Total station data management

[Domenico Giusti]

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>
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