AutoCAD Map 3D: The Ultimate Toolset for Model-Based GIS Mapping
AutoCAD Map 3D Essential Training
Welcome to this article on AutoCAD Map 3D Essential Training. In this article, you will learn what AutoCAD Map 3D is, why you should use it, and how to use it for your GIS mapping and infrastructure design projects. You will also find some useful tips and tricks to make the most of this powerful software.
Lynda – AutoCAD Map 3D Essential Training
What is AutoCAD Map 3D?
AutoCAD Map 3D is a model-based GIS mapping software that provides access to CAD and GIS data to support planning, design, and management. It is one of the specialized toolsets included with AutoCAD, the leading CAD software for engineering and architecture.
With AutoCAD Map 3D, you can:
Directly access spatial data using Feature Data Objects (FDO) technology
Directly edit geospatial data
Manage infrastructure systems with Enterprise Industry Models
AutoCAD Map 3D also integrates with other Autodesk products, such as ArcGIS, Civil 3D, InfraWorks, Revit, and BIM 360.
Why use AutoCAD Map 3D?
AutoCAD Map 3D offers many benefits for GIS mapping and infrastructure design professionals, such as:
Seamless CAD and GIS data aggregation: You can work with spatial data from a variety of CAD and GIS data formats and coordinate systems.
Precision drafting and data editing: You can edit data against GIS data sources, such as ESRI SHP, MapInfo, and Oracle with standard AutoCAD commands. You can also use coordinate geometry (COGO) input commands to enter accurate geometry when creating objects.
Efficient infrastructure asset design and management: You can use intelligent application modules to efficiently manage a wide variety of infrastructure systems. You can also create and manage intelligent industry models by converting GIS data.
Powerful map creation, analysis, and visualization: You can easily update styling using the style editor and use themes to display data to indicate different values. You can also create topologies to perform useful calculations, such as identifying customers downstream from a faulty pump. You can also use robust functionalities, such as buffers, overlay, and spatial queries, to analyze data.
According to a productivity study commissioned by Autodesk, the Map 3D toolset boosted productivity by up to 60%, bringing significant time savings to common mapping design tasks in AutoCAD.
How to get started with AutoCAD Map 3D?
To get started with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to meet the following system requirements:
Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor: 2.52.9 GHz or faster processor
Memory: 8 GB or more
Display resolution: 1920 x 1080 with True Color
Display card: 1 GB GPU with 29 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant
Disk space: 7.0 GB
Browser: Google Chrome
.NET Framework: .NET Framework Version 4.8 or later
To install AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
Sign in to your Autodesk Account and go to the Product Updates page.
Select and download the AutoCAD Map 3D toolset.
Double-click the downloaded file and follow the installation wizard.
Launch AutoCAD and select the Map 3D toolset from the Start tab.
How to access and edit spatial data with AutoCAD Map 3D?
One of the key features of AutoCAD Map 3D is the ability to access and edit spatial data using Feature Data Objects (FDO) technology. FDO technology enables you to work with data from various sources, such as:
File-based data sources, such as ESRI SHP, SDF, SQLite, and Raster
Web-based data sources, such as WMS and WFS
Database data sources, such as Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL
To access spatial data with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
On the Home tab, click Data > Connect To Data.
In the Data Connect dialog box, select the data source type from the Data Connections By Provider list.
Click Add Connection and enter the connection parameters for the selected data source.
Click Connect and select the data you want to add to your map from the Data Source list.
Click Add To Map and close the Data Connect dialog box.
How to connect to ArcGIS with AutoCAD Map 3D?
If you want to access and edit spatial data from ArcGIS, you can use the ArcGIS Connector for AutoCAD Map 3D. This connector allows you to streamline the data flow between ArcGIS and Map 3D and keep features information up to date.
To connect to ArcGIS with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
On the Home tab, click Data > Connect To ArcGIS.
In the ArcGIS Connector dialog box, enter your ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS credentials and click Sign In.
Select the ArcGIS layer or feature service you want to add to your map from the Available Content list.
Click Add To Map and close the ArcGIS Connector dialog box.
How to convert data between DWG and GIS formats with AutoCAD Map 3D?
If you want to convert data between DWG and GIS formats, you can use the MapImport and MapExport commands in AutoCAD Map 3D. These commands allow you to perform high-fidelity data conversions using various options and settings.
