Importing DXF exported from Wetland & Stakeout into ArcGIS

“I am having some trouble exporting usable mapping data collected with the Wetland Stakeout App. I have several points, a line, and a polygon that mapped accurately in the field using a sub-foot GNSS receiver Bluetooth connected to my IPAD running Wetland Stakeout. I know the points mapped accurately because before going to the field I loaded the air photo of the site into the APP and all the data looked very accurate while collecting. In addition, I can use the Feature Properties to view the lat/long of each feature and those are as expected. Back in the office I opened the JOB file on my IPAD and exported the data DXF and then emailed the exported DXF to myself to view in mapping software (ArcGIS). When I open the files they have no set coordinate system and fall in on the wrong part of the globe. I have tried defining their projection using ArcGIS and that fails. The Attribute Tables associated with the exported DXF point, line, and polygon files have no location data associated with them. — (1) Am I missing a simple step that allows me to establish a projection/coordination system that carries through the export? (2) Is there a way to export the collected mapped features as KML, GPX, SHP or some other routinely used mapping file? Thanks again, in advance for answering my questions. You folks have been great with your responsiveness to support questions.”

1) The DXF format does not store coordinate system information. Therefore, in the software that you use for viewing the data, you want to select the coordinate system in which the data was saved in order to have it interpret the coordinate values correctly.

Wetland & Stakeout stores coordinates in the WGS84 LLA (Latitude-Longitude-Altitude) system. Please select this system in ArcGIS then open the DXF files created by Wetland & Stakeout.

Also, if the distance unit in Wetland & Stakeout is set to FEET (US Survey Feet), then please select the same unit in ArcGIS.

The user replied: “That worked for me. I just set ArcGIS in WGS1984 with Lat/Long and the exported DXF files dropped in exactly as I thought they would. Thanks again!”

2) The current version of the Wetland & Stakeout app only exports Feature data to DXF. Some users also have our PC-GIS 09 software, and they are able to open the .pmp job file or import the .DXF file into PC-GIS 09 then export in various formats, including Shapefiles, KML, GPX and text files. By the way, Wetland & Stakeout does not provide the ability to load a geo-referenced background map (like Forester GPS GIS II/III, Farming GPS GIS II/III and iCMTGIS II/III/PRO do). The user was most likely using the built-in Apple Map for background reference.

How do I get my Feature map from iPad or iPhone onto Google Earth?

“I am wondering if I could get a refresher on how to get my map from the app on the ipad onto Google earth. . . . I have synced the ipad to the pc and gone into the list of apps for the iPad, located the icon for iCMTGIS II, but there is no document in the list that matches what I created today.”

Yes, the first step is to copy the .pmp job file to your PC-GIS folder. Many of our apps (such as iCMTGIS II, iGPSGIS II, Stakeout iCMT, Farmng GPS GIS, Forester GPS GIS, Utility Data Collection, Area – Distance, etc.) can save data in .pmp format.

Is the job open in iCMTGIS II? If so, select “Main Menu – Job – Save” to save the data. Then use “Main Menu – Job – Open” to open a different job or create a new job file. This will close the job you wish to transfer to the PC.

Now, you should see the job file that you have created today listed on the iTunes screen. Select that job file then click on the Save To button to save the job file to the C:\PCGIS9 folder.

Then you can open that job in PC-GIS and see the Features. In PC-GIS, click on the pull-down arrow for the Data Source Box and select Google Earth File(*.kml). Then select File/Export and give a name to the kml file. If you wish to also export the Attributes for the Features, then mark the “With Attribute” checkbox.
If your Feature data was not obtained from GPS mapping but was just digitized at 0 elevation, mark the “Clamp to ground” option so your Features will not be buried under the Google Earth map.

If you have the “Launch google Earth” option marked in the kml export screen, then when you click the OK button, Google Earth will run and zoom to your Features. When you click on a Feature, any exported Attributes will pop up on the screen for you to see.

Borders of an Area exported to Google Earth

“I have been able to export field outlines from PC-GIS PRO to Google Earth as a .kml file. I am having trouble when I zoom in on a map, with my boarder outlines disappearing.  I have tried making them thicker in PC-GIS PRO, but that doesn’t seem to make a difference on Google. Do you have any ideas?”

You can change the thickness of the outlines in Google Earth.

In Google Earth, select your Area Feature Topic and click the + sign by it.

Right-click on the specific Area Feature and select Properties.

Use the “Style, Color” tab to change the Lines and Areas properties as desired.

See also: “How do I get my Feature map from iPad or iPhone onto Google Earth?”