordon]

Laura,

Under the toolspace goto the toolbox tab.   There is a Subscription Extension Manager there if you installed the subscription advantage pack.   expand the list.   Under Surface there is a command to Create Surface from GIS Data.

Dan