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ArcGIS .shp files using MAP 3d 2013

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Message 1 of 18
PaisteAbuser
4366 Views, 17 Replies

ArcGIS .shp files using MAP 3d 2013

Hey Guys and Gals,

 

I see there is a bunch of topics on shp files and detailed questions already posted but I need more general help at the moment. Not to sound rude or ungreatful but I would like help from users that have used the IHS data sets preferrably from Canada.

 

I have found a few ways to import the shp files into cad.

1) Map Drafting > Import > find shape file and import into cad.

2) CMD> Mapwspace>on>, in the display manager properties Data> then a new window opens giving me the option to load many different types of files including shape files. This is where I can load as many shp files as I would like and connect them to cad.

 

There is a difference between the 2 options to load the files. I dont understand what the difference is or why there is a difference?  The first option I noted, looks like it loads the shp file as line work and thats all.  The second option looks like it loads the shp file along with all pertaining data included with the file. This is where I am having difficulties using all the data attached to the shape file. I am not experienced using the mapping side of cad, spoon feed me please!

 

Thanks,

Michael

17 REPLIES 17
Message 2 of 18

Hi Michael,

 

when you import SHP files they are converted to AutoCAD objects (either points, blocks or text for SHP Points, lines for SHP Lines and (closed) polylines or Mpolygons for SHP Polygon).

 

Importing SHP also allows to import attribut data. The data will be converted into Map object data tables. There are functions you can use with map object data tables such as thematic mapping.

 

Using FDO is the second approach to work with GIS data in Map. When you load SHP via FDO the SHP file will not be converted into AutoCAD drawing objects. The drawing is just a canvas for displaying the geometry and when you save the drawing it will only contain a link to the SHP file but no data at all.

 

Depending on your task you need to choose between importing or using FDO. Both have their pros and cons. In general : the modern approach is FDO and this is where Autodesk invests in. But there are also many very useful GIS features in Map for working with imported GIS / plain CAD data. So, what do you want to do the the GIS / SHP data in Map?

 

Rob

 

Some information is alos available online:

http://docs.autodesk.com/MAP/2012/ENU/filesMUG/GUID-1D3D8510-48FF-4871-8199-11CA98DD08E4.htm

http://docs.autodesk.com/MAP/2012/ENU/filesMUG/GUID-C38FD485-3CC2-4B52-8264-0D8C0F45422B.htm

http://raumpatrouille3d.blogspot.ch/
Message 3 of 18

HI Rob,

 

To be honest I don't really know what I am supposed to be doing with the mapping. I took it upon myself to see if I can figure out the mapping side of Cad. Mapping is a new animal compared to what I used to use Cad for. Frustrating and very time consuming trying to leach myself how to use map! Lots of lingo and terms that I have never heard or read before.

 

I visited the links you posted and read that if using the data>connect feature to access the shp files, Any changes I do will be saved to the original shp file. I don't want to go down that road as there is a GIS department here that uses the data alot more than me and I don't need them on me for changing something I didnt know I changed!

 

I do like the Map>Import function, It seems simple and straight forward. When using this way of accessing shp files, there is some symbols and colors that dont show up anymore if compared to the data connect function.  (ie, importing a shp file with oil and gas wells in Manitoba using the data connect function, shows the wells represented with shaded circles and data tables. Using the Map>Import function, the wells show up as nodes and have no data connected to them).  Does this mean that I will need to spend time going through each node, finding if it is oil or gas and then changing the node to the proper symbol we use? If thats the case, I have work for the next 20 years!

 

Thanks,

Michael

Message 4 of 18

Hi Michael,

 

need to go home now. Just quick reply - when you import SHP you can import attribuite data which will help you to create a styled map for oil and gas wells. In "Import" dialog box click onto <none> in the "Data" column. A small button will appear on the left with three dots - click on it to open dialog box and then choose "create object data".

 

afterwards the object data for a point (e.g. well) will be displayed in teh AC Properties palette as well.

 

Attribute data can then be used to create theme in DisplayManager.

Rob

http://raumpatrouille3d.blogspot.ch/
Message 5 of 18

Hi Rob,

 

I did as your instructions stated and found that the data does come into Cad like you stated. The problem is, I don't know what to do with that data or how to use it. Is there a way to filter out certain company facilities from the dwg and put them on their own layer?

 

In Western Canada there is over one million oil and gas wells. So you can imagine that looking at a million nodes on the screen is mind numbing. What I would like to do is segragate the wells buy owner, by typed of well (oil or gas) and put these wells on their own layer so I can easily view who owns what and what type of well it is.

