An Approach to Doing Your Traverse Drawings With

MineSight©2009 Dr. B. C. Paul

Note- These slides include screen shots taken from MineSight® by Mintec and Excel® by Microsoft. The techniques shown involve features of both of these programs and what is considered to be common knowledge about the subject of surveying (by the author).

Finishing Your Survey Lab

• Ultimately you will be required to provide a drawing that shows– Your traverse around the engineering building– An outline of the footprint of the engineering building– Your GPS traverse around the engineering building– Your Brunton traverse around the engineering building– Your underground traverse underneath the engineering and

other buildings– Your leveling and contour map at the side of the engineering

building

• These slides show one way that you might go about preparing this final submittal of most of your surveying labs

My Game Plan

• I will have a directory for my project• I will start MineSight and have it use that directory• I will give dimensions for a big area around the

Engineering Building (it needs to know what area the drawing will be in)

• I will create a separate geometry object for each of my surveys (this will let me turn things off and on at will so I can overlay things or see just one thing at a time)

• I will use an Excel spreadsheet to take my instrument readings and turn them into distances and azimuths– The spreadsheet works for grads, mills, DMS

• I will use the Point Editor and Pline functions in MineSight to draw lines of the right length and in the right direction.

My First Trick is to Start MineSight and Give it the

Directory Where I Will Work

Start MineSight and Pick the Directory Where You Will Keep

Your WorkLeft click browse toBring up the browseWindow

In the window useStandard windowsExploring proceduresAnd find yourDirectory

When you have foundIt left click ok

And left click ok

MineSight Needs Your Permission to Put Some Working Files in the

Directory

Left click yes

My Next Trick Will Be To Set Up a Nice Big Drawing Area Around

the Engineering Building(After all – I can always zoom in closer if I need to)

MineSight Needs to Establish the Working Area for the Map You Will

Draw

Picking a Guess That Gives Us A Large Working Area

• We are Working in State Plane Coordinates– Our starting point Easting is 2,570,639

• If we allow about 1500 feet each way• Min 2,569,000• Max 2,572,000

– Our starting point Northing is 381,288• Guess a min of 380,000• Max 383,000

– Our starting elevation is 448 and should not vary more than 100 feet – say

• Min 400• Max 500

Enter the Area Coordinates

Left click theRadio button toTell it we areWorking in feet

Left click Ok

Now I Will Do That Trick Where I Set Up a Geometry Object to Put

My Survey Into

We Get Our Initial Screen

The first thingI will do it toCreate aGeometryObject to holdMy instrumenttraverse

I left click theRoot directoryI want myObject in.

I’ll Tell It to Set Up My Geometry Object

Left click fileTo pull downThe menu

Move the curserOver newSo it isHighlighted andA side menuPops out

Move the curserOver geometryObject andLeft click.(ie file/new/Geometry object)

Now I Will Name the Geometry Object

Since I’m goingTo do myInstrumentTraverse first IWill call this object“InstrumentTraverse” (I knewYou would beStunned by myCreativity)

Then I will left clickOn Ok.

I Will Ready My Object to Receive Information

I left click on myInstrumentTraverse objectTo highlight it

Then I right clickWith my mouseAnd a menu popsUp

I move my curserOver Edit (whichTurns blue whenI am pointing to it)

I then left click.

Now We Will Use Point Editor and Polyline to Input Our Survey

Data

Turn on the Point Editor

Left click onUtilities to dropThe menu

Move the curserDown toPoint editor soIt lights up blue

Left Click it.

Note that our Instrument Traverse Box turned yellow and is ready for data

Now Activate Polyline

Note that Point Editor is grayed out and does not know what to do

Left click onPolyline to dropDown the menu

Move the curserOver Create –A side pop outAppears

Move the curserOver polyline soThat it turns blue.Then left click.

My Game Plan

• My traverse started at a known point– I will enter that point

• I have an Excel tool that will let me get distance and direction from my field notes– I will use that to get the distance and direction of each

line segment• I will then enter the lines of my traverse by

length and direction• I will draw in my traverse around the engineering

building.– I will be saving my side shots for later

I Enter My Known Starting Point

Left click the checkOffs for exactCoordinate entry

Then type in theCoordinates of myStarting point.

