The Topobase Insiders

AutoCAD® Map 3D 2013 has been released

We are excited to announce the release of AutoCAD® Map 3D 2013. Firstly, one of the most exciting changes with this release is that ALL of the AutoCAD Map 3D Enterprise functionality is now simply part of AutoCAD Map 3D 2013.  This new offering delivers all of the benefits of AutoCAD Map 3D Enterprise, including as well as all of the former Autodesk® Topobase™ Client functionality, in a single offering.  Moreover, this release includes improved capabilities to access and edit data from more sources, new tools for public review of information, offline editing and much more.

Please read on for detailed highlights:

Gathering Existing Conditions

• Data conversion tool to convert GIS & CAD data to Industry Models. Now it is possible to convert data from any FDO data source or DWGs to industry models, with possibility to automatically match attributes and domain values.
• Earthmine® Plug-in that provides real world context to infrastructure assets by displaying them on top of 3D panoramic imagery.
• Pictometry® Plug-in that provides  oblique aerial images and great 3D measurement tools (more info)

Data Access and Editing

• Enhanced AutoCAD editing capabilities for GIS and CAD data and for industry model data
  Industry models for Oracle, embedded DWG and now they are also available in Microsoft® SQL Server®
• Possibility to edit industry model data offline to explore different design options, what-if scenarios or edit data in the field. Later merge back the data or discard the changes without the need of being connected all the time.

Planning and Analysis Tools

• New Linear Referencing System (LRS) extension to manage information relative to the network.
• Dynamic, data-driven tool-tips and hyper linking from geospatial data

Publishing and Interoperability

• Publish native DWG to Autodesk® Infrastructure Map Server
• Dynamic legends, north arrows, and scale bars to create easily map layouts

More information here

New features videos here

Autodesk Topobase 2011 Country Kits Now Available

We are pleased to announce the release of the Topobase 2011 country kits for Germany and Switzerland.

Country kits are typically defined as country, region, and/or market specific content that is added to a product for users within the target area. This release includes country kits for the Water, Gas, Wastewater and Electric modules in German, Italian and French.

Country kit features include:
Data Models
- Genx files for structure update of the base data model including new tables, attributes and label definitions; views for display models and updated domain lists. 
Forms
- XML files for forms designed according to the customer needs.
- Forms for Switzerland compliant to the SIA norm. The forms display only the relevant fields making clear distinction between required and optional fields to ease the data acquisition according to the norm.
Reports
- Most common reports for the mentioned modules such as pipe and section details including maintenance, damage information, network statistics and others.
Data checks
- Different types of data checks to verify the validity of attributes in the network.
Feature Search
- Different types of feature searches by name, type and function of pipes, hydrants, pumps and other network nodes.
Display Models
- The display models include overview maps for network documentation in large scale, planning and network operation in small scale. Damage and hydrant maps; wastewater network maps including inspection and classification among others.
Topology
- New stop conditions for section, manhole and valves in the Wastewater module.
Cross sections
- Updated cross section templates for the Electric module.
Feature Rules
- Feature rules to set the insert and update date of network nodes in the Water and Gas modules.
- Feature rules for automatic calculation of values in the section, manhole and cover of the Wastewater module. 

Each country kit includes a workbook with additional content details. Download the kits here .

Topobase 2 Migration tools available on ADN

ADN partners attention! We have delivered the source code and executables for all the Topobase 2 migration tools:

1. TB2Crawler
2. TBFlatPort (a.k.a. TB2Import)
3. TB2DisplayModel
4. Electric Migration Tools

The tools are described in more detail below:

1. TB2Crawler

The TB2 Crawler is a tool that collects the metrics and statistics of a Topobase 2 document. The results can be used to estimate the effort of a migration. The results are written to a log file that contains:  features, feature classes, columns, domain tables and entries, label tables and definitions, tables, views, triggers, VB Scripts, web scripts, display models, jobs, topologies and intersections.

2. TBFlatPort (a.k.a. TB2Import)

The TBFlatPort tool imports data from a Topobase 2 document into a Topobase 20xx document maintaining the same data structure.  It converts the geometry from TB2 (non spatial) to TB20xx (spatial).

3. TB2DisplayModel

The TB2DisplayModel tool converts a TB2 display model into a TB20xx display model.

