System

The System tab allows you to configure job units for distance, angles, geoid, coordinate system and date/time.

• Distance: Select the unit of measure that best conforms to the project. This is a display property and will not change the format of the data recorded to the raw file. Once distance units are selected for a new job, they cannot be changed.

  Note: If you want to select another unit of measurement, create a new job and if necessary, import the coordinates, linework and/or symbols and use the Transformation tools as needed.

• Display Input: Set the desired linear units for how coordinates/distances are to be displayed.

  Note: It is possible to use Formatted Distance/Height Entries to input values in a unit of measure other than the primary Distance unit.

• Angle: This offers the ability to set the expected input and display of angular values.
• Lat/Long: This offers the ability to set the expected input and display of all latitude and longitude entries.
• Zero Azimuth Setting: Allows you to specify the direction for the zero azimuth.
• Geoid: Use this option to specify whether or not a geoid separation should be applied to GNSS measurements.
  • Edit: Permits you to attach or detach a geoid from the project.
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    • Select File: Opens the standard File Selector dialog box that permits an existing geoid separation file to be specified.
    • Download File: Permits the downloading of a geoid file based on a known position:
      

    Note: The change of a geoid within a project is commonly followed with a re-processing of the Raw File to generate proper elevation values.

• Projection: You can create a short list of frequently used projections that serve your common work area. The most recently specified Projection will be the default project for the next new job.

  Note: The Projection selection applies primarily to GNSS work and your localization file if one exists. It enables automatic calculation of scale factors for grid-to-ground and ground-to-grid. However, the Projection can also apply to total station work. When you do any processing of your data within the Raw Data, there is an option Reduce to Grid Coordinates. This can improve your closures especially when traversing from one known grid system monument to another. Selecting and applying the correct projection is also useful when trying to match total station measurements (often located on the ground) to GPS-based survey work (typically located on the grid, at sea level).

  • Edit: The list of projections can be configured on-the-fly as they are needed.
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    • Delete: This option permits you to remove an entry from your "favorites" list.

      Note: A confirmation will appear requesting confirmation of the removal and if errantly removed, use the Add option to restore it.

    • View: This option permits you to review the underlying parameters for the current project and also Copy the information to another user-defined Projection whose values can be fully edited.
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      • System: Specifies a user-friendly coordinate system name.
      • Projection: Indicates the underlying projection type used to derive the desired coordinates. Two common types are:
        1. Transverse Mercator: Typically delivers high accuracy in areas that are oriented predominantly North/South (i.e. "portrait" orientation). Within Transverse Mercator projections, you will typically define these specific values:
           • Scale Factor: The ground-to-grid scale factor as specified at the Central Meridian.
           • Zone Width: The arc-degrees of longitude that defines the zone width where the ground-to-grid scale factor =1. For UTM coordinate systems, this is commonly 6° of longitude.
        2. Lambert Conformal Conic: Typically delivers high accuracy in areas that are oriented predominantly East/West (i.e. "landscape" orientation). Within Lambert Conformal Conic (2 SP) projections, you will typically define these specific values:
           • North Parallel: The northern latitude (specified in decimal degrees) within the zone where the ground-to-grid scale factor = 1.
           • South Parallel: The southern latitude (specified in decimal degrees) within the zone where the ground-to-grid scale factor = 1.
        3. Examples

           As an illustration of the differences in the Projection types, consider the State Plane zones of the State of Florida:

           

           
           

           

           
           

           

      • Datum: Indicates the geodetic datum upon which the Projection is based.
      • Edit/View Datum: Permits viewing and/or editing of specific datum parameters:
        

        Note: For Carlson-supplied datum, many underlying values are read-only.

      • User Defined: Permits a user-defined projection to be added or edited.
      • View Bounds: Illustrates (to the extent possible) the applicable usage area of the Projection.
      • C. Meridian: Defines the central longitude (specified in decimal degrees) within the region.
      • Lat. of Origin: Defines the reference latitude (specified in decimal degrees) within the region.
      • False Northing: A value (specified in meters) added to all y-direction coordinates such that all values within the region are positive.
      • False Easting: A value (specified in meters) added to all X-direction coordinates such that all values within the region are positive.
    • Add: This option permits you to add a coordinate system definition to your "favorites" list.
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      • Add Predefined: Carlson SurvPC comes pre-configured with hundreds of commonly used projection systems:

        

      • Add User Defined: This option permits the ability to create a customized projection system and/or add a commonly used projection (*.prj) file type through its Load File option: