Just a quick question Jack, How do are you working with hundreds of files
and tens of thousands of points? I must be missing something here, but I
can't even work with a file that has ten thousand points, unless I
completely avoid numerous commands, like "draw all" especially with the
"erase duplicates" option checked (when exactly do you want duplicates?) My
2GHZ Pentium 4 with a gig of ram is brought to it's knees with some of these
commands, and as an added bonus, I can't use Outlook while the process is
running! G... I would have time to email my kids, while waiting for my
points to come in. If I have used the "resize point attributes" command, it
won't erase the duplicates anyway, now I just have smaller and larger points
at the same location. How do you organize your projects? A separate folder
for each drawing with all the support files, crd, alignment ect in the same
folder. I've had to break apart numerous coordinate files just to be able
to work with them in XML, it is not fun. In the six months we've been using
SurvCad, we've got coordinate files scattered everywhere. I need some help
here trying to figure out how to organize this and get all my users on the
same page. We have always been used to having one main coordinate file
database for all drawing associated with that project. As field work was
processed the points were always brought into the main coordinate file,
actually we didn't have a choice that's just how it worked. (softdesk) Now
I have users working with a small coordinate file of just that days work,
but It's not being updated to a "project" coordinate file. I think this
problem with moving the CRD file to a different directory may be adding to
some of our problems. After field work has been processed it was moved to
the "processed" folder under our "survey" directory. As you can tell, I'm
struggling with this, and would like to hear from you or anyone that is
successfully managing large projects with SurvCADD. I have about fifteen
ongoing projects with over 50,000 points plus, and hundreds of drawing files
for each project. How can I make this workable?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave C.
"JackG" <jackg@sec-civil.com> wrote in message
news:b2etgq$sma$1@update.carlsonsw.com...
Sorry, Randy!
I know we have discussed this matter so this post is for others who might
not even be aware of the potential for disaster here. I did not mean for
it
to sound condescending. Survcadd is the best AutoCAD software out there.
This issue is EXTREMELY important for everyone to understand, hence the
newsgroup, and it is my opinion that adding "hidden data (coord file
LOCATION)" is a programming mistake. If the .ini file would update this
"hidden data" automatically upon dwg boot, it would be O.K. But the .ini
file is POWERLESS over the "hidden data" attached to every coord point.
Perhaps I could understand coord file name (changeable by the
aforementioned
.ini process, but PATH as well? This means you can NEVER EVER copy, move
or
rename any directories or coord files. This is too great a limitation for
anyone - software is supposed to provide you with options, not restrict
how
you work. There was NO warning that this would happen.
What is at stake - ALL OF OUR STAKE OUT DATA, hundreds of files, tens of
thousands of points. I don't have to tell you the problems that would
follow
if our subdivisions were staked incorrectly. We would be closed down by
all
the lawsuits. We are a Civil Engineering company that mainly creates new
residential subdivisions and a few commercial/industrial ones. When I
first
bought Survcadd (Sc2000), this problem did not exist. I went about setting
up a "mode of operating" with the parameters established by Survcadd. This
meant I could process the field data in any old file name under any old
directory. Since you never know what the subdivision name is going to be,
we
just use the project no. and the original property owner's name:
D:\02018-DraperProperty\draperpntno.crd
All of our Survcadd files start out this way. A boundary and topo are
created from the field data. When the subdivision gets a name, I change
the
name of the directory (to maintain established file consistency already
created by others in our office) and the crd file name to the project no.
&
the new subdivision name:
D:\02018-StonewoodSubdivision\StonePntno.crd
I am very careful to edit all the .ini files, to make sure all the file
pointers are now correct. I then calculate all the roads and lots and
insert
all the engineer's storm and sewer objects when they are through with the
design. This system worked for several years until the "hidden data"
a.k.a.
"exact data path of coord file" was added. There was no warning that would
change EVERYTHING THAT I DO AT WORK. Hundreds of files were created this
way
until last week when I discovered this:
All of the points that I create from this point on will work properly in
the
new coord file, however, a point that was created in the original crd file
(which either doesn't exist any more, or the directory path has changed)
which has been moved using the Survcadd MovePnt routine, does not update
the
coord file automatically. If you ARE NOT EVEN AWARE this is happening, you
are in for some real trouble out in the field. Update the coord file from
the dwg you say -- Wrong! How would ever know that I had to? Besides this
DOES NOT ACTUALLY change the "hidden data" or the "crd file path and
name".
Drawing inspector reports the new crd file name and path for that point
but
it is wrong!! Using MovePnt on points created in the original crd file
still
doesn't update the crd file automatically. Move the point and you will see
(via Find Point) that the real coord is still where it used to be. Enter
the
word REVISIONS. Need I say more? What is worse, I may have renamed a
directory and files SEVERAL times and may actually have 3 or 4 coord files
in my dwg without my knowledge and if I have used the "update crd file
from
dwg", there is no way for me to even find out if I do or not. Redrawing
each
point - wheeew!! If you saw my drawings, and there are hundreds, you
wouldn't even suggest it. I cannot use FTF to redraw them, because I do
not
use field codes to create points once the field data has been processed.
Redrawing each point in each dwg with 64 different layers and 52 different
symbols and hundreds of drawings would take several months.
THE GOOD NEWS - I have spoken with Survcadd about this and a fix is in the
works they say. I am hoping it would work something like this:
Turn on, unfreeze and unlock all layers to any dwg. Use a command like
"Update coordinate point link". Type "all" when it asks for a selection.
Type in your new coord file name. For god's sake I hope they remove the
PATH
info altogether. Coord file name I can understand for people who choose to
work this way. PLEASE LET THE .INI FILE DO WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO!!!!
I'm sorry about the length of this post but it is critical for those who
have made the same mistake I have and don't even know it.
Thanks,
JackG