Raw Data

The Raw Data command provides the ability to review and adjust the electronic measurements that are collected. It can be best thought of as traditional surveyor's fieldbook data in electronic form.

Note: The options within the Raw Data command will vary depending upon whether a total station, robotic total station and/or GPS is used during the survey.

Note: At the conclusion of any adjustments or re-processings of the raw data, you will be prompted whether or not to store the newly calculated points into the coordinate file. This provides the flexibility to experiment with different processing settings and options (including those of the powerful SurvNET Least Squares engine) without impacting the existing stored coordinates.

• Options: The Options button permits the creation of SDMS Substitution Codes and the ability to set Point ID Aliases:
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  The Options routine provides additional control to aid in how to process data in alternative, meaningful ways:

  

  • Set Substitution Codes: This allows the user to substitute the raw description contained in the raw file with the SDMS codes for use in SDMS-oriented processing:

    

  • Set Point ID Aliases: Point Aliases can be established that assign the position of one point to the position of another point so that adjustment algorithms can treat the two or more instances of a point as redundant measurements (e.g. helpful for use in SurvNET Least Squares adjustments:

    

    • Use Point ID Aliases in Process Raw: When enabled, the pairings between points and their alias values will be used during the processing of the raw data.
  • Attempt to Correct CAD/GIS Data: This option, when enabled, will attempt to correct vector linework produced by field-to-finish for both the Map Screen and/or Esri map.
• View RW5 File: Available regardless of the equipment type, the View RW5 File option permits the "raw" survey measurements (as digitally recorded from any connected equipment) to be explored:

  

  • Find: This option permits you to search for specific data within the raw file based on specific search criteria:

    

    Note: Upon locating the requested data, tapping the Back button will set "focus" to the data in the viewer.

• Process GPS: The Process GPS button permits collected GNSS measurements to be reprocessed into new or updated coordinates based on user-defined settings:
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  • CSF Ground to Grid: Indicate the desired Combined Scale Factor to convert from "ground" coordinates to "grid" coordinates.

    Note: The GPS button can be used when the Use Grid to Ground option is enabled.

  • Localization File: This button launches the File Selector dialog box that permits a previously generated Localization file to be loaded.
    • Transformation: When a Localization File has been specified, indicate the desired Multi Point Transformation method.
    • One Point Localization Azimuth: When a Localization File has been specified, indicate the desired One Point Azimuth method.
  • Geoid Separation File: This button launches the File Selector dialog box that permits a Geoid File to be loaded.

  

  • Projection: Indicate the desired Projection in which to process the new coordinates.

    Note: The list of available projections can be established under Job Settings - System.

  

  • Method: Indicate the Method by which the coordinate will be determined.
  • Horizontal Distance and Vertical Distance Tolerance: If the Tolerances entered above are exceeded, then warning screens appear during the processing.

  

  • Types: Indicate the Types of GNSS data to process.

Total Station Use

Note: In the content below, Total Station data is deemed to be structurally equivalent to Robotic Total Station data.

Total Station adjustments are conducted differently from that of GPS adjustments. For jobs that make use of mixed equipment (e.g. GPS and Total Station), common practice would be to:

1. Use the Process GPS routine to establish the desired coordinates for GNSS readings, and then,
2. Use one of the Total Station adjustment routines.
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   Each of the total station data adjustment routines are prefaced with the following dialog box options:

   

   • Reduce to Grid Coordinates: When enabled, a ground-to-grid calculation based on the current Projection will be performed. The Scale Factor for each leg of the traverse and for each sideshot will be independently calculated by averaging the combined grid/elevation scale factor for the start and end of the measurement.
   • Apply Curvature and Refraction: When enabled, Curvature and Refraction will be calculated and applied to all Total Station measurements.

     Note: This need not be done if these options have been set within the total station equipment itself and recorded within the raw data.

   • Starting and Ending Point: For traverse closure, indicate the point number where the traverse begins and where it ends.

