Carlson’s 30th Anniversary User Conference will be held in Cincinnati Ohio from April 7-10, 2013.

In addition to 3 days of instruction and having the chance to work directly with Carlson programmers and tech support staff, they have a super-special offer for current users of SurvCE. User Conference attendees who are also license holders of SurvCE 1.x or 2.x will be able to claim a free upgrade to SurvCE 3.0, to be released during the conference. Just bring your older SurvCE serial number(s) with you to the User Conference. (Note: there’s a limit of two SurvCE serial numbers per registrant.)

There are a lot of great classes covering the desktop products as well as data collection and hardware.

Click here for class descriptions

and

Click here to register

Sponsors this year are:

Juniper Systems

Hemisphere GPS

NovAtel

SatLab

HHCS Handheld USA Inc.

MGBtech

Dimension Funding

Monsoon Networks, Inc.

Now that many (most? all?) new computers are shipping with Windows 8, Carlson Software users are curious whether or not their software will run on the new operating system.

I recently asked Carlson’s tech support team about the compatibility of Carlson with Windows 8 and received the following response:

At this time, Carlson 2013 is not officially supported on Windows 8. However, testing we have done on Windows 8 has been largely successful with the following observations:

• If Carlson installs cleanly without error, it should run correctly.
• In some cases, you may encounter install errors. We are currently addressing these issues for Carlson 2013 products – these updates will be available in the next builds that we post.
• Older Carlson products will remain AS IS – we will not be updating the installs. But again, but if a given product installs without error, it should run fine.
• As a general rule, products supported on Windows 7 should run on Windows 8.
• It has been our experience that using the “compatibility mode” option is not recommended.

I’m re-posting this once more because of the continued interest.

For several years Esri has been offering a FREE “GIS Starter Kit” for anyone who uses Carlson with IntelliCAD. This program will not go on forever but, to my knowledge, is still active. [This offer ended on 12/31/2013]

There are a couple of limitations that I’m aware of: existing Esri customers are not eligible and you can only take advantage of the offer one time… Not once for every seat of Carlson with IntelliCAD that you purchase or own.

The GIS Starter Kit includes:

• ArcGIS ArcView desktop software
• A copy of the book A to Z GIS: An Illustrated Dictionary of Geographic Information Systems
• A copy of GIS Tutorial: Workbook for ArcView 9, Third Edition

If you are a current user of Carlson with IntelliCAD and meet the requirements above, you can call 1-800-GIS-XPRT (1-800-447-9778) and request the Carlson-IntelliCAD GIS Starter Kit – You will want to have your Carlson serial number handy.

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

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!