Topic: Best Software for LAnd Surveying/Topography?

[therock003]

Is Civil3D good enough to handle topographic tasks, or are there any other worthy candidates i should consider. I'm interested for a combination of variety/automation/productivity. I also hear that that the Carlson Suite. Any recommendations?

[sinc]

Many programs can handle that type of task.  Both the programs you mention can handle it, and there are others, as well.  Care to elaborate more on what your needs are?

[dfarris75]

I also hear that that the Carlson Suite.

What do you hear hear?

[mjfarrell]

Is Civil3D good enough to handle topographic tasks, or are there any other worthy candidates i should consider. I'm interested for a combination of variety/automation/productivity. I also hear that that the Carlson Suite. Any recommendations?

I recommend C3D only with training, and then you will have much more productivity than frustration with it.
The same goes for most of the others as well.

[sourdough]

Many programs can handle that type of task.  Both the programs you mention can handle it, and there are others, as well.  Care to elaborate more on what your needs are?

On Carlson they bet the pants off the price of Civil 3D and they do survey and DTM's just fine.
If your needs are to do more civil tasks then Civil 3D is the ticket. I just hate the Damn Subscription Expense
as it is 10 times more expensive than it needs to be. Carlson also has one advantage with using Autocad
as it's base cad engine or it has it's own that is compatable with Autocad, but not so much with
Civil 3D Aecc objects, they don't mix so hot. But for the tasks you ask for Carlson price per action
is the winner.

MJP
Mike

[mjfarrell]

On Carlson they bet the pants off .... the winner.

MJP
Mike

Normally I would only bet my shirt.   

[therock003]

To be more specific i need something that incorporates calculation with error corrections rms and stuff like that. I have used civil before but only for road construction purposes for some assignments on my college and was able to produce profiles sections and surfaces, but besides that, i dont have any great experience with the survey part, but at first glimpse it doesnt seem all that rich. Note last version of civil i have used was 2008, so i dont know if and how much it has improved. Carlson software on the other hand i havent used it at all, just seen some screenshots on their website and the description that comes along.

Also there's betley that also have some similar products, but are they good enough? I have only used slightly bentley inroads, and it was somewhat inconvenient but it produced resultss after tampering with it for a while so i dont know if this is a candiadte as well.

[Alan Cullen]

There is another one, that I use all the time. 12D Model. It is brilliant, but expensive. And has recently gone international with users all over the world. It really makes all the others look a bit sick, and it has a survey specific component. Great for civil design. But as Mick said...needs a lot of instruction to totally understand it. You can get a glimpse of it here.....

http://www.12d.com/

[therock003]

There is another one, that I use all the time. 12D Model. It is brilliant, but expensive. And has recently gone international with users all over the world. It really makes all the others look a bit sick, and it has a survey specific component. Great for civil design. But as Mick said...needs a lot of instruction to totally understand it. You can get a glimpse of it here.....

http://www.12d.com/

Yep this one i have tried (version 7.0) as well but only briefly, it looked good but as every application of this purpose complicated as well, and i put it on hold till further notice. MAybe i will give it another go if you say that's it's worth my time and effort and can produce results.

[Alan Cullen]

Here where I live, all the engineers, surveyors and contractors have it, as well as pretty much all Australia. But as I said....lot of learning involved. It is very flexible and configurable to suit how you do things. Most of us have already worked out all the "mapping" aspects of it, and have configured how we use it. I have also written a heap of lisp for translation back to autocad to make all that very automatic. But the learning curve is the killer.

Anyway, if you decide to go with it, you are welcome to all my stuff to make it all easier for you.

Hahaha...I have version 8 loaded, but I still use version 7 in preference.

[therock003]

I will certainly give it a try then. And whatever comes up i will be sure to let you know. Thanx. 

[Mark]

There is another one, that I use all the time. 12D Model. It is brilliant, but expensive.

Survey Adjustment
Traverse adjustment by Transit, Bowditch, Crandall, Compass or Least Squares.

Is the Least Squares one of those one-button-wonders?