How to Add the AutoCAD Menu to AutoCAD Map 3D

AutoCAD Map 3D is built on AutoCAD technology. This powerful combination gives you access to robust AutoCAD design tools for accurately and efficiently creating and maintaining CAD drawings, as well as, geospatial data. However, if you are an AutoCAD user wanting to use AutoCAD Map 3D to access the familiar AutoCAD specific menu commands, toolbars and ribbons, you may be scratching your head trying to find them.

Well, the key is to use workspaces. In AutoCAD and AutoCAD Map 3D, your work environment includes menus, toolbars, ribbons and how they are arranged. Your work environment is saved in a workspace. You can configure a workspace to look and function the way you want and create different workspaces for various tasks. For example, you can setup one workspace for using AutoCAD Map 3D commands and another workspace for using AutoCAD commands.

Here’s how to add the AutoCAD 2010 workspaces to AutoCAD Map 3D 2010.

1. Enter CUI at the command prompt to reveal the Customize User interface dialog.
2. In the Customize User Interface dialog box, click on the Transfer tab.
3. On the Transfer tab, under Customizations in New CUI File, click the Open customization file icon.
4. Navigate to the folder containing the file named acad.cuix. For example, in Windows XP the folder is:

C:\Documents and Settings\\application data\autodesk\autocad map 3d 2010\r18.0\enu\support\

5. Select the file named acad.cuix.
6. Expand Workspaces in both the left and right panes
7. Drag the AutoCAD workspaces from the right pane onto the AutoCAD Map 3D Workspaces in the left pane.
8. Click the save icon to save your changes.
9. Click Apply.
10. Click OK.

Click here for a brief video demonstration of the steps outlined above.

Webcast: Resolving the Municipal and Utility As-built Backlog

Last month, I had the privilege of delivering a webcast entitled “Resolving the Municipal and Utility As-Built Backlog”. The webcast was hosted by IMAGINiT Technologies and was aimed at local, state/provincial and federal governments; utilities; public works and infrastructure management professionals; as well as, engineering, CAD and GIS professionals.

Note that I have blogged about the as-built problem previously and this webcast served to expand on the topic. However, the webcast also confirmed that as-built backlogs remain an issue for many organizations. In fact, 69% of webcast participants indicated that they continue to have an as-built problem.

Furthermore, over 50% of participants indicated that the as-built backlog was a reason for concern and more than 10% indicated that their as-built backlog was unmanageable.

The webcast continued with a description of a typical as-built workflow and a discussion of the three main causes of the as-built backlog. A strategy for resolving the as-built backlog and improving data currency was presented and demonstrations were used to highlight resulting benefits.

If your as-built drawings are months or years out-of-date and you’re looking for ways of improving the currency of your infrastructure databases, please check out the archived webcast here.