Last week Carlson announced their end-of-year specials for 2012. This year’s offerings include steep discounts on Carlson Civil Suite, Survey with embedded AutoCAD, Takeoff and Survey.

All discounts will end at noon on 12/31/2012.

As with all of my pricing, I’m prohibited from advertising my actual lowest prices so call or email for Coupon Codes for further discounts.

$2,795 for Carlson Civil Suite (includes one year of maintenance) – Retail price is $3,954.50

$2,295 for Carlson Survey 2013 with embedded AutoCAD – Retail price is $2,995

$5,000 for Carlson Takeoff 2013 with IntelliCAD – Retail price is $9,000

$6,500 for Carlson Takeoff T6 (2013) with embedded AutoCAD – Retail price is $9,000

$875 for Carlson Survey 2013 with IntelliCAD and one-year Maintenance for anyone who already owns SurvCE, Fast Survey or Triton. A valid serial number is required prior to purchase. Retail price is $1,754.50.

In order to reduce the amount of time I’ve been spending in online training, I’d been considering putting together Carlson Software training manuals. But, in order to truly offset the majority of the training I do, the first book had to be more than a standard software training manual that covers a broad range of topics.

So, I’ve just completed and started shipping the first 2 books that I’m calling Self-Study Manuals. They will be a great substitute for training for beginning users of Carlson Software and also as “fill-in-the-blanks” training for more experienced users. The lessons are very detailed, down to every pick and click. You do not even need to know AutoCAD or IntelliCAD to complete them. I think you will find them very beneficial if you’re new to Carlson or even to help bring your field crew up to speed as office help.

At this time, there are 3 lessons available: Carlson Configuration and CAD Settings (about 0.5 hours of instruction), Getting Started with Points for Survey or Civil (about 4.5 hours of instruction) and Field to Finish (about 6.5 hours of instruction). I’ve combined the Carlson Configuration and CAD Settings and Getting Started with Points for Survey or Civil into the first book and the Field to Finish is a separate book. Additional books are on the way… some will be detailed, self-study manuals and others won’t. I will be focusing on the ones that most closely follow the demand for training.

The books can be purchased separately or as a bundle from my online store. Introductory pricing is available through the end of 2012.

View a sample of the Getting Started with Point Self-Study Manual here

View a sample of the Field to Finish Self-Study Manual here

Carlson Configuration and Settings

Approximately 0.5 hours of instruction

When first launching Carlson Software, you can make changes to the configuration and options that will apply to the current and future drawing sessions. Some of the settings and options are specific to Carlson Software and some are specific to AutoCAD® or IntelliCAD®.

Part 1 of this lesson contains Carlson Software‐specific settings and is applicable to anyone using Carlson with either an AutoCAD or IntelliCAD platform.

Part 2 contains AutoCAD‐specific settings.

Part 3 contains IntelliCAD‐specific settings.

Appendix A explains how to use the Project Folder method of Project/Data File Setup as an alternative to the Drawing Folder method.

Appendix B explains the use of Carlson Quick Keys and how they interact with AutoCAD and IntelliCAD command Aliases.

Carlson Survey  Getting Started with Points

Approximately 4.5 hours of instruction

This lesson starts by loading a configuration file with recommended settings and options for the program. We will also open a few toolbars that may be needed for the exercises.

We will then start a new project and new drawing from a text/ascii file and will draw the points with the Draw‐Locate Points command. Various point editing and reporting commands and features will be used. Some of these features include: Point Groups, Tag Non‐Surface Points, Translate Points and Rotate Points. In wrapping up Part 1, we will export points to a new text/ascii file and also export the point data to a LandXML (.xml) file. Please note that Carlson’s Field to Finish is covered in a separate lesson.

Appendix A covers, as a separate exercise, the new Esri‐powered command Search Published Control that allows you to search published control data that is freely available on the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) website and then store the retrieved information to the active Coordinate File.

Appendix B provides a separate, in‐depth, explanation of the Carlson Point Block entity and how its Symbols and Point Attributes (Point Number, Elevation and Description) are controlled with respect to Layers.

Carlson Field to Finish

Approximately 6.5 hours of instruction

This lesson starts by loading a configuration file that contains recommended settings and options for the program. We will also open a few toolbars that may be needed for the exercises.

Part 1 provides an overview of the Field to Finish feature of Carlson® Survey. We will start a new project and new drawing from a text/ascii file. The text file is very similar to the one used in Lesson 2a – Getting Started with Points except that it has been slightly modified to include special linework coding. We will use Field to Finish so that the points, symbols and linework are automatically generated and drawn on their proper Layers. Field to Finish will also create Point Groups and tag some points as Non‐Surface so they can be easily excluded when we build a surface model.

In Part 2 we will create a new Field to Finish Code Table that includes a variety of Codes that can be used to create Symbols, 3d and 2d Linework.