Then left clickapply

The Point Appears

Next I Use that Excel Spreadsheet I Talked About

I enter my startingCoordinates andBack-sight azimuth

Then I enter myVertical and horizontalAngles that I turned(note they could alsoBe measured inGrads or mills)

I enter my height ofInstrument and myRod readings (note thatThey could also beEDM distances fromA total station)

Out Comes the Answers

Here is the DirectionOf the line Here is the

HorizontalDistance

Here is the Dip ofThe line in %

Enter the Distance and Direction

Left click to checkOff that you willBe running polylinesBy distance andDirection

Enter the direction(azimuth)

Enter the horizontalDistance.

Enter the Dip(note the programDefault is to takeDip as a %)

I’m going to get paranoid about this and left click to preview my result.

Ok – This Looks Believable

Now left clickApply.

The Color Change Indicates We Have Now Created the First Length

of Our Survey

A Note On Alternatives

The program also computes theCoordinates of the foresight point.

This could be used to enter each point of the traverse as a point using thePoint editor and point create from the point menu. (There is often more thanOne way to draw something).

My Plan Going Forward

• I will keep entering my line directions and lengths and try to close the traverse.

• Remember I am holding out on doing my side shots and drawing in the engineering building just now.

I Now Consider What Happened When I Moved to My First Foresight

I will copy my oldForesightCoordinates to myCurrent station

I highlight the Foresight Coordinates andClick copy

(remember in aTraverse I move myInstrument to theForesight point andThen backsight myOld instrumentLocation)

Now I Will Paste Those Coordinates into my current

instrument locationI locate myCurser on theCurrent stationCoordinate area(the input areasAre yellow on thisSpreadsheet)

I’m Going to Do a Special Paste of the Exact Value

Left click toBring down theEdit menu

Highlight andLeft click PasteSpecial.

Identify that you want to paste exact values

(By default Excel copies and pastes formulas and cell references)

Left click theValues radioButton

Left Click Ok

The Old Foresight Values Move to the Current Instrument Location

Now Copy the Direction for the Backsight Line

Our originalForesight line inThis case was147 degrees.

Of course whenIt is used as aBacksight theAzimuth is 180Degrees different(you are lookingThe opposite wayDown the line)

The program also calculated the oldForesight azimuth as a backsight –Click on the value and copy it to theBacksight azimuth for the new station.

Using Copy and Paste Special Copy the Value for your new

Backsight

We Now Enter Our Survey Notes for going foreward to the next

station

We put in theHorizontal andVertical anglesWe turned fromOur backsight toOur next foresightPoint.

We enter ourHeight ofInstrument andOur rod readings

As Before Out Come our Direction, Line Length and Dip as a Percent.

Dip is -0.102%

Line Azimuth is237.56

Horizontal Distance is200 feet

Enter the Data into MineSight’s Point Editor

Azimuth 237.56

Dip -0.102%

Distance 200

Click Preview if you want to peek orApply to write in the result

Another Segment Appears

Hey now weAre on a roll –We can keepDoing this forA while.

I Proceed to Enter a Bunch of Survey Lines in Like Manner

Eventually IRealize that I hadMultiple surveyTeams that wentAround theBuilding in differentDirections andNow I’m done withThe first team.

I Right Click My Mouse to Indicate I Am Finished with the First Data Set

Note that theLine turned red.

Now left clickOn the saveIcon(yes I know thatIs one funkySave icon – getOver it)

Now I’m Ready to Start Entering the Second Survey Team Data

Note that theFinished andSaved lineTurned blue.

Click the Menus to Start Another Polyline for the Next Survey Team

Enter and Apply the Starting Coordinate Point

You are nowReady to enterThe rest ofThe traverse.

After I Enter My Second Team Data I Note a Problem

(Hopefully this does not happen to you)

It appears thatMy traverseDoes not close

Someone madeA mistake, butWho? And Where?

Oh Heck – Now What?

• Someone will have to go back outside and redo part of their survey.

• How might we locate the problem– It turns out you also did your traverse with

GPS– And as a Brunton Traverse– Maybe we can put those traverses in and see

what is out of wack?