4. Electric Migration Tools

The Electric Migration tools provide functions to make the TB2 electric data compatible to the Electric TB2011 data model.  It adjusts cross sections, segments and nodes to the TB2011 requirements.

The tools are available in the ADN site at:

TB2 Migration tools

Help!

The new release of Topobase is just around the corner. The first customer shipment is scheduled for June 7th for the English version. And today, already one week before that date, our help & documentation team uploaded the Topobase 2011 online help on autodesk.com for you! Check it out here.

You can read more about some of the new features, the new and changed API content or the system requirements for Topobase 2011

Autodesk Subscription Software Downloads

Starting this month, software download will replace CDs and DVDs as the default method of delivering software upgrades to most Autodesk® Subscription customers worldwide.
If a customer would prefer to receive their software upgrade via CD/DVD instead of via download, customers can set their delivery preference to “box” by signing in to Subscription Center and updating their profile prior to March 12, 2010.  (Date does not apply to Media and Entertainment customers.) After March 12, 2010 customers in countries affected by this policy change can still request a CD/DVD by submitting a request in Subscription Center and Autodesk will ship a CD/DVD at no additional cost.
Software download gives Subscription customers immediate access to the latest Autodesk® software. It’s more convenient than installing upgrades from a CD or DVD. And, it’s a more sustainable choice.
Autodesk will continue to ship CDs/DVDs to Subscription customers in some countries as the default delivery method. However, these customers will also have the option to download their Autodesk® software upgrades.

For further questions please contact [email protected] or visit this link.

The Topobase Links Compendium

You are searching for Topobase related information? Of course you are already on the right website: The Topobase Insiders. But there are plenty of other websites and resources available.

Here are the links:

• Knowledge Base
• Online Help
• Documentation
• Updates and Service Packs
• Discussion Groups
• White Papers
• Subscription Support
• Marketplace
• User Group Switzerland
• User Group Germany

To make it easier to keep all your information in one place – add the Topobase Insiders blog (and other websites) to Outlook – then you’ll always be up to date. Or if you already use another RSS service, add us at http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheTopobaseInsiders

How to add an RSS Feed through the Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Account Settings dialog box:

1.    Copy this URL to the clipboard http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheTopobaseInsiders.
2.    On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.
3.    On the RSS Feeds tab, click New.
4.    In the New RSS Feed dialog box, paste the URL.
5.    Click Add.
6.    On the RSS Feed Options dialog click OK.

Topobase User Group in Switzerland

Yesterday I had a chance to attend the Topobase User Group event in Bern, Switzerland. More than 100 customers participated at the event in the Stade de Suisse:

 

...and no, we didn't play soccer against our customers and partners :-)

We had one customer who showed his Topobase 2010 implementation (pssst! over Citrix), we had partners (CADPartner, MuM, Geobox and Intercad) presenting their solutions and we had Autodesk employees showing the new features of Topobase 2010. I personally liked all the presentations and I thought it was a great event with lots of information shared.

Thanks everybody for making that happen! 

Here are some pictures:

 
Matthias Liechti in action

 

 
Live demo of Topobase 2010 Electric CE

 

 

The Geospatial Navigator

There is a new geospatial blog in the web! Some weeks ago two of our colleagues at Autodesk, Matthias Liechti and Markus Briglmeir started their own odyssey with their new (german) blog The Geospatial Navigator.

We wish all the best and a long future! Please do me a favour and visit them right now.

 
From left to right: Derrick, Matthias, Markus, Andreas
 

Starting the third year

In 10 days the Topobase Insiders blog celebrates it's second anniversary. The first post has been published on the June 6th in 2007 and it was about increasing the productivity. You can find it here. If you are interested in other former posts try out the archive or the search on the right hand side.

We also took the opportunity and refurbished the design of the blog. We hope you'll like it! Feedback is of course welcome.

Andreas, Derrick and Jeff would like to thank you and all the other visitors and readers of this blog!

MapGuide Best Practices Wiki online

Check it out here:

http://sandbox.mapguide.com

The intent is to make this site a ‘living whitepaper’ which can be used as a repository for the latest tips, tricks and best practices around Autodesk MapGuide® Enterprise and MapGuide Open Source.