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Using the Import Data From Land Desktop Command

Product Documentation
Intermediate
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To import surfaces, description keys, alignments, profiles, parcels, or pipe runs from a Land Desktop project or drawing into AutoCAD Civil 3D, you can use the AutoCAD Civil 3DImport Data From Land Desktop command.

This command imports the Land Desktop data into the current AutoCAD Civil 3D drawing. Because AutoCAD Civil 3D stores all objects in drawings, the drawing does not have to be associated with a project. However, if you are using the AutoCAD Civil 3D project management features (Autodesk Vault), you can associate the current drawing with a AutoCAD Civil 3D project and check the data (points, surfaces, and alignments) in to a specified project.

Note

Data units cannot be converted when using the Import Data From Land Desktop command. Therefore, you must import an imperial-based project into an imperial-based drawing, for example. If you want to convert units during the import, you must use the LandXML import feature.

It is recommended that you import one data type at a time. For example, first import surface data and then repeat the procedure to import description keys or other data types, one data type at a time.

To import data from a Land Desktop project

  1. On the ribbon, click the Insert tab Land Desktop, or enter ImportLDTData at the command line.
  2. In the Import Data From Autodesk Land Desktop Project dialog box, enter a valid p a th, to browse to the project root folder and select a path.

    For example, C:\Land Projects <version number>.

  3. In the Project Name list, select a project from which you want to import data.

    After a valid project name is selected, the available data that you can import is displayed in the dialog box.

  4. Specify an Alignment Site. If you leave the default site at None, the Alignment data is placed in the Alignments collection, rather than in a Site collection.
  5. Navigate to the data you want to import.
  6. Select or clear the check boxes for one or more of the following features:
    Tip

    To obtain the best results, import only one data type at a time.

    • Description Keys: Imports description keys. When you update a drawing template, it is a best practice to select this option.
    • Surfaces: Imports surface data.
    • Alignments: Imports alignment data.
      Note

      To migrate a Softdesk alignment database, you must convert it into a Land Desktop 3.x through Land Desktop 2009 database before importing it into AutoCAD Civil 3D.

    • Profiles: Imports both EG (existing ground) and FG (finished ground) profiles.
      Note

      When importing a profile without an associated surface or alignment, the profile will be static in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

    • Parcels: Imports parcel data that was created using the Land Desktop parcel manager to the specified site.
    • Pipe Runs: Imports pipe run data.
      Note

      Before importing Land Desktop pipe run data, make sure that the AutoCAD Civil 3D pipe network Parts Catalog (Parts List) has the part sizes that make sense for the pipe network you will be importing. For more information, see Part Catalog and Parts Lists in the AutoCAD Civil 3D Help.

  7. Optionally, you may want to create new sites to separate the data. To do this, right-click SitesNew in Toolspace on the Prospector tab. The new site will appear under the Sites collection. You can move parcels and alignments (and associated profiles) by dragging them into different sites.
  8. Either click Apply, to iteratively import and check messaging, or click OK.

    A message box is displayed, indicating the status of the import. Click OK.

  9. Either go to Step 10 or, if you have completed an iterative import process using Apply, click OK.
    Note

    Imported objects take on the default style for each object.

  10. Verify the data using the following methods:
    • Description keys: In Toolspace, on the Settings tab, expand the Description Key Sets collection under the Point collection and verify that the description key files are listed.
    • Surfaces: In Toolspace, on the Prospector tab, click the Surfaces collection (for the current drawing) and verify that the new surface is included. (You may need to right-click the feature and click Zoom To to see the surface in the drawing.)
    • Alignments : In Toolspace, on the Prospector tab, if you specified a Site in the Import Data From Land Desktop Project dialog box, verify that the site is included. If you did not specify a Site, expand the Alignments collection and verify that the alignments are included.
    • Profiles: In Toolspace, on the Prospector tab, if you specified a Site in the Import Data From Land Desktop Project dialog box, verify that the site is included. If you did not specify a Site, expand the Alignments collection and verify that the profiles are included.
    • Parcels: In Toolspace, on the Prospector tab, verify that the site you specified for the parcels is included. If you did not specify a Site, expand the Parcels collection and verify that the parcels are included.
    • Pipe Runs: In Toolspace, on the Prospector tab, click the Pipe Networks collection and ensure that the pipes are included.

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