Trimble Business Center

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Gromatici
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Trimble Business Center

Post by Gromatici »

Has anyone been using this and have an informed opinion as to it value compared to the price and if they think they like it better than TGO?
Eric J Ackerman, PLS, RPLS, CFedS
Licenses: CA. AZ, ID, NV, CO,UT
Gromatici Land Surveying, Inc.
http://www.gromatici.com
proposals@gromatici.com
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Brian Christensen
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Location: Siskiyou County

Post by Brian Christensen »

Can't use TGO on Windows 7 (or Vista). Goin up the river in the same canoe as Autodesk!
Brian Christensen, PLS, CMS
Siskiyou County Surveyor
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Jim Frame
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Post by Jim Frame »

Have you tried running it in XP compatibility mode?

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Jim Frame
Frame Surveying & Mapping
609 A Street
Davis, CA 95616
framesurveying.com
JKnox
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Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:59 am

TBC

Post by JKnox »

Eric,
I'm an experienced user (and trainer) of both TGO and TBC. Here's my two-cents:
If you use TGO for post processing GPS data, I'd say TBC is FAR SUPERIOR to TGO. Once you learn TBC (there's no resemblance whatsoever to TGO), you'll be more than glad you switched. I can give more specific details upon request. If you only use TGO to process RTK and/or Terrestrial data, you can probably limp along with TGO until you have to switch. Roading is not yet fully functional in TBC, so TGO and/or Survey Controller are your only options as of now. DTM surfacing and export (as in machine control) are greatly improved as well. Let me know through public or private channels if you want more info.
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Jim Frame
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Post by Jim Frame »

Here's a link to a thread pertaining to installing TGO and Windows 7 that might be helpful:

http://www.i-boards.com/bnp/pob/message ... dID=140279

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Jim Frame
Frame Surveying & Mapping
609 A Street
Davis, CA 95616
framesurveying.com
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Jim Frame
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Post by Jim Frame »

"If you use TGO for post processing GPS data, I'd say TBC is FAR SUPERIOR to TGO."

I'd like to hear more about this. TGO isn't the friendliest software I've ever used, and it has some network size limitations that have given me grief, but I'm used to it. What makes TBC better for static networks?

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Jim Frame
Frame Surveying & Mapping
609 A Street
Davis, CA 95616
framesurveying.com
Gromatici
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Thanks

Post by Gromatici »

Thank you. I'm not upgrading to Windows 7, so that's not the issue. It's more about getting our software current since we have R8 GPS units but no software to post-process the GNSS signals. We do a lot of static work, and post-processing using CORS stations. I do the least-squares in Star*Net, since I like it better.

Interesting how TGO won't run in Window 7 though.
Eric J Ackerman, PLS, RPLS, CFedS
Licenses: CA. AZ, ID, NV, CO,UT
Gromatici Land Surveying, Inc.
http://www.gromatici.com
proposals@gromatici.com
JKnox
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:59 am

TBC

Post by JKnox »

I'd say the main advantages to TBC over TGO in the static processing realm would be:
- processing of GNSS data
- internet download options for CORS data and NGS data sheets - so easy now to import data, and no more of that CRX2RNX Hatenaka conversion bullcrap from the DOS prompt
- baseline processing engine is 20 years newer and far more intelligent
- sorting and disabling trivial baselines is much easier than the old timeline
- Google Earth export routine, which is quite slick
- point, vector, baseline, loop closure, network adjustment, and etc reporting is far more powerful, once you get used to the spreadsheet options
The only downsides I can see are for those who desire minute control over their network processing, for example TBC won't allow you to reverse the flowout on baselines or view skyplots.
So, I'm far from a power user, as the software is new to me, but if the money to upgrade is a minor concern, I'd choose TBC hands down. I'd been stalling for a few years now due to the fact that TBC couldn't handle terrestrial data, and one of my normal workflows is network adjustment combining terrestrial data and GPS data, along with hard elevations, and TGO was able to handle this just fine. Give a shout if you have any more questions.
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Jim Frame
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Post by Jim Frame »

"TBC won't allow you to reverse the flowout on baselines"

Prior to the advent of OPUS-RS that would have been a deal-breaker for me. However, it's now pretty easy to get high-quality seed positions for static sessions via OPUS-RS (or OPUS), so the absence of flowout control is no longer the problem that it once would have been.

I understand that TBC doesn't support survey styles. That's unfortunate, if true.

The other thing I'd like to know is whether or not TBC has overcome the memory management problem that TGO has. In my experience, TGO v1.63 has a limit on the number of vectors it can include in a baseline processing report without crashing. The number is around 300 or 400 or so, as I recall. It's very tedious to have to piecemeal the reports on large networks.

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Jim Frame
Frame Surveying & Mapping
609 A Street
Davis, CA 95616
framesurveying.com
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Brian Christensen
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Location: Siskiyou County

Post by Brian Christensen »

Jim Frame wrote:Here's a link to a thread pertaining to installing TGO and Windows 7 that might be helpful:

http://www.i-boards.com/bnp/pob/message ... dID=140279

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GeeWhiz! Seems to be working. Thanks Jim!
Brian Christensen, PLS, CMS
Siskiyou County Surveyor
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thomasacto
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Post by thomasacto »

TBC is an excellent platform over TGO - completely re-designed from the ground-up. JKnox is correct about the baseline processing - and for those of you tired of the required .job to .dc conversions and the .dc file editor (for all data types), TBC eliminates the need for such conversions - file types are the same between the field and office.

The internet download function alone is fantastic for processing CORS data, downloading datasheets, ephemeris files, planning data, etc. - the network adjustment utility is incredibly easy to use, etc.
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