Total Station Setup Types

The software supports any of the following types of station setups in the imported total station data file. (After import you can change the setup type if necessary in the Properties pane for the station.) The different station setups support specific geometrics of known points for orientation.

Station setup type	Description
single backsight	The coordinate for the occupied point must be keyed in, previously measured, or filled in at a later time. The coordinate for the backsight or the azimuth to the backsight must be keyed in or previously measured. All horizontal angles are measured relative to the backsight.
station setup plus (multiple backsight)	The coordinate for the occupied point must be keyed in, previously measured, or filled in at a later time. The coordinates for the backsights or the azimuths to the backsights must be keyed in or previously measured. All horizontal angles are measured relative to the first backsight. This setup has redundant information so it is easy to detect errors in the backsight coordinates, azimuths, or instrument setup.
standard resection	This setup type requires at least two backsight points. The coordinates for the backsights or the azimuths to the backsights must be keyed in or previously measured. All angles are measured relative to the first backsight. This setup can have redundant information so it is easy to detect errors in the backsight coordinates, azimuths, or instrument setup.
object-oriented	This setup type (also referred to as an "unleveled setup") is a variant of a "standard resection"and is used for total station setups that were performed in the field and contained in a JXL file imported from Trimble Access. Unlike the orientation of a leveled total station setup, which is aligned to the Z axis, the orientation of an object-oriented total station is described by three rotation angles (X, Y, and Z), which are stored in the Station record in the JXL file. Object-oriented total station setups are used when the total station cannot be leveled, such as when the instrument is set up on a moving platform such as a barge or an oil rig or in a manufacturing environment where the object of interest, such as a beam or concrete slab, is not sitting flat. Note: You can import and process Trimble Access survey data that includes the Perpendicular Target Height method for measuring a total station target when performing an object-oriented station setup.
Helmert resection	This setup type is a variation of a standard resection setup type. Instead of using least squares to find the best fit of known points and observed data, a Helmert coordinate transformation is used.
refline	This setup type requires two points on a line, or one point and the azimuth of the line. The coordinate for the first point on the line must be keyed in, previously measured, or filled in at a later time. The azimuth to the second point or the coordinate for the second point must be keyed in or previously measured.