CSDPMAP and AutoCad

Although, CSDPMAP is fully capable of CAD drafting either in 2D or 3D space, and also prints out the drawings in full scale; however, it is possible to import AutoCAD drawings into CSDPMAP, and export CSDPMAP projects to AutoCAD via DXF file format. In the next pages, some examples of the drawings which are originally have created in AutoCAD, and are imported into CSDPMAP are presented.
All drawing properties, such as layers, linetypes, colors, etc. can be transported between the two system. Only for the font of Text objects, CSDPMAP works based on the Windows True-Type fonts.

Almost all objects created in AutoCAD can be imported into CSDPMAP; such as lines, polylines, ...; and even hatches, dimensionings, blocks, etc.

All the other CSDPMAP drawing items, such as TIN points, TIN triangles, contour lines, etc. can be exported to AutoCAD too. In case of exporting TIN triangles, each triangle forms a 3d face in AutoCAD.

It is possible to export all 3d objects of CSDPMAP to AutoCAD and vice versa too. For a 3D Route object, CSDPMAP creates necessary mesh entities to resemble the route, and exports it to AutoCAD.

Because AutoCAD is one of the most popular CAD systems used in the world, CSDPMAP mimics AutoCAD. This is not only limited to the drawing or editing commands, but also, it is designed in such a way, to resemble the same navigation environment. The mouse/keyboard, for example, act almost similarly in both systems.

For drawing a polyline, for example, you can start by selecting the polyline tool from the toolbar, or select the corresponding option from the pull-down menus, or the easiest way, type the POLYLINE command (or its alias PL) in the Status/Command window. To enter point's coordinates, you can type the values, or you can pick a point, using your pointing device. To terminate the command, you can either press the Enter key, or use the right mouse button; exactly like AutoCAD.

While defining points, you can use the object snaps; again you can select the interested object snap from the pop-up menu, which is activated by using the right mouse button and the Shift key at the same time. The choices you have for object snaps are End, Middle, Center, Perpendicular, Intersection, Bisect, Insert, Quadrant, Tangent, Nearest.

CSDPMAP and CAD Drafting

Using right mouse button at the same time with Shift key activates the TIN related pop-up menus.

Besides the drawing commands, you can find them in AutoCAD too, CSDPMAP has its own set of drawing commands, for example, Nuclear line command, and Ruler polyline command;

Selecting objects can be done via various methods, such as All, Previous, Last, by type, by color, by group, window, and cross.
To use selecting commands, you can use the right mouse button along with the Shift key at the same time to activate the selection pop-up menu. Notice, that, depends on the stage of a command in progress, the above key combination, activates the Selection pop-up menu or the Object snap pop-up menu.

Using the right mouse button with the Alt key at the same time, activates one of the TIN points pop-up menu, TIN triangle pop-up menu, TIN boundaries pop-up menu, or TIN break lines pop-up menu, depends on what stage you are working in.

TIN points pop-up menu consists of the options for: Add TIN point, Disable TIN point, Enable TIN point;
TIN triangle pop-up menu consists of the options for: Disable TIN triangle, Enable TIN triangle, Swap TIN triangles;
TIN boundaries pop-up menu consists of the options for: Set boundary line, Disable/Enable boundaries, Erase boundaries;
TIN break lines pop-up menu consists of the options for: Set break line, Disable break line,Enable break line;
For zoom and pan operations, the commands, Zoom All, Zoom Previous, Zoom Extents, Zoom Magnify, and Zoom Reduce, are considered in the system.

However fornormal zoom and pan operations, CSDPMAP has not a specific command, because these operations are built in to the mouse functionality, and acts independently or transparently when another drawing or editing command is in progress.In comparison with AutoCAD, this is the most convenient system known for the zoom and pan operations.

But in drawing circular curves, spirals, and other similar objects, you must work in CSDPMAP, to see how interactively it draws objects, as you move your pointing device, not comparable with any other CAD application.

Another feature, fully enriched in CSDPMAP is working with Text objects. Supporting True-Type fonts of Windows; along with any arbitrary font size, font shape, such as bold, italic, underline, strikethru; and text justification styles (left, right center), text transparency/opaque, along with defining the text background color in case of an opaque condition; all give you the possibility to add more to your drawings.
When entering texts, just in the middle of the command, you can change the font, and the insertion point.
To draw accurately,you have options using Grid, Snaps, Object snaps, and Ortho modes; you can change the UCS (User coordinates system); you can use both the absolute and relative coordinates systems for entering points; you can use Cartesian and polar systems; and more. The keys F6, F7, F8, F9 have the same functionality as AutoCAD.

CSDPMAP and Printing

Printing is as easy as redrawing in CSDPMAP; you can apply scales just as you do in AutoCAD; Drawing units=mm.
The printing is done via Windows Print Manager; thus any type of printer is supported. Besides, instead of printing directly, you can export your drawings via DXF files to AutoCAD.
For printing, you can define the print range, again as you do in AutoCAD; Display, Window, Extents, etc.

Above all these, CSDPMAP has a special windowing feature named Frame for printing. Just draw a rectangular polyline and assign it a unique name.
Now in Print dialog box, select the appropriate frame’s name, and CSDPMAP rotates the frame in clockwise or counterclockwise direction (based on your choice), to set its position for printing.

Try to print the rectangular region shown in figure, in AutoCAD, to know, how CSDPMAP simplifies the task of printing for you.