holsteinson

After updating VW09 to SP2 on my MAC with OSX 10.5.6 I noticed that all VW09 files emailed to me show the Quicktime icon and suffix and when I tried to change the "Open with application" to VW09 it doesnt change it nor does it open from within VW09 application. If I try to drag and drop the corrupted VW09 file on VW09 it doesnt open. The temporary solution to this bug is to always email the VW09 files compressed, either zipped or stuffit drop stuff

Again you just dont get the post's objective Panta it is up to us users to request the features we need from the developers of VW .... otherwise NNA would not have a forum for the WISHLIST nor would it have any reasons to release new versions of VW (and charge us for them of course). It is NNA that should hire not one but a dozen of firms to get VW new features and charge us for them... which I am totally cool with paying for them. Another option already suggested is to contact Trimble and get them to develop for VW a TRIMBLE LINK add on module and solve the georeferencing limitations.... EASY and CHEAP for all parties

" Data to Design: Good Design Requires Accurate Base Maps Jan 7, 2009 By: Marcia Carrillo, Lucy Kuhns You have just won the latest infrastructure project and can't wait to get started with the design. But first, you must prepare the existing conditions base map. A complete, accurate base map is critical to the success of your project. The project team will need to research and include the usual existing condition boundaries, easements, and topographic, hydrologic, and infrastructure features. And, with today's safety, environmental, and sustainable design requirements, you will also have a wealth of other robust data that must also be included. Including all of this often disparate data into your project base map can be a cumbersome experience, and when your base map is constructed with different data types, such as GIS, survey, imagery, tabular, and even legacy hard copy items, this can sometimes take more time than the actual design itself! Today vast amounts of robust data are available for our use. However, most CAD systems are not able to easily consume and directly use these data types in their CAD-based drawings. Many engineering professionals face the challenge of taking a CD full of CAD, GIS, survey, imagery, and miscellaneous project-related data and compiling it in order to get a base map prepared in time for a meeting with only a day's notice. With the incredible amount of data available today in a variety of formats, the challenge is to get that data into your CAD base map drawing as accurately and easily as possible. Data conversion, coordinate system reprojection, and drawing cleanup can make this task laborious and time consuming. This article outlines how to use AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 to bring disparate data into drawings through its Feature Data Objects (FDO) data connection and how to use Map 3D?s built-in drawing cleanup tools to best prepare data for the design process. Removing the Road Blocks With Map 3D?s FDO connection, you can connect to all the different data types (such as SHP, SDF, JPG, MrSID, DEM, and point list files) for use in the base map drawing. FDO allows users to quickly gather information, such as center lines of roads, parcel boundaries, control benchmarks, soil types, zoning limits, contours, and high-resolution aerial photos. Standard connection types include SDE, Oracle Spatial, raster (MrSID, GeoTiffs), WFS (web feature service) and WMS (web mapping service), as well as ODBC, MySQL, and SQL server. The FDO data connection tool is accessible from the docked Task Pane. Once loaded, the data can be symbolized and queried for display in the map model window. The Style Editor allows the data to be labeled, symbolized, and themed by any of the attributes that are associated with it. Use the FDO connection in AutoCAD Map 3D to bring together disparate data types. Working with Coordinates When working with CAD systems, all the data must be in the same projection and coordinate system or it simply will not overlay correctly. Often the imagery, engineering, and GIS data are in different coordinate systems and