[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34471-34472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16742]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey


Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC); Public Review of the 
Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) Computer Aided Design and 
Drafting (CADD) Profile

ACTION: Notice; Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FGDC is conducting a public review of the SDTS CADD 
Profile. The purpose of this public review is to provide software 
vendors, data users and producers with an opportunity to comment on 
this standard in order to ensure that it meets their needs. 
Specifically, the FGDC requests responses in identifying issues 
concerning: (1) The general and transfer module specifications; (2) the 
sample mapping to software vendor's data structures (Appendix A); and 
(3) the implementation of the standard by software vendors.

    Participants in the public review are encouraged to provide 
comments that address specific issues/changes/additions that may result 
in revisions to the draft SDTS CADD Profile. All participants who make 
comments during the public review period will receive an acknowledgment 
of the receipt of their comment. After comments have been considered, 
participants will receive notification of how their comments were 
addressed.
    After the formal adoption of the standard by the FGDC, the revised 
standard and a summary analysis of the changes will be made available.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 30, 1998.

CONTACT AND ADDRESSES: The complete proposal is included in this 
notice. It is also posted at Internet address: http://www.fgdc.gov/
Standards/Documents/Standards/SDTS__CADD/.

    Requests for written copies of the standard should be addressed to 
``SDTS CADD Profile,'' FGDC Secretariat (attn: Jennifer Fox), U.S. 
Geological Survey, 590 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, 
Reston, Virginia 20192; or telephone 703-648-5514; facsimile 703-648-
5755; or Internet at [email protected].
    Reviewer's comments may be sent to the FGDC via Internet mail to: 
www.fgdc.gov">gdc-cadd@www.fgdc.gov. Reviewer comments may also be sent to the FGDC 
Secretariat at the above address. Please send one hardcopy version of 
the comments and a soft copy version, preferably on a 3.5 x 3.5 
diskette in WordPerfect 5.0 or 6.0/6.1 format.
    For answers to general questions related to this standard, please 
contact the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Facilities Working 
Group, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, General Engineering Branch 20 
Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20314-1000; voice telephone 
number: Nancy Blyler (202) 761-8893; facsimile telephone number: (202) 
761-4002.
    For answers to questions related to the content of this standard, 
please contact David Horner, Tri-Service CADD/GIS Technology, ATTN: 
CEWES-ID-C(Horner) Center 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, Mississippi 
39180-6199 voice telephone number: (601) 634-3106 Internet address: 
David.H.H[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Following is the complete proposal for the 
``SDTS CADD Profile.''

    Project Title: Development of a Computer-Aided Design and Drafting 
(CADD) Profile for the Federal Information Processing Standard/Spatial 
Data Tansfer Standard (SDTS).
    Submitting Organization: Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) 
Facilities Working Group (FWG).
    Objectives: To develop a profile for the SDTS to support the 
exchange and transfer of CADD spatial data.
    Scope: This activity included identifying the common CADD elements 
and there equivalent SDTS elements. This activity also include 
identifying unique CADD elements not currently support within SDTS 
(e.g., curves, cells rays, 3D objects). This activity may require the 
development of additional SDTS modules or changes to existing modules.
    Justification/Benefits: There are no non-proprietary standards that 
provide the capability to transfer and exchange spatial CADD data 
between dissimilar CADD systems and also with GIS. The SDTS currently 
does not support several of the common CADD spatial data elements 
(e.g., curves, cells, etc.) and common CADD data attributes (e.g., 
level, weight, color, style, etc.).
    There is considerable interest from CADD system users that build 
spatial databases to have a standard that supports the ability to 
exchange this data in a non-proprietary format with other CADD systems 
and also export this data into GIS.
    This CADD profile will benefit users of CADD spatial databases and 
the SDTS.
    Approach: An SDTS CADD Profile project team will be established to 
guide and provide other support for the research and development of 
this profile. The USACE and Tri-Service CADD/GIS Technology Center has 
initiated several studies to analyze the translation of spatial data 
from common CADD formats into SDTS. This activity included identifying 
the common CADD elements and there equivalent SDTS elements. This 
activity also included identifying unique CADD elements not currently 
supported within SDTS (e.g., curves, cells, rays, 3D objects that may 
require additional SDTS modules or changes to existing modules. The 
CADD profile team will review the results of these studies (report due 
out by the end of FY 96) and also provided input to the Statement of 
Work a new task(s) to develop a CADD profile.
    The project may require some technical support from the U.S. 
Geological Survey (USGS) SDTS Task Force. This project may use the 
services of several contractors to support this activity.
    Related Standards: The primary related standard is the SDTS and its 
Topological Vector Profile. The SDTS Points Profile being developed by 
the FGDC Geodetic Control Subcommittee may also be related to this CADD 
profile.
    Schedule: A CADD profile project team will be established and begin 
formal work on the development of this standard as soon as this project 
is approved by the FGDC Standards Working Group (SWG). The schedule to 
develop a working draft for a CADD profile will be completed once a 
formal task order is established with a support contractor(s). The 
development of this CADD profile should take between one year and 
eighteen months to complete.
    Resources: The FWG has adequate resources to perform the research 
on what it will take to develop a CADD profile. Additional resources 
may be necessary to actually develop this standard profile and Tri-
Service Center contractors are an option for completing this work.
    Potential Participants: The primary participants will be the 
members of the FWG which includes representatives from federal 
agencies, municipalities, and private industry. Support from the USGS 
SDTS Task Force may also be required to develop this profile.
    Target Authorization Body: The FWG proposes pursuing the 
development of this CADD profile as an FGDC standard activity. The FWG 
and the FGDC may consider pursuing (at a later date) the development of 
this CADD profiles to SDTS as an ANSI (American National Standards 
Institute) Profile. FGDC would serve as the Target Authorization Body 
until this CADD profile becomes an ANSI profile.


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    Dated: June 12, 1998.
Richard E. Witmer,
Chief, National Mapping Division, U.S. Geological Survey.
[FR Doc. 98-16742 Filed 6-23-98; 8:45 am]
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