How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D
How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Russ Nicloy – MasterGraphics, Inc. This class is for users who need to import survey data into the survey database. The class will show how a small amount of workflow analysis and setup when you begin to use Civil 3D can streamline the office workflow for future projects. This class will cover what should be set up before using the survey database, what considerations should be taken in the field when collecting data, how to import several different types of data, and how to return data from Civil 3D back to the field for stakeout. Learning Objectives At the end of this class, you will be able to: • Setup the survey database data collection • Create field coding • Import Data into the database and design files • Edit, adjust and add data to the database • Export data for stakeout How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D How to Setup the Survey Database for Data Collection General Setup of the Database There are many things that you can set in your survey database so that you won’t have to adjust them every time you use it. Some of these things will be organizational standards, like what codes will be used to begin linework. Others will be settings that generally will be true, like your distance may always be in US Survey feet. Equipment Database The equipment database holds data about the equipment you are using in the field. The data can be entered from your particular equipment’s data sheet. Things like standard deviations and EDM settings are available here. You do not need to enter any data here to use the survey database. It will help with the error calculation if you are doing closure analysis. Figure Prefix Database Figure Prefixes are the point codes shot in the field that linework will be going through. The figure prefix database allows these codes to be managed during import so that line style, layer, and breakline assignment can be automated. The figure prefix database has a special function in that any point code that is entered into the database will automatically create linework whether a linework start code is assigned or not. If this is not considered during the field coding it can result in odd linework. As long as the field crew knows of this functionality they can plan their shots so as to not create incorrect linework, but also can skip the linework coding step in the field. Linework Codes The Linework Codes are the codes used in the field to tell Civil 3D that linework is being shot, and what those lines should be doing. While the most important linework code is the “start” code, there are also codes for creating curves, or offset linework. If you are receiving survey data from several different sources you can create linework code sets for each source. During the import process you will be able to switch the linework code set that you are using. Survey User Settings The Survey User Settings are overall settings, like database default locations and graphics settings. Generally you can set these once (or accept the defaults) and not be concerned with this area. The items that you may need to access here are the paths to the Linework Code, Figure Prefix and Equipment dataset locations. This is useful if you need to send these settings to new users in your organization, or you need to send these files to outside organizations. 2 How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Per-Project Setup There is some setup for the database that just has to be done within individual projects. If your organization works in different regions, you may need to set different coordinate zones for each project. These settings will not generally need to be changed after they are set, but they will be useful to the project if they are assigned early on. Set Working Folder The working folder is where the survey database is stored. The default location for the working folder is set to the C drive, Civil 3D Project folder. You can leave this default, or move it to a location that is more conducive to your office workflow. Every survey database that is created will be placed in this location, and all of the projects will appear in the list in the Toolspace Survey tab under the Survey Databases. You may want to consider setting the working folder for every project. Since all of the databases will appear in the list, if they are all in one folder this list could get long very quickly. If for every project you set the working folder to where the rest of the project data is located this list will be much shorter (probably only one per project) and easier to manage. The negative is that you have to remember to switch the working folder when you start a new project, AND when you return to a project. Survey Database Settings The Survey Database Settings control settings for the individual project survey database. These settings could be different for every project. These settings allow you to use survey data picked up in one coordinate system to be translated into the coordinate system of any drawing that the data is needed in. If there is no coordinate system it is important to at least check the Distance units since the default is International feet. If international feet is not the measurement you want to use you may want to set US Feet as the default. To do this, open a survey database, whether new or one that you have already used. Right-click on the name of the survey database and choose Edit Survey Database Settings. Make sure the Distance field and all the other settings are how you would like them as defaults for each project. Then, at the top of that dialog click the Export these settings to file button (third of the four). You will be saving a file called Survey Database Settings File.sdb_set. Next, go back to the toolspace Survey tab. Click the Survey User Settings in the upper left. Look for the field “Survey Database Settings.” This has a pull-down menu and your new Survey Settings file should be listed there. Click OK and now the defaults will be correct for each new project. 