Merge Survey Projects

Use the Merge Survey Projects command to merge (import) edited survey data from one or more VCE (.vce) projects into a single "master" VCE project.

Merging survey projects can be very useful in a situations where there is a need to process field data in separate VCE projects before merging it into a single master project. For example, on a multi-day surveying project in the field, you could import each day's data into the same TBC VCE project. However, as the project grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to differentiate and perform processing on just the new data that is imported each day. By creating a new VCE project each day for that day's data, you can focus on processing just that data, and then, after processing is complete, merge it into a cumulative master VCE project. Another example would be to conduct concurrent projects at multiple locations, process the data separately for each of the locations, and then merge the data into a master VCE project.

You can merge the following types of data:

  • GNSS data:
    • Antenna information (base and rover)
    • Base and rover height
    • Status
    • Feature codes and attributes
    • Vector statistics
  • Total station data (imported and keyed-in):
    • Target information
    • Station information (height and method)
    • Point IDs
    • Feature codes and attributes
  • Leveling data (imported and keyed-in)
  • Imported coordinates
  • Keyed-in points and coordinates
  • Processed and unprocessed baselines, and Baseline Processing report
  • Georeferenced images
  • Layers
  • Data sheet files (coordinates)
  • Traverse coordinates (adjusted) and Traverse Adjustment report
  • As-staked points
  • Trajectories
  • Terrestrial photogrammetry
  • Media files

Note the following when merging projects:

  • The Merge Survey Projects command does not merge processed features, feature definition libraries, CAD objects, network adjustments, surfaces, alignments, corridors, point clouds, flight missions, and project settings.
  • When a point includes multiple coordinates of the same ranking and quality, TBC uses the last entered coordinate to determine the point's position. Depending on the order in which you merge projects containing the same point with coordinates of the same ranking and quality, TBC may not be able to correctly identify the last entered coordinate and may select the incorrect coordinate to determine the point's position. To avoid this problem, you can provide the control points to be used in all of the contributing VCE projects so that the coordinates match.
  • If a point in a manually adjusted traverse (see note below) is merged into another point, all of the traverse-adjusted coordinates and the Traverse Adjustment report are automatically removed. This can easily happen if you merge a VCE file that contains a manually adjusted traverse that includes one or more points that are already in the project. Either of the following can occur:
    • If any of the common points do not have the same position, the Merge Points dialog displays. If you select to merge one or more of these common points, the traverse-adjusted coordinates and Traverse Adjustment report are automatically removed.
    • If all of common points have the same positions, the Merge Points dialog does not display; points are silently and automatically merged. The traverse-adjusted coordinates and Traverse Adjustment report are automatically removed.

    In either of these cases, you can use the Adjust Traverse command to re-adjust the traverse, resulting in new traverse-adjusted coordinates and a new Traverse Adjustment report.

    Notes:
    - If a traverse is configured to adjust automatically, the issue described above does not apply.
    - Any time you import an adjusted traverse into your project, it is highly recommended that you review its Traverse Adjustment report and re-adjust if necessary.

Prerequisites:

To merge survey projects:

  1. Open the VCE (.vce) project into which you want to merge data from one or more other VCE projects.

    This is referred to as the "master" project.

  2. Select Merge Survey Projects in Survey > Field Data to display the Merge Survey Projects command pane.
  3. Click the File Folder Browse button to locate and select the folder containing the VCE project file(s) whose data you want to merge into the master project.

    The available VCE projects are displayed in the Select Project(s) list. If a listed project has already been imported into the selected master project, it is labeled as "Previously imported." If only part of a listed project's data has been imported into the selected master project, it is labeled as "Partially imported."

    In the Select Project(s) list, check the check box for each VCE project whose data you want to merge.

  4. Click OK.

    If the coordinate system specified in a imported VCE project is not the same as the coordinate system specified for the master VCE project, the Project Coordinate System dialog displays, allowing you to specify to convert to the the imported project's coordinate system or keep the master project's coordinate system.

    If duplicate points are found in the imported VCE project and the master VCE project, the Merge Points dialog displays, allowing you to specify whether to merge the duplicate points, include both versions of the points in the project, and/or rename the duplicate points.

    The project is automatically re-computed with the newly merged data.

Related topics:

Merge Duplicate Points on Import