processing raw files

[sfore]

Can Civil 3D be a one stop shop from raw files to finished base maps?

Currently, our Surveyor takes a raw file (.job) from a data collector and dumps into Trimble Office to do adjustments and analysis.  Then he produces a .csv file for him or myself to run thru our Survey Database within Civil 3D for the field to finish reduction.  We have description keys, figures etc... that pretty much draws our base maps for us with very little need for drafting cleanup.  Myself, or another Designer takes that base map to begin design.

Can Civil 3D process raw files the way Trmble Office does?  What steps do most surveyors (that use civil 3d) take when downloading their raw files from their data collector.

Thanks, Shawn

[ericcollins6932]

C3D does include an editor for raw data. C3D cannot natively edit survey raw data. C3D can bring in fieldbook (.fbk) files that are observation data (slope distance, horiz angle, vert angle) and compute coordinates as opposed to bringing in a point file.

Trimble Office probably has more tools to edit raw data so it is up to the surveyor what tool they use. You could probably get him to output a .fbk file and bring it in through the survey database to see if that makes more sense. You could also try out Trimble Link which is an addon to C3D and may aid in the field to finish process.

Sounds like he knows what he is doing though, so I wouldn't volunteer to take on that role as a designer.

[IanMcClain]

Take a look at the Survey Data Collection Link under the survey pulldown. This has the ability to convert .raw files into .fbk and do some editing.

Unfortunately, it is quite old (build date 2003) and does not have a lot of adjustment capabilities. There are a few minor bugs as well. C3D has some cabablility to adjust simple traverses, but if you are doing anything more complicated than that, I would use another adjustment software. If you are using RTK and any kind of calibration, you will have to use another processing software.

If you are doing simple topos with a total station, it may be perfect for you and save the time of using another software.

[sfore]

He has the Trmble Link, but only uses it to export alignments for stakeout (.rxl files).  He's new to Civil 3D, but after we showed him how the Survey Database works and the various styles within our company template (.dwt), he's dove right in and has been proactive in learning how to use it by dumping his .csv files and reducing to a finished base map.

[sfore]

Our Surveyor uses RTK as well as site calibration based on an established control point like at some of the chemical plants he does work at.  So it sounds to me like he's utilizing Civil 3D currently for what it's capable of doing, and using Trimble Office to process/adjust his .job files to output a .csv file for c3d for f inished reduction.

Thanks