UNESCO-NIGERIA TECHNICAL &

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
REVITALISATION PROJECT-PHASE II

NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN
CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

ELEMENTS OF GEOINFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201

YEAR 2- SE MESTER 2

PRACTICAL/

Version 1: December 2008

1
COURSE: ELEMENTS OF GEOINFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICALS

INDEX
WEEK ONE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
1.0 Setting up a Work Area

2.0 Specifying Units

WEEK TWO
3.0 Setting up Drawing limits
4.0 Layers management
a Arranging information with layers
b Creating and assigning layers
c Working in layers
d Controlling layer visibility
WEEK THREE
5.0 Finding the layer you want to work on
6.0 Assigning line types to layers
7.0 Drafting using coordinates
8.0 Obtaining coordinates of points
WEEK FOUR
9.0 Plotting points/polygons
10.0 Adding text to drawings
11.0 Understanding text formatting in AUTOCAD

WEEK FIVE
12.0 Adding colour
13.0 Adding special character

WEEK SIX
14.0 Adding single text objects

Breaking a line

Questions
WEEK SEVEN
15.0 Offsetting a line
16.0 Obtaining distances on a plan

17.0 Obtaining the area of a polygon

WEEK EIGHT
18.0 Area of an enclosed polygon

Notes on some toolbars

A Zoom window
B zoom previous

2
C zoom real time
19.0 Printing
Understanding the plotter settings
WEEK NINE
20.0 Plot setting
Saving plot settings

WEEK TEN
10.10 Use of total station

10.11 Getting total station ready for observation

WEEK ELEVEN
10.12 Measurement of angles

WEEK TWELVE
10.13 Horizontal angle repetition

WEEK THIRTEEN
10.14 Distance measurement
WEEK FOURTEEN
10.15 Coordinates measurement
10.16 WEEK FIFTEEN
Reading in registered coordinate data
Tutorial

3
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK ONE
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS
1. SETTING UP A WORK AREA
Start from the scratch and click ‘use a wizard’ and click ok,
Go to menu bar and click on format,
Select “decimal” for survey works,
Select the paper size i.e. A3 (420 by 297) mm and click finish.
A working area has now been set.

2. SPECIFYING UNITS
Go to format and click. Then go to units and click.
Select your units and decimals e.g. meters, (select the degree decimal places) and
click ok.

4
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK TWO
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS
3. SETTING UP A DRAWING LIMITS
Go to format (Menu Bar) and click format, pick drawing limits by typing the lower
and upper limits, that is, enter the lowest value of coordinates e.g 500,500 and enter.
Then type the upper limit e,g 1500,1500 and enter.
The system will ask for more limits of more layouts if any. But if not press enter for
left and enter for right.
We have now set up the drawing limits.
Go to view (menu bar) and go to zoom and follow the arrow to select ‘All’

4. LAYERS MANAGEMENT
a. Arranging information with layers:
This is arranging the different features of a proposed plan in layers e.g. Roads
– layer 1
Bridges – layer 2
Contour – layer 3 etc
b. Creating and assigning layers
Go to format (menu bar) and click layer. A layer dialogue will appear, write
the name of the feature e.g. road, contour etc and go to colour column and
assign desired colour by clicking the relevant colour box and then click ok
Any unwanted layer in the layer dialogue box may be deleted by highlighting
it and pressing delete.
c. Working in Layers
To work on a particular layer, go to format and click layer to bring the layer
dialogue box. Go to the feature you want to, e.g. contour and click ‘current’
and click ok.

The short cut: Take away the dialogue box by clicking ok. Then go to property
tool bar and click the arrow (▼) to reveal the features, then highlight the
particular one you want to work on and click or select it.
d. Controlling layer visibility
This operation is used to hide certain features that are not needed during
certain other operations. Go to layer properties manager by clicking format
and selecting layer.

5
On the layer box click the (light bulb sign) against the feature to be hidden and
click outside and the light turns off, click ok to come back to the drawing –
you will notice that the feature no more appear on the drawing. To bring it
back, click the bulb sign again and click outside.