   

   • Projection: Review (or set if the Reduce to Grid Coordinates is enabled) the current Projection.

     Note: The list of available projections can be established under Job Settings - System.

   

   This screen covers the handling of multiple measurements to the same point, known as redundancies.

   • Method: If collected points are within a Horizontal Distance and Vertical Distance Tolerance of one another, indicate the Method by which the coordinate will be determined.
     • Average Type: When the Average method is used, indicate the the precedence of data to be averaged.
       Example

       Suppose you measured a point (e.g. Point 11) a total of four times (two times each from two distinct setups):

       • Coordinates: All of the individually computed coordinates would be averaged to derive the point coordinate.
       • Distance Measurement: The distance measurements from each setup would first be averaged to compute interim coordinates. The interim coordinates would themselves be averaged.

       Note: To preserve coordinate values of the initial setup and backsight, particularly with D&R measurements involved, it is recommended that Average be set to Distance Measurement, if averaging is used.

   • Backsight Recip: The Backsight Reciprocal option provides special treatment for reciprocals.
     Example

     Suppose you measured a foresight to point 12 from a setup on 11, followed by a backsight from 12 to 11. The backsight direct (BD) can be used to make a pair of "reciprocal" readings:

     • Ignore: The backsight reciprocal reading is ignored (for its impact on recalculating the occupied point).
     • Avg Elev: The stored BD record will lead to an averaged delta-Z calculation for point 12.
     • Avg Elev & Dist: The stored BD record will lead to an averaged delta-Z and an average distance calculation for point 12.
   • Horizontal Distance and Vertical Distance Tolerance: If the Tolerances entered above are exceeded, then warning screens appear during the processing.

   

   This tab contains settings for how to use direct and reverse (D&R) measurements.

   • Direct-Reverse Vertical Angles: You can balance the Direct and Reverse measurements or use Direct-only.
   • Foresight-Backsight Measurements: When you have Foresight measurements and Backsight measurements (e.g. slope distance/zenith angles) between the same points (e.g. reciprocals) in Direct and Reverse surveys, you can Balance Foresight-Backsight measurements (apply reciprocals) or use the Foresight data only.
   • Angle and Distance Tolerances: For purposes of warnings, you can also set the Angle Tolerance and Distance Tolerance for Direct and Reverse measurement processing.

   Note: If there are significant redundancies in a traverse (reciprocal readings, D&R sets, multiple measurements to the same point from different setups, multiple tie shots into control, etc), then it is recommended that the raw file be processed using (for example) SurvNET Least Squares (also available in Carlson Survey).

Total Station Adjustments

For the various adjustment routines to follow, various Report Options are provided that are discussed here:

• Report Sideshots: Indicate whether or not Sideshots are to be included in the report.
• Report Closure: Indicate whether or not Closure results are to be included in the report.
  • Reference Closing Point ID: For Closure purposes, specify the Reference Closing Point, which is the point to which the last traverse point is closing (or trying to match). The Reference Closing Point ID is not necessarily a point in the traverse; it is the point the traverse is trying to close on.
• Apply Angle Balance: Indicate whether or not an Angle Balance should be applied. The total angular error is divided by the number of traverse lines and adjusts the angle of each traverse line by the calculated amount.
• Vertical Error Adjustment: Indicate whether or not Vertical Error is to be distributed throughout the traverse.
• Report Point Adjustments: Indicate if the Point Adjustments should be reported.
• Report Unadjusted Points: Indicate if the previous Unadjusted Points should be reported.

