Softdesk Survey Complete
Philip Reed
Last year we bought Softdesks Survey Complete. We are now just starting to
use it. So far we have not been able to get the "DXF in" command to work.
An independant trainer told us that there is a bug in the program that
causes the problem. I called the dealer that we bought it from in North
Carolina three days ago for tech support and he told us he had knowledge of
the bug. He said he would call Softdesk tech support and resolve the
problem. He has not called me back and hasn't returned my two additional
calls. Does anyone have any knowledge concerning this bug?
Thinbks in advance
Phil
duck
Philip Reed wrote:
I have been working with Softdesk since the "early" days. I have never gotten
"DXF" to work. I am not saying I am an expert, but I never found it to be
practical. I try to deal in a DWG format. That is something I can exchange.
It's like trying to work with BMP's. I am sorry but I just do not find it that
workable. Stick to the DWG's. I can convert a DWG easier to a BMP than a DXF.
Of course I have not had to work with DXF that much so I am not qualified to
say much. But I tried!!!! Chain...
Rich Maher
On Fri, 30 Jan 1998 21:11:07 -0500, "Philip Reed" <ph...@ime.net>
tickled his/her newsfeed and wrote:
>Last year we bought Softdesks Survey Complete. We are now just starting to
>use it.<snip> Does anyone have any knowledge concerning this bug?
Not personally, but you may care to join those of us who also post on
the newsfeed adesknews.autodesk.com
I follow autodesk.aec.s8civil-survey there myself, as do a couple
others here. From what I can tell there is no separate group for
Survey Complete, but bitch enough and they might make one.
>Thinbks in advance
Yoerbi Welcome.
Hopefully some more surveyor's who use Softdesk Civil/Survey 8.1 will
join.
Take care.
-
Rich Maher
Remove NO_UCE to e-mail
ICQ (Home) #2590365
ICQ (Work) #5862971
"Dogs and women are good at pretending that they're
listening to every word you say."
McKenney
I am early on in the learning curve for survey complete after letting it be
shelfware for over a year. I am making the transition from Benchmark to
Survey Complete. I can't claim this is the easiest software to learn. I can
enter my field data through traverse and sideshot editor but have trouble
getting things to display on the screen and even more trouble getting
things to output to my printer. If anybody knows of a newsgroup devoted to
Survey Complete I would quickly join.
Seems like this software should be just the ticket to allow me to do all my
drafting on screen and then output to a plotter but........
I have successfully imported coordinate data from Benchmark. My goal is to
get proficient with Survey Complete so I can do my drafting on screen.
Philip Reed
McKenney wrote in message <34d32...@news.conknet.com>...
>I am early on in the learning curve for survey complete after letting it be
>shelfware for over a year. I am making the transition from Benchmark to
>Survey Complete.
I know exactly what you mean. I am probably just a couple steps ahead of
you on the learning curve. I have found that the only way to progress on
the curve is to access the help menu at just about every third sequence. My
gut feeling is it is a pretty good software package, but for the small
surveying firm with little time or money for training it's quite a drain on
your resources. If I can be of any limited help let me know.
S. R. Sheffield
duck <bdu...@ibm.net> wrote:
>Philip Reed wrote:
>> Last year we bought Softdesks Survey Complete. We are now just starting to
What error do you get?
I thought the dxf file was an interchange file directed to or from
autocad. I didn't think it was dependant on any overlay package such
as Softdesk or Eagle Point.
I have been using the dxfin command under Eagle Point. I will get an
error when I do not have a font or style setup in the prototype
drawing into which I am trying to bring the dxf file. I simply create
the missing font, style or whatever and try to import the dxf file
again. This seems to work most of the time. Sometimes I have to do
this several times as there may be many different styles or fonts in
the import drawing not in my prototype dwg.
I hope this helps.
Steve
Take good advice...... even if it comes from a fool.
duck
S. R. Sheffield wrote:
I do not recall the errors but I found something similar to yours. If you use
some of the Fancy Fonts, I would have to convert them to regular text. Supposedly
you should be able to use Dxfout to convert from a higher order Release say R14
down to R12. Boy it sure does not work. At least it did not for me and a drawing
that was less than a meg turn out to be approx. 14 meg. crashing everything. I may
have done something wrong and I am willing to learn. I just never found it
practical. Any hints. Chain...