6
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK THREE
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS
5. FINDING THE LAYERS YOU WANT TO WORK ON
Click on layer manager
Select the feature you want work on, e.g contour, details, rivers etc and click on it
click on current. The feature layer becomes active for current use.
6. ASSIGNING LINE TYPES TO LAYER
Line types are continuous, broken, dash etc
Go to layer property manager and select the feature (click it). Go to line type column
and click. Then line type dialogue will appear. Go to ‘load’ and click various line
types will appear. Scroll and pick the desired one and click. Then click ok. Then click
‘current’ on the layer property manager dialogue box and then click ok.

7. DRAFTING USING COORDINATES

Go to line and click and enter the coordinates of the first point and enter.
Enter the second, third, fourth and back to the first point in similar ways.
8. OBTAINING THE COORDINATES OF POINTS
Go to line and click come back and place the cusor on the point (don’t
click) and read the coordinates from below.

7
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK FOUR
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures and to plot polygon using points
coordinates.
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS
9. PLOTTING POINTS / POLYGON
You may use grid or not.
Once the units, working areas, lower and upper limits have been set, then
go to poly line (for continuous line) and click. Then start entering the
coordinates and the polygon will come out.
10. ADDING TEXT TO DRAWING
Go to ‘view’ (menu bar) click ‘tool bar’ and scroll through the options to
pick and click ‘Text’ and click close. Small text dialogue box will appear.
Pick “A” sign (multiline text), click it and go to where you want the text
to be and click the upper left and drag to create a text box and click.
11. UNDERSTANDING TEXT FORMATTING IN AUTOCAD
After clicking A sign, move the cursor to a convenient place of writing
before clicking the top left corner. When the top left corner is clicked,
then drag to create a text box and click mulltitext editor, and a dialogue
box will appear. Go to the first arrow from the left (character) and click to
reveal various text characters. Pick the desired text character e.g. Arial
Baltic or Arial Black and click. Then enter the text (size) e.g. 5.0, 7.5, 10,
15 etc. Use the arrow ▼ to select the size (N.B if the size options do not
contain what you want, then type your desired size and click the work
space (black space) below the multilitex editor column. The cursor will
now be in the position ready for typing. Type your text and click ok.
N.B if you want to change the character of already written text go to the edit
text (A) sign and click. Then go to the text you want to edit and click.
Then multiline text editor will appear. Scroll to select character and select or
type text height and click ok.

8
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK FIVE
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures and to plot polygon using points
coordinates.
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS

12. ADDING COLOUR

Highlight the text whose colour you want to change by clicking the text. Then go to
text edit and click. A multiline text editor will appear. Highlight the text by pressing
control A button simultaneously.
Go to colour column and click ▼ arrow to reveal colours. With the options revealed
click others to reveal full or more colours. Click on the desired colour and click ok.

13. ADDING SPECIAL CHARACTER

Click on the text where you want the special character to come. Then click on the
‘text edit’. Multiline text editor box will appear. Position the cursor at where you want
the special character to be.

Come to symbol and click ▼ to reveal symbols. Click others to reveal more symbols.
Pick on the desired symbol and click. Come to ‘select’ and click, then go to ‘copy’
and click and close that particular dialogue box. We are now back to multiline text
editor. Right click and click paste. Then click ok and the text page or working page
will come.

9
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK SIX
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures and to plot polygon using points
coordinates.
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS
14. ADDING SINGLE TEXT OBJECTS
On the text box go to single – line text and click. Move the cursor to the place you
want the text to be and click. Below you see ‘specify size’. So type in your desired
size e.g. 12.5 and press enter.
Below you will see ‘specify rotation angle (e.g. if you want text written in vertical
direction or 90 if in horizontal direction or 30 etc type the required angle of rotation
and press enter.
Then below you will see ‘enter text’.
Type your text and press enter. It will automatically come up there.

Breaking a line
Go to Break (sign) and click. Go to the point on the line where you want the break to
start from and click. Then go to the point on the line where you want the break to stop
and click. This segment defined by these two points will break off.

Question: How do I select line types and place it in the appropriate place?

Question 2: How do I edit a single line text?

Question 3: How do I use the signs for degree minute and second?

Question4: how do I use offset tool bar?

Question 5: How do I move part of a text?

