Coordinate System Menu

Aaron S

Active Member
The coordinate system library confuses me with the way it functions. The three columns make sense, but when I go under "All Projects", it seems to make a copy of each job's coordinate system, and then timestamp it and rename it. What is the logic for this? It seems to clutter up the screen, especially when the menu truncates the name so you have what looks like a bunch of duplicates.

Also, right now, I have 54 coordinate systems under "all projects", but only 12 projects on my controller. Each project only uses 1 system, so do we constantly have to go in and manually delete this list every so often?
 

Vladimir Prasolov

Well-Known Member
JAVAD GNSS
Dear Aaron,

To clear unnecessary coordinate systems please use long click on delete button in "All Projects" tab. It is safe to do that, because all project coordinate systems will stay untouched.

There are deep logical reasons to clone coordinate systems during import. We discussed that many times with same result. It is the lesser evil to do that. Otherwise we could change one system in one project and unintentionally affect other projects. That could harm a lot. So we prefer completely detach imported project from original one. We prefer that all changes should be visible and understandable.

So please be patient and use that long click red button. It is safe and helpful.

Sincerely yours,

Vladimir
 

Matt Johnson

Well-Known Member
5PLS
Hi Vladimir,

I think I have a simple solution that will make everyone happy.

When importing a project archive coordinate system will still be given a new ID but leave the name unchanged and do not append the timestamp to the name. The timestamps are cosmetically displeasing and do not help anyone.

Instead of having the option to view "All Projects" coordinate systems. We really just need a list of "Favorites". There are two options for this as I see it.

A) Must a CS be contained in GenMapsData CoordSystems table for J-Field to work properly or does J-Field read the CSs from from the table in the project's data.db file? If the CSs do not have to be in GenMapsData then when importing project archives do not add CSs to it. Instead a new option "Add to Favorites" in the context menu of the CS screen will be used to add CSs to our list of favorites. Now the only way a CS gets added to the GenMapsData database is with this command from the user or if a new CS is created when the user is in the Favorites tab.

B) If a CS mues be contained in GenMapsData CoordSystems table for J-Field to work properly then also create a new FavCoorSystems table in GenMapsData. The "Add to Favorites" action will add CSs to this list and this list of CSs will be displayed under the Favorites tabs in the CS screen.
 

Vladimir Prasolov

Well-Known Member
JAVAD GNSS
Hi Vladimir,

I think I have a simple solution that will make everyone happy.

When importing a project archive coordinate system will still be given a new ID but leave the name unchanged and do not append the timestamp to the name. The timestamps are cosmetically displeasing and do not help anyone.

Instead of having the option to view "All Projects" coordinate systems. We really just need a list of "Favorites". There are two options for this as I see it.

A) Must a CS be contained in GenMapsData CoordSystems table for J-Field to work properly or does J-Field read the CSs from from the table in the project's data.db file? If the CSs do not have to be in GenMapsData then when importing project archives do not add CSs to it. Instead a new option "Add to Favorites" in the context menu of the CS screen will be used to add CSs to our list of favorites. Now the only way a CS gets added to the GenMapsData database is with this command from the user or if a new CS is created when the user is in the Favorites tab.

B) If a CS mues be contained in GenMapsData CoordSystems table for J-Field to work properly then also create a new FavCoorSystems table in GenMapsData. The "Add to Favorites" action will add CSs to this list and this list of CSs will be displayed under the Favorites tabs in the CS screen.

Dear Matt,

When we are "solving" something we have to understand what we are solving really.

You mixing two things together:

1. Project names with additional timestamps at the end, that causes "cosmetically displeasing" names. I would prefer little cosmetic discomfort, than unintended hidden numeric errors. Those names have meaning. It concentrate user to possibility to divergence two systems during usage. The names could be smoothed by user. We have edit button. But making same name is user's decision and responsibility. I did all possible work to point on possible divergence. So we give enough freedom to user for managing names and have them well organized.

2. Accumulating unnecessary systems. In that case your suggestion keep only user-selected systems could be good. For now removing the unnecessary systems individually or all of them could be good solution too. Currently the systems are adding in favorites only when project is loading. Do not accumulating tons of system or remove all of them in one click. The advantage of current solution over yours is first one is already implemented. So we could spend more time on new productive features.

Also we have dedicated mechanism to share selected system through export/import JCS files. Keep your favorite systems as those files and import them with no name modification at all.

