Alignment Stake-Here

[John Thompson]

I was attempting to locate a few points on a line between two surveyed points. The LS was in Alignment Stake-Here mode. I chose Stake Line, then either Line By 2 Points or Polyline from Map. Both cases yield similar results.

The attached screen shot shows what appears to be 3 different distances between the LS and the line. I think the station/offset at the top of the blue screen is correct, and I'm 0.017 from the line. CTT and DTT white boxes say I need to move left 0.746, but the Right white box says move Right 0.044. The DTT white box generally displayed "--", but sometimes showed a number that disagrees with the others. Looks to me like North/South, East/West, Ahead/Back, and Right/Left boxes could all display useful info in this situation, but they are either blank or at variance with the other numbers on the screen. What is going on here?

 

[Darren Clemons]

View attachment 6661 I was attempting to locate a few points on a line between two surveyed points. The LS was in Alignment Stake-Here mode. I chose Stake Line, then either Line By 2 Points or Polyline from Map. Both cases yield similar results.

The attached screen shot shows what appears to be 3 different distances between the LS and the line. I think the station/offset at the top of the blue screen is correct, and I'm 0.017 from the line. CTT and DTT white boxes say I need to move left 0.746, but the Right white box says move Right 0.044. The DTT white box generally displayed "--", but sometimes showed a number that disagrees with the others. Looks to me like North/South, East/West, Ahead/Back, and Right/Left boxes could all display useful info in this situation, but they are either blank or at variance with the other numbers on the screen. What is going on here?

Good question John....I know the CTT is pointing left, but maybe the DTT (0.746') is how far you'd have to go "in the exact direction" you're LS was facing to get online?
Now the "right" 0.04' in the left/right white box I have no clue....
As you explain, I think it'd be better here to have "---" in those locations to avoid confusion and just rely on what you're seeing next to the station number....

 

[John Evers]

This is very strange. I use this routine almost daily, and have never observed his.
Please create an .zip archive of this job, and post here, also please test this with a new job file on your machine.

 

[Matt Johnson]

maybe the DTT (0.746') is how far you'd have to go "in the exact direction" you're LS was facing to get online?

Yes this is correct. See https://support.javad.com/index.php?threads/nates-wish-n-want-list.1316/#post-11173

Right or left is perpendicular distance to the line. It is not matching the -0.017 station shown on the map in your screenshot due to these values updating at slightly (fractions of a second) different times.

 

[John Thompson]

Zipped archive is attached. I'll experiment with it tomorrow. Thanks for the quick replies.

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

I know this has been talked about, as in RIGHT LEFT, Back, foreward, etc.

And, it was settled. RIGHT and LEFT is relative to the 1st and 2nd points of a line.

But, what if it had the option to be relative to the direction the operator was facing, at the given time?

N

 

[Shawn Billings]

I know this has been talked about, as in RIGHT LEFT, Back, foreward, etc.

And, it was settled. RIGHT and LEFT is relative to the 1st and 2nd points of a line.

But, what if it had the option to be relative to the direction the operator was facing, at the given time?

N

That's what DTT does

 

[Matt Johnson]

I know this has been talked about, as in RIGHT LEFT, Back, foreward, etc.

And, it was settled. RIGHT and LEFT is relative to the 1st andBut, what if it had the option to be relative to the direction the operator was facing, at the given time?

It is a standard convention with alignments and stationing that right and left are relative to someone facing the direction of increasing stationing. This should not be changed in my opinion.

 

[Shawn Billings]

CTT arrow points to line. Very handy.

 

[John Thompson]

CTT arrow points to line. Very handy.

It is handy. I think it would be even handier if the DTT white box always displayed the perpendicular distance to the line even if the line is behind me. If I'm trying to stake out a point on the line, the DTT goes blank if I go just past the line.

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

I think that this is supposed to warn you that you are beyond your line.
What if the DTT background color changes to another color, when you get beyond the end of the line?

 

[John Thompson]

The CTT arrow already shows if the line is behind me. I don't see how staking a line should be different than staking a point. For staking a point, I mostly use the CTT and DTT white boxes. For staking a line, it works the same until I get right up to the line, then the DTT goes blank and I have to look elsewhere to see how far past the line I went. I'm not sure what purpose it serves to have the DTT go blank.

 

[Mikhail Drakin]

Showing DTT along current heading was requested by the PLS team. Initially it had been showing the perpendicular distance.
As for showing distance even when heading away from the line - added to the todo-list.

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

Could the background color change though?
Like a red background color? And, a negative integer?

 

[Mikhail Drakin]

Sure

 

[Shawn Billings]

DTT is not the box they actually are discussing. They're talking about right/left offset I believe.

 

[Mikhail Drakin]

I suppose they mean DTT along heading disappears should you step over the alignment line and head away from it. So in this situation distance along current heading should become negative.

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

Just the backgroung on the white box.

 

[John Thompson]

Showing DTT along current heading was requested by the PLS team. Initially it had been showing the perpendicular distance.
As for showing distance even when heading away from the line - added to the todo-list.

Showing DTT along current heading was requested and implemented some time back and some people apparently use it, but I never do. I always need the perpendicular distance.

Would it be possible to have a setting somewhere that the user could choose between these options in stake line?

DTT shows perpendicular distance to line
and
DTT shows distance to line along current heading

I often need to set flags on a line or arc. If the LS is facing perpendicular to the line, then the current configuration works unless you cross the line. Then DTT goes blank. Unless you're staking a closed polyline. If you're outside a closed polyline and move across the line to the inside, DTT jumps up to the distance to the other side of the polyline. If you're inside facing out and move across the line, DTT goes blank. Makes it a pain to mark the line. I wish it would always just tell me the perpendicular distance to the closest part of the line.

I know I can use left/right/N/S/E/W/Ahead/Back, stationing, etc. But I'm used to staking out points with CTT and DTT (only), and to my thinking, it's much simpler. Don't even need to color anything red or have negative distances.

 

[John Thompson]

Maybe 2 different white box options:

DTT (Perpendicular)
DTT (Current Heading)