AutoCad data

[woohoo]

Can roadguide.ph import data from Autocad? Or other formats exportable to by Autocad (if so, which format)?

I'm asking because I don't know how to use Autocad, but I know my company has a roadmap of our city in Autocad format. I'd like to use that data (if my boss approves) to contribute tracks.

[Borgie]

Can roadguide.ph import data from Autocad? Or other formats exportable to by Autocad (if so, which format)?

What do you mean Roadguide.ph data? If you mean your GPS tracks and waypoints, yes they can be exported to AutoCAD. In mapsource, just save your files as .dxf then open in AutoCAD. Coordinate system carried over to AutoCAD is UTM... HTH

[woohoo]

What do you mean Roadguide.ph data? If you mean your GPS tracks and waypoints, yes they can be exported to AutoCAD. In mapsource, just save your files as .dxf then open in AutoCAD. Coordinate system carried over to AutoCAD is UTM... HTH

I meant the other way around. Can I ask them to export autocad roadmap drawings to .DXF and then upload the files here?

UTM? Do you mean Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system?

[Reiji]

Can roadguide.ph import data from Autocad? Or other formats exportable to by Autocad (if so, which format)?

afaik, you will be needing gps/cad converter software.

I'm asking because I don't know how to use Autocad, but I know my company has a roadmap of our city in Autocad format. I'd like to use that data (if my boss approves) to contribute tracks.

pls be careful with copyright issue and accuracy.

[woohoo]

Re: copyright issue, as long as my boss approves it, it's fine.
Re: accuracy, the encoder says he imports from autocad files submitted by developers and from cadastre data.

Comments, please?

[Borgie]

I meant the other way around. Can I ask them to export autocad roadmap drawings to .DXF and then upload the files here?

UTM? Do you mean Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system?

Who's them? And how were the CAD roadmap drawings generated (i.e. from GPS tracks, traced from paper maps, scanned from paper maps)? Reiji's concern is valid, we must be careful about copyright issues, asides from the accuracy issues. That's why we encourage members to upload data that they themselves gathered/tracked using a GPS or traced in GE, not only to avoid copyright issues but also to insure the accuracy of road data that will be incorporated into the Roadguide map.

Btw, have you tried exporting those CAD roads to mapsource and checked them against the demo map v1.09 (assuming of course that some of those roads are present in the demo map)? And how do they match?

[woohoo]

Who's them? And how were the CAD roadmap drawings generated (i.e. from GPS tracks, traced from paper maps, scanned from paper maps)? Reiji's concern is valid, we must be careful about copyright issues, asides from the accuracy issues. That's why we encourage members to upload data that they themselves gathered/tracked using a GPS or traced in GE, not only to avoid copyright issues but also to insure the accuracy of road data that will be incorporated into the Roadguide map.

Btw, have you tried exporting those CAD roads to mapsource and checked them against the demo map v1.09 (assuming of course that some of those roads are present in the demo map)? And how do they match?

"Them"="Autocad users in our company."

I wanted to determine first if it was possible to export from AutoCAD and submit here, before I attempted to ask for permission. Besides, I had to know beforehand how you guys would use the exported data because that's how I would compare to the latest demo map, cuz I first had to know how to get the data even before I can do the comparison. Have ZERO experience with AutoCAD, that's why.

[Reiji]

"Them"="Autocad users in our company."

I wanted to determine first if it was possible to export from AutoCAD and submit here, before I attempted to ask for permission. Besides, I had to know beforehand how you guys would use the exported data because that's how I would compare to the latest demo map, cuz I first had to know how to get the data even before I can do the comparison. Have ZERO experience with AutoCAD, that's why.

assuming there is no issue on copyrights here, if you want to contribute tracks, file should be in gdb format.
i suggest to convert it to gdb, check against demo map, then submit.

to help clear this copyright issue, can you describe what your company do?

[woohoo]

My company is an Electric Distribution Utility.

Okay, let me check the accuracy first, before going forward with this idea.

Thanks a lot for the inputs, everyone!

[Borgie]

"Them"="Autocad users in our company."

I wanted to determine first if it was possible to export from AutoCAD and submit here, before I attempted to ask for permission. Besides, I had to know beforehand how you guys would use the exported data because that's how I would compare to the latest demo map, cuz I first had to know how to get the data even before I can do the comparison. Have ZERO experience with AutoCAD, that's why.

Okay. As i said please compare it first with the demo map v1.09 by converting the dwg file to dxf then open in mapsource. After you've opened your cad file in mapsource, save it as a gpx file and then open it in google earth for another check (assumes that the area where those roads are have high res satellite imageries). Now if after checking them out as described above you think that your cad roads from cadastral surveys are okay, then please upload them so we can have a look see... TIA

[Roadguide2000]

My company is an Electric Distribution Utility.

Okay, let me check the accuracy first, before going forward with this idea.

Thanks a lot for the inputs, everyone!

Hi woohoo,

1. Autocad users are bound by Employment Contract. I am very sure they have more or less below clause in their Contract which says;

"xx. Proprietary Information

xx.1 The Employee must not, during the course of his employment and for a period of 3 years after the termination, except in the proper performance of his duties, disclose to any person (and must use his best endeavours to prevent the publication or disclosure to any person) any proprietary information. Proprietary information” includes but is not limited to any confidential and/or proprietary knowledge, data or information, any past, present or future inventions, marketing plans, product plans, business strategies, financial information (including budgets and unpublished financial statements), licenses, prices and costs, forecasts, personal information, suppliers, customers and lists of either, information, trade secrets, patents, mask works, ideas, confidential knowledge, data or other proprietary information relating to new and existing products, processes, know-how, designs, formulas, developmental or experimental work, improvements, discoveries, designs and techniques, computer programs, data bases, other original works of authorship, employee information including the skills and compensation of other employees of Company, or other subject matter pertaining to any business of Company."

And also look at the proprietary clause written on the bottom portion of the drawing which looks like below.

"COPYRIGHT (R) BY PROJECT DEPARTMENT. THIS DOCUMENT IS A PROPERTY
OF THE XX COMPANY AND MAY NOT BE MADE PUBLIC, BE COPIED OR BE MODIFIED OR ANY OTHER WAY BE MADE USE OF WITHOUT PERMISSION OF
THE SAID COMPANY."


2. Your Boss like the Autocad users is also an Employee of the Company and also bound by the above clause,

3. Autocad is in Cartesian Coordinate and must be converted into UTM and then WGS 84 (Long-Lat). Please find below link.

http://www.expertgps.com/dxf-gpx.asp

[Borgie]

3. Autocad is in Cartesian Coordinate and must be converted into UTM and then WGS 84 (Long-Lat).

Nice post RG!

@woohoo: It's easy to convert your cartesian coordinate cad roads to UTM. Just take a look at your cad roads, take note of those street intersections that you can easily locate and mark with a gps the actual locations, then go out, mark and get the actual gps coordinates. Download the marked waypoints, be sure unit is UTM, then save/convert file to dxf. Open file in Autocad, then copy/paste your Cad roads to the gps points cad file using the gps points as references. Then save file as dxf, open in mapsource & compare with the demo map v1.09 or check in GE.