MicroSurvey CAD 2014

MicroSurvey is pleased to announce a major update to its flagship product line with the release of MicroSurvey CAD 2014.

This release includes many new features requested directly from our customers. "Several years ago we implemented a transparent and easy to use online feedback forum where our customers can submit their ideas and suggestions for improvements to our products" stated Darcy Detlor, President at MicroSurvey. He continued "The feedback system lets our users propose their feature requests and allows them to cast votes on any request that has been submitted. Requests with the most votes are given the highest priority and get our attention ensuring that we are working on features that our customers really want. MicroSurvey CAD 2014 includes many of the top requested features."

MicroSurvey focused its development efforts on adding new functionality for geospatial data, imagery, coordinate systems and geodetic tools. Users can view combined scale factors and convergence angles at any point in their drawing or project database. MicroSurvey CAD 2014 now includes the Global Mapper v15 SDK providing support for over a hundred different elevation, imagery and vector formats. Also supported is the ability to connect to online spatial databases and online imagery providers.

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Release Notes

Complete MicroSurvey CAD 2014 Release Notes: click here

New Features in MicroSurvey CAD 2014

Geospatial Data and Imagery (Beta Feature)

Enhance your drawing with geospatial data and imagery, loaded from local files or streamed from online sources.

Powered by Blue Marble Geographics' Global Mapper SDK v15.

Over 150 supported file formats including Raster Images, Shapefiles, LiDAR, GeoPDF, GeoTIFF, Microstation DGN, ASCII Coordinates, ESRI, ERDAS, Garmin, KML, COLLADA, Sketchup, and many many many more...

Stream online imagery from any WMS (Web Map Service), WCS (Web Coverage Service), OSM (OpenStreetMap Tiles), Google Maps Tiles, TMS (Tile Map Service), WFS (Web Feature Services), or WMTS (tiled WMS) source.

Select MsTools > Global Mapper from the menus, or type GLOBAL_MAPPER at the command line. (Available in Premium, Ultimate and Studio versions only.)

Please refer to the Global Mapper topic in the help file for special instructions; you must load an additional program file into MicroSurvey CAD before this command can be run.

2D Draw Mode

A new "2D Draw Mode" System Toggle (in MsTools > MicroSurvey System Toggles, CAD Drawing Controls tab) is now available which causes all points to be drawn at z=0 while maintaining their true elevation in the coordinate database.

Switching this toggle On/Off will update existing points in the drawing as appropriate, causing them to be redrawn at the appropriate elevation.

The OSNAPZ system variable is also automatically turned On/Off with this mode so that new CAD entities will be drawn in 2D when snapping to 3D entities.

Database auditing tools will recognize when this option is enabled and will not attempt to fix the vertical descrepencies between the drawing and database.

MsTools > MicroSurvey System Toggles from the menus, or type CNF_EDIT_TOGGLES at the command line.

Settings Migration Wizard

Easily backup and restore all program settings into a single file, for transferring to another workstation or for disaster recovery.

Backup and restore IntelliCAD settings including your IntelliCAD profile, template drawings, color books, print styles, printers, custom spelling dictionaries, linetypes, fonts, hatch patterns.

Backup and restore MicroSurvey settings including your configuration options, description translation file, AutoMap library files, AutoMap blocks, title blocks, house library, coordinate systems, surface modeling configuration files, and symbol library.

Select MsTools > Migration Wizard from the menus, or type MIGRATION_WIZARD at the command line.

Drawing Recovery Wizard

When opening a drawing where the expected .msz database file is not opened, the program will alert you and provide several options.

A common scenario is if the program crashes, when you reopen the drawing it would always open with the orphaned .msj database folder which may be out of sync with the drawing (the .dwg and .msz files contain everything as of the last save, but the .msj database folder contains everything as of the crash).

Select a recovery option to reopen the last saved .dwg drawing and .msz database files, the last saved .dwg drawing file with the orphaned .msj database folder (as before), the backup .bak drawing and .mbz database files, the autosave .sv$ drawing and .mz$ database files, and more.

Archive all drawing and database files in their current state, so you don't have to worry about making the wrong choice and losing any data.

There is no command to run; the Recovery Wizard will appear automatically if the program detects that an unexpected database file (not the .msz file) is being opened.

Updated Coordinate System Engine

The CS-Map coordinate system engine was updated to provide 100% cross-compatibility between MicroSurvey CAD and MicroSurvey FieldGenius.

Hundreds of new coordinate systems and geoids (previously available only for MicroSurvey FieldGenius) are available for download in the MicroSurvey Helpdesk.

Select a vertical system (ellipsoid or geoid) and perform vertical datum transformations.

Vertical Transformations

All commands that previously allowed a horizontal coordinate system transformation now also support vertical transformations.

To transform individual coordinates, select MsPoints > Geodetic > Manual Coordinate Conversion from the menus, or type LL_TRANSFORM_COORDINATES at the command line.

To transform your coordinate database, select MsPoints > Geodetic > Transform Database from the menus, or type TRANSFORM_COORDINATES at the command line.

