I am using Spectra Precision Survey Pro Robotics v 4.8.5 (running on a Nomad used together with Sokkia SRX3 robotic total station). Just completed field work on a fairly substantial job, developing an existing base plan for local road reconstruction effort. About 2000 shots, horizontal and vertical.
My associate is processing our network using Carlson Survey, and he's reporting to me a difficulty regarding duplicate shots in the RAW data file, which is very time consuming for him to correct.
Basically, I've been exporting from the data collector the .RAW data file, which I understand he converts to a RW5 format using the Carlson software. Then, he uses the resulting RW5 file to process the network.
The duplicate shots arise in the RAW data file occasionally, when a shot is taken on a point in the field (say, point number 201), and after the point is recorded to the JOB and RAW data files, it is determined that the point is not good, for whatever reason. Then, the upcoming point number is set to 201, and once the description for the new shot is entered, it overwrites (with prompt) the old 201 in the JOB file. And, it adds the raw observation data for the new 201 to the RAW file, but doesn't overwrite the old 201 in the RAW file. So there are two entries for point number 201 in the RAW data file, which the Carlson software rejects. My associate is having to manually delete out these portions of the raw file where there are duplicate shots.
Any thoughts on how this situation could be improved?
There is a system, check box I think, for using an alias point number. You put a character of your choice such as * or #, etc. in the note field when you collect the point and when the .rw5 file is processed it will take care of your duplicate point problem. You must tell the program what character to look for, you do this when you make all of the setting.
Carlson is very good about supporting the Carlson LSA program. There are two webinars on their sight that show how to use the LSA program, or give them a call.
Good luck.
T.W.
Thank you, Tom. I'll check that out. Sounds like just what I need!
Al:
Open SurvNET and go to "project settings" then choose "preprocessing" then go to the "Pt. number substitution string" box and enter a string such as * or = etc.
When you collect a point a second or third time use the substitute string in the decription field and the original point number (=23), this will take care of your problem with the data collector not allowing the same number to be used more than once.
I suggest you read the SurvNET help files or go to the Cralson web sight and look around for more information. The program works well once you figure out just how to use it.
T.W.
I'm not sure that Tom has properly addressed your problem. He is telling you how to create multiple shots to the same point in the RW5 file. You sound like you need to figure out how to get rid of bad shots in the RW5 file. Other than going in the file and manually deleting the bad shot line, I don't know how to do it.
Tommy:
I just re read the post and you are correct I guess I just got ahead of myself.
Maybe Al could turn off point protect and then the last RAW observation for the points in question would be used, otherwise I guess it is just a big edit job.
T.W.
You know, I'm just wondering, how many bad shots does he have? We might have 3 or 4 per job, and with least squares, those shots are easily pointed out when you process the file.
Tommy:
Yes, I usually overwrite a few points during a survey that I know I screwed up on but not too many, it shouldn't take long to edit them out. I DO keep a field book with notes and a sketch so I can navigate through my data without a lot of fuss. When I screw up a shot I will often make a note in the field book so I will catch it when I process. I have heard that many of the younger guys are not bothering to keep a field book, I really don't know how that would work, I still rely on my sketch to keep me oriented.
T.W.
I like to review the .rw5 prior to processing and when i come across this situation, I will simply toggle the bad shot from SS(side shot) or TR (travese)to the DS (description)designation in the first column of the raw processor. Carlson will not process the DS line, but I will have the shot record there in case I need it in the future.
I just counted. It looks like about 10 shots on this job were "duplicates" in the RAW data file. I agree, most of the time, it would be only a few, if any. We took around two thousand shots on this job, so 10 doesn't seem bad to me...
I'm thinking that the best way to do this is to edit the RAW data file in a text editor like Notepad, before bringing it in to Carlson, searching for the string "DP,PN" which is the deleted point record that appears in the RAW data file when a point is overwritten in the JOB file, and deleting typically the line above it in the RAW data file (the "bad" observation). Why Carlson doesn't see and recognize that deleted point record I don't understand.
Thanks for the help, Tommy and Tom. I'll get this figured out.
Mack,
That's a good suggestion. No need to delete the data when it can be preserved in note form. I looked for the "DS" record in the TDS Raw Data Record Specification (version 4.2) and I can't find it. However, I think the equivalent exists in the TDS format, and that is to use the "--" Note Record. Simply adding the double dash at the beginning of the offending line will preserve the data, but prevent it from being processed in Carlson.
Al
