InfraWorks 2014 not reading GeoTIFF's units correctly

[Cadguru42]

I'm running into the same issue in InfraWorks 2014 as Map 2013/2014 and Raster Design regarding the insertion of GeoTIFFs. http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Map-3D/Civil-3D-2013-Map-2013-Image-Issue/td-p/3415105

Autodesk is ignoring the actual image header field for units and is reading the coordinate system incorrectly. In Map (C3D) the solution is to change the drawing's coordinate system to none, insert the image, then give the drawing a coordinate system again. How would I go about importing a raster image into InfraWorks if it changes from US survey foot to meters when the image's header explicitly states it's in US survey foot? 

[Cadguru42]

I did find that if I right-click on the image, goto Configure, I can change what coordinate system is being used for that raster source. This will work for now, but Autodesk still needs to realize that it's ignoring the image header's units field in a GeoTIFF. 

[konstantin.baumann]

Could you provide me a sample dataset showing this issue? I will have a look into it.

[ToddRogers-WPM]

Are you clicking on the Advanced option when creating the database?  This will allow you to specify the coordinate system before you start connecting files.  I was told at the tech camp to not set the coordinate system here, but I have found it very successful in these situations.

[Cadguru42]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Are you clicking on the Advanced option when creating the database?  This will allow you to specify the coordinate system before you start connecting files.  I was told at the tech camp to not set the coordinate system here, but I have found it very successful in these situations.

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The issue has to do with the way Autodesk reads the geoheader information. Autodesk looks at the human readible portion of the coordinate system name and uses only that to determine the location. They ignore the geoheader that explicitly states what the units are. No other GIS program or geoviewer misreads the location of the image, only Autodesk products.

[heiko.meyerdirks]

I am sorry to hear Autodesk does do that and we will look into it.

However, changing the model CS in the advanced options should have no effect on what you describe. The data you import will be imported and projected based on the CS setting you define during import in the import configure widget, whether InfraWorks auto detect it or it has been set manually. Infraworks will use those settings and project your data from that CS to the one you set for your model (or have not set and it is default). If the dataset's CS (source) is wrong it will lead to a misplaced data no matter of the model CS (target) during transition. InfraWorks does always consider source and target.

Setting the model CS will not improve accuracy or simplify the import, but it can lead to a reduced potential model size and shape transformations based on the projection.

[Cadguru42]

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@heiko.meyerdirks wrote:

I am sorry to hear Autodesk does do that and we will look into it.

However, changing the model CS in the advanced options should have no effect on what you describe. The data you import will be imported and projected based on the CS setting you define during import in the import configure widget, whether InfraWorks auto detect it or it has been set manually. Infraworks will use those settings and project your data from that CS to the one you set for your model (or have not set and it is default). If the dataset's CS (source) is wrong it will lead to a misplaced data no matter of the model CS (target) during transition. InfraWorks does always consider source and target.

Setting the model CS will not improve accuracy or simplify the import, but it can lead to a reduced potential model size and shape transformations based on the projection.

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I understand that. When I first import one of these GeoTIFFs InfraWorks misreads the coordinate system and thinks the image is in meters when it's in US survey feet. After import, I right click the image, goto Configure, and change the coordinate system to the correct one. Once I do that and refresh the image, it is placed correctly.

I mainly wanted to let Autodesk and other users know that the way Autodesk reads the header information for all of their programs is not quite correct. This same issue happens with Raster Design, Map 3d and C3D (starting with 2013), and InfraWorks. 

[heiko.meyerdirks]

Got it. Thanks for finding and passing. We will follow it up.

[konstantin.baumann]

I have analyzed the WKT and found that it is not consistent: it uses the EPSG code 32136, which is the CS definition in meters (see: http://spatialreference.org/ref/epsg/32136/html/), but uses the CS parameters from EPSG code 2274 (see: http://spatialreference.org/ref/epsg/2274/html/), which is the same CS definition in foot.

By either removing the wrong EPSG code from the WKT or changing it to the correct EPSG code the right CS should be detected and used.

[Cadguru42]

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@konstantin.baumann wrote:

I have analyzed the WKT and found that it is not consistent: it uses the EPSG code 32136, which is the CS definition in meters (see: http://spatialreference.org/ref/epsg/32136/html/), but uses the CS parameters from EPSG code 2274 (see: http://spatialreference.org/ref/epsg/2274/html/), which is the same CS definition in foot.

By either removing the wrong EPSG code from the WKT or changing it to the correct EPSG code the right CS should be detected and used.

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Thanks for the follow up. That's what we found out a year ago for the Map import in Map 3D and Civil 3D. The issue, though, is that Autodesk still ignores the UNITS field in the geolocation header information. No other GIS program ignores the explicit units field except for Autodesk products.