10
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK SEVEN
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures and to plot polygon using points
coordinates.
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS
15. OFFSETTING A LINE
This is drawing a parallel line to an existing line of certain distance interval (offset
distance).
Go to offset tool bar and click. Below you see specify distance e.g. type in, 10, 25,
100 etc and press enter. You will now see below ‘select object to offset or exit. Click
on the line you want to offset. You will also now see below ‘specify point on side to
offset.
Click on the side you want to offset to or exit and the line will be there, you can now
escape.

16. GETTING A DISTANCE ON A PLAN

Click to highlight the line and go to the ‘List’ toolbar and click and the length will be
among the listed items.
17. AREA OF AN ENCLOSED POLYGON
Click on all the corner points of the polygon and click back on the starting point. Then
go ‘List’ tool bar and click and the area will be among the items listed.

11
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL

WEEK EIGHT
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures and to plot polygon using points
coordinates.
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS

18. AREA OF AN ENCLOSED POLYGON

Click on ‘Area’ tool bar and go the polygon and click on every point of the polygon in
one direction and click back on the starting point and press enter. The area will be
shown at the foot – together with the perimeter.

NOTES ON SOME TOOLBARS

a. Zoom Window; This is to increase the size of an object on the screen quickly
and suddenly. Go to ‘Zoom Window’ menu bar and click and then come to
the left top corner of the object and click and drag down to the bottom right
corner to enclose the object in that rectangle and click to zoom the object.
b. Zoom previous: - This is to return the previously zoomed object to its former
size. Click on ‘zoom previous member and the object will automatically return
to its former size.
c. Zoom Real Time: This is specifically relevant when using a mouse that don’t
have zoom nob.
Click on ‘zooms real time’ member. Then come to the object and click and
hold down and move the mouse forward to increase and or background to
reduce the object size.

19. PRINTING
Understanding the Plotter Settings
1. Click on File / plot, a plot dialogue box will be displayed.
2. Click on plotter settings and select paper size (e.g. A3)
3. Pick the printing unit e.g. mm
4. Pick your orientation e.g. portrait or landscape

12
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK NINE
TITLE
PLOTTING SURVEY PLANS USING AUTOCAD
AIM
To get familiar with the basic tools and the procedures and to plot polygon using points
coordinates.
EQUIPMENT
Computer, AutoCAD, Survey Data

PROCEDURE
STEPS
Plot Area
A. Click window and the data/object window will be displayed.
B. Click on the top, left edge of the Data/object and drag to enclose and click and the
plot dialogue box will be displayed again.
C. Go to scale and set the scale of choice.
D. Go to full preview to see the arrangement of the data/object on the paper. If it does not
fit well, then
E. Choose ‘scale to fit’ under scale.
NB
When highly smaller scales are required like 1:2500 which is not in
1. the option, go to ‘custom’
2. Under drawing units type in 2,500 for example
3. You may go to the full preview to see the paper arrangement.
Saving plot settings with plan/object further printing
1. In the object window click ‘layout’ and page set up – layer dialogue box will be
displayed.
2. Click on the plot device and pick printer.
3. Click on layout setting and pick the paper size.
4. Select drawing orientation, scale and click ok and the settings are automatically saved
with the object.

13
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK TEN
TITLE
USE OF TOTAL STATION
AIM
To get acquainted with the field procedures for using total station for the measurement of
coordinates, distances and angles/bearings.
EQUIPMENT
Total Station and Reflectors

PROCEDURE
STEPS
Getting Total Station Ready for Observation
1. Centering total station over a point and levelling it using the foot screws,
centering bubble and optical plummet reticule.
2. Focusing and target sighting.
3. Turning the telescope focusing ring to focus on the target.
4. Eliminating parallax.
5. Press {ON} to switch on the power. When the power is switch on, a self-
check is run to make sure the instrument is operating normally.
6. If ‘OUT of range” is displayed, the instrument tilt sensor is indicating that
the instrument is out of level. Level the instrument once again and the
horizontal and vertical angles will be displayed.

14
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL

WEEK ELEVEN
TITLE
USE OF TOTAL STATION
A

AIM
To get acquainted with the field procedures for using total station for the measurement of
coordinates, distances and angles/bearings.
EQUIPMENT
Total Station and Reflectors
PROCEDURE
STEPS
7. Measurement of Angles
a. Sight the first target as at right.
b. In the first page of the Meas mode screen, press [OSET]. [0SET] will
flash, so press [0SET] again.
The horizontal angle at the first target becomes 0o.
c. Sight the second target.
The displayed horizontal angle (HAR) is the included angle between two
points.

