The PC-SIG Library 9

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND LICENSE AGREEMENT SurveySoft surveying software is distributed as user-supported software. This means that the package may be widely and freely distributed, and that you have the opportunity to try the package at a minimal expense to find out if it is right for you. However, it also means that the continued availability of support for this product, and the development and availability of future products, is solely dependent on your good faith and honesty. If you are able to make productive use of this software, PLEASE send the registration fee of $75.00 to : G.D. Fleming & Company, Inc. P.O. Box 588 Blair, NE 68008 Remember that SurveySoft surveying software is copyrighted. It remains the property of the author. You may not copy, distribute, or otherwise make use of SurveySoft except under the terms of the following agreement : i) You may make as many copies of this disk as you like for your own internal use. You may freely modify or adapt the programs on this disk, so long as the modified programs are not shared or distributed in any form, and as long as the Copyright notice remains prominently displayed on any modified versions. ii) You may freely distribute unmodified copies of the original disk, and are encouraged to do so. You may not, however, distribute these copies for a profit under the terms of this agreement. iii) Neither G.D. Fleming & Co., Inc., nor the author can or do warrant the performance or results that you may attain through the use of this software. We license it to to use 'as is', entirely at your own risk, without making any claim as to the suitability of this software for any particular purpose. iv) You agree that you will not hold G.D. Fleming & Company, Inc. or the author liable for any damages that you may or anyone else may suffer arising out of the use of this software. v) If any part of this agreement is subsequently found to be invalid, it will have no bearing upon the validity of any other part of this agreement. OVERVIEW SurveySoft Version 3.0 is the latest version of a tested package of surveying software adapted for the IBM-PC and compatible systems. It incorporates nearly all of the improvements and modifications suggested by users of Version 2.0, together with several other improvements made possible by a new programming environment. Experienced users will find the speed of access to and execution of nearly all functions to be radically improved; beginners will find the on-screen prompts to be clearer and more useful. A more particular list of modifications incorporated in this version may be found at the end of this manual. Following is a list of available SurveySoft functions, which is furnished for quick reference. (Note that function keys shown in the form <ALT><F1> are accessed by pressing <F1> while holding down the <ALT> key, just as if you were using <ALT> like the shift key on a standard typewriter. Keys shown as <CTRL><F1> are accessed using the <CTRL> key similarly.) Function Key Function Pg. Ref. <F1> Traverse -- Assign coordinates to initial point; use bearing for first leg, bearing or field angle thereafter. Points numbered by user or sequentially. Setup moves to consecutive points. Curve traverse; no error correction or adjustment. <ALT><F1> Field Traverse -- Assign coordinates to initial point; use bearing for first leg, bearing or field angle thereafter. Points numbered sequentially. Setup moves to consecutive points. Error correction, Compass or Transit rule adjustment, Curve traverse. <F2> Sideshot -- Enter backsight (optional) and occupied points, field angles and/or bearings. Points numbered by user or sequentially. Setup remains fixed (Radial Traverse). <F3> Inverse -- Gives angles, bearings,and distances between entered points. Inverse curves and area computation. Setup moves to current point. <ALT><F3> Radial Inverse -- Gives angles, bearings, and distances from backsight and occupied point to current point. Setup remains fixed. No curves or areas. <F4> List Coordinates -- Display coordinates of selected points. <ALT><F4> Enter Coordinates -- Assign selected northing and easting to one or more points. <CTRL><F4> Rotate Coordinates -- Rotate selected points to bring a given line to a known bearing. <F5> Bearing / Bearing Intersection -- Compute intersection of known bearings through two given points. <F6> Bearing / Distance Intersection -- Compute intersection of a known bearing and a known distance through two given points. <F7> Distance / Distance Intersection -- Compute intersection of two known dis- tances from two given points. <F8> Fixed Areas (Angle / Side / Angle) -- Compute a four-sided figure of known area given one side and the bearings of the other three. <ALT><F8> Fixed Areas (Side / Angle / Side) -- Compute a three-sided figure of a given area, given one side and the bearing of a second side. <F9> Save Data -- Create a data file with the coordinate points currently in active memory. <ALT><F9> Load Data -- Transfer data from an existing data file to active memory. <CTRL><F9> Delete Data File -- Delete a data file from the data disk. <F10> Earthwork -- Not currently supported. <ALT><F10> Transit Topography -- Compute northing, easting, and elevation of a point given benchmark elevation, plus rod, field angle, distance, zenith, & minus rod. No fixed data storage. <CTRL><F10> Radial Curve Stakeout -- Field staking of offsets to a radial curve. INSTALLING DOS SYSTEM Experienced Version 2.0 users -- or any other impatient types -- may feel free to skip this section for the time being. Just be sure that you have safely backed up the distribution copy of your disk before proceeding to "FOR ALL USERS" at the end of this section. The object of this section is to create a disk with all of the SurveySoft files and with the DOS operating system on it, providing you with a working copy which may be used while the original is kept safely stored away, and which may be used to start up your system without the need for your DOS diskette. SurveySoft is not copy-protected. Keep the write-protect tab on the distribution diskette, don't physically abuse it, and you may make as many copies as you like (for your own use, of course) as long as the software will be in use on one system only at any given time -- see the licensing agreement elsewhere in this manual. SYSTEMS WITH TWO DISKETTE DRIVES. Insert your DOS diskette in drive A: and a blank diskette in drive B:. (It isn't necessary for the disk in drive B: to be blank, of course, but what we are about to do will wipe it clean, so choose it with care.) If necessary, start your system, enter the date and time, and do any other necessary housekeeping. Then, in response to the A> prompt, type FORMAT B:/S and press <ENTER>. You will be prompted to insert the disk to be formatted in drive B: and press any key when ready. Verify that you have done so, then press any key. The drives will operate briefly as the diskette is formatted and the operating system is transferred. When the process is complete, DOS will ask "Format another? Y/N". Respond by pressing N. When you have the A> prompt once more, remove the DOS diskette and replace it with the SurveySoft distribution diskette. Type COPY *.