Adjustment Types

• Process No Adjust: This command processes the RW5 file and computes coordinate values for the surveyed data. No Angle Balance or traverse adjustment is applied. The TS processing interface is shown followed by the dialog box below:

  

• Angle Balance: This method of processing applies an angle balance to the traverse lines when calculating the coordinates. The angular error is the difference between the angle balance shot and a reference angle. The program will prompt you to enter the traverse shot to use as the angle balance shot. The measured direction between the occupied point and the foresight point in the specified angle balance shot is then compared to a reference angle. The reference angle is specified as a bearing, azimuth or by a traverse line defined by entering a From Point and a To Point. The TS processing interface is shown followed by the dialog box below:

  

  Next, the Reference Closing Angle dialog appears. Enter the bearing or azimuth of the reference angle or define the reference angle with points by entering in the desired point numbers in the From Point and To Point fields. If using bearing or azimuth, enter the bearing in DD.MMSS format and then select the correct quadrant from the format field located at the bottom of the dialog. Once the reference angle has been defined, then the angular error display will update with the calculated angular error. The measured closing bearing and measured closing azimuth is displayed at the top of the dialog box. If the Reference Angle has been defined by point numbers, then the reference closing angle field will update and display the defined angle. There is no need to select a format from the format field if point numbers are used.

  The angular adjustment applied to each traverse leg is also displayed, along with unadjusted angles and adjusted angles for each traverse leg.

• Transit, Compass, Crandall Adjustments: These methods apply the selected rule to the traverse lines when calculating the coordinates. The TS processing interface is shown followed by the dialog box below:

  

• Direct-Reverse Report: This option will provide a summary of the various Direct & Reverse measurements:

  

• Draw Traverse Lines: This option will process total station data and show the traverse and sideshots graphically:

  

• Triangulate: This option permits Triangulation to occur between specified points.

SurvNET^™ Least Squares

SurvNET performs a Least Squares Adjustment (LSA) and statistical analysis of a network of raw survey field data, including total station measurements and GPS vectors. SurvNET simultaneously adjusts a network of interconnected traverses with any amount of redundancy. The raw data can contain any combination of angle and distance measurements and GPS vectors. SurvNET can adjust any combination of trilaterations, traverses, triangulations, networks and resections. The raw data does not need to be in a linear format, and individual traverses do not have to be defined using any special codes. All measurements are used in the adjustment.

Note: For best results, it is recommended that each time a given point is measured, its Point ID (i.e. Point Number or "tag") be re-used. In situations where this does not happen, SurvNET can accommodate different point numbers of the same point through the use of the SurvNET Duplicate Point Tag.

Depending on the type of measurements found in the raw file will be an interface consisting of three or more organizational tabs:

• Coordinate Standard Errors: The estimated amount of error in the control north, east and elevation values. You may want to have different coordinate standard errors for different methods of obtaining control. For example, standard errors of control derived from RTK GPS would be higher than control derived from GPS static measurements.
• Blunder Detection: Indicate if blunders within the data should be detected:
  • 2D: Blunder detection is searched for within the 2-dimensional horizontal (i.e. turned angle/distance) measurements.
  • 3D: Blunder detection is searched for within the 3-dimensional vector (i.e. GNSS and/or conventional total station) measurements.
  • Tolerance: Indicate the minimum amount of variance between coordinates before the difference is reported as a blunder.

  Note: No blunder detection method can be guaranteed to find all blunders. Generally, the more redundancy there is in a network the easier it is to detect blunders.

• Include BP as control: When enabled, any stored base point (BP) records will be treated as stationary control point locations.
• Add Control Points: Indicate any additional points (e.g. NGS Control Points) that should be treated as control point locations.
• Vector Std. Err. Factor: This option is used as a factor to increase GPS vector standard errors as found in the input GPS vector file. This factor allows the user to globally increase the GPS vector standard errors without having to edit the GPS vector file. A factor of 0 is the default value and results in no change to the GPS vector standard errors as found in the GPS vector file. Acceptable values are 0 through 5.
• Auto: When enabled, SurvNET will attempt to apply a factor that falls closest to the middle of the Chi² range.
• Instrument Centering: Specify the error associated with centering a GPS receiver over a point.

