Inserted image from USGS at wrong location

[normans]

Appreciate any info or suggestions.  I have been spending time lately getting up to speed on utilizing the DEM data and inserting aerial images to overlay on the surfaces that I have built in C3D 2013.  For some reason I am not having any luck with an aerial image being inseted into C3D correctly.  The method I am using is to insert the image into a dwg file set to UTM Meters (Does not come in at the correct location to start with) and saving and closing the file.  Then I create new file set to the SPC the image is located in and attach the UTM Meters dwg to it and then query the image into my drawing. 

Seems strange that it worked for me twice (diffenent areas) and now will not insert the image at the right location. Perhaps I am missing something.

The image should be inserted at at the 500,000 and 4,300,000 x-y range but ends up at 1,700,000 and 14,000,000 x-y range (like it is scaling it?) no matter what I try. This is in the UTM Meters dwg.

Anyone use this similar method or am I doing a lot of inserting and attaching needlessly? I found this method as a suggestion in my search for info. I can see in the Image Correlation Dialog Box that the insertion point is supposed to be as I prev stated and units are set to meters yet it still comes in at the incorrect location. It's trying to drive me crazy but I refuse.

[stewarteng · Accepted solution]

Not sure if I understand your situation exactly, but here's what I do:

Start a new drawing from your template, set the drawing to your state plane grid zone and units.

Type mapwspace enter enter to open the FDO connection.

Use the add raster image to browse to your image, and connect.  If the image file shows unknown coordinate system, double click on it and set the UTM zone and units, then add it to your drawing.  It should transform in to the State Plane coordinates.

Save this dwg file and xref it into your other drawings as an overlay.

Works for me every time.

Brian

[normans]

Thank you, Brian, I think you got me on the right track. I'm not real familiar with the Map WS but I was able to add my image and the coords the image occupies seem to be correct.  I saved the file but when xrefing the file I don't see the image.   A Zoom, extents zooms to the surface limits in that drawing.  No sign of the image.  If I open a new drawing set the CS and xref the saved file with image I don't see the image.  If I open the file with the image I do see the image at correct coords.

I see the following on commend line when Xrefing file w/image from a new file:

Command: _XATTACH
Overlay Xref "Gilbert Image Nad83 Z2 Feet": Z:\Survey\Gilbert\Gilbert Image Nad83 Z2 Feet.dwg
"Gilbert Image Nad83 Z2 Feet" loaded.

I see on the drawing status line upon opening the file with the image that it is executing query, so on and so forth and then the image appears. Is there something I am not doing correctly when I saved the file after adding the image to it, perhaps?

[stewarteng]

Sorry, I steered you wrong on the xref; I forgot that the images I xref are the ones I inserted.  For GIS images, I usually just use the fdo process to show the image in the file I'm working in.

The Mapiinsert command (don't forget the double i) will work for me sometimes, but it requires a world file to work right; I haven't had much luck with the gis images.

Sorry I misspoke about the xref.

[antoniovinci]

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normans wrote:
The image should be inserted at at the 500,000 and 4,300,000 x-y range but ends up at 1,700,000 and 14,000,000 x-y range

---

Sounds like you have a bad Geotiff (at 1700000,14000000) with a good worldfile (at 500000,4300000).

Would you please upload here one of those TIF/TFW pairs, just to check 'em out..?

[normans]

I was able to make the process work after I discovered the "Save as dwg file" option.  I then xref that image and it comes in and is registered with the surface that was built.  I am still continuing on my GIS journey.  I work in the surveying department of our company and most surveyors don't love GIS, but I'm trying to embrace it.

Norman Stewart

(Yep, another Stewart)

I will post some additional info time permitting.  Thanks again.

[brettehman4012]

Hi

Try going into your "Task Pane" in the "Map Explorer" tab and right click on "Current Drawing" and select "Coordinate System..." from the window that pops up. Replace the code that is displayed in the box next to "Select Coordinate System" button with a period and then click on OK. Now do the "mapiinsert" as you usually would and your geotiff should show up in the correct position. It has worked for me on numerous occasions. REMEMBER set your coordinate system back to whatever it is you need. I hope this helps. Good luck.

[Matthew.SchwartzNZ4U4]

I still can't get USGS maps to come in correctly with CAD. If I drop my map in QGIS or Google Earth, it comes in at the right place, no problems. When I use MAPIINSERT or the MAPWSPACE task panel, it comes in at approximately a 0.25 scale of where it should be. 

I tried using the Raster Image or Surface Connection to change the coordinate system to TX83-SCF. It has 2 listings in the Edit Spatial Contexts menu. Filling in the blanks with TX83-SCF has no effect.

Name, Coordinate System, Override:
Default, < unknown >, [blank]

EPSG:32767,  < unknown >, [blank]

When I click on the image in QGIS, it says it is in the GCS_North_American_1983 coordinate system. And while I can export the file in QGIS to TX83-SCF, it is a roundabout way to do things. This has been consistent through several projects where USGS isn't coming in correctly.

[Pointdump]

Hi Matthew,
Please post your image, or a link to it, and a screen shot showing where it lands.
What version Civil 3D do you have? All updates? Do you have Raster Design?
Dave

[Matthew.SchwartzNZ4U4]

[Pointdump]

Matthew,
Coordinates in your lower circle look like >>>EPSG:26914 NAD83/UTM zone 14N<<<. Can you post your original data or a link to it?
Dave

[Matthew.SchwartzNZ4U4]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/353040058303382746/
It is the USGS Castle Hills, TX 2019 (US Topo) map, which is northwest of San Antonio, TX. 
https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#13/29.5625/-98.5625

[Pointdump]

Matthew,
Thanks for the link.
The XML file for your image shows the Coordinate System is EPSG:26914 NAD83/UTM zone14N. The TFW (World) file shows this:
2.032 (x-pixel resolution)
0 (rotational component)
0 (rotational component)
-2.032 (y-pixel resolution)
492661.24546 (Easting of the upper left pixel)
3278762.74121 (Northing of the upper left pixel)

Given the world file, I have no idea how QGIS drops it in the right spot. Those coordinates are 26 miles to the west of where they should be. And QGIS shows the coordinate system as "unknown". That's a head scratcher. QGIS seems to be disregarding both the TFW and XML files.

Looks like the easiest way forward is to re-project the image in QGIS.
Dave

[Pointdump]

Matthew,
USGS has unfathomably assigned a custom coordinate system to those topo images. It is not EPSG:26914. The PRJ file calls it "GCS_North_American_1983". The Central Meridian Longitude is -98.5625, not -99 like UTM83-14 uses. If you create that custom coordinate system then Civil 3D can use the images without problem.

PROJCS["GCS_North_American_1983",GEOGCS["GCS_North_American_1983",DATUM["D_North_American_1983",SPHEROID["GRS_1980",6378137,298.257222101]],PRIMEM["Greenwich",0],UNIT["Degree",0.017453292519943295]],PROJECTION["Transverse_Mercator"],PARAMETER["latitude_of_origin",0],PARAMETER["central_meridian",-98.5625],PARAMETER["scale_factor",0.9996],PARAMETER["false_easting",500000],PARAMETER["false_northing",0],UNIT["Meter",1]]

Dave