INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Stringer Topo

You will need a valid subscription or maintenance of Stringer Topo to update to V27.

Following installation, operation of the software should automatically switch your current V26 license to V27 (if you have a current Stringer Topo subscription/maintenance.

Installation and Licensing Guide: Stringer Topo – Installation and Licensing Guide.

Subscription customers will automatically upgrade their active license key to V27 following installation and operation of the software. To manage V27 license keys and user access visit the Civil Survey Applications Customer Portal:

CUSTOMER CENTRE

V27.00 Software Changes

File Format Changes

Important: Changes in .Net10 (Civil 3D and AutoCAD 2027) have necessitated changes to some files in the settings and local project data. In Civil 3D and AutoCAD 2027, serialised files (extension .dat in our settings and data files) are no longer able to be used. If the software is operated in Civil 3D 2027 or AutoCAD 2027, the current serialised .dat files will be converted to .json files and the .json files will be used thereafter.

For further information and a list of affected files, refer to the below link:

V27 | Key File Changes

New Features:

Project Assist AI
- Make natural language enquiries about the software and in context with your drawing
- Query the drawing for information, request and create reports.
- Apply pre-set prompts, attach reference files and leverage chat history
Survey Audit
- Added an AI-empowered survey audit tool, to identify common issues in the survey such as duplicate point numbers, crossing breaklines, self-intersecting strings and strings that may need a rectangle parameter applied
- Make natural language enquiries on your survey data
- Fix common issues identified by the survey auditor
Undo/Redo
- Added undo and redo controls on edits applied to points and survey strings, including edits made in the Survey String Manager and by direct editing in the drawing
- Note: Restoring points deleted using the CAD Delete are made using the Undelete Points command
COGO Block Importer
- Added an import form to display blocks being imported into a drawing (blocks are import to support COGO points in BricsCAD and AutoCAD platforms). Previously this process occurred without notification
Stage Storage
- Pick a surface and low point to review volumes by depth
- Review volumes calculated as a TIN volume and by applying average end area
- Generate volume reports
Display 3D CAD Entities
- Display solids, meshes and 3D polylines in Model Viewer and Quick Sections by selecting layers from the drawing containing solids meshes and/or 3D polylines

Improvements:

AS5 CivilCAD import
- Improved the AS5 CivilCAD import to support selection of CAD entities to include.
Project Storage
- Added version information at the top of the form
- Included options to auto delete older versions of stored project data

Fixes:

Fixes are listed in the following document:

Stringer Topo V27.00 | Resolved Issues

BricsCAD V27 – Important Notes

Annotation Scale Change

In BricsCAD V27, picking a different Annotation Scale does not automatically trigger a resizing of labels. After selecting a new Annotation Scale it is required to click on the Annotation Scale button to effect the scale change.

CAD Drawing Import/Export Tools

Conflicts have been found between BricsCAD V27 and Civil Site Design affecting the import/export of data to .dwg/.dxf. This affects the following commands

Export Models
- There is a conflict between BricsCAD and Civil Site Design preventing Export Models to export .dwg or .dxf files. This command has been removed.
Export Surfaces
- Export Surfaces does not include the .dwg or .dxf export.
Model Viewer
- The CAD tab has been removed. This tab enabled loading of an external CAD drawing into the model
- The Output > Export does not support .dwg/dxf output

The development team are working on alternatives to enable import/export of drawing files.

Known Issues – All Platforms

Nahimic Software may interfere with Model Viewer
- We have found that the software ‘Nahimic’ may prevent Model Viewer from displaying – the installation of Nahimic creates a conflict in Eyeshot (the graphics engine we use in Model Viewer).
- If Model Viewer will not open, please check if Nahimic is installed. If so, updating Nahimic may resolve the issue. Uninstalling it will resolve the issue.
- Nahimic software provides enhanced audio (typically for gamers) and is commonly installed with gaming laptops. More information about Nahimic can be found here: https://www.nahimic.com/gamers/
We you update your Windows if you experience this issue.Windows 11 Version 24H2 issue
- The Windows 11 Version 24H2 Update introduces an error into the scale applied to images rendered onto a base surface in Model Viewer. After installing this Windows update, the image will display at 200% scale in Model Viewer, measured from the top left corner of the image.
- We recommend rolling back your Windows Update (or trying a newer update) if you experience this issue.
Stage Storage command – Surface List
- If a new Civil 3D surface is created during a design session, the Refresh/Update button must be selected in the Toolspace to include the surface in the list of available surfaces.AutoCAD, Civil 3D and CSD Plus
When using Load CAD, Model Viewer will not display Polyface Mesh, 3D solid or Region objects . Recommendation is to convert these 3D object types to 3D faces before loading.
Project Storage
- Versions will only be stored to the nearest minute – this is as designed
- If any of the files in the -Data folder (CSA Data folder) are not available for read/write (which happens if you plot to file for long sections and xref back into the same drawing) then the software will not be able to pack
- Some outputs (ie: Long Section > Plot to File) are made directly to the current CSA Data folder. Given that the software creates uniquely named CSA Data folders whenever you save and reopen a packed project, the folder path to the latest data changes when you save, close and reopen the drawing. It is recommended that any file being referenced (xreffed) be copied to a static folder location.
Using the Toolspace to turn surface contours and/or triangles on/off is not remembered when you close and reopen the drawing.
Cadastral Lines command
- If duplicate point numbers are created in a drawing, the software will automatically use one of the duplicates only
- Mixing traverse lines and side shots will result in the ‘traverse’ polyline being removed up to the first side shot. It is recommended to separate traverse lines and side shots into different groups
Acronis anti-virus and malware applications may assume that the Pack Mode process (whereby we zip the software data folder and include it inside the drawing file) is a possible malware threat. This is a false positive and can be added to the allowlist.
If you run Save As on an unpacked Stringer project:
- In AutoCAD/BricsCAD or CSD Plus
  - The Sampled Surface will display as a block in the drawing, able to be deleted.
  - If you have created Profile Strings (for long and cross section output, and point setout) the Sampled Surface (usually the surveyed surface) used when the Profile String was created will display as a block in the drawing, able to be deleted..
  - Drafting linework will reside in the drawing – running Cleanup will remove the drafting.

Stringer Topo V27.00 | Release Notes