Working with spatially referenced DWG, image, and GIS files

Last updated: 2024-03-19

Info:

The WisDOT coordinate projection zone category which was in use through Civil 3D 2016 and 2018 has been retired and is no longer needed in Civil 3D 2020 and beyond.

Coordinate systems in Civil 3D should only be applied when a projection transformation is needed.

Projections for Civil 3D 2020 and beyond should be selected from the Zone Category: USA, Wisconsin. WISCRS projections begin with NSRS2011 Wisconsin County CRS

Projections for Civil 3D 2016 and 2018 should be selected from the Zone Category: WisDOT.

Warning:

Data connected to through the Map Workspace is not available in applications that do not use Map 3D.

Such applications include

Plotting solutions with Map Workspace data need to be in active session with Civil 3D.
  1. Application Menu > Drawing Utilities > Drawing Settings.
    • Drawing Settings dialog box > Units and Zone tab.
      • In the zone area at the bottom of the tab, change the category to "USA, Wisconsin".
      • Change the available coordinate system to the one desired. Make sure that the units are set correctly.
      • OK

If other DWG files are to be georeferenced, repeat this process for all DWG used to be used.

There are two options for connecting to spatial data

  1. MAPWSPACE Enter. Enter at the next prompt to set the task pane on. The Task Pane should be visible. This method is necessary for attachng to a spatially-referenced DWG.

  2. MAPCONNECT Enter If using this method, go directly to How to use a data connection #connection

The rest of the commands can all be found in the same area, but have slightly different options depending on what type of file is being attached.
  1. Map Task Pane > Display Manager tab > Data button > Add Drawing Data > Attach Source Drawings
    • This will open the Define/Modify Drawing Set dialog box.
    • Click Attach... This will open the Select Drawings to Attach dialog box.
    • The first time this dialog is used, an alias will need to be set for any drives other than the C drive.
  1. Select Drawings to Attach dialog box > Create/Edit Aliases
    • It can be found two buttons to the right of the drive letter dropdown. This will open the Drive Alias Administration dialog box.
    • For Drive Alias Details Drive Alias: N
    • Actual Path: \\wis31fp1\n3public (This is an example in drive for the Wisconsin Rapids office. A user's individual in drive can be found by looking at the path after the N drive in My Computer in Windows Explorer.)
  2. Click Add. The alias letter and path should appear in the Drive List window. Click Close.
  3. Select the alias letter where the DWGs are in the Look in: window.
  4. Navigate to the folder with the DWGs. Highlight the files to attach. Click Add.
  5. When all of the DWGs have been selected, click OK. This will return the user to the Defined/Modify Drawing Set dialog box.
  6. Click on the drawings to be attached, or click Select All. Click OK.
  7. The files may not display immediately. If this occurs, in the Task Pane, click the Map Explorer tab. The attached files should show up under Drawings. Right-click on the file name and click "Quick View" to view the file.

All types of data connections work in a similar manner. The following instructions will use a shape file for an example. Data connections to local files can either be at the folder level or at the file level. A folder full of shape files can be managed through one data connection.

  1. Click Add SHP Connection.
    • Connection name: Set this to something meaningful. "Dane County Tax Parcels" for instance.
    • Source file or folder: Click either the Open File or Browse Folder buttons to navigate to the correct location. This field will then fill in with the correct information.
    • When the source is populated, the Connect button will be enabled. Click Connect . This will open the AddDatatoMap dialog.

The available files will display in a window. If Civil 3D can read the files projection information, it will show up here under Coordinate System. If a coordinate system is not found,<unknown > will be displayed.

  1. To set the coordinate systems for files, click on the file to set under Schema, then click the Edit Coordinate Systems button. This will open the Edit Spatial Contexts dialog box.
    • Click on the files to set the coordinate system for and click Edit.... This will open the Coordinate System Library dialog box.

      • In the Category: window, select the appropriate category of coordinate systems. This should always be the WisDOT category.

      • In the Unit: window, select the appropriate unit. For example, US Survey Foot.
      • In the main window, click the coordinate system to be assigned to the referenced file.
      • Click Select. This will bring back the Edit Spatial Contexts dialogbox.
    • Click OK. This will bring back the AddDatatoMap dialog. The correct coordinates system should show up in the main window.
    • Click Add to Map. The contents of the file should show up in model space and also show up in the Task Pane. Raster images will also show up in the AutoCAD reference dialog.

This section will not attempt to go into all of the different options available to work with GIS data in Civil 3D.

  • In Task Pane > Display Manager, right-click on any data layer to see all of the possible options associated with it. From this right-click menu, data display, selection, labeling, data table viewing, and other options can be accessed.