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Using Open Source FDO Providers

 
 
 

To make it easier to extend the capabilities of FDO Data Access Technology used within AutoCAD Map 3D, Autodesk has released FDO as an open source project under the Open Source Geospatial Foundation™ (OSGeo™).

This has enabled developers from all over the world to tap into powerful web mapping and geospatial data access technology and develop additional FDO data providers that work with AutoCAD Map 3D.

Often, developers make the providers they develop available for free. They can be integrated into AutoCAD Map 3D and then used to access additional data formats not included in the box.

Examples of Third Party and Open Source Providers Available Description
OGR Provider (supports vector formats such as ESRI Personal Database, GRASS, and SDTS). Open source, available on http://fdo.osgeo.org
GDAL Provider (supports raster formats such as NITF, Imagine, PCIDSK, and HDF). Open source, available on http://fdo.osgeo.org
SL-King Oracle Provider. Available on http://www.sl-king.com/fdooracle/fdooracle.html
Safe Software FME Provider for FDO. Available on http://www.safe.com/solutions/for-applications/autodesk/autodesk-autocad-map-3d/fme-fdo-provider/

Check http://fdo.osgeo.org periodically for additional providers.

If you are a developer, you can also create your own data providers. The open source version of FDO Data Access Technology and developer documentation is available on http://fdo.osgeo.org.

Note

FDO Providers from sources other than Autodesk are not supported or warrantied by Autodesk.

To download a third party or open source FDO Provider

To integrate a new FDO Provider into AutoCAD Map 3D

  1. Close AutoCAD Map 3D if it is running.
  2. In Windows Explorer, navigate to \AutoCAD Map 3D 2014\FDO\bin.
  3. Make a backup copy of providers.xml. Give the back up a new name such as providers_backup.xml.
  4. In WordPad, open \AutoCAD Map 3D 2014\FDO\bin\providers.xml.
    Note

    Do not use Notepad.

  5. Copy a section for an existing provider, for example the section OSGEO WMS, and paste it to a new location in the XML file.

    Be sure that you copy the entire section, from <Feature Provider> to </FeatureProvider>.

  6. Modify the following elements in the new section as needed:
    • Name – Name of your new provider.
    • Display Name – Name that will be displayed in the Data Connect window in AutoCAD Map 3D
    • Description – Description that will be displayed in the Data Connect window
    • IsManaged – False if the provider was developed using unmanaged code like C++; True if uses managed code.
    • Version – The DLL version number. The version number must match the version number of the DLLs.
    • FeatureDataObjectsVersion – FDO version number
    • LibraryPath - Path to the DLLs for the new provider
  7. Save and close providers.xml.
  8. Start AutoCAD Map 3D.
  9. In Display Manager, click DataConnect to Data.

    The provider you added should appear under Data Connections By Provider.

  10. In the Data Connect window, under Data Connections By Provider, select the new provider. For example, select “Add OGR Connection”.
  11. Enter the connection information.
    Note

    For the OGR provider, you need to enter the complete path to the geodatabase for Data Source.

  12. The ReadOnly field indicates whether you can edit the data. TRUE means the data is read-only. FALSE means it will be read / write.
  13. Click Login.
  14. Click Connect to bring the data into your map.

To develop a new FDO Provider

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