Survey Software?

[npagerea]

Hi, I am new to this so pardon my complete ignorance... I am trying to get point data off my total station imported into AutoCAD in a way that I can draft a site plan, contour etc. what do I need for software to do this? Will AutoCAD alone accomplish this or do I need other software as well? If so what are some cost effective options? Just give it to me straight. I want to know what I need to make this work.

Thanks

[.T.]

Hi npagerea,

A couple of questions:

What brand of total station?

What flavor of Autocad are you using? Any verticals (I.E. Land Desktop, Civil 3d, etc.)?

[rkmcswain]

Hi, I am new to this so pardon my complete ignorance... I am trying to get point data off my total station imported into AutoCAD in a way that I can draft a site plan, contour etc. what do I need for software to do this? Will AutoCAD alone accomplish this or do I need other software as well? If so what are some cost effective options? Just give it to me straight. I want to know what I need to make this work.

Thanks

What is your budget?

Autodesk Land Desktop
Autodesk Civil3D
Carlson SurvCADD
Eagle Point
Microsurvey
Carlson Survey
C&G
Simplicity Systems

[tc3dcad]

Hi, I am new to this so pardon my complete ignorance... I am trying to get point data off my total station imported into AutoCAD in a way that I can draft a site plan, contour etc. what do I need for software to do this? Will AutoCAD alone accomplish this or do I need other software as well? If so what are some cost effective options? Just give it to me straight. I want to know what I need to make this work.

Thanks

I have not purchased it yet but I did find this after starting a search of my own. I do not know your budget either but this program - Autodesk Field Survey - will run on its own and is $1395!

[rkmcswain]

I have not purchased it yet but I did find this after starting a search of my own. I do not know your budget either but this program - Autodesk Field Survey - will run on its own and is $1395!


No, no, no, no, no....... :cry:

Stay away from Autodesk Field Survey whatever you do. It is nothing more than a 6 year old version of Carlson Survey (http://www.carlsonsw.com/PL_CS_survey.html) that has never been updated.

It was superceded by Carlson Survey (http://www.carlsonsw.com/PL_CS_survey.html) shortly after it was released. Why Autodesk continues to offer it is beyond me. No quality reseller would sell it to you.

[tc3dcad]

Well it was the least expensive option that I could find. The reason that I have not purchased anything yet is that I do not know if the deal will go thru with the surveying company.

I am really glad that someone told me this before I bought it!!!!!

[rkmcswain]

CS is only $100 more :-)

I can give you more details about the whole AFS fiasco if you are interested. Email me.

[npagerea]

I have a Nikon npl-332 and the version of Autocad in the office is 2005 LT. We also have a full version of 2000. I am not familiar with the term verticals, but we do not have anything like land desktop, civil 3d or Eagle point etc... This total station didn't even come with connection software for the PC.


Hi npagerea,

A couple of questions:

What brand of total station?

What flavor of Autocad are you using? Any verticals (I.E. Land Desktop, Civil 3d, etc.)?

[rkmcswain]

I have a Nikon npl-332 and the version of Autocad in the office is 2005 LT. We also have a full version of 2000. I am not familiar with the term verticals, but we do not have anything like land desktop, civil 3d or Eagle point etc... This total station didn't even come with connection software for the PC.

Forget doing anything with LT.

You may be able to find something that will run with your AutoCAD 2000, check with Carlson Software [ http://www.carlsonsw.com ] . You may be better off with something like Carlson Survey, which is a standalone program built on the AutoCAD OEM engine (approx $1395)

"Verticals" mean an application like Land Desktop, Civil3D, ABS, ADT, etc.

Where did you purchase your total station? That model has on-board data collection, right? You still should have been given some sort of standalone Win32 application to allow you to retreive the RAW data.

[.T.]

I would agree with RK on Carlson Survey. I looked at it (on one of my "this is rediculous to pay that much money to upgrade every year" rants) and would have bought it if we hadn't had so much money tied up in LDD.

When we purchased our total stations (a couple of which are Nikons), Survey Link by Tripod Data Systems was provided with the package. You might want to have a chat with your dealer.

HTH

[npagerea]

How about the tds foresight or connex software?