even in different units. For example, the images might be in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), the engineering data in state plane coordinates, and the GIS data in a WGS latitude and longitude system. Units must also be consistent. Systems may be in meters, U.S. survey feet, international feet, or some other unit. The difference between U.S. feet and international feet may seem small (One U.S. foot equals 1.00002 international feet), but considering that the coordinate ranges for many systems are in the one- to two-million range for northing (y) and easting (x) location, this can result in errors of more than two feet! To solve the problem of varied data with varied coordinate systems in AutoCAD Map 3D, you apply a global coordinate system to the base map drawing. Knowing the main purpose of your base map drawing, you can choose an appropriate coordinate system and units. For example, if your project is an engineering or infrastructure development project (any project that will require construction), typically the global coordinates are set to the location's state plane zone. Once the global coordinate system is set, any other data will be reprojected on the fly to conform to this system, and dissimilar units will convert as well. Another helpful feature is that coordinates can be set within AutoCAD Map 3D's data connect window, allowing easy integration for data that doesn't have a projection file associated with it. For example many ESRI shape files come with no projection (PRJ) file, which means they do not automatically "know" what coordinate system or units that they are in. To solve this in AutoCAD Map 3D, select the coordinate system that you think the data was created in for use in that system. To accomplish this without using this Map 3D feature, you would have to use ESRI's Arc Catalog or would need to create your own PRJ file in Notepad. Dealing with Hard-Copy Data Many times during the base map creation you will need to incorporate hard-copy data from legacy drawings, plats, and legal descriptions. These typically need to be scanned for heads-up digitizing, which can take a considerable amount of time, then checked for accuracy. Autodesk Raster Design can be used to scan and then vectorize selected image components. For example, you can digitize the contour lines from scanned hard copy map image by using the Contour Follower tool, which allows you to convert scanned contour maps to polylines with elevations. Select the major and minor contour line in the raster image and the contour follower will trace the line, create a vector contour line, and assign the elevation in Map 3D. Getting Site Survey Data into Your drawing At the onset of a project, preliminary site survey data is collected and needs to be added to the base map drawing. Usually this data is in a point list format or a comma- or space-delimited ASCII text file. Many CAD users find this difficult and prefer a third-party software to help with the task. AutoCAD Map 3D offers a survey tool kit that supports LIDAR and other data formats (x,y,z format) and can be integrated into the drawing and visualized for site verification. The survey toolkit also allows you to load LIDAR and point data files to create 3D surfaces and contour lines. Survey data file inserted and surface contours created. Managing Drawing Change and Clean-up Once the preliminary base map is created and approved, changes or updates often need to be made. The data connection feature enables drawing clean-up and multiuser editing of DWG files, and more than one engineering professional can be editing a drawing at any given time. This accelerates the base map development time and when used in conjunction with the drawing clean-up tools, can reduce the cost of base map development changes. Full base map ready for design. Ready for Design Once all the data is cleaned up and displayed in Map 3D, you can move on to the design process using the AutoCAD design tools inside Map 3D, or you can open your project drawing in AutoCAD Civil 3D. You can also export data for use in other design applications, or you can simply push data back to a GIS source." This georeferencing workflow can be implemented in VW

