Point and line files

Trimble Access supports the following point and line project data files:

Point files:

  • CSV or TXT files

Point and line files:

  • AutoCAD Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) files (.dxf)
  • ESRI Shapefiles (.shp)
  • 12d Model files (.12da)
  • LandXML files (.xml)
  • Google Earth KML or KMZ files (.kml, .kmz)

NOTE – Make sure project data files use the same coordinate system as the project or job that they are used with.

  • For CSV or TXT files, the coordinate order (northing and easting ordinates) in the comma delimited file must be the same as the setting in the Coordinate order field in the Units screen. Make sure the data in the file is in the format: Point name, First ordinate (Northing or Easting), Second ordinate (Northing or Easting), Elevation, Point code.

  • KML and KMZ files are always in the WGS 1984 coordinate system and so they can be used with any job that uses a projected coordinate system. KML and KMZ files will not display in a job that uses a Scale factor only or No projection / no datum coordinate system, as the WGS 1984 coordinates cannot be transformed to job coordinates.

You can use points from a project data file to:

  • stake out without having the design points in the job
  • enter values into Point name fields, such as for Cogo functions
  • navigate to control or check shots from previous surveys

NOTE – When using points and lines from a project data file, be aware that data in the file may not be of survey accuracy.

When the point does not exist in the current job, but does exist in multiple project data files, the point in the project data file is used. If multiple points of the same name exist in a linked job, the search rules work within that job to find the best point.

Points from a CSV file are shown in the Map and Video screen as a blue comma ( , ). Points from another job are shown using their original point symbol, but are colored blue. Once you select a point in a project data file or linked job and use it for a software function, the point is copied into the current job, and is shown as a "c" in the map.

To display hatched polygons, data labels, or to add nodes to lines in point and line files in the map, tap in the map toolbar, select Settings and configure the setting in the Map data controls group. See Map data settings for DXF, Shape, 12da, and LandXML files.

To create points, polylines, and polygons in the Trimble Access job from selected points, lines, polylines and polygons in project data files, select the items in the map to include and then from the tap and hold menu select Create from selection. Attributes for the selected items are also copied into the job.

Once the points, polylines, and polygons are created in the job you can use them for stakeout and Cogo functions as usual.

You can edit a polyline or polygon in a project data file without first copying it into the job. The Trimble Access will automatically copy the polyline or polygon into the job as part of the editing process. You can also edit polylines or polygons you have copied into the job.

To edit a polyline or polygon:

  • To insert one point into a polyline, select the point and the polyline in the map. Tap and hold on the polyline near the segment where you want to insert the point, and then select Insert point. Use the same process to insert a point into a polygon.

  • To remove a point from a polyline, select the point in the map, and then from the tap and hold menu select Remove point. Use the same process to remove a point from a polygon.

A DXF file is a 2D or 3D vector graphic file format generated from CAD software such as AutoDesk. DXF stands for Drawing Exchange Format.

For DXF files that contain layers, a name is generated for every selectable feature in the file. A code can be generated for every selectable feature within the file. This is derived from the attributes stored in the file; often, it is the name, code, and attributes of features in the original file.

For DXF files, the name is the first 8 characters of the layer name, followed by a space and then the line number of the feature in the DXF file. For DXF files from Trimble Business Center the item name, where present, is used.

You can review a selectable feature in the map to find the file and layer name.

Displayable and selectable DXF items:

  • ARC, CIRCLE, INSERT, LINE, POINT, POLYLINE, LWPOLYLINE.

Display only DXF items:

  • 3D FACE, SPLINE, SOLID, ATTRIB, BLOCK ATTRIB, TEXT, MTEXT, HATCH.
  • Control characters: C – diameter symbol, D – degree symbol, P – plus/minus symbol, % – percentage symbol.

Extrusion arcs contained in a DXF file are displayed correctly in the map, but cannot be made active. Extrusion arcs form an ellipse in plan view and the staking of ellipses is not supported.

A Shapefile is an ESRI vector data storage format for storing geographic features as points, lines, or polygons as well as attribute information.

For Shapefiles that contain layers, a name is generated for every selectable feature in the file. A code can be generated for every selectable feature within the file. This is derived from the attributes stored in the file; often, it is the name, code, and attributes of features in the original file.

For Shapefiles, the name is the first five characters of the Shapefile name, followed by a file index number, then a space and then the line number in the Shapefile where this feature is defined.

You can review a selectable feature in the map to find the file and layer name.

Supported Shapefile items:

  • Null shape, Point, PolyLine, Polygon, MultiPoint, PointZ, PolyLineZ, PolygonZ, MultiPointZ, PointM, PolyLineM, PolygonM, MultiPointM, MultiPatch, Hatching.

To view attribute information for Shapefile items, the Shapefile must have an associated .dbf file.

The displayed layers in a 12da file are based on the model names in the 12da file. In addition, any surfaces and alignments read in from a 12da file are placed in their own layer. If there are any duplicate layer names, suffixes consisting of an underscore character plus an incrementing number are used to ensure unique layer names.

Point strings are read in as points and assigned to the appropriate layer. The points are given the names specified in the 12da file, but if no names have been specified they are given names based on the string name plus a suffix consisting of an underscore character plus an incrementing number.

Line, arc and circle strings are read in as standard lines and arcs and assigned to the appropriate layer using the color specified in the 12da file, when standard colors have been used.

Polyline strings are read in as polylines or polygons (for closed polylines) and assigned to the appropriate layer using the color specified in the 12da file, when standard colors have been used.

Super alignments and alignments are read in as alignments and each alignment is assigned to its own layer. Alignments are displayed as a red line.

Triangulated surfaces are read in and each surface is assigned to its own layer.

A LandXML file is an XML file format for civil engineering design and survey measurement data such as points, surfaces, parcels, pipe network data and alignments.

LandXML files can contain different XML elements and what they contain will depend on the application that created the LandXML file, the items selected and options chosen at the time of export. Only points, lines, surfaces, and alignments that are contained in elements directly under the primary LandXML element are supported.

The following lists the element types and how they can be used in Trimble Access:

  • Alignments only

    Stake as an alignment, using Trimble Access General Survey or Trimble Access Roads.

  • Alignments with templates

    Save and then stake as an RXL road, using Trimble Access Roads.

  • Parcels and feature lines

    Stake as a polyline, using Trimble Access General Survey or Trimble Access Roads.

  • Alignments and feature elements defined as per the Inframodel specification

    Alignments are grouped to form a road surface, you can have multiple roads in a single file. Stake using Trimble Access Roads.

  • Alignments and breakline elements in a surface element

    Alignments and breaklines from the surface element are grouped to form a road surface, you can have multiple roads in a single file. Stake using Trimble Access Roads. The Trimble Business Center LandXML exporter creates files using this format, Points, surfaces, parcels and feature lines can also be included in this file export. For more information, see Export LandXML string roads from your office software.

The layers created for LandXML files are based on the following:

  • Point items (from <CgPoint> elements) are placed in a layer called Points.

  • Line items (from <Parcel> and <PlanFeature> elements) are placed in a layer called Lines.

  • Alignment and surface items are placed in layers named according to the alignment and surface names.

A code can be generated for every selectable feature within the file. This is derived from the attributes stored in the file – often, it is the name, code, and attributes of features in the original file. You can review a selectable feature in the map to find the file and layer name.

If there are overlapping surfaces on the map, the interpolated elevation will be that of the first surface returning a non‑null elevation (the surface with the first name alphabetically).