Horizontal Angle

[Ladyhawk21]

i want to measure the angle between points: because the irons have an elevation it is doing it wrong: suggestions

Thanks
Renee

[Dent Cermak]

Reinsert your points as 2D points? Uncheck the "insert on z axis" box under draw locate points. Then draw the lines and add you labels.

[Ladyhawk21]

i cant they have to have elevations;
so much easier to find the angle b/ points in terra model
AD/carlson has been a pain

[Dent Cermak]

You can do an erase points. Then reinsert the points as 2D points and do your thing. Then erase those points and reinsert the 3D points. It's a one box click thing.You can hop back and forth all day long with no problems. Your inserted points are not "permanent".

[Ladyhawk21]

that is just way to much to do- especially if you have 300-400 iron and 200 properties to set up- if you have set up 50 properties and erase the points (irons) then you just messed up everything you have done-

i will just figure it in terramodel i guess- you would think the carlson would have a setting to do this without the elevation being a factor

[Dent Cermak]

The problem is not Carlson, the problem is that your company has not spent any funds on training you to use the softare.
Erasing the points will undo NOTHING if you do it correctly. I work with 3000 to 4000 point files every day doindg all sorts of topos, bundary surveys, etc and I do not have the problems you say you will encounter. Why? Because I went to 2 separate Carlson College sessions and learned how to use the software. That and 44 years of experience.
Your irons should not disappear when you erase the points, IF you answer NO to the 2 promps that follow the erase command. Carlson has all of the settings that you need, you just haven't figured them out yet.
It's not your fault. To pull someopne off terramodel and put them on Carlson on top of AutoCad and expect them to produce from day one is totally absurd.

[Ladyhawk21]

thanks - it just seems a little in excess to have to do all that- 1 button that measures the angle would be great-

and your correct we got one days worth of training- the rest is manual or asking questions here. i think the design engineers got a few more days but my co worker and i got one day of basic stuff.


Renee

[ssorcbor]

What are you using to measure the distance? I tried inversing and adding the bearings to arrive at my angle and also using the Annotate > Label Angle command. I got the same answer both ways. I had an elevation change of 200 for each point inversed; 200 for point 1, 400 for point 2, 600 for point 3.

I'm using Carlson Survey 2008 and AutoCAD Map 2008.

[Dent Cermak]

She has two problems:
(1) Her company did not provide adequate training for the transition. Sounds like she got the standard VAR's "Here's what's on the menu and what that means" training class. There are no VAR's that I have seen that really know how to use the product fully. The ONLY exceptions being the Carlson College members. (There's nothing wose than paying for training and 15 minutes into the class you realize that you already know more about the package than the clown "teaching" you.)
(2) She has her mind made up that Terracad is superior in all ways and regrets being forced over to something new. Thus she is reluctant to try to learn new methods. Every post she has made has ended up with her saying the old stuff was better ands she would do whatever in the old package. ( I was the same way about LDD, until I got some REAL training on Carlson and saw how much superior it was.....IF I was willing to change the way I did things.)

[Ladyhawk21]

that is totally unfair Dent;

the measuring a dist; lets say 60.35' if i inverse yes i get the 60.35' but if i use the measure tool for whatever it is giving me 835.56' which happens to be the elevation of one of the irons' why should that make sense to anyone

Renee

[Dent Cermak]

Truth is always seen as unfair. Go back and read your posts.
I'm not trying to be mean. I have been exactly in your situation and can read your frustration.
The simple fact is that there is indeed a way to do what you want to do, you just have not found it yet, and again that is not your fault.
Terracad appears better to use simply beacuse it is what you know how to use and it is what you are comfortable with, but that does not actually mean it is better.
Years from now when you go to another situation where they use some other cad package you will find yourself in exactly the same situation, wishing that they would use reliable old Carlson insted of this junk they are using. Mark my words, and when that happens, remember, "I told you so"!

[Ladyhawk21]

i am most def. frustrated with it- but i am trying to learn- using the manuals books and website and forum- i have used Microstation,then autocad, cogo, ESRI arcview, and Terramodel over my 20 yrs in engineering. carlson seems to be in a word of it own LOL i am sure i will get use to it but until then let me rant.

i hope the "told you so" happens soon!!

Renee

[Dent Cermak]

I feel your pain. i've been in the same boat for 45 years now. I've run from "negative engraving" to computers and thru 5 or 6 different cad packages.
The biggest probhlem is that the manuals that come with Carlson cover basically what each menu pull down does without a whole lot of "how to" thrown in.
Other than spending a boat load of cash going to 2 Carlson College training sessions, I have found the best tools are the training videos on this site. They do not cover everything, but what they do cover, they cover well. Sometimes you will find that little bit of "hidden information" within those videos.
Good luck in your quest and lean real hard on the bean counters to get you somr REAL training from a Carlson college member. They will recoup those costs in less than 30 days with your increased productivity.
(I found that whinning helped a lot. Nobody can stand listening to a 64 year old, fat man whine. Their will power breaks down pretty quickly. )

[Ladyhawk21]

that is one thing i have not done yet is watch the videos- i will try to check them out this week- thanks for the reminder about them

the city is not going to pay for more classes so its going to be a do it yourself kind a thing-

Renee

[Dent Cermak]

Where are you located? Surely there is some kind hearted Surveyor out there who uses Carlson that would be glad to show you the ropes! If you were in the Jackson, MS area, I would be more than glad to help you get started.