Today I spent my time writing an xlsx that intakes a Carlson GPS rw5 file and splits it up into its parts. The idea being I would re-configure and save as a Trimble .dc file. One sheet is the Carlson information, one sheet does all of the conversions I need done and the other sheet (the one to save) is in xls version of .dc format. My problem is that I see no way to achieve the very strict space delimited format that Trimble requires from Excel. Hopefully one of the Excel guru's will know how to do that. I am mapping the .dc sheet into xml, so, I can get it done. It would just be easier if Excel could do it.
I have been using an early version of this sheet to do more of a manual convert right now. It works fine, but, just too much hands on for me. I added a feature for when the crews grab a VRS base that is way to far to work from and re-calculate the vectors from a more ideal base. The picture below is a screen shot of a collection done from SAMM3 that should have been collected from ENUM3 and I re-wrote it that way. I always throw in a sanity check back to the original base as is pictured. Never thought I would use it much, but, with the worry of plate movement, it allows me to move any VRS collection to the same base (if it existed at the same time). I have VRS vectors back to 2003 and haven't yet tried older RTK onto a VRS base, but, I have thought of it. I can't get rid of velocity this way, just minimize it
Missed the static position for SAMM3 by 0.01' x 0.02'. The points are right about a mile from ENUM3
Crickets. So the answer must be what I figured, no control on space delimited output on Excel. When i get time, I will finish it going through xml then
I need to get this done before a new 3D printer arrives and takes all of my time;). After extensive Google'ing I have come to the conclusion that Excel just can't export the way I need it and as you can see from the fourth thumb, I got it there. I don't know xml very well, but, it does seem to be the tool and the conversion seems to be nothing more than building a scheme that identifies what the appropriate cells are and then formatting an ASCII export file to name .dc.
Can't you just drag and drop the file into TBC or export a xml file and then drag it into TBC?
If I used TBC that would be what the operation would be. TBC would only be for file conversion for me, I am afraid. I can't justify the price for that limited functionality.
I did figure I was going to be the only one that wanted it. it is very good to know that TBC can take in Carlson though. I have looked at TBC many times in its various iterations starting in the TGO days and have always felt that it fell short and I am still hearing that about it. They are making it a required tool for some of their other tech though, so, I may end up with it. This all started because I was using some software that wasn't converting files super well, so, I wrote a sanity spread sheet so I knew what the answers were supposed to look like. Basically a sanity check on commercial programs. I ended up liking the spread sheet better than the programs ... hence the really big spread sheet
I have just been using the spread sheet and dealing with the format issue. It is amazing what we will put up with with the thought "I will fix this next week." Well, ... it turns out all you have to do to format Excel for a specific delimitation is specify what it is in each column width. So easy, I never considered it. It is so nice to have a completely drag and drop solution now. I almost want the crew to screw up a base ....
I find that I use this spreadsheet all of the time, but, not for what I originally designed it for. I have done so much GPS from 1997 onward in Puget Sound that I kind of know where most of the tectonic breaks are. I use this sheet to move bases on old collections to bases that make more sense for the plate that the survey was on. I also move current collections that were collected from across plate lines to the correct plate as I still haven't made or found a plate map for the crews. I am getting very good results this way. Gavin clued me in to this when he told me that an attempt was made to place a station on all of the plates that they knew about here in Washington.
One, of course, could just have a static backbone of all of the current VRS stations and then add the stations from say 15 years prior (matching whatever the old info is) anchored upon the correct station for the plate and then mix that way. The spreadsheet is much more fun and far quicker than watching all of those baselines process though. The only major stumbling block being figuring out what the base displacement was back in the day. In our RTK days I would always download the static for the bases around the collection, so, I am able to bring them forward as well. The RTK gets fun when it pre-dates the VRS system though
When we go out to add GPS to a survey that we did say 15 years ago, I have the crew re-tie some of the old survey for a sanity check and most of the time it just checks very well. I have found a couple of monuments that were incorrectly re-set at some point in time this way as well. Basically, you are missing the point both vertically and horizontally, so, I dig through the monument reports and both times I found that yes they were re-set.
?ÿand the REPT function is off no help?
|
=REPT("*-", 3) |
Displays an asterisk and a dash (*-) 3 times. |
*-*-*- |
| ?ÿ |
TBC is free. Just download it, the free version should do all the conversions for you.
I actually have TBC and it does NOT do everything I want.?ÿ I do not use it for GPS reduction, it cannot move rtk or vrs collected from one base to another as an example.?ÿ This converts the files faster than loading TBC and I have full control over all aspects of the conversion.?ÿ
?ÿand the REPT function is off no help?
=REPT("*-", 3)
Displays an asterisk and a dash (*-) 3 times.
*-*-*-
?ÿ
Thanks for that, but, I actually figured out the spacing is controlled by the width of the row.?ÿ Just lock down the row width.?ÿ Once you figure that out, it is a simple adjustment.?ÿ The sheet makes the file adjustments from Carlson.rw5 to Trimble.dc instantaneously, but, while in Excel mode I can change the base reference or any rod height.?ÿ
Since every collection software I have reviewed, collects vectors as either Cartesian displacement or more likely final Lat, Long and elevation with a reference Lat, Long and elevation.?ÿ The sheet simply converts either Cartesian to Geographic or just takes the Geographic and then converts to Cartesian displacement.?ÿ If you change the reference point, you change the displacement.?ÿ The sheet then has several different outputs that I have written, but, Trimble .dc is all I really use.?ÿ Moving the quality data was much harder than just the conversion, but, it's all there you just have to figure out what is what.?ÿ?ÿ The sheet can also adjust for a blown rod, like when someone forgets the decimal point and you end up with a 656 foot rod.?ÿ Thankfully, I have only had to do the rod change on a really old file (2003).
You can tell from what I have typed that I use this for control and that it was designed for control as we rarely do GPS topo.?ÿ I did have an occasion do reduce a GPS topo though and Excel's ability to duplicate cells made it so easy.?ÿ Well as long as the fixed references were properly dollar signed that is, because, if not, it is nothing short of a big mess.
