Hidden Survey Gems
Out of all groups, companies, and individuals for which I have provided AutoCAD® Civil 3D® implementation and training, the surveyors seem to be the ones who just pick Civil 3D apart. And I LOVE it! I enjoy the challenges and enjoy when people try to “break” the software. There are still several things I would like to see changed and added to the survey portion of Civil 3D, but we will work on that another day.
For now, I chose to look at a few features that are often overlooked or just hard to find. The re-creation of a simple legal description or just double checking for error of closure can be a much simpler task than some make it out to be. I have seen several third-party apps that work well, but I like to work with what I already have and already paid for.
Figure 1: Re-create this!
Within the article you will find specifics on the following.
How to input data in the Coordinate Geometry Editor and run results and reports from one simple interface. Some deeds require a lot more input than the typical tools will allow, so one of the only ways to re-create some deeds may be done by using this COGO Editor.
We will also explore some other useful COGO tools. The Mapcheck Analysis tools are a great way of checking things as well.
There are numerous other features in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 and past releases that may be very useful in a survey workflow.
For the files used in this write-up, you can contact me directly and I will email them over. My email can be found within the bio at the end of this article. Or just use a file of your own and give it a shot!
Also, this is a bit of a revamp on a past Autodesk University session I presented. If you want more detail, search the AU classes for:
CI2837: Hidden Survey Gems
Performing a Mapcheck Analysis in Civil 3D
You can perform a Mapcheck Analysis by selecting AutoCAD Civil 3D line and curve labels to determine values from label objects based on the precision of the annotation of the label object, or you can enter Mapcheck data manually.
A Mapcheck Analysis is typically performed for each labeled polygon that represents a parcel, a labeled parcel object, or survey figure to ensure that errors and omissions are minimized. If an error is introduced and accumulated, the coordinates of the last segment endpoint will not equal that of the point of beginning (POB) which creates the “error of closure.”
The report is computed based on the start and end coordinates of each parcel segment, relative to the coordinates of the POB and the previous segment.
Figure 2: Mapcheck Analysis command
You can change the Mapcheck default command settings in the General collection on the Settings tab in Toolspace.
To change Mapcheck command settings:
1. On the Settings tab in Toolspace, click General Commands MapCheck.
2. In the Edit Command Settings-MapCheck dialog box, expand the Mapcheck group and specify values for the Mapcheck properties.
Figure 3: Mapcheck settings
3. Open the 1_Perform Mapcheck Analysis.dwg.
4. Click Analyze tab Ground Data panel Survey drop-down Mapcheck .
5. In the Mapcheck Analysis window, click New Mapcheck Report.
6. In the command line, enter a name for the Mapcheck, call the first one BOUNDARY. We will be doing the outer boundary that consists of four calls.
7. In your command line, specify a Point of Beginning. Choose the UPPER LEFT corner of the property line. The interactive graphics display the POB in the drawing.
8. At the command line you are prompted to select a label. After selecting a label, the interactive graphics display in the drawing. If you need to make a change, at the command line you have options to do the following:
- Clear: Clears the current side
- New: Starts a new Mapcheck report
- Flip: Changes the direction of the curve to either clockwise or counter-clockwise
- Reverse: Changes the direction of the line or curve
Select the labels in Clockwise order. Hit Enter to end the command after the four labels have been chosen.
Your Mapcheck Analysis should look similar to Figure 4.
Figure 4: Mapcheck Analysis dialog box
Insert a Mapcheck Analysis as MTEXT or Polyline
You can export the Mapcheck results in a couple different ways. From left to right along the dialog box you can perform the following.
Copy to Clipboard
Copies the contents of the input view or output view to the Windows clipboard.
If a mapcheck is current, then only that mapcheck is copied to the clipboard. If no mapcheck is current, then all mapchecks are copied. Press ESC to clear a selection in tree view.
Insert MTEXT
Inserts the contents of the input view or output view as an Mtext object in the drawing.
If a mapcheck is current, then only that mapcheck is inserted into the drawing. If no mapcheck is current, then all mapchecks are inserted into the drawing as separate Mtext objects. Press ESC to clear a selection in tree view.
Create Polyline
Inserts a polyline into the drawing representing the current mapcheck. If there is no current mapcheck, then a polyline for all mapchecks is inserted into the drawing. Press ESC to clear a selection in tree view.
Figure 5: Insert Mapcheck options
Using the COGO (Coordinate Geometry) Editor
With the latest Subscription Productivity Pack (2015 Productivity Pack Version 2) for Civil 3D 2015, the COGO Editor tool has undergone a great makeover from past versions. The command is now launched, for the time being, from the Toolbox panel of the Toolspace, under the Subscription Extension Manager. The original method is still available for those that are not on subscription.
The Coordinate Geometry Editor includes features that enable you to enter, edit, and output 2D traverse data.
You can create 2D traverses from existing COGO data, load it from a polyline, or manually enter known data. You can save traverses for later modification or generate traverse reports.
