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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi Domenico<br>
<br>
On 06/02/2016 08:34 PM, Domenico Giusti wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:57507C2A.3070306@gnewarchaeology.it"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">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] <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.oldstoneage.com/software/edmwin.shtml">http://www.oldstoneage.com/software/edmwin.shtml</a>
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.</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
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 (<a
href="http://www.bme.hu/?language=en">Budapest University of
Technology and Economics</a> - BUTE) about the software I reported
in this post
(<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://arc-team-open-research.blogspot.co.at/2016/05/comeasy-new-tool-for-total-station.html">http://arc-team-open-research.blogspot.co.at/2016/05/comeasy-new-tool-for-total-station.html</a>).
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. <br>
Without working real-time, the closest thing to what you describe is
polygontool
(<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://arc-team-open-research.blogspot.co.at/2014/08/polygontool.html">http://arc-team-open-research.blogspot.co.at/2014/08/polygontool.html</a>)
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)<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:57507C2A.3070306@gnewarchaeology.it"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
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.</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
Do you know who was the developer of EDM?<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:57507C2A.3070306@gnewarchaeology.it"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
TOPS could be a starting point.</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
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.<br>
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)<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:57507C2A.3070306@gnewarchaeology.it"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
What do you think?</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
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?<br>
<br>
A presto!<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:57507C2A.3070306@gnewarchaeology.it"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
</pre>
</blockquote>
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