VBA enabler slows down AutoCAD

Here is one example for the known issue that VBA enabler slows down AutoCAD.

If you insert a block using _insert it will be quick (in our case 3-4 secs) for a larger drawing inserted. When inserted via command line without dialog box (for example: _-insert "C:/temp/ow.dwg") ist takes more then 30sec.

It happens with Map 2013 SP2, 64bit. Apparently this performance issue has been fixed and doesn't occur anymore in newer releases. Shame that it took me quite a long time to figure out, that VBA was the culprit.

Map 2013, SP2

FME - Oracle Spatial to SDF

I just discovered an issue when converting Oracle Spatial data to SDF with FME. 

FME translates Oracle's NUMBER(1,0) to DECIMAL(1,0). In Oracle the column contains the following values: 0, 1, <null>. FME translates  value "1" as "-1e+031". One needs to change the data type in SDF file from DECIMAL to INT to avoid this issue.

FME 2014 SP4, 64bit

SDF file - column data type 

...value '1'' translated to -1e+031.

AutoCAD Map - swiss reference frame LV95

The reference frame in Switzerland is changing. For all Map users in Switzerland this information provided by Autodesk Support might be of interest. It concerns the Map internal coordinate systems library and transformation algorithm between those systems with regards to LV03 / LV95:

"Map 3D Geodätische Transformation von Datum CH1903 nach CH1903+ (LV03 nach LV95) benutzt NTv2 grid File mit gitterbasierter Interpolation. Es wird keine strenge Transformation mit dem FINELTRA Algorithmus angewendet. Die Genauigkeit bei gitterbasierte Interpolation ist reduziert und ist bei entsprechender Anwendung zu berücksichtigen. Ich nehme an das in der amtlichen Vermessung NTv2 nicht genügt und daher zwingend FINELTRA Algorithmus genommen werden muss."


Map 2013, SP2

Convert Map/FDO lines to ACAD lines

There are situations when you have Map /FDO features but want to use an AutoCAD function, such as dimensions. With Map Industry Models you can apply dimensions on IM features but it is less comprehensive than AutoCAD dimensions. So I wrote - on request - a little tool to convert Map /FDO lines to ACAD polylines "on the fly".

Today another use case for this came up. Sometimes lines from one IM feature source (such as road axis) need to be "copied" to a second feature class (such as cycle paths).  There is no "copy" for IM / Map / FDO geometries in Map. Now the workflow is:
- convert Map / FDO lines to polylines in your drawing ("on the fly")
- create new IM feature and use polyline as geometry input

Map 2013, SP2