Best regards,

Vladimir
 

Matt Johnson

Well-Known Member
5PLS
1. Project names with additional timestamps at the end, that causes "cosmetically displeasing" names. I would prefer little cosmetic discomfort, than unintended hidden numeric errors. Those names have meaning. It concentrate user to possibility to divergence two systems during usage. The names could be smoothed by user. We have edit button. But making same name is user's decision and responsibility. I did all possible work to point on possible divergence. So we give enough freedom to user for managing names and have them well organized.

I understand your point but the names become very long with the dates append and the only place the full name is visible is in the blue information panel. Here you can see the transformation and epoch so if the user is looking at this they should know the parameters of the coordinate system they are using.

9185

Most of the CS name is not visible in the collect and stake prepare screens.

9184

The name is only fully visible in the blue information panel.

If you think it really necessary for the names to be different I would prefer the format of -1, -2, etc, appended to the end of the name instead of timestamps.


2. Accumulating unnecessary systems. In that case your suggestion keep only user-selected systems could be good. For now removing the unnecessary systems individually or all of them could be good solution too.

Yes this my intention to remove unnecessary systems. The problem with deleting them individually is that it is a tedious process once there are many CSs. If I delete them all then I lose some I want to keep. Your suggestion to export/import favorite JCS files is probably the best option that currently exists.
 

Shawn Billings

Shawn Billings
5PLS
The coordinate system comes from an unpacked project. If any change were made, I'd recommend appending with the project name as the date doesn't help point to the origin of the system. But overall it's not that bad.
 

Vladimir Prasolov

Well-Known Member
JAVAD GNSS
1. "Format of -1, -2, etc," does not provide unique names.
2. Adding project name does not help. It could be changed later in same project (localization CS, just epoch...).
3. We allow user to edit name and make it simple.
4. We have very flexible system by using import/export points, import/export coordinate systems, clipboard for points, import/export projects, editing names of points, systems... And every step is under user control and fully understandable.
 

Aaron S

Active Member
Dear Aaron,

To clear unnecessary coordinate systems please use long click on delete button in "All Projects" tab. It is safe to do that, because all project coordinate systems will stay untouched.

There are deep logical reasons to clone coordinate systems during import. We discussed that many times with same result. It is the lesser evil to do that. Otherwise we could change one system in one project and unintentionally affect other projects. That could harm a lot. So we prefer completely detach imported project from original one. We prefer that all changes should be visible and understandable.

So please be patient and use that long click red button. It is safe and helpful.

Sincerely yours,

Vladimir

I just want to double-check... deleting a coordinate system from the list in "All Projects" tab, doesn't delete it from the database, correct? I'm assuming the user can't delete a coordinate system permanently, without really going through a lot of effort.

It would also be nice if I could add systems to the "Default" tab. There are only 3 that I use constantly, and having the ability to add "favorites" to the list would save a little time compared to hunting through the tabs and settings every time I start a new project.
 

Vladimir Prasolov

Well-Known Member
JAVAD GNSS
I just want to double-check... deleting a coordinate system from the list in "All Projects" tab, doesn't delete it from the database, correct? I'm assuming the user can't delete a coordinate system permanently, without really going through a lot of effort.

It would also be nice if I could add systems to the "Default" tab. There are only 3 that I use constantly, and having the ability to add "favorites" to the list would save a little time compared to hunting through the tabs and settings every time I start a new project.

Dear Aaron,

1. Do not worry about deleting systems from that menu. It acts like a favorite list. Really each project contains all related coordinate systems inside its own database. So when you load the project related systems will be loaded too in that list. Just go into "All Projects" tab and use long click on delete button. It is safe if that system is used in current project.

2. For now just use export/import favorite JCS files please. It is approved by Matt :) We will add the Notebook tab with custom systems.

Sincerely yours,

Vladimir
 

Vladimir Prasolov

Well-Known Member
JAVAD GNSS
Yes I think this tab is needed. I still think it should be called Favorites, similar to how Justin has Favorites.

View attachment 9190
Hi Matt, we will totally redesign tabs. It will be only two of them "Current Project" and "Notebook" ( or Scratch Pad, or Jotter, or Memo Pad, or even Favorites). "Default" systems will be accessible through "Coordinate System Catalog", that called by pushing "plus" button. User can add systems from project tab to memo or recall from memo tab intentionally. The additional goal is simplifying internal storage for systems and eliminate global level as much as possible. For user it would be benefit too. Now we have three levels of storage (project, global and editing).
 
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