Auto Points At Interval

This command stores a point whenever the distance or time from the previous point exceeds the user-specified interval. This command only applies to GPS and robotic total stations. If you will be collecting a large number of points at once, Auto Points at Interval can be a useful tool. For example, you may want to plot the edge of a road. Once you start Auto Points, you can walk along that edge of road and let Carlson Field record your position automatically.

The Auto Points at Interval dialog box resembles the Point Store dialog box with the addition that you can set the interval to record points. You can set it to store a point every time you move a certain distance by selecting Distance and entering the distance you choose in the Interval box. The distance will be taken in feet if your project is using English units, or meters if your project is in Metric. If you select Time, the number in the Interval box will refer to the number of seconds between creating points.

Check the Draw Linework box to have your points connected by a line or polyline. You can enter a description or choose from the code table just like in Point Store.

The Offset toggle will apply an offset to the calculated coordinates. The horizontal offset is applied perpendicular either left or right to the direction of movement. There is also an option for a vertical offset.

The Rotate toggle will rotate each drawn symbol in reference to the current heading.

If the description contains a Field-to-Finish code, the Offset and Rotate toggles will be selected/unselected automatically based on that code's Data Collection Code settings.

Pick Start to begin storing points. Carlson Field will take a reading and store the first point. Then Carlson Field will continuously read the GPS or total station. For distance interval method, as each point is read the distance from the last point is calculated. When the distance is greater than the specified interval, a point is created and the point number is displayed in the dialog. In practice, the actual distance between stored points will be greater than the distance interval. For example, if the distance interval is 10 and the current distance is 8.9, then no point is stored. Then you keep moving and the next distance is 11.4 which will store a point.

For time interval point storing, after reading and storing the first point, Carlson Field will wait for the interval time to pass, then read and store again.

The new points are both stored to the current coordinate file and drawn in the drawing.

When using GPS, if the RMS values of the position read are above the tolerance set in Configure Field, then the point will not be stored.

Carlson Field will continue to record points until you click on Stop.