Miguel HighRoad is way more productive and detailed as a road design tool that VW OIP plugins approach Just to mention some samples of these dedicated tools, Highroad can support up to 29 roads including overpasses and ramps in a single project. Culverts can be dimensioned and located as easy as click of mouse and input dimensions and elevations. Curve Transitions are automated only need the crossfall percentage Again we need the one button GE in VW09

Panta as you read the article was quoted so it not written by me and yet most urban planners are using GIS and Remote Sensing tools, both based on georeferenced coordinate systems, to get their baseline data to do their planning and monitor the results in time..... The whole enchilada of this post is for VW to have this georeferencing support almost transparent to all end users, just select when creating a project its datum, ellipsoid, grid and geoid models once for your area, so that the VW always use it in the background (unless you change of location or country and wish to change these). Georeferecing is done by the software not by the user. I own a license of AZIMUTH and it doesnt run well in OSX 10.5.6 besides it was not a full geocentric georeferenced product. I am not a VW script programmer nor do I have the time to do it or want to do it. That is what VW programmers are getting paid for as well as all VW third party developers charge their fees for their products. Regretfully NOBODY seems capable of programming this georeferencing feature in VW and that is the bottom line.

Miguel try Trimble Terramodel Design Road Module and Creative Engineering HighRoad for 3D road and any land development designs... you dont need a supercomputer to run your designs on them

Definetly your lack of technical skills to follow any post is refreshing You are not able to articulate a single technical sentence related to the post, so I guess you must a great 3D designer. Send me the Chevy anytime (not that I need it since I have 2008 BMW X5, but I can have my junior civil engineers do errands on it) since all of our designs are 3D, from a highway, golf course, tourist resort down to a breakwater ... The post is to have a georeferenced Google Earth ONE BUTTON in VW, which it doesnt has. It has an Export command for all 3D objects to KML with no geospatial framework.

"Geospatial Technologies and Spatial Thinking GIS + GPS + RS = Tools for geographic inquiry Key geospatial technologies are becoming more evident in our everyday lives. Geographic information system (GIS), global positioning system (GPS) and remote sensing (RS) technologies are the base: Smart maps able to display, query, and analyze geographic databases; receivers that provide location and navigation; and global to local imagery and tools providing visual context and analysis. However, tools are just that?tools. Critical to the best use of geospatial technologies is spatial thinking and thinkers. Geographic inquiry powers the application of these technologies in classroom subjects, in careers, and in the community. In combination these technologies are increasingly more vital in assisting educators, students, and their institutions to ask and answer personal and community questions with local to global implications. Classroom: Geography and GIS are obvious companions, for example, GIS appears in the US National Geography Standards. However, teachers in earth, environmental, biological, and general science are the largest body of educators using the range of geospatial technologies. Their growing use in an array of social studies and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects supports authentic problem-based instruction. The growing importance of these skill sets is prompting countries including Norway, Finland, and South Africa to infuse these tools and approaches into school programs" Panta they are putting in your school programs.....beware and protest against it

Jeffrey dont worry about it, I am not sensitive to opinions. The georeferencing workflow is very simple: 1.- Any project starts with its land survey input of the site, which traditionally was on a flat Earth cartesian coordinates system, selected arbitrary by each PLS but since 1994 differential GPS constellation became operational it has been based more and more on curved Earth geocentric coordinate system that has an scale and elevation factors to convert ground distances to grid (or map)distances and viceversa. A mininum of 2 intervisible GPS control points are monumented on a site and from them everything is tied in with total stations and RTK GPS. 2.- The CAD program has to be configured by the user accordingly the datum, ellipsoid, grid and geoid models that are used in his area, before the data and or geotiff and or shape files are imported so that no mapping distorsion is generated. 3.- Once the georeferenced survey data is edited and adjusted in the topographic software, it is imported in the working plane (ground, ellipsoid or grid)of the CAD software and a DTM is generated with contours at user defined intervals. 4.- 2D/3D Design is generated based on 3 and can be uploaded to Google Earth for marketing and GIS purposes. 5.- Finished design corners or vertex are exported in georeferenced Y,X,Z coordinates CSV text file to data collector for layout in the field 6.- Georeferenced as built drawings are generated by input of collected data on the field of all changes during construction using the redline report in the CAD software. I dont know how can VW imports and handles georeferenced image files and SHP without distorting them unless it is taking them in only grid or mapping coordinates. Same goes to Google Earth since its native input is lat, long, elevation in WGS84 (which has 2.2meters origin offset difference with NAD83) Again the ground versus grid distances/areas/coordinates is a major subject because of the low accuracy of the UTM (1:2,500 or 4 meters every 10,000m) and State Plane (1:10,000 or 1 meter every 10,000m)systems. Let me know if there is anything else that you want more details on the georeference workflow.

WOW You are assuming that residential designers dont have the minimal skills to work in a georeferenced system?

I am sorry that you are taking the personal attack route instead of the issue of the post, but that is normal "hands on the cookie in jar" reaction Regardless of your opinion that georeferenced support is not needed in VW as the basic foundation for any GIS project (including urban design and any land planning and development), it is needed for survey, design, mapping, layout, as built and monitoring phases of these projects. If you dont know what Trimble stands for in the GPS geopositioning world in these last 10 years, then go to www.trimble.com.

