ASCII File Settings Dialog

These settings are also used for the GARMIN GPS, Pentax PCS 300 (CSV) and TDS CR5 formats.

This option allows the user to specify how data should be imported/exported in an ASCII format.

To access the ASCII File Settings dialog, choose Settings from either the File | Import or File | Export dialog.

Importing ASCII Coordinate Files

To import an ASCII coordinate file, choose File | Import, with ASCII as the type. As with File | Open, you can replace the current survey with the imported data or add the imported data to the current survey.

An ASCII coordinate file is any file with point label, northing, easting, elevation and description information. The information must follow a pattern and cannot have any header/footer lines (lines with different information).

Example:

101,10000.0000,20000.0000,1300.000,"Brass Cap N1/4 Sec.13"

102,10045.1356,20104.0687,1300.000,"BT"

Note: ASCII is the term used to define the type of characters that appear in a file. In the example above, the characters appear as they were entered or created. When you look at a file that is full of funny looking symbols, you are looking at a file that is something other than ASCII.

Exporting ASCII Coordinate Files

To export ASCII coordinates, choose File | Export, with ASCII as the type. This command writes files for other software. You can export all or any portion of the current survey.

To export traverses, choose this command from the Traverses Manager. You can export any or all traverses.

To export points, choose this command from the Points Manager. You can export any or all survey points.

Note: Exporting with All selected from the Points Manager has the same effect as exporting with All selected from the Traverses Manager.

Import / Export - Format

Use the following characters to specify the format of the ASCII Coordinate file to be imported/exported

P = Point label - any combination of number and letters
Y = Northing
X = Easting
Z = Elevation
D = Description
T = Latitude
G = Longitude
\ = New Line

If you are not sure of the format, preview the file first. To import the example above, type P,Y,X,Z,D. If the data does not load properly, try some other combination like P,Y,X,Z,D\ or P,Y,X,Z,"D"\ until you find one that works.

Import - Point Label Modifier

Enter a prefix you would like to begin each import point with. For example, if your point label modifier is 'TOPO-' and your imported point labels are 1,2,3,... the resulting points in TPC will be TOPO-1, TOPO-2, etc.

You can also embed the imported point labels inside the point label modifier by including an asterisk (*). For example, if your point label modifier is 'GS*ORG ' and your imported point labels are 1,2,3,... the resulting points in TPC will be GS1ORG, GS2ORG, etc.

Import – Overwrite Coordinates

With this option turned on, TPC will overwrite the coordinates of any points with the same point label as those being imported.

Import – Add points to traverse

This option adds all of the imported points to a new traverse.

Import – Details

Creates a detailed report in the Message View, showing how the file was imported.

Import / Export – Include Notes

Some data collectors insert notes into the data. These notes can control drafting or may just be additional information about a point or a setup. Turn this option on to retain these notes with the traverse. Notes will show up in the Traverse View with the word Note in the point label. The text for the note is displayed in the Description.

Export – Exclude point labels

Enter any number of character strings to exclude when writing the file. For example, to exclude TPC’s stakeout points (12@, 13@, etc), enter a ‘@’ in this field. No points with one or more ‘@’ characters in their point labels will be written to the file.

Here are the rules for excluding points:

You can enter any number of character strings, separated by one or more spaces.
A character string can be one or more characters, but can not include any spaces.

Export – Maximum description width

Truncate each point description to this many characters.

Export – Write separate traverse files

This option writes each traverse to its own file. The filename you specify is used with the ".001" extension for the first traverse, a ".002" extension for the second, etc.

Export – Write zeros as blanks

Leaves zero values blank.

Export – Exclude Station Points

TPC uses station labels like 12+00 and 13+50 to label points in creates along an alignment. If the software you are exporting to will not handle these labels, you can either have TPC relabel the points to something that is acceptable or you can exclude them from the export by turning on this options. Default = Off.

Extension

Enter the file extension your ASCII files use. Be sure to include “*.” before the extension, as in “*.ASC” or “*.TXT”.

Save / Recall

Once you have a format that works for your data collector or client, you can save it using a descriptive name like “Oregon DOT” or “HP 200” and recall the format as needed.

OK

Applies the changes you have made and returns you to the previous window.

Cancel

Returns you to the previous window without making any changes.