Spatial Manager™ for AutoCAD

Introduction

Spatial Manager™ for AutoCAD is a powerful AutoCAD plug-in designed for AutoCAD users who need to import, export and manage spatial data in a simple, fast and inexpensive way, which includes many possibilities not seen so far in AutoCAD. It comes in a lightweight application that runs inside AutoCAD and allows the user to import and export geospatial data between AutoCAD drawings and geospatial files, data servers or data stores

Notes:

- The access to spatial data servers and stores is available in the "Standard" and "Professional" editions only

- The complete Export capabilities are available in the "Professional" edition only, although "Export the current status of the drawing to Google Earth" is a function available on the "Standard" and "Professional" editions

- The full managing of spatial data functionality and the 'Background Maps' are available in the "Standard" and "Professional" editions only

AutoCAD commands

This is the list of AutoCAD commands included in Spatial Manager™ for AutoCAD

• Main commands
  • SPM: Show Palette. Opens and/or displays the application Palette
  • SPMCLOSE: Close. Closes the application Palette
  • SPMIMPORT: Import. Directly Imports features from geospatial files or tables without using the application Palette
    • -SPMIMPORT [Task name]: Import (Command Line). Execute Task(s) from the command line, useful in Scripts, etc. ("Professional" edition only)
  • SPMEXPORT: Export. Exports AutoCAD objects into geospatial files or tables ("Professional" edition only)
  • SPMSETCRS: Coordinate system. Sets the Coordinate Reference System (CRS) for the drawing
  • SPMCREATEKML: Export to Google Earth. Exports the current status of the drawing to Google Earth (one click) ("Standard" and "Professional" editions only)
• Background Map commands ("Standard" and "Professional" editions only)
  • SPMBGMAPSHOW: Show. Shows the selected image Map in the background of the drawing. Includes tools to manage the user Background Maps
  • SPMBGMAPHIDE: Hide. Hides the Background Map if it is displayed
  • SPMBGMAPREFRESH: Refresh. Regenerates the image of the Background Map, which may be needed under certain graphic situations
  • SPMBGMAPIMAGE: Capture. Creates an AutoCAD raster image corresponding to the display view of the current Background Map (Snapshot)
  • SPMBGMAPIMAGEPURGE: Purge. Delete 'orphan' image tiles and perform some other cleaning operations
• Selection commands ("Standard" and "Professional" editions only)
  • SPMSELECTBYQUERY: By Query. Selects objects by a simple or compound query over their data
  • SPMSELECTBYTABLE: By Table. Selects all the objects attached to a specific data table
  • SPMZOOMTOSELECTION: Zoom to Selection. Zoom to the selected objects
• Data Table commands ("Standard" and "Professional" editions only)
  • SPMDATATABLEGRID: Data grid. Opens and displays the 'Data Grid' palette ("Professional" edition only)
  • SPMDATATABLEDEFINE: Define Table. Defines, restores, modifies, renames or deletes a data table or its fields
  • SPMDATATABLEATTACH: Attach. Attaches one or more objects to a data table
  • SPMDATATABLEDETACH: Detach. Detaches one or more objects from their corresponding attached data table
• Support commands
  • SPMOPTIONS: Options. Set of parameters to configure the application (includes also the functionality of SPMUPDATE and SPMABOUT)
  • SPMHELP: Help. Shows the application help (Wiki format)
  • SPMUPDATE: Updates. Checks if there is a new application release to be downloaded from Internet
  • SPMABOUT: Information. Shows basic information about the application and the installed release
• _OPTIONS (AutoCAD native command): Options. New "Spatial Manager" tab including the set of parameters to configure the application (same functionality as above)

Note: All the command names are also valid if you replace the prefix "SPM" for "SPATIALMANAGER". For example, "SPATIALMANAGERCREATEKML" is equivalent to "SPMCREATEKML", or "SPATIALMANAGER" is equivalent to "SPM"

Main features

• General
  • Import/export spatial data into/from AutoCAD drawings
  • Publish to Google Earth
  • Dynamic Background image Maps from Bing, OpenStreeMap, Mapbox, Ordnance Survey, NearMap, etc.
    • Configurable user Maps
      • XYZ / TMS, WMTS and WMS compatible
      • WMS multi-layer maps
      • Export/Import user Background Maps
    • Snapshots (geo-referenced AutoCAD Images) of the current Background Map
  • Transformation of coordinates when importing, exporting, showing Background Maps, etc.
  • XDATA / Extended Entity Data (EED)
    • Data grid palette interactive and synchronized
      • Selecting objects and navigation tools in the grid
      • Editing data and columns
      • Columns sorting
      • Sorting data by column
      • Automatic column width adjustment
      • Direct export to CSV, TXT, etc.
      • Multi-table grid
    • Viewer palette
      • Also shows some other data as the Blocks properties (Name and Attributes), Layer, geometric properties, etc.
    • Edit values directly in the palette
    • Hyperlinks
    • Managing data structure
      • Define, modify, rename and delete tables and fields
      • Recover data table structures from the drawing objects
      • Attaching objects to a table
      • Detaching objects from their tables
    • Selecting objects by a simple or compound query over their data
      • Choose or search data from available values in the fields
    • Selecting the objects attached to a table
    • Zoom to the selected objects
      
