Have a Nomad with TDS Survey Pro 4.4.1 & a Spectra Focus 10 robot: Noticed that if I wanted to update to Spectra Survey Pro above this, I have to pay some fees or subscription stuff. Is it worth it for this version? Seems to work fine on my end.
Untrue, you can upgrade to 4.8.5 free of charge. I use it on all my collectors, haven't paid a dollar.
I just tried, said there wasn't a registered version of Survey Pro on my nomad and that I should call my dealer. God I miss Carlson SurvCE...
I've also upgraded to 4.8.5 without charge. Spectra Precision is now in charge. They are up to 4.11.1 now. You can visit their site for release notes to determine exactly what's been upgraded over time. http://www.spectraprecision.com/survey-pro-downloads.aspx
That said, I haven't seen anything especially compelling from them regarding new features. Keep in mind that Survey Pro is most often run on Nikon, Focus, (and Trimble?) total stations. Support and new feature developments for other total stations seem to be lagging. I'm waiting to see how they respond on a feature request before investing any more in this software.
What did you request?
A few weeks ago, I requested that Spectra Precision add sheet targets to the types of supported targets within its software, and also better icons for the smart targets (an icon for 360 prism, an icon for sheet target, etc.). My total station (Sokkia SRX3) allows for the use of the sheet target, and is quite capable in that respect, yet the Survey Pro software does not support that function.
If you sight the sheet target does the EDM give you a return?
Their export is lacking also. I hate that I have to go to foresight dxm (a $400 program that is ancient) to export attributes. Wish this could be done in the controller. TDS seems to me that it was a great data collection software 10 years ago and that it hasn't changed much other than updating new instruments. I hate to admit it (because I have 3 data collectors with Pro) but Carlson is keeping up with the changing world. Maybe TDS will also. I think they would if Trimble didn't have them on a leash.
A long shot guess, maybe they changed how the installer works between iterations of 4.8.x. Try the earliest version you can download, 4.8.1 I believe. If that works, you should be able to upgrade all the way to 4.8.5. I know they messed with the installer a couple of times before they finally went paid subscription. Release notes for 4.8.1 said you needed to have a valid warranty, but it wasn't true for my collectors. Heck, you are using 4.4.1 on a Nomad? Have you ever tried to update Survey Pro before? My guess is no, which means it might be another problem, like connectivity to active sync.
4.7.1 is the last version of "TDS" Survey Pro. and can update 4.4.1. The upgrade from 4.7.1 to "Spectra Precision" 4.8.x is not a charged upgrade.
Are you saying you have to have 4.7.1 installed then?
No, don't have a download of 4.7.1. Do you know where to go back that far?
Past SP 4.8 users are required to have a software warranty agreement with Trimble. Users with 4.7.1 are grandfathered in to update to 4.8. Further updates will still require an SWA.
Here's what I had sent by way of explanation to Spectra on this issue:
In Survey Pro, I set up new target using "Manage Smart Targets>Add", and
then using "Prism" as "Target Type". Activating this target in Survey Pro,
and without altering the display settings on the Sokkia SRX3 total station,
the instrument is unable to auto-point the sheet target. I don't know
exactly how this works, but I suspect that the beam generated by the SRX for
auto pointing to a prism is lower in power than the beam generated by the
SRX for auto pointing to a sheet target, and therefore, because Survey Pro
is controlling this situation by specifying a prism as the target, the
resultant beam is not powerful enough to generate a distinct contrasting
image required by the CCD device in the total station, and therefore the SRX
can not point to the sheet target.
Alternatively, I tried setting up a second target in Survey Pro, using
"Reflectorless" as Target Type. In that situation, the SRX will not auto
point to the sheet target, because, reflectorless is pointed manually. If I
use this Smart Target and press the global search button, the Survey Pro
automatically switches the type of target back to prism, both on the data
collector and on the instrument.
Now, the SRX has a display that allows for changing the target type.
Usually, I do not fiddle with this display, but rather let Survey Pro
control the settings. However, given that I do not have the option of
setting up a Sheet Target within Survey Pro, I also experimented with using
the SRX display to change the target type. And, I had some success in doing
so, although it is not my preferred method, as it seems a little buggy and
not too efficient. If I set the target type separately on the SRX as
"Sheet", I can then press the blue "search" button on the SRX to search for
the target and it will succeed in auto-pointing to the sheet target.
Following this auto pointing, I am able to subsequently take a distance shot
to the sheet target using either the reflectorless or prism target types set
up in Survey Pro. However, using reflectorless seems inappropriate given
that this is a Class 3R laser product, and I am concerned that the reflected
laser may be harmful to my health. Secondly, while perhaps safer, I am also
concerned that when using the Prism target type, that this will work when
the sheet target is close to the instrument, but will fail or become
inaccurate at longer distances. Because, as I explained before, my theory
is that the generated beam is lower power for a prism than for a sheet
target, and therefore when using a Smart Target set to "Prism" the distance
shot will be based upon the lower power setting and therefore not as much
reflected beam will come back to the instrument.
