IF you have software, that cannot utilize Alpha Numerics, you should be able to check a box, that will PREVENT the LS from MAKING them. Under STK it makes them, I'm pretty sure. "STK_477".
Also, it should have a check box, to PREVENT duplicate point numbers.
IF the box is checked, that says "No Alpha Numerics" then it should not even allow an accidental entry. I have been crawling through the underbrush, with mine, and found an accidental button press, on my old TDS data collector, and I would suppose that could happen here, where a stray mechanism would enter a letter, and then the LS would continue making points like t, t1, t2, t3, etc. Whereas, the t was an accident. If that little box were checked, it would PREVENT the LS from continuing. It could beep at you, and say "Alpha Character, in Point Name" giving you warning, of it. Before you got a 1/2 or full day of shots...
I have also gotten my old TDS to beep at me, and tell me, that a particular point was "Already in use, overwrite?" and if I said "Yes" then if confirmed once more. I will freely confess, I work in some pretty tough environments. Places that are pretty tough to get to.
It seems like these would be handy. And, by placing them there now, could save many headaches later.
Just last wk, I stored the base as point number 750. (autonomous) Then, went and shot my first shot. Guess what? I stored point number 750! so, It is now in the LS 2x. When I downloaded, I could not figure it out for a couple of hrs. Finally, I went through it with a fine tooth comb. There it was. Base was sequentially there FIRST. Then, the FIRST shot covered it up, in Carlson! So, I simply deleted that shot, (the shot was not stored with the correct name, so I simply re shot it) so, point 751, was the C/L of a creek, and it all went in fine.
Just the nature of the beast. It's best if it does NOT allow duplicate point names. Or, in the very least, it WARNS you vehemently!
N
