To Update a Survey Database

Learn how to migrate legacy survey databases to be used in Autodesk Civil 3D 2025.

Autodesk Civil 3D 2025 uses SQLite databases to store survey information. Microsoft SQL Compact Edition (SQL CE) databases created in earlier versions of Civil 3D will need be updated before they are accessible in Civil 3D 2025.

On the Toolspace Survey tab, SQL CE databases display with a yellow out-of-date warning icon: . If you try to use an out-of-date database, you will be prompted to download and install the Autodesk Civil 3D Survey Database Migration Utility. The database cannot be used until it has been updated to SQLite.

The Autodesk Civil 3D Survey Database Migration Utility is a separate download available at https://www.autodesk.com/civil3d-survey-database-migration-utility.

Important: Legacy survey databases created in Microsoft Access will not be visible on the Toolspace Survey tab in Autodesk Civil 3D 2025. You will need to update Microsoft Access databases to SQL CE format in a version of Civil 3D earlier than 2020 and then further update them to SQLite format in Autodesk Civil 3D 2025.

Once you have installed the Autodesk Civil 3D Survey Database Migration Utility, use the following procedure to update any SQL CE databases.

1. Close Civil 3D.
2. Open the Autodesk Civil 3D Survey Database Migration Utility.
3. In the Autodesk Civil 3D Survey Database Migration Utility dialog box:
   • For Input, click Browse and navigate to the Civil 3D Projects directory containing the out-of-date SQL CE databases. The utility will migrate all databases in subdirectories of the selected directory.
   • For Output, click Browse and navigate to the Civil 3D Projects directory in which the updated SQLite databases will be saved. Usually this is the same folder containing the source SQL CE databases.
4. Click Start. The database migration begins.
5. When the database migration completes, you will be prompted with a results dialog box. If an SQLite database name already existed prior to the migration, the SQL CE file with the same name will not migrate and will be skipped.
6. Click View Detail to review skipped databases and migration failures. This will open the saved failure log with information about the errors.
7. Open Civil 3D and notice the updated survey databases on the Toolspace Survey tab. They are now ready to be inserted into your drawing.
8. If desired, remove old databases from the project directory.

Note: Databases migrated with the Autodesk Civil 3D Survey Database Migration Utility will not be compatible with versions of Civil 3D earlier than 2020.