MobileMapper Field & Office Software Getting Started Guide
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Table of Contents Introduction to MobileMapper Field & MobileMapper Office ...........1 Installing MobileMapper Field .....................................................2 Installation Procedure ............................................................2 Entering the Activation Code...................................................3 Getting Started With MobileMapper Field .....................................5 Launching MobileMapper Field ...............................................
Coordinate Systems ..................................................................36 Choosing a Coordinate System ..............................................36 Defining a User System ........................................................37 Viewing the Properties of the Coordinate System Used in a Job 37 Post-Processing Option and MobileMapper Office ........................38 Unlocking the Post-Processing Option in the Receiver .............38 Logging Raw Data .......................................
MobileMapper Field and MobileMapper Office are two complementary software programs designed for generalpurpose GIS mobile applications. MobileMapper Field is the field program running on Windows Mobile 6.0 (MobileMapper 6) or 6.5 (MobileMapper 100, MobileMapper 10). MobileMapper Field allows you to: • Log features in the field and enter their attributes • Revisit features and update their attributes • Define new categories of features (i.e.
Installing MobileMapper Field English This section describes how to install MobileMapper Field from the CD provided, using an office computer. If Windows XP (or older OS version) is used on your computer, you first need to install Microsoft Active Sync on your office computer. If Windows Vista is used, you don’t normally need to install an additional program on your computer.
• • • • NOTE: Because MobileMapper 6 has only 89 Mb of internal memory, use a different procedure to install MobileMapper Field: • Run the normal installation procedure, as described above, but do not install Ashtech Required Data.CAB when required to do so. Instead, skip this step and simply install MobileMapper Field. • Once installation is complete, copy Ashtech Required Data.CAB from your computer (C:\Program Files\Ashtech\MobileMapper Field\) to an SD card. • Insert the SD card in the receiver.
English • Tap on the “MobileMapper Field” line on the Today screen. A message is displayed showing the serial number of your receiver and a blank activation code field. • Type your activation code in the blank field. • Tap OK to validate the code entry. If the “serial number/ activation code” pair matches, then MobileMapper Field is normally started right after tapping OK.
Launching MobileMapper Field English Getting Started With MobileMapper Field Tap on MobileMapper Field on the Today screen. The main MobileMapper Field window is described below. Description of the MobileMapper Field Main Window [14] [12] [13] [11] [1] [2] [10] [3] [9] [8] [4] [5] [6] [7] • [1]: From left to right, by column (these information lines will not appear until the receiver can determine its own position): – Column #1: Number of satellites currently used in position computation.
English Current value of PDOP Age of corrections in all differential modes – Column #3: Current values of HRMS and VRMS – Column #4: “REC” if the raw data logging option is unlocked and active • [2]: Name of the currently open job. • [3]: This symbol shows your current position. The arrow points in your last walking direction. • [4]: Current 3D position of the receiver (no coordinates displayed if the receiver has not determined its position yet). • [5]: Log button. Use this button to log features.
Dragging the Map on the Screen Use one of the following two methods. • For receivers having an ESC key, press this key to move the arrow symbol representing your current position back to the center of the map screen. Following this action, the whole screen is updated to reflect the map shift. • Drag the stylus in the desired direction. Because some receivers have no ESC key (e.g.
English 4. Tap on the View tab located at the bottom of the screen. A new screen is displayed allowing you to orientate the map: • North Up: Map orientation is fixed. The top of the map screen will always give the North direction. • Course Up: Map orientation will change as you walk. The map will rotate in order to have your course always orientated upward on the map screen. This option cannot be used if a georeferenced background map is displayed. 5.
During your First MobileMapper Field Session After entering the activation code, MobileMapper Field displays the map screen. Because it is the very first time you are using the software, there is no job open In MobileMapper Field. Follow the instructions below to create one: 1. Tap Menu>Job>New... 2. Enter the following parameters: • Name: Enter a name for your job using the virtual keyboard.
English One dxf file: The job file in itself. Each newly logged entity will be saved to that file, whatever the layer from which it proceeds. One .prj file: Contains the description of the coordinate system used in the job One .dfs file: Lists the names of the layers attached to the job as well as the attributes defined in these layers. _.drw files (one or more): Each of these drw files contains the full definition of a layer (visual representation and attributes).
