Exporting from Smallworld

Introduction

The following exercises will cover how to export from Smallworld to FME Feature Store (FFS), Esri Geodatabase and Autodesk AutoCAD 3D.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Export to FME Feature Store (FFS)

FME Feature Store (FFS) is the internal FME format. It’s useful to write Smallworld objects to FFS as this format maintains much of the complex structure of the Smallworld data, including multiple geometries and sectors. If you ever need to send Safe an example of your Smallworld data, this is the best format to use.

This example also shows how to preserve the Smallworld multiple spatial columns in an FFS dataset.

1. Open New Workspace

Start FME Workbench and add a Smallworld 4/5 reader to the canvas:

• Format: Smallworld 4/5
• Dataset: localhost:30000

As of FME 2025.2, the Coordinate System parameter is now configured within the Parameters dialog of each reader/writer format. For more information, including details about the change and affected transformers, please see Coordinate System Parameter Location Change.

In the Parameters dialog, set the Service: FMENOFACTORY to preserve the multiple spatial columns.

2. Select Tables to View

The Select Feature Types dialog appears.

Select each of these feature types:

• electricity.cable
• electricity.joint
• electricity.substation
• electricity.supply_point
• gis.min_road

Click OK to close the Select Feature Types dialog

3. Use Search Envelope

Check the Use Search Envelope and enter:

• Minimum X: 545000
• Minimum Y: 259000
• Maximum X: 547000
• Maximum Y: 261000

Note that these values are in meters to match the British National Grid coordinate system.

Set the coordinate system:

• Coordinate System: OSGB-GPS-2015-OSTN15

4. Add an FME Feature Store (FFS) Writer

Add a new writer to the canvas:

• Format: FME Feature Store (FFS)
• Dataset: .\Cambridge.ffs
• Feature Type Definition: Copy from Reader

Select all Feature Types 

Connect all readers to the corresponding writer. Your workspace should look like the screenshot below. 

7. Run and Inspect Output

Run the translation. Inspect the output in the FME Data Inspector. Use the select tool to select the Union Lane LV cable.

Notice the path geometry and the path segments that represent the original chain and chain sectors from Smallworld.

Select one of the Supply Point features. Notice how the multiple geometries of the Smallworld object are represented by an FME aggregate.

Writing to FFS is essentially a “dump” of Smallworld objects. If the translation to FFS fails, then there are probably errors in the Smallworld data.

Using FFS files is a good way to send “raw” Smallworld data to the Safe Software support team if you need help with your Smallworld translations.

Export to Esri File Geodatabase

The Esri Geodatabase format supports only one geometry per feature class. When the Smallworld FME service is used with the Esri writer, FME Workbench will automatically generate separate reader and writer feature types for each geometry on the Smallworld object.

1. Generate Workspace

Start FME Workbench. Select the option to generate a workspace. (Build > Generate Workspace)

• Reader: 
  • Format: Smallworld 4/5
  • Dataset: localhost:30000
  • Parameters:
    • Service: FME
    • Table List: 
      • electricity.cable
      • electricity.joint
      • electricity.substation
      • electricity.supply_point
      • gis.min_road
    • Search Envelope:
      • Minimum X: 545000
      • Minimum Y: 259000
      • Maximum X: 547000
      • Maximum Y: 261000
    • Coordinate System: OSGB-GPS-2015-OSTN15
• Writer:
  • Format: Esri Geodatabase (Open File Geodb)
  • Dataset: .\Cambridge.gdb
  • Parameters:
    • Coordinate System: OSGB-GPS-2015-OSTN15

Be sure to specify the Smallworld reader Service: FME and the reader coordinate system of OSGB-GPS-2015, as shown.

Click OK to generate the workspace.

2. Run and Inspect Output

Run the translation. Inspect the output in the FME Data Inspector.

Notice how separate feature classes are created in the Esri File Geodatabase for each geometry on the single Smallworld object.

Use the inspection tool to select the Supply Point location and then the Supply Point label point. Observe that these two features representing the same Smallworld object are related by id.

3. Modify Workspace (Advanced)

This is typically where you’d do some more sophisticated schema mapping to represent your data in a more structured way in the Esri Geodatabase. This might include:

• Merge Cable high and low voltage features
• Map HV & LV to subtypes or domains
• Create annotation feature classes
• Relationship feature class

See the workspace: "smallworld2-completeadvanced.fmw" for some ideas.

The Esri Geodatabase (OpenFile Geodb) writer only has limited support for point, lines, areas, and multipoint feature classes. To gain the full benefits of the Esri Geodatabase, you can use the Esri Geodatabase (File Geodb) writer, provided you have ArcGIS installed and an ArcGIS license. For more details on working with Esri Geodatabases, look at this tutorial.

Export to Autodesk AutoCAD

AutoCAD supports only one geometry per feature, but you can have features with different geometries in the same layer. When the Smallworld 'FME' service is used with the AutoCAD writer, FME Workbench will automatically generate separate reader and writer feature types for each geometry on the Smallworld object.

1. Generate Workspace

Start FME Workbench. Select the option to generate a workspace. (Build > Generate Workspace)

• Reader: 
  • Format: Smallworld 4/5
  • Dataset: localhost:30000
  • Parameters:
    • Service: FME
    • Table List: 
      • electricity.cable
      • electricity.joint
      • electricity.substation
      • electricity.supply_point
      • gis.min_road
    • Search Envelope:
      • Minimum X: 545000
      • Minimum Y: 259000
      • Maximum X: 547000
      • Maximum Y: 261000
    • Coordinate System: OSGB-GPS-2015-OSTN15
• Writer:
  • Format: Autodesk AutoCAD RealDWG DWG/DXF
  • Dataset: .\Cambridge.dwg
  • Parameters:
    • Attribute Output: Extended Entity Data
    • Coordinate System: OSGB-GPS-2015-OSTN15

Click OK to generate the workspace.

2. Run Translation

Run the translation and inspect the output in the FME Data Inspector.

This is typically where you’d do some more sophisticated schema mapping to represent your data in a more structured way in the AutoCAD file. This might include:

• Merge Supply Point high and low voltage features
• Merge Supply Point labels into the same layer as the Supply Point locations
• Use an AutoCAD template file to define the structure of your AutoCAD file
• Use the DWGStyler to add symbology such as blocks, line styles etc.
• Write a coordinate system .prj

See the workspace smallworld3-completeadvanced.fmw for some ideas on expanding your workflow. For more ideas on working with AutoCAD data see this tutorial.

Data Export Summary

In summary, it’s pretty straightforward to extract data from GE Smallworld. Gotchas are:

• Make sure the FME connection service is running in Smallworld
• Coordinate system – remember to select the coordinate system. For Smallworld 5 you're using the application coordinate system.
• Multiple vs. Single geometry export using Service: FMENOFACTORY or FME, respectively
• Schema mapping of the results to the output schema