Autodesk CAICE VISUAL SURVEY 10 - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, CAiCE Visual Survey 10 User Manual

CAiCE Visual Survey 10

Questions and Answers

1. General Product Information

1.1 What is CAiCE Visual Survey?

™

CAiCE
interactive approach to importing, editing, and processing data. You can use it throughout
the workflow to import raw data from any major data collector; process electronic survey
data; define existing topographic and terrain data; and produce fast and easy digital terrain
models (DTMs). CAiCE Visual Survey software also manages survey data editing efficiently
from a common interface called the Observations Master
processing techniques, the most advanced graphical editing tools available, precision DTM
creation, and easy customization, CAiCE Visual Survey software helps you streamline the
surveying process and increase productivity.

Visual Survey® 10 software is an object-based surveying tool with a graphical,

(OBM) file. Offering field-tested

1.2 Who uses CAiCE Visual Survey?

Surveyors with consulting firms, county and municipal agencies, and departments of
transportation (DOT) use CAiCE Visual Survey for projects of every type, including right of
way, topographic, volumetric, and as-built surveys.

Department of transportation users include Florida DOT, Michigan DOT, Georgia DOT,
Washington DOT, Caltrans, Texas DOT, Wisconsin DOT, and Arkansas DOT.

1.3 Why should I buy CAiCE Visual Survey?

No other survey software enables you to easily convert raw field data into deliverable plans
from a stand-alone environment. CAiCE Visual Survey gives the transportation industry an
alternative to 2D drawing files by providing an intelligent database of 3D coordinates. This
database greatly improves error checking of raw field data and helps ensure the integrity
and stability of transferred data, thus improving the delivery of accurate information to the
design engineer. The intelligent database provides tools that streamline and automate tasks
and that improve the productivity of field and office staffs. Customization options enable
you to adjust the software to fit your workflow requirements and help ensure that field
standards are being met.

1.4 Is CAiCE Visual Survey a stand-alone product?

Yes. CAiCE Visual Survey is a stand-alone product and does not require any other
application packages to operate. It provides general-purpose automation tools for all
survey-related projects.

CAiCE Visual Survey can also run with Visual CADLinks. With CAiCE Visual CADLinks
technology, you can link CAiCE Visual Survey with AutoCAD
technology dynamically links CAiCE Visual Survey and the CAD package of your choice, as

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®

or MicroStation® software. This

CAiCE Visual Survey 10 Questions and Answers

they run side by side. It offers the best of both worlds: the design modeling capabilities of
CAiCE Visual Survey and the extensive drafting capabilities of a CAD system.

1.5 How does CAiCE Visual Survey interface with data collection systems and other
survey data imports?

CAiCE Visual Survey supports survey data import from several data collection devices and
software systems, including Sokkia, TDS, Leica, Trimble, EFB, SDMS, and DMP. Other
formats can be handled through a customized Microsoft

®

Visual Basic® for Applications
(VBA) macro. You can communicate directly with most survey data collection and total
stations using built-in communication software.

1.6 What is the Survey Data Editor?

CAiCE Visual Survey provides a powerful and interactive Survey Data Editor that is based on
Microsoft

®

Access technology. You can use it to view and edit raw survey data collected in
the field using the Sokkia, TDS, Leica, Trimble, EFB, SDMS, and DMP data collection
systems. This comprehensive raw Survey Data Editor uses Microsoft Access as the engine to
view, modify, and add to the survey data. It includes utilities for adding and editing
instrument calibrations, axis tests, and level peg tests; adding and editing instrument
setups; adding, editing, and deleting point observations data, including elevations,
measurements, and feature codes (classifications).

1.7 What is the Survey ToolBox?

CAiCE Visual Survey software comes with an integrated Visual Survey ToolBox, which is a
collection of more than 50 macros and programs that facilitate surveying operations. The
ToolBox includes a variety of import, export, report, geometry, and graphics utilities, as well
as a traverse entry and adjustment tool, a legal description writer that links with Microsoft
Access and Word, and several slopestake report utilities.

1.8 Does CAiCE Visual Survey offer COGO functionality?

The CAiCE Visual Survey product includes a full suite of coordinate geometry (COGO)
commands and capabilities. Its coordinate geometry tools for defining points, lines, curves,
spirals, and chains are simple, powerful, and completely interactive. You can define points
by known coordinates, latitude and longitude, direction and distance, angle and distance,
alignment stations and offsets, intersections, projections onto other objects, and tangencies
on curves. CAiCE Visual Survey also provides many ways of storing circular curves and has
several utilities for defining and editing chains.

1.9 How can CAiCE Visual Survey be adapted to individual client standards?

Because many organizations work with multiple public and private clients, customization
capabilities are crucial. CAiCE Visual Survey uses feature codes, feature tables, cell libraries,
system settings, toolbars, color tables, text libraries, sheet format, and plans production
settings to make it easy to comply with standards specific to a client organization.

1.10 Does CAiCE Visual Survey offer DTM functionality?

CAiCE Visual Survey software provides advanced terrain modeling capabilities. Its unique
methodologies used for triangulation and breakline processing produce accurate terrain
models and provide a high degree of flexibility in data collection techniques. Points and

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