Comments on: Using Trimble Link Without a Data Collector http://www.civil3d.com/2008/06/using-trimble-link-without-a-data-collector/ Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:48:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Joe Kanera http://www.civil3d.com/2008/06/using-trimble-link-without-a-data-collector/#comment-47363 Joe Kanera Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:25:13 +0000 http://www.civil3d.com/?p=1952#comment-47363 Well, I for one do my best to discourage our surveyors from submitting a JOB file, in fact, I tell them I do not want to even see it. I tell them I want the original RAW file, as it contains the original, surveyed data which I can visually check and process to a processed text file. The problem with receiving a JOB file is that all it is, is a list of coordinates. You, as an office CAD type, cannot check on the accuracy of the survey that is contained in the original field data, because you do not see the original field survey data. With a RAW file, you can see each setup, individual shot, slope angle, distance and comment. If there seems to be a problem with the data, it's very easy to check for mistakes. With a JOB file, you just assume that it is correct. Or, you have to wait for the surveyors to explain. The ability to check the original survey file allows one to check the data processing, hence to verify the correctness of the data and reduce the liability a bad survey could produce. Quality control, in other words. As a former surveyor - I tend to be a bit critical of any data that crosses my desk. Well, I for one do my best to discourage our surveyors from submitting a JOB file, in fact, I tell them I do not want to even see it.

I tell them I want the original RAW file, as it contains the original, surveyed data which I can visually check and process to a processed text file.

The problem with receiving a JOB file is that all it is, is a list of coordinates. You, as an office CAD type, cannot check on the accuracy of the survey that is contained in the original field data, because you do not see the original field survey data. With a RAW file, you can see each setup, individual shot, slope angle, distance and comment.

If there seems to be a problem with the data, it’s very easy to check for mistakes. With a JOB file, you just assume that it is correct. Or, you have to wait for the surveyors to explain.

The ability to check the original survey file allows one to check the data processing, hence to verify the correctness of the data and reduce the liability a bad survey could produce. Quality control, in other words.

As a former surveyor - I tend to be a bit critical of any data that crosses my desk.

]]>