How to import data form FalconView

Recce

I need to import line data form FalconView. But it will only show the lines, no colours, no name etc.

I exported a test drawing from FalconView in all the possible formats. And uploaded it to “User Uploads”.

How to import this data keeping the colour configuration intact?

Any suggestions?

Recce

A shape file seems the easiest way to go.

When I use Notepad to open the “shape file.dbf” I see STAT_HELP and the comment I placed there. I always type the colour of the line here.

Is it possible to make Global Mapper read the “STAT_HELP Green” and change the line colour after this?

I am in deep water – Programming is not my strong side.

global_mapper

For some reason I have not been able to see your sample file in the Downloads section (I'm waiting on tech support on the forums for that). It sounds like Shapefile is the export format of choice, but unfortunately the Shapefile format does not have any standard way of representing drawing styles.

Global Mapper does look for some known attributes though in Shapefiles. See http://globalmapper.com/helpv9/GenericASCIIFormat_FieldOptions.doc for a list of supported field names and formats. For line color, you'll want to have an attribute named LINE_COLOR with the value being the RGB color of the line. For example, a color of green would be a value of 'RGB(0,255,0)'.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com

Recce

I also uploaded the zip file here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/74972906/Files_form_FalconView_4.01.zip.html

global_mapper

The Shapefile is the best option, but it looks like the DBF file is not written out properly. I cannot open it in either Excel or Global Mapper. The problem is that the field definition list at the beginning of the DBF file is missing the field terminator character (0x0D) at the end of the field definition list. Have you modified the DBF file by hand since FalconView generated it?

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com

Recce

To make sure we work on the correct files I uploaded a new one.

http://rapidshare.com/files/74979801/Shape_file_test_2.zip.html

If it has the same error try open the DBF file using Notepad.

global_mapper

That DBF file has the same error, so it looks like FalconView may be generating corrupt DBF files, which makes them pretty useless. In any case the attribution is not in a format that Global Mapper can currently use anyway to try and auto-determine some sort of styling information. Does FalconView support export to DXF or MapInfo MIF/MID, or some other format that might have some built-in styling support?

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com

Recce

I hope this information helps:

http://rapidshare.com/files/74982910/PFPS400-ShapeFilePreferences-ICD.doc.html

Recce

No I exported all the possible formats and included them in the zip file.

I uploaded the drawing file information. Can global mapper read the drawing format?

http://rapidshare.com/files/74984428/PFPS400-Drawing.zip.html

global_mapper

The Shapefile preferences document describes a format that FalconView uses when importing Shapefiles to provide style preferences for them. It doesn't help the Shapefiles exported from FalconView that don't have any attribution, other than a couple of fields in a broken DBF file.

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com

global_mapper

Global Mapper does not support loading the custom FalconView drawing format.

If there was some way to get FalconView to write out more style attribution to exported DBF files for Shapefiles, and also to correct their DBF export to be valid, then some changes could probably be made to Global Mapper to support that. Specifically if FalconView could right out an RGB color attribute for the lines that would be most helpful.

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com

Recce

Thanks Mike,

I will pass this on.

FalconView 4.1 is on its way. One of the new features is this:

XML Drawing Files
You can save drawing files in Extensible Markup Language (XML).

Is this a format supported by Global Mapper?

global_mapper

XML is pretty vague. Usually there is a specifying definition of an XML-based type that is used. Global Mapper already supports several XML-based data formats, like GPX, although I imagine that FalconView will probably come up with an entirely new one. We may be able to add support for that though when it is available.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com