# 12da files

12da files contain survey or engineering design data that has been created from 12d Model software.

If the .12da file has been exported from the 12d Model software as a zipped file, it has the file extension .12daz. To extract the .12da file so you can use it in Trimble Access, in File Explorer change the extension of the .12daz file to .zip and then use WinZip to extract the file.

Supported items in 12da files

The displayed layers in a 12da file are based on the model names in the 12da file. In addition, any surfaces and alignments read in from a 12da file are placed in their own layer. If there are any duplicate layer names, suffixes consisting of an underscore character plus an incrementing number are used to ensure unique layer names.

Point strings are read in as points and assigned to the appropriate layer. The points are given the names specified in the 12da file, but if no names have been specified they are given names based on the string name plus a suffix consisting of an underscore character plus an incrementing number.

Line, arc and circle strings are read in as standard lines and arcs and assigned to the appropriate layer using the color specified in the 12da file, when standard colors have been used.

Polyline strings are read in as polylines or polygons (for closed polylines) and assigned to the appropriate layer using the color specified in the 12da file, when standard colors have been used.

Super alignments and alignments are read in as alignments and each alignment is assigned to its own layer. Alignments are displayed as a red line.

Triangulated surfaces are read in and each surface is assigned to its own layer.

Viewing 12da files in the map

To display 12da files in the map, tap in the map toolbar to open the Layer manager and select the Map files tab. Tap the file once to make it visible (), and tap it again to make items in the file selectable (). To add files from a different location to the project folder, tap Add. For more information, see Managing map file layers.

These types of files typically contain layers. To make only some layers visible or selectable, in the Map files tab, tap the arrow next to the file name and then tap each layer once to hide it, or twice to make it visible but not selectable. Tap the layer again to make it visible and selectable.

Map settings for 12da files

The Trimble Access software provides settings for controlling the display of the data in 12da files. To configure these settings, tap in the map toolbar, select Settings and configure the setting in the Map data controls group.

#### To explode polylines

To explode polylines contained in the file into individual line and arc segments, select the Explode polylines (DXF, Shape, 12da & LandXML) check box. Each segment in an exploded polyline is given a unique name, based on the polyline name and a segment number.

#### To create nodes

To create points at the ends of lines and arcs and at all points along a polyline, select the Create nodes (DXF, Shape, 12da & LandXML) check box. The created points can then be selected for stakeout or Cogo calculations.

#### To display labels

To show or hide names, codes, and elevations for items in 12da files, tap the appropriate Display check box(es) in the Map data controls group.

The software shows these extra labels only when the file is set to selectable in the Layer manager. If the file is only set to visible, the extra labels are not shown. See Managing map file layers.

#### To display station values

Station values are displayed in the map for any lines, polylines or alignments selected from the 12da file. To show or hide station values for all items, select the Display station values check box.

Working with 12da files

From the map, you can select items in 12da files and then use them in other software functions, for example to perform a Cogo calculation, create a surface, or stakeout.

To select items from the 12da file, make the items in the file selectable () using the Layer manager and then select them from the map using the map Select tool . To select multiple items, press the Ctrl key and tap them using the Select tool , or use the Rectangle selection or Polygon selection tools.

To rotate the data in the map, tap and then tap the map and drag to rotate the view. The icon in the center of the map indicates the point of orbit.

To review attribute information for items in a 12da file that have feature types associated with them, select the items in the map and then tap Review. If you selected more than one item, select it from the list and tap Details.

Staking

You can select items (points, lines and polylines) in 12da files and stake them out.

1. Tap in the map toolbar and select the Map files tab. Make sure the layers containing the items to stake are visible and selectable.
2. In the map, tap the item to select it. For lines, tap near the end of the line to select the start of the line.
3. Tap Stakeout or press Enter on the controller to start stakeout.

If you are using the Trimble Access Roads software you can stake out strings from a 12da file as a road. See Road workflows.