This command opens a secondary dialog where you can choose between Define Line, Define Alignments, Define Arc (3 points), and Define Arc (PC, PT, Value). Define Line is documented below.
Define Line
This command allows you to stakeout to a line between two points by guiding you to the point with a series of commands and directions.
This option is for setting out points along a line including the cut or fill, or for staking out points relative to the line. One application, for example, would be staking a pipe between two known points (inlet and outlet), where offset stakes can be set with cut/fill noted. Station Store might even be used to calculate, in advance, the inlet and outlet points based on a known station, offset and elevation. For all staking, there are configuration settings that govern the type of instructions you receive in stakeout. You should review the settings in the Stake tab under Job Settings, as well as the Configure option within Equip before staking. The dialogs are varied slightly with respect to total station or GPS equipment. Both types are documented here, illustrating the differences between the dialogs.
Stakeout by Define Line also has a Point On Line tab that enables, in total station mode, staking of the intersect with the specified line on the current line-of-sight. This is often used to set stakes or flagging along a property line that is obscured by trees. The surveyor finds a gap in the line, takes a reading to the prism and is advised how far to Move In or Move Out to stake the line at the current line-of-sight. The Point on Line tab also includes the standard perpendicular method, where any measurement is used to compute the direction and distance to move to go to the point on the line perpendicular to the measured point. For GPS configurations, Point On Line offers only the Perpendicular method.
The Define Line dialog gives you the following options:
Define Alignments (Horizontal)
Stakeout Centerline only requires a horizontal alignment, but you have the option to specify a vertical alignment which will lead to cut and fill results as well. Additionally, you can specify a reference alignment. This feature allows you to stake the offset off of one alignment (e.g. curb) and report the station of a reference alignment (e.g. centerline).
Defining Alignment (Vertical)
This is optional in this command. If your goal is to ignore elevations and you are auto-recalling roading files, the Vertical Alignment will be used and cut/fill will appear unless you turn off Apply Vertical Alignment.
Note: For file names to be recalled, Recall Job Road Files needs to be enabled within Job Settings, Options.
Shown below is an example of what will you see when you tap Preview in either tab. Notice that the centerline is shown, along with any existing point numbers in the vicinity.
As with all options, the alignment selection screen continues into the Station/Offset screen where you select your station and offset to stake out. Using Define Alignments, the Point on Line option becomes Point on CL in the screen that follows. With both horizontal and vertical alignments defined, the final stakeout screen (eg. station 375) includes cut and fill values. Shown below is an example in GPS mode. The centerline was picked from the screen (Select Polyline) and the vertical alignment was selected from a file.
Define Arc (3 Points)
This routine requests three points to define a unique arc, which is then used for stakeout by station and offset. The first point becomes the beginning of the arc. The prompting is shown below.
The points can be entered in, chosen from the list points button, or selected from the map. After selecting the three points, choose OK (green checkmark) to go to the Stakeout Arc dialog. The special stations are limited to PC (start) and PT (end). After choosing a station and offset to stake and selecting OK, the main stakeout window appears in map view. In total station mode, an angle to turn to and a distance to go will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. Taking a reading to the current target position will update the display with a new out/in distance and a right/left distance depending upon your job settings. You should see your points and centerline or curve in the map with an icon of the point you need to stakeout to (the circle with the X inside). When using GPS, after selecting OK to the Stakeout Arc dialog, you will be placed in the Map screen at your current position with directional instructions to the target point continually updating. You can click "RR" to stake out a 3-point arc by railroad definition.
Define Arc (PC, PT Value)
This option for defining the arc requires four input parameters: the Start point, End Point, Curve Direction, and any of the following: Radius Point, Radius Length, Arc Length, Delta Angle or Degree of Curvature. The starting station defaults to 0, but can also be changed. See the figure below.
When selecting the PC point, option Radius Point and PT point, enter the point ID, choose the point from the list points screen button, or pick the point from the map button. After selecting OK you will be directed to the Stakeout Arc dialog. After selecting OK to the Stakeout Arc dialog, the main stakeout window appears in map view. Here we are staking station 75 at 0 offset. In total station mode, an angle to turn to and a distance to go will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. Taking a reading to the current target position will update the display with a new out/in distance and a right/left distance depending upon your reference settings in Configure Reading. You should see your points and arc in the map with an icon of the point you need to stakeout to (the circle with the X inside). When using GPS, after selecting OK to the Stakeout Arc dialog, you will be placed in the Map screen at your current position with continuously updating instructions to the stakeout point.
Stake Line/Arc (Station/Offset)
Selecting OK on the Define Line, Define Alignments or Define Arc dialogs presents the Stake Line dialog for defining the stake location parameters (e.g. offset or elevation).