Figure 6: COGO Editor interface
Let’s create the following deed, or use one of your own.
From the POINT OF BEGINNING, the following eight calls:
Thence, S 62°13’04” E, 65.21 FEET
Thence, S 38°48’58” W, 91.14 FEET
Thence, S 51°11’02” E, 20.00 FEET
Thence, S 38°48’58” W, 75.00 FEET
Thence, N 51°11’02” W, 20.00 FEET
Thence, S 38°48’58” W, 25.00 FEET
Thence, N 51°11’02” W, 64.00 FEET
Thence, N 38°48’58” E, 178.66 FEET to the POB.
There are some general guidelines for creating/entering data. You can load data into the COGO Editor by selecting an existing polyline within your drawing or by manually entering known data, which we will use in this example.
Quick Tips
Use the Tab, Enter, or Arrow keys to navigate between cells
To use another unit of measure, entire either ‘ or m. For example, if you are working in Imperial units and have an input in meters, simply type in 200m
My favorite feature is the use of mathematical equations to calculate traverses. I know it’s hard to believe, but people still have deeds written in CHAINS! So doing the math each time gets a bit annoying.
The following operators are valid inputs:
+ - / * ()
For example, to convert a distance call from 7.5 CHAINS to FEET, simple type in 7.5*66.
To calculate the angle, direction or distance between points 1 and 2, and then divide by 2, type in (1 to 2)/2.
To return the sum of multiple values at the same direction, just type in a simple addition equation. Input 100+225.34+372.19 to get the overall distance of a contiguous line.
Creating Your First Deed with the COGO Editor
You can enter traverse data in the COGO Editor by creating traverse sides. Side types can be Point, Line, Arc, or Side Shot. The first side type of the traverse must be a point.
- In the Toolspace on the Toolbox tab, expand Subscription Extension Manager ➤ Civil 3D Productivity Pack ➤ Coordinate Geometry Editor. Double-click Launch Coordinate Geometry Editor to display the COGO Editor.
- Ensure that the Entry tab is active and click
to create a new traverse. - Ensure that Point is specified as the first Side type.
- Enter parameters in the first row of the COGO Editor for the point. Either enter an XYZ or select a COGO point within the drawing. For this example, choose any point on screen.
- Specify subsequent Side types, and then specify the requisite parameters. Input the following:
s 62 13 04 e (For Angle), 65.21 (For Distance)
s 38 48 58 w, 91.14
You can also type the angle as 62.1304
- You will see temporary graphics being placed, and labeled, on your screen!
Figure 7: COGO Editor – temporary graphics
- Continue on with the DEED as described in full above.
TIP: You can right-click in the COGO Editor to access a context menu with commands you can use to delete a row, to insert a row between existing rows, and to reorder rows.
- Click the CREATE POLYLINE FROM TRAVERSE button along the top of the dialog box.
- The POLYLINE ADDED TO DRAWING box will appear; select OK. The polyline is now drawn in your model space.
There are many other benefits to using this COGO Editor—too many to list here, but it is such a simple interface that you can play with it for a few minutes and quickly get things figured out.
There is also a Balance tab on the dialog box. Use this tab to specify an adjustment method to use and to review the adjusted data.
Additional GEMS in Survey Databases
Save Survey Database
Save Survey Database to 2014 Utility for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015. This will downgrade you survey database(s) in order to be used with 2014 Civil 3D. Civil 3D 2015 uses a SQL Server Compact 4.0 format, Civil 3D 2014 uses a SQL Server Compact 3.5 format for the survey database file. If the 2015 file is downgraded back to a 3.5 file format, then it will be usable with Civil 3D 2011 through Civil 3D 2014.
Survey Database Queries
Did you know you can query a survey database for survey points and figures that meet specified criteria?
A survey query enables you to search a survey database for the survey points and figures that meet a specified series of conditions. A survey query is associated with and saved in a survey database. A survey query can query only the points and figures within its host database.
Figure 8: Survey database query
After a survey query has been executed, you can display the resulting survey points and figures in the drawing as a preview. You can make changes to the survey points and figures, and then save the changes back to the survey database.
A surface can be built from the results of a survey query. The results can be added to a surface definition either as static point groups and breaklines, or as a dynamic reference to the survey points and figures that are in the survey database.
Label a Line Between Two Points
I know this is a simple one, but this is something that was missing up until the 2013 release. You now have the functionality to quickly label line information between any two COGO or survey database points. You can also just select two points on the screen or along a line. Great for spanning distances.
- Draw a line or just open any file and go to the Annotate Tab of the ribbon.
- Annotate > Line and Curve > Add Line Between Two Points label.
- Select any two points using the node OSNAP or a transparent command of your choice.
Conclusion
Hopefully you will find some of these tools useful. Try it out on a couple simple projects and I think you’ll get hooked! I especially like the COGO Editor for verification and closure reports, and once you get accustomed to using the Survey Databases, those queries that you can run will be extremely valuable within your survey workflows.
