Leica Viva SmartWorx - Needed User Opinions

my ONLY complaint is the clumsiness of running multiple lines simultaneously. seems like it would be an easy workaround, but having run it for a couple years now i've adapted and it really doesn't put much- if any- dent in my production now. in fact, i shoot differently now- in a way that means i'm walking a job a whole lot more, which is keeping my girlish figure hemmed up pretty good. so i'm not really even complaining. but if i were, that'd be it.

Solo,

Agreed. This is definitely in the top five complaints I hear. The subject of coding and linework has been brought up in detail to the developers. I voted for just plain jane code driven linework as an option. I am not sure what way coding will go in the upcoming firmware releases but this has definitely been communicated. We also asked if there was a way to be able to edit the code field live when using a code list instead of having to make new codes for each deviation from something already in the codelist. I am not sure what will happen with this suggestion.

Yeah- when I said "workaround" I meant "firmware update."

My workaround is using standard Carlson codes if I get in a situation where I HAVE to run multiple lines at once.

I found that it was just different enough to require the user to go through a learning curve without those differences yielding any real advantages. As I understand it VIVA was undertaken as an acknowledgment that Leicas old Wildsoft collection was too quirky for us Americans. Leicas programmers took a step in the right direction, there are a couple more such steps that could be made.

Site calibration is way too complicated for one. I was told to have multiple jobs to run the site calibration. I couldn't wrap my mind around why that was necessary if the raw GPS observations yielded Lat/Long then you could always go back to whatever standard system you wanted from those observations. I would rather it worked like the old Trimble Survey Controller did. You could key in coordinates for the points and then tell it I'm shooting point 1 now, I am shooting point 2 now, and so on. The software would compute the transformation properties and present the user with the residuals. It's then up to the user if the local site calibration is good enough to use.

On the subject of transformations, it also felt very clumsy to try to translate, rotate, scale coordinates in smartworx. I need that functionality all the time when plotting deeds or filed plans here in the colonial states.

Also, it seems the instrument setup would sometimes pull a point in from another job and use it as the occupy station and just screw everything up. I know you can catch it before hand, but you shouldn't have to. I would never want to use my occupy point near NYC on a job near Philly.

Dan,

You do not need separate jobs to do the One-Step (site localization). I always just key in or import my local NEZ of known points into the same job and then record my RTK positions in the same job. Also call the local coordinates and RTK positions the same name…. then you can just use the auto match feature and then look at your residuals. Much faster when you do it like that. There is also a routine called QuicKGrid under the Survey Plus section. Under this application there is a method called Multiple Points. It is the same thing as doing the One-Step under the Determine Coordinate System application except it forces the user to go step by step at each point… just provides a much simpler interface. On the Raw GPS back to a standard system… this is true if you have good coordinates on the position your RTK base is at or if you are working of a real time network.

Agreed on the translate, rotate scale…. I like the way each component has a separate screen but in the beginning it is sometime hard to isolate the points you want to choose to include in the transformation unless you are just using all of the points. SmartWorx also needs an easier way to recall say a distance bearing between two points in the job. You can use the Inverse function easily but it would be nice to just type in point numbers with a dash between them such as in other systems.

I know why the point for the TPS setup comes into the job from another job if you go into Setup and then back out without completing the setup. The system remembers the last instrument setup in memory and if you just go into setup and do not complete the routine that will happen. There were some bugs with this in the past but are corrected. If it is still happening in newer firmwares I need to test this and get back to Leica.

Thanks for the feedback!

I hope you get it worked out, because I did like how fast the robot ran with Smartworx. I am using Carlson now, which seems to be a little slower. I do like the Carlson software and I primarily use it for construction which requires a lot of COGO and sometimes translating and rotating. I think if Leica can make those functions a little more streamlined or more intuitive it would actually be better than Carlson.

As you touched on in the other thread, something really must be done about the CS15. Bigger screen, bigger keys, larger internal memory, and more megapixels in the camera. Flash memory is cheap. I bought a 128GB flash drive for like $25 the other day.

