ND GIS

Analysts CAD
Standards Version 1.0
February 2020

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Introduction
This is the version 1.0 for the CAD standards that should be followed according to the ND GIS Analysts.

This release of the Standard addresses the CAD and GIS requirements to facilitate the exchange and
sharing of information and data between systems.

These CAD Standards puts light on the common business needs that should be followed if you’re
working for ND GIS Analyst- Consulting firm. This release of the Standard continues to be focused
on the key components necessary for a Standard, such as

 Software POE
 File naming convention
 Spatial references / co-ordinate system
 Text styles
 Symbology
 Metadata
 Topology rules (clean-up standards)
 Quality assurance and control procedures
The primary goals behind this document are to increase the accuracy of the products, the decrease
the work cost and to make it more user friendly. For the given standards the Autodesk AutoCAD Map
3D 2019 is required/preferred.

[ CITATION the15 \l 1033 ]

Glossary of Terms
 GIS - GIS is a system of hardware and software used for storage, retrieval, mapping, and
analysis of geographic data.
 Metadata: Metadata is data about data. It typically includes information such as currency,
accuracy, extent, custodianship, and collection methodology.
 RDBMS: Relational Database Management System.
 User: A person producing drawings, maps, or spatial data subject to the ND GIS Analysts
CAD Standard
[ CITATION the15 \l 1033 ].
 Projected: A coordinate system defined on a two-dimensional surface. Unlike a geographic
coordinate system, a projected coordinate system has constant lengths, angles, and areas
across the two dimensions. This coordinate system type uses linear units, such as meters
and feet.

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 1. Software POE
The preferred software for this process is Autodesk AutoCAD Map 3D 2019.
Below are basic the system requirements that you need to check before downloading Autodesk
AutoCAD Map 3D 2019. [ CITATION Aut18 \l 1033 ]
System requirements for AutoCAD Map 3D 2019
 Microsoft® Windows® 7 SP1 with Update KB4019990 (64-bit only)
Operating  Microsoft Windows 8.1 with Update KB2919355 (64-bit only)
System
 Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update (64-bit only) (version 1607 or higher)

Basic: 2.5–2.9 GHz processor

Processor
Recommended: 3+ GHz processor
Memory 16 GB
Conventional Displays:
1920 x 1080 with True Color
Display
Resolution High Resolution & 4K Displays:
Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 supported on Windows 10, 64-bit systems (with capable
display card)
Basic: 1 GB GPU with 29 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant
Display Card
Recommended: 4 GB GPU with 106 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant
Disk Space 16.0 GB
Browser Google Chrome™
Deployment via Deployment Wizard.

The license server and all workstations that will run applications dependent on network
licensing must run TCP/IP protocol.

Either Microsoft® or Novell TCP/IP protocol stacks are acceptable. Primary login on
Network workstations may be Netware or Windows.

In addition to operating systems supported for the application, the license server will run on
the Windows Server® 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows 2008 R2 Server
editions.

Citrix® XenApp™ 7.6, Citrix® XenDesktop™ 7.6.

Pointing
MS-Mouse compliant
Device
.NET
.NET Framework Version 4.7
Framework

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 2. File naming convention
The file name should follow the pattern given below.

AAAB_DC_VE for example, LastNameFirstInitial_D1.dwg.

 AAA – Stands for the last name of the creator. The first letter of the last name should be Capital.
 B - Stands for the First Initial of the creator. The first initial should be capital in this format
 D - stands for the word ‘Deliverable’ where, D1 means Deliverable 1
 C - Stands for the number of the Deliverable i.e. 1,2,3,4 etc. The number can change according
to the number of the deliverable. This number helps both creator and user to understand which
deliverable it is. Also, due to less use of letters this makes it easier to spot the files according to
its deliverable number.
 VE – V is used as an abbreviation for the word version where in the letter E stands for the
Number of versions. The creator need not to put the version for the initial file that is created but
after the first creation the version number should be given after the deliverable number. E.g.
LastNameFirstInitial_D4_V2, here the V2 stands for the version 2.

The File name can contain maximum 30 characters and it should not contain any space in between the
characters. The user/creator can use the ‘_’ symbol instead of space while writing the file name. This will
make it easier for the client as well as the creator as there are less chances of error while finding the
files.

Naming convention for Layer is different than the file naming convention used for the files. The name of
any layer should start with its main name following with the procedure that has been done on that
layer. As shown in the Figure 1 simplified method we are retaining the information of the layer on
which we are running the procedure and the new layers are created. In this case we are naming these
new layers that starts with the actual name of that layer following with the word simplified.

