Autodesk Field Survey point blocks

[ergols]

Glenn,

How can I take a drawing that was created by Autodesk Field Survey and change all of my font sizes at once on the points and point information, ie. point number, description and elevation, which are attributes? Do I use one of the file format transformations and then just use Microsurvey's scale font size command? Is there a utility in Microsurvey that reads the blocks and their attribute information and converts them into separate layers?

Thanks,

ergols

[Glen Cameron]

If you go under the MicroSurvey menu -> Other Program Ties -> LDD/Softdesk/DCA Points -> Import. This option should read all of the point blocks and convert them to our survey points and add them to our database. It will also use the current labeling defaults to place the Point Number, Description, Elevation and Point on the layers specified.

Then you can freeze the layers the original point blocks were on and do anything in our program you require using our survey points.

Cheers,

[ergols]

Glenn,

Ok, I did that, it said 1498 selected, then when I hit the enter key the program just seemed to end. None of the points seem to have been created. Am I missing a step?

ergols

[Glen Cameron]

No, it sounds like maybe the Point Blocks are not matching the definition we have setup as default. Maybe the user in LDD did some minor changes.

The only way to check this would be to list one of the point blocks and look for the part name and tags used in the attributes. Then match our defaults to this.

If you are unsure of this, then I would be happy to try and do it here for you. You can email me the DWG (of the FLX) to [email protected] if you wish. I will look at it and if there are in fact point blocks that we can read, I will import them for you and return the FLX with a database file (MSD file), along with an explanation of what I had to do.

Cheers,

[Glen Cameron]

Based upon the drawing you sent me, I had to use the following settings to read the point blocks into MSCAD.

Block Name - SRVPN01
Point Number Name - PT#
Description Name - DESC2
Elevation Name - ELEV2

This seemed to work quite nicely. I sent the drawing and the database back to you.

Cheers,

[ergols]

That's great, Glen. But I have a dumb question.

Can you tell me how you figured out what the block name and all the attribute names were?

Thanks, Glen. This is going to significantly improve my drawing use and management abilities.

Awesome.

[Glen Cameron]

No problem - I ran the EINFO (LIST) command and picked on one of the point blocks. After pressing enter I got the following info on the text screen. (I have highlighted the important info in BOLD)

==========================================================
Type: INSERT
Layer: NODE
Line type: Layer's line type
Color: Layer's color
Handle ID: "23CE"
Part name: SRVPNO1
Insertion point: 629966.38, 4908859.01, 0.00
Rotation angle: N 74d0'0" E
X scale factor: 3.00
Y scale factor: 3.00
Z scale factor: 3.00
Attributes follow flag: 1
----------------------------------------------------------
Attribute value: 26
Attribute tag: PT#
Attribute flag: 0
Insertion point: 629963.51, 4908860.52, 0.00
Alignment point: 629965.76, 4908861.17, 0.00
Rotation angle: N 74d0'0" E
Font: PTXT
Text height: 3.00
X scale factor: 1.000000
Oblique angle: 0.000000
Horizontal justification flag: 1
Text generation flag: 0
Vertical alignment flag: 0
----------------------------------------------------------
Attribute value: 228.70
Attribute tag: ELEV2
Attribute flag: 0
Insertion point: 629971.12, 4908858.80, 0.00
Alignment point: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00 *** <RETURN> for next page ***

Rotation angle: N 74d0'0" E
Font: PTXT
Text height: 3.00
X scale factor: 1.000000
Oblique angle: 0.000000
Horizontal justification flag: 0
Text generation flag: 0
Vertical alignment flag: 0
----------------------------------------------------------
Attribute value: 790102gps
Attribute tag: DESC2
Attribute flag: 0
Insertion point: 629956.49, 4908850.71, 0.00
Alignment point: 629967.82, 4908853.96, 0.00
Rotation angle: N 74d0'0" E
Font: PTXT
Text height: 3.00
X scale factor: 1.000000
Oblique angle: 0.000000
Horizontal justification flag: 1
Text generation flag: 0
Vertical alignment flag: 0
==========================================================

Cheers,

[ergols]

Well, that seems to be where I'm having a bit of a problem. I've always tried to get information on these blocks and when I use the einfo command the response I always get is "2 selected". Period. My einfo command has never been able to tell me anything about these blocks. The program tells me it's found and selected whatever number of items I've picked, and thats it. No information is ever given on what they are.

Also, I ran the Softdesk import command and put in the block name, point number name, description name and elevation name, the way that you said AND in upper and lower case exclusive formats, and in upper and lower case combinations, and I'm still not getting the points to import.

Seems to be a bit of funny business going on over here. I'm using Microsurvey 2002 with a build date of July 26, 2002. Maybe I need to install a service patch, . . . ?

[Glen Cameron]

Service patches are always a good thing to install as they do correct problems as well as add features.

I got the same message saying there were 2 selected - then I press enter and on the command text screen I got the info I displayed before. An older version of the einfo command did not display attribute info, so installing the service patches should fix this.

The Softdesk Import routine may have been modified a while back - again, lets try the Service Patches, to bring you up to SP#4, and see if this solves the issues.

Cheers,

[ergols]

The folly continues.

I now have the Service Pack 4 installed, einfo will tell me the block name and the attributes, but the Ldd import routine doesn't seem to be creating the information, even though it says "1498 selected". The screen does a little flicker when I hit the enter key, but I can't inverse between 2 points that were in the selection set.

Now what?

[Glen Cameron]

It sounds like the point block definition has not been entered correctly in the command.

After the point blocks are selected, if it finds point blocks matching the definition, then you will get a dialog box asking if you wish to erase the original point blocks.

Untill you get this dialog, your definitions do not match what is in the drawing. Untill this dialog comes up, no points will be added to your database.

Cheers,