Being Civil

Check your PHP

Autodesk Infrastructure Map Server (AIMS) has several components that have prerequisites, one of which is PHP. If PHP is not installed on the server, or if PHP is out-of-date, it can cause problems, sometimes as serious as not being able to log into your site!

So if you are having problems with AIMS, it's good to know how to find out which version of PHP your server is running. This is easy to find. Here is an example of how you might do it on your server:

1. In a text editor, start a new file and enter the following:
<?php
phpinfo();
?>

2. Save it as phpinfo.php in:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Autodesk Infrastructure Web Server Extension 2013\www\mapadmin

3. Now browse to:
http://localhost/mapserver2013/mapadmin/phpinfo.php



4. Check your php version against the System Requirements for AIMS. For AIMS 2013, you can find them in the installation media folder here:
en-US/Help/files/AIMS-sys-reqs.htm


The System Requirements for AIMS 2013 specify PHP 5.3.8. Is this the same PHP as you are running?

How to identify a 4th generation MrSID®

While we await support for the 4th generation MrSID® file format in AutoCAD, how can you know if your MrSID® image is a 4th generation or not? Because all generations have the .sid extension, the file extension won't tell you. Here's one way you can find out:

1. Launch the program GeoViewer (a free download from www.lizardtech.com).
2. Go to File > Add Layer > Local Layer to bring in the image.
3. Once the image appears, go to Layer > View Layer Metadata.
4. Look under "Image properties". In the value for Format, a generation 4 MrSID will show MRSID/MG4RASTER.
Other generations will show other formats (e.g. MG2 if it's a MrSID generation 2).

You can also use GeoViewer to Export to TIFF (Tools menu). The file size will grow a bit, but it won't crash AutoCAD! :)

Developing on an Autodesk Infrastructure product?

If you are developing a product or tool that will work on an Autodesk Infrastructure product, be sure to check out http://adndevblog.typepad.com/infrastructure/ - the Autodesk Developer Network Infraststructure experts have tons of great content there!  Just on the fiirst page I see tips for Map 3D, Civil 3D, and Map Server.

 

For even more infrastructure goodness, be sure to also visit our Geospatial Evangilist's blog: http://geospatial.blogs.com/

Creating a WMS service in AIMS 2013

Here are the basic steps for creating a WMS service in AIMS 2013. It’s pretty straightforward, but I’ve gotten hung up on some of the details before, so I’m including enough detail to overcome the most common obstacles.

1. In Studio, create a Data Connection to any supported Data Source, then create a Layer and Map based on this resource.

2. While the Map Editor for your project is open, click the little globe icon to start the WMS wizard:

3. The WMS Wizard has three steps: Select Layers, Set Reference Systems, and Define Properties. This should all be pretty self explanatory (and foolproof), so feel free to choose the desired settings and click Finish on the last step.

4. Back in Studio, go to Tools > Site Administrator, and login to your Site Administrator.

5. Click Configure WMS. If you’re running AIMS on IIS, you’ll definitely want to change the server name from “localhost” to the actual server name or IP address. While you’re in there, take note of your Script name; this is the rest of your string (after the server name) that you’ll use for pulling in a WMS layer.  Your complete WMS URL will be something like http://{ server name or IP address}/mapserver2013/mapagent/mapagent.fcgi?


6. You might need to also click Manage Users and set a new password WMS User.

7. You might need to restart the Infrastructure Map Server 2013 service on your server.

Now connect to it in AutoCAD Map 3D or Civil 3D (or another program), and enjoy!

Coordinate System Resources

Coordinate systems can be pretty confusing, and there are a lot of options.  Luckily, when everything is configured right, your transforms just happen in the background like magic.  For those occasions when things aren't showing up where you expect them, here are a few good resources to look to:

• The help on Autodesk.com
• The Map 3D and Civil 3D forums (search before you post!)
• Spatial Reference (external site)
• This excellent explanatory article (external site)
• Wikipedia for a basic overview and good links (external site)
• A site with a fairly easy to read transform listing (external site)
• The EPSG guides have much of the source material.  Number 7 part 2 may be the most useful.(external site)

Have fun!

IPv6 and WMS proxy New Features in Map 3D and Map Server

The tile might be a little dry, but it's good stuff!

Map Server 2013 supports IPv6 for the first time.  At the time of install, you now have IPv4 and IPv6 options, which will be useful as IPv6 is enabled on Server 2008 by default:

 

As for WMS, proxy options are built in to Map 3D! No more need for this TS, instead, it's all in the box.

Map Server 2013 New Feature: Enhanced Redlining

There's now a new way to do redlining in Map Server 2013 in your browser, and it includes saving your work, working with multiple layers, and control over the appearance.

Just click the Redline button, and you're on the way!

Just two notes: be sure to get your styles just right before adding the layer to the map - they aren't editable from the browser.  And, in order to save the redline layer, you have to "Remove from Map" in the lower pane.  That will move it to the upper pane, where you can then Download, which saves an SDF locally.

 Have fun with it!

New Feature! Performance monitoring in Map Server 2013

Map Server 2013 (AKA AIMS), now has a built in performance monitoring tool! And it's really simple to use and act on:

In the Site Administrator, click on Performance Monitor: