Desk Top Land Surveying Programs

Carlson seems to be doing everything I need to do and then some.

Carlson. I demo'd TPC and Civil 3D but I prefer Carlson.

Carlson Survey w/embedded AutoCAD hands down!! The intellicad version is even a fair choice, especially when cost is a leading factor. Either one is MUCH cheaper than Civil3D and has everything a survey firm needs. When properly configured and set up, Carlson is an extremely powerful tool.

To which industries do you provide your services? If you are in mining/heavy civil, Carlson is a very solid choice.

Microstations Powersurvey V8i
works great for me
have no problems working in dwg mode and file exchanges are pretty easy.

The company my son, a CE, works for uses autocad civil 3D - hates it. Slow, crashes, older simple to use commands either gone or harder to use.

Thanks for the info. What does the MicroStation PowerSurvey cost?

$1495 a few years ago, probably still the same.

SHG

I suggest you consider Carlson; run away as fast as you can from AutoDesk Civil 3D. Civil 3D is the most over complicated piece of software I have ever had the mispleasure to work with. It is immensely powerful and likely capable to do more than the average professional ever could want to do, HOWEVER the technical gurus must have thought it would be funny to make you go thru ten steps for simple processes that used to take one or two steps in previous softawre packages.

I used Carlson's software many years ago and found it to be very user freindly and very well supported by Carlson's team.

Just my 2 cents ...........

Scott

Carlson is the way to go. I love the version with embedded ACAD. I was not a fan of the ICAD version, but that was 2009. I've read that it's come a long way since then.

I'd probably give the ICAD version a try, though, since it's half the price.

OK, we have given recommendations, now's the time for the "real world" data. Which of your 3 choices, if any, do you already know how to run? Which of the 3 choices, if any, do your client's prefer?
IF you already know how to use one of the pacs, stick with it, because you know that training funds may not be available. (BUT, you must reprioritise that and MAKE those funds available. It will pay you back quicker than ANY other money you spend.)
A super-duper software package that you do not know how to run is totally worthless.
That being said, understand that I had to make exactly the same decision 3 years ago. I have been an AutoCAD user since 1988. I LOVED my LDD!! I fought stongly AGAINST switching to Carlson initially because I did not know or understand it. Then I got smart and went through a Carlson College training session in Front Royal, Virginia and learned how wrong I was. I then went back and talked my boss into switching ALL of our AutoCAD seats to Carlson and using Carlson Field in our data collectors. You would not believe the savings in software costs or the massive increase in productivity in the field and in the office.
My sincere advice? Contact a Carlson College member about purchasing the software you need and perhaps a training/support package. (There are indeed local vendors, but I have yet to meet one that could answer my specific questions on the spot. They all could call Carlson Tech Support and get an answer, but I can do that too.) A Carlson College member can show you techniques that the average VAR has never heard of. Be sure to get sales and service whenever you spend this kind of money and/or whenever you are going to hang your reputation on the line via proper use of the software.

> ...Civil 3D is the most over complicated piece of software I have ever had the mispleasure to work with....

C3d is an engineering program with some survey functions hung on it. If you are primarily working with engineers who are using it then it may be worth investing the money to buy it and time to learn it.

Same goes for Microstation/Inroads.

I work in a Civil Engineering office and we run C3d with no problems. There may be easier for the surveyor programs out there but we have found working with the Engineers C3d does everything we need until we upgrade again next year. :'(

Yeah, a lot of CE shops and surveyors stick with LDD/C3D because they're afraid to change.

Surveyors, at least, should take the plunge, and go with Carlson. It's so much better, and a lot cheaper.