3 How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Create Field Coding Field Collection The way you collect point data in the field can affect what is imported into Civil 3D. The two things that you need to be mindful of are point codes and linework (figure) codes. Point Codes The point codes collected in the field will generally come from the point descriptions. It is important that the field crew and the office crew have agreed what point codes will be used. This becomes more important when the office crew is using a description key set. Description keys are a management tool for assigning point styles, new point descriptions, and point layers (among other things) during point import. If the field code deviates from the description key code in any way, the management assignments will not be carried out. Linework Codes in the Field While coding point descriptions in the field extra codes can be added to communicate to Civil 3D that figure lines will be created between the points. The Linework Code set (discussed in a previous section) defines the extra linework codes needed for this communication. If your organization is choosing to capture linework along with the point data only the points that are related to the linework need the special coding. Any point that does not have linework coding involved will simply bring point data by itself. If your organization is making use of the description keys you will want the linework codes to follow the point code. If it precedes the point code the description key will ignore the point code. If you are not using description keys, this will not matter. To begin linework, the first point shot should include your linework code set start code. This tells Civil 3D that the line will follow that specific point code in the order that they are shot. You do not need to shoot these lines consecutively, but the next time this point code appears the line will connect to it. If you have several lines that will attach to similarly coded point codes it is suggested to add a unique identifier to the point codes so the lines know the difference. For example, Back of Curb is BOC, but I have a BOC on the north and south of the road. I’ve decided to name the north side BOC1 and the south side BOC2. This ensures the lines do not cross over. If you have lines that cross over or zig-zag through a drawing, check to make sure there wasn’t a mix up in this type of coding. 4 How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Import Data into the database and design files Options for downloading or importing data At this point we need to divide into several different tracks. Depending on the needs of your organization you will need to choose a specific import option. The information below should be considered parallel to each other. You will be choosing one of these to follow. Translate to FBK (fieldbook) format The FBK format (AKA fieldbook file) has been around for quite some time. For most of that time it was the only format that would allow field gathered data to create linework in Civil 3D. While that exclusivity has changed, the FBK file is still available, and is more robust than other methods of import. One of the things that FBK import has above other methods is its ability to communicate to the Civil 3D survey database the survey network data as it was picked up in the field. That means if you are able to code a point as a “setup” or a “control point,” FBK will send that data into the survey database so you can track that information. Most of the FBK import work is done before it gets to Civil 3D. If your survey equipment doesn’t output to FBK you will need to translate it. Several of the survey equipment makers have created their own FBK translators. These would be considered 3rd-party, but some of them do a very nice – and easy – job. Survey Data Collection Link If you don’t have a 3rd-party translator, you may need to look into the Survey Data Collection Data Link. Again, this has been around for a while. It was inside of Land Desktop for quite a while. It provides a survey download/upload connection, as well as a translation function. It can be found in the Create Ground Data panel pull-down. ASCII text files (with or without linework) ASCII text file format import has been around for quite a long time. Up until just recently it was restricted to only importing points. Now Civil 3D can import linework from an ASCII text file if it is coded correctly. The process does need to go through the survey database. The ASCII text format is not as robust as the FBK format, so you would only be importing points and lines, not setups and traverse information. 5 How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Edit, adjust and add data to the database The Civil 3D survey database Survey Network Structure The survey network object is a data management area inside the survey database. It is used to track control points, non-control points, setup shots, direction shots and traverse shots. If using FBK, these shots can be tracked automatically. If you are using ASCII point import the points will all come in as either non-control points or control points (you make the choice during import). You can edit the points to shift them into other categories under the Network area. Inserting and Removing from the design file There are three ways to insert survey database points and linework (figures) into any given drawing. First, during import, the last wizard screen offers to import survey points and figures. Second, you can drag points and figures from the survey database in the Survey tab, into the drawing file. You can even assign points and figures into groups in the database so that you don’t need to bring every point or figure into a specific drawing. Third, you can right-click on points and figures and Insert into Drawing. The right-click for points flies-out from Points, whereas figures are in the immediate right-click menu. Removing points or figures from a drawing can be done from right-clicking on the object in the survey database and choosing Remove from Drawing. This truly removes the data from the drawing, so any surfaces that were using the data for definition will lose that data. It is not “turning off” the data, it is removing it. If you need to leave the data there but make it not visible you should do that through the drawing’s Point Group area or through layer control. 