To import data from GIS formats to DWG format with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
Type MAPIMPORT in the command line and press Enter.
In the Import Location dialog box, browse to the file you want to import and click Open.
In the Import dialog box, specify the import options for the selected file format and click OK.
Type MAPEXPORT in the command line and press Enter.
In the Export Location dialog box, select the file format you want to export to and a location for the exported files.
Click OK and specify the objects you want to export.
In the Export dialog box, specify the export options for the selected file format and click OK.
How to draft and edit geospatial data with AutoCAD Map 3D?
Another key feature of AutoCAD Map 3D is the ability to draft and edit geospatial data with standard AutoCAD commands. You can use commands such as MOVE, COPY, ROTATE, SCALE, TRIM, EXTEND, and more to modify the geometry and attributes of spatial features.
To edit geospatial data with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
Select the feature or features you want to edit.
On the Home tab, click Edit Feature > Edit Geometry or Edit Attributes.
Use the command line or the ribbon to enter the editing command you want to use.
Specify the options and parameters for the editing command.
Press Enter to end the editing command.
How to use coordinate geometry (COGO) input with AutoCAD Map 3D?
If you want to enter accurate geometry when creating objects, you can use coordinate geometry (COGO) input commands in AutoCAD Map 3D. COGO input commands allow you to specify points by using distance and direction values, such as bearings, azimuths, deflection angles, and distances.
To use COGO input commands with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
Type COGOINPUT in the command line and press Enter.
In the COGO Input dialog box, select the COGO input method you want to use from the drop-down list.
Enter the distance and direction values for the point you want to specify.
Click Accept Point or press Enter.
Repeat steps 2 to 4 until you finish creating the object.
How to run drawing cleanup actions with AutoCAD Map 3D?
If you want to automate time-consuming corrections for common drafting and digitizing errors, you can use drawing cleanup tools in AutoCAD Map 3D. Drawing cleanup tools allow you to perform actions such as erase short objects, extend undershoots, break crossing objects, and more.
To run drawing cleanup actions with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
On the Home tab, click Drawing Cleanup > Define Actions.
In the Drawing Cleanup dialog box, click Add Action and select the action you want to perform from the list.
Specify the options and parameters for the selected action and click OK.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you add all the actions you want to run.
Click Run Actions and specify the objects you want to clean up.
How to design and manage infrastructure assets with AutoCAD Map 3D?
A third key feature of AutoCAD Map 3D is the ability to design and manage infrastructure assets with enterprise industry modules and intelligent industry models. Enterprise industry modules are application modules that provide specialized functionality for managing different types of infrastructure systems, such as water, wastewater, gas, electric, and stormwater. Intelligent industry models are data models that store spatial and nonspatial information about infrastructure assets in a database.
How to use enterprise industry modules with AutoCAD Map 3D?
To use enterprise industry modules with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
On the Home tab, click Industry Model > Select Industry Model.
In the Select Industry Model dialog box, select the industry model type you want to use from the list.
Click OK and connect to a database that contains an industry model schema.
Use the tools on the Industry Model tab to create, edit, analyze, and report on infrastructure assets.
How to convert data to intelligent industry models with AutoCAD Map 3D?
If you want to create and manage intelligent industry models from GIS data, you can use the data conversion tools in AutoCAD Map 3D. These tools allow you to map GIS data to industry model classes and attributes, and load the data into a database.
To convert data to intelligent industry models with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
On the Home tab, click Industry Model > Select Industry Model.
In the Select Industry Model dialog box, select the industry model type you want to use from the list.
Click OK and connect to a database that contains an industry model schema.
On the Industry Model tab, click Data Conversion > Load Data.
In the Load Data dialog box, select the data source and the data target for the conversion.
Click Next and map the source data to the target classes and attributes.
Click Next and review the summary of the conversion settings.
Click Finish and wait for the conversion process to complete.
How to create, analyze, and visualize maps with AutoCAD Map 3D?
A fourth key feature of AutoCAD Map 3D is the ability to create, analyze, and visualize maps with styling, theming, topology, and analysis tools. These tools allow you to enhance the appearance and functionality of your maps by applying different colors, symbols, labels, and effects to your spatial data. You can also perform various calculations and queries on your spatial data to gain insights and make informed decisions.
How to apply styling and theming with AutoCAD Map 3D?