NNA bought ARCHISOFT's ARCHICAD and they have not realize that this feature is already supported by this software but not by VW09 SP2 View in Google Earth support in ARCHICAD

This is really odd for me to learn that an urban designer and town planner is not using geospatial data in his works and worse yet an ecologist who is not georeferencing the same natural resources he wants to protect? How can you create a GIS of urban designs as builts? How can you come back into a forest, coral reef, swamp, etc and locate a sensitive resource without geospatial location? This is really a pointless discussion over a known fact of the geospatial data being required, and for once I am glad I am living in a georeferenced country where all cadastral land titles and maps, enviromental impact studies and protected areas, public infrastructures ARE REQUIRED BY LAW to be georeferenced to WGS-84(G1150) of ITRF 2005 datum and their as builts have to be SHAPE compatible to upload them directly into the respective GIS layers of the government institutions. I guess NNA bought Archisoft's ARCHICAD and they have not found out that this CAD software already as built in View in Google Earth button? Google Earth in Archicad If NNA can not swim with the big CAD boys in deep water without sinking, it should remain on the shoreline as a talker not a doer.

All clients request our designs to be uploaded to GE for real state marketing, environmental impact studies, road designs, etc so why is this feature so hard to come in VW?

I guess the federal government created all these committes and standars with the tax payers money just to have them idle? FGDC http://www.fgdc.gov/ EPA http://www.epa.gov/irmpoli8/ciopolicy/2121.pdf GOVM http://govm.geospatial-solutions.com/gssgovm DNR content standard for geospatial http://www.dnr.state.md.us/policy/geospatial1.html Maybe these link can provide the answers to those who still dont see or dont want to see that geospatial data usage IS the only way to work.

Nothing addressing solving the problem in this post on this new VW09 SP2... as expected!

VW02 SP2 downloaded and I can find the georeference datums support.. anyone knows where this setup is located?

Asides of KML and KMZ file formats import and export commands in VW, a View in Google Earth command or button that sends the active open drawing to GE should have been available in VW2009 since it launch in September 2008. Everyone should request this valuable tool to NNA!

Olau The lack of georeferencing datum and grid support by VW is really old news, so you can forget about being able to select any georeferencing information in VW. Import your georeferenced shape files but into the flat ground environment which is what VW offers. See my post on NO DATUM SUPPORT in this LandMark forum and cry. I have just read NNA VW09 SP2 has new geospatial support for GIS Shape files so I am downloading as I write hopefully somebody at NNA woke up into real world projects need. You would think that VW09 would already have implemented a View in Google Earth command like so many other applications? I guess that NNA havent done so due to the lack of georeferenced datum support.

It would be great to have the contours and DTM color coded/shaded similar to SURFER and Trimble Terramodel since this would allow for great presentations to clients.

Eric I can understand your comments regarding LandMark original focus on landscaping, but even landscaping requires decent layout tools to do this task. So again why is there so much resistance in NNA to provide this industry standard input and output georeferenced surveying/layout tools for all disciplines?

I pointed out that it is precisely due to VW lack of built in datum support and scale factor corrections whenever you import or open a georreferenced survey file, it is distorted to a "flat earth" and the design generated I recommend you to get Trimble Geomatics Office or Trimble Business Center Advance 2.0 software to properly handle all the georeferenced works while VW wakes up to the real curved earth world. Can GeoTIFF and DRF files be used and manipulated within VW? Can ground distances and grid distances and areas be measured in VW? You should check ongoing practices outside your local government ... I would suggest you to assist to the 2009 ACSM Congress and see for yourself all the georreferencing requirements that all government at federal, state and local level are requiring for all public works.

Thanks Mike will get his products since it is obvious that NNA doesnt have the technical know how and programmers to provide its users with decent land survey and layout tools

Thanks Bruce but what I need is an automatically generated distance and bearings table or worksheet from a selected polygon legs

It would be great to do the crop imported images indeed as well as tools to scale them and georeference them based on points selected by the user