I know that there are many surveyors that are still using Cadastral Measurement Management suite of surveying programs (CMM) and like me have not found anything better when combined with its mated data collection routines and Ron Hamilton's current Windows incarnation of CMM ... but are any of those CMM users still seen on this forum?
Maybe there is something better than CMM and I haven't found it because I hadn't found a reason to look. But now it seems I need to look: WinXP EOL ... and while their little countdown clock is slightly over the top, at the very least it suggests that us CMMers ought to starting asking some hard questions.
And maybe, there are some former CMMers here of this firum that have recently moved onto something else? Please let us hear from you former CMM users and of your experiences of migrating from CMM.
Thank you very much for any replies,
Kelly
Haven't used it in a long time and then I only dabbled with it (an it may have been GMM, I don't remember). It's my understanding that the BLM now uses custom AutoLISP programs that work within AutoCAD instead. Jerry Wahl occasionally visits this site. Maybe he will chime in.
I still use it occasionally. I have a Windows 7 64-bit machine, but CMM will fire up and work fine in Virtual XP (just don't try to be popping back and forth between your straight machine on one screen, and Virtual XP on your second screen). I am just using straight CMM and basically just use the COGO functions for the mean bearing capability. I haven't tried WinCMM or RHCMM running in Virtual XP; never was into those versions for my applications.
My understanding is that BLM-AK has moved to TraversePC, which has been pushing its mean bearing capability and built-in Cadastral stuff (like proportioning, Grant boundary, etc.)
I've also noodled around a little with Columbus geodetic software in the past but found it pretty unfriendly. I think some massive power is there, though...
I've contacted him privately, but will completely understand if he doesn't reply here or there. I have a lot of respect for the guy for fighting as hard as he did to keep CMM alive as long as he did.
So what is your main 'GoTo' data collection / post processing option today?
I had to reluctantly give up using WinCMM for least squares adjustments when we made the move to Windows 7. The main program still works, but many of the programs needed to generate and check the input files don't. The good news is, with some very minor editing, I can use my WinCMM least squares input files in Star*Net, so building on existing networks is not a problem.
We're full on Leica everything. The total station processing module of Leica Geomatics Office is not anything I recommend... And of course all of their stuff is stupid expensive.
That is good news. Probably one of the most important issues related to migration is the ability to reach back into older data.
Are you able to bring in original OBS files? LSA files?
LSA files only. I use Excel and Notepad to add the Star*Net data tags to the beginning of the lines and do some minor re-formatting. I do the same to the ZZZ file, and combine them into a single input file. The whole process only takes a couple of minutes, maybe half an hour tops for my bigger networks (300+ points).
Thanks. Star*Net input files don't need to have the data in any particular fixed place on the line. It just has to have the correct tag and be in the correct order. It makes it really easy.
I heard a rumor that BLM is working again with Dr. Ray Hintz, Univ. of Maine, on a new Windows version of CMM. Or maybe it is wishful thinking.
I had been using RHCMM up until 11 days ago. After taking some sick leave my IT staff Through Win7 on me (last hold out in the office due to CMM and GMM) but due Bureau policy issues I can't even have it on my machine. And Yes BLM contracted Dr. Ray Hintz again to reconfig to Win 7 64 bit, Due April 2014, holding my breath. But I had to go and re-download from Kurt Wurm's sight to through on my home machine. Just a note it is true that Traverse PC has made great strides in getting a Cadastral Geodetic (BLM) product up and going and most all the western states purchased copies, but for some reason that I am not aware of Oregon State Office had shelved it due to problems for the time being. Also AutoDesk was to have a Cadastral package in the past rel of CIVIL3D but that didn't make it into it. But the old LISP routines are still working that Jerry Wahl, Tom Noble, Tom Wholwend, Denis Mackay, Dean Wiese, Mark Tanner, had created are still able to work so far for Cadastral Automated Plat Drafting (CAPD).
Good Luck in figuring this out.
"Just a note it is true that Traverse PC has made great strides in getting a Cadastral Geodetic (BLM) product up and going and most all the western states purchased copies, but for some reason that I am not aware of Oregon State Office had shelved it due to problems for the time being."
We were not aware of this so we talked to one of our contacts with the BLM in Oregon and this is what he said:
"OR/WA Cadastral has not shelved Traverse PC
There have been no glitches discovered or reported by our surveyors or my cadre of testers that I'm aware of"