Glossary

Tabular data that describes the characteristics of a feature, for example, the number of lanes and pavement-type belonging to a road feature. See also external data, object data, property.

A layer in AutoCAD is a logical grouping of data. Layers are like transparent acetate overlays on a drawing. An AutoCAD layer differs from a map layer in Display Manager. A Display Manager layer references a feature source or a drawing source, contains styling and theming information, and optionally has a collection of scale ranges. See also layer, drawing layer, feature layer, or surface layer.

A zone of a specific radius created around a selected feature. Used to select features within a specific distance of another feature. In AutoCAD Map 3D, you can define buffers for drawing topologies and for features, but you define them differently.

Short for Coordinate Geometry. COGO inquiry commands extract geometric information from drawing objects such as lines, curves, closed polylines, and polygons. This information is useful if you want to verify the accuracy of your data, or send the data to the field. Inquiry commands are specific to drawing objects. They don’t work on features.

A line that connects points of the same elevation or value relative to a specified reference datum. The lines can help you determine the elevation at a specific location on a surface, help clarify and analyze the 3D surface terrain, and help with tasks such as navigation.

See global coordinate system.

AutoCAD Map 3D window where you can access a data store and add specific data to your map. Display the Data Connect window by clicking Data in Map Exploreror Display Manager (in the Task Pane).

Used by Data Connect to connect to geospatial data stores.

A collection of feature classes contained in a single data storage location. The data store contains feature classes defined within one or more schemas. Data stores can be files, such as an SDF file, or databases, such as an Oracle Spatial database.

In AutoCAD Map 3D, the feature-based grid where you can view and edit attributes of selected spatial features, perform searches, and work with selection sets.

Digital Elevation Model. A file that contains a representation of surface terrain. The surface is stored as a grid in which each cell can have any one of several different meanings, such as elevation, color, density, and so on.

To convert existing data from paper maps, aerial photos, or raster images into digital form by tracing the maps on a digitizer. Object locations are recorded as X,Y coordinates.

A tab in the Task Pane that handles the styling and theming of features in your map.

All the settings for a specific map, such as the data to include, the appearance of each layer, and the legend definition. A display map can include objects from attached drawings, raster images, and features stored in data stores, such as Oracle databases, SDF or SHP files, and ArcSDE. One map can include multiple display maps.

The process of overlaying a set of features or a raster image on a surface so that the features or the image reflect the underlying terrain.

A layer in Display Manager that contains drawing objects from a DWG file. See also AutoCAD layer, feature layer, layer, or surface layer.

The set of source drawings attached to a map.

In Autodesk Map, a drawing (DWG) file and also its associated information, such as attached drawing files, drawing-based feature classes, linked template data, and topologies. Compare with feature source.

In AutoCAD Map 3D, the mechanism that points to the folder where attached DWG files are stored.

Design Web Format. An Autodesk file format for sharing two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and spatially-enabled design data on the Web.

The attribute data linked to a map object but contained in a database or file outside the map file. See also object data, property.

Feature Data Objects. An Autodesk software standard and general purpose API for accessing features and geospatial data regardless of the underlying data store. See also feature class.

An abstraction of a natural or man-made real world object. A spatial feature has one or more geometric properties. For example, a road feature might be represented by a line, and a hydrant might be represented by a point. A non-spatial feature does not have geometry, but can be related to a spatial feature that does. For example, a road feature may contain a sidewalk feature that is defined as not containing any geometry. See also attribute data, FDO.

A schema element that describes a type of real-world object. It includes a class name and property definitions. Commonly used to refer to a set of features of a particular class, for example, the feature class "roads" or the feature class "hydrants." See also FDO, schema.

A layer in Display Manager containing features from a single feature class in a spatial data source. Feature layers are added to your map using Data Connect. See also AutoCAD layer, drawing layer, layer, or surface layer.

Any source of feature data that has been connected to a map. Compare with drawing source.

A specific category of information in a data file, such as Address or Diameter.

The representation of a spatial feature.

A computerized decision support system that integrates geographic data, attribute data, and other spatially referenced data. A GIS is used to capture, store, retrieve, analyze, and display spatial data.

A method that converts the earth’s spherical coordinates representing latitude and longitude into an AutoCAD Map 3D map Cartesian coordinate system, and accounts for the curvature of the earth’s surface with a projection. A coordinate system is usually defined by a projection, an ellipsoid definition, a datum definition, one or more standard parallels, and a central meridian.

A relationship that is established between attribute data and feature sources for the purposes of creating a new view of the data or for ad-hoc analysis.

Text placed on or near a map feature that describes or identifies it.

A resource that references a feature class or a drawing source that you add using Display Manager. The layer contains styling and theming information, and optionally a collection of scale ranges. See also AutoCAD layer, drawing layer, feature layer, or surface layer.

To make all or part of a disk file read-only so that it cannot be modified by other users on a network. Object locking applies to objects that are being edited by another user. File locking applies to entire files, for example when an AutoCAD user wants to open a file while the file is being edited in AutoCAD Map 3D.