To apply styling and theming with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
Select the feature or features you want to style or theme.
On the Home tab, click Style Editor or Theme Editor.
In the Style Editor or Theme Editor dialog box, specify the style or theme options for the selected feature or features.
Click Apply and close the dialog box.
How to build topologies with AutoCAD Map 3D?
To build topologies with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
On the Home tab, click Topology > Create Topology.
In the Create Topology dialog box, enter a name for the topology and select the feature classes you want to include in the topology.
Click OK and wait for the topology creation process to complete.
Use the tools on the Topology tab to edit, validate, analyze, and report on the topology.
How to analyze data with AutoCAD Map 3D?
To analyze data with AutoCAD Map 3D, you need to follow these steps:
Select the feature or features you want to analyze.
On the Home tab, click Analysis > Buffer or Overlay or Spatial Query.
In the Buffer or Overlay or Spatial Query dialog box, specify the analysis options for the selected feature or features.
Click OK and view the analysis results in a new layer or table.
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned what AutoCAD Map 3D is, why you should use it, and how to use it for your GIS mapping and infrastructure design projects. You have also learned some useful tips and tricks to make the most of this powerful software. If you want to learn more about AutoCAD Map 3D, you can visit the official website or watch some video tutorials on YouTube. You can also download a free trial version of AutoCAD Map 3D and try it out for yourself. We hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful. Thank you for reading!
FAQs
What is the difference between AutoCAD Map 3D and Civil 3D?
AutoCAD Map 3D and Civil 3D are both specialized toolsets included with AutoCAD. They share some common features and functionalities, such as FDO technology, enterprise industry models, and intelligent industry models. However, they also have some differences in terms of their focus and scope. AutoCAD Map 3D is mainly focused on GIS mapping and infrastructure management, while Civil 3D is mainly focused on civil engineering design and documentation.
How much does AutoCAD Map 3D cost?
AutoCAD Map 3D is one of the specialized toolsets included with AutoCAD. You can get access to AutoCAD Map 3D and other toolsets by subscribing to AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT. The subscription plans and prices for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT are as follows:
Product
Monthly
Yearly
3-Year
AutoCAD
$220
$1,775
$4,795
AutoCAD LT
$55
$440
$1,190
You can also purchase a single-user license of AutoCAD Map 3D for $5,245. However, this option does not include updates, support, or other benefits of a subscription plan.
What are the system requirements for AutoCAD Map 3D?
The system requirements for AutoCAD Map 3D are the same as those for AutoCAD. They are as follows:
Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor: 2.52.9 GHz or faster processor
Memory: 8 GB or more
Display resolution: 1920 x 1080 with True Color
Display card: 1 GB GPU with 29 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant
Disk space: 7.0 GB
Browser: Google Chrome
.NET Framework: .NET Framework Version 4.8 or later
How often does AutoCAD Map 3D update?
AutoCAD Map 3D updates regularly with new features, enhancements, bug fixes, and security patches. The latest version of AutoCAD Map 3D is the 2023 release, which was launched in April 2022. Some of the new features in this release include:
Improved performance and stability for FDO data sources
Enhanced support for ArcGIS feature services and web maps
New commands for creating and editing industry models
New tools for creating and editing topologies
New options for styling and theming features
New analysis tools for buffers, overlays, and spatial queries
What kind of support does AutoCAD Map 3D offer?
AutoCAD Map 3D offers various types of support for its users, such as:
Online help and documentation
Tutorials and videos
User forums and groups
Knowledge network and blogs
Email and phone support (for subscribers only)
Feedback and suggestions portal
How does AutoCAD Map 3D integrate with other software?
AutoCAD Map 3D integrates with other software in various ways, such as:
Integrating with other Autodesk products, such as ArcGIS, Civil 3D, InfraWorks, Revit, and BIM 360. You can use these products to enhance your workflows and collaborate with other professionals.
Integrating with other GIS software, such as QGIS, ArcMap, and Global Mapper. You can use these software to access and analyze more spatial data and perform advanced GIS functions.
Integrating with other CAD software, such as MicroStation, SketchUp, and SolidWorks. You can use these software to create and edit 3D models and designs.
Integrating with other data sources, such as databases, web services, and cloud storage. You can use these data sources to store and retrieve your spatial data and share it with others.
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