Android Data Collection

Hope this works because CarlsonPC sucks at controlling their own so called "Carlson" robot which is 100% Geomax robot.

What are the issues that are vexing you?

I have heard mixed reviews about SurvPC. Some have had nothing but trouble with it while others haven't had any issues. Are you running it on the Supervisor Tablet?

The Geomax robot is basically a Leica 1200+ robot. I know countless people have ran a combo of Leica 1200 and SurvCE on an Allegro with almost nothing but good things to say about it.

I know data collection program preference really tends to grow as you "mesh" with the software after hours and hours of use. I really like Trimble Access, but mostly because I have used it more than anything else. The only thing I really don't care for about SurvCE (and this is basically Carlson's way with everything) is that it creates somewhere around 8 different files or so per RAW file (RAW, CRD, TXT, NOT, REF, I don't remember the others).

Until someone puts the system on a handheld with a dedicated alphanumeric keyboard (not a virtual keyboard), I don't see it going anywhere. I use both a DC50 and an Allegro CX for data collection, and a Samsung Galaxy SII for a phone. I can't imagine trying to get anything done in the field using the "keyboard" on my Samsung.

> Until someone puts the system on a handheld with a dedicated alphanumeric keyboard (not a virtual keyboard), I don't see it going anywhere. I use both a DC50 and an Allegro CX for data collection, and a Samsung Galaxy SII for a phone. I can't imagine trying to get anything done in the field using the "keyboard" on my Samsung.

Ditto. Give me a nice sized keyboard and a screen that I can actually see and it'll run circles around a device with a virtual keyboard and small screen all day long.

Yep. Supervisor Tablet. Carlson has multiple problems with their software. Tech support is terrible. I don't see what everyone is talking about with their "great" tech support. I put the last guy on speaker so a group of fellow users/surveyors that have the exact same equipment could hear what i was talking about and their tech guy was a complete ass. I could care less about the tech guy or his terrible attitude. I just want the software to work correctly. I think Carlson is having growing problems. Use to be a great company. Now, not so much.

SurvCE is a different story. Very limited problems with it and the robot. SurvPC is a complete different animal. I have no idea why. They look and act the exact same.

I regrettably agree that the gold standard for support has slipped a little lately. I got ahold of a guy a while back that was totally unhelpful. Never would have happened a couple years ago.

For me it depends. I agree when considering the screens on allegros, TSC3s, Carlson surveyors etc., but typing on my phone, Nexus 7, etc. is far better. Also if codes are well set up not much typing is needed.

Ditto here for what Jim says.
had a Trimble tablet with the V10 friday and coding and keying anything in on a tablet is a nightmare for someone used to a full alphanum keypad.
It's not just a matter of getting used to it, there are to many screen tabs involved and short cuts are not available. (CTRL-combinations).
If you need speed in the field you need a keyboard.
The tablet is way to big to be handy at the pole to me, You can detach a TSC2 fast, not so for the tablet.

Chr.

> Hope this works because CarlsonPC sucks at controlling their own so called "Carlson" robot which is 100% Geomax robot.

Whats the communication protocol? Paranis?

internal bluetooth for around 5-600 feet. After that I use the parani's. It's not a communication problem. It is 100% a Carlson problem!

> Yep. Supervisor Tablet. Carlson has multiple problems with their software.

Care to be more specific on the actual problems that you experienced?

When I am reading your posts, I can feel the aggressive tone. If this same tone was used with the tech guy on speaker phone with a bunch of your buddies breathing on his neck, I can see not getting the most of a service call. My old pappy used to say to me that "we don't catch flies with vinegar". Nobody likes to be put on the spot or cornered; humans or animals. This tech guy may have felt uneasy by the tone of the call. Not finding answers right away is also a reality sometimes when contacting tech support - these folks don't have all answers, they do have to figure out things, consult with colleagues, from time to time just like we do too.