6 How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Editing survey database items The way that you chose to import the survey data will affect the options you have if you need to edit that data. There are really two options, and a third for linework editing. Editing FBK imported data Because fieldbook files (FBK format) have more data available to them you have more opportunities to edit survey data. You can edit the setup points, and access “Observed Points” through the right-click menu. You can also select on an individual point, right-click, and choose Edit Setups That Observe. Whatever editing you have completed, you need to click the diskette button save the changes back to the database. If you click the green circular arrows it undoes the edits, and no changes are kept. You will also have to right-click on the network name in the database and choose Update. This, in turn, will request that you update the figures, whether the edited points had figures related to it or not. Editing ASCII Text file imported data Because of the ASCII text files have less data than the FBK import, this reduces the amount of editing that can be accomplished. You can edit individual points under the Network, right-click Non-Control point and choose Edit. After the changes have been made the save to database diskette button must be used for the changes to become saved. There are several places to view the data of the survey data points, but only one place to edit the data. This is so the data will not be accidentally edited. Editing linework Linework can be edited by selecting the figure line, right-click and choose Edit Survey Figure Properties. This opens a dialog box allows you to add or delete points that the line connect to, break a figure line into two so that they will be separate, and other properties regarding the function of the line. This editing is a mix of point data and graphic as you can see your changes as a darker blue line until you save the changes back to the database. 7 How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Adjusting (Translating) the database coordinate zones There are technically two ways to translate data from one coordinate zone to another. One is to translate the data inside the project’s database. The other is to break the connection to the survey database, and translate the data outside of the database. Inside the database If you intend to keep the survey data in the survey database, and maintain the connection to the drawing files, you will want to use the Translate Database tool. This is under the Modify ribbon tab, Ground Data panel, Survey icon, then in the Modify panel pull-down choose Translate Database. This opens a dialog that walks through the data needed to translate to a different location, elevation and rotation. You will need to have a starting point and a destination point to properly translate. If you are coming from user defined (“1000, 1000”) to a true coordinate zone it will be useful if at least two control points were shot in the field so the proper translation can be achieved. Without the database This method is NOT recommended, but some groups have preferred it. If you do not want the drawing file to be connected to the database you can use the AutoCAD Move and Rotate commands to move the data. This does require the drawing-to-database connection to be “broken,” and return to it cannot happen. You first need to insert the points and figures into the file in which it is to be used. Then, you will need to explode the survey figures (linework) so that they become 3D polylines. Then, in the survey database, right-click on the Survey Points area, under the Points fly-out select Unlock in Drawing. This turns the points into COGO points, not protected by the database. The Move and Rotate commands can now be used to move the points and figure linework. 8 How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Adding data to the survey database It is common to have data come in over the course of time of a project. What happens if you need to add data to a project some time after the original survey database was created? Or What if you want to add the proposed points to the database along with the existing data? You can choose to add the data to the existing Network. This puts the new data into the “general population” where it mixes with other points and linework. The Import Event will allow you to be able to figure out what data came from where. Or, you could create a new Network for each additional import. The points and the lines would all be in together, but it’s a little more straightforward as to where the data is divided. The other concern with new data is the point numbers may be duplicated when received from multiple sources, or from multiple days of surveying. When duplicate numbers are encountered the database uses the point number as the point name, so it is still available to be used/found, but provides an offset to the point number so that it will be unique. If you are adding proposed points from the drawing into the database, treat these like you are importing them into the database. In the Home tab of the ribbon, Create Ground Data tab, choose Import Survey Data. In the import wizard, on the Specify Data Source page, select Points From Drawing. Click the Select Points in current drawing button to allow graphic selection of the points that are needed. Either add these points to the current network or create a new one within the database. 9 How to Setup the Survey Database in AutoCAD Civil 3D Export Data for Stakeout Extracting Data from the model There are several sources for points that you may need to add to the survey database. Any point that you add manually using the point creation tools can be added to the database. These could be manually entered control points, or points created on surface objects in a topo grid or for specific locations. You can also extract COGO points from a corridor object. Select on the corridor and in the context ribbon, Launch Pad panel pull-down choose Points from Corridor. You can extract points from the point code locations at each frequency location of the corridor. You can also create a point group for these extracted points which will help in adding them to the database without grabbing already existing points. You may prefer to create a new network inside the database so that the proposed points will be held separately from the existing points. Exporting through the database(to .FBK) You can export points from the network object which is why proposed points being in a separate network is a good idea. Right-click on the network name and choose Export Field Book. You will be prompted for the destination file. You can then choose to export figures or points. Exporting without the database (non-.FBK) If you need to export these points as an ASCII text file you can do this through the Prospector tab of the Toolspace. It can be useful to create a point group of only the points needed for export. Right-click on the appropriate point group and choose Export Points. Choose the appropriate format and the destination file and click OK. 10
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