VButton
I am happy to see others are in this boat. I thought I was sinking all alone.
My experience w/ Survey Complete has not been pleasant. I'm not stupid, but
progress is extremely slow. The "help" screens don't. There are a few users
here in Vermont that share notes. The more people that get on this train, the
better off we'll be. I'm looking for any tip of shortcut there is. Has anyone
discovered how to import BMP files yet? How about installing some more fonts.
The bred in selection is anemic.
K's
VCBLS
duck
VButton wrote:
I can't help you with that although I have found some situations. Descriptor
keys have to be save in a prototype file and reloaded each time you start a new
project. I use the "softdesk" proto. Switching between plotter and printer can be
a major pain. You have to set the new printer/plotter as default in windows
before doing anything. Hopefully you have previously set your pen settings. It
took me awhile to get passed that hurdle. Unless you are on a net be sure to set
your project setting for single user. Uhm. Uhm. I thinking! Try playing around
with the labeling commands I would like to hear more on that. Snaps work a little
weirder. I like the fact that you can customize the toolbars. Neat trick. Real
pan is a nice feature. I had trouble with some of my older fonts. When I inserted
a custom border it would expand the heck out of them. I ended up re-writing the
borders. I have to reconfigure a lot. I still have not been able to get my
drawingboard II to work. I am hooked to that thing with the sixteen button puck.
I could do a lot with it in R12 for Dos. I would not have to think about the
keystrokes. The only reason I changed is the the others in the department did.
Compatibility problems. I was content to type and stroke my way with R12 Dos. Oh
well such is life. I s'pose we must progress. I am glad that we did hold out and
not get involved with the R13 Windows fiasco. Any input is appreciated. Thanks
for you post. Looking forward to more comm. Chain...
Brian Morse [Softdesk Civil TM]
May I suggest using adesknews.autodesk.aec.s7civil-survey
--
Brian Morse
rick
On Mon, 02 Feb 1998 19:31:48 -0500, duck <bdu...@ibm.net> wrote:
>
> I can't help you with that although I have found some situations. Descriptor
>keys have to be save in a prototype file and reloaded each time you start a new
>project. I use the "softdesk" proto. Switching between plotter and printer can be
>a major pain. You have to set the new printer/plotter as default in windows
>before doing anything. Hopefully you have previously set your pen settings.
Try again. I've been switching in the print window with no problem.
The switch is just good for that particular run but it's easier than
doing it in Windows.
>took me awhile to get passed that hurdle. Unless you are on a net be sure to set
>your project setting for single user. Uhm. Uhm. I thinking! Try playing around
>with the labeling commands I would like to hear more on that. Snaps work a little
>weirder. I like the fact that you can customize the toolbars.
How can you change the toolbars?? I especially would like to access
those ten or so blank ones at upper right. I had given up.
>Neat trick. Real
>pan is a nice feature. I had trouble with some of my older fonts. When I inserted
>a custom border it would expand the heck out of them. I ended up re-writing the
>borders. I have to reconfigure a lot. I still have not been able to get my
>drawingboard II to work. I am hooked to that thing with the sixteen button puck.
>I could do a lot with it in R12 for Dos. I would not have to think about the
>keystrokes. The only reason I changed is the the others in the department did.
>Compatibility problems. I was content to type and stroke my way with R12 Dos. Oh
>well such is life. I s'pose we must progress. I am glad that we did hold out and
>not get involved with the R13 Windows fiasco. Any input is appreciated. Thanks
>for you post. Looking forward to more comm. Chain...
>
Let's keep this thread going if possible. I'm just now wading into SC
and would like the company. How the hell do you change the point
symbol of a given point for starters?
I've already figured out that the greatest asset for SC is a
programmable keyboard to bypass stepping through the menus. One stroke
takes me anywhere I want to go. Who needs hotkeys?
ped...@thepoint.net
This is not really a Softdesk problem. When you run DXFIN you must be
starting in a competly empty drawing file. You can NOT use it like you
do INSERT to bring in a block in the middle of a drawing session. Why
this doesnot work with Softdesk is that they and of developers use a
hidden block to keep track of some things for there software. ie.