Someone posted a while back about the stagnation of data collector technology across the board. I'd like to see Leica come out with something totally different. Maybe a compact tablet or something? I'm not an inventor, so I don't know what the next big data collection advancement is, but it sure seems like we're due for one. Unfortunately the CS15 wasn't it.

I know Leica is working on taking in complaints and suggestions about their systems. I hope too that it all gets implemented quickly.

I think the issue with the lack of new tech on the CS15 is that it was slow in design and testing until it came out to market. No excuses... it just seems that the design of a product cannot change to much after it hit a certain mark in design and testing.

Agreed ondata collectors in general. It seems since the original TDS Ranger box (blue housing and ran TDS only about 1998 or 1999 ?) that all designs were made around that type of concepts. They only thing I wonder about is if you just had touch screen... not keyboard... not even a small numeric keyboard. I like keyboard but maybe touch screen is the way to go. Also... what size... tablets are nice and getting smaller but are still to big (in my opinion only) to have strapped to a pole if you are walking down line and gettng caught up in some limbs and brush. Maybe something in the middle. I looked at the Juniper Systems Mesa compact tablet. Nice box... maybe about the size of the Mesa. I would need to work with one. Screen is large enough for allot of god graphic interfacing when I looked at one.

Coding/Linework is one. Being able to run linework through multiple different point codes would go a long way for us. But between Smartworks/LGO/Civil3D we cant get it to work the way we want.

Sets of Angles is another. Did this ever get fixed? We rarely use the TS15's anymore, so I cant say we've tried in a long time... There should be a simple way to wrap sets of angles to a point without having to "trick" the instrument by using the Traverse app.

Thats about it for Smartworx... Its a much better platform than the old GSI system as far as user-friendliness, but they could take a few more steps in that direction as someone else already said...

One of my complaints for LGO and how it doesn't store the coordinate system information within jobs. (For example, you can open up the same job on a different computer that has a different Geoid attached to a coordinate system definition, and the previous Geoid Heights still show up until you Compute Geoid Separations)

Also, since LGO stores all of the raw static data within a single file in the job folder it starts to get unstable at some point, typically several hundred points or about a Gb sized ".G11" file. We've had to create multiple static jobs for our larger projects that may include thousands of observations.

But overall, its great stuff!

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

AKSuperChamp,

I agree with you on all of this… this is the information I can offer on your points….

Coding and Linework – this is in the top five of the issues that have been presented to the SmartWorx Team. I am not sure what the final product is going to be but there has been allot of feedback give on this in the past years.

Turn a set in say the Survey Application without using Traverse or Sets of Angles…. My personal number one feedback issue. Now, this has to be a true set where the instrument reobserves the backsight before taking the direct measurement (Face 1) and also observes the backsight before measuring in indirect position (Face 2). Tolerances should be inputted into settings and user must be notified if tolerances are not meet. Data base should contain all observations plus coordinates for averaged positon. Yes this is one of the items that hopefully is in the top five wishes for the software improvements.

LGO…. I understand about having to manually check some things because of the project details being stored in a user database on each PC. What we have to offer here is that LGO needs a total overhaul. This overhaul is called Leica Infinity and is available now for purchase. The TPS and RTK capabilities along with scanning data from MS50,, volumes, and adjustment are already in this software. Leveling and Post Processing of GNSS is not yet implemented in Infinity but it is coming. I think you will be surprised at the improvement and how the project is handled. The performance issue you mention with large files can be an issue in LGO. The latest version of Infinity is 64 bit and I would think this has been solved. There will be a total transition from LGO to Leica Infinity soon. I am starting to learn Infinity myself. The interface is completely different and I am working on getting to know it. If you want to look at the details of Inifinity:

http://www.leica-geosystems.us/en/Leica-Infinity_103672.htm

Mark,

Not to hijack your thread but along the line of Viva Smartworx, do you have any information for connecting a GS14 to VRS? I have called my dealer and Leica representative and have not gotten a reply back.

I am able to connect to a VRS now, set up at time of purchase, but I need to set up another connection and did not want to mess up the connection I have now. I use function key F12 to connect and wanted to know how to set up the other connection using a different key.

