Autodesk uses Feature Data Objects (or FDO) technology to manage live data connections to geospatial data, eliminating the need to import or export data. It allows AutoCAD Map to combine the analysis benefits of GIS software with the flexibility of CAD software.

1. FUNdamentals of FDO
Richard E Chappell
Geospatial Application Engineer

2. Welcome
Richard Chappell – “Rick”
Geospatial Application Engineer
CADsoft Consulting, Inc
1295 W. Washington St., Suite 201,
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-820-0408
rick.chappell@cadsoft-consult.com
http://www.cadsoft-consult.com/blogs/geo/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardchappell

3. Objectives
 Participants to gain a basic understanding of FDO
 To be able to basic FDO connections in AutoCAD Map 3D 2010
 To be able to filter FDO feature sources
 To be able to stylize FDO feature sources

4. Agenda
 Discuss FDO
 What it is
 Where it came from
 What it means to us
 Hands on Examples of working with
AutoCAD Map 3D 2010 to connect and
manage FDO feature sources

5. Tell us who you are
 Name
 What do you do
 Experience with Autodesk products
 Why you’re here

6. What is FDO?

7. The FDO Standard is maintained at OSGeo

8. Where did FDO come from?
Autodesk needed a technology that could provide a way to access
many different geospatial data sources through a common
mechanism.
Requirements
 object-based feature model
 Supports the OGC Simple Feature specification geometry types
 Defines a logical model that maps to commonly used physical
implementations
 Each data source has its corresponding FDO provider.
 Allow clients to determine specific capabilities of a particular
provider
 Allows new commands and schema additions to be easily added
over time

9. Current FDO Providers
 ArcSDE  GDAL
 MySQL  OGR (Personal
 SDF Geodatabase)
 SHP  PostGIS
 ODBC  Oracle
 WFS  KML
 WMS  GE Smallworld
 SQL Server

10. Current Applications working with FDO
 AutoCAD Map 3D 2005-2010
 Autodesk Topobase 2009-2010
 Autodesk Utility Design 2009
 Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise 2007-2010
 MapGuide Open Source 1.0.0-2.1
 1Spatial Radius Studio 1.4
 FDO Toolbox v 0.5-v.0.8.2.1
 Geomap Systems Geomap 2008
 Safe Software FME 2006-2010
 SL-KingnFDO2FDO v0.74-0.76

11. AutoCAD Map 3D
 AutoCAD Map 3D uses FDO technology to create a hybrid
environment with geospatial features and drawing objects
There are 3 main types of feature sources:
 File-based raster and vector (SHP, SDF, DEM, SID, ECW,etc)
 Database vector and ODBC (Oracle, Access)
 OpenGIS raster and vector (WMS, WFS)
Feature sources render very rapidly

12. Feature Source – Raster (Mr Sid)

13. Feature Source – Raster (DEM)

14. Feature Source – Vector (Shape)

15. Feature Source – ODBC (Access)

16. When to use a Feature Source
 Data Sharing

17. When to use a Feature Source
 Data Sharing
 High Performance

18. When to use a Feature Source
 Data Sharing
 High Performance
 Central GIS Connectivity

19. When to use a Feature Source
 Data Sharing
 High Performance
 Central GIS Connectivity
 SQL Server Support

20. When to use a Feature Source
 Data Sharing
 High Performance
 Central GIS Connectivity
 SQL Server Support
 Cartographic Tools

21. When to use a Feature Source
 Data Sharing
 High Performance
 Central GIS Connectivity
 SQL Server Support
 Cartographic Tools
 Rapid Publishing to Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise

22. When to use a Feature Source
 Data Sharing
 High Performance
 Central GIS Connectivity
 SQL Server Support
 Cartographic Tools
 Rapid Publishing to Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise
 OpenGIS Conformity

23. Feature Layers
Process
 Connect to a feature source
 Can be a single file or folder
 Give it a name
 Adjust settings (coordinates)
Feature source is added to Map Explorer
 Add to Map
Feature layer is now added to Display Manager.