Softdesk puts a hidden block in paperspace at cord. 0,0 cant rember
the name right now but if you do a DBLIST or list the currenty
inserted blocks you can find the name.
Anyway to fix this you must use DXFIN before you load softdesk.
One way to do this is.
(1) Shut down acad/softdesk if allready running.
(2) Start acad. (NOT the softdesk icon but the ACAD icon)
(3) The VERY first thing you do is type DXFIN. You should not even
save the blank file before useing DXFIN.
(4) After the file comes in then save the drawing to a vaild name.
(5) Shut down acad and Start Softdesk is desired.
This should do it.
Keith Norris
ped...@thepoint.net
On Sun, 01 Feb 1998 14:00:17 GMT, ste...@ac.net (S. R. Sheffield)
Rich Maher
>Last year we bought Softdesks Survey Complete. We are now just starting to
>use it. So far we have not been able to get <snip>
>Does anyone have any knowledge concerning this bug?
On Wed, 4 Feb 1998 07:16:05 -0500, "Brian Morse [Softdesk Civil TM]"
<brian...@compuserve.com> tickled his/her newsfeed and wrote:
>May I suggest using adesknews.autodesk.aec.s7civil-survey
OK...I give up. Why would you suggest that? Is Softdesk Survey
Complete exactly the same as S7Civil-Survey?
-
Rich Maher
Remove NO_UCE to e-mail
ICQ (Home) #2590365
ICQ (Work) #5862971
"Life is like a dog-sled team. If you ain't the lead dog,
the scenery never changes."
Philip Reed
ped...@thepoint.net wrote in message
<34d90aff...@news.thepoint.net>...
>This is not really a Softdesk problem. When you run DXFIN you must be
>starting in a competly empty drawing file. You can NOT use it like you
>do INSERT to bring in a block in the middle of a drawing session. Why
>this doesnot work with Softdesk is that they and of developers use a
>hidden block to keep track of some things for there software. ie.
>Softdesk puts a hidden block in paperspace at cord. 0,0 cant rember
>the name right now but if you do a DBLIST or list the currenty
>inserted blocks you can find the name.
>
>Anyway to fix this you must use DXFIN before you load softdesk.
>One way to do this is.
>(1) Shut down acad/softdesk if allready running.
>(2) Start acad. (NOT the softdesk icon but the ACAD icon)
>(3) The VERY first thing you do is type DXFIN. You should not even
>save the blank file before useing DXFIN.
>(4) After the file comes in then save the drawing to a vaild name.
>(5) Shut down acad and Start Softdesk is desired.
>
>This should do it.
>
>Keith Norris
>ped...@thepoint.net
>
Keith:
I believe you are on the right track. However, Survey Complete is different
from Softdest version 7. We do not have the option of using Autocad
independently. We can load a DXF in Autocad ver 12 and convert it, but we
can't load the exact same file in Survey Complete. My big gripe is I can't
get my dealer (tech support) to give me any information on this subject.
In my opinion Softdesk (my dealer) must know there is a problem! Why won't
they respond to it and fix it. We as surveyors should be concentrating on
surveying problems not software glitches!
Phil
duck
rick wrote:
> Try again. I've been switching in the print window with no problem.
> The switch is just good for that particular run but it's easier than
> doing it in Windows.
>
I have just been crawling around with this program. I find some things that shouldn't
have been changed. The window interface does such a lousy job of handling anything
utilizing drivers. So much easier in Dos. But I will lick my wounds and conform.
Anyway, I understand what you are saying. I just found it a bit cumbersome. It works
and I suppose that is all that matters. Considering the toolbars, give me a couple of
days, I don't have Softdesk here and I can not duplicate the keystrokes. Basically you
highlight the toolbar with the right mouse button. That opens another window with
various choices. One of them is customize. You can either delete, add, or name change
various tools. I took off some of the "idiot" buttons (ones I do not use) and I now
have various tools stacked to the left, to the right and at the top. Mostly the ones I
use the most. I have two stacks at the top, two stacks to the left and one stack to
the right. You could add more but you do decrease the work area size accordingly. I
have a 17" monitor so I do not loose much. Anyway the point is that you can tailor
those tools to the ones you would like to use. I prefer my 16 button puck and
Drawingboard II. I had all the keys programmed and it became a habit to hit the
buttons I needed. It was a bit of a curve to change. I am waiting for a Win95 driver
for the board, so maybe there is hope yet. I miss it. I know I am a creature of habit
and should change. But why change something that worked and was more productive. I
will get back to with the keystrokes as soon as I am able unless someone out there
beats me to the punch. Thanks. Chain...
