SURVEXPORT(1)

NAME
survexport - convert a processed survey data file to another format

SYNOPSIS
survexport [OPTIONS] INPUT_FILE [OUTPUT_FILE]

DESCRIPTION

The input formats supports are all those supported by Survex's "img" library - Survex .3d, Survex .pos, Compass PLT and CMAP XYZ files.

Currently the output formats supported are CSV, DXF, EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), GPX, HPGL for plotters, JSON, KML, Survex POS files, and SVG.

Also survexport can produce Compass .plt files, which were primarily intended for importing into Carto; the principal author of Carto has sadly died and it seems Carto is no longer actively developed, but we've left this support in place in case it is useful - the generated files can be used with Compass itself for example, though they are rather crudely structured.

  POS Format

The POS format is a Survex-specific format containing a list of stations with coordinates (ordered x,y,z [East, North, Up]) and complete names. In old versions of Survex it was produced by the (now removed) 3dtopos tool. Since Survex 1.2.19 it can be generated by survexport or by aven's export feature.

The header line is translated to the user's language, but always starts with ( and ends with ).

While not a requirement of the format, in .pos files created by Survex the stations are sorted by name such that numbers occur in the correct order (so 2 before 10). Numbers with a prefix and/or suffix are sorted by the prefix as a string, then the number part as above, then by the suffix as a string, so you'd get:

    040.sv8
    040.sv8a
    040.sv8b
    040.sv8c
    040.sv9
    040.sv10
    040.sv11
    40_entrance_tag
    40b_entrance_tag

  DXF Format

DXF export separates Splays, Surface legs, Surface points, survey legs, and survey stations onto separate layers. Splays will export dotted, and surface legs dashed. This is not currently configurable.

OPTIONS

-s, --survey=SURVEY
    only load the sub-survey with this prefix

--scale=SCALE
    scale (50, 0.02, 1:50 and 2:100 all mean 1:50)

--bearing=BEARING
    bearing (90, 90d, 100g all mean 90°)

--tilt=TILT
    tilt (45, 45d, 50g, 100% all mean 45°)

--plan
    plan view (equivalent to --tilt=-90)

--elevation
    elevation view (equivalent to --tilt=0)

--legs
    underground survey legs

--surface-legs
    surface survey legs

--splays
    splay legs

--crosses
    station markers

--station-names
    station labels

--entrances
    entrances

--fixes
    fixed points

--exports
    exported stations

--cross-sections
    cross-sections

--walls
    walls

--passages
    passages

--origin-in-centre
    origin in centre

--full-coordinates
    full coordinates

--clamp-to-ground
    clamp to ground

--defaults
    include items exported by default

-g, --grid, --grid=GRID
    generate grid with spacing GRID metres (default 100)

-t, --text-height=TEXT_HEIGHT
    station labels text height (default 0.6)

-m, --marker-size=MARKER_SIZE
    station marker size (default 0.8)

--csv
    produce CSV output

--dxf
    produce DXF output

--eps
    produce EPS output

--gpx
    produce GPX output

--hpgl
    produce HPGL output

--json
    produce JSON output

--kml
    produce KML output

--plt
    produce Compass PLT output for Carto

--pos
    produce Survex POS output

--svg
    produce SVG output

--help
    display short help and exit

--version
    output version information and exit

SEE ALSO

aven(1), cavern(1), diffpos(1), dump3d(1), extend(1), sorterr(1)

Copyright
1998-2025