* B: and press <ENTER>. Each file on the SurveySoft distribution diskette will be transferred to the disk in drive B:, which has now become your working copy. Label it, remove the distribution copy from drive A: and put it in a safe place, insert the working copy in drive A:, and proceed to "FOR ALL USERS" at the end of this section. SYSTEMS WITH HARD DISKS. The following installation procedure assumes that the DOS operating system is already resident on your hard disk, and that your hard disk is drive C:. A list of the files on the SurveySoft diskette that will be copied to the hard disk follows. If any files by these names currently exist on your hard disk, they will be overwritten and lost, so you will want to consider renaming them before proceeding. (See your operating system manual for instructions on how to do so.) Also note that SurveySoft does add an extension of ".DAT" to all data files, and that DOS 2.0+ pathnames are not supported at this time. SURVEY.COM SETDRIVE.COM SURVEY.000 DRIVFILE.PAS SURVEY.001 TESTTEST.TST SURVEY.002 SURVEY.003 SURVEY.004 Ready? Insert the SurveySoft distribution diskette in a diskette drive, make that drive the default drive, and type COPY *.* C:. (Remember that we're assuming your hard disk to be drive C:, and substitute the actual name of your hard disk if necessary.) When you have the DOS prompt once more, make the hard disk the default drive again, store the SurveySoft distribution diskette in a safe place, and proceed to "FOR ALL USERS" at the end of this section. SYSTEMS WITH ONE DISKETTE DRIVE ONLY. Insert your DOS diskette in drive A:. If necessary, start your system, enter the date and time, and do any other necessary housekeeping. Then, in response to the A> prompt, type FORMAT /S and press <ENTER>. you will be prompted to put the disk to be formatted in drive A: and press any key when ready. Remove the DOS diskette from the drive and replace it with a blank one, then press any key. The drive will operate briefly as the diskette is formatted and the operating system is transferred. When the process is complete, DOS will ask "Format another? Y/N". Respond by pressing N. When you have the A> prompt once more, remove the blank diskette and replace it with the SurveySoft distribution diskette. Type COPY *.* B: and press <ENTER>, then follow the disk-swapping instructions provided by the operating system. When you have finished, each file on the SurveySoft distribution diskette will have been transferred to the blank diskette, which has now become your working copy. Label it, replace it in the diskette drive, and store the distribution copy of SurveySoft in a safe place. FOR ALL USERS. You should now have your new working copy of SurveySoft stored on the default drive and have the DOS prompt for that drive on your screen. To access the surveying programs on the disk, type SURVEY in response to the DOS prompt and press <ENTER>. GETTING STARTED THE OPTIONS MENU. If you have not already done so, bring up the DOS prompt and, with SurveySoft in the default drive, type SURVEY and press <ENTER>. After a few moments, the Options menu will appear on the screen. From this menu you will make a few simple choices that will adapt SurveySoft to your personal preferences and to your system. You may return to this menu from the main program and revise your choices any time that you like. Your screen should now look something like Figure A. Whenever you load SurveySoft, the Printer Status and Zenith Input will default to "OFF" and Keyboard Audio will default to "ON". If you elect to change these values, you must do so whenever you reload the software. The selection for the data drive, however, is permanently recorded and becomes the new default value until you elect to change it again. PRINTER STATUS. Set Printer Status to "ON" only if a line printer is connected to your system and ready to operate. If you do set the Printer Status to "ON", SurveySoft will verify that a printer is present and on line. If it does not encounter a printer, it will automatically reset printer status to "OFF" and return you to the Options Menu. While in many cases a printed record of your activity is desirable, you should be aware that with most printers SurveySoft will run very considerably slower with the printer option selected. ZENITH ANGLE INPUT. Your selection of a Zenith Input setting is a matter of personal preference, the type of input with which you will be dealing, and the quality of your field notes. With Zenith Input "ON", every time that SurveySoft prompts you to input a distance, it will prompt you to input a zenith angle. As you can see, if you are entering data from a deed or plat, this could become quite an inconvenience. It is for this reason that the default setting for Zenith Input is "OFF". (Note also that even with Zenith Input "ON", you may enter a zenith angle of 90 degrees by simply pressing <ENTER> when prompted for the angle.) KEYBOARD AUDIO. Once again, your choice of a Keyboard Audio setting is a matter of preference and the environment in which you will be using your software. While the Keyboard Audio setting is "ON", SurveySoft will chirp (discretely, of course) upon positive data entry and input errors. If you or others in your work environment find this objectionable, you will want to set Keyboard Audio to "OFF". ACTIVE DATA DRIVE. As noted earlier, your choice of a data drive is permanently recorded and will become the new default value whenever the system is loaded -- although it may, of course, be changed at any time. If yours is a single-drive system, you will want to leave the data drive set to A:. This will mean that all of your data will be stored upon your SurveySoft working diskette, but since the software is not copy-protected, this should present no particular problem. If yours is a two-drive system, you will probably want to keep the SurveySoft diskette in drive A: and let drive B: be the drive in which you place your data diskette. To do so, press the '+' key once; your display should now show that the data will be stored in drive B:. If you have a hard-disk system, you will probably want your data, as well as the SurveySoft applications programs to reside on your hard disk. Simply press the '+' and '-' keys until your hard disk drive appears on the display. When you are satisfied with your selections from this menu, press <ENTER>. Note that if you have changed the data drive, SurveySoft will test the status of that drive before proceeding. If it is unavailable, an error message will be displayed and the data file will be reset to its previous value. Note also that if for any reason (such as moving to a new system) the data drive of record is not available, the utility program SETDRIVE is provided to reset the data drive without entering SurveySoft. THE MAIN MENU. After you have left the Options Menu by pressing <ENTER>, your screen will display the SurveySoft Main Menu, through which all of the software's other features are accessed. Your display should now resemble Figure B. COORDINATE GEOMETRY PROCEDURES AN INTRODUCTION. All of SurveySoft's various functions are