STAR*NET - Step by Step Guide

Great video!  Long, but comprehensive enough that I think a beginner could follow it to effectively use the software.

I've been using Star*Net in my daily work since 1993 (currently using v11), and I'll share some of my gripes and tips:

I, too, have found that automatic selection of geoid files is unreliable (as in almost never works), so I have my project template setup to point to the file I use all the time.

If you try to run an adjustment and get an endless "Checking Network Configuration" message, you'll have to end the Star*Net task in Windows Task Manager and relaunch the application.  The problem is likely to be an inability of Star*Net to find the specified geoid file.  I run into this periodically when trying to adjust an old project that points to a geoid file that no longer exists on my system, or has been moved to a different drive or folder.  (This same problem can occur with a  bad C record in the .gps file.

Star*Net (v11, anyway) defaults to Detect Sideshots on the Special tab of the Options menu.  That prevents some measurements from being included in the adjustment.  This can really cause trouble if the point  treating as a sideshot is one you've specified as the translation point in the ground coordinate file configuration parameters, and it shows up as the ground coordinates being *way* off from where you expected them.  I have Detect Sideshots unchecked in my project template.

If you get the message "ERROR Cannot Create Coordinate Index 0 B [BCI]," it's likely because Star*Net is using the default .dat file even though you (thought you) created a project .dat file in the default folder.

If you get an error message to the effect that the grid files don't cover the project, look for a bad lat/long, or a bad or missing units setting (i.e., initial control in meters, subsequent measurements in feet, but no .UNITS FEETUS in-line option).

When setting up a 3D adjustment in which an azimuth mark (e.g. a natural backsight) is used, be sure to fix the elevation of the az mark and fix the distance from the occupied point to the az mark. Failing to do either will cause the adjustment to fail.

A problem I run into periodically is dealing with a control point (typically a corner monument) that I can't get a prism on due to obstructions.  What I usually do I set 2 or 3 nails around the point and record taped distances to the nails, then shoot the nails.  I haven't found an elegant way to get Star*Net to do the distance-distance intersection(s) necessary to include the point in the adjustment.  What I typically do is guesstimate the bearings from the nails to the point and put those in the .dat file, but it always takes several iterations of improving those bearings to get the stats to work.  If anyone has a better approach, I'm all ears!

Posted by: @bc-surveyor

↑

uTube Video is being blocked

@johnymal 

It's probably something at your end. It's working fine here.

What a great video. Thank you. 

I'm running out of time to become that smart.... oops, did I think that out loud?.  What I meant was, "Thanks for the great video."