Product Information

Release Date: 

May 28, 1997

Vendor:

Autodesk, Inc.
111 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, CA  94903
415-507-5000
415-507-5100 (fax)

Homepage:

http://www.autodesk.com

Newsgroup:

news://desknews.autodes.com/
autodesk.autocadmap.general

Price:

$4,250
$1,395 Educational
(Note: Autodesk has a software grant for educational institutions. Contact Andrew Carothers at Autodesk, Inc.,  andrew.carothers@autodesk.com, for more information).

Distribution Medium:

CD-ROM

System Requirements

• Windows 95, Windows NT 3.51, or Windows NT 4.0 operating system 
• Pentium processor (P586), 90Mhz or faster 
• 32MB RAM minimum; 64MB recommended (10MB additional RAM recommended for each concurrent AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 session) 
• 76MB hard-disk space (minimum); 127MB for typical install 
• 96MB disk swap space (minimum); 128MB recommended 
• 640x480 VGA display (minimum); 1024 x 768 recommended 
• pointing device
• CD-ROM drive for initial installation only
• 2.5MB free-disk space during installation only

AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 is one of three main components of the Auto-desk’s foray into GIS. Teamed with this product are Autodesk World and Autodesk MapGuide. Auto-CAD Map Release 2.0 is the CAD-based component for small to medium projects that are graphically oriented, while Auto-desk World is geared toward larger projects that are data-base intensive.  Autodesk MapGuide is an internet-based program for authoring, publishing, distributing and querying geographic data. 

Features
The main features of Auto-CAD Map Release 2.0 are geared toward data creation and maintenance.  The program is fully compatible with existing Auto-CAD-based drawings and maps, in part, because its data creation foundation is AutoCAD Release 14.  The program can utilize spatially referenced data in a number of standard map file formats. The graphical user interface streamlines the attachment of attribute data to point and line objects and allows real-time pan and zoom. 

Analysis functions include map algebra commands that allow for the overlay of node, network, or polygon topologies.  Overlay functions include intersect, union, identity, erase, clip, copy and paste.  Topology generation is present in node, link, and polygon formats. Once network topology is generated shortest-path and flood-trace analysis algorithms can be run. 

Cleaning up digitized or imported data is easily implemented. A number of map clean-up tools such as extend undershoots, edge-matching, and breaking objects at map boundaries are present. Imported maps can be rubber-sheeted through rotate, scale, and stretch commands to conform to an existing coverage or base map. 

The raster data handling in AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 is somewhat limited.  Functionality is limited to movement, rotation, and scaling of the image and the adjustment of its brightness and contrast. Raster images cannot be rubber-sheeted to a particular data set nor can they be integrated into any sort of analysis. 

One of the features the author finds unique is the multi-user editing and tracking capabilities built into the program. A map administrator can set up editing and updating privileges for specific AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 drawings allowing for enhanced tracking and maintenance of the drawings. 

Import and export filters include MicroStation Design files (*.dgn), Map-Info Interchange files (*.mif), ArcView Shape files (*.shp), and ARC/INFO Coverages.  

Performance
The software was tested in a Windows 95 environment on a 233mhz Dell OptiPlex GXi with 64MB of RAM and a 7GB EIDE hard drive. Virtual memory was enabled with at least 3.0GB of scratch space available. The display consisted of a 17-inch Sony Trinitron monitor at a resolution of 1024x768 powered by a 4MB Matrox Millenium video card. 

Performance was tested using the sample data-sets provided and by completing the tutorial. The tutorial data sets were often very simple and did not adequately push the system to its limits. A number of the author’s own data sets were tested including a complete roads inventory for a 7 km by 24 km section of  Salt Lake County, Utah, containing over 24,000 lines or arcs.  Importing this data set from an ARC/INFO coverage took over an hour. Some analysis operations were quite slow, even running on a 233mhz Pentium with the recommended amount of RAM and scratch space. In order to do all but the simplest operations on a small to intermediate sized project 64MB of RAM seems to be the lower threshold. In addition, a Pentium Pro or Pentium II processor running at 200+ mhz may be needed.  

