AutoCAD Map 3D is developed by the famous Autodesk Inc. It is a GIS and mapping program that lets user use large aerial maps, in conjunction with GIS data to develop designs for the infrastructure community. It is a product that bridges the gap between CAD and GIS. In particular, AutoCAD Map 3D provides users with powerful tools for infrastructure and land use planning. It can be useful for any fields but really meant for the high end mapping and/or land development specialists.
The real benefits of AutoCAD Map 3D is that it incorporates all the standard AutoCAD drafting tools so that users can not only generate planning maps but to annotate, dimension, and draft. Most engineers deem AutoCAD Map 3D is much easier than other GIS software in terms of data visualization, data cleaning, data conversion, data editing, and data management.
AutoCAD Map 3D provides full AutoCAD functionality along with a wide range of tools for creating and analyzing maps and most spatial data types. As with the other AutoCAD-based products, AutoCAD Map 3D uses the ribbon-based interface. In addition, it can be operated in both Windows and Mac OSX operating system. However, many GIS users criticize that AutoCAD Map 3D lacks many GIS functions and tools and is not really suited for GIS. In addition, symbology and labeling engine is not as robust as other GIS software. Furthermore, users need to invest time to get to know the user interface. In other words, there is a fairly high learning curve depending on user’s CAD and GIS skills. Last, the basic image import and editing tools in this software are great but users need to do most of the functions via AutoCAD Civil 3D or AutoCAD software.
AutoCAD Map 3D software provides access to GIS and mapping data to support planning, design, and data management. It provides a wide range of ways to convert from GIS feature s to CAD objects and vice versa. It is good at analyzing both geographic and project data and is definitely more interoperable compared to other GIS software. It has been used for geospatial data management and analysis, spatial modeling, and visualization.
The AutoCAD Map 3D platform provides many GIS functions for visualization, spatial analysis, and mapping. AutoCAD Map 3D also supports a number of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for customization and automation. These include Auto LISP, Visual LISP, VBA, .NET, and ObjectARX. There is also a large number of AutoCAD plugins available on the application store Autodesk Exchange Apps at:
http://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/en
Geographic information science, widely used in many domains including construction, electric and gas, land development, and roads and highways. Links to information about AutoCAD Map 3D’s products use in many domains is available from AutoCAD’s “Industry Solutions” page. http://www.autodesk.com/solutions
Commercial software, perpetual licensing (excluding upgrading). Academic and home use licensing is available. Free trial license is available. All products are not available as free applications and no applications are available as open source applications.
A listing of available products is provided at:
http://www.autodesk.com/products/all-autocad