Tag: migrations

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vdPClassify, migration phase

vdPClassify has been developed to provide information on DWG-elements to be stored in a migration scheme and also to capture the ‘mapping’ to the appropriate database tables and attributes. vdPClassify is a .NET utility available for various AutoCAD versions and can process a folder with AutoCAD & AutoCAD Map DWG’s and MicroStation DGN’s.

From the vdPClassify analysis, the filters in the migration control table are made:

  • Is the layer name equal to “Cables_OV”?
  • Is there objectdata linked with the tablename “Cables”?
  • Then the object is a “Cable_OV” feature.

Next, information from the objects is read using powerful property filters.

  • Geometry from the coordinates.
  • Unique ID from AutoCAD handle.
  • Theme-name is directly in the control table.
  • Material from object data.
  • etc.

As an example, the result of one AutoCAD-polyline written to GML with limited IMKL-information.

More information?
Ask the cadgis-consultant

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vdPClassify, analysis phase

vdPClassify has been developed to provide information on DWG-elements to be stored in a migration scheme and also to capture the ‘mapping’ to the appropriate database tables and attributes. vdPClassify is a .NET utility available for various AutoCAD versions and can process a folder with AutoCAD & AutoCAD Map DWG’s and MicroStation DGN’s.

The first step in a vdPClassify project is an onsite analysis of the CAD-drawingfiles. With the help of functions from the vdPClassify-toolkit, one of our consultants can analyze information about the drawing(s). Think of an overview of the layernames that are in use, what kind of elements are on these layers and is information linked to these elements in the form of xdata or objectdata. If a classification can be derived from the structure of the layernames, does color or linetype tell something about the status of the object, etc.

Based on this information, the smart data filters can be built with which the desired objects from the drawing(s) can be filtered.

More information?
Ask the cadgis-consultant

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vdPClassify, introduction

vdPClassify has been developed to provide information on DWG-elements to be stored in a migration scheme and also to capture the ‘mapping’ to the appropriate database tables and attributes. vdPClassify is a .NET utility available for various AutoCAD versions and can process a folder with AutoCAD & AutoCAD Map DWG’s and MicroStation DGN’s.

vdPClassify is currently being used for data migration projects for the WIBON (= Information Exchange Act above and underground networks).
By means of smart data filters, objects from the drawings are filtered. Next, information from the objects is read using powerful property filters.

In general you can recognize objects in a CAD-drawing by a combination of entitytype and layername, linetype or blockname. With this combination the IMKL-objecttype can be determined. In addition, CAD-elements contain information in the form of blockattributes, xdata or object data. This information can be converted to IMKL-attributes.

vdPClassify consists of a consulting-toolkit. With which we can perform an onsite analysis, create a migration control table and write the data in the desired format.
Users can then independently perform the conversions using the vdPClassify-runtime.

More information?
Ask the cadgis-consultant

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Drawing classified pipeline networks with drawingAssistant

Oasen drinkwater, a water company manages its pipeline network in DiaGIS, a GIS management system developed by SPIE Technology. In addition to managing the existing network, they make drawings for maintenance or enhancements to the network. The physical work on the network is performed by contractors.

These contractors are obliged to survey the new pipelines and to create an asbuild AutoCAD drawing for the water company. Currently, only the locations of the pipes are returned, not the attribute information such as material, diameter, etc. When processing these revision drawings into the GIS management system, often questions from the engineer to the contractor emerge and it takes relatively much time before the network is up-to-date in the GIS management system.

drawingAssistant userinterface formOasen drinkwater wants to optimize this process and SPIE Technology came to vdPConsulting requesting the development of an AutoCAD plugin; drawingAssistant.

When the plugin is loaded into AutoCAD at first an XML configuration file is processed. This file is created by DiaGIS and contains all objects and their attributes necessary for the contractor to create the asbuild drawings. Then the plugin dynamically creates the user interface form that adapts itself when another object is selected from the list of possible objects. When the corresponding attributes are provided with the correct values, the object can be drawn. The plugin also checks first if all mandatory attributes are filled in.

Often measurements are captured by surveying instruments and the pipes are drawn as “ordinary” AutoCAD polylines in the drawing. The drawingAssistant plugin has, besides the drawing functions, also functionality to classify such a polyline as pipe including the desired attributes.

To exchange data with the GIS management system, the plugin has an export function to GML. DiaGIS has a GML import function which handles the revisions directly. Of course, the engineer has to check the result afterwards, but delivery of the revisions is simplified and the GIS management system is faster up-to-date.

If you want more information about the drawingAssistant plugin, please contact me.

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AutoCAD blocks as MapGuide 6.5 symbols

Last week I got the following question: “how can I use AutoCAD blocks as MapGuide 6.5 symbols ?”

In the current system configuration, AutoCAD drawings are exported into several SDF-files and Access-tables. The texts and point-objects are exploded first to be exported into lines. It was never necessary to define point-symbols for MapGuide.

Currently the drawings are migrated into Oracle Spatial ( as part of a BGT-project ). The texts and point-objects are stored as Points in the database. The matching texts become attributes and can be displayed as labels. However for the point-symbols they would like to have the same symbols as in CAD, to give the map the same look and feel in the web-viewer.

MapGuide 6.5 has a Symbol Manager utility, to build a library of symbols.
AutoCAD has an Export command, to export AutoCAD blocks into WMF-files.

This solved the question.