 

Is it alot faster to do this in ArcGIS seeing as it is the proper program to be using shp files?

 

Thanks,

Message 6 of 18
Murph_Map
in reply to: PaisteAbuser


@PaisteAbuser wrote:

Hi Rob,

 

I did as your instructions stated and found that the data does come into Cad like you stated. The problem is, I don't know what to do with that data or how to use it. Is there a way to filter out certain company facilities from the dwg and put them on their own layer?

 

In Western Canada there is over one million oil and gas wells. So you can imagine that looking at a million nodes on the screen is mind numbing. What I would like to do is segragate the wells buy owner, by typed of well (oil or gas) and put these wells on their own layer so I can easily view who owns what and what type of well it is.

 

Is it alot faster to do this in ArcGIS seeing as it is the proper program to be using shp files?

 

Thanks,


The data can be used for a lot of things. One is to answer your second question, filter the data by layer. As shown in my attached image.

The other ways to use that data is by using themes or styles to create views of the maps. Even though most of the help files on styling MAP3D is with FDO you can do the same thing with shp files imported with the data. You can also query the data to change the property of those items, IE all well owned by ABC to a new layer and new color.

There is a ton of things you can do with the data and objects once you learn a few tricks/tips from experts in here. 😉

 

As for what is easier to use E$RI or AutoCAD? That depends on who you talk to, I used both for years and used them side by side in a lot cases to prove to someone that MAP3D could do the same thing as ArcMAP (and quicker at times).

Murph
Supporting the troops daily.
Message 7 of 18
hence_the_name
in reply to: Murph_Map

Hi Michael,

 

after importing you can theme the data. In Map TaskPane click on "Data" > "Add drawing data" > "drawing layer".
The drawing layers will be added to the DisplayManager and you can style theme (context menu > "add style").

 

There are a couple of books out there specificly for Map. If you want to learn more about GIS capabilities in Map you either need to attend a training course or have a look at one of the books/videos:

 

Just a few links::

http://www.cadapult-software.com/product_info.php/products_id/52
http://map3d.wordpress.com/2009/12/29/another-book-on-autocad-map-3d/
http://www.netwind.com/html/autocad-map-2012-training.html


Good luck,
Rob

 

http://raumpatrouille3d.blogspot.ch/
Message 8 of 18
PaisteAbuser
in reply to: PaisteAbuser

Hi Rob,

 

I really don't know much about this data manipulation with Cad. I can follow your instructions and see that it works but I have no knowledge or experience using Cad for GIS. Maybe I should go get another coffee and move onto something I understand? 😉

 

I know what I want to do with the data, I know what I want to see on the screen.... Getting there and planning for it is something I don't know how to do. Sorry but I'm a Noob!

Message 9 of 18

Using FDO you can produce a thematic map very quickly. The dialog boxes for applying a style or a theme are similar to other GIS packages such as ArcGIS.

So, by doing it that way, you learn general GIS skills which are easily transferable.

 

As a reply to "Is it alot faster to do this in ArcGIS seeing as it is the proper program to be using shp files?" – if you are new to Map then creating a simple map with FDO shouldn't take much longer as in ArcGIS. But it might take longer top create the same kind of map if you are using the CAD based GIS functionality in Map.

But another thing to keep in mind – what are you going to do with the result of your work? Will you create a paper map or PDF? Or do you need to pass on the data as CAD drawing or in any other CAD/GIS file format? Or do you just need that kind of information (wells) as background layer for your current task?

Anyway – you have imported the SHP file and the attribute data is attached as well. What you want to  "do is segragate the wells buy owner, by typed of well (oil or gas) and put these wells on their own layer so I can easily view who owns what and what type of well it is."

Using FDO you should be able to create themes for "owner" or "type" (or combined). What you can do is to load the SHP file twice or more and Map will create a "layer" accordingly in Display Manager. Then theme the layers with regards to "type" or "ownership".

  1. open the Map workspace (command: Mapwspace)
  2. Drag and drop the SHP files into Displaymanager
  3. select a layer in DisplayManager > Contextmenu > "Style"
  4. create "rules" such as "ower like 'xyz' and type like 'gas'" etc.

 

The same is much more complicated to achieve using CAD based data but I gave the direction in my previous posting.  

 

Good luck, Rob

http://raumpatrouille3d.blogspot.ch/
Message 10 of 18
PaisteAbuser
in reply to: PaisteAbuser

Hi Rob,

 

I am going to try that today and see if I can get myself confused, ha!

 

You said that I could load the same shp file numerous times in order to produce a map by client, type of well (oil, gas, water), Status of well (producing, suspended, abandoned) and if the wells are vertial, horizontal or directional. I could keep going into more detail with the data but these are the 4 main groups that I would like to segregate from each other.