inter-related and, unlike many other surveying software packages, all share a common system of coordinate points. In the off-the-shelf version of the software, these points may be assigned numbers from 1 to 1000. For most applications, this provides a good working compromise between capacity, execution time, and memory demands. (If your application demands more storage, and your system is able to support it, custom versions of SurveySoft with greater capacity are available to current users at a nominal charge.) In such a thoroughly integrated program, many functions make use of data which has already been input by means of others. Although the adventurous user may want to strike out on his own, relying on on÷screen prompts and the list of functions already provided, there follows a tutorial which will take you through all of the coordinate geometry functions provided, using a simulated survey to provide the data. Functions are presented in the order in which they might typically be used, beginning with the Field Traverse routine. FIELD TRAVERSE. The Field Traverse routine will be the data entry method of choice when you have a substantial amount of data to enter, when that data may be entered as a series of consecutive points, and when your situation will allow you to number each point consecutively. It differs from the Traverse routine in that the Traverse routine will allow you to enter your choice of a point number for each point, and in that the Traverse routine allows neither closure and adjustment of a traverse nor correction of data which has been mis-entered. Access the Field Traverse routine by pressing <ALT><F1> from the Main Menu. The system prompts you to enter the number that you wish to assign to the initial point (the first occupied point) of the traverse. Please respond by typing 1 then pressing <ENTER>. Note that numbers outside of the allowable range of point numbers (1 to 1000 for stock versions) will not be accepted. (SurveySoft has automatically set the cursor / numeric keypad for numeric entry. While you may reset it for cursor control any time that you like, SurveySoft will not respond to the characters that the cursor keys will generate, and will reset the keypad at its earliest opportunity.) The system now prompts you to enter the northing coordinate that you wish to assign to point number 1. Assign it a northing of 1 + 00 by typing 100 and pressing <ENTER>. When you are prompted to enter the easting coordinate for point number 1, assign it an easting of 1 + 00 in a similar way. (If you do not assign a northing at this time, but proceed by pressing <ENTER>, the system will assign by default any northing which had previously been assigned to point number 1; if no northing was previously assigned to that point, its northing coordinate is 0 + 00.) You are now prompted press a key on the numeric pad. The display in the bottom window shows you which numeric keys (NOT the number keys in the top row of the typewriter keyboard) correspond to which quadrants and field angles. Keys 2, 4, 6, and 8 are used to generate field angles from the last entered traverse leg; since we have no previous leg, they are of course meaningless now. Keys 1, 3, 7, and 9 are used to enter azimuths and bearings. Key 0 is used to recall the bearing between two previously entered points; its use is further documented on pages 15 - 16 of this manual. Key 5 is not implemented at all. (Enter bearings of due north and south by entering bearings of 0 in either adjacent quadrant. Similarly, enter bearings of due east and west by entering bearings of 90 in either adjacent quadrant. Enter a north azimuth by entering the azimuth in the northeast quadrant and a south azimuth by entering it in the southwest quadrant.) If the bearing of the first leg of your traverse is known, it is of course entered at this time; otherwise, an arbitrary bearing is entered which may later be rotated to conform to any required bearing. For now, press number 9 on the numeric keypad to set the bearing of the first leg of your traverse in the northeast quadrant. The system prompts you to enter the bearing of the first leg of your traverse. Bearings are entered using the format DDD.MMSS. Assign a bearing of N 45 45'45" E by typing 45.4545 and pressing <ENTER>. You are now prompted to enter the length of your traverse leg. Input a distance of 100.00 feet and press <ENTER>. If you have set Zenith Input to "ON" -- this tutorial will assume that you have not -- you will now be prompted to enter the zenith angle turned to the new point. This angle is entered in the same way as is a horizontal angle, in response to the prompt. A zenith angle of 90 may be entered by simply pressing <ENTER> with no numeric input. (The zenith angle is the angle turned from the vertical to the new point. Thus points at a higher elevation than the instrument will have turned zenith angles between 0 and 90 or between 270 and 360, while points below the instrument will have zenith angles between 90 and 270.) SurveySoft computes and displays the coordinates of the new point and assigns it the next consecutive point number (in this case, 2), then asks that you press a key on the numeric pad for the next leg of your traverse. Enter a field angle right of 90 degrees by pressing 6 on the numeric pad,typing 90 when prompted, and pressing <ENTER>. When asked to enter the distance to the next point, please enter a distance of 99.5 feet. Now close into the initial point of your traverse by entering a deflection angle to the left of 135 00'15". Press numeric key 2 for deflection left, type 135.0015, and press <ENTER>. When prompted, <ENTER> a distance of 100.15 feet. SurveySoft computes and displays the coordinates of traverse point number 4. If all has gone well, point number 4 should have a northing of 140.91 feet and an easting of 100.91 feet. You may note that a 40÷foot closure is not particularly close work for a traverse of this size; in fact, it seems that we have made a typographical error in entering the last leg of our traverse. Instead of a closing distance of 100.15 feet, we should have entered a distance of 140.15 feet. We are about to remedy this situation. Press <ESC> to leave the data entry portion of the Field Traverse routine. You are prompted to press the space bar to close and adjust the traverse, or to correct a leg. (You may also return to the Main Menu by pressing <ESC> again at this point.) Please press the <SPACE BAR> to go to the Close and Adjust Menu. CLOSE AND ADJUST Before proceeding to the Close and Adjust menu, you are presented with tentative northing and easting coordinates for the point closed upon. These are simply the coordinates of the initial point of the traverse. If you are closing upon the initial point, as we are here, press Y. Otherwise, if you are closing upon some other point of known coordinates, press "N"; you will be offered the opportunity to enter those known coordinates. SEARCH FOR ERROR. Let us first verify the location of the error by pressing function key <F1>, Search for Error. The data that you have entered is highlighted and displayed in the center of the screen. Verify that the data entry error did occur at point