Documentation
AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 comes with an online quick tour and extensive online help, as well as a 210 page installation guide detailing digitizer configuration, plotter setup, as well as other set parameters. A 630 page users guide (a rarity among today’s software providers) is also included. Updates to the product documentation can be accessed through Autodesk’s home page in Adobe PDF format and users can subscribe to be notified by email when updated documents are placed online. AutoCAD Learning Assistance interactive training CD-ROM is also included with Auto-CAD Map Release 2.0.  

Technical Support
According to the Customer Service and Technical Support Card included with the software, and support information found on the Autodesk home page (http://www.autodesk.com), there are a number of support options. First, primary software support is available through your Authorized Autodesk GIS Dealer, Distributor, or Autodesk Systems Center. This is interpreted as “if you need help contact the authorized Autodesk dealer from whom you bought the product from.” Second, online support is available to CompuServe members (GO ACAD) and from the Autodesk home page. If you need additional help or technical questions answered, Autodesk provides an online source of information through a news-group devoted to AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 (news://adesknews.autodesk.com/autodesk.autocadmap.general).  From this author’s observations an Autodesk GIS Product Support Specialist answers users questions within one to two days of initial posting. And finally, Autodesk provides their new SafetyNet phone support. 

SafetyNet provides direct telephone access to technical assistance for Autodesk GIS products.  SafetyNet is a pay-as-you-go program charging callers $65 per incident. Safety Net support is available from 6 am to 5 pm, Pacific time, Monday through Friday via toll-free 800 numbers. 

AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 Service Pack 1 (a service upgrade) was released on October 13, 1997. It is available on the Autodesk home page at http://www. autodesk.com/support/filelib /acadmap/acadmap.htm. The Service Pack updates Map130c and Map130f releases to Map130k. The compressed patch is approximately 4.7MB. Missing from the service update page is an option to provide email notification of software patches and updates similar to that provided for the written documentation. 

AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 is Year 2000 compliant.  

Ease of Installation
AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 is easy to install and set up from the CD-ROM. The install program is designed to automatically start under Windows 95 and NT 4.0 with AutoPlay enabled.  Product installation requires a serial number and CD key, which can be found on the back of the CD. Once installed an authorization code is needed to use the software beyond a 30-day “trial” period. The code can be obtained by telephone, fax, mail, or email.  

Ease of Use
The author found AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 relatively easy to use without extensive experience using the base program AutoCAD.  Users with enhanced Auto-CAD experience will find that accessing the added functionality that the Map component provides to be relatively easy. All AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 functions appear in their own pull-down menu or can be entered via a standard Auto-CAD command line interface. Additional mapping tools are included, simplifying many of the map overlay commands and analysis functions.  

Pros
The author suspects that the main draw to AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 would be its full functionality with AutoCAD Release 14 — AutoCAD being the underlying graphics generator for Map. Users that spend a great deal of time working with AutoCAD files will find that purchasing AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 will add an extra AutoCAD Release 14 ‘seat’ to their operation. The added overhead of the Map Release 2.0 component can be disabled in the various preferences dialog boxes freeing up the base AutoCAD Release 14. One unique feature to this GIS program is the coverage preview provided by means of an image ‘thumbnail’ displayed in the File Open dialog box.  

Cons
One of the main drawbacks in integrating this product into a larger GIS market is its inability to handle Arc Interchange format (*.e00 files). Many organizations, including local, state, and federal government and private industry use the *.e00 ARC export file as a means for exchanging map coverages regardless of the platform on which they were generated. AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 can handle shape files and can convert (non-*.e00) ARC/INFO coverages to AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 drawing format (*.dwg). The data import and export commands are processor and memory intensive. The author found that multitasking with Microsoft Office ’97 while writing this review caused my system to lock up. A greater amount of physical memory (RAM) or switching to Windows NT 4.0 (with its protected memory) may help solve this problem. 

Recommendations
The author agrees with Autodesk in terms of the market for AutoCAD Map Release 2.0. This program is geared toward engineers, planners, utility managers and technicians — markets which may already have an extensive investment in Autodesk products such as AutoCAD Release 14. AutoCAD Map Release 2.0 provides the GIS capabilities and complete linkage to AutoCAD that previous GIS add-ons to AutoCAD failed to supply. This program is definitely worthy of consideration for CAD users contemplating entering the GIS realm and for CAD users presently using other AutoCAD add-on GIS products.  

James D. Hipple