Export to SDF unchecked box missing?

[jjwill007]

Hello,

I am using AutoCAD Map 3D 2020. 

I am working my way through the Map 3D tutorials provided by Autodesk. I am currently the "Managing Data from Different Sources" tutorial, Lesson 1. When in the Export to SDF dialog box if I click the "Select Attributes ..." button and attempt to uncheck the attributes I don't want, the check box doesn't show as an empty box, it just goes away. If I then click ok with nothing, or only a few things checked off, it acts as though I had everything selected. 

Screenshot showing check boxes and missing "unchecked" boxes

The same thing happens if I try to select only certain attributes under each drawing object feature class. 

Screenshot showing check boxes and missing unchecked boxes.

If I go ahead and click OK in the above screenshot it brings in every single drawing attribute as if I had everything checked off. 

Screenshot showing every drawing attribute added to list. I can't expand that window but you can see the vertical scroll bar is huge.

I've already tried uninstalling and reinstalling Map 3D. I appreciate any help you can provide.

Thanks in advance,

Joshua

[ChicagoLooper]

Hi @jjwill007 

Thanks of uploading screen shots, they really help. However, it's still not easy to evaluate your issue without your actual drawing file and the types of objects you have in it.

I can only guess why it's happening, but before I do, here's a little background. Shapefiles have three classes: (1) Points (2) lines and (3) polygons. When you export AutoCAD entities to shapefile, the resultant shapefile can only be one class, meaning only points. Or only lines. Or only polygons. In other words, only ONE class, no mixing allowed. If you want multiple classes, then you have to export to geodatabase (gdb), not shapefile. A gdb can have any combination of points, lines and/or polygons. 

AutoCAD SDF's file format might look like, feel like and even smell like a shapefile, but its really more like a geodatabase. Why? Because it can contain multiple classes, not just one class like shapefile. It doesn't mean you must have multiple classes, it just means you can MORE than one if you so choose. So.......if an SDF has only one class, then it'll look like, feel like and smell like a shapefile.

Now back to your issue........This a screen grab of your uploaded imaged.

I'm guessing, the second line under Drawing Objects column named Parcels are ALL polygons. Some square parcels might be polygonal while some might be four separate lines forming the shape of a square parcel but I can't tell without looking at your dwg. The geometry column on the far right indicates you are 'exporting' entities or classes that don't exist, e.g. Polygonal parcels, yes, they can be found. Line parcels, maybe, maybe not. Point parcels, never.

Click at the red circle so you get a dropdown then change it so the Object Type is consistent with the feature class. Make the parcels Polygon. Make both the roads and waterlines Line. Rerun the export then report back to the forum with the results.

You may also upload your dwg (or name the e-x-a-c-t tutorial file) for further evaluation. That's a lot of guessing.

[jjwill007]

Hey @ChicagoLooper ,

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the explanation of .shp files vs .sdf files, as I was actually confused about the difference. 

I have attached the tutorial file I was using at the time, but I think maybe I should restate the problem:

The problem is that, when selecting attributes to include I cannot uncheck items. When I click the check mark to clear it the check box simply disappears and when I click "OK" it adds all attributes as if all of them were checked off.

I AM able to export to .sdf, however, ever feature in the .sdf file has a million (exaggeration) data columns associated with it.

Although I have included the dwg file that I originally had the problem with, it doesn't seem to be specific to that file and rather seems like something is broken in Map 3D itself?

Thanks again,

Joshua

[parkr4st]

I have the same glitch in my M3D 2020 and have not figured anyway to work around the problem.  Report it to AutoDESK and maybe there is a fix.

This is one of the reasons I backed off using Map 3D.

dave

[ChicagoLooper]

The tutorial drawing you uploaded in post #3 has three layers: Parcels, roads and Waterlines. The parcels are all polygons. Both roads and waterlines are lines. All linework, parcels, roads and waterlines, have Object Data (OD) attached to them. If you select an object, you can see the attached data by scrolling to the bottom of the Properties Palette. Here's an example where the AutoCAD objects are exported to SDF. 

Run the MAPEXPORT command. On the SELECTION TAB, export all entities on parcels layer, road layer and waterlines layer. See image-1.

Image-1

On the FEATURE CLASS TAB, make you selections as shown in image-2.

Image-2

On the OPTIONS TAB, do not convert the coordinates, keep coordinates as-is. Check the box labeled Treat closed polylines as polygons. Click OK to complete the MapExport procedure. Refer to image-3. Your SDF has just been created.

Image-3

Connect to the newly created SDF and add it to modelspace. Open the SDF's Table View. There will be a table for parcels, roads and waterlines. The data attributes for the table can be viewed using the dropdown shown below. refer to image-4.

Image-4

Note:

There was no Rivername data in the drawing.

[jjwill007]

@parkr4stwell it's nice to know I'm not alone.

@ChicagoLooper I appreciate the reply. I am able to export to sdf and then connect to it afterwards, that's not the problem. The problem is when I try to select only a few attributes, (as you have done in your Image-2) I cannot deselect any attributes. If I click the check mark to deselect it, the check box goes away completely (your empty check box appears to be working fine in your screenshot). When I then click OK to add only the attributes with the check mark it adds EVERY attribute as if they were all checked. 

Are you using Map 3D 2020? If you're using a later version I guess I will have to assume Autodesk fixed this problem after 2020. 

Thanks again,

Joshua

[ChicagoLooper]

@jjwill007 

How are you working?

1. Remotely connected to a server using VPN. Are you using, or not using, a mobile phone as a hot spot?
2. I am plugged-in to a server with an ethernet cable.
3. All data is on my hard drive so I don't need to connect to a server.

[jjwill007]

@ChicagoLooper 

Typically I do everything over a server but I have the tutorial files saved locally and was working on them straight from my hard drive.

Joshua