Viewing the Properties of the Open Job • Tap Menu>Job>Properties. MobileMapper Field then displays a two-tab window. The first tab provides the job’s name, type and location (folder). The second one views the properties (projection and datum) of the coordinate system used in the job. • Tap OK (or press ESC on MobileMapper 100 or MobileMapper 6) to return to the map screen.
English Specified folder (In main memory, ”None” = My Documents) .map “Emptied” Layers, i.e. file names unchanged, all definitions of attributes preserved, but all features removed • For a DXF job: MobileMapper Field will duplicate all the files relevant to the job to the specified folder and will empty the created DXF file (no more entity found in this job).
Introduction Creating a layer consists of defining a specific profile for features you would like to log in the field. The layer creation process will be different depending on whether you chose “MAP” or “DXF” for the job format: • MAP format: Each layer is held in an individual file. The layer format can be either “SHP”, “MIF” or “CSV”. – An SHP layer can only contain a single type of feature.
English • Folder: Choose a folder where you want to store the layer you are creating. This choice should be made in conjunction with the choice of the storage medium (see Location). The None option stands for either the “My Documents” folder or the “Storage Disk” folder in the main memory, or the root folder of the storage card.
4. Tap OK. 5. The program now asks you to define the properties of the layer. The table below summarizes the different properties you should define for the layer, according to its type. Properties Symbol Color Style Fill Attributes Label Scale 2D or 3D Point • 2D or 3D Line • • • • • • • • 2D or 3D Polygon • • • • • Mif layer • • • • • • • Csv layer • • • • For more information on layer properties and how to define attributes, see Layer Properties on page 16. 6.
English means all types of features, whether points, lines or polygons, can be logged through the layer. Layer Properties Symbol 57 different symbols are available to represent a point feature on the map screen. Color 15 different colors are available to represent a line feature or the contour of a polygon feature on the map screen. Style The line style (thin, medium, thick or dash) is used to represent a line feature on the map screen.
Date Time Yes/No Additional Information Needed Purpose Entering the current logging date (mm/ dd/yy). Entering the current logging time (hh:mm:ss) Choosing “Yes” or “No” in response to the statement suggested by the attribute name for the visited feature. NOTE: For best quality voice recording, see Handheld Platform for MobileMapper 100, ProMark 100 & ProMark 200 Getting Started Guide, Voice Setting. No particular setting is required for MobileMapper 10 (voice recording quality is good by default).
English • Tap on the Add button. This takes you back to the Attributes tab where is now listed the attribute you have just created. • Resume the previous six steps until all the attributes have been created. Label This setting is used to select the label you want to see on the map screen, next to the features collected through that layer. The label can only be one of the attribute values pertaining to the feature. Choosing “None” means there won’t be any label displayed.
• Open the job in which to add layers, using Menu>Job>Open.... • Tap Menu>Layers. A new window opens listing all the layers currently attached to the map. • Tap on the Add... button • Tap on the Select an existing layer button • Tap in the Type field and select “*.shp”, “*.csv” or “*.mif”. MobileMapper Field browses all the folders in search of all the layers of that type stored in the receiver. • Select the file you want to add to the job as a layer.
Adding Background Maps English Background maps can be displayed on the map screen to help you better locate the different features found in the working area. Two types of background maps are supported: • Background maps in vector format (OSM files) • Background maps in raster format (bmp, gif, tif, jpg or jp2 files) In order to be used in MobileMapper Field, a background map must be properly georeferenced. OSM files are “naturally” georeferenced due to their very nature.
English • Tap in the Type field and select the format of the file containing the background map: – Open StreetMap (osm) – Bitmap (bmp) – GIF (gif) – GeoTIFF (tif) – JPEG (jpg) – JPEG2000 (jp2) MobileMapper Field then browses all the folders in search of all the image files stored in the receiver meeting the current Type selection. • Select the name of the image file you want to add. This automatically adds the file to the list of background maps.