Having said that, I believe that the manufacturer's business model should be revisited. This drive to do it all is not a good idea in my opinion. The company should focus on what it does best, and be acclaimed for it, and let the rest to other businesses*. For the customer, the risk of buying into developing solutions is the following: If a product does not fly, there will be less money and expertise available. If I have a problem with Carlson civil, resources are available because the product is a flagship.

Bottom line: (1) being courteous (one can still be assertive) generally helps a guy. (2) Buying products with limited amount of users has its risks. It should not (the vendors will disagree with me) but it does.

*Remember Garth Brook and his weird alter-ego album?

You can't be more wrong. I'll just focus in on one of my main problems of the many. All I want to do is joystick the robot. Seems simple enough. You can't with Carlson on Carlson's own robot. I have told them over the phone and emailed them with no fix. After a couple of revisions you would think this would be at the top of the list to fix. So I get this guy that just says "go to the robot icon and tap the arrows". Well if I had arrows i would tap them. See there are no arrows! Then he says well did you hold the arrows down? Which I can't seem to hold nothing without there being an actual arrow on the screen. Then he says to tap the arrows on the controller and I say I already have done that.

Im going to stop and say this. I have been using robots all the way back to 1997. I think by this time I have figured out the in's and out's of some robotic and gps hardware. One thing I don't like to do is have a salesman tell me how to set stuff up. I like to figure almost everything out on my own until I run out of answers then I call for help. This is for when I'm in the woods or out of cell service I can fix almost everything without the help of tech support.

Anyway after I say this he doesn't seem to think I am actually trying is when he says "are you holding the arrows down"? I say yep. "are you HOLDING the arrows down"? Yep. "Listen are you HOLDING!!!! the arrows down"? to which I turn the guy right next to me and almost lose it cracking up laughing. I just respond I am HOLDING the button down. Which the guy next to me says "What an ass" I know right. I don't care. I just want to joystick the GD robot. He can be an ass all he wants. Just fix the damn thing.

This to me is the most basic function of controlling a robot. Try to lock on to the prism after initial setup to get a backsight without joystick. It is a pain. So I may sound bad or somehow you hear my "tone" is bad. I'm to the point I don't care. I want just what I paid for. Is it too much to have software that works? I have actually had to go back in versions because they must have fixed something (I don't know what because it fixed none of my problems) but it created the new problem of not recording a reflectorless shot over 500+ feet. I mean how does that get screwed up in software? Change the version back and reflectorless shots work fine. Facepalm.

> So I get this guy that just says "go to the robot icon and tap the arrows". Well if I had arrows i would tap them. See there are no arrows! Then he says well did you hold the arrows down? Which I can't seem to hold nothing without there being an actual arrow on the screen. Then he says to tap the arrows on the controller and I say I already have done that.

> (fast forward)

> Anyway after I say this he doesn't seem to think I am actually trying is when he says "are you holding the arrows down"? I say yep. "are you HOLDING the arrows down"? Yep. "Listen are you HOLDING!!!! the arrows down"? to which I turn the guy right next to me and almost lose it cracking up laughing. I just respond I am HOLDING the button down. Which the guy next to me says "What an ass" I know right. I don't care. I just want to joystick the GD robot.

It appears that to me that the main problem was one of communication as mentioned in earlier thread. At this point, most readers would have a difficulty finding an answer to the following question: "Was there or wasn't there an arrow to tap?" Also, when your buddy sitting next to you made his rude comment, the speaker phone was still on, correct? Did the comment help in finding a solution to your problem?

Folks, we have to remember that Tech Support is just a job, 9-5, Monday to Friday in most cases. The job of Tech Support is not a calling from birth "He is the chosen one". After doing time at work, just like you and me, that person goes watch his kids play ball or go for a beer (not the kid I hope!) with his friends, or whatever. Cutting a guy some slack and being professional when calling for support goes a long way. It would be disappointing that survey manufacturers start to record phone calls for "quality and training purposes".

