1. What is AutoCAD Map 3D software?

AutoCAD® Map 3D software is the leading engineering platform for creating and managing spatial data. Bridging the gap between CAD and GIS, AutoCAD Map 3D provides direct access to the leading data formats used in design and GIS. AutoCAD Map 3D enables the use of AutoCAD® tools for maintaining a broad variety of geospatial information and allows design processes to integrate GIS functions in a single environment for more efficient workflows. The results are better designs, increased productivity, and better data quality. When combined with Autodesk MapGuide® software, AutoCAD Map 3D is the quickest way to publish data to the web or intranet.

2. Who uses AutoCAD Map 3D?

AutoCAD Map 3D software is intended for engineering and GIS professionals, mapping technicians, planners, and facilities/infrastructure designers and managers. It’s intended for anyone who designs, creates, or maintains infrastructure; produces maps; and needs to use CAD and GIS data for design, planning and management purposes. AutoCAD Map 3D integrates vector and raster data in a variety of design and GIS data formats.

The industries that can benefit most from AutoCAD Map 3D are utilities (electric, gas, water/wastewater), communications (telecommunications and cable), natural resources (for example, petroleum, mining, agriculture, environmental engineering, and management and water resources), and government agencies (for example, public works, land planning, and cadastral management). AutoCAD Map 3D is suitable for any application that requires creation and maintenance of infrastructure-related information in a precision graphical environment.

3. If I’m using AutoCAD software, why should I upgrade to AutoCAD Map 3D?

AutoCAD Map 3D has the strengths of AutoCAD software but also gives you the power to efficiently manage design and geospatial data. AutoCAD Map 3D provides innovative engineering design and drafting tools that are familiar for the AutoCAD user.

• Do you want to create a better infrastructure design process?
  Utilize and incorporate design and GIS information such as road, cadastral, topographic, environmental, and demographic data in varying formats into your projects. Ensure that the information you require can be used to improve data accuracy, support decision making, and better communicate design concepts.
  
  
• Would you like to give designs real-world context?
  AutoCAD Map 3D allows you to work with more than 4,000 real-world coordinate systems and tools such as transform, rubber-sheeting, and track coordinates to accurately georeference your AutoCAD design data. With georeferenced design data you can quickly integrate data from a variety of sources to create accurate drawings, designs, and maps that can be used by field personnel, other departments, and other geospatial software applications.
  
  
• Would you like to create and deliver cleaner, more accurate designs and data?
  Using Drawing Cleanup tools in AutoCAD Map 3D, you can automate the cleanup of common drafting and digitizing inaccuracies, reducing duplication and incorrect information. Delete duplicates, including text objects, correct undershoots or dangling objects, and minimize errors with less time and effort. Be sure that your design information is free of common errors, helping to maintain data integrity throughout the design, build, operate, and maintenance lifecycle.
  
  
• Do you create maps in AutoCAD?
  AutoCAD Map 3D software’s powerful mapping and stylization tools enable you to quickly stylize design and GIS information to highlight specific features using object properties and data attributes. Easily analyze and highlight information such as service areas, zoning districts, land usage, pipe and cable installation dates and diameters, and much more with cartographic capabilities such as thematic mapping, dynamic labeling, and transparency. With AutoCAD Map 3D you can produce more professional designs, maps, plans, proposals, and reports,  enabling you to support decision making and effectively communicate your design intent.
  
  
• Do you want to leverage CAD-trained workforce to manage geospatial data?
  With AutoCAD Map 3D you can make the most of existing AutoCAD software expertise by using familiar, accurate, and precise CAD tools  and a CAD-trained workforce to create and edit a broad variety of design and geospatial data without conversion.
  
  
• Would you like to easily distribute maps and design data?
  AutoCAD Map 3D lets you easily distribute geospatial and design data in a variety of ways to meet your organization’s needs.   Quickly publish designs, plans, and maps to the Internet using Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise software, or distribute them as individual georeferenced DWF™ files, multisheet DWF map books, and paper plots. AutoCAD Map 3D helps you cost-effectively distribute the latest spatial information across and beyond your organization while save printing costs and valuable time.

4. Is AutoCAD included with AutoCAD Map 3D?

Yes. AutoCAD Map 3D is built on AutoCAD software and is enhanced with a suite of data creation, editing, and mapping tools. It contains all the features and functionality of AutoCAD, which is automatically installed when you install AutoCAD Map 3D.

5. What’s new in AutoCAD Map 3D 2009?

In addition to the powerful AutoCAD Map 3D core functionality for creating and maintaining precise geospatial information, the new features in AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 help you work faster and more efficiently on the tasks that you do every day:

• AutoCAD® 2009 Software—AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 software contains all the features and functionality of AutoCAD 2009, which is automatically installed when you install AutoCAD Map 3D 2009, so you know you are working with proven, reliable, industry-leading software. To find out more about AutoCAD 2009 features, visit AutoCAD Features.
  
