Specifying design layer georeferencing

In addition to specifying document georeferencing, design layers can have georeferencing enabled. If a layer is not georeferenced, document georeferencing is used by default to determine the geographical location of the objects that are aware of it. The objects on layers without georeferencing enabled do not move when the location or the coordinate system from the document georeferencing parameters change.

Select the best coordinate system for the document first (based on site location, files to be imported or exported, or project requirements) before enabling layer georeferencing or setting any layer coordinate systems. Advanced options for a design layer can override the georeferencing options set for the document, although this is not recommended.

A georeferenced design layer is required for importing georeferenced files, even if that layer uses the document georeferencing settings; when importing georeferenced files, the layer is automatically set as georeferenced.

To accurately measure items on a georeferenced design layer, use the Great Circle tool (Architect or Landmark required), instead of the dimension tools from the Dims/Notes tool set or the Tape Measure tool. See Creating a great circle.

1. Select Tools > Organization to open the Organization dialog box. From the Design Layers tab, select the layer(s) to be georeferenced, and click Edit.

2. From the Edit Design Layers dialog box, select Georeferenced. The current coordinate system for the layer displays below that field; the default and recommended option is for the layer to use the document’s coordinate system.

3. Selecting the Georeferenced option is all that is usually required, since a georeferenced layer automatically takes on the georeferencing options from the file. To specify custom georeferencing information for the layer that is different from the file’s, click Advanced Georeferencing.

The Advanced Layer Georeferencing dialog box opens. Choose either to use the same settings used for the document, or to enter custom settings. If you choose to use custom settings for this design layer, specify the remaining options as described in Specifying design layer georeferencing. Only the parameters that are different are described here.

Parameter	Description
This layer is georeferenced
by the document	Specifies that the georeferencing information for this design layer is the same as the settings for the document. Click Edit Document Georeferencing to view or change the current document settings from the Document Georeferencing dialog box.
by custom settings	Specifies that the georeferencing information for this design layer is different from the settings for the document (or no document settings were entered). To copy the georeferencing information from an existing layer, click Copy from Layer to select a design layer from the Copy Georeference from Layer dialog box.
Settings fields and Transformation mode	See Specifying document georeferencing
Reset	Discards any edits made and returns all fields to their former values

When a layer has georeferencing enabled, this is shown in the GIS column of the Organization dialog box, and the icon indicates whether the georeferencing parameters are document-based or layer-based.