Total station data management

[Luca Bezzi]

Hi Domenico

On 06/02/2016 08:34 PM, Domenico Giusti wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> it's more than 2 years (since my first impact with it) that I'm
> thinking to replace the EDM software[0] with a FLOSS alternative.
>
> [0] http://www.oldstoneage.com/software/edmwin.shtml
>
> We use it in the fieldwork with a toughbook connected to the total
> station. EDM basically opens a connection with the ts and records the
> data in a Access database. It has a simple interface to the database,
> where coordinates are read from the ts and other fields are filled by
> the user. It has a config file, with a list of the database fields.

This sound interesting. I check the website you gave us, but no source 
code is given, so I have no clue how the software works. I was writing 
some mails with Zoltàn Siki (Budapest University of Technology and 
Economics <http://www.bme.hu/?language=en> - BUTE) about the software I 
reported in this post 
(http://arc-team-open-research.blogspot.co.at/2016/05/comeasy-new-tool-for-total-station.html). 
It seems that for many operations with total station you need some 
special codes that just the vendors know. Some vendors release them to 
the public (e.g. Trimble), other not.
Without working real-time, the closest thing to what you describe is 
polygontool 
(http://arc-team-open-research.blogspot.co.at/2014/08/polygontool.html) 
which converts some kew-word of the code of the points into descriptions 
in specific field of the database (just in post-porcessing, but 
automatically). We used it on a large scale RTK-GPS survey regarding the 
WW1, in order to fill the description field of the database 
automatically in 3 languages (English, German, Italian)

>
> Compared to a stand-alone ts, the toughbook offers several advances:
> e.g. fast typing and a ready-to-use database.
>
> However, EDM has several bugs and it's close. It could be much better, I
> think.
>
> I wonder if a FLOSS alternative to EDM already exists. If not, it would
> be nice to code it and integrate it in ArcheOS.

Do you know who was the developer of EDM?

>
> TOPS could be a starting point.

Yes, TOPS or ComEasy. ComEasy would already ahve to field to send 
command to the total station (initial sequence; query record; record 
end) and in my experience never faild in connecting with an instrument 
(while I have often problems with TOPS). On the other hand, TOPS has a 
nice converting tool.
I am just wondering now, maybe EDM does not edit the file directly on 
the total station, but rather connect with the instrument, copy he file 
and edit directly on the rugged pc (it would be the easiest way). This 
should be simpler to do, rather than edit files in the total station 
(which woul also depend very much from the kind of instrument)

>
> What do you think?

It would be useful to give a try. could you record a short video 8maybe 
with your mobile) while you use EDM? So we can understand better what 
the software should do?

A presto!

>

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