Is it possible to add beginning and end point lat/long attributes to Trimble Pathfinder Data Dictionary before collecting data in the field?
I'm not clear on what your trying to do.
Are you trying to manually populate the attribute fields prior to measuring the feature, or somehow have it populate the attributes after the feature is measured?
Sorry didn't read your message well enough. Are you trying to navigate to a feature while collecting data?
If so, I seem to remember that I had to upload a point file and switch to the navigation menu to get to the beginning of the feature. For gathering data along a line, I have also uploaded a .dxf file as a backdrop and just positioned myself as close to the line as possible while zoomed in.
> Is it possible to add beginning and end point lat/long attributes to Trimble Pathfinder Data Dictionary before collecting data in the field?
I'm having a bit of a problem understanding your question as written so I'll mention a few things and then you let me know if it helped.
You can manually create new points and enter lat/long for each but not in a Data Dictionary. They are entered as data points and you can do this for your starting and ending points (if you know them) before you go to the project site. This function is not as straightforward as a surveyor type would like, but it can be done. Its been a few years but I can fire up a GeoXT to help you through that process, if thats the question you're asking.
Typically your Data Dictionary is created in the office (and tested!) before going out to collect data. You COLLECT points, lines or areas... things you can define in the Data Dictionary and related to what you want to collect in the field. Those 'things' you collect do have GPS positions stored with them that you see on the download.
Does this help?
I should elaborate. I'll be collecting road centerline data and will be populating the data dictionary prior to data collection with route name, route number, road condition, etc. as well as beginning and end lat/long. My goal is to have beginning and end lat/long auto-populate once the feature is collected. I am a fairly novice user but I'm told this is possible.
I'll preface by saying I am GIS Technician and not a surveyor. Data dictionary will be created prior to field data collection. I'll be collecting road centerline data and will be populating the data dictionary prior to data collection with route name, route number, road condition, etc. as well as beginning and end lat/long. My goal is to have beginning and end lat/long auto-populate once the feature is collected. I am a fairly novice user but I'm told this is possible.
For what it is worth, we had a consultant do this for our county about 15 years ago. They mapped about 2000 miles of roads.
It is good to know where a road starts and ends, but in reality you really will not know the exact coordinates until the data is processed and cleaned up in the office.
For example you may have a road the starts at an intersection and ends at a prescribed length (based upon the certified maintained mileage database). You need to locate both roads, with the dead end road over-lapping the main road. The odometer on the vehicle is set to zero and the road is located to extend past the maintained mileage length. In the office, the road is trimmed to begin at the exact intersection and trimmed to match the certified maintained mileage database (after it has been verified).
EDIT: Also of importance, was the fact that the survey crew did not rate the road condition. This was done through a separate pavement survey (for a pavement management program). It took quite a bit of time to rate the pavement surface, which would severely impact the productivity in mapping the road centerlines.