To transform coordinates during ASCII Import, select MsPoints > Import ASCII or Lat/Long File from the menus, or type ASCII_IN at the command line.

To transform coordinates during ASCII Export, select MsPoints > Export ASCII or Lat/Long File from the menus, or type ASCII_OUT at the command line.

Store & Edit Geodetic Position

Store & Edit the geodetic position of grid points using a new dialog with the same look-and-feel as the standard Store & Edit Points command.

Edit the Latitude, Longitude, Elevation, Description, Note, etc for each point.

View the Northing and Easting for each point (read-only).

View the Combined Scale Factor for each point (read-only).

View the Convergence Angle for each point (read-only).

Use the new "Use Single Point Editor: Geodetic" System Toggle (in MsTools > MicroSurvey System Toggles) to use this dialog by default when clicking on a point in the drawing to edit it.

Select MsPoints > Store & Edit Geodetic Position in the menus, or type EDITPG at the command line.

Identify Geodetic Position

Identify the geodetic position (including the Latitude, Longitude, Combined Scale Factor, and Convergence Angle) of grid points by clicking in your drawing.

Select MsPoints > ID Lat/Long of Point in the menus, or type IDG at the command line.

Label Geodetic Position

Label the geodetic position (including the Latitude, Longitude, Combined Scale Factor, and Convergence Angle) of grid points in your drawing, with customizable format and precision options.

Select MsAnnotate > Add Lat/Long Label for a Point in the menus, or type LABLPNTG at the command line.

Coordinate System Search

Search for appropriate coordinate systems, based on a specified latitude/longitude position.

Select your appropriate system from the search results, and instantly set it as your drawing's Coordinate System.

Select MsPoints > Geodetic > Coordinate System Search, or type CSSEARCH at the command line.

Active Coordinate Editor: Select Points by Description

You can now select points by description in the Active Coordinate Editor.

Includes options for case-sensitivity and matching the entire description.

Go to Select > Select By Description, within the Active Coordinate Editor window.

Active Coordinate Editor: Coordinate Systems

You can now view columns showing the Combined Scale Factor for each coordinate.

You can now view columns showing the Convergence Angle for each coordinate.

You can now view columns showing the Elevation for each transformed coordinate.

The Coordinate Systems dialog has been reworked to make it more intuitive and easier to use.

Go to Tools > Coordinate Systems, within the Active Coordinate Editor window.

Point Cloud Export

Export the point cloud as a .PTS file which is compatible with many third-party point cloud applications.

Export the point cloud as a .PCI file which is compatible with many MicroSurvey and Leica point cloud applications.

Export the entire point cloud, or constrain it within a cutting cube or profile slice.

Select the new "Export Points" button on the Point Cloud Line Work window. (Available in Ultimate and Studio versions only.)

Pentax Import

Import Pentax DC1 Polar, Pentax DC1 Rectangular, Pentax CSV, or Pentax AUX format data files from a Pentax total station.

The Pentax DC1 Polar format contains raw measurement data.

The Pentax DC1 Rectangular format contain point coordinates only.

The Pentax CSV format contain point coordinates only.

The Pentax AUX format contains raw measurement data.

Select MsTraverse > Read Collector Files In > Pentax DC1/CSV from the menus, or type PENTAX at the command line.

Scale Text Values

Scale text entity values (standard text, distance labels, or elevation labels) for conversion between different units or with a specified scale factor.

Format the result using only the new value, both the old and new values, or stack the old and new values as separate text entities, using fully customizable prefix/suffix and seperator options.

Select MsAnnotate > Modify Text > Scale Text Values or type SCALEVAL at the command line.

Labeling Defaults: Width

Define text widths for all of the text styles in the MicroSurvey Labeling Defaults.

Select MsAnnotate > Labeling Defaults from the menus, or type CNF_EDIT_BEARINGS at the command line.

