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ECW File Tip for Carlson GIS

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(@jimmy-cleveland)
Posts: 2812
Topic starter
 

This may be old news for some folks, but I am working on a project where I have to use *.ecw files as my background imagery. My Carlson Survey 2016 OEM does not support that format. I also have Carlson GIS 2017 with Intellicad.

Thanks to Lon Watson with Carlson, we figured out an issue I was having. I would use the Intellicad image command to insert the raster image into the drawing, and I would tell the software to use a positioning file ( an *.ers) file. We found out that an ECW file already has the positioning information in it, and if you also use the *.ers file, it will confuse the software, and insert the image in the wrong location. If we told the software to use the positioning file, but did NOT browse to the *.ers file, it reads the positioning information in the drawing, and the image falls right into the proper location.

I wanted let others know what we found out today, because it's caused me some grief, and a few hours of research and frustration that I could have been more productive with other things on this project as the deadline is looming.

 
Posted : May 10, 2017 12:53 pm
(@leegreen)
Posts: 2195
Customer
 

Carlson is weird in that you have to browse for both the image file and the world geofile. Software such as Global Mapper, MicroStation and Esri all assume the associated world file is named identical to the image minus the extension and it is in same folder. Odd how Carlson forces user to jump through an extra hoop.

 
Posted : May 10, 2017 1:12 pm
(@ladd-nelson)
Posts: 734
Registered
 

leegreen, post: 427688, member: 2332 wrote: Carlson is weird in that you have to browse for both the image file and the world geofile. Odd how Carlson forces user to jump through an extra hoop.

I don't believe this to be entirely accurate. For example, when using the Carlson "Place Image by World File" command:

This function allows you to insert Geo-Referenced TIF files into AutoCAD drawings. This process requires the presence of an accompanying TFW file. The TFW file contains information about the location and scaling of the actual raster image TIF file. This eliminates the guesswork in inserting, moving, and rotating raster images to the project area. You begin by selecting the TFW or JGW file to process. If the related TIF file is present in the same directory, the image will be inserted into the proper coordinates.

Prompts
Select World File: choose existing .TFW or .JGW file

Please note, however, that the IMAGEATTACH command offered by IntelliCAD does provide a "Use Positioning File" option. The Help statement states:

Choose to place the image automatically in the drawing using specifications located in a positioning file. Enter the TWF file associated with the image or click [...] to select it.

To my knowledge, the basic AutoCAD IMAGEATTACH command does not provide similar functionality.

 
Posted : May 10, 2017 2:19 pm
(@leegreen)
Posts: 2195
Customer
 

Ladd Nelson, post: 427700, member: 307 wrote: I don't believe this to be entirely accurate.

If I understand it correctly, both examples you have given require the end user to browse for the World File, then manually select it.

I have never had to browse for the World file in any software, except Carlson. Sounds as though I may have the wrong routine. Which Carlson routine should we use to insert a Geo-Referenced JPG or TIF ?

 
Posted : May 10, 2017 2:36 pm
(@jimmy-cleveland)
Posts: 2812
Topic starter
 

Based upon my experience with this particular image, manually selecting the "world file", that is what was causing the error.

 
Posted : May 10, 2017 4:06 pm