number 3 and that the other data were entered correctly, then press function key <F2>, Correct Error. (If you have entered more data than can be displayed in this area, only the first portion will be displayed; scroll through the data by pressing the <ENTER> key. When you have reached the end of your input data, the display will scroll back to the first point if you continue.) CORRECT ERROR. We have now located the input error and verified that it did occurr at point number 3. When you are prompted to enter the point at which the error occurred, type 3 and press <ENTER>. You will be prompted to press a quadrant key on the numeric pad. Since the correct angle is still a deflection left, press 2. You will be prompted to enter the new bearing. Since the bearing also remains unchanged, type 135.00015 and press <ENTER>. Finally, you are prompted to enter the correct distance. Type 140.15 and press <ENTER>. The traverse is recalculated and the results displayed in the highlighted area of your display, which should now resemble Figure C. You will return to the Search for Error mode. Note that the closing coordinates for point number 4 are now 1 + 00.91 North and 1 + 00.38 East. We will consider these figures to be within reasonable limits of accuracy for this survey. BALANCE ANGLES. Now note the line above the highlighted area. Since you did not enter a closing angle at point number 4, SurveySoft has calculated the angular error based upon a computed line from the last occupied point to the ideal closing coordinates, and reminded you that a closing angle was not entered. If you like, you may return to Correct Error mode and enter a closing angle at this time; the angular error will be recalculated. Either with or without a closing angle, you may select Balance angles to have the angular error balanced among all field angles -- not angles entered as azimuths or bearings -- before proceeding. Corrected figures will appear in the highlighted area. However, since your instrument operator has been very good (or very lucky), and since your party chief has neglected the closing angle (Have you considered rotating your personnel?), we will proceed to adjust the traverse without balancing angles. ADJUST TRAVERSE. Since the angular closure of this traverse is so good, you should probably consider using Transit Rule adjustment, which assumes that angles have been measured more accurately than distances. In most cases, however, Compass Rule (which assumes that angles and distances were measured with roughly equal asccuracy) will be the method of choice. Since the procedures for both methods are identical -- and quite simple -- let us proceed with a Compass Rule adjustment by pressing function key <F4>. Because adjustment of the traverse must be the last step in the Close and Adjust procedure, you are notified when the adjustment is complete and are instructed to press <ESC> to return to the main menu; you have no further access to the Close and Adjust menu at this time. INVERSE. To see what changes the adjustment has made in our field data, press function key <F3>, Inverse. When SurveySoft prompts you to enter the first point number, please type 1 and press <ENTER>. When you are prompted to enter the next point number, enter number 2. Note that the bearing of the first traverse leg has been adjusted to N 45 49'44" E and that the length of the leg is now 99.73 feet. Enter point number 3 and note that the field angle right of 90 which we entered at point number 2 has become an angle right of 89 46'50". Enter point number 4 and note that the northing and easting of this point have now been adjusted to match the northing and easting of the initial traverse point. Your display should now resemble Figure D. When you have satisfied yourself of this, press <ESC> to exit the Inverse procedure. SurveySoft will compute and display the acreage that you have inversed, then prompt you to press <ESC> again to return to the main menu. Please do so when you are ready to proceed. (Of course, points need not be entered in consecutive order, but our example does happen to work out that way. In fact, whenever SurveySoft prompts you to enter a point number, you may default to the point immediately following the current point by pressing <ENTER>. However, this default must be used with caution; if a value has already been assigned to that default point, it will be lost.) (Computed acreage to the nearest hundredth should be sufficient for most purposes; if not, note that area is also displayed in square feet, and can therefore be computed to any desired accuracy.) ROTATE COORDINATES. We have entered a traverse from field data, corrected a data entry error, adjusted the corrected traverse, inversed the adjusted traverse and displayed the enclosed area. We now would like to rotate the traverse so that its west line conforms to a known due north÷south bearing. We will do so by selecting the Rotate Coordinates routine from the Main Menu. Please do so by pressing function key <CTRL><F4>. SurveySoft prompts you to enter a point number for the hinge point -- that is, the point about which all the others will be rotated. This point may be any point lying upon the line whose bearing we wish to define (in this case, the west line of our traverse). Please enter point number 1 in response to the prompt. The system now asks that you enter the known bearing away from the hinge point, beginning with pressing a quadrant key on the numeric pad. To assign a bearing of due north to the west line, press key 9, NE (or key 7, NW, if you prefer), then input an angle of 0 degrees. You are now prompted to enter a base point number. This point is another point on the line through the hinge point whose bearing we wish to define. When the Rotation procedure is finished, the bearing from the hinge point to the base point will be the bearing that was entered in the preceeding step. In this case, the only suitable point is point number 3. Please enter 3 in response to the prompt. At this time, SurveySoft offers you the opportunity to change the northing and easting coordinates of the hinge point (and, of course, to similarly shift the coordinates of the other points that you choose to rotate). To facilitate plotting the survey, let us assign to the hinge point northing and easting coordinates of 0 + 00. Please type 0 and press <ENTER> when you are prompted for these coordinates. The system now prompts you to enter a scale factor. The scale factor permanently alters the coordinates of all rotated points in memory, and should be used only on the rare occasions when it is necessary to scale to match known data. In nearly all other cases, the correct response to this prompt is 1, and 1 is the default value assigned if no other value is entered. Respond to the prompt by pressing <ENTER> with no numeric input. (To make all distances between rotated points 1% longer, enter a scale factor of 1.01; to make then 10% shorter, enter a scale factor of .9, and so on. Note that the input of the scale factor in the Rotate routine is different from the input in the List Coordinates routine on page ##.) You are now asked to enter the first point to be rotated. This is the