• Distance Standard Errors: Indicate expected errors when measuring distances:
  • Constant: The Constant portion of the distance error. This value can be obtained from published EDM specifications or from an EDM calibration.
  • PPM: The parts per million component of the distance error. This value can be obtained from published EDM specification or from an EDM calibration.
• Total Station Standard Errors: Indicate the expected errors associated with the total station setup and pointing:
  • Target Centering: This value is the expected amount of error in setting the target or prism over the point.
  • Instrument Centering: The expected amount of error in setting the total station over the point.
  • Target Height: The expected amount of error in measuring the height of the target.
  • Instrument Height: The expected amount of error in measuring the height of the total station.
• Adjust Vertical: Check this box if you wish to have the elevations within the 1D model adjusted.
• Apply Curvature & Refraction: Check this box if you wish to have the curvature refraction correction applied in the 2D/1D model when reducing the slope distance/vertical angle to horizontal distance and vertical distance. Curvature/refraction primarily impacts vertical distances.
• Compute Closure: Traditional traverse closures can be computed for both GPS and total station traverses. This option has no effect on the computation of final least squares adjusted coordinates. This option is useful for surveyors who, due to statutory requirements, are still required to compute traditional traverse closures and for those surveyors who still like to view traverse closures prior to the least squares adjustment.
  • Closure Configuration: Tap the Wrenches button to establish parameters related to the Traverse Details:

    

    • Ordered Traverse Point List: Indicate the point numbers that comprise the traverse. Use the Options button to more easily structure the desired traverse list.
    • Traverse Type: Indicate the type of traverse that best resembles the scenarios below:

      Traverse Types

      Option	Loop (interior reference)	Loop (exterior reference)	Point to Point
      Example
      Closing? ✅	7,101,2-7,101	100,101,2-7,101,100	100,101,2-5
      Notes	A closed loop traverse that begins by backsighting the last interior point on the traverse. With angle balance list, point 7 is the backsight point and point 101 is the first occupied point. If the closing angle 6-7-101 was not collected, the list would be entered as follows:	A closed loop traverse that begins by backsighting an exterior point (point not on the traverse). With angle balance list, point 100 is the backsight point and point 101 is the first occupied point. If the closing angle 7-101-100 was not collected, the list would be entered as follows:	Point-to-Point Traverse is a traverse that starts at a set of known coordinates and ends at another known coordinate. The first backsight distance and last foresight distance are not used in computing the linear closure. Pt 100 is the starting backsight point, Pt. 101 is the starting instrument point. Pt. 4 is (would be) the ending instrument point and the foresight to the angle closure point is point 5. If a closing angle was not collected, the list would look as follows:
      Closing? ❌	7,101,2-7	100,101,2-7,101	100,101,2-4

    • Vertical Closure: Indicate whether or not the traverse should be closed vertically.
    • Angle Closure: Indicate whether or not the traverse should have an angular closure.
• Angle Standard Error: Precision of horizontal angle measurements, obtained from theodolite specifications.
• Direction (Azimuth) Standard Error: The estimated amount of error in the bearing / azimuth (direction) found in the azimuth records of the raw data.

The Relative Positional Accuracy (RPA) tab permits you to test the length of the semi-major axis of the error ellipse representing the uncertainty in the position of the monument (point) against other desired monuments whose relative accuracy is to also be evaluated. Commonly used for ALTA certification, the RPA interface permits you to also set your own accuracy standard(s).

• Points: Indicate the points within the project whose relative accuracy is to be tested. Use the Options button to individually identify points that are to be evaluated.
• Connections: Indicate any specific connection test(s) between points that are to be tested. Use the Options button to precisely identify connections that are to be evaluated.
• Tolerance: Indicate the length (in the job Distance Units (e.g. Feet, Meters) that represents the error ellipse semi-major axis length.
• PPM: Indicate the parts per million component of the Tolerance setting.
• Include Sideshots: Indicate whether or not sideshots are to be included in the RPA test.

Note: The default RPA Report template is located within the PredefinedTemplates\RPA folder.

Note: The default LSA Report template is located within the PredefinedTemplates\LSA folder.