Important Fixes in MicroSurvey CAD 2014

• [D6529] ASCII Import - importing a space-delimited file with a blank line at the end of the file will zero the last read point.
• [D6409] 3-Point Inverse - Results of the MS_SHOW_ANGLE command are now displayed to the command line, in addition to the existing popup message.
• [D2959] Clusters - the Report, Groups, and Both option was being ignored and always used Both.
• [D2303] Coordinate Database - storing point IDs with leading zeroes (like "001") caused various problems.
• [D4148] Coordinate Database - converting legacy .msd databases with improper data could cause the program to stop responding.
• [D4721] Coordinate Database - converting legacy .msd databases with improper data could cause the program to stop responding.
• [D4299] Coordinate Systems - "Other North American Systems" coordinate system group displays garbled characters.
• [D6217] Coordinate Transformations - in the case of invalid input data, an illegible error message was displayed.
• [D2238] Entity Properties - changing the layer of a line/arc will remove it from the database.
• [D6119] Entity Properties - changing non-geometric properties of a line/arc will remove it from the database.
• [T1615] Error Log - Problems that occur during use of the program are now logged to a file which can be used by MicroSurvey staff to debug problems.
• [D4151] Graphic Coordinate Editor - Undo could cause the program to crash.
• [D4986] Graphic Coordinate Editor - entities could not be removed from groups.
• [D6120] Graphic Coordinate Editor - adding a large group of points could cause the program to crash.
• [D3934] Help - Help button in the Active Coordinate Editor's Coordinate Systems dialog did not work.
• [D2673] Independent Point Numbers - IPN colors cannot be set to Black on a White background.
• [D5957] Independent Point Numbers - IPN colors did not display correctly on a White background.
• [D4358] LandXML Import - Surface models were not loaded directly into the QuickSurf surface modelling engine.
• [D6364] Lat/Long ASCII Export - Export dialog was mislabelled as "Import File".
• [D6201] Leica DBX Import - When importing a DBX database from a network location using the UNC path instead of a mapped drive letter may cause an error message "No service capable of opening the requested data set could be found."
• [D6387] Leica DBX Import - Setup records not used for any point measurements were not imported into the traverse database.
• [D6302] Leica DBX Import - Resection records were imported with the Instrument Height from the previous setup.
• [D6516] New Drawing - the NEWWIZ command can cause the program to stop responding if Degrees-minutes-seconds unit option is selected.
• [D6379] Point Cloud Linework - The "Grid Cell Count" grid setting was mislabelled as "Arc Segments."
• [D6398] Point Cloud Linework - When opening .PCI files, the points may not be displayed until pressing the Force Point Reload button.
• [D6309] Point Cloud Linework - When opening .PTS files, the program may crash.
• [D6187] Point Cloud Linework - When opening .LAS or .PTS files, the point intensities may not be read.
• [D6391] Point Cloud Linework - Adjusting the grid manipulators may cause the view to rotate.
• [D6365] Point Cloud Linework - The Grid Search routine could run extremely slowly, taking hours instead of seconds to complete.
• [D2294] Printing - when printing a Clusters report or Cut Sheet report, only the first page was printed.
• [D2737] Printing - when printing from an Active Drawing Technology window, the Print Selection option was always disabled.
• [D2279] Printing - when doing a Print Preview from an Active Drawing Technology window, the Previous Page and Zoom Out buttons do not work.
• [D3223] Printing - when doing a Print Preview from an Active Drawing Technology window, clicking the middle-mouse button enters auto-scroll mode which cannot be exited.
• [D6375] Render/Materials - Materials that could not be found could cause the program to stop responding.
• [D6376] Render/Materials - Browsing to select a texture file may not start in the default textures folder.
• [D6377] Render/Materials - Materials placed on some entities were not used in the rendered view.
• [D5948] Repeat Last Command - Various messages sent by the program to the commandline (including LBD, UPDATEACE, etc) would interfere with the ability to repeat the last command.
• [D6436] Save As - overwriting an existing drawing would not overwrite the existing database file.
• [D3586] Surface Modeling - Contour interval color options may not always work as expected.
• [D6420] Surface Modeling - Drawing cross-sections can produce a message "WARNINg_ Could not get osmode".
• [D6612] Surface Modeling - Extracting breaklines from a large selection set may cause a crash.
• [D6488] Stake Out Report - Pressing Enter to repeat the Stake Out Points command would cause the program to crash.
• [D6039] System Toggles - New options added into the program that are not present in your saved config file may not default to the intended value.
• [D2001] Transfer Points between Jobs - repeating a point range gives an illegible error message.
• [D5595] Undo - Undo did not work well under Windows XP because it would undo each command in several steps instead of undoing the entire command in one step.
• [D5977] Undo - focus can jump to another program after the "MicroSurvey database update report" dialog appears.
• [D4929] Undo/Redo - Redo was not reliable, it would generate a message that it must immediately follow an UNDO.

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Download MicroSurvey CAD 2014

Download MicroSurvey CAD 2014 Full Install: click here

MicroSurvey CAD can be run in a 30-day, fully functional trial period for demonstration purposes.

Existing MicroSurvey CAD users with a current (non-expired) maintenance subscription support plan must use the USB License Manager application to update their USB License Key(s) to continue running this version beyond the 30-day trial period. If your maintenance plan has expired, please call MicroSurvey Software Inc. at 1-800-668-3312 or 1-250-707-0000 or contact your local MicroSurvey dealer to renew it.

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Download Additional Supporting Applications

MicroSurvey Transfer (free add-on for FieldGenius users, requires Microsoft ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center): click here

MicroSurvey USB License Manager (included in the MicroSurvey CAD install): click here

MicroSurvey USB Network License Server (must be purchased separately, requires a password to install): click here

MicroSurvey PCI Conversion Utility for FARO 5.1 (free conversion utility for FARO users): click here

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View Additional Online Resources

MicroSurvey CAD Product Website: click here

MicroSurvey CAD Online Training Movies: click here

MicroSurvey CAD 2014 Upgrade Tour Movies: click here

MicroSurvey CAD 2014 Release Notes: click here

MicroSurvey CAD 2014 Frequently Asked Questions: click here

MicroSurvey CAD 2014 Upgrade Notes: click here

MicroSurvey CAD 2014 Known Issues: click here