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SurvCE/PC vs Fieldgenius.
Posted by Crashbox on January 13, 2018 at 2:44 pmHowdy-
Not really sure if I should put this topic here or in the “Software, CAD & Mapping” category, it may or may not matter…
I am considering purchasing a DC for myself in the near future as I am now waiting for my PLS license to be issued to me (YIPPEE!!!!!), and am pondering side work (as long as there’s ZERO conflict of interest), and/or “hobby surveying” work upon retirement. We’ve used Carlson SurvCE for several years at work and I definitely like it, but I’ve also been looking at MicroSurvey’s Fieldgenius DC software as a possibility. I thought they had a FG emulator available but I couldn’t find it, maybe they’ve discontinued it or it never existed, or…?
I was wondering if anyone has experience running FG who has also run Carlson SuvCE or SurvPC, and would be willing to share the strengths/weaknesses with either software that they’ve found. Of course, I do understand that there’s a fair amount of subjectivity in such evaluations but that’s the way it is. Hope I’m not asking too much 🙂
Thank you in advance.
Zemljomer replied 4 years, 9 months ago 8 Members · 13 Replies- 13 Replies
Looks like an emulator is included with the Demo package on the website.
http://microsurvey.com/products/fieldgenius/download_landing.htm
Carlson is more popular around here especially in the land development market, where is MicroSurvey dominant?
- Posted by: party chef
Looks like an emulator is included with the Demo package on the website.
http://microsurvey.com/products/fieldgenius/download_landing.htm
Carlson is more popular around here especially in the land development market, where is MicroSurvey dominant?
Thank you for the link and information.
As to where MicroSurvey FG is dominant…? Good question.
The only superior evidence is that which you haven’t yet found. I’ve both. Prefer FG for its ease of use. <br/>SurveCe more powerful, more features from what I see. <br/>But for my work (topo and cadastral) FG is brilliant. <br/>run them on Allegro MX and for some reason FG takes ages to load, SurveCe rattles into gear. <br/>I like the way line work is utilised in FG, and it’s easy to return to that line in your pickup. <br/>Points when clicked on in FG come up as point numbers for you to select whereas SurveCe opens a table with all the points attributes. I like that. FG wastes time with a second step and one can’t make an instant visual appraisal of all points selected. <br/>There’s more written about both on this forum, try searching. <br/>Reason for both was FG didn’t work properly then not at all with my Sokkia GPS through several upgrades.
I run a Nikon TS
I??ve used both. One facet of FG that blows away carlson in the field is the onboard calculator.
With FG, I can quickly plot a deed or build a map wireframe while sitting in the truck. Angle calcs (bearing, az, dec) are all right there. Carlson has it. But clunky and a lot of moving between menus.
If i want to role up on a job with only hard copy prints, sniff out some pins, build the dc file and get out the robot, sit back down, review the evidence and calc any new pins to set, FG makes it pretty easy. That includes field staking to offset lines once I??ve settled the boundary and the client wants setbacks for building additions. All easy with onboard routines
That said, I use Carlson now.
For bigger location work, FGs linework builder is neat but I found v7 crashed often while using it. Carlson FTF is solid.
Well, I installed FG 9 and ran it in demo mode on my PC. It does seem that getting to some items takes one or two steps more in FG vs Carlson but it’s not by any means a deal-breaker IMO, and my familiarity with Carlson is likely biasing my objectivity in comparing the two.
FG’s onboard calculator is indeed pretty robust.
In sum, it appears that for my own use (essentially identical to Richard’s), combined with the fact that I’ve used Carlson for a while… it’s almost six on one, half a dozen on the other for now. Especially since the cost is virtually identical for either one. At this point in time, though, I am leaning slightly toward FG. Tough call.
The only superior evidence is that which you haven’t yet found.The other thing to consider is what will you use on PC as your survey software?
I would not mix brands so consider that side.
Familiarity with an application is a bonus. Nothing beats a real trial in the field. <br/>You can run FG in simulator mode or just set your TS on a table and put couple of targets and have a play.
Annoying thing for my Nikon use is FG does not acknowledge it as a model so have to run Sokkia set basic. Then if I want to read reflectorless have to do that as a manual shot. They haven’t put much effort into Nikon users which is a nuisance for me.
- Posted by: Richard
The other thing to consider is what will you use on PC as your survey software?
I would not mix brands so consider that side.
Familiarity with an application is a bonus. Nothing beats a real trial in the field. <br/>You can run FG in simulator mode or just set your TS on a table and put couple of targets and have a play.
Annoying thing for my Nikon use is FG does not acknowledge it as a model so have to run Sokkia set basic. Then if I want to read reflectorless have to do that as a manual shot. They haven’t put much effort into Nikon users which is a nuisance for me.
Excellent point on the PC software aspect. I do have Traverse PC which will get me by for now, but will eventually look at purchasing one of either Carlson or ?æSurvey’s packages depending on what I run with.
I have a Sokkia SET330R3 which is reasonably supported by the data collector software folks. That really stinks WRT Nikon not being directly supported by FG… I personally wouldn’t mind having an NPL-322+ (2″) as a second gun; reasonably priced and decent quality IMO.
The only superior evidence is that which you haven’t yet found. When electronic data collection started, Topcon and Sokkia adopted the same connection and data flow requirements that was the so called standard at the time and the others went exotic and adopted their own prioritized language.
- Posted by: SellmanA
I do have Traverse PC which will get me by for now, but will eventually look at purchasing one of either Carlson or ?æSurvey’s packages depending on what I run with.
Traverse PC brings in SurvCE RW5’s seamlessly; Not sure the same goes with FG’s files. Have you tried that yet?
I believe FG records raw data to the same format as TDS. If your software doesn??t have a FG converter, try telling it your using TDS.
I know I??ve seen a FG rep add to threads in the past. Maybe they can clarify.
TPC should take ?æSurvey .RAW files without issue as it has its own menu selection, and should probably work under TDS or SurvCE import options too if perhaps with slight modification. I, too, believe the file formats are identical or almost so.
The only superior evidence is that which you haven’t yet found.These days we don’t get to run the DC software that WE want, we choose based on what the instrument manufacturers LET us use.
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to loseI was so disappointed with FG when realized that it doesn’t support Sokkia GRX1 GNSS Bluetooth connection (waiting since FG ver. 6). They finally fixed it in 9.3.25. version. In this version, they updated drivers for GRX1 and some Sokkia robotics stations. Now it is OK, but it was really annoying that they did not fix it for several years because Sokkia is in 5 biggest manufacturers in the surveying business.
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