TheoLt Release 10 is GO!

Watch this space for full details of the updates, the improvements and how-to’s !

Existing users should contact us now for update details.

TheoLt, TheoLt Contour and TheoLt Tools now improve the productivity of BricsCAD to V17 and AutoCAD to Release 2017 for anyone using Total Station, Laser Distance Meters or Laser Scan Data for the productions of plans or elevations.

TheoLt R9.0

We are pleased to announce the launch of TheoLt Release 9.0

For this release our core aim has been to Streamline the Product Structure, User Interface and Settings. This is a release that has been a very long time coming but is one in which we are very proud and we believe offers a base to develop the survey tools much further than before.

A brief outline of the update follows with each module to be further detailed in posts over the coming days.

Core (Comm’s module) Updates:

  • Vastly improved User Interface with “Orientation Wizard”.
  • Pro: Un-occupied stations may now adjusted in Network via “data-augmentation”.
  • Increased instrument library matching the latest offerings.
  • Consistent Settings across ALL modules (Core, ARX’s, Contour & Office).
R9.0 Screenshot - Control.

R9.0 Screenshot - Control.

CAD Tools (ARX) Updates:

  • Support for BricsCAD V10 to V15 (including 32 and 64 bit where appropriate).
  • Support for AutoCAD 2007 to 2014 (including 32 and 64 bit where appropriate) .
  • New streamlined and consistent command set.
  • Vastly Improved features library with far more power and customisation than before.
  • theoDoor and theoDoorAlt commands allow 2 types of doors to be configured and access from the toolbars.
  • New improved Icons.
  • Improved Menus and menu loading (with Arx auto-load).
  • Consistent Settings across ALL modules (Core, ARX’s, Contour & Office)
    TheoLt Settings & Toolbars

    TheoLt Settings & Toolbars

Contour Updates:

  • Contour now included in all versions.
  • Contour settings and mesh now persist through save and loading of drawing file.
  • Multiple mesh (TIN’s) per drawing now instead of just the one.
  • New improved Icons.
  • Consistent Settings across ALL modules (Core, ARX’s, Contour & Office).
TheoLt Contour Toolbar

TheoLt Contour Toolbar

Office Updates :

  • Added, import of “level” files (gridded heights such as Nextmap).
  • “Non-Pro” version with no Network Adjustment serving as a Survey Data translator for CAD
  • Apply default coding to all points in a text data file.
  • Network adjustment updated to match Core.
  • Calculate Mesh and contour lines from points marked as “contour points” (via code list).
  • Export Mesh and contours to CAD (faster workflow).
  • More consistent zoom and pan.
  • Consistent Settings across ALL modules (Core, ARX’s, Contour & Office).
TheoLt / Office GSI File view

TheoLt / Office GSI File view

If you have any questions or would like to discuss these updates, please do not hesitate to contact us: sales@theolt.com .

VirtuSurv Webinar

Webinar introducing functionality of kubit VirtuSurv, high resolution scan data in a simple to use, virtual surveying environment. Connect to any CAD interface including AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT and IntelliCAD. Connect to any Windows based program (Excel, Word and more). Make use of 3D laser scan data without the need for a high level of technical skill. Perform traditional survey from your office.

Ortho Image from PointCloud’s

Following on from our previous post announcing PointCloud Release 7, here is a video showing one of the new (and probably most useful) functions.

Then ortho image is easily created from a laser scanned point cloud in AutoCAD. The image is to scale and can be imported to any program that handles raster images. Draw easy elevations, great for printing or annotating for a deliverable. Contact us for more information.

PhoToPlan 7 is now available

We are pleased to announce that the latest version of kubit’s PhoToPlan software for AutoCAD is now available for download.

The new features include:

  • Support of AutoCAD 2012 and Autodesk products based on AutoCAD 2012.
  • New higher level product “PhoToPlan Ultimate”.
  • Generation of Ortho Photos from orientated images. Included in the “Ultimate” variant only.
  • Fit cylinder with just a few clicks in two orientated images. no need for marked points on the cylinder . Included in the “Pro” and “Ultimate” variants.
  • “Flatten drawing“ – project geometry to a UCS. For delivering 2D drawings from 3D wireframe.
  • “Unwrap Cylinder” – from at least one orientated image and points on the cylinder PhoToPlan will create a flat image of the surface of the cylinder. Included in the “Ultimate” variant only.


    

  • Create UCS from the “Dual image Draw” commands. Once defined, facades may be digitised using only a single image and with fast commands for switching between parallel planes using images only, digitising of elevations has been significantly  speeded up.
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  • Improvements to the image orientation workflow. Controlling the viewports and view is vital for fast modelling. Release 7 eases this with a number of new commands.
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  • Support for “Ribbons” in AutoCAD 2010 to 2012: an alternative for the classic menu and toolbars (actually takes less space than showing all toolbars)
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PhoToPlan Release 7 supports All 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Windows 7, Vista and XP (Windows 2000 is no longer supported).