24. Map Overview

25. Hands-On Exercise – Connect to a Feature Source
 Open redding.dwg
 Ensure Display Manager is selected in the Task Pane
 (If task pane is not up, type mapwspace)
 Click Data>Connect to Data
 Click Add SDF Connection
 Give it a name – SDF_Parcel
 For source file, select parcels.sdf
 In the Add Data to map area:
 Ensure parcels schema is selected
 Note coordinate system is CA-I
 Click Add to Map

26. Hands-On Exercise – Connect to a Feature Source
 Add another SDF connection
 Name – SDF_ROADS
 Source – Roads.sdf
 Under Add Data to Map
 Ensure Roads Schema is selected
 Click Add to Map
 Add Shape Connection
 Name – SHP_Waterlines
 Source – waterlines.shp
 Click Connect
 Under Add Data to Map area
 Ensure waterlines schema is seleected
 Click Add to Map
 Close Data Connect Window

27. Hands-On Exercise – Connect to a Feature Source
 In the Display Manager, select the waterlines layer.
 Click the Table button (at top of Task Pane)
 In the Data table dialog box, select any record – note the map zooms to the
objects selected in the Data Table.

28. Hands-On Exercise – Add Point Data (ODBC)
First, we need to serve a database as an ODBC connection
 In Windows, clisck Start>Run
 Enter ODBCAD32
 Click OK
 In the ODBC Data Source Administrator Dialog box, clixk System DSN
 Click the Add button
 In the Create New Data Source dialog box, under Name, select Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)
 Click Finish
 In the ODBC Microsoft Access Setup dialog box, for Data Source Name, enter
REDDING_ODBC
 Click Select
 Browse to redding_hydrants.mdb
 Click OK
 Click OK to complete the ODBC setup

29. Hands-On Exercise – Add Point Data (ODBC)
The next step is to add ODBC Data to the Drawing as a feature source
 Use the same process to Connect to Data and Add ODBC Connection
 Name – ODBC_Hydrants
 Source Type – Data Source Name (DSN)
 Redding_ODBC
 Click Connect
 Click Login
 Under the Add Data to Map:
 Click Edit Coordinate Systems tab
 Click the Default Spatial context
 Click Edit
 In Select Coordinates System dialog box
 Category – Lat Longs
 Coord System – LL, No Datum, Latitude-Longitude; Degrees -180 to +180
 Click OK

30. Hands-On Exercise – Add Point Data (ODBC)
 Under Add Data to Map
 For X, select LON
 For Y, select LAT
 For Z, select <none>
 Click Add to Map
 Close the Data Connect Box

31. Filtering Data Sources
 By Attribute
 STNAME = Brittany Drive
 By Location

32. Hands-On Exercise – Query Features on Connect
Use an Attribute Filter
 Connect to SDF feature source
 Name – SDF_PARCELS_BRITTANY_DRIVE
 Source – parcels.sdf
 Click connect
 Under Schema, ensure Parcels are Checked
 Click the down arrow next to Add to Map
 Select Add to Map with Query
 In the Create Query dialog box, click Property > STNAME
 Click the Equal To button

33. Hands-On Exercise – Query Features on Connect
 Click Get Values
 Under Select a Property to Retrieve Its Values, select STNAME
 Under Filter the List of Values, enter: BR
 Click the green arrow button
 Click Brittany Dr
 Click Insert Value
 In the Create Query dialog box, click OK
To see the filtered parcel feature source, turn the other feature
sources off in the Display Manager

34. Hands-On Exercise – Use a Spatial Feature with a SHP
 Create a new data connection
 Name – SHP_VALVES_BRITTANY_DRIVE
 Source – valves.shp
 Click Connect
 Under Schema, ensure Valevs are checked
 Click Add to Map with Query
 In the Create Query dialog box, click Locate on Map>Inside
Rectangle
 Create a rectangle around the filtered parcels
 In the Create Query dialog box, click OK
 Close the Data Connect window
 Valves are filtered within the rectangle

35. Hands-On Exercise – Stylize the Features
 Turn on all of the feature layers
 At top of Task Pane, click Groups and select Draw Order
 Drag roads above parcels, and hydrants above roads
 In the Display Manager, select the Hydrants layer and click the
Style button
 Under Scale ranges for Layer, set the To scale to 5000
 In the Style editor pane, click the Style Browse button
 In the Style Point dialog, click the Symbol browse button
 Browse to, and select water-hydrant.dwg
 Click on the WATER symbol
 Click OK

36. Hands-On Exercise - Stylizing
 Add themes and styles to feature layers

37. Tell us how we did

38. Thank-You!
Rick Chappell
Geospatial Application Engineer
CADsoft Consulting, Inc
1295 W. Washington St., Suite 201, Tempe, AZ 85281
480-820-0408
rick.chappell@cadsoft-consult.com
http://www.cadsoft-consult.com/blogs/geo/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardchappell
www.cadsoft-consult.com
CAD Camp – Geospatial Day – Nov 19
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