English Georeferencing an Image File Georeferencing an image file means defining at least three reference points giving the position of the image in space. Defining a reference point means entering its precise X-Y-Z or Lat-Lon-Height coordinates depending on the coordinate system used in the currently open job. The larger the number of reference points you define, the more evenly distributed these points over the entire image, the better the georeferencing of the image.
Created files .prj .xxw ..ref.txt Designation Coordinate system used Auxiliary data. “xx” in the extension stands for the first two letters in the extension of the original image file (e.g. “JP” for a jpg file) Coordinates of reference points and coordinate system used. When the original image file is in TIF format, some of these three files may not be created.
Logging New Features English Introduction For each new feature you log in the field, MobileMapper Field allows you to set the following parameters, just before it actually starts logging the feature: • On the Layer tab, you can choose: – The name of the layer corresponding to the feature you want to log (from the list of layers found in the job). – For MIF layers, and for those contained in a DXF job, the geometry (i.e. point, line or polygon) of the feature.
N Left Right Bearing d d d= Horizontal Distance d MobileMapper Field also allows the logging of two features to be run concurrently (“double logging”). This can be done through the appropriate use of the Pause/Resume/Stop functions. Double logging is useful to reduce both the time spent logging features and the distance walked in the field. 1. Log 2. 5. Pau Re se su m e 6. Stop 3. Log 4.
English Logging a Point Feature N Bearing d d= Horizontal Distance • Stand near the point you want to log. • Tap Log (or press the “–” key underneath). A menu appears listing all the layers in the job. • Tap on the point layer name (“Points” in our example). • Tap on the Settings tab and check or change the averaging time expressed in seconds. As the last chosen averaging time is prompted by default, you may not have to view this tab every time you log a new point feature.
Logging a Line or Polygon Feature Left d Right d d= Horizontal Distance • Stand at the beginning of the line or polygon you want to log. • Tap Log (or press the “–” key underneath). A menu appears listing all the layers in the job. • Tap on the desired layer name (“Lines” or “Areas” in our example). • Tap on the Settings tab and check or change the vertex logging mode. As the last chosen mode is prompted by default, you may not have to view this tab every time you log a new line or polygon feature.
English If you have selected the automatic vertex mode, start walking along the feature. You will then see a line being drawn on the screen as you walk. If you have selected the manual vertex mode, the receiver will assume you are standing on the first vertex and so it will log this vertex according to the chosen averaging time. You will then have to walk to the next vertex and then select Menu>Resume to log the position of the second vertex, etc.
• For a voice attribute, the following menu is displayed: – Record: Opens the recorder bar from which you can start, then, stop recording a voice message as an attribute of the current feature. 2 1 4 3 6 5 1: Drags the recorder bar. 2: Starts voice recording. 3: Pauses voice recording. 4: Plays back voice recording. 5: Stops voice recording.
English NOTE: Voice attributes are saved as WAV files in the same folder as the layer they belong to. The file naming convention used is Sound#.wav where # is the record number (1, 2, 3, etc.). The record number is ascribed in chronological order, with no reference to any other file. • For a date attribute, the current date is automatically assigned. To change the date, tap on the Date attribute and select the new date from the displayed calendar and then tap OK.
Repeating Attributes The Repeat Attributes function lets the receiver automatically duplicate the attributes from your last logged feature to the next one (mandatory attributes, if any, will also be duplicated). This will however be possible only if the next feature you want to log is of the same type as the feature you have just logged. Follow the instructions below to use the Repeat Attributes function: • Go to a feature, log this feature and enter all its attributes, as is normally done.
English • Just tap OK to complete the collection of the feature and proceed to the next one. The Repeat Attributes function will help you work faster when logging a series of similar features presenting the same attributes. For example, the function will be useful if you are collecting a row of trees of the same variety, same age, same health status, etc.). Warning! The Repeat function does not apply strictly to Date & Time attributes.
Going Back to a Feature • Tap Menu>Go To.... The receiver allows you to go back to a feature according to one of the following two methods: 1. Enter target coordinates: Choose this option if you want to go back to a point feature for which you know the coordinates (latitude/longitude or Easting/Northing (X/ Y) depending on the coordinate system used in the map file). After you have entered the two coordinates, tap OK. This takes you back to the map screen. 2.
