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database connector module. This module requires a 
full functioned database management system. The 
connection procedure between datasets and drawing 
elements as well as the creation of result datasets is 
especially for the non professional user not easy to 
handle. Because of this fact we tried another way to 
connect the image database to the AutoCAD 
environment. 
To enable the user to have easy access on the 
images and their data inside the CAD environment 
was one major goal when developing the CAD- 
Interface. Beside the easy access on data and 
informations, routines to exchange data between CAD 
and the image database were required. The 
developed CAD-Interface builds up the connection to 
the CAD environment. It offers the user the possibility 
to have access on the images and their data. To 
connect the image database while working in a CAD 
environment you have to start the application called 
"CAD-interface". After it starts up you have to select 
the Master- and subproject on which data you like to 
have accees to. After this procedure the so called 
"Image Browser panel" appears. For every image of 
the subproject there is a camera symbol associated 
with an image number. On figure 10 you can see the 
image browser on the right side. 
  
  
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Figure 10 
When you click on a camera item inside the panel a 
pop-up menu appears and offers you different options 
like quick view, quick-info, an image data dialog or a 
camera data dialog. The image browser panel itself 
and the data access routines were implemented as 
dynamic link libraries (dll's). This was neccessary 
because the browser panel and the corresponding 
dialog boxes always has to stay on top of screen even 
when the CAD application is activated by the user. 
As discussed above the reference inside the CAD 
drawing is a camera symbol. To place the camera 
Symbol which references an image inside your CAD 
drawing we designed a block with extended attributes 
  
(camblk.dwg). These attributes are the image number 
and the data quality. For a comfortable use we 
developed some LISP-routines which helps the user 
to place and handle the camera blocks. 
4.3.1 Direct data exchange 
By opening the corresponding image data dialog the 
user can change the coordinates by typing in the new 
coordinates. When the dialog is closed the data will 
be updated and stored automatically in the image 
database. 
4.3.2 Clipboard data exchange 
By using the LISP-Rouine "Caminfo" a dialog box 
appears which contains the actual CAD coordinates of 
the camera block. Copy these coordinates to the 
clipboard and insert them in the appropriate 
coordinate dialog box of the image. When the image 
coordinate dialog box is closed the data will be 
automatically updated. 
4.3.3 Transfer file data exchange 
The data transfer file to export data will be created 
with the AutoCAD block extraction routine. The 
required pattern file is part of the image database. By 
extracting the camera block attributes it is very 
important to create a space delimited file (SDF-file 
format). If neccessary you can modify the pattern file 
for your needs. 
To import data from the image database into the CAD 
drawing you can create a CAD transfer file. With this 
file the camera symbols will be automatically placed 
in your CAD drawing at the appropriate position. To 
read in the transfer file you use the LISP routine 
called "Caminp.Isp". The structure of the input file is 
listed below. 
5. Resume 
With this article we tried to introduce the image 
database and it's concepts. We know that it is not 
easy to imagine how the image database works in 
practice when only reading about it. To receive an 
impression about the advantages the image database 
has to offer you in practice . You are welcom to visit 
our website under http://www.imagefact.com. Here 
you can download a free demoversion of the image 
database. 
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