In Part 3 we will simulate collecting more than 70 survey points in the field and then processing them with the Field to Finish Code Table created in Part 2. With this Code Table, we will collect points for features such as roadways, buildings, trees and property corners. We will also demonstrate the use of Special Codes for labeling descriptive information such as ½” Iron Pipe
and 12” Oak Tree.

In Part 4 we will use the Separate Attribute Layers functionality within Field to Finish so that Symbols and Descriptions for points we process can be used to label features on printed plans.

In Part 5 we will go through the steps required take some of your existing point files to make a new Field to Finish Code Table for your company.

Our September newsletter has been posted… Read it here: September 2012 Newsletter

Do you think it’s just too Architecture-y? And not geared enough toward Survey and Civil?

If so, now’s your opportunity to have a say and help make it better. I am a member of the V6 Steering Committee which oversees development of the National CAD Standard and I am also chair of the Survey/Civil Task Team. The Task Team has been charged with recommending additions and revisions to the NCS that make it more palatable to surveyors and engineers.

We are currently looking for new members and accepting applications for the Project Committees and Task Teams and would love to have more of you involved.

Here is the announcement and details if you are interested in taking part:

NCS Users Wanted: Get Involved in Development of NCS Version 6

The committee responsible for overseeing the development of the latest version of the nation’s leading computer-aided design (CAD) standard is looking for users to get involved. The United States National CAD Standard (NCS) Version 6 Steering Committee is calling for owners of the NCS Version 5 to participate in development of the next edition by becoming involved in NCS Version 6 committees.

As current users of the NCS you and your colleagues are most familiar with the standard and can provide valuable input to make the next version even better. The people who use the NCS on a daily basis are the ones who are more likely to find the problems, troubleshoot areas for improvements and make suggestions about issues that need further development.

NCS Task Teams, the working groups behind the NCS, are formed to investigate, explore or address matters pertinent to the ongoing development of the NCS and play a key role in managing the ballot process while keeping the NCS current and responsive to industry needs.
Serving on one or more Task Team is an opportunity for users to focus on and participate in the review and update of specific NCS issues.

The new development cycle to produce NCS Version 6 will begin at the end of the year. NCS users who get involved will have the opportunity to participate in the review and approval of Version 6 or submit amendments to modify the standard.

The time to get involved is now. To volunteer for an NCS Version 6 Task Team, applicants must be an owner of the NCS Version 5 and be a member of the NCS Project Committee. So don’t wait. Become a member of the NCS Versions 6 Project Committee Today! Fill-out the online NCS Project Committee Application Form to help develop the next edition of the standard.

Once you become an NCS Project Committee member, you will receive an announcement in mid-October to volunteer on a Task Team related to your area of interest. Don’t miss the opportunity to shape the next edition of the NCS.

It’s that time of year again… Early registration for our end of year workshops in North Carolina.

This year we will have day-long events in Statesville and Asheville in November and then in  Raleigh and Wilmington in December. We have several new classes that have been developed in response to requests we received last year. Seats are limited and early registration discounts are available now.

In addition, we are also holding two Technology Days in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. These October events are 1/2 day sessions that will cover Carlson Software and data collection offerings.

And, for those in Wilmington NC on October 10^th – join us for a Free Technology Breakfast at the Cracker Barrel just off S College Road. The event is FREE but registration is required.

You can register or find out more about all of these events here.

FLATTEN is an Express Tools command in AutoCAD and a standard command in IntelliCAD. It allows you to quickly convert 3d objects to a 0-elevation, flat version of itself.

Most of us in the civil/survey world have gotten frustrated when we’ve received a drawing from someone who used lines more than polylines and apparently snapped to everything in the drawing that had an elevation! The result is that you have lines drawn on a slope and with which it’s nearly impossible to inverse distances or even perform simple drafting commands.

So, next time that happens, try the FLATTEN command and see if that helps get things back where they’re supposed to be!

For those who have been waiting, patiently or not, for a Carlson update that will allow you to create a Geoid 2012 file for your Carlson SurvCE collector – here is the update from Carlson.

Anyone who has used AutoCAD or IntelliCAD for any period of time will be familiar with a few of the selection methods available to you during editing commands… although you may not know the “official” name of the method.

When your Command: line prompted reads “Select Entities:”, you can use the following methods to add entities to the selection set:

A Single selection is when you use a “Pickbox” to select one entity at a time.

An Implied Window selection is when you drag a rectangular area, from left to right, around the entities to be selected. This method will select any entities that are fully enclosed within the area. To force a Window selection, you can also type “W” at the Command: line when prompted to “Select Entities:”. Window selections are indicated by the solid outline of the rectangle and a color shading within the rectangular area.

