Run the instrument interface choosing Total Stations.
Enter the instruments COM Port or IP address.
Note...the Total Stations interface can be run in simulation. To do so, simply uncheck the Connect to Total Station check box.
The Total Station interface should appear very familiar to SA Laser tracker users because much of the capabilities and functionality was built directly from it.
Target definitions are managed through the Reflector Icon which opens the Reflectors and Targets database. Details on its operation can be found Here.
However there are several differences to accommodate the need to set the tooling Constant value.
Manufacturer Definitions. These are the target definitions defined on the scope and are the foundation for the target definitions used within SA. The Leica constant saved with the target will be reported. Use the Reload button to refresh the target list if changes have been made on the scope that are not reflected here.
User Definitions. Custom target definitions can be built within the SA interface by adding a reflector definition and the reflector’s constant.
Targets. Targets are built from the Manufacturer Definitions or User Definitions. Building a Target offers the ability to edit saved offsets that can be stored with measured points within SA. The Constant is not shown in the target section but will be displayed with target name on the measure button.
The Total Station interface includes a spot for 4 quick select targets to be defined from the list. To change the current setting simply right-click on one of the quick selects and choose from the visible list.
Unlike the Theodolite Manager which had an On/Off switch for each specific target, the Total Stations Interface has a single On/Off control. When ATR is enabled it will be used to center on all reflectors.
Tracking is used to send updates to SA and monitor the current beam location. Unlike the Theodolite Manager, tracking only needs to be turned off to conserve battery life.
Power Search. The Power Search controls are available directly under the Measurement button. The Left and Right buttons can be used to perform a full 360 scan in either direction, while the Power Search button will trigger a region scan (when enabled) and can be used with a right-click to access the Power Search configuration dialog.
Find Target. The find target option can be used as an alternative to Power Search and performs a spiral search for a reflector.
Dive Head/OVC. This button provides access to both the manual drive controls to point the instrument in a desired direction, and access to the Overview Camera for instruments that provide that option.
Target search settings are drawn from and pushed directly to the instrument. Therefore they are not saved.
The Weather Status Icon is the small traffic light next to the beam status icon. It also allows direct access to the weather settings if you double-left click on it (these can also be accessed through Devices>Weather>Setup).
Manual Input. When selected the Weather status icon will turn yellow as a reminder to check the settings on a regular basis. Editing the values manually will push the new settings to the scope for Atmospheric correction.
Tracker Internal Weather Station. This will record the current settings from the instrument with each shot. It is up to the user to adjset these values on the instrument.
External Weather Station. Alternatively a external weather station can be plugged into the computer and used to set the weather readings on the scope. SA will pull the readings from the weather station and push them to the instrument in this mode. This works well for example if you have an AT Meteo Station.
If there is a problem reading from the selected weather source the weather status icon will turn red.
A measurement is defined by a measurement rate, duration and the data that is returned to SA. This measurement definition is called a Measurement Profile and can be selected from the drop down list or the measurement profile Quick Select list.
More details on Measurement profiles can be found Here.
Stationary Measurement Modes
Fast Point. Performs a 1/2 Second Measurement
Standard Point. Performs a 2 Second Measurement
Precise Point. Performs a 5 second measurement (not available in all scopes).
Stable point measurements use a scan operation. The move distance and duration threshold can be adjusted in the Settings. Stable point measurements can also be used with either Fast, Standard or Precise measurement modes.
This profile provides the ability to perform a grid scan within a defined perimeter. Use the Line Spacing and Point Spacing to define a grid of evenly spaced lines and equally spaced points along the lines. To use the profile it must be opened and a perimeter selected from within SA or a set of points that are used to define a perimeter.
Nova Scan Profile (MS60 Only)
Scanning with the MS60 is accomplished using the Nova Scan Measurement profile.
Scan Type. Choose the scanning Method. The polygon is the most common scan, using the selected perimeter or points defining a perimeter. Rectangle is a simple version of this, us- ing only 2 points to define a rectangular area. Dome scans are also available for newer MS60 models and can be used with 2 points to define a band (where the 2 points define the upper and lower limits of the band). A Dome scan without any points selected will perform a full 360 room scan.
