Labeling Traverse Lines

TPC can label lines a number of different ways. You select the option you want and TPC tries to fit the label on the line.

From Drawing View, double click a survey object you want to change or right click it and choose Traverse Settings.
Select the font type, size, and weight that you want.
From the Distance list, choose Above, Below or None. This setting determines whether or not the distance of the line will be annotated and whether it will be above or below the line.
From the Direction list, choose Above, Below or None. This setting determines whether or not the direction of the line will be annotated and whether it will be above or below the line.
Turn on Grades if you want them.
Choose OK to return to the Drawing View with your changes.

You will learn more about line leader and labeling curves a little later.

Choosing azimuths vs. bearings

You can label lines with any of the direction options available to TPC. The same setting that controls the display in all the dialogs also controls the Drawing View.

From the TPC desktop, choose Tools | Program Settings | Units.
Choose the option you want under Direction. This is the same option that affects whether TPC displays bearings or azimuths in the program dialogs.
Choose OK to return to Drawing View.

Adding extra spaces to bearings

If you choose bearings, Drawing View can add extra spacing to your bearing labels so that the bearing N45°30'10"E is labeled as N 45°30'10" E.

Choose Tools | Drawing Settings.
Turn on [X] Extra Space in Bearings.

Setting the number of decimal places

You can also control the number of decimal places displayed for distances when labeling lines.

Choose Tools | Drawing Settings.
Enter the Decimals you want for Distances and Elevations.
Choose OK.

Adding distance units

You can add distance units like ft, m or chns to distance labels.

Choose Tools | Drawing Settings.
Turn on [X] Distance Units. This setting just turns them on.
Choose OK.
To edit the units displayed, choose Tools | Program Settings | Units. Edit the Abbreviation field.

Specifying a label offset distance

You can change the distance that the labels are drawn from the line.

Choose Tools | Drawing Settings.
Edit the Label Offset.
Choose OK.

Specifying a distance factor

Choose Tools | Drawing Settings.
Edit the Distance Factor.
Choose OK.

TPC divides the inversed coordinate distance by this Distance Factor and uses the quotient for annotations. If, for instance, your survey is in feet but you want to annotate lines with chains to check against a GLO plat, enter a Distance Factor of 66.

Plotting Backsights and Resections

When you are evaluating field data, it is oftentimes handy to view the backsight and resection points used in the field. This helps identify potential blunders in the data collection.

To turn backsights and resections on:

Choose Tools | Drawing Settings.
Turn on [X] Plot Resection and [X] Plot Backsights.
Choose OK. Drawing View will redraw the survey to include the options you turned on.

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