TIA for any help.

Ed Killough, NCPLS

Ekillo,

I am not sure if you just want to move the function you have to connect on F12 to a different function key or if you just need to set up a new connection on a different network or the same network using a different mount point.

If you just want to move the functionality of F12…

From main menu select USER ? next choose Work Settings… ? Then choose Hot Keys and Favorites

Here you can reassign what the function keys have assigned to do when selected. You can move the F12 functionality here if you want. It would be better to edit the Hot Keys section in your working style being used so that the change is permanent.

If you want to establish a new connection say to a different network or same network with a different mount point you should make a new RTK Profile which holds all of your communication settings. You just need to make a copy of the RTK profile you are using and make the needed changes. That way you can just switch between connections by running a different RTK profile.

Easy way to do this….

Main menu choose Instrument -> then choose GPS Settings.. -> The choose RTK Rover Wizard -> choose “Edit an existing profile -> Then in the next screen choose the profile that you are currently using for the connection you want to save -> check the box for “Create a copy” Accept this with F1 Next -> The in the next screen Enter the name you want to use for the new connection – Accept this and in the screens that follow accept the settings you are using until you get to the screen that wants to create select or continue with a server (this is right after the system connect to the internet) -> select “Continue with current server if you are just wanting to select a different mount point or if you are connecting to a new network choose Create a new server and then enter the information for the new server in the next screen – in either case when you get to the screen requiring a mount point choose “Select mount point from source table and then accept with F1 NEXT – the system will now contact the server that you enter and will download the source table of available connections… choose the needed mount point in the Mount Point: field accept with F1 NEXT -> In the Enter the RTK Network details page you need to make sure the Network type: field matches your mount point type --- ie if your are in a VRS mount point make sure this is set to VRS – make sure the Send GGA message field is checked and then accept with F1 NEXT – the next screen you need to make sure the RTK Data format: field is set to the correction type you choose with the mount point – if it is a VRS this is probably CMR/CMR+ I am not sure how you network will handle the way it knows the base sensor or the antenna type at base…. Just use the previous settings.

You should be good to go. To switch between the networks or connection types you just need to load the different RTK Profiles.

Thanks Mark

I am trying to connect to a different network and assign the connection to a different function key so that I do not mess up the current network connection. I will give this a try, this is the kind of information that I was hoping for. I have an IP address and port number for the network. Thanks again.

Ed Killough

Ed,

The F12 will work the same with either network. You just need to load a different RTK profile to switch between the network. I check to see if there was a function key assignment for quick access to the profiles and I did not see one.

Mark,

I am not seeing the edit existing profile screen, mine comes up with enter a name for the new profile, I might not have a stored RTK Profile, just a connection entered if that is possible. I did not setup the existing connection.

Mark,

How do I load a different profile when I get it figured out?

Ed,

The system could have been setup the "long way" I called it by just going into the connection settings and doing everything manually. That works but you do not have a nice file that you can recall and/or transfer if needed with the RTK Profiles. That is why you do not have any options but to create a new one. I should have done a guide for this but I have not even started one. I guess since it is different sometimes depending on the network, location of COM device etc. is why I did not do a guide. The setup is basically a Wizard everything will make sense except... the US does not use PIN and PUK codes (leave blank) and you do not use a Static IP or Username and password --> this will make sense when you go through the steps.

I can do this in a 5 minute phone call. If your guy does not call you back I can get in touch with you. I am not sure why the RTK profile was not used. It makes life easy.

Mark,

That sounds like what was done. I have set up different connections on my old 1200 system but just getting started with this one. If I set up a new profile, do I also have to create a profile for the existing connection for both to work, I just do not want to mess up the existing working connection and be down for a while.

Yes you would need to setup a RTK Profile for both connections. One of the big differences between System1200 and Viva is the RTK Profile. It helps with a big improvements of having to edit the interface settings as you had to do on System1200. With the RTK Profiles you just run another profile file and everything is set to different communications. It is really nice as compared to System1200 when going between say Network Connection and UHF radio with a base reciever.