Hello All, I am a new here. I looked for the answer on the forum and YouTube but I could not find it or I just didn’t know what to look for exactly. I’m a general contractor so my experience is limited here. I do all of my drafting in AutoCAD so I don’t use any specific coordinate system. All I am trying to do is some basic layout from AutoCAD. In this specific project I have an as-built of a home and I want to layout new pool with patio and plantings that I have drawn in AutoCAD. How would I go about setting something like this up in Emlid Flow 360? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Import your cad file dxf into Emlid flow, then use the localization feature to move the project in place. It’s really easy when done a couple of times
Thank you David, but I am still having trouble. I imported the DXF file but then what? The documentation doesn’t help much. I shot two known points and tried to add the pair but it wouldn’t let me. What’s controlled and what’s measured? Either one wouldn’t let me save the point
Control point is a point on your dxf
Measured is a point that you collected with the receiver
So if you could make 2 or 3 points on your dxf like building corners and then when you localize and collect those corners you appoint these collected points to the control points
Just a quick tip to make it work better. Make sure your drawing is in the right direction on Autocad. When you import and you go to stake out points your north, south, east and west will not align. I have to rotate my drawing a couple of times to get it right. Unless Autocad works different than what I use.
Would take make any difference if you localize the cad?
When you localize it turns to the the plane of your measured points
Problem is it won’t let me select the point on my DXF in Emlid Flow to add as a control point. When I go to add it as a pair it only shows me the measured points. I must be doing something wrong.
So I copied the coordinates from CAD and manually put them in Emlid Flow and that worked. Is that the only way to do it or is there another way?
In your cad you have to have that intersection as a point , flow does nor recognize just 2 lines intersecting as a point ……. yet……….. last time I checked
Thanks for your patience Dave. I created points on my CAD before I imported it and it still didn’t work for me, that was actually where I copied the coordinates from. This is what I did. I imported the DXF file→Shot the 2 measured points that corresponded with my 2 Control Points on the DXF/CAD→I clicked on the Tools→Clicked on Localization→Clicked on Add Pair→I added the first Measured Point→Then I tried adding the Control Point but the only thing that was on that screen were the Measured Points under Geometries→I clicked on +New Point to put in the coordinates. I would have expected to see the CAD Drawing to open and select the Control point that corresponded with measured point but that wasn’t the case.
It does turn the drawing whichever way it has to. Until I go and stake out a point and it’s telling me to go north, and it’s actually south, or vice versa.
Hi Joe,
Welcome to the community forum!
As @davehofer1993 suggested, localization is the tool you need for your case. I see that how it works has already been covered in the conversation. As an addition, I will share this video from one of our partners that demonstrates the process.
I would also like to add some information regarding DXF file imports. Currently, two options are available: DXF as a CAD drawing and DXF.
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The first option preserves the drawing’s geometry, colors, and annotations; however, it doesn’t create geometries from the drawing and is mainly used for stakeout or as a background.
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The second option will upload a DXF file as geometry to edit objects flexibly, use them in Inverse, Traverse, etc. With this option, the imported points from the drawing can be used as control points during localization. As a note, points represented as X or circles in the CAD files are not always interpreted as such by Emlid Flow, so we don’t recommend using those symbols in the CAD file you wish to import.
I created points on my CAD before I imported it and it still didn’t work for me, that was actually where I copied the coordinates from.
When you imported these points, did you add them as DXF as CAD drawing or a DXF? If you chose the second option, could you share the CAD file? I would like to have a look, as the points should be available to you. As an alternative, you can also import the points as CSV or a shapefile and use them for localization.
Hi Alexandra,
Thanks for the tip! I imported it as DXF as CAD drawing. I tried to upload it here for your use but I was not able to. If there is another way to get it to you please let me know.
I will try to import as a DXF today and see if the results are different.
My version of AutoCAD LT for Mac doesn’t seem to support CSV export capabilities which is why I manually wrote them down and put them in Emlid Flow. In regards to shapefiles I may try that if my surveyor can provide it for me. I am just a contractor trying to utilize the RX2 for layout so my experience with both CSV and shapefiles is very limited, as in none 
.
I just imported as DXF and the difference is very obvious. Thanks again!
Hi Joe,
You’re welcome!
Just to confirm, are you able to choose the points during localization? If not, feel free to send me the file through [email protected] I will take a look and let you know if there is anything worth noting.
Hi Alexandra, I will try it later today or tomorrow once it stops raining here. I will keep you posted.
Hi Alexandra, It worked perfectly. Thank you!
Is there a way to set elevations with the RS2 if I know the elevation of one or two of the Control Points? For example when digging a foundation for a home I would use it to find bottom of footing.
Hello Joe, it’s good to hear it worked!
You can get elevations during localization if you know all the Z values of the control points. Just make sure you enable both horizontal and vertical coordinates.
Then, you can obtain the distance from the rover to a point using stakeout by distance in Emlid Flow.