English Find Feature Function 34 MobileMapper Field allows you to search for a particular feature you logged in a map. MobileMapper Field will ask you to indicate the layer it belongs to, and optionally, the known value of one or more of its attributes. As a result, MobileMapper Field will list all the features meeting your requirements. • Tap Menu>Find.... MobileMapper Field displays one of the layers present in the map as well as the names of the different attributes attached to that layer.
Using the USB data cable provided with your receiver, you can exchange data between the receiver and your office computer. With Vista running your computer, no particular settings are required.
Coordinate Systems English When creating a new DXF job or when creating a layer as the first layer in a new *.map job, MobileMapper Field asks you to define a coordinate system. Choosing a Coordinate System Proceed in this order: 1. Choose the World Geodetic System or the country where your field operations will take place 2. In the field just underneath, choose the datum used 3. In the field just underneath, choose the projection used. 4. Choose the vertical datum in the last field.
• Tap on the New button. • Select the type of projection you wish to use in your coordinate system. Depending on that choice, you will have to enter a certain number of parameters. Remember every time you create a new projection and you have to enter the latitude and longitude of origin, or the central meridian, these must be expressed in degrees with eight decimal places (ddd.dddddddd).
Post-Processing Option and MobileMapper Office English Unlocking the Post-Processing Option in the Receiver When you purchase the post-processing option, Ashtech delivers an activation code specific to your receiver so you can unlock this option in the receiver. Follow the instructions below the first time you want to use the post-processing option: • Tap Menu>Options. • Tap on the Recording tab. • Enable the Record raw data for post-processing option. • Tap OK.
• MobileMapper 100 raw data files are named as follows: xnnnnsyy.ddd Where: Parameters x nnnn s yy ddd Description “A” for A-files (Auxiliary Coordinate files), or “G” for Gfiles (ATOM raw data files) Last four digits of the receiver serial number Session number (A, B, C,... X). Incremented every time a new working session is created on the same day.
Where: English Parameters nnnn yy mm dd ss grw Description Last four digits of the receiver serial number Last two digits of year (“08” for 2008) Current month number (1-12) Current day number (1-31) Session number, starting from 00. May consist of more digits, if necessary. File extension NOTE: The coordinates file created during a working session uses the same naming convention. Only the extension is different (”crw” instead of “grw”).
Post-Processing With MobileMapper Office Software • Using the data transfer procedure (see Upload/Download Functions on page 35), copy the following field data files from the receiver to a folder of your choice on the computer: – *.map files – *.shp files – img*.jpg files – sound*.wav files – G* (MobileMapper 100) or *.grw (MobileMapper 10 or MobileMapper 6) raw data file. It is your responsibility to know which raw data file is associated with your project. – A* or *.
English [1] [2] [4] [5] [3] [6] The different areas are described below: – [1]: Open/Create Map button – [2]: Menu bar – [3]: MAP filename and Layers list – [4]: Map screen showing the content of the open job, Also includes zoom buttons on the left and distance/ angle/area tool buttons on the right.
• Click and select Open. Browse to the folder containing your field data files. • Select the Map file and click Open. MobileMapper Office shows the content of the project in areas [3], [4] and [5] (see screen above). • Click on Add Rover Raw Data. Select the raw data file corresponding to the project (from the same folder as previously) and click Open.
English • Click Search, then wait until the search is complete. At the end of the search, MobileMapper Field lists the stations meeting the search request. • Select the most suitable reference station, mainly according to the distance (baseline) to that station. • Click Download. MobileMapper Office imports the base raw data and then show its properties in areas [5] and [6].
English For each layer () present in the project MobileMapper Office has created two extra layers: – (Final): This layer is viewed by default. It shows all the features of the layer, namely those that have just been post-processed, for which you can now see the refined positions on the map screen, and also those not impacted by the postprocessing, whose positions are unchanged compared to what they are in the initial layer.
English Each vector can be edited individually. Just select one on the map screen and the properties of the vector will then appear In the right-hand pane (see example below). All new layers have been created –and can be found– in the same folder as those initially found in the project. NOTE: DXF and AXF job files, MIF and CSV layers are not supported in this version of MobileMapper Office.