lowest-numbered point that you wish to have affected by the Rotation procedure. In this case, that point also happens to be the hinge point; you should enter point number 1 in response to the prompt. When you are asked for the last point to be rotated, enter the highest-numbered point that you wish to have affected; in this case, that point is point number 4. SurveySoft informs you when the procedure is complete. Your screen should now resemble Figure E. Please press <ESC> when you are ready to proceed. LIST COORDINATES. At this point it will be helpful to prepare a sketch of what we have accomplished. One convenient way to prepare a sketch from data in system memory is to List the coordinates of the points that you wish to plot. Access the List routine by pressing function key <F4> from the Main Menu. SurveySoft prompts you to enter a scale factor. Unlike the scale factor in the Rotate routine, this scale factor does not permanently alter coordinates in memory but only displayed values. (For example, this enables you to plot data at a scale of 1" = 400' by entering a value of 400 in response to this prompt, then plotting the displayed values directly in inches, while the coordinates assigned to all points remain unchanged.) For now, however, please respond to this prompt by entering 1. The system prompts you to enter the first point number to be listed. Again, this is the lowest-numbered point that you wish to display; please enter 1 in response to the prompt. When you are asked for the last point to be listed, input the highest- numbered point that you wish to display; please enter 4 in response to the prompt. (Don't be concerned if you need to display more points than will fit on the screen at one time. Go ahead and enter your point numbers as usual, and SurveySoft will display the data one screenful at a time.) If you wish, you may now make a simple sketch using the displayed data. The results should resemble Figure F. DATA STORAGE. At this point, you may be ready for a bit of a break before con- tinuing. Let us save the data that we have developed up to this point on disk, so that it will be available when you return. (In practice, you will want to save your data frequently, perhaps as often as every 10-15 minutes when you are engaged in complex calculations, and to make back-up copies of your data at the end of every session.) If you have not already done so, return to the Main Menu by pressing <ESC>. Then select the Data Storage routine by pressing function key <F9>. (It is not really necessary in Version 3.0 to return to the Main Menu before making your selection. At almost any time you may move directly to another menu selection by pressing the appropriate function key. As you become more familiar with the system, you will find that this approach will greatly increase your computing efficiency.) The system asks you to input the name under which you intend to store your data. If you have already used data file names in this session, you are offered the most recent as a default selection, and need only press <Enter> to select it. This time, however, we need to enter an original name. A filename may be any combination of letters, numbers, and the underscore ("_") symbol, up to eight characters in length. SurveySoft will not permit you to use illegal symbols or to exceed the legal length. An extension of ".DAT" is added to the end of all data files to prevent accidental overwrites and to simplify block file handling. (DOS 2.0+ pathnames are not currently supported.) It is generally wise to select a name for your file that will recall to your mind the type of data contained in that file; thus, while JonesSub would be an excellent file name, choices such as Data1, Data2, and so on are probably not so appropriate. In this case, let us save the data that we have compiled up to this point as "Example". Do so by typing Example and pressing <ENTER>. Note that no quotes are necessary around SurveySoft file names. Your selected data drive operates briefly as points one through four are stored on your data disk; you are then informed that the data storage procedure is complete. Your system may now be safely turned off, or you may experiment with the commands that we have covered up to this point. (SurveySoft stores data in a text file in the form of ASCII characters. This means that SurveySoft data files may be accessed through the DOS TYPE and PRINT commands, as well as edited with the EDLIN editor and many word processors. Only non-zero points are stored, together with the point numbers that have been assigned to them. In all but the very largest data files, this approach improves disk access time and conserves disk space.) DATA RETRIEVAL. Make sure that your operating system and SurveySoft are in your system's default drive and that EXAMPLE.DAT is in the drive that you have chosen as your data drive. If your system is on, restart it by pressing <DEL> while holding down both the <CTRL> and <ALT> keys. If it is off, turn it on. Enter the date and time and do any other necessary housekeeping; then type SURVEY in response to the DOS prompt and press <ENTER>. This will bring up the Options Menu. Make your selections here -- remember that you do not have to re-enter the data drive unless you would like to change it -- and press <ENTER> when you are ready. We will now load the data from EXAMPLE.DAT from the disk by pressing function key <ALT><F9>, Load data. If there are any non- zero points in active memory, you are warned that unless saved, they will be overwritten, and you are offered an opportunity to back up and save them. Since we have just started with a clean slate, this warning is bypassed and you are prompted to enter the name of the file to be loaded. Respond by typing the name of a file that you know is not currently in the data file, perhaps TEST, and pressing <ENTER>. The system informs you that is unable to find this file, and offers you the option of pressing <ENTER> to retry -- either another disk or another filename -- or of pressing <ESC> to back up to the Main Menu. Please press <ENTER>. Note that you are offered TEST.DAT as a default selection; to search for that file on another disk, you need only insert the new disk in the data drive and press <ENTER>. For now, please type EXAMPLE and press <ENTER>. With luck, you will meet with more success this time, and will be returned to the main menu. SIDESHOTS. Refer to the sketch of our three-point traverse that you made earlier, or to Figure F. Let us assume that traverse point number 2 was a temporary point that you established to locate two additional points that lie roughly north and south of it, and that you have located these two points while occupying point number 2, turning angles and measuring distances to them while using point number 1 as a backsight. Access the Sideshot routine by pressing function key <F2>, Sideshot. When the system prompts you for a backsight point number, input number 1. When you are prompted for the number of the occupied point, enter 2. Input an angle right of 132 15'15" by pressing 6 on the numeric keypad, typing 132.1515, and pressing <ENTER>. When prompted, input a distance of 75.12 feet; if