Considering Inputing the GPS Next

• Our GPS units can easily be off 10 feet so they will only be good for big mistakes– (but in this example we have a big one)

• GPS units give latitude and Longitude– We have to use a program to convert to State

Plane

• We will take our GPS points– Convert them to State Plane– And then enter them as points into MineSight

How Will I Run My MineSight Work?

• I will create a new separate geometry object for my GPS points– I will put it in edit mode

• I will activate the point editor– (since it lets me put things in at exact

coordinates)

• I will pick point create from the menu• I will proceed to create a series of GPS

points in my drawing.

What Is My First Move?

• I Will Convert My Latitudes and Longitudes to State Plane Coordinates

• To Do This I will use a program that transforms coordinate systems– Franson CoordTrans

Activate Franson Coord Trans

The Intro Screen Comes Up

The program worksBy puttingCoordinates inOne system onOne side

Saying what youWant theCoordinates to beIn on the other side

And then left clickingAn arrow(the calculationsCan be involvedBut the softwareDoes the work).

Lets Consider What We HaveWe have a whole bunchOf latitudes and longitudesIn degrees minutes andSeconds.

WWe thus left click the radioButton to indicate we haveLatitudes and longitudes

We also click the radio buttonTo indicate we are inDegrees Minutes andSeconds (DMS)

Next We Consider the “Datum”

• Real points on the earths surface are located in all sorts of ups and downs

• For map purposes we project those points onto a smooth surface– State plane coordinates are projected onto a flat

plane buried in the earth– GPS Coordinates are projected onto the surface of an

ellipsoid• The default ellipsoid for most GPS units is an ellipsoid that

trys to fit the whole world– It is called WSG84 (the 84 part means it was standardized in

1984)

Left Click on the Little Dot Box to see a list of options for the Datum

On the left Side of the Screen We Pick What We Were Trying to Fit

Most handHeld GPSUnits try toFit the wholeEarth sinceThey areSold worldWide andCould beOpened upAnywhere

We left clickOn earth(actually itWas alreadyThe default)

Then We Look Down the Right Side for a Datum We Like that was

made to fit the earthIt turns out thatWSG84 is one ofThe options soWe highlight andLeft click it(actually this tooWas the default)

Then we left clickOk.

Next We Consider Whether Our Latitudes and Longitudes are

North, East or What?We probablyWaste little timeFiguring we wereIn the NorthernHemisphere

So we pickNorth as the typeOf latitude weHave.

Longitude is Measured East and West of the Greenwich Meridian

The GreenwichMeridian runsThrough England

And we inNorth AmericaAre definitelyWest of that

So we pick westFor ourLongitude.

Now Lets Work the Right Side and Figure Out What We Want for

OutputSince we want State PlaneCoordinates we know weWant things in EastingsAnd Northings.

We better pick what we wantOur units in because I haveA feeling that meters is not“our cup of tea”

Left click the arrow to pullDown the choice menu.

Yipes! Which Foot?

The foot is a very oldMeasure and slightlyDifferent definitionsDeveloped in differentCountries.

The USGS did all newState Plane coordinateSystems in meters butThere are differentDefinitions of how toConvert meters to feet.

In 1927 all conversions were done with U.S. survey feet. In 1983 some people usedThe international foot and some the U.S. foot. The Illinois Department of Transport.Stayed with the U.S. survey foot. Therefore we will pick the U.S. foot.

We Also Need to Select Our Grid

We kind of hopeWe can allAgree we wereIn Illinois.

Left click onIllinois.

Now We Have to Pick Our Grid(The right side box)

Illinois isDivided intoTwo TransverseMercatorProjection zones(the longSkinning thingsThat run northSouth)

CarbondaleIs in theWest Zone

So Pick Already!The State PlaneCoordinatesWere redone in1983 to fit theNorth AmericanDatum ellipsoid

We will thereforePick NAD83 andThe IllinoisWest Zone.

I Put in a Set of Latitudes andLongitudes

Then I left click theArrow to convert itOver to Illinois StatePlane Coordinates

Out Comes the State Plane

Now I could chug through all of my coordinates this way – in fact we will pretendI did and move on to what I will do with this information when I get to MineSight.