> How can you change the toolbars?? I especially would like to access
> those ten or so blank ones at upper right. I had given up.
>
>
>
duck
ped...@thepoint.net wrote:
> This is not really a Softdesk problem. When you run DXFIN you must be
> starting in a competly empty drawing file. You can NOT use it like you
> do INSERT to bring in a block in the middle of a drawing session. Why
> this doesnot work with Softdesk is that they and of developers use a
> hidden block to keep track of some things for there software. ie.
> Softdesk puts a hidden block in paperspace at cord. 0,0 cant rember
> the name right now but if you do a DBLIST or list the currenty
> inserted blocks you can find the name.
>
> Anyway to fix this you must use DXFIN before you load softdesk.
> One way to do this is.
> (1) Shut down acad/softdesk if allready running.
> (2) Start acad. (NOT the softdesk icon but the ACAD icon)
> (3) The VERY first thing you do is type DXFIN. You should not even
> save the blank file before useing DXFIN.
> (4) After the file comes in then save the drawing to a vaild name.
> (5) Shut down acad and Start Softdesk is desired.
>
> This should do it.
>
> Keith Norris
> ped...@thepoint.net
Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try and maybe get out of my Dxf loop. Chain...
duck
Rich Maher wrote:
> the scenery never changes." (good point)
Uh no! Not in the least. What's wrong with this? Am I missing something.
Rich, btw, do you know what a three dog night is? (and I ain't talking about
the band or is that befor eyour time?) <giggle> (:-) Auf wieder heren. Chain...
Rich Maher
On Thu, 05 Feb 1998 17:47:44 -0500, duck <bdu...@ibm.net> tickled
his/her newsfeed and wrote:
>Rich Maher wrote:
>> OK...I give up. Why would you suggest that? Is Softdesk Survey
>> Complete exactly the same as S7Civil-Survey?
> Uh no! Not in the least. What's wrong with this? Am I missing something.
I was just wondering why the suggestion to join an s7civil-survey
group for Softdesk Survey Complete...more out of curiosity than
anything.
>Rich, btw, do you know what a three dog night is? (and I ain't talking about
>the band or is that befor eyour time?) <giggle> (:-) Auf wieder heren. Chain...
Well I originally thought of the band....nope no clue, e-mail me one.
-
Rich Maher
Remove NO_UCE to e-mail
ICQ (Home) #2590365
ICQ (Work) #5862971
"Let dogs delight to bark and bite,
For God hath made them so;"
David Rinehart, P.E.
duck wrote:
> ...snip...
> Rich, btw, do you know what a three dog night is? (and I ain't talking about
> the band or is that befor eyour time?) <giggle> (:-) Auf wieder heren. Chain...
If I remember rightly, a three-dog night is a really cold night, where you take all
three hounds into bed with you to keep y'all warm. (courtesy of Dick Goddard,
Cleveland's meteorologist extraordinaire)
David Rinehart, PE, SIT
Richland Engineering Limited
Mansfield, Ohio
SKIPPOM
>If I remember rightly, a three-dog night is a really cold night, where you
>take all
>three hounds into bed with you to keep y'all warm.
Steely Dan is a reference to a vibrator
10cc and Lovin' Spoonful is ejaculatory fluid
Or so I've heard
Don Pomeroy, PLS
rick
Is this a newsgroup or what and how would I access it? Thanks.
On Wed, 4 Feb 1998 07:16:05 -0500, "Brian Morse [Softdesk Civil TM]"
<brian...@compuserve.com> wrote:
>May I suggest using adesknews.autodesk.aec.s7civil-survey
>
>--
>Brian Morse
>
>
>