From Paper to the Web

Its all about the data in the end, and many organizations in utilities, engineering and construction industries have many of their information locked up in paper maps. At the same time these organizations are working today in a CAD or GIS framework and need to be able to integrate this information with there current investments. in addition, once the information is extracted and integrated from paper it needs to be distributed to other users, and thats where web-mapping can be used. The following is a workflow where AutoCAD Map 3D with Autodesk Raster Design and Mapguide can fulfill these needs.

Scanning is the first step, and is the common practice of taking hard copy documents and converting them to a raster image

Georeferencing is then accomplished through a process of rubbersheeting the 2D image in lacking a coordinate system to a 3D real world coordinate system.

Vectorization can then occur where raster pixels in the image are converted to traditional GIS vector objects. Once this process is accomplished; attribution, spatial analysis and classification of the data is possible.

Finally, through web-based mapping technology the data can be shared to a wider user group that may need to view the data without having to have a direct copy of it, or the software used to manage it.

Below is a video showing the workflow which can also be downloaded

From Paper to the Web from neal niemiec on Vimeo.

Download Video

What's the Value of AutoCAD Map 3D

I have written before on comparing AutoCAD to traditional GIS investments. It is however the same as comparing an apple to an orange. A true comparison would be to a tool like AutoCAD Map 3D which can integrate CAD and GIS data and gives the geospatial tools needed for GIS work.

Recently, an article was published that highlights the value of using AutoCAD Map 3D instead of AutoCAD for certain workflows. The most common workflows that were evaluated were: data input, data management, data analysis and deliverables. At a time when the workforce is being asked to do more with less, this information is most appreciated.

Article: Road Map to Cost Savings

Model your City with LandXplorer

Recently I had the pleasure to travel to MIT in my home town of Boston to participate in the OGC 3D Fusion Summit. This is the first time in North America that industry leaders are coming together to exchange knowledge about 3D geospatial solutions for urban planning, homeland security, urban warfare, and personal navigation. The summit was attended by over 60 people from around the world from various different government organizations and agencies including software vendors Bentley, ESRI and of course Autodesk.

Showing LandXplorer to this diverse group was really an honor as many of the days participants represent the thought leadership in moving towards a holistic view of visualizing and managing data at the city level. Visualization being a key factor behind the new product from Autodesk, released just this year. I was skeptical at first as to the importance of viewing data at the city level, for anyone that has lived a life with traditional GIS systems moving from the 2D to 3D has had little benefit. However, if you look at the growing trend for sustainable development (i.e. LEED certified projects), a growing urban population and the need to manage infrastructure you have very compelling reasons for modeling the city environment in 3D.

Also, with the momentum in BIM (Building Information Modeling) as a practice and requirement for many city and government agencies, combined with technologies like terrestrial laser and lidar acquisition of data means the creation of building and cityscapes has become feasible. Also consider that today GIS data clearinghouses are making terrain information more accessible and that many cities have CAD data in many different disciplines (mapping, facilities, engineering, utilities). This convergence of CAD-GIS-BIM has led us to the cross-roads of being able to assemble and manage a full 3D cityscape.

Enter LandXplorer from Autodesk! This software portfolio of products from Autodesk allows the integration of CAD, GIS and BIM data and allows the users the ability to do measurements, querying, create dynamic videos and distribute the 3D city to numerous different viewers. These viewers range from publishing to Google Earth KML, Web Based viewing and standalone desktop clients. The purpose is to allow a city or government the ability to combine its different data types to create a representationally accurate model that can be used for planning and sustainability projects.

LandX from neal niemiec on Vimeo.

The following is a download to a video (avi) that shows the Autodesk LandXplorer Studio product.

Link to file:https://download.yousendit.com/UmNJeFlaMGtEa1ZMWEE9PQ

AutoCAD Map 3D and the Utility Toolkit

To help solve the issue of CAD and GIS integration within the utility industry, Autodesk has created utility toolkits that leverage the features and functionality of AutoCAD Map 3D creating a stream-lined set of tools that support a data model. The toolkits use AutoCAD Map 3D (object data, object classification and annotation templates) to minimize the design process and essentially hardcode standards into the DWG information. Not only does this have the added benefit of reducing the design work and minimizing errors within the DWG, but by using the utility toolkit the designers are also adding utility attributes (a data model) to the autocad objects. The data model is derived from over 500 utility companies worldwide, however it is flexible and can be changed to fit the unique needs of the individual utility.

This should not be overlooked, as many of the utilities today have a process of redigitizing the design DWG information into other asset management applications like a GIS system. When utilities implement the utility toolkits on AutoCAD Map 3D, design information can be geo-referenced, error checked, have utility attributes and symbology then simply exported in a format expected by other applications like Autodesk Topobase, or other GIS investments.

