Sending gis to field operators

[Anonymous]

Hey guys,

I'm currently learning GIS, and am solely implementing a system for my company. I've realized today that no matter how I bring shapefiles into our map, it establishes a live connection. Somehow, I have overlooked this until now. 

Anyhow, we are intending to replace our current paper map books, with a autocad based electronic map, that can be sent to a phone tablet, and opened with a viewer. I have the whole method done, and was testing out one of my sample maps today and realized that I can't get all of my fdo's stored in the drawing, and I can't access the fdo connection through my phone. 

How can I set this up so that I don't need a connection between the map and the source folder?

If it matters, I'm using autocad map 3d, my base map is a .tif file, my parcel information and addressess and county lines are all .sdf, and then all of the utility related stuff, like our mains, and regulator stations and what not are all .shp's that have been recorded with a handheld trimble unit. 

Help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Damon

[Anonymous]

Hi,

could you let us know what kind of "viewer" you are using and what process is in place for bringing your CAD drawing into the viewer?

Rob

[antoniovinci]

Brilliant idea, Damon.

I've never tried it, but I think I would use a Teamviewer connection to send a Map workplace to a smartphone on the field.

[Alfred.NESWADBA · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I would try DWF, simple to create and simple to be used with A360 on mobiles.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Hey Robert,

I'm using autodesk 360 to view drawings currently, I had been using e drawings, but I think my boss liked autodesk 360 better. We plan to do the paid subscription once we get moving with a bit more steam. 

As for my process, I save the drawing to my computer, and then I use google drive, and I am distributing it to the head of each of our 5 districts by sharing it. This will be our process for updating as well. I'll drop an updated .dwg of the same name in their google drive each monday or whatever interval we go with, and they will overwrite their existing file, thus killing all old copies and providing fresh drawings much more frequently than the 1 per year interval we do now with the paper books. It is just too much work for our map room to try to keep up with every little change once a week and reprinting 100-200 page map books.

Thanks,
Damon

[Anonymous]

Hey Antonio,

Thanks! I'm really trying to smooth out all of our processes since I've been with the company. I've put so much time into this system so far, and I'd hate to think that it could all be stopped because I can't access our shapefiles on a viewer. I'm going to look into this teamviewer that you mentioned. 

Thanks,
Damon

[Anonymous]

Hey Alfred,

I'm not sure if that will allow me to retain the connection between the drawing and the source folder it pulls shapefiles from? If that is as simple of a solution I need, then I'd be mighty happy. I'll give the .dwf a shot and report back.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

don't know much about A360 - but it seems Map has some functionality to publish  maps to A360. Have you checked the online help?

If you just upload cad drawings then attached SHP files might not be considered - you would need to use the Publish functionality in Map (if there is one -

but looking at the Autodesk web site it looks there is such functionality, at least in newer versions of Map).

What Alfred proposed seems to be a good idea as well - have you considered this approach?

There is another piece of software available from Autodesk for publishing data to the web - Autodesk Infrastructure MapServer. You can also use MapGuide OpenSource as the "free of license costs" alternative. But setting up a web (gis) application is probably something you didn't have in mind, did you?

Rob

[Anonymous]

Hey Robert,

To be honest, I've expected none of this. I got hired on as a project engineer in December, and I'd never even heard of GIS. I have a mechanical eng. degree so this is all foreign to me. I've got a fairly stout map built and until yesterday thought everything was moving flawlessly with this. 

I'm beginning to think Alfred and now you, are on to something with the publish, but again this is all new to me. My computer is currently publishing the dwf, but then how do I access this dwf once it is published on my phone? I see autodesk has their own drive alternative. But do I just drop the .dwf in when it's done? or are there further steps to publishing? 

Thanks for the help guys,

Damon

[Anonymous]

Hi Damon,

I haven't done anything with cloud offerings from Autodesk. I just looked at their website:

"Desktop to web to A360

Store AutoCAD software drawings, project files, and map drawing files in an easy-to-access online workspace using A360. View and edit your designs online or on your mobile device, and share and collaborate easily with others. The AutoCAD WS web and mobile application for AutoCAD enables you to view, edit, and share DWG drawings and GIS maps online using A360."

"http://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad-map-3d/features/all/list-view"

As it mentions "GIS maps" I assumed you could somehow upload a GIS map but maybe using a specific command in Map which makes sure that GIS data is properly published. But I cannot find anything regarding GIS data (such as attached SHPs) in Map online help (for latest release 2016).

So, I do not know if publishing / sharing maps with A360 is possible right now if the map has SHP or other GIS data attached (via FDO).

Now I realize that I misunderstood you the whole time and, reading your posting again, I see how the process is. You just use Google drive for sharing. But how do other people view/use the files - which "viewer" or "application" do they have?

So, for me it looks like I have mixed up a few things - sorry for that.

a) data sharing with external users

Currently via Google drive but Gis files (SHP/SDF) are missing. I don't know how the recipients actually use the drawings you provide - but here are 3 options:
Solution 1 - use etransmit to include SHP/SDF files as well (there is the challenge to handle file paths settings - but this can be solved), but this solution requires that the people you provide the files with have AutoCAD Map as well (or Civil for that matter)
Solution 2 - if the recipients do not have Map/Civil create DWF files as suggested by Alfred (recipients need to be able to open DWF files)
Solution 3 - if DWF is not an option, export your drawing to plain CAD using Map command: maptoacad

b) viewing the files on tablet/phone etc

Not having looked into A360 I can only guess right now that you can upload drawing files and then they are available via a web site. That probably doesn't work if you have GIS data attached (as mentioned above) but then you could probably achieve it this way:
- export your GIS map as plain CAD drawing (maptoacad)
- create DWF file (I suppose you can upload DWF files to A360)
- set up a web GIS solution using Infrastructure MapSever/MapGuide OpenSource (most complicated solution)

Hopefully I have understood your requirements and maybe the suggestions above will help you

Rob

[Murph_Map]

With A360 all the FDO connections are lost. As Alfred suggects DWF will allow the users to view the data but it's not live or updatable. If you want the users to view and edit out in the field then you need to set up a GPS Web server ($$$$) .

There is an other option that I didn't see anyone reply about yet in this thread. You dock the tablets to the map server/network and upload the current maps to the devices as needed. Then once the users return from the field they dock the tablets again and the edits are updated to the servers. The biggest issue with this option is you will need someone to set it up, there is no Autodesk package out there yet that I know of that allows this. (other GIS software there are many packages)  

[Anonymous]

Hey Alfred,

I've been caught up at work, and I didn't get back to you. I do believe that other than not being able to live scale the objects on the dwf, it should work just fine.

Thanks for your help,

Damon