TPC Technote

Downloading data from the Criterion

TRAVERSE PC downloads one survey from the Criterion at a time.

To download a survey,

1. Choose <File> <Import> from the Survey View.

2. Select the "Criterion 400" in the Type list. If it is already selected, there is no need to select it again.

3. Select the "Direct Connection" in the Source list. If it is already selected, there is no need to select it again.

4. Select the "Criterion" in the Profile list. If it is already selected, there is no need to select it again.  Click the <Profile> button and make sure the parameters are set for 4800 Baud, No Parity, 8 Data Bits,1 Stop Bit. Choose the computer com port to which the Criterion is connected. The <Handshake> setting is optional. Choose <Close> to return to the Import dialog box.

5. Choose <Import>. The Criterion should say "Reading Surveys..." as it queries the Criterion for each of the 20 surveys. TRAVERSE PC will display a list of the surveys used and the unit number of each in the format "Survey:# Unit:#".

6. Highlight the survey you want to download from the Criterion and choose <Import>. The bottom line of the screen will say "Downloading...". You can choose <Cancel> to interrupt the process. You will also see the record number displayed as data is downloaded.

7. When TRAVERSE PC is done downloading the survey, it will display the name of the raw data file and "Finished".  Choose <Close>.  You will see the Survey View with at least one traverse. That traverse contains the raw data from the Criterion.

At this point, you have all the data in TRAVERSE PC, just as if you had entered it manually.

To format the Traverse Screen

1. Press F9.
2. Enter "ASGYXZ" for the <Display Sequence>.
3. Enter "ASG" for the <Edit Sequence>.
4. Choose <OK>.

To add another survey from the criterion to the same survey

In order to be consistent with other survey data collectors, TRAVERSE PC imports one survey at a time from the Criterion. Since a survey in TRAVERSE PC can have any number of traverses in it, you may want to combine more than one Criterion survey into a single TRAVERSE PC survey, thereby keeping related units together.

To add another survey from the Criterion to the same survey in TRAVERSE PC, repeat the steps above.

Codes supported

Magnetic declination - "$PLTIT,RQ,MD"

TRAVERSE PC subtracts the declination returned from each azimuth recorded.

Survey info - "$PLTIT,RQ,US,SURVEYNUMBER"

When you import data from the Criterion 400, TRAVERSE PC first queries the Criterion for all surveys being used and displays each used survey along with its unit number. You select one survey at a time. TRAVERSE PC queries just that survey number for the number of records, etc and downloads the selected survey data.

Starting point info - "$PLTIT,RQ,UR,SURVEYNUMBER"

When you start a new survey on the Criterion, you can initialize the survey by specifying a reference point in another unit or by entering the starting coordinates of the unit.

Starting Coordinates

If you specify starting coordinates, TRAVERSE PC will use the coordinates you specify.

Reference point

If you specify a starting point, TRAVERSE PC will ignore it. Once the data is in TRAVERSE PC, you can recall any other point in the survey as a starting point for your traverse and choose <Tools> <Recompute> from the Traverse View or you can simply translate the traverse so that it starts at the same position as any other point in the survey.

Record data - "$PLTIT,RQ,UD,UNITNUMBER,RECORDNUMBER"

For each record in the survey, TRAVERSE PC downloads the data and creates a point in the Traverse Screen.

Foresights only

Example RAW data file

$PLTIT,MD,0.00,D*2A
$PLTIT,US,1,1,6*65
$PLTIT,UR,1,PT,0,U,0,P,,*4E
$PLTIT,UD,1,1,FS,1,2,127.7,D,-8.06,D,27.3,F*1C
$PLTIT,UD,1,2,FS,2,3,189.2,D,-12.32,D,25.9,F*28
$PLTIT,UD,1,3,FS,3,4,278.4,D,-10.64,D,24.8,F*25
$PLTIT,UD,1,4,FS,4,5,21.8,D,-10.01,D,25.1,F*1D
$PLTIT,UD,1,5,FS,5,6,69.7,D,-11.80,D,22.7,F*14
$PLTIT,UD,1,6,FS,6,1,119.4,D,-12.59,D,25.5,F*24

Notice that angles and azimuths are stored as decimal degrees in the RAW data format. 

Example PRN file

Notice that angles and azimuths are stored as degrees-minutes-seconds in the PRN data format.

Resulting traverse

Traverse: DC-1

Notice that the last point comes in as a sideshot. TRAVERSE PC records all foresights as side shots until the Criterion indicates that that point was occupied. Since this last foresight is never occupied, TRAVERSE PC leaves it as a side shot. This does not affect the position that TRAVERSE PC computes for point 1:1. If you want to convert this point to a control point, highlight it and press Ctrl+F10.

Backsights only

TRAVERSE PC converts BS readings to FS readings as it writes the data to the PRN file. Records are converted by adding 180 degrees to the azimuth, changing the sign of the vertical angle and swapping the occupied point and foresight point labels. The PRN file will look as if the traverse was done with all foresights.

Example RAW data file

$PLTIT,MD,0.00,D*2A
$PLTIT,US,3,3,4*57
$PLTIT,UR,3,CD,100.0,F,100.0,F,10.0,F*13
$PLTIT,UD,3,1,BS,2,1,155.1,D,-8.66,D,30.0,F*2A
$PLTIT,UD,3,2,BS,3,2,73.4,D,-9.94,D,28.2,F*1C
$PLTIT,UD,3,3,BS,4,3,338.8,D,-9.99,D,28.5,F*21
$PLTIT,UD,3,4,BS,5,4,261.5,D,-12.14,D,26.7,F*13

Resulting PRN file

Resulting traverse

Traverse: DC-3

Foresight/Backsight combinations

TRAVERSE PC converts BS readings to FS readings as it writes the data to the PRN file. Records are converted by adding 180 degrees to the azimuth, changing the sign of the vertical angle and swapping the occupied point and foresight point labels. The PRN file will look as if the traverse was done with all foresights.

The foresight azimuths are averaged to reduce local attraction error. The average is reported in the PRN file. Only the average azimuth shows up in the Traverse Screen.

Example RAW data file

$PLTIT,MD,0.00,D*2A
$PLTIT,US,6,60,8*5B
$PLTIT,UR,6,PT,30,U,3,P,,*79
$PLTIT,UD,60,1,FS,1,2,343.0,D,-10.94,D,29.8,F*13
$PLTIT,UD,60,2,FS,1,2,344.0,D,-10.94,D,29.8,F*13
$PLTIT,UD,60,3,BS,2,1,155.3,D,-8.95,D,29.6,F*2C
$PLTIT,UD,60,4,FS,2,3,246.8,D,-9.35,D,31.4,F*21
$PLTIT,UD,60,5,BS,3,2,72.3,D,-8.81,D,32.1,F*14
$PLTIT,UD,60,6,FS,3,4,150.8,D,-10.27,D,27.8,F*15
$PLTIT,UD,60,7,BS,4,3,332.5,D,-10.54,D,27.6,F*13
$PLTIT,UD,60,8,FS,4,1,75.6,D,-9.08,D,26.4,F*15
$PLTIT,UD,60,9,BS,1,4,257.8,D,-12.09,D,27.5,F*19

Resulting PRN file