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Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:05 pm
by edfinley
Is there a way to import coordinates instead of angles and distances? Some of the newer instruments output nice .txt files but they only contain coordinates.
Thanks,
Ed

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:23 pm
by emmanuel
edfinley wrote:Is there a way to import coordinates instead of angles and distances? Some of the newer instruments output nice .txt files but they only contain coordinates.
Thanks,
Ed
Hello Ed,

No, there is not such a possibility.
Could you post one of this text file, with an explanation of what is inside this file (what line is what buoy...) ?
Or those coordinates could be imported through Rs232 of the Leica ? (do you use that feature of the homologation software ?)
I could see if I can do something...

Emmanuel

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 4:55 pm
by edfinley
Hi Emmanuel,
Thanks for the quick response.
Here's what the file looks like:

PtID,East,North,Height
MP,0.0000,0.0000,0.0000
P1,0.0095,438.0883,-0.7092
P2,-2.1951,438.2718,-0.7100
G1,-4.0481,383.1593,-0.7233
G2,-6.5381,383.3575,-0.7259
G3,-6.2828,356.2386,-0.7047
G4,-8.4700,356.4238,-0.7068
G5,-9.3980,315.4503,-0.6876
G6,-11.5844,315.6180,-0.6901
G7,-12.5689,274.4991,-0.6866
G8,-14.7499,274.6658,-0.7383
G9,-15.7201,233.6615,-0.7024
G10,-17.9024,233.8251,-0.7039
G11,-18.8237,192.8064,-0.6929
G12,-21.0249,192.9752,-0.7324
G13,-21.9856,151.8562,-0.7132
G14,-24.1662,152.0273,-0.7091
G15,-23.9291,124.9038,-0.7297
G16,-26.4108,125.0752,-0.7390
P15,-28.2663,70.1283,-0.7026
P16,-30.4584,70.3063,-0.7163
S1,-18.8310,357.1918,-0.7427
S2,0.9645,314.6449,-0.7343
S3,-25.1268,275.4547,-0.7309
S4,-5.3387,232.8479,-0.7263
S5,-31.3689,193.7499,-0.7273
S6,-11.6275,151.0615,-0.7295

We could special order a serial cable but the instrument is designed to output either to a USB drive or transmit via Bluetooth. These coordinates are to the buoy surface via a reflectorless instrument so the radius of the buoy needs to be added to get the center point. The instrument can add a radius offset but I find it easier to do that in my spreadsheet.
I have not used the rs232 in the past because the instruments I've had access to were so old they didn't even store the data, it's been pen and ink. Our club has just now invested in equipment for the new millenium.
Best regards,
Ed

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:30 am
by emmanuel
So, your theodolite output a text file to a usb drive, and you wish to import that file into the homologation program ?
Do you enter your self the buoys names into the text file or into the theodolite directly (I am not sure if this is possible...) ?
I assume coordinates are metric.
I will see what I can do to import that file type.

Emmanuel

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:43 pm
by edfinley
That's correct. It would be nice to import the .txt file from the USB drive.
I manually input the buoy names into the total station. If I enter G1 for example, it will automatically name the next one G2. It makes it pretty nice going down the line. I manually change the name to P15 when I get to the end and it names the next one P16, then I change it to S1.
They are in metric.
Regards,
Ed

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 7:01 am
by emmanuel
Ok, that is not complicated.
I will see what I can do, and when...
The only thing is, the buoy names I use are not exactly the same as yours.
I think they will have to be exactly the same.

Emmanuel

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 10:28 am
by emmanuel
But, one question...
if the theodolite outputs coordinates, how can you add the radius of buoy, when you are not doing that with the theodolite ?

Emmanuel

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 6:52 pm
by edfinley
I can name the buoys whatever is needed. I used the names from the AWSA SlalomSurvey spreadsheet but would rather stick with IWSF terminology anyway.
For the radius correction I convert to polar, add the radius, then go back to rectangular.
Yesterday we had an L class tournament and I just pasted the coordinates and calculated positions into the .hom file where a classic slalom course goes. That seemed like a pretty easy way to do it and would eliminate any need for changes in the program. Let me know if you think that works on your end.
Best regards,
Ed

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 6:17 am
by emmanuel
edfinley wrote:I can name the buoys whatever is needed. I used the names from the AWSA SlalomSurvey spreadsheet but would rather stick with IWSF terminology anyway.
For the radius correction I convert to polar, add the radius, then go back to rectangular.
Then you need to convert your data with Excel or anything else...
Yesterday we had an L class tournament and I just pasted the coordinates and calculated positions into the .hom file where a classic slalom course goes. That seemed like a pretty easy way to do it and would eliminate any need for changes in the program. Let me know if you think that works on your end.
Best regards,
Ed
What are you pasting into the .hom file ? polar coordinates I suppose ? if you stick to the .hom format with the buoy names I use, this would work.

From my side, I could :
1) add a "coordinates" mode beside "Polar", "2 stations"...
2) add a "buoy radius" field which will just do the same: add the radius to polar coordinates before converting back to orthogonal
3) add an import function
Then, you could import directly the theodolite file into the homologation software.

Emmanuel

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 11:01 am
by edfinley
I am using Excel to do the calculations and could convert the names there.

I pasted the both the X,Y coordinates and calculated buoy positions.

That is really as easy of a solution as you developing another import routine, only it leaves the tolerance checking out of your program. I am doing all of the checking anyway.

The buoy radius is different for the boat guides and the round buoys. It's just as easy for me to paste the radius corrected coordinates, either done by the instrument or by Excel.

Best regards,
Ed

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 10:18 am
by emmanuel
edfinley wrote:I am using Excel to do the calculations and could convert the names there.
ok
I pasted the both the X,Y coordinates and calculated buoy positions.
But where ? directly in the .hom file ? or in the homologation software grid ?
That is really as easy of a solution as you developing another import routine, only it leaves the tolerance checking out of your program. I am doing all of the checking anyway.
The buoy radius is different for the boat guides and the round buoys. It's just as easy for me to paste the radius corrected coordinates, either done by the instrument or by Excel.
Yes buoys are different, and some points are no buoys (ramp, towers, video cameras...).

What I understand less and less: if you are doing all conversions in Excel, and can already paste values somewhere, where can I do something to help you ?
By having a coordinate mode beside polar ?

Emmanuel

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:21 am
by edfinley
Emmanuel,
Thank you! I just downloaded your latest and saw the coordinates in the slalom course options!!
I really appreciate your work.
Best regards,
Ed Finley

Re: Leica total station which outputs X,Y,Z, not angles

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:00 pm
by emmanuel
edfinley wrote:Emmanuel,
Thank you! I just downloaded your latest and saw the coordinates in the slalom course options!!
I really appreciate your work.
Best regards,
Ed Finley
Hello,

Yes, I made that a few months ago. I thought I put a message on the forum, but it seems I forgot !
You noticed that each buoy have a default diameter that can be changed, and the calculation can be done subtracting radius or not.
Can you make some tests, and tell me back if it is ok like this ?

Thanks,
Emmanuel