Total station data management

[Domenico Giusti]

Hi all,

I finally mailed McPherron asking about the source code and the license.
Here's his reply:

> In terms of the source code, I am looking for someone who can help me port it to Python.  You interested? 

I think that's good! He doesn't say nothing about the license, but
there's some hope...

I'm not a python developer, but it would be nice not to loose this
opportunity to convince him to put it on GitHub and start a
collaboration with ArcheOS.

Any knowledge of Python?

On 06/09/2016 10:44 PM, Domenico Giusti wrote:
> Here some videos:
> 
> https://www.cloud.gnewarchaeology.it/index.php/s/bSbvupsF5xpWegG
> https://www.cloud.gnewarchaeology.it/index.php/s/BQSqBkE4L6diVbr
> https://www.cloud.gnewarchaeology.it/index.php/s/nvFWuU5gPOlHcuq
> https://www.cloud.gnewarchaeology.it/index.php/s/wLrs6e5lqm8e6g8
> https://www.cloud.gnewarchaeology.it/index.php/s/kNsz8V4v1Fio2Ay
> 
> I think you're right. It's more complicated than expected. It seems that
> EDM send commands to the total station (e.g. shot the point).
> 
> I'll try to mail the authors.
> 
> Ciao,
> 
> Dome
> 
> On 06/04/2016 01:57 PM, Luca Bezzi wrote:
>> Ciao Domenico
>>
>> On 06/04/2016 12:39 PM, Domenico Giusti wrote:
>>> Ciao Luca,
>>>
>>> EDM has been written by Harold L. Dibble[0] and Shannon P. McPherron[1]
>>>
>>> [0] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Harold_Dibble
>>> [1] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shannon_Mcpherron
>>>
>>> I've never tried to ask them about the source code. Although I don't
>>> think they will easily release it, it is worth to try.
>>>
>>> I'll record a video next week, to show you how EDM works.
>>
>> Yes, never know ("domandare è lecito, rispondere è cortsia", so they say
>> in Veneto :))
>>
>>> I think this is the case and also the simplest way to do it. Just
>>> establish a connection, read/append the coordinates from the ts to the
>>> toughbook, fill up the rest of the table with attribute data (type,
>>> dimensions, orientation, etc...)
>>
>> Yes, unfortunatly I think this is not so easy as it seems. This
>> (https://github.com/zsiki/ComEasy/issues/1) is the discussion I had with
>> Zoltàn Sziki till now. Maybe you would be interested in contributing the
>> discussion with your idea (never know, may Zoltàn is able to do something).
>> Waiting for your vide. Greetings!
>>
>>>
>>> Have a nice weekend!
>>>
>>> Ciao,
>>>
>>> Dome
>>>
>>> On 06/03/2016 08:16 PM, Luca Bezzi wrote:
>>>> 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!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
> 

-- 
Domenico Giusti <dncgst@gnewarchaeology.it>
GPG keyID: 2048R/A3AB7054F6E5D778