Topic: Carlson reading C3D points

[tcopeland]

I have a few questions regarding what Carlson can view from Civil 3D.  Our surveyor is using Carlson for a few different options:
1) they use Carlson CE? for the data collector
2) they use Carlson stanalone addition for picking out points to load into the data collector for staking
3) and it is also used for view ACAD drawings that have been designed in C3D

I think that we can eliminate a few of the above steps but that is another story for another day. 

The one problem that I believe they are having, from what I am being told, is that they are unable to view the point information from C3D.  They are getting a proxy box where the points in C3D would be.  Is there a way to fix this or is Carlson not able to view any of the C3D point information?  I also assume that Carlson is not able to work on top of C3D or with C3D like is supposed to be able to work with Map or ACAD.  Is that a correct assumption?

Thanks for the help!!! 

[mjfarrell]

I wonder if an object enabler would do you any good, as there are two flavors of Carlson (or so I've heard) and one of them is not based on autocad....

[tcopeland]

I am not sure if it would work or not since the version of Carlson that we do have is a standalone version, ie not running with ACAD.  I can sure give it a try and see what happens though.

Thanks for the tip,

[mjfarrell]

should you have the geomatics office product you can pass the data between the two much easier, or at least the documentation leads one to believe this...

[Dent Cermak]

The Carlson products can be loaded on top of Civil 3D. The points from Civil3D should be able to be converted under the Points menu. If nothing else, save the point file as a text file and import into Carlson.
I have not fooled with the Civil3D end of this package, but I know the Survey and Civil packages are supposed to be fully compatable with Civil3D. Your VAR should be able to show you how to do this. If not, contact the Carlson College affiliate nearest you for assistance. Or post you question on the Carlson discussion group on their web site.
The reduction of the steps that you list is solely dependent on the type of data collector that you are using and its ability to handle graphics. We use Carlson Survey in our data collectors and we dump all the drawing files and coordinate files into the data collectors. That way the PC can pick the points for stake out in the field as he needs them. OR we can pick the points in the dwg file on the office computers , download that dwg file and send them on their merry way.
The ideal set up allows the use of basically the same software on both computers with the same capabilities on each. It can be done. The only limitations are in the data collectors that you pick. The less expensive ones do not have graphics capabilities. The future in the field will require full blown graphics capabilities, so you may as well start now.

[Dent Cermak]

I wonder if an object enabler would do you any good, as there are two flavors of Carlson (or so I've heard) and one of them is not based on autocad....

Carlson comes in THREE flavors. One version is installed on top of AutoCad Map or Civil3D. Another is a standalond built on an AutoCad Kernel. The third is a stand alone built on top of Intellicad.
The version that is installed on top of AutoCad has ALL of the AutoCad functions and abilities. The standalone AutoCad version gives up some custimization abilities. The final version is only as smart as Intellicad.

[tcopeland]

The points from Civil3D should be able to be converted under the Points menu. If nothing else, save the point file as a text file and import into Carlson.

I assume that the only way you would be able to view the points is by converting the co-go points into a block under the points>utilities command and then they would be able to use that information?  And with the text file why do you need to take the text file and convert it into a .crd file?  I'm not sure why this process is being done any info as to why?  Can I generate a .crd that will be able to be read by Carlson CE software and the data collector that we have.  Currently the two that are listed in the survey link are not compatible.

[Dent Cermak]

All survey packages can read a txt file. Carlson then creates a crd file that it works with. In Carlson, most everything is done via the crd file. The Carlson crd file can be used by any data collector using the Carlson software. Conversion  to a txt file is for when you are sending the info to other packages.
If you are working Carlson Survey in the office, then data exchange, both ways, is via the crd file and any dwg file you have created. The data should go directly to anyother Carlson product without any changes. 100% compatibility between all Carlson products. Office generated crd files should transfer directly to any Carlson software package without any problems.

[Dent Cermak]

If still applicable, I have gone and looked a little deeper as I play with this software. Under ther "Convert Points" pulldown is a tag for converting Civil3D points to Carlson points. One click fix. Carlson can convert points from most all of the software packs to Carlson points.