necessary, input a zenith angle of 90. Note that, unlike the Field Traverse routine, you are now prompted to enter the point number to be assigned to the new point. Since the current point number is 2, if you respond to this prompt by pressing <ENTER> without numeric input, the new coordinates will be assigned to point number 3. In this case, the current coordinates of point number 3, which remains useful to us, will be overwritten and lost. (If you will be entering bearings rather than field angles, it makes no difference what point you enter here. If you are not comfortable entering a random point number, you may bypass this selection entirely by pressing <ENTER> with no numeric input.) (For our purposes here, the current point number is defined as the last point number that was entered by the user.) Obviously, then, we must assign some new point number, say 5, to this point. Do So by typing 5 and pressing <ENTER>. In the Sideshot routine, as opposed to the Traverse and Field Traverse routines, SurveySoft assumes that subsequent data are input using the same backsight and occupied point. Locate the second new point at a field angle right of 270 17'17" (measured from point number 1) by pressing 6 on the numeric keypad, typing 270.1717, and pressing <ENTER>. Input the distance from point number 2 by typing 68.13 and pressing <ENTER>. Since the current point number is now 5, and since point number 6 is unused, we may assign the default value of 6 as the point number by pressing <ENTER> with no numeric input. If you had other points that were located from the same setup, you would enter them at this time. If you had other points to enter using the Sideshot routine which were located using other setups, you would do so either by returning to the Main Menu and selecting Sideshot again or by pressing function key <F2> while still in the Sideshot routine. In either of these cases, you would be prompted to enter a new backsight number, and would proceed with the new setup data as above. You may wish to update the sketch of our data that you made previ- ously, or refer to Figure G. List the coordinates of points 1 to 6, and plot those which have not yet been plotted, bearing in mind that the coordinates of point number 1 are 0 + 00 North, 0 + 00 East. Inverse the lines 1 - 6, 6 - 5, 5 - 3, and 3 - 1. Label the lines that you have Inversed with their bearings and lengths. When you have finished, your sketch should resemble Figure G. When you are satisfied, please return to the Main Menu. ENTER COORDINATES Now let us assume that line 1 - 3 is not in fact the west line of the parcel that we are surveying, but is rather the centerline of a road which has an 80-foot right-of-way. To establish the right- of-way line which is the actual boundary of our survey, it will first be necessary to establish a point which is 40.0 feet east of line 1 - 3. Certainly one option is to enter this point by means of the Sideshot routine; however, this also provides us with the opportunity to introduce the Enter Coordinates routine. Please enter this routine by pressing <ALT><F4>. SurveySoft now prompts you to enter the point to which you wish to assign new coordinates. Please type number 7 and press <ENTER>. You are prompted to enter the northing that you wish to assign to this point. Let us arbitrarily assign a northing coordinate of 0 + 00 by typing 0 and pressing <ENTER>. When you are prompted to enter an easting for this point, please enter 40. We have now established point number 7 due east of point number 1 and 40.0 feet east of the center of the road. The system prompts you to enter another point number to which you would like to assign coordinates. You may enter a new point number at this time; or as always, the next consecutive point number may be assigned by default by simply pressing <ENTER>. To exit from this routine, simply press <ESC>. BEARING / BEARING INTERSECTION Let us now compute the intersection of the north line of our tract with the east right-of-way line of the road centering on line 1 - 3. We have already established point number 7 on that east right- of-way line. Now select the Bearing / Bearing Intersection routine by pressing <F5>. SurveySoft prompts you to enter the first point number. This may be either point through which a line of known bearing is to be run; in this case, please enter point number 7. Since the right- of-way of the road is to center upon the west line of out tract, it must have a bearing of N 0 00' E. Enter this bearing by pressing 9 on the numeric keypad, then entering an angle of 0. (Note that it is important that the bearing entered be a bearing toward the intersection point. In this case, entering an angle of S 0 W might yield an incorrect result.) The system prompts you to enter the number of the second point through which a line of known bearing is to be run. Please enter point number 3. At this point the usual course would be to enter the bearing of the north line of our tract by referring to our sketch, then inputting the proper quadrant and bearing. However, SurveySoft also provides a shortcut in the Bearing Recall function. Please press 0 on the numeric keypad. Selecting '0' as the quadrant key informs the system that the number about to be input is not, in fact, a bearing, but instead specifies two point numbers, and that the bearing between these two points is to be computed and entered into the ongoing calculation. The format for entering the point numbers is #.00##. Any legal point number may be typed to the left of the decimal. To the right of the decimal, any legal point number may be entered with leading zeroes to make a total of four decimal places. Thus, to recall the bearing from point 1 to point 4, enter 1.0004; to recall the bearing from point 1 to 400, enter 1.0400. At this time, to recall the bearing from point 3 to point 5, type 3.0005 and press <ENTER>. SurveySoft computes the coordinates of the intersection of the north property line and the right-of-way line, then prompts you to input a new point number for the intersection point. Please enter point number 8. Now return to the Main Menu. Inverse from point 7 to point 8 to verify that the bearing of the right-of-way line is due north - south. Check the coordinates of point number 8 to verify that it is at 0 + 40 East. Inverse from point 8 to point 5 to verify that the bearing of the new north line is as it should be, then from 5 to 3 to verify that the interior angle 8-5-3 is in fact 0 degrees. Return to the Main Menu and save your file as EXAMPLE. Note that since the file EXAMPLE already resides on this disk, you are notified that it is about to be overwritten and offered an opportunity to back up and try again with another file name. In this case, since you do wish to update the existing file, respond by pressing <ENTER>. BEARING / DISTANCE INTERSECTION Now let us assume that the road that runs along the west line of our tract terminates in a cul-de-sac 120.0 feet in diameter, and that the cul-de-sac is centered upon point number 1. Our sketch will now look something like Figure H. First we will establish the point at which the 80-foot road right- of-way intersects the radius of the cul-de-sac. This is