The news gets better because the utility toolkits are FREE to any AutoCAD Map 3D user that is on subscription. Currently there are three toolkits – water, wastewater and electric. Below you will find a link to a demonstration of the features and tools within the toolkit and how that data can be integrated into asset management applications.

Utility Toolkit from Neal Niemiec on Vimeo.

Link to Video file:

https://rcpt.yousendit.com/678426680/9287d677703e34c554df23f71a1cb86c

Link to Utility Toolkit Website:
http://lp.adskhost.com/index.php/1335-autocad-map-3d-toolkits.html

WGUG - Midwest Infrastructure and GIS Technical Conference

I am very excited about an upcoming event, running June 1-3 at the Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center in Sheboygan WI, its the first Midwest Infrastructure & GIS Technical Conference being organized by the WGUG. The WGUG is the Wisconsin Geospatial User Group and this group is run by Municipal Government users, to promote the sharing of techniques and knowledge.

I will be presenting different presentations on topics like CAD and GIS and Digital Cities, but I am really excited about a hands-on workshop ( Web‐based Mapping Using Mapguide Open Source ) that I will be giving on Monday the 1st. This is real training where I invite attendees to bring their laptops and we install and create web 1.0 and web 2.0 mapping applications. Anyone at any skill level of web development will gain valuable information, software and techniques to distribute information over the web. The best part is that this workshop focuses on open source alternatives meaning that you can implement what you have learned with little to no investment in expensive software or enterprise architectures. If you are interested in geosptial technologies, tired of the usual 'kool-aid' conference or looking for alternative solutions ... this conference is for you.


Midwest Infrastructure & GIS Technical Conference
Date: June 1st - 3rd, 2009
Location: Blue Harbor Resort & Convention Center. 725 Blue Harbor Drive, Sheboygan, WI 53081



Good Mapping, Neal

ArcGIS for AutoCAD

ESRI has released a tool, ArcGIS for AutoCAD, that will allow integration of ArcGIS data within AutoCAD. It enables AutoCAD 2009 based software to consume ESRI ArcGIS Server Map Services (raster maps with individual selectivity and feature attributes). The latest release also provides functionality to query GIS spatial data and exchange feature class data with ArcGIS Desktop 9.3 or higher. There is also a software development kit (SDK) available.

It allows AutoCAD users to dynamically interact with dynamic GIS maps, include the results of GIS analysis and models (performed by ArcGIS) in their CAD environment and include GIS base maps when publishing to DWF or plotting to hard-copy. The latest release also provides a mechanism to exchange (write) CAD data to ArcGIS 9.3 or higher.

This is another tool that can be employed to further join CAD and GIS within the same user environment without costly translation operations. My only contention with this tool, is while it is FREE it does require the ArcGIS Server - which as we all know is far from FREE. Also, ESRI says this is interoperability, however the GIS data is rendered as a raster layer that the AutoCAD user cannot edit. So it begs the question is this interopability, or is this just integration?

For full interoperability between CAD and GIS, meaning being able to read and write CAD and GIS data, I still believe that the open source FDO technology (available in AutoCAD Map 3D) leads the way and it doesn't require costly investments in an enterprise framework.

For more information click the following links:

ArcGIS for AutoCAD

FDO

Good Mapping, Neal

What - There is a Better AutoCAD!?

There are inherent issues in using AutoCAD instead of AutoCAD Map 3D for managing geospatial data and that is why I often refer to it as AutoCAD Plus! When managing geospatial data and especially when integrating data between the traditional CAD (engineering) data and GIS (cadastral) information you need to use the right tool for the job. AutoCAD Map 3D contains all of the functionality of AutoCAD with additional tools for integration with traditional GIS systems. So this week I have created 4 videos that show a few of the benefits of using AutoCAD Map 3D instead of AutoCAD. The videos are as follows:

1. Multi-user access to DWG drawing information, allows AutoCAD Map 3D users the ability to share the workload and work across layers and objects within the same drawing.

2. Coordinate system support allows integration with traditional Geospatial data and aligns your data with real world space.

3. Drawing cleanup tools allow you to increase the accuracy of your drawing information by identifying and fixing the errors that often occur from digitizing, scanning and integrating data from numerous sources.

4. FDO (Feature Data Objects) allow you to connect to geospatial data without the need to translate or import, reducing redundant copies and data loss.

Be sure to download the Camtasia AVI player to view the AVI video clips. Open the player and double click on the .exe file then you are ready to run the first AVI.

Download AVI video files

Download CamPlayer