Besides, in the meanwhile, just PowerSearch the godly robot, it works like a charm.

I did some testing tonight to see if I could replicate the problem (and I believe I possibly did). Here are my results:

• Carlson SurvPC with Supervisor Tablet with Integrated L/R and U/D arrow keys - I could not "joystick" the Carlson CR5 robot
• Carlson SurvPC with Supervisor Tablet with Virtual Keyboard with traditional L/R and U/D arrow keys - I could not "joystick" the Carlson CR5 robot
• Carlson SurvPC with Supervisor Tablet with External Keyboard with traditional L/R and U/D arrow keys - I could "joystick" the Carlson CR5 robot
• Carlson SurvPC with regular laptop (Win7) with Integrated Keyboard with traditional L/R and U/D arrow keys - I could "joystick" the Carlson CR5 robot
• Carlson SurvCE with Surveyor+ collector with Integrated Keyboard with directional L/R and U/D arrow keys - I could "joystick" the Carlson CR5 robot

Since the robot responded to physical keyboard button clicks with a traditional keyboard, it is my opinion that both SurvPC and SurvCE have the necessary instructions to joystick the instrument. However, it appears that either:

1. SurvPC is not properly interpreting the L/R and U/D directions from two of the Supervisor tablet arrow configurations, or,
2. The Supervisor tablet is not sending (or properly sending) direction arrow instructions to the SurvPC application.

In either case, I have taken the liberty of sending these results into the Carlson programming team and have asked them to look into this.

:good:

And there comes that Carlson spirit roaring back! Thanks Ladd, you are an asset to their team.

James. All I can say is get a geomax and CarlsonPC. It doesn't work like a charm. With your responses I think you are qualified to go work for tech support at Carlson. You have all the answers yet none of them work! And Powersearch will work like a charm if you point the gun off the rod a few degrees. If for some reason you have the "bad" habit of pointing the gun to the backsight and for some reason get very close to the actual bs. It doesn't lock on. My "fix" for software not working. I point the gun 20° or more off of bs direction so PS will work. I don't think I should have to do this but it is a quick fix. Working like a charm to me means almost every single time it works. So PS does not work like a charm.

As for the Arrows there are hard arrows on the tablet and there is supposed to be icon arrows. There are no "icon" arrows that for some reason every tech support guy at Carlson says there are. Which is the problem I have while talking to tech support. The hard arrows on the tablet is the second set I was talking about "HOLDING" down.

Of course the one guy at Carlson that I think has all the answers or at least seems to me that can find all the answers on the phone told me that he made the robot work with the arrows. He said on the phone that his works fine and mine doesn't. After that phone call I have without one doubt in my mind he lied!

All you people can say what you want and try to protect Carlson. I on the other hand have been battling problems with their software since day one. Thinking that getting THEIR software mated to THEIR robot would be seamless. It's not! So let me clear this up for everyone. Day one of shipping Carlson has not worked. As for "worked". My definition is the icon that does the tracking or no tracking. By god do not click that button. 50/50 shot the program will lock up and you have to restart windows and the program. Or how about when I want to run guidelights. When I say guidelight always on. I think they should be "Always ON". Never, not once have they worked. And that my friends is the God's honest truth!

Ladd. Hopefully you will find a fix. Mind you that I don't like to come on here and air my dirty laundry but it sure seems to me that Carlson has had months to deal with the problems I addressed and with putting out two fixes in the 2 to 4 months between each fix ratio seems like this will never get fixed.

> I did some testing tonight to see if I could replicate the problem (and I believe I possibly did). Here are my results:
>
>

>
• Carlson SurvPC with Supervisor Tablet with Virtual Keyboard L/R and U/D arrow keys - I could not "joystick" the Carlson CR5 robot

Ladd, Help me out here. Where did you find these arrows.

 

Can you post a screen shot of your tablet where the missing arrow keys should be?