mcmillan's new robot helper

Half I think we should ask Wendell to create a new category

Tips for mcmillan's new robot.

RADU

> get the leica, Kent.

The Leica TPRS 1205+ looks as if it will do the trick nicely.

> here's secret for how to get the data into star*net:
> run LGO and open the "adjustment" panel. no dongle needed.
> we just want the raw data.
> export all the raw data into an ascii file
> open the ascii file with notepad
> judiciously search and replace the degree signs and such as hyphens, compare with paper notes,
> edit to match star*net grammar (add TB, TE, DM, etc.)
> done.

Having used the SDR>StarNet converter for years, there has to be a better way than that. The folks at MicroSurvey seem to know very little about the various StarNet converters that Ron Sawyer wrote, but I have to think that he wrote one to import Leica data in GSI format. His SDR converter is flawless.

I thought that this is what we'd see!!

I've been using a 1203 for 3 years now and it has been a very good tool. Great for making corner moves and topographic work.

One thing that concerns me though, is how long will Leica support it once they move onto the next generation model.

My understanding is that when the 1100 series was discontinued, Leica kept no replacement parts in stock, making the 1100's worthless if they ever needed a repair that included parts replacement. Maybe no big deal for high use shops that cycle through instruments every 5 years, however for a small shop like mine, the robot is only used part time and I am gambling it will not break down and need replacement parts too soon after Leica moves on to the next model. Of course, all instrument manufacturer's only keep a limited supply of replacement parts once they move onto the next model, however Leica seemed to run out immediately, probably by design. My understanding is this is somewhat unique to Leica and other manufacturers at least keep a reasonable replacement parts stock quantity.

Something to consider especially for a robot which has a pretty complex workings.

If I was only doing boundary work, I think I would probably be just as efficient in my solo operation with a conventional total station with reflectorless capability. The robot primarily benefits my operation in topographic and stakeout work.

I Can Hear It Now.........

............"DANGER, Keith Williams!!!"

> I've been using a 1203 for 3 years now and it has been a very good tool. Great for making corner moves and topographic work.
>
> One thing that concerns me though, is how long will Leica support it once they move onto the next generation model.

My understanding is that Leica's policy is to keep spare parts for five years after the model is discontinued.

> If I was only doing boundary work, I think I would probably be just as efficient in my solo operation with a conventional total station with reflectorless capability. The robot primarily benefits my operation in topographic and stakeout work.

Yes, setting out boundary markers is a bit part of boundary surveying practice, as is detail mapping. The Leica 1200 series instruments look to have a very capable reflectorless EDM, but I don't think I'd use it for mapping anything other than buildings and topographic features.

> Having used the SDR>StarNet converter for years, there has to be a better way than that. The folks at MicroSurvey seem to know very little about the various StarNet converters that Ron Sawyer wrote, but I have to think that he wrote one to import Leica data in GSI format. His SDR converter is flawless.

I agree with you in principle, but maybe Ron didn't write a convertor for that GSI data. Doesn't look like they have it on their website. If you are really into Lieca, perhaps you should look into a Carlson data collector with it.

> > Having used the SDR>StarNet converter for years, there has to be a better way than that. The folks at MicroSurvey seem to know very little about the various StarNet converters that Ron Sawyer wrote, but I have to think that he wrote one to import Leica data in GSI format. His SDR converter is flawless.
>
> I agree with you in principle, but maybe Ron didn't write a convertor for that GSI data. Doesn't look like they have it on their website.

I think (subject to confirmation) that the Leica DC does have the ability to export in .RW5 and .RAW formats, which would might do the trick, although I'd like to stay as far away from TDS anything as possible.

> If you are really into Lieca, perhaps you should look into a Carlson data collector with it.

The Leica C15 DC running SmartWorx looked to me to be a pretty good effort that was logically organized and fairly easy to navigate.

Carlson would be a step backwards in my opinion after running VIVA smartworx for the past year.

By the way Kent, I just got back into the office. I will look around on what I can find on the conversion.

5 years is reasonable, I have not been able to get that statement out of the Leica reps I've been quizzing, but I hope its true.

Anyways, I don't want to down play the Leica with that concern. It is a fantastic tool. I use it quite a bit doing topo work and it is very nice the way it works. Keeps lock really good, even in traffic situations. And regains lock very fast.

Also, the batteries last a long time. I normally get a whole day out of 1 set of batteries. The Leica software is a bit quirky, but not the obstacle some have made it to be. Actually after 3 years of using it, I have grown quite fond if some of its features now that I somewhat mastered it.

I think the most impressive thing is just how accurate it has been just using the Leica 360 prism on an rod with an 8' bubble. I used to be skeptical of how well a robot could point to a mirror, but my 1203 has made a believer that at least Leica has done a superb job of the tracking.

By the way, before I bought the Leica, I read an article by Shawn Billings regarding the 1200 tracking, target recognition and how that relates to its good battery management capability. Very interesting article worth looking up.

> Carlson would be a step backwards in my opinion after running VIVA smartworx for the past year.
>
> By the way Kent, I just got back into the office. I will look around on what I can find on the conversion.

I just had a look at the export functions of LGO and didn't see an obvious solution. If the Leica DC will export in Trimble format, that would be a solution since StarNet has a Trimble conversion utility.

> I just had a look at the export functions of LGO and didn't see an obvious solution.

Actually, I may not have paid enough attention to the "style sheets" that LGO can use. Earlier version of Leica Survey Office would export measurements in a variety of formats including SDR33 format. If there is an SDR33 style sheet available for LGO, that would be a fine solution.

> By the way, before I bought the Leica, I read an article by Shawn Billings regarding the 1200 tracking, target recognition and how that relates to its good battery management capability. Very interesting article worth looking up.

I'm pretty sure that Shawn is somewhere in East Texas where "target recognition" means a traffic sign shot full of holes on a rural road. :>

If you know the format needed for Star-net you can easily create a format file in LGO's Format Manager. The format file can then be used in the instrument to output your desired format. The manager is a little cumbersome but can be used to get just about everything out of the gun. And I mean everything including time down to the second you took the shot and what the comp was doing at that time.

> If you know the format needed for Star-net you can easily create a format file in LGO's Format Manager. The format file can then be used in the instrument to output your desired format.

The sales rep mentioned that, but I identified that as a Plan C without knowing what each Leica XML data line looks like. If some Star*Net user has actually created a format file in LGO, I'd be interested to know how well that option works and how much trouble (or not) it was.

Will Star*Net import a LandXML file?

> Will Star*Net import a LandXML file?

No, not that I know of. This link lists the available conversion utilities as being SDR>Star, TDS>Star, Trimble(TSC)>Star, Carlson>Star, and SMI>Star.

Star*Net converters

Tracking

Kent
You may want to look at the video I posted earlier. The Topcon QS ran circles around the Leica 1200! Here is a link:

[flash width=480 height=390] http://www.youtube.com/v/IW9pY19mZQ8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0 [/flash]

Tracking

Our firm only uses Leica.....let me put it this way:

I find the results of that video to be non-typical, especially the last two comparisons.