Maxime,
The data connector for Map 3D is unable to write to and update feature classes with Z values enabled and is unable to use Z values built into those feature classes. (Although it doesn’t say this anywhere and the software provides no warnings when doing so!) I just had to figure that out through pain. You would have to tabulate the Z values to utilize them somehow.
I understand your concerns with using the MAPIMPORT command instead of the data connector as MAPIMPORT does not allow for a dynamic connection between the software. It brings in a static version of the files at that time. This means if updates are made to the feature classes in a GIS software, then you will have to re-run the whole MAPIMPORT process for all of your feature classes back into AutoCAD. What a pain!
Despite this pain, I still would not recommend using the data connector. The data connector is clunky and does not perform well. The MAPFEATURECHECKIN command will act as if it’s working, but no updates will be sent to the FileGeodatabases if anyone else has GIS open and is reading the files (I.E. Schema Lock) and of course there will be no schema lock warning to tell you that. GIS and AutoCAD will then get out of sync and your work will not be saved, and you will have no idea until you go to check your work in a GIS application (besides Map 3D).
I would also not expect much in the way of updates for Map 3D. The support and development is extremely small compared to other Autodesk products and Autodesk and ESRI have been forming partnerships over the last few years where they are trying to better integrate their software together, rather than have Map 3D for AutoCAD/C3D.
Although you cannot have a dynamic connection using the MAPIMPORT and MAPEXPORT commands. That is what I use to maintain all of my feature classes in C3D rather than ArcGIS Pro or similar GIS software. (This would not be efficient for organizations that have people updating the utility data in a GIS based software AND AutoCAD at the same time as the files would get out of sync, for ease of use, utility data would have to be exclusively updated and maintained in C3D). This isn’t an issue for me since I’m the only C3D and GIS Data author in my organization.
To streamline the MAPIMPORT/MAPEXPORT workflow I have used the arcpy module in python. First I MAPIMPORTed all of the feature classes from shapefiles and field mapped their attributes to a single object data table for POINTS and a single object data table for LINES. Then I conduct the updates to the object data in C3D. Whenever I want to update my GIS Featureclasses I export all of my lines to a shapefile and my points to a shapefile with their object data and layer exported as fields. Then I copy all of my geodatabases to a temporary folder (so that I can work on the geodatabases without worrying about schema lock - they will replace the previous geodatabases at the end of updates) Then I run a delete features/append command from a jupyter notebook for each feature class according to the C3D layer.
It takes a bit of time to set up but this has become an extremely efficient way for me to keep the City of Kelso’s Utility GIS databases updated throughout my and consultant’s improvement projects. I can’t imagine that this would be an efficient workflow if you had to connect to utility featureclasses from several organizations, each with their own schema; however, it works great for my needs.
I will share an updated version of the .py file here when I return to the office on Tuesday for your reference. For now here is a previous forum I posted my old script on. Note, if you don’t have an arcgis license you will be unable to use the ArcPy module.
I’m sure there would be a way to incorporate dynamo into my workflow; however, I have yet to find an application for it in my workflow.