Figure 1: Layer naming convention

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 3. Spatial references / co-ordinate system
The preferred co-ordinate system for the reports from the Niagara region should be NAD83 17N. The
creator should use the Projected co-ordinate system where the category of the coordinate system
should be Canada, Country and Grid.

Figure 2: Assigning coordinate system to the file

As shown in Figure 2 The status of should be Up to date. The code type should be selected Autodesk.
The Category is this case will be Canada, Country and Grid and for Unit we are not selecting any filters.
From the list of different co-ordinates system, you need to select the CSRS.UTM-17N i.e. NAD83 UTM
zone 17N if the file is from Niagara region. Wherein the coordinate system changes according to the
origin of the file. The creator needs to check the area of the file given and select the co-ordinate system
and the category for the same accordingly.

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 4. Text styles
The preferred text styles for these CAD Standards are as given below.

Text Name Font Size Annotative Paper Text Height Width Factor
Standard Aerial No 33.53 76.15
Text 2.5 mm Aerial Yes 2.5 mm 1
Text 5 mm Aerial Yes 5 mm 1
Text 7.5 mm Aerial Yes 7.5 mm 1

These are the preferable size for any CAD Drawing in this organization. The text styles for the numbers
should be standard.

5. Symbology
As per the CAD standards the symbols should be specific and accurate according to the spatial or
geospatial object. For Features like Land Contours, Roads, Rivers/water bodies, Railway routes one can
use the lines. To show the difference between different water bodies or the different types of road one
can use different colors as well as line thickness. For construction sites such as roads or any other linear
object one can use the ACAD_ISO03W100 line type. If the creator is creating copy of the same layer,
then the color must be changed for the copy of that layer.

Different layer should contain different colors if possible. The building blocks or other such objects can
be shown by using the single points and the different symbols can also be used. The complete Drawing
should contain a border to define the boundaries of the map. It should be named AOI.

6. Metadata
Metadata data contains all the needed information about the CAD file. It helps the user as well as the
creator to understand more about the current progress as well the other important information about
the area of interest. Below are few important features that must be included in the metadata for any
CAD file.

- Identification Information:
- Citation:
- Citation Information:
Title: 
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: 
- Description:
Abstract: 
Purpose: 
- Status:
Progress: 
Maintenance and Update Frequency: 
- Spatial Domain:
- Bounding Coordinates: (if available)

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- Point of Contact:
- Contact Information:
- Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization
Contact Person: 
Contact Position: 
- Contact Address:
Address Type:
Address: 
City: 
State or Province: 
Postal Code:
Country: 
Contact Voice Telephone: 
Native Data Set Environment: 
7. Topology rules (clean-up standards)
There are various methods that are preferred by our organization to do the cleanup in the CAD file.
Follow the procedures in this section to understand more about the clean up that should be done in the
CAD files.

a) Break Crossing objects:

Figure 3: selection of the cleanup process

In options select interactive. And then move to the next step.

Figure 4: Step 2 of the clean up

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 Select Modify original object and in the next step click on finish. When you the errors keep the zoom
level as 5000 which will help you to see the errors and then fix all errors.

Same thing goes for the remaining processes. Please find the attached screen shots to understand more
about what options should be selected for the cleanup processes.

b) Extend undershoot

Figure 5: Extend Undershoot cleanup

In this cleanup you should select options as interactive. Tolerance should be 1 and select break target.

c) Delete Duplicates: In this process the tolerance should be set to 0. Select linear objects
and points and options should be interactive.

Figure 6: Delete Duplicates Clean up

d) Zero length Objects: Here you only select the options as interactive.
e) Dissolve pseudo nodes: Select Interactive option and do the rest process.

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 f) Simplifying Objects: The tolerance should be set as 0.1. The options must be Automatic.
Select Create Arcs. In this process user can select the files that should be cleaned. After
this select Retain original objects and create new objects. Name the new layer in create
on layer and then click on finish.

Figure 7: Simplified objects cleanup

These are the cleanup method that should be followed to perform the cleanup method on the CAD
drawing.

8. Quality assurance and control procedures

All the CAD files in this organization should go through the processes given in this document. The
naming conventions, symbology, texts, clean up methods should be followed as per the guidelines.
Creator should choose the coordinate system according to region they are working on. The metadata
should contain the things that are mentioned in the metadata section.

9. Findings and conclusions

CAD standards in a major thing that should be followed in the organizations. This helps the organizations
to keep their CAD files in a certain template which makes it easier to handle as well to edit the files. This
also helps the user/ client to find the things that they are looking for. Every organization should contains
their own CAD standards by taking their work and well their client circle into consideration.

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