the point labeled in Figure H as point number 9. Please return to the Main Menu if you have not already done so, then press <F6>, Bearing / Distance Intersection. SurveySoft prompts you to enter the point through which the line of known bearing runs. Please enter point number 8 in response to this prompt. The system then prompts you for a bearing from the point that was just entered. Input a due south bearing by pressing 1 on the numeric pad, then entering an angle of 0 degrees in response to the next prompt. You are now prompted to enter the number of the point from which the distance to the intersection point is known. Enter number 1 in response to the prompt; when the system requests the distance to the intersection point, enter a distance of 60 feet, the radius of the cul-de-sac. SurveySoft displays the distance from the first point number to the first of two solutions to the intersection. In this case, a distance of 98.80 feet is about the distance that we would have anticipated from point number 8 to point number 9, so enter 9 when the system requests a point number to assign to this solution. The system now displays the distance from point 8 to the second possible solution. It is apparent that 188.25 is the distance to the point at which the easterly road right-of-way line would intersect the south edge of the cul-de-sac. Since there is no immediate reason for us to assign a point number to this solution, press <ENTER> without inputting a number. (Note that had these solutions been displayed in reverse order -- had the solution we needed been the second one to appear -- we would have pressed <ENTER> with no numeric input in response to the first prompt. Note also that here and in the Distance / Distance Intersection routines, SurveySoft's automatic assignment of consecutive point numbers is disabled. DISTANCE / DISTANCE INTERSECTION Now we will establish the other point at the throut of the cul-de- sac, the point labeled number 10 on the sketch. You have already become familiar with several means of accomplishing this, including another Bearing / Distance Intersection or a Sideshot (occupying point number 9 and turning 90 degrees left from point number 8 for a distance of 80 feet). However, we will now make use of the Distance / Distance Intersection routine. To access this routine, please press function key <F7>. We know that point number 10 is 80 feet west of point number 9, because that is the width of the right-of-way. We know that it is 60 feet northwest of point number 1, because that is the radius of the cul-de-sac. In response to SurveySoft's request for a point number, either 1 or 9 might be input. In this case, enter point number 9 in response to the request for the first point number and enter a distance of 80 feet. Respond to the request for a second point number by enter our other possible selection, point number 1, and a distance of 60 feet. SurveySoft displays the coordinates of the first possible solution to the intersection problem, then prompts you to input a point number. Since we know that the solution that we are looking for is northwest of point number 1, and since the displayed coordinates are south and east of that point, respond by pressing <ENTER> without inputting a point number. (Note that in this situation, and the corresponding situation in the Bearing / Distance Routine, SurveySoft's automatic assignment of the next consecutive point number is overridden. Make sure to assign a number to the solutions that you wish to retain in these situations.) The system now displays the coordinates of the second possible solution. Since this solution looks reasonable, assign number 10 in response to the prompt. INVERSE WITH CURVES AND AREAS Review the sketch of our tract and note that all points on its perimeter have been established except point number 11, the inter- section of the south line of the tract with the east line of the cul-de-sac. Please establish point number 11 at this time by pressing function key <F2>, Sideshot. Backsight point number 6, occupy point number 1, and use numeric key 6 to input an angle right of 0 degrees. Enter a distance of 60 feet and assign new point number 11. When you have finished, press function key <F3>, Inverse. Enter point number 9 in response to the system's request for the initial point number. Respond to subsequent prompts by entering point numbers 8, 5, 6, and 11 in turn. We have now arrived at the first point on the radius of the cul- de-sac. The next point number to be input is the radius point of the curve. Press <ALT><C> to enter the curve; when prompted, enter 1, the number of the radius point. Finally, enter 9, the number for the end point of the curve, when prompted to do so. SurveySoft computes and displays curve data and compensates for the curve in its area calculations. (Of course, the curve need not be the last course to be inversed; one or more curves may occur at any point in the figure being inversed.) Update your sketch if you wish, showing right-of-way information and the new lengths of the north and south lines of the tract. When you have finished, it should resemble Figure I. Verify that the information on your sketch is in agreement with that shown here. When you are satisfied, return to the Main Menu and save your data as EXAMPLE. FIXED AREAS (ANGLE / SIDE / ANGLE) We will now assume that you intend to lay off a tract containing 0.5 acres, bounded on the west by the road right-of-way, and on the north and south by the easterly extension of the north and south lines of our tract. This may be easily accomplished by using the Fixed Areas (A/S/A) routine. Access it by pressing function key <F8>. SurveySoft prompts you to enter the first base point number. Enter point number 5 in response to the prompt. The system will prompt you to press a numeric key and enter a bearing. Enter the bearing of the north line by pressing numeric 0, Recall Bearing, and entering 3.0005. When the system prompts you to enter the second base point number, input point number 6. Recall the bearing of the south line by pressing numeric 0 and entering 1.0006. The system prompts you to enter the bearing (in square feet) of the tract that you wish to lay out. We know that the boundary which we have previously inversed contains 6166 square feet. One half acre contains 21780 square feet, so the difference of 15164 square feet is the additional area we need to arrive at a total of 0.5 acres. Enter 15164 in response to the prompt. You are prompted to press a numeric key to set the bearing of the new side. For the sake of neatness, set the bearing of the new side to South 0 degrees East by pressing numeric 3 and entering a bearing of 0 in response to the prompt. When you are requested to enter the first new point number, please enter 12. This is the point which lies on the same line as the first base point. When you are requested to enter the second new point number you may enter 13 or let the system assign the default value of 13 by pressing <ENTER> with no numeric input. SurveySoft computes and displays the coordinates of points 12 and 13. If you like, you may now update your working sketch, which should now resemble Figure J. FIXED