Memory Type. The scan data is first saved locally either on the scope or the SD card in the instrument.
Scan Mode. Continuous is the typical method and performs a continuous scan. Point to Point can also be used for greater accuracy and uses a stope and go progression from point to point.
Rate Type. The resolution settings for the scan can be adjusted here. The MS60+ can now accept specific rates up to 30KHz.
Separate Clouds Option. When enabled this option saves scans of separate polygons as separate clouds in SA.
Min & Max Distance. The Min and Max distance settings are used as filters to limit data collection beyond these values. The Min Distance and Max Distance headers can be used as buttons to measure the current beam distance.
Horizontal & Vertical Angles. The Vertical and Horizontal an- gles options are also filters that limit the extents of the scan. These headers can also be used as buttons to measure the beams current orientation.
Show Regions. Opens a dialog displaying the currently de- fined regions saved in the measurement profile.
Add Perimeters. These options are used to select perimeters or points defining perimeters from within SA and will initiate a selection mode.
The Drive Head/OVC button provides access to the camera and real- time video display.
The button functions are as follows (The current version of SA requires the VLC player to be installed):
Take Picture. This button refreshes the current image from the selected Overview or Telescope lens. The Focus button triggers the selected lens to refocus.
Send Picture. This button takes the specified name from the entry field and saved the current image in the SA tree using the specified name.
Start/Stop Video. This button enabled the real-time VLC embedded video display. The video will appear within the same window and clicking on the video can be used to drive the in- strument to the selected point.
Additional instrument specific settings and utilities can be found in the instrument settings and under the Utilities menu. The following notes may be helpful:
Battery Status. The battery Status can be found by double-clicking on the Beam state display or by going to Utilities>Tkr Status.
UDP Data Stream and SA Remote. The Total Station interface offers the ability to connect and drive the instrument using the SA Remote app which can be downloaded from you’re Apple App Store. An Android app is also available for download from the Kinematics web page Here.
The total station interface offers the ability to use manu of the auto measure operations from within SA including:
Auto Measure Points. Provides a means to measure a group of points automatically in any way needed.
Auto Measure a Vector Group. Is similar to measuring points, offers full control and uses a vector group as a reference.
Measure Batch of Vectors. This automated option also measures a set of vectors but does so using a Surface Vector Intersection algorithm such that it searches along a nominal vector to find the point at which this vector intersects the actual surface. The tolerances can be adjusted within the total Station Properties using the SVI Settings button.
Basic simulation capabilities through the Total Station interface have been added in 2024.1. This option offers the ability to explore the interface layout and perform basic operations including simulated measurements (although point cloud scanning is not yet an option).
Total Stations |
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Basic Operations |
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Start Instrument Interface |
Starts the Total Station Interface. Use interface Type 0 in Argument 3 for the Leica Total Station and 1 for the Theodolite Manager |
Set Instrument Measurement Mode/Profile |
Offers an option to set the active Measurement Profile. |
Set Instrument Group and Target |
Offers a means to set the Group and Target Names for the next measurement. |
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Total Stations |
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Measurement Controls |
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Auto Measure Points |
Performs a points based automatic measurement |
Auto-Measure Vectors |
Performs a vector group based automatic measurement |
Auto-Measure Surface Vector Intersections |
Performs a surface vector intersection measurement at each point location. |
Configure and Measure |
Measures a point using the specified name and meas profile |
Point At Target |
Points at a selected point |
Scan within Perimeter ** |
Scan within perimeter is supported but does not offer any resolution control. |
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Instrument Operational Checks |
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Set Laser On |
Turns on the red laser pointer |
Set Laser Off |
Turns off the red laser pointer |
PowerSearch |
PowerSearch performs an automatic and rapid search for a prism. |
Set Tracking On |
Enables Tracking, an already targeted prism is followed automatically. |
Set Tracking Off |
Disables Tracking |
Set ATR On |
Enables ATR (Automatic Target Aiming) for precision target center- ing |
Set ATR Off |
Disables ATR centering |