A symbol such as And, Or, Not, =, >, >=, <, and <= used to define logical relationships.

A collection of layers displayed within a consistent coordinate system and extents. See also layer.

A collection of map tiles that you publish as separate pages. You can specify the layout and properties for your map book on the Map Book tab of the Task Pane.

The Task Pane tab where you manage your mapping resources.

A set of conditions that specify the selection of drawing objects from source drawings. These conditions can be based on the location or properties of an object or on data stored in the drawing or in a linked database table.

A polygon object. A polygon differs from a closed polyline in that it stores information about its inner and outer boundaries.

The attribute data attached to a drawing object and stored in the drawing file. Compare with external data.

A closed area that stores information about its inner and outer boundaries, and about other polygons nested in it or grouped with it. In a polygon topology, the polygon can be enclosed by any lines or arcs in the drawing. In addition, AutoCAD Map 3D supports a polygon object, sometimes called an mpolygon or mapping polygon.

A single attribute of a feature class. A feature class is described by one or more property definitions. For example, a Road feature class may have properties called Name, NumberLanes, or Location. See also attribute data, feature.

To generate output from a map.

A set of criteria for specifying the selection of objects or records. For example, a layer-based query can display only the objects on the layers that contain state and district boundaries.

Images containing individual dots (called pixels or cells) with color values, arranged in a rectangular, evenly spaced array. Aerial photographs and satellite images are examples of raster images used in mapping. Compare with vector.

In a raster image, the density of pixels-per-inch (PPI) or dots-per-inch (DPI).

Objects that were created or modified in the current drawing and are marked to be saved back to source drawings.

The ratio of the distance on a paper map to the distance on the ground. If a paper map has a scale of 1:100,000 (also represented as 1/100000), then a distance of 1 unit on the paper map corresponds to 100,000 units on the ground. On a digital map, scale represents the scale of the map from which the digital map was derived.

Levels at which a map display changes. You can define different style s at different scale thresholds. For example, turn on the display of road names only when the drawing scale factor is below 1:5000.

The metadata that provides a logical description of multiple feature classes and the relationships between them.

A previous version of the SDF file format that was the native file format for Autodesk MapGuide (the last release was Autodesk MapGuide 6.5). Each SDF 2 file generally contained one feature or type of data, for example points, lines, polygons, or text.

Spatial Data File. The current version of the SDF format that is the native format for the Autodesk MapGuide technology (Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise 2007 and MapGuide Open Source). Each SDF 3 file can contain multiple feature classes or types of data stored in tables with attributes and geometry.

An individual named object in a sheet set that can be published. A sheet references a layout.

A named collection of sheets and sheet subsets for publishing.

A named collection of sheets within a sheet set. An individual sheet can be a member of only a single subset.

A drawing file that defines a title block and a layout for use in sheets. A sheet template can be specified for sheet sets and sheet subsets.

A drawing file attached to another drawing. The set of all source drawings attached to a drawing is called the drawing set. Use a query to retrieve selected objects from multiple source drawings.

A generic term used to reference the mathematical concept of n-dimensional data.

Information about the location and shape of geographic features, and the relationships between those features.

A database containing information indexed by location.

Settings that specify how to display the objects in a Display Manager layer. For example, you can style color, linetype, linewidth, and scale.

A layer in Display Manager containing features from a raster image that contains elevation information. Surface layers are added to your map using Data Connect. See also See also AutoCAD layer, drawing layer, feature layer.

A set of data arranged in records (rows) and fields (columns). When a table is displayed in a grid, records are displayed in horizontal rows and fields are displayed in vertical columns. Each field value in the table is displayed in a cell.

AutoCAD Map 3D window that displays information about the current drawing. The Task Pane contains three tabs: Map Explorer, Display Manager, and Map Book. The Map Explorer tab lists attached source drawings, databases, queries, and link templates. The Display Manager tab controls display layers and their style s. The Map Book tab displays the map books available for publishing, and lets you create new map books. You can resize the Task Pane and place it where you want.

A style that varies the appearance of an element in a layer based on the value of a specific property. For example, instead of coloring lakes blue, you could vary the shade of blue based on the depth of the lake. Instead of choosing one line width for all roads, you could vary the line width based on number of lanes.

A mathematical calculation of an object with precise direction and length. Vector data is stored as X,Y coordinates that form points, lines, and areas. Compare with raster.

A view of model space from a layout.

Contains the commands and tools for specific tasks. The Map 3D For Geospatial workspace is tailored for working with spatial features while Map 3D For Drawings is optimized for working with drawing objects.

To change your workspace, click View menu Menu/Toolbar Layout. Click a workspace.

To change the display magnification so that it focuses on progressively smaller areas (when you zoom in) or larger areas (when you zoom out) of an image.

To magnify a drawing based on its extents so that the view shows the largest possible view of all spatial objects.