An Implied Crossing selection is when you drag a rectangular area, from right to left, around or across the entities to be selected. This method will select any entities that are fully enclosed or touch (cross…) the outline of the rectangle. To force a Crossing selection, you can also type “C” at the Command: line when prompted to “Select Entities:”. Crossing selections are indicated by the dotted or dashed outline of the rectangle and a color shading within the rectangular area.

So, these are the ones you probably know about. But, what about these?

Again, when prompted to “Select Entities:”, you can do any of the following:

Hold the SHIFT-key down while selecting objects using Single, Implied Window or Implied Crossing selection methods will un-select any objects previously selected.

Type “P” at the Command: line to use the Previous selection method. This method will automatically select the same objects that had been selected for the most recent editing command. This obviously doesn’t work if the Previous selection set has been ERASEd from the drawing.

Type “L” at the Command: line to use the Last selection method. This method will automatically select the entity most recently added to the drawing. The entity must also be visible on the drawing screen in order to be selected.

Type “ALL” at the Command: line to use the All selection method. This method will automatically select all entities visible in the current space.

Type “F” at the Command: line to use the Fence selection method. This method allows you to drag a line (by picking points) across the entities to be selected. When picking the points for the Fence, the sketched line is dashed or dotted. This method is similar to a Crossing selection as it will select anything that touches the Fence.

Type “WP” at the Command: line to use the Window Polygon selection method. This method allows you to sketch an irregularly shaped area (by picking points) around the entities you wish to select.  Any entities that are completely inside of the non-rectangular area will be selected. This is simply a non-rectangular version of the Window selection method. Window Polygon selection areas are indicated by the solid outline  and color shading of the irregularly shaped area.

Type “CP” at the Command: line to use the Crossing Polygon selection method. This method allows you to sketch an irregularly shaped area (by picking points) around or across the entities you wish to select. Any entities that are completely inside of the non-rectangular area or touching its outline will be selected. This is simply a non-rectangular version of the Crossing selection method. Crossing Polygon selection areas are indicated by the dashed or dotted outline  and color shading of the irregularly shaped area.

If you have a complex selection set and need to un-select several entities, you may find it impractical (and frustrating) trying to un-select everything by using SHIFT+<select> to do so.

Another way to un-select a bunch of entities is to use the Remove selection mode. When prompted to “Select Entities:” at your Command: line, type “R” to change your Command: line prompt to “Remove Entities:”. Now, any entities you select, using any method, will be Removed from the selection set. You do not have to hold SHIFT and you can use Fence, Last, Window Polygon, etc. to remove those items.

After Removing entities from the selection set, type “A” at the Command: line to return to the Add selection mode. This changes the Command: line prompt back to “Select Entities:” and you will once again be able to Add objects to the selection set.

With the 2013 release of Carlson Hydrology, Carlson is shipping complete rainfall libraries for the following cities in North Carolina:

• Asheville
• Cary
• Chapel Hill
• Charlotte
• Concord
• Durham
• Fayetteville
• Gastonia
• Greensboro
• Greenville
• High Point
• Jacksonville
• Raleigh
• Rocky Mount
• Wilmington

The rainfall information has been compiled from the precipitation intensity charts available from The National Weather Service.

To load and access these files:

• Switch to your Carlson Hydrology menu
• Go to Network > Sewer Network Libraries > Rainfall Library
• Pick the Load button
• Browse to C:Carlson ProjectsSettingsNorth Carolina

Some of us are old enough to remember life without the CHSPACE command… and what a great addition it was when the command was finally introduced to AutoCAD several years ago. And, with the release of IntelliCAD 7, it’s now in that program as well.

CHSPACE is a command that allows you to move one or more entities from Model Space to Paper Space (or vice versa) very easily. In AutoCAD, the operative word there is “MOVE”. You have to be a little careful because the command does exactly that: It MOVES it from paper to model or from model to paper. In IntelliCAD, you are given the option of COPYing the selected entities from one space to the other.

The command actually does more than just move or copy selected entities, it also scales the entities by the viewport scale so they’re correct size-wise. For instance, let’s say that you have a drawing in model space that’s been rotated so that it more easily fits on a sheet of paper. Also in model space, you’ve inserted a North arrow. And, in paper space/layout view, you have inserted a title block at a scale of 1:1 (18″ x 24″, etc.). Inside of the title block, you’ve created a viewport you’ve scaled to 1″=40′.

For drafting purposes, it’s desirable to have the North arrow in paper space to that it can be moved around and positioned outside the viewport. If you’re in AutoCAD, the first step is to make a copy of the North arrow. If you’re using IntelliCAD, this step isn’t necessary. Then, while in paper space/layout view, double-click inside the viewport to make it active. Type CHSPACE at the Command: line. Follow the various prompts within the command and Voila! Your North arrow is now in paper space and it’s been scaled down by 40 times so that it fits properly on your title block.