Lets Create A New Geometry Object for My GPS Points

Creating theNew geometryobject

Naming the newGeometry Object

Making it the currentEdit Object

Start Up the Point Editor and Give the Command to Create Points

Starting the point editor To give the create points commandLeft click points to bring down the menuMove the mouse over create andLeft click

Enter the Coordinates of the First Point I Got Out of Coordinate Transform

Left click onThe check offBoxes toIndicateAbsoluteCoordinates

Type in theCoordinates

Left ClickApply

A Nice Red X Appears at the Point(I will now proceed to do the same with all the rest of my GPS points)

Right Click the Mouse When I Am Done

(Right clicking the mouse is a common way to end a command)

Note that thereIs now no“currentOperation” inThe currentOperation box

Note that pointEditor is nowInactive

Left click on theFlunky SaveIcon to saveThe work.

Detour Time – Trying to See Things on a Black Background is Hard

Left click theViewerProperties icon(looks like aList with a blueBar across theTop)

Up Comes the Viewer Properties Window

Make Sure theView Options TabIs active (if it is notLeft click it)

We see theBackground colorAnd a little paintPad by it

Left click on thePaint pad to bringUp a color choice.

Color Pick Time

I can left click toPick a specificColor

I can left click toPick a color fromA spectrum

I can left click andDrag to raise orLower the darknessOf the color

When I’m happy ILeft click Ok

Yippy – A New Background Color!

Ok – I confess – IPicked gray andDidn’t like it so IWent back in andRepicked.

Now I am done ICan just left clickOn the little redX at the edge ofA window to closeIt(be careful – a lotOf windows haveRed X’s and youWill close what youClick)

OK Now – Where Were We.We were enteringOur GPS points toSee if any of ourSurvey points weClearly out ofPlace.

I see a candidate

Which location isThe point really

Could Bozo theClown at thisStation have turnedA wrong angle

Lets Add Our Brunton Traverse to See

We will go ahead and add a geometryObject for our Brunton traverseAnd put it in edit mode

How Hard Can This Be

Our BruntonTraverse is aSeries of lines withLengths andDirections and weAlready know howTo enter that

Ya ya – start thePoint editor. GiveThe create polylineCommand,Type the startingPoint into theEditor, click applyAnd then giveDistances andDirections.

Enter the Lines and Right Click When You Are Done

Right click a secondTime if needed toClose the command.

A Few Observations

TThe BruntonTraverse didNot closeCompletely(probably notA surpriseConsidering youMeasuredDistance byPacing and triedTo read a handHeld compass)

It looks prettyConclusive that we know which survey station had a bust

I don’t think so

What Next

• Somebody is going to be getting their little sit down cheeks out there and resurvey a few things.– Not a whole lot of use thinking about putting in

side shots until they points they were shot from are good.

Time for Another DetourThree TraversesAll showing upIn light blue

That’s hard to tellThings apart.

Lets Change a Color

Highlight aGeometryObject youWish to changeThe color of(move theCurser over itAnd left click)

Then right clickTo pop up aMenu. MoveThe curser overPropertiesAnd left click it.

Pick the General Tab in the Object Properties Window

Left click on theGlobal ColorPallet.

We See Our Color Window Again and Can Pick a Color for the Object

There Now That’s Better

Ok – I confess – IAlso messedWith the pointSymbols for myGPS surveyPoint using thePoints tab on theProperties window

My Next Plan

• Lets assume we have cleaned up that survey bust

• We will next put in our side shots– I will use a feature called point snap to lock in on the

survey stations without having to re-enter coordinates– Then I will use the point editor to put in the side shots

by distance and direction.

• Once I have my side shots in I will run plines snapping to the ends of the side shots.– These Plines (polylines) will represent the footprint of

the Engineering Building.

Go to the Snap MenuLeft click snapFor the dropDown menu.

Move the curserOver point snapAnd left click it

Things to Notice – Plans to DoNote the secondWindow up hereIndicates I am inPoint snap mode.

My plan will nextBe to close theGPS survey andBrunton survey soThe I will only haveIntersection pointsOn my instrumentSurvey plines toSnap to.

(Left click what I amClosing. Then right

Click to bring up the menu – move the curser over close and left click).

With the Confusion Clear I Will Next Create a Geometry Object for My Side

Shots

Use My Traverse Calculator to Figure the Distance And Direction of My Side Shot

Put in theCoordinates ofYour instrumentStation and theAzimuth of theBacksight line.

