(c) 135479 Canada Ltd. Database to Drawing & Steve Nickerson CART CAD Model Generator * Using CART * Taking Measurements * Because the drafting that follows the measuring of a site is completely automatic the accuracy, completeness and consistency of the measurements and annotations becomes the only factor controlling the quality of the drawing created. In the past imprecise measurements, slight irregularities in the objects and errors and omissions were all dealt with on the drafting board and some sort of reasonable representation of the object was achieved by the draftsman. * The computer however is unable to "fudge" the data. There are two kinds of errors to consider. * The first are the factual (human) errors including typos, misspelled keywords, misread tapes, omitted measurements and the like. CART deals with these problems with its speed. The drawing can be generated before the recorders leave the site (or even the room) and errors of this type are almost always immediately obvious. The error point annotation and reporting functions of CART will indicate the erroneous record and corrections can be made in the database and the data reprocessed until a correct model is achieved. * The other type of "error" is not really an error at all. The total elimination of the fudge factor will create models where the walls are not parallel, corners not square and floors not horizontal and this will give the impression of poor draftsmanship to those used to orthogonal drawings. CART has no intention of addressing this problem but if pretty pictures are desired tracing over the computer generated model is an option. * The recording Sheet * A well thought out recording sheet is the first step towards a good record and a good model. * Use the Edit Forms option of the menu or any other tool you have at your disposal to create a form that will ensure that all the required fields are correctly filled out. * Edit the field names to reflect the data you want entered. * Following are samples of the Default Sheet and one modified for actual use where unused fields are omitted (X,Y,Z came from a total station and rot was un used) and others are renamed to help the recorders remember what to put where. _DEFAULT Form Sheet Date ___________________ _________ Sheet # Recorder ___________________ __X__|__Y__|__Z__|P_No|P_Id| O_Na |sz_X|sz_Y|sz_Z|rot|uv_1|uv_2|uv_3|uv_4|uv_5|uv_6|Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | _____|_____|_____|____|____|______|____|____|____|___|____|____|____|____|____|____|_____________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | _____|_____|_____|____|____|______|____|____|____|___|____|____|____|____|____|____|_____________ McLean Mill Recording Sheet Date ___________________ _________ Sheet # Recorder ___________________ |P_No| P_Id | O_Na | long | wide | deep | type | i/c | bay | ccd | film | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | |____|______|______|______|______|______|______|_____|_____|_____|______|________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | |____|______|______|______|______|______|______|_____|_____|_____|______|________________________ * The Point ID (P_ID) * Some P_IDs are hardwired into the code and others are controlled through the lists that are defined in the settings sheet. The default values for most of these and where they are set are as follows: * U_BLK triggers - the P_ID value is as indicated and the associated symbol bears the same name prefixed by an underscore "_" (see section on symbology for examples) - UCS Origins - L, L1, L2 - left insertion hexahedrons . . . . .Ulist - R, R1, R2 - right insertion hexahedrons. . . . .Ulist - P, P1, P2 - cylinders. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ulist - UCS Axis(s?) - D - Direction - UCS "X" direction. . . . . . . .Fixed - T - Tilt - UCS "Y" direction. . . . . . . .Fixed * W_BLK triggers - W - indicating a Wall section. . . . . . . . . .Wlist - G - indicating Glazing . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wlist - A - Arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fixed * P_BLK triggers - NT - nail through . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nlist - NP - nail protruding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nlist - NH - nail hole. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nlist * D_BLK triggers - OP - Power Outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dlist - OT - Telephone Outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dlist * Scaled Data Block triggers - DR - Right hinge door . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fixed - DL - Left hinge door. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fixed - DS - Door Strike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dlist * Survey references - BS - Back Sight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fixed - FS - Fore Sight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fixed * S_BLK triggers - anything else for which a corresponding block exists * Data Entry * Total Station * When using a total station to record the points the main concern is to keep the field notes and the instruments list coordinated. This is done with the point number which is generated by the total station and entered on each line of the recording sheet. * It is possible to create a program for the total station that will allow the surveyor to enter most of the codes necessary to create the model but there will usually be a need to keep some notes as well. * reading the flat file - The data stored by the instrument is downloaded to a comma delimited file, named NEWDATA.TXT and imported into a blank database using the Append NEWDATA.TXT option from the Subset Data dBase menu. - The entries from the recording sheet can then be added using either the Append or Browse option. * the total station may use either the ADA or XYZ measurement systems depending on the software used to download the data. * Digital Plane Table * the Plane table uses the ADZ measurement system * Running Measurements * Elements measured using running measurements must be identified in the 0list which separates them from the location measurements used to fix the corners which may be in any of the supported measurement systems. * Rectifier * When using the ASR rectifier to collect points for the modeller they will be recorded in the XYZ measurement system. * The routines needed to insert the planar models thus created into 3d space have not yet been implemented. * Photogrammetry . . . . . . . . . . . . .not yet implemented * Setting Up a Project * New Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CART_NEWP * Prompts you for a project name and a template database and creates a set of program files from these choices. It also prompts you to add the necessary Table Link to the ADE.LKS file. - If these files already exist they will be renamed .??_ before they are replaced by the new ones. - You will be prompted for: - The name of the new project - The name of a project to use as a template. - You can then open the new project and adjust the settings as required. - Remember to ZAP the database before appending your new files. - The following files will be created if their equivilent exists for the template chosen. - [proj].CART - project specific settings file - [proj].DWG - the autocad drawing for that project - [proj].RSH - template for a blank recording sheet - DBF\[proj].DBF - the controlling database - DBF\[proj].FRM - the dBase3 file which formats the printing of the database * Table Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CART_TABL * this file is very particular, seems to work only with alpha characters (no numbers, punctuation etc.) and requires one (and only one) space between the values and the |s. The dialogue box handles the details of spacing but you must choose project names without numerals or special characters for the system to work without manual editing. * Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CART_SETT * Global variables, the composition of layer names, symbol names, attribute values and extended entity data are controlled by this file. It is initially created by selecting the New Project Option and choosing a template database. * Project Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CART_DATA * Opens the current database using dBase3. In a new project the data entries from the template should be ZAPped and the new data entered in either Append or Browse mode or by appending text created by some other software program or a survey instrument. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � � � CART Modeller - Data Access � � � � A Append . Dot Prompt � � B Browse ! !command.com � � D Append SUBSET.DBF File H dBaseIII Help � � T Append CARTNEW.TXT File M Assist Menu � � P Pack Q Qedit CART.PRG � � S Sort � � Z Zap (clear) the Database X eXit � � � � X selection � � � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 - Append - The append screen will look something like the following: 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � Record No. 781 � � PT_X 90.717 � � PT_Y 90.588 � � PT_Z 99.498 � � P_NO 897.0 � � P_ID P � � O_NA L3 � � SZ_X 0.000 � � SZ_Y 0.000 � � SZ_Z 0.000 � � ROT � � UV_1 � � UV_2 � � UV_3 � � UV_4 � � UV_5 � � UV_6 � � COMMENTS END OF LOG; 60 CM DIA; NOTE lOG 3 IS 45 CM AT TOP � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� - Browse - A sample browse screen follows: 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � Record No. 1 CART-TEMP � � ANGLE---- DISTANCE- PT_Z----- P_NO-- P_ID- O_NA- SZ_X---- SZ_Y---- SZ_Z � � 315.000 2.828 0.000 0.1 FS UCS2 0.0000 . . � � 0.000 2.828 0.000 2.0 W RM1 . . . � � 258.700 3.606 0.000 3.0 W RM1 . . . � � 166.000 5.831 0.000 4.0 W RM1 . . . � � 113.500 5.385 0.000 5.0 W RM1 . . . � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 - browse can only be used after at least one field has been entered - To expose the fields further to the right use shift and the right arrow key - Append CARTNEW.TXT File - When an appropriate, comma delimited text file has been created it can be brought into the database by naming it "CARTNEW.TXT", putting it in the \D2l\DBF directory and using this command. - Append SUBSET.DBF File - When the SUBSET Data routines have been run the resulting database file can be appended to the project database using this command. * Subset Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CART_SUBDATA * Presents all database files in the \CART\DBF directory and prompts you to pick one to add to the current project database. * This feature is provided to enable the checking and, if necessary the correcting of additions to the project data before they become a part of the, potentially unwieldy, project data set.