      
• Import processes
  • Objects imported into a new or open drawing
  • Raster and vector objects
  • Smart Batch import
  • Basic target layer or new target layers using a field value
  • Use blocks for points and centroids
    • Select the name of the Block according to the value of a field
    • Block insertion parameters from field values
  • Polygon fills and transparencies
    • Fill properties can be taken from fields values
  • Polygon centroids
  • Smart labeling of objects while importing
  • Spatial filter to import only the objects in the current view
  • Import polygons using "MPolygon" objects, even on basic AutoCAD
  • Elevation and thickness from field values
  • Import data from tables as XDATA / Extended Entity Data (EED)
  • Speed up the processes skipping some wizard steps
  • Use the intuitive palette options or the quick import function
  • Save Tasks to replay the import processes so many times as desired
    
    
• Export processes
  • Objects exported to geospatial files or servers
  • Export (Publish) the current status and style of the drawing to Google Earth (one click)
    • Raster and vector objects
  • Select the objects to be exported
  • Option to export also the data of the objects and choose it from what Table and Fields
  • Option to treat the closed polylines as polygons
  • Options to export the Handle, the Layer and the Elevation of the objects
  • Options to export the Name and the Attributes of the Block References as well as their Rotation and Scales
  • Options to export Text objects and their basic properties (Rotation and Height)
  • Options to export Hatch objects and their properties (Name, Angle, Scale, etc.)
  • Options to export the X/Y/Z coordinates, Length and Area of the objects
  • Automatic complex geometric operations
  • Support for AutoCAD AEC objects (Geometries and AutoCAD data only)
  • Filtering of incompatible objects
  • Option to open the exported file location directly
    
    
• Data sources
  • Manage your own shortcuts
  • Access to spatial data files (SHP, GPX, KML/KMZ, OSM, PBF, LAS/LAZ, CSV, TXT, ASC, XYZ, MIF/MID, TAB, E00, SQLite, SDF, GML, XML, JPF, PNG, TIF, etc.)
  • Manage your User Data Sources
  • Access to spatial database servers (SQL Server, PostGIS, etc.)
    • Views and Tables
  • Access to other connections (WFS, ODBC points or WKB - Excel, Access, dBase,...-, etc.)
  • See current available Data Providers

Notes:

- The access to spatial data servers and stores, the XDATA / Extended Entity Data (EED) and the Background Maps are available in the "Standard" and "Professional" editions only. The Data grid palette is available in the "Professional" edition only

- The complete Export capabilities are available in the "Professional" edition only, although "Export the current status of the drawing to Google Earth" is a function available in the "Standard" edition also

- The Tasks technology is available in the "Professional" edition only

- "MPolygons" are available for all compatible Autodesk products (even on basic AutoCAD) except for any v.2010 product

- You can optionally prevent the automatic activation of the "Geolocation" Tab in the AutoCAD Ribbon, because it may interfere with the functionality of the new Background Maps and other applications or AutoCAD functions (use SPMOPTIONS)

To get a first preview of the application, please watch this video:

IMPORT video updated on May 2018

• Importing Shapefiles (SHP)

To experiment the EXPORT capabilities (on the 'Professional' edition), please watch the following videos:

• Directly to Google Earth (KML) from your drawing
• Coordinates to Excel from your drawing
• Import a Shapefile and export it as 3D Google Earth
• OpenStreetMap data. Edit and export to Google Earth
• Import a Shapefile. Edit & export as Shapefile
• Export improvements

• Publish the drawing to Google Earth (on the 'Standard' and 'Professional' editions)

To know how to BATCH IMPORT works, please watch this video:

• ‘Import all’ from a folder

To take a look at the TASKS technology (on the 'Professional' edition), please watch this video:

• Tasks preview

To learn how is working the DIRECT DATA EDITION and how to MANAGE the DATA STRUCTURE (on the 'Standard' and 'Professional' editions), please watch the following videos:

• Direct Data Edition
• Managing the Data Structure
• Selecting objects by simple or compound queries

To know more about the attractive and useful dynamic BACKGROUND MAPS (on the 'Standard' and 'Professional' editions), please watch the following videos:

• Background Maps 1
• Background Maps 2
• Background Map Snapshots

To know how to LABEL the objects WHILE IMPORTING, please watch the following videos:

• Labeling objects
• Labels also for linear elements

To know how to Use the BLOCKS WHEN IMPORTING, please watch this video:

• 'Blocks' enhancements

FAQs

Here you will find all the technical information available on the implementation as well as tutorials, additional data, etc.

• How to Start?
• Licenses, activation, support, updates, purchasing options
• Current compatible AutoCAD applications
• Application Data Providers
• Interface, Wizards, Options, Configurations
• Data sources, Shortcuts, User Data Sources
• Spatial files
• Databases, Data stores
• Import processes, parameters, coordinate transformation, extended data, tasks
• Export processes, parameters, coordinate transformation, export to Google Earth, extended data ("Professional" edition only, except "Export to Google Earth" on "Standard" and "Professional" editions)
• Create or edit data tables, attach, detach or select objects ("Standard" and "Professional" editions only)
• Use dynamic Background image Maps, reference Maps ("Standard" and "Professional" editions only)
• Application Programming Interface (API) ("Professional" edition only)

• How to use the Spatial Manager Wiki? (Blog)

Links

Here you will find some useful links to other pages of Spatial Manager™ for AutoCAD

• Changelog
• Coordinate Systems objects list
• End User License Agreement
• Spatial Manager™ web