Each of these new features will be examined in forthcoming posts.


Release 7 is provided free of charge to existing users on subscription but please remember to request your upgraded license before installation.


A free of charge trial may be downloaded here.

                

                
            

                                

                

                    
Multiple Slices and Polygon Fitting in PointCloud Pro

                

                

                	
Kubit USA have been producing YouTube Videos showing many of the powerful features of PointCloud Pro for AutoCAD.


In this movie we automatically extract profile lines from a laser scanned tunnel using kubit PointCloud Pro for AutoCAD. Multiple slices are taken along a defined path and lines are fitted to the profile slices with the kubit “Polygon Fit” tool. These profiles can also be used easily to create a model using traditional AutoCAD modelling commands:



 

                

                
            

                                

                

                    
PointCloud 7 is now available

                

                

                	
We are pleased to announce that the latest version of kubit’s PointCloud software for AutoCAD is now available for download.


The new features include:


    

  • Support of AutoCAD 2012 and Autodesk products based on AutoCAD 2012.
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  • New product family “PointSense”. The first of this new family will be released in the UK in July. “PointSense Plant” is a catalog driven plant modelling tool that identifies pipe fittings from a catalog and matches them to the cloud.
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  • Generation of Ortho Images from point clouds including “X-Ray”. Included in the “Basic” and “Pro” variants images may be created which could enable off-line tracing of detail to create 2D drawings.
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  • Fit cylinder with just two clicks (AutoCAD 2010 and higher). A faster and easier method to fitting pipes than previous releases.
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  • “Flatten drawing“ – project geometry to a UCS. For delivering 2D drawings from 3D wireframe.
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  • “SmartSection” for detailed display of AutoCAD point clouds (PCG). One of the disadvantages of the PCG engine in AutoCAD is the density of the point display. Smart sections enable the current working section of the cloud to be displayed in it’s full density.
    • 





    

  • Improvements to the image orientation workflow. Controlling the viewports and view is vital for fast modelling. Release 7 eases this with a number of new commands.
    • 





    

  • Support for “Ribbons” in AutoCAD 2010 to 2012: an alternative for the classic menu and toolbars (actually takes less space than showing all toolbars)
    • 





PointCloud Release 7 supports All 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Windows 7, Vista and XP (Windows 2000 is no longer supported).


Each of these new features will be examined in forthcoming posts.


Release 7 is provided free of charge to existing users on subscription but please remember to request your upgraded license before installation.

                

                
            

                                

                

                    
Elevation Views in AutoCAD

                

                

                	
One of the most frequently asked questions by TheoLt users is:


‘How do I get an elevation view of the building I’m measuring?’


TheoLt sends 3D data to AutoCAD which is plotted in the lines and layers of your choice. It is useful to be able to vew the drawing as a façade. One method to achieve this is to use AutoCAD’s UCS (User Co-ordinate System) command to set up a façade UCS and view it square on. The 2 key commands are ‘UCS’ and ‘PLAN’. This example is a job started in WCS:


1. Place a polyline across the plan by snapping to the ends of a measured line (because this will guarantee the UCS will be true level) It’s the red line across the facade here:




2. Fix a UCS to the polyline. Use the UCS ‘e’ option (for ‘entity’ or ‘ob’ for object in late versions) to pick the polyline when prompted. Use ‘Plan’ to get a plan view of the new UCS.


3. Rotate the UCS about the required axis by 90 deg to point the Z axis at the viewer of the façade. This is done by entering ‘UCS’ on the command line and then the axis of roatation (x, y or z) then the angle, the default is 90deg. Watch the UCS icon to see what is happening.


4. Use ‘plan’ to get a plan view of the new UCS


5. (optional) Use UCSICON command to set ‘Noorigin’ to get the icon out of the way..


6.Save the UCSwith an apropriate name (‘Front’ ‘Back’ North ‘Elavation’ etc)  with the ‘S’ option at the UCS command for future use.


Enjoy your facade view!


TheoLt will plot lines true to the instrument orientation in AutoCAD regardless of the UCS. View-ports in model space can be used to run plan and elevation drawings at the same time. The façade UCS is also useful when setting up views of the 3D data for elevation drawings.


You can also use the AutoCAD ‘View’ command to save views too as a short cut to getting back to a view you like. Once the façade view is as desired it can be named for future use.


Tip: I find it helps to use your hand in the same way as we did to learn Flemmings Left hand rule (assuming you have your mouse in your right hand!)  in physics at school to work out the required axis of rotation at 3:




This is a useful method of setting up a facade UCS if your job isn’t aligned to the WCS : don’t forget TheoLt’s Default Orienation option to orient aligned with a plane which is great for quick starts aligned to a facade.