15
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL

WEEK TWELVE
TITLE
USE OF TOTAL STATION
AIM
To get acquainted with the field procedures for using total station for the measurement of
coordinates, distances and angles/bearings.
EQUIPMENT
Total Station and Reflectors

PROCEDURE
STEPS
8. Horizontal Angle Repetition
a. Allocate the [REP] softkey to the Meas mode screen. “25.2 Allocating
Key Functions.
b. Press [REP]. The horizontal angle becomes 0o.
c. Sighting the first target, press [OK].
d. Sighting the second target, press [OK]
e. Sighting the first target a second time, press [OK]
f. Sighting the second target a second time, press [OK].
The added value of the horizontal angle is displayed on the second angle
line “HARp” and the average value of the horizontal angle is displayed
on the fourth line “Ave”.

16
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL

WEEK THIRTEEN
TITLE
USE OF TOTAL STATION
AIM
To get acquainted with the field procedures for using total station for the measurement of
coordinates, distances and angles/bearings.
EQUIPMENT
Total Station and Reflectors

PROCEDURE
STEPS
9. Distance Measurement
a. Sight the target
b. In the first page of Meas Mode, press [DIST] to start distance
measurement
When measurement starts, EDM information (distance mode, prism
constant correction value, atmospheric correction factor) is represented
by a flashing light.
A short beep sounds, and the measured distance data (S), vertical angle
(ZA), and horizontal angle (HAR) are displayed.
c. Press [STOP] to quit distance measurement
Each time [ SHV] is pressed, S (Slope distance), H (Horizontal
distance) and V (Height difference) are displayed alternately.

17
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL
WEEK FOURTEEN
TITLE
USE OF TOTAL STATION
AIM
To get acquainted with the field procedures for using total station for the measurement of
coordinates, distances and angles/bearings.
EQUIPMENT
Total Station and Reflectors
PROCEDURE
STEPS
10. Coordinate Measurement
Before coordinating measurement, enter instrument station coordinates,
the instrument height, and target height
a. First measure the target height and instrument height with a tape measure
etc.
b. Press [COORD] in the first page of the Meas mode screen to display
<Coord.>
c. Select “Stn. Orientation,” then “Stn. Coordinate” Input the instrument
station coordinates, instrument height and target height.
When you wish to read in the registered coordinate data, press [READ].
“PROCEDURE Reading in Registered Coordinate Data”.
d. Press [OK] to set the input values <Coord.> is displayed again.
When [REC] is pressed, instrument station data is saved. RECORDING
DATA-RECORD MENU.

18
COURSE: ELEMENT OF GEO-INFORMATICS
COURSE CODE: GIT 201 PRACTICAL

WEEK FIFTEEN
TITLE
USE OF TOTAL STATION
AIM
To get acquainted with the field procedures for using total station for the measurement of
coordinates, distances and angles/bearings.
EQUIPMENT
Total Station and Reflectors
PROCEDURE
STEPS
11. Reading in Registered Coordinate Data
Known point data, coordinate data and instrument station data in the
current JOB and Coordinate Search JOB can be read in..
Confirm that the correct JOB containing the coordinates you want to read
in is already selected in Coordinate Search JOB in Memory Mode,
“23.1 Registering/Deleting Known Point Data”, “22.1 Selecting a JOB”
a. Press [READ] when setting instrument Station. The list of registered
coordinates is displayed.
Pt. : Known point data saved in the current JOB or in the Coordinate
Search JOB

Crd./Stn: Coordinate data saved in the current JOB or in the

Coordinate Search JOB.
b. Align the cursor with the required point number and press { }. The
point number that was read in and its coordinate is displayed.
c. Press [OK]. < Instrument Station Data Setting> is restored.
Note
* The point number that was read in is displayed until the current JOB is
changed
* When [SRCH] is pressed, SET searches data in the current JOB first,
then in the Coordinate Search JOB.
* If more than two points with the same point name exist in the current,
JOB, SET finds the newer data only.

19
20
21