English • Click OK to confirm your filter settings. All the vectors for which the HRMS, VRMS and PDOP are less than those specified here will pass the quality control whereas all the others, if any, will fail. Note that the quality control filter is applicable to all the jobs you open in MobileMapper Office, until you modify the filter settings. To remove the filter, you just need to set the three fields blank and click OK.
English Follow the instructions below to export layers: • Open your job. • Make visible the layers you want to export (turn on the corresponding check boxes). As background maps will not be exported, they can stay visible in the job • Click on and then select the format and destination of the file(s) generated by the Export function. • Click Save to complete the Export sequence.
The location of the cursor on the sliding bar is representative of the position of the selected point in the line or polygon. • Layer Editor: MobileMapper Office also allows you to edit SHP files in a way much similar to MobileMapper Field's Edit/Create Layer function. – When creating a new layer from scratch in MobileMapper Office, a new window will open (see below) asking you to define attributes for the new layer.
English – Selecting a layer in the left-hand pane allows you to read or change the visual aspect of all the features pertaining to that layer (features shown in the central pane, if any) and read the details of each of its attributes in the right-hand pane. – Selecting a feature in the central pane allows you to read the values of its attributes in the right-hand pane. • Measuring distances, angles and areas on the map screen: Use the three icons in the right-upper corner.
– Click on to quit the distance measurement tool. Area measurement: Same as distance measurement. The area measurement is effective only after you have defined three points on the map. The value of perimeter is also provided. Angle measurement: – Click successively on the first then on the second point defining the segment providing the reference direction. The tool then draws the angle measured and gives its current value as you move the mouse cursor on the map screen.
English • Removing a layer from a map: Select the layer in area [3] on the screen and press the Del key or click on Remove Layer.
Ashtech makes available a collection of geoids for use in many countries around the world. This collection is hosted on the Ashtech website and is regularly updated. To download a geoid, use the link Geoids (models & tools) in the welcome menu of your application software CD. In absence of the CD, you can still list and download the available geoids using your web browser to connect to the following URL: http://resources.ashtech.com/GEOIDS.
English The extracted geoid (also a *.geo file) should then be copied to My Device \Program Files\Geoids Data\ on the receiver.
Symbols *.dxf file 9 *.map file 9, 41 *.shp files 41 A Activation code 3, 38 ActiveSync 2, 35 Add Reference Raw Data 43 Add Rover Data 43 Age of corrections 6 Area 17 Ashtech Required Data.CAB file 3 Attribute (deleting) 17 Attributes 16, 27 Axf 11, 46 B Background map 20 Background maps 1 Base station (change coordinates) 51 F Features 1, 6, 33 Fill 16 Filter settings (quality control) 47 Find feature function 34 FIXED 5 FLOAT 5 Framework 2.
English Map screen 7, 27 Menu 16 MIF 13, 19 Minimizing MobileMapper Field 8 Mnd 10 Mnu 10 MobileMapper Office 41 N North up 8 Numeric 16 O Observation times 43 OSM (OpenStreetMap) 20 P PDOP 6, 25, 47 Perimeter 17 Picture 17 Point feature 26 Polygon feature 27 Post-processing 1 Prj 9 Projection 14, 36 ProMark3 51 Q Quality control 46 R Raw data collection 1 REC 6, 39 Record raw data for post-processing 38 Reference raw data 1 Repeat attributes 31 S SBAS 5, 6 Scale 6, 7, 18 SDGPS 5 Search up to x km 43
MobileMapper Field & Office Software Getting Started Guide Mobile Mapping Contact Information: In USA +1 408 572 1103 n Fax +1 408 572 1199 In South America +1 305 726 7813 Email mobilemapping@ashtech.com In France +33 2 28 09 38 00 n Fax +33 2 28 09 39 39 In Russia +7 495 980 5400 n Fax +7 495 981 4840 Email mobilemappingemea@ashtech.com In Singapore +65 9838 4229 n Fax +65 6777 9881 In China +86 10 5802 5174 n Fax +86 10 5802 5135 Email mobilemappingapac@ashtech.com www.ashtech.