 

When using the same shp file 4 times to define layers, Will the dwg file become so enormous that its not possible to work with anymore?

 

I have been running into problems with Cad crashing because some of the shp files are to big to process. I did find a cheat work around to avoid this. (zoom in as close as I can and then import the shape files, Stops crashing but the refresh rate of the dwg has disappeared) Takes a very long time for cad to refresh once I start zooming out to view the overall file.

 

Thanks for the help,

Message 11 of 18
PaisteAbuser
in reply to: PaisteAbuser

Spoiler
 

Forgot to ask,

 

What is FDO that you keep referring to? Is that the process of importing shp files through the task pane manager?

 

 

Message 12 of 18
antoniovinci
in reply to: PaisteAbuser

FDO = _MAPCONNECT command.

You use it when you wanna only link to external resources without loading phisically in your drawing (like XREF).

Message 13 of 18
PaisteAbuser
in reply to: PaisteAbuser

I have never used Xref's. My understanding of xref's is a big pain. I know alot of old co-workers who don't like working like that. When there is 30 people using xref's, things can get out of control fairly quickly, correct?

Message 14 of 18

Hi,

 

ok, other words:

 

If you use _MAPIMPORT ==> the content of the shape is COPIED into your current drawing. The geometry of the shape will get polylines (or points pr blocks), the attributive data will be attached to the polylines/points/blocks as "object-data" (>>>details<<<). The result is, if you modify now e.g. a polyline-object the modification is just done in the drawing, the SHP does not recognize anything of that any more.

 

Using _MAPCONNECT (or with other words the FDO-technology built into Map3D, >>>www.osgeo.org<<<) to get the SHP visualized in your current drawing IS NOT A COPY, it's referenced. And that means if you modify any geometry or attributive data every modification you do is done in the original file/in the SHP. If you save your DWG it does not save the geometry from the SHP, it just saves "I have to show the file C:\TEMP\XX.shp" (the reference to the file).

To be honest, Map3D has the aibility to save the geometry of a referenced SHP, e.g. when using off-line mode. But that is just written for completeness, I hope that does not confuse you now.

 

HTH, - alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS ... www.hollaus.at ... blog.hollaus.at ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 15 of 18

Hi Alfred,

 

My understanding is that if using the FDO connect feature to access the shape files allows me to change the content in the file.  Is this some what dangerous??  There is a GIS department here that uses the shape files in a data base to view large areas of Western Canada. If I am to change any of the information in the shape files will that be viewed by the GIS department? They use the files more then I do and I don't want that department on my back for making a mess of things.

 

Thanks,

M

Message 16 of 18

Hi,

 

>> [...] allows me to change the content in the file.  Is this some what dangerous??

No, as long as you take care of the IDX-file (should be deleted if the product changes that uses the SHP-data. So if the SHP were opend with ArcGIS then delete the IDX before you start to use that with Map3D, and vice versa.

 

>> If I am to change any of the information in the shape files will that be viewed by the GIS department?

If you change the content of a file then others will see the new content if they open the file then. That is valid for word-files in the same way as it is for SHP-files. If I don't want to change their data I copy the data first and work on the copied content.

But maybe I don't understand the question?

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS ... www.hollaus.at ... blog.hollaus.at ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 17 of 18
PaisteAbuser
in reply to: PaisteAbuser

Hi All,

 

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I have decided to move on and better myself with a new employer. The one I have at the moment isnt cutting it. No help, no professionalism, very amatuer. I noticed there was something wrong with this place when it took me 3 months to get a licenced version of cad, Also last week I witnessed plans being trimmed on the floor. (the 2mm gap between tiles on the floor makes a wonderful straight edge for an open pair of scicorrs to guide on)

 

I'll be back with new and improved questions, I'm sure of it.

 

Thanks!

M

Message 18 of 18
Murph_Map
in reply to: PaisteAbuser


@PaisteAbuser wrote:

Hi All,

 

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I have decided to move on and better myself with a new employer. The one I have at the moment isnt cutting it. No help, no professionalism, very amatuer. I noticed there was something wrong with this place when it took me 3 months to get a licenced version of cad, Also last week I witnessed plans being trimmed on the floor. (the 2mm gap between tiles on the floor makes a wonderful straight edge for an open pair of scicorrs to guide on)

 

I'll be back with new and improved questions, I'm sure of it.

 

Thanks!

M


Been there and did the same thing. Hate not being in CAD or GIS but a person has to feel good about where they work at.  Good Luck.

 

Murph
Supporting the troops daily.

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