Atlas > GRASS using v.in.dxf (help, irk!)

[Susan Stitt]

>
>Hi users, I've been asked to transfer a vector file from Atlas GIS
>to GRASS as part of a wholesale shift.  Since Atlas can export  
>its coverages in dxf format it made sense to do that and use
>v.in.dxf.  When I run v.in.dxf it ticks over the % done but when
>it's finished (granted, 98% is the last number I see) I can't find
>any dig files in my mapset and when I run v.support it tells me
>there are no binary vector files.  Am I missing a step somewhere?
>The original ATLAS file is just the vectors for a bunch of
>polygons with a single attribute attached, and though I don't
>know anything of dxf, the file that comes out of ATLAS seems
>coherent. 
>
>My gracious thanks to anyone in advance...
>
>Peter Briggs
>
>Temporarily at Indiana U. as micromet at rata.geog.indiana.edu

According to our Atlas expert,  Atlas GIS exports its dxf files
with blocks and GRASS cannot import blocked dxf files.  If 
autocad is available, you might try taking your dxf file into
autocad and re-exporting it without blocks.

Unfortunately the ascii route is also not straight forward.
Atlas exports the vector files with easting then northing
in the ascii vector file (should be northing, easting).
Also the header info is missing, and the L or A is some
other sort of label (or so I understand).  

There is currently no easy transport route that we know of,
does anyone else know of any?  

Nancy Thorwardson (nthorwar at nps.gov) is considering writing 
a script to convert the Atlas BNA file to the proper format 
for v.in.ascii.  If anyone has any existing alternatives, 
please let us know! 

Susan Stitt

  National Biological Survey                 susan at gisd.nps.gov
  Information and Technology Services        (303) 969-2596