Then put in yourAngle right,Horizontal angleInstrument heightAnd rod readings.(or EDM distance)

Get Ready to Enter the Side ShotActivate the PointEditor(I’m going to useThe ability toSpecify a distanceAnd direction toEnter my sideShot)

Tell the Program to Create A Polyline (The Side Shot Line)

Click on the Instrument Location(The snap feature locks the point to the intersection of the lines)

The coordinatesOf the point goInto the PointEditor

We Will Preview the Side Shot

Left click theBoxes toIndicate lineEntry by distanceAnd direction

Enter theAzimuth,Distance andDip (which youHave from theExcelSpreadsheet)

Left clickPreview toCheck it out.

Right Click to Indicate Completion of the First Side Shot

I left clicked applyOnce I liked thePreview and theLine turned orange

When I right clickedThe mouse toIndicate I hadCompleted thePline the line turnedRed.

Note that theOperation box stillSays createPline so I canCreate anotherPline without givingThe pline command

Proceed to Enter All the Side Shot Lines

Now I am doneWith the plineCommand I willClick right anExtra time toFinish not justThe pline but theEntire plineCommand.

I Will Now Left Click the X to Close the Point Editor Window

I’ll Click the Funky Save Window to Save My Work

I’ll Get Ready to Put in the Engineering Building

I have changedThe color of mySide shot lines

I have createdA new geometryObject for theEngineeringBuilding and IPut that object inEdit mode.

This Time I Will Create A Pline to Trace the Engineering Building Foot Print (Note I

am not using the point editor this time)

I’m still in snapMode so I willSnap to the endsOf my side shotLines.

Eacks – I Hope Your Engineering Building Has Better Shape than Mine

I’ll right click onceTo complete myPline

Then I’ll right clickAgain to end thePline command

Then I will clickThe funky saveIcon to save myWork.

What is Left to Do

• I need to create a geometry object for my tunnel survey center line

• I need to use my point editor and pline commands to put in the center lines of the tunnel

• I need to enter offset measurements to each side of the instrument station– I measured the distance from the station to the wall– I can enter these like side shots

• I can then create a geometry object for my tunnel and trace out the tunnel snapping to the ends of the offset lines – this will trace out the tunnels just like I did with the Engineering Building

• Since you already have the skills I’ll leave you on your own to enter this.

That Leaves Us One More Thing

• We need to put in those survey points we did with the levels and triangulation and then use those points to create topography.

How Will We Do This

• I can enter my base lines for the old school and new school instruments using the point editor and pline commands

• I can run angled lines from the base lines to show the intersection point– See the slide show on doing triangulation with

MineSight (Lab #1)• I can the enter points at intersection points.• I can then use the adjust elevation command to

put the points at the right elevation• I can then use the triangulate command to

create the topography

Looking at Having My Points Entered

I have an openEdit object forElevation points

My points wereLikely entered atThe intersectionOf survey linesComing off a baseLine just like inLab #1

My problem isThat snapping toA line intersectionMay not put thePoint at the rightElevation.

To Start Fixing My Point Elevations

I have saved my work(which is why the pointsTurned blue)

I now prepare to selectThe point I will adjustFor elevation

I left click the selectTab to drop the menu

I highlight and left clickMake New Selection.

Now I left Click The Point I Will Work With

Note the point hasTurned orange

The messageWindow belowReminds me toRight click myMouse when IHave completedMy selection(Since I am onlyGoing to work withOne point at a timeThat would be now)

Now I Activate the Point EditorThe point editorAllows me toEnter exactCoordinates.(Since I want toPut the point atA precise elevationThis is exactlyWhat I want).

Now I Give the Command to Adjust the Elevation of the Point

I left click thePoint tab to dropDown the menu

Then I highlightAnd left clickAdjust elevation.

I’m Snigglegoostered! – The Point Editor Did Not Activate – Now What

At time like thisIt is a good ideaTo look at theMessageWindow to seeWhat MineSightIs fussing about

In this case I readThat it wants meTo reselect thePoint – ok I’ll leftClick it againBut someoneBetter explain whyI have to do it.