Stake Line/Arc (Point On Line)
The Point On Line option appears when Define Line or Define Alignments is selected. It offers a Perpendicular to Line method for total stations and GPS. This method projects any shot onto the alignment perpendicular or radial in curves, and prompts for the distance and direction to move to the alignment intersect point. However, only if you select Define Line as the method to define the alignment and you are set to total stations, there is a "Find Intersect to Line" option, which enables “line-of-sight” staking of lines. This is often used by surveyors who are setting line in tree lines, moving to gaps in the trees for readings, then moving in-out along the line-of-sight and driving stakes when perfectly on line. It is useful for any line or boundary staking, such as property lines, right-of-ways and construction lines. For GPS, only the Perpendicular method is available.
Total Stations: The Offset to Line option is grayed out when the Find Intersect to Line method is selected and available only when the Perpendicular option is chosen.
Total Stations, Define Line, Point On Line, Intersect to Line: The Intersect Method is used to set line by moving in or out at the current line of sight. A major application is setting line where the line is largely blocked by trees or obstructions, and you must set the line in gaps where you do have a line of sight.
In the Intersect mode, the first screen always displays the target point on the line (or the extension of the line), perpendicular to the setup or station point. When the first reading is taken, the program will display the In-Out distance to the line along the line-of-sight.
When staking a line defined by points with zero elevation, the cut or fill values will be displayed but should be ignored. Notice that the screen expands to show more graphics by pressing the down arrow key.
Total Stations/GPS, Perpendicular to Line: When configured for the Perpendicular to Line method, the program will show the direction and distance to move to find the nearest point on the line to the measured point. The instruction received (In/Out versus North/South or Azimuth/Distance) will depend on the setting within Configure Reading.
The “Turn to AR” advice at the top of the screen refers to the angle to turn to intersect the defined line at 90 degrees from the instrument location. For GPS, the Point-On-Line screen instructions are similar.
Stake Line/Arc (Point on Arc)
Both the Stake Arc (3 Points) and the Stake Arc (PC, PT, Value) routines have a Point On Arc option similar to the Point On Line option. In the dialog below, we have chosen to calculate a left 25 offset from the arc. Any measured point will then be translated radially onto the arc that is 25 units left of the specified arc.
When a measurement or GPS reading is taken, the target point will be radial to the curve, at 25 units offset from the curve, as shown below.
The above example might be useful for setting stakes at a 25’ building setback from the right-of-way line. For GPS, information is provided “real-time”. As you move, you see the instructions to contact the nearest point on the arc (or offset to the arc). For total stations, you are first instructed to measure to the nearest point on the arc (or arc offset) from the instrument setup. Then after you take any shot, the instruction refers to that measurement.
Note: The Turn to AR advice refers to the angle to turn to contact the centerline at 90 degrees (right angles) to the instrument setup.
After selecting OK, the main stakeout window appears in map view. In total station mode, it will be waiting for a shot or reading. You should see your points in the map with an icon showing the location of your target (the circle with the X inside).
Note: If the points defining the line are at zero elevation, the program will still report a cut and fill -- in this case a cut from the GPS elevation of 839.52 all the way to zero. If the points defining the line are at a known elevation, the elevation will be interpolated to determine the design and target elevation of the point to stake, and will be applied to a zero offset or non-zero offset stakeout position.
Store a reading and the coordinates for the Stake Point and the Target Point are displayed. Store by pressing Enter or S to Store. The delta North, East and the elevation difference (Cut/Fill) are also displayed. The Vert Offset 1 and Vert Offset 2 allow for elevation calculations based on the input vertical offset values. In English units, a vertical offset of -10" can be entered for example in that form, and the program will auto-calculate -0.833 as the offset. If Vertical Offsets are detected, and a point is stored, you are prompted for additional descriptions for the vertical offsets. If "Alignment Cutsheet" storage is on (as set in Job Settings, Stake tab), an additional cutsheet "row" will be created for each vertical offset. Shown below is a stakeout of station 125, Right 12, and the resulting Report screen.
Note that you have the option to store a point in stakeout. If the point being stored is the same as one in the current job file, the Point Protect dialog box appears stating that the point you chose has already been used. The next available point number is listed with the option to overwrite the current point, or use the new number. If you "Show Station/Offset", you will see the Station and Offset of the design (1+25.000 R12.000) and staked point (1+25.000 R11.979), for example.
All cut and fill data, including vertical offsets, will be stored in the Alignment Cutsheet File if named and turned on within Job Settings, Stake tab, Cutsheets. Finally, the data is always stored to the raw (.rw5) file as cut/fill (cutsheet) information. If you forgot to create a cutsheet file, you can make a new one, and when formatting the cutsheet, select "Cutsheets from Raw" as one of the options. You can review the cutsheet with the shortcut, Alt V, from the active stakeout screen. This will return you directly to stakeout. If using GPS, the HRMS, VRMS, and PDOP values are also displayed, as are Fields for Point ID and point description input. After the point has been stored, you are taken back to the Station/Offset dialog to select the next point for staking.
When you return to the Stakeout Line screen after storing a point, there is a tab option for Next Alignment that allows you to define a new alignment, without exiting the command.