AREA (SIDE / ANGLE / SIDE) Your client has now informed you that instead of 0.5 acres, the tract should in fact have contained 0.6 acres. He wishes to add the additional acreage to the north side of the tract, but would like the amount of road frontage on the west to remain constant, as well as the bearing of the east line. To no one's particular surprise, it is time to press <ALT><F8>, Fixed Area (S/A/S). The system prompts you to enter the base point number. This is the number of the point which is to be adjusted in arrriving at the new area, corresponding to point number 12 in Figure K. Please enter 12 in response to the prompt. You are now prompted to press a key on the numeric pad. This key -- and the bearing which follows it -- will determine the bearing of the line along which point number 12 is to be adjusted. Let us retain the due north bearing of the east line by pressing numeric 9 and entering a bearing of 0. Wneh you are prompted to enter the hinge point number, enter the number of the point which is to remain fixed -- upon which the new line will hinge. Please enter point 8 at this time. You are asked to enter an area in square feet. Since we wish to add one tenth of an acre or 4356 square feet, please enter 4356 in response to the prompt. SurveySoft calculates the coordinates of the new northeast property corner and prompts you to enter the point number to be assigned to the new point. Please enter number 14; the coordinates of point number 14 are displayed on the screen. TRAVERSE WITH CURVES If you like, you may update your screen at this time; it should resemble Figure K. It is now time to verify that the information shown on our sketch is correct as shown. Please save your data, then return to the Main Menu. Press F1 to select the Traverse routine. We will begin entering data with the point presently labeled as point number 1; however, we will assign it a new point number to avoid overwriting our current data. Enter an ititial point number of 100 and any convenient starting coordinates. (Good choices might be (0,0) or the current coordinates of point number 9.) From this initial point, enter traverse data as follows: N 0 degrees 00'00" E 98.80 feet N 70 degrees 23'25" E 186.80 feet S 0 degrees 00'00" E 165.95 feet S 79 degrees 26'19" W 159.69 feet This brings us to point number 11 ( now point number 104 ), the intersection of the south line of the survey with the radius of the cul de sac. Press <ALT><C> to enter the radius point of the curve that we will be traversing. You are prompted to enter a bearing for the initial tangent of the curve. In this case, we know that the south line of our survey is radial to the curve, so we may enter the bearing of the tangent as a deflection right of 90 degrees from our current bearing. Press 8 on the numeric keypad to enter a deflection right, then enter 90 degrees. The system asks if the curve to be traversed is a curve to the left or to the right. In this case, the curve is concave to the left, so enter L (or l). SurveySoft requires at least two values to compute the curve, one of which must be either the radius or the central ( deflection ) angle. You will be prompted in turn for the radius, delta, tangent, and arc of the curve, until two values have been entered or it has been determined that the data entered is not sufficient. In our example, the radius is known, so respond to the prompt for a radius by entering 60. You will be prompted for the delta and then for the tangent, neither one of which may be very conveniently determined from our sketch. Respond to each of these prompts by pressing <ENTER>. Then, when you are prompted for the arc, enter 39.40 from your sketch or from figure K. The curve is computed and displayed, and you are prompted to enter a point number for the radius point, then the point of tangency. These points may be entered indi- vidually or by using the system default values, which will, as usual, assign the next consecutive point number after the current ( point of curvature ) number. Note that it is not necessary for the curve to be the last course traversed; our example just happens to work out that way. Note also that compound and reverse curves may be entered by pressing <ALT><C> again at this point. Exit from the Traverse routine by pressing <ESC>. The traversed area is computed and displayed, with the curve accounted for. Return to the Main Menu by pressing <ESC> again. RADIAL INVERSE Finally, having arrived at the correct dimensions for our sample tract, it is time to consider the actual field staking of the tract. This could be accomplished by using the Inverse routine, and there may be cases in which it is easiest to do so; however, SurveySoft also provides you with a Radial Stakeout routine. Radial Stakeout bears the same relation to Inverse that Sideshot bears to Traverse; that is, it will retain a backsight and occupied point rather than moving from point to point as you enter data. Please access this routine by pressing <ALT><F3>. Assume that you wish to establish all of the perimeter points of the tract while occupying point number 2 and sighting on point number 1. In response to the system prompts, enter 1 as the backsight point number and 2 as the occupied point number. In response to the prompt for the next point number, please enter point numbers 9, 8, 4, 13, and 11 in turn. Your display should now resemble figure L. When you are ready, press <ESC> to return to the Main Menu, and again to reutrn to the Options Menu. Press it once more, and you will be warned that you are leaving the SurveySoft program. One more time, and you are returned to DOS. CONCLUSION Although this concludes the instruction manual for the Coordinate Geometry section of SurveySoft, please realize that, as with any other tool, as you grow in profficiency, you will discover uses that you ( and perhaps the author ) are not yet aware of. Experiment. Make a few errors to see how the system will handle them. If you are unsure as to how a particular procedure may be used to accomplish a given task, by all means, try it -- then be sure to verify your results by some other means. Remember that SurveySoft is distributed on a shareware basis. This means that it exists only through your good faith and honesty. If you are satisfied that SurveySoft will make a contri- bution to your operation, please be sure to mail the recommended $75.00 to : G. D. Fleming & Company, Inc. P.O. Box 588 Blair, NE 68008 Registration will provide you with an attractively bound copy of this manual, complete with the referenced illustrations. It will also assure that you receive support for the product, prompt notification of problems and updates, and announcements of future products. (Transit Topography, Earthwork, and Radial Curve Stakeout are underway; electronic data collection, plotter and/or screen graphics, and a text editor that can directly extract survey data for legal descriptions are on the drawing board. ) Finally, whether or not you decide to make use of this package in the future, the author welcomes problem reports and suggested improvements (although support can only be provided to registered users). He may be reached at the above address.