One left click on My Point and My Point Editor Activates

Now For That Explanation

• We could go through and do three menu functions (pick, point editor, adjust elevation) for every point.– That could get old for 40 points

• MineSight lets us point a bunch of points at once and then adjust only a select subset– One way I could use this would be to pick all the

points when I am selecting– Then when it asks me to repick I could select only

those points that will be adjusted to 469 feet.– This seeming curious and annoying double pick stuff

is actually a way to save us keystrokes.

Enter My Elevation Adjustment

I left click theElevation boxUnder theAbsolute heading

Then I type in theElevation in the Z box.

Then I left clickApply.

(Just a note – whenI am adjustingElevation onlyElevations areHonored from thePoint editor – I Can’t change X)

I Right Click to End the Function

Lets Try That Multipoint Selection Trick

Since all myElevation pointsAre in a uniqueGeometry objectI’m going toSelect them allFrom the dataManager.

Left click toHighlight myGeometry object

Right click to popUp a menu

Highlight select

Left click on all elements on the side menu.

Lets Issue That Adjust Elevation Command

Left Click the Point To Do Next

Note the size of theX changesslightly

Check Off And Enter the Elevation for the Point – Then left click apply

Now Without Further Ado left click the next point

Yada Yada – Enter the New Elevation and Click Apply

When I’m Done – Right Click to Exit the Function

After Closing Out the Point Editor I’m Ready for the Next Step – Do Contours

We Will Cook Up A New Geometry Object for Our Contours

We Will Select All Our Elevation Points to Work With

Then We Will Triangulate A Surface Using Our Elevation Points

Left click theSurface tab toDrop a menu

HighlightTriangulate surface

On the pop outMenu left clickOn With Selection

For This Function MineSight Lets Us Confirm Where We Want to Send Things

Of course none ofUs would everLoose track of ourOpen edit objectAnd save things toThe wrong object(That’s just for otherPeople who’sIntelligence is lessThan ours)

We’ll click ok toSend this work toOur open editObject – in this caseSurface

Our Triangulated Mesh Appears

From A Side View We Can See Our Mesh Surface is 3D

Lets Play With Our Surface Properties

Lets Tell it to Show Us Faces Instead of a Wire Frame Mesh

On the objectPropertiesWindow

Under the generalTab

Left click theFaces onlyRadio button.

Now We Can See Our Elevation Change a Little Better

Of course itsStill flat.

Now We Actually Need Contour Lines to Finish This

Lets makeContours myOpen editObject.

Start Up the Contour Tool

Left click theSurface tab toDrop down a menu

Highlight and leftClick contour tool

Set Some Contour LimitsLeft click theGeneral tab ifIt is not alreadySelected.

Left click the radioButton to contourSurface elevation

Set the elevationRange andIncrement forYour contours.

Identify the Surface to Contour

Left click theBlue worm toIndicate youWill pick theSurface toContour fromThe screen.

Left click on theSurface

Note it’s nameAppears and aPretty yellowBox surroundsThe object.

Left Click Preview to Get A Look at Things

Actually theseTwo bigDepressions inThe surfaceMake me thinkThat geniusMissed hisElevationAdjustments onA few points

This would giveMe a chanceTo cancel andGo back andAdjust the pointElevations.

Oh Yes- After a Little Clean Up the Contours Look Much Better in

Preview

After Clicking Apply and Turning Off Our Surface Object We See Our

Contours

Lets Do A Little Fine Adjusting With Object Properties on the Contours

First I Think I Will Change the Color to Green

Now Lets Get Some Labels on Those Lines

Left click the lineLabels tab.

Indicate What We Want for a Label

Left click on theCheck box toIndicate weWill includeSomething.

Left click onThe dash toSee a menuOf labelChoices.

Choose What Your Label Will Be Based On

I will left clickOn Z valueSo the contoursWill be labeledWith theirElevation.

I Can Now See It is Ready to Label the Elevation

Of course IStill can’t seeAnything.

Now Click On the Label TabThe defaultLabel heightIs 1 (in thisCase 1 foot)

No wonderI can’t seeAnything

I’m going toLeft click inThe height boxAnd type in50

And then leftClick Ok.

Me Thinks My Enthusiasm for Size Got the Best of Me

Lets Try a Letter Height of 10

Oh Isn’t That Just Ducky!

Of Course You’d Be Disappointed If You Did Not Get

to Do ThisOk- Go Do Your Final Written

Assignment(Class is over when you turn it in)