Civil 3d 2020 Survey Database not readable

[keith_kempker]

All

We are in the beginning of our internal testing of Civil 3d 2020 and having issues with survey databases. When we set a folder current on our network server, we get a message "The survey database is not readable. You might now have access permission to the file or directory". Civil 3d creates the folder anyway. If we right click and open for edit, it works. We are stumped on why we are getting the message, but it creates it anyway.  If we create the folder on our local C:, we don't get the error and all works normal.

Any help would be grateful.

[samir_rezk]

1. Hi,

Civil 3D 2020 introduced a new database format for the survey database. It is now a SQLite file instead of SQLCE as previous versions. So, I suspect that if your working survey folder already contains previous databases then those will not be readable in 2020. There is a survey migration utility that must be used to update a previous release survey database at:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/civil-3d/troubleshooting/caas/downloads/content/survey-databa...

hope this helps,

[keith_kempker]

No, these are new survey databases.

[Anonymous]

I know with pressure network parts catalogs, which are SQLite databases, it is very sensitive to how paths are set, where the catalogs are created (locally vs network vs 2nd network path, etc.) honestly, it sucks badly because one false setting by someone and it becomes unstable. to really get it right requires a regedit on each machine. I would suggest that you set the working survey database folder, if possible, in the template. I know many like the working folder to be within the project folder structure, but just to test, try set a folder dedicated to survey projects, set the path in the template, and see if it persists.

also, using SQLite database (as a pressure parts catalog) seems sensitive to older profiles - it doesn't like profiles that have been brought forward from version to version. Try starting with the <<C3D Imperial>> profile to see if that makes it go away. You may have to recreate your 2020 profile from .<<C3D Imperial>>.

[keith_kempker]

Using the C3D Imperial profile doesn't resolve it.

[Anonymous]

@keith_kempkersee the last post in this thread. I had the same problem but apparently resolved it.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-forum/survey-database-error/m-p/8805662/highlight/false#M399...

[keith_kempker]

Yeah, I saw your post here  I did not have any SQL apps, but did uninstall SQL Server 4.0 sp1 and reinstall, no luck on my end.

[copper.chadwick]

@keith_kempker ,

Hi there, I see you are describing an issue with Survey Databases, specifically you are getting an error when attempting to open a survey database from a network location, whereas from a local location it open/ reads as expected. I have a few questions/ suggestions.

• I wonder what might be the difference between the local and network permissions?
• Can you login in as network admin/ god-like permissions and see any difference when following the same workflow?
• What kind of network is it, a Windows API Network? Windows domain controller? NAS, SAN?

If it is working on a local drive, as expected, then all of the dependent resources are probably present. for thoroughness, (and for other readers) I'd like to mention this article about Survey Database is not readable.

Would you mind escalating your Windows permissions to test the behavior to an admin level to see if then the server/ network would allow the dependencies to run? I look forward to hearing the progress and helping where we can. As always...Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post fully solves the issue or answers the question.​ Thank you for your participation, your accepting a solution adds value to the post for the community as a whole, and helps other members find answers to their issues.

[keith_kempker]

The network is Windows domain controller and use a SAN.  We do have full admin rights, also want to mention that all previous version of Civil 3d all work without issue (2019, 2018).

The only thing I haven't tried is uninstalling .NET and SQL server then reinstalling, but I have my doubts this will work.  We currently only have 2 people, myself including that have Civil 3d 2020 installed and we both have the same issue.  Could there be something with SQLite?

[copper.chadwick]

@keith_kempker 

Hi, I have tried to reproduce the issue in my own environment, I don't however have the ability to replicate the issue on a network and Autodesk does not support the use of SAN or NAS devices due to connectivity issues. While I understand that they often times work, until they don't, we don't have the ability to replicate in our envirnement hence the lack of support. That being said, I want to take this as far as I can.

I tried to replicate the issue on my end, by breaking things. One way I did get that error to show, was to remove the file permissions to the folder on my local drive. If you are creating a new Survey DB (I used the tutorial ones included with the installation for testing) in a location that the software did not have permissions that match in the same manner as a local administrator, then I see how that error would populate (I understand that you are already an admin, but I am going off what I can, not being present in your environment)

Can you create a screencast, creating a Survey Database (using the tutorial located at C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2020\C3D\Help\Civil Tutorials\Survey-1.fbk) in the network environment? I want to be able to capture this in the event that some form of permission modifications don't remedy the issue in your environment. I hope that running the software as a network admin on the local machine and checking the behavior might help provide a solution. Thanks in advance. 

[pmascaro]

Were you able to resolve this? One common mistake that I find people make is that the survey database is the folder that the SQL files are in so the working path is one folder back. ie. X:\Projects\Drawings\SVDB\<sql files>.

Your working path is X:\Projects\Drawings

Your survey database is the 'SVDB' folder 

[suraky]

Apparently I have the same problem.  I updated points in a database 2 months ago. Worked fine.  I updated points in the same database today - appeared to work fine, but the moment I closed the survey database it appeared locked, and could not be opened again "The survey database is not readable. You might not have access permissions to the file or directory."

... Wish I'd updated my production drawing before closing the database. At least I could send that out.

It's a database that was migrated long ago and worked fine.  We use Vault ... but this is not a database in Vault and I was not logged in to Vault. 

Everything worked fine last time. Sigh. 

[rl_jackson]

Try and uninstall/re-install of these, and maybe the C++ redistribution...

[suraky]

Well here's a rather ridiculous fix that worked for me.   I renamed the survey database folder.  I then set it back to it's original name.  For whatever reason this broke the blockage and allowed me to use my survey database again. 

[rl_jackson]

That's got to be the weirdest fix I've ever heard of. Sound like the the Survey Database file that "knows" what SDB reside in a specific folder, some how lost where the SDB was.

[M!chelle]

Renaming and reopening CAD worked for me also.  Super annoying when it's affecting productivity though.