  
• User Interface—The new Expression Builder provides a consolidated user interface for all functions, including query and math functions from FDO data sources. The new tooltips provide additional contextual information on the item that is selected and, from within Display Manager, provide data source and layer information. In addition, the Data Connect feature has been updated to make it easier to add and manage data sources.
  
  
• Data Creation and Editing—Creation and editing of data accessed through FDO have been improved by enabling the use of standard AutoCAD commands (Pedit, Trim, Break, Join, Offset, Extend, Rotate, Move, and Cut/Copy/Paste). New split and merge rules enable easy editing of polygon objects. In addition, attribute creation has been improved with autopopulation of attributes using calculated fields.
  
  
• Data Management—AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 provides constraint-based attribute creation for FDO accessed data stores. Constraints can be defined within the Schema Editor and presented in the Data Table. In addition, server-side views (for example, Oracle®) are now supported.
  
  
• Data Exchange—To enable easier moving of vector data between DWG™ files and FDO accessed data stores, AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 includes enhanced functionality that enables DWG vectors to be converted to SDF 3, Oracle, and ESRI® ArcSDE® managed databases and vice versa. During conversion you can choose to map DWG layer names, object classification, AutoCAD Map 3D object data tables, or link templates to corresponding FDO feature classes. Once your vector data has been converted to SDF, Oracle, or ESRI ArcSDE, you can use the AutoCAD Map 3D Display Manager to stylize these features and easily move this data to other data stores such as MySQL and Microsoft® SQL Server™ software.
  
  
• Map Creation and Stylization—Enhanced labeling and annotation provide segment stitching and text along a curve for FDO accessed data stores, enabling you to produce cleaner and more informative designs, maps, and plans.
  
  
• ISO Metadata—AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 enables you to automatically generate metadata about your spatial information and publish it in standard formats, including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (19115 and 19139) and Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). This makes it easy for you to share your data with other people in your organization or externally with contractors and regulatory agencies.
  
  
• Publishing—When you publish design data and fully stylized maps to the web via Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise software, web layouts are automatically generated. In addition, functionality improvements now provide consistent labeling between AutoCAD Map 3D and Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise.
  
  
• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)—The production-ready Geospatial Platform API has added capability to interoperate with AutoCAD selection API. It has five new samples. These new samples show how applications can convert existing entity-based features to FDO features, leverage AutoCAD selection to work with FDO features, and reap the power of data binding technology of Windows® Presentation Foundation (WPF) in .NET 3.0.
  
  
• Deployment options—AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 is a Citrix Ready™ application, enabling deployment via a Citrix application delivery environment.

6. Why use Autodesk MapGuide technology with AutoCAD Map 3D?

When used together, AutoCAD Map 3D and Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise enable organizations to use data from initial design to web deployment more effectively—without translation or data loss. The result? A powerful foundation for meeting core geospatial needs.

Work done in AutoCAD Map 3D is directly compatible with Autodesk MapGuide because of shared common data access technology (FDO). When you build a map in AutoCAD Map 3D, you can access and use information stored in different formats (for example, ESRI ArcSDE and SHP, Oracle format) via direct FDO connectivity. Therefore the same map with the same stylization is instantly available online to web users when published to Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise. So regardless of whether the data consists of files from your desktop or from a database, Autodesk MapGuide Enterpirse can quickly make the data available via the web.  

You can also maximize the full value of information created in AutoCAD Map 3D by easily building custom applications with the flexible Autodesk MapGuide development platforms (PHP, Java®, and NET) and powerful APIs (application programming interfaces). Users can work with your data in a streamlined manner, helping you get the most value from your work—both inside and outside your organization.

By turning to AutoCAD Map 3D and Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise, organizations can:

• Integrate spatial data for all geospatial, engineering, and online needs
• Streamline the process of creating, maintaining, and disseminating data
• Leverage CAD-trained staff to keep GIS data current
• Accelerate business processes with easy-to-use, real-time information
• Realize more value from all investments in GIS technology and data

7. What level of interoperability can I expect between AutoCAD Map 3D and AutoCAD Civil 3D?

You can easily share parcels, alignments, structures, and other objects created in AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software. In addition, you can share surfaces created in AutoCAD Civil 3D software by exporting the surface to a digital elevation model (DEM).

8. How does AutoCAD Map 3D integrate CAD, civil engineering, and GIS?

AutoCAD Map 3D is a premier tool for integrating CAD, civil engineering, and GIS. Its strength lies in the open and flexible environment that enables you to work with virtually any data, regardless of format. As a result, you can get the full value from your existing data investments. DWG and ESRI SHP formats are among the most prevalent in the CAD, engineering, and GIS worlds, and with AutoCAD Map 3D software, you can create, edit, and distribute these or just about any industry-standard format with the precision of a CAD system.

Read a Full List of Questions and Answers

AutoCAD Map 3D Questions and Answers (pdf - 196Kb)