This section provides an overview of the controls on the main window. Where more information is available, it is shown by link.
- Connection OK - shows the status of the GPS connection to the program. More about that here.
- Connect GPS - makes the connection to the GPS. More about that here
- Get Waypoints - this command is the most frequently used of those for downloading points, and is placed as it's own button. It simply downloads the waypoints from the GPS unit. Note the Down Arrow to the right - this provides additional choices:
* Waypoints - a repeat of the Tool bar button
* Routes - retrieves the Routes from the GPS unit
* Track Points retrieves the Tracks from the GPS unit
* ACAD Points - retrieves points from the ACAD drawing and places them in the grid, to be used for viewing or upload to the GPS
- Send Waypoints - Sends the Waypoints to the GPS unit. It also has a drop down menu that includes:
* Send Waypoints - a repeat of the Tool Bar button
* Send Routes - sends the routes to the GPS unit
Note that Tracks may not be uploaded to the GPS unit
- View Points - This tool bar button places the SELECTED points on an Aerial Photo for viewing. The aerial photo is obtained automatically from TerraServer - USA, and you must have an active Internet Connection for this feature to work. The Drop down menu allows these choices:
* Preview - Places the selected points on a Preview map, showing a simple line drawing
* Aerial - a repeat of the View Points button, shows the points on an Aerial Photo
* Topo - Places the selected points on a Topographic map from TerraServer-USA
*Tiger - Places the selected point on a public domain Tiger map (also known as a Census Map). Note that only one point at a time can be shown on this map.
- Plot Lines - Plots the selected points as a light weight polyline in AutoCAD. The Drop down menu allows these choices:
* Plot Lines - a repeat of the toolbar button
* Plot Points - plots the points as an AutoCAD Point (Node). Be sure to reset the AutoCAD variables PDMode and PDSize to something that is visible!
* Plot Blocks - inserts a block with attributes showing most of the data in the grid.
- Real Time - brings up the Real Time Capture window
- Disconnect GPS - Disconnects the GPS unit from the program. It is not generally necessary to do this, and an orderly disconnect is done when you end the program. However it is sometimes helpful to connect/disconnect/reconnect, and it is provided for this reason.
- Round off - selects the number of decimal places the numbers in the grid are shown to. It affects only the displayed numbers - internally they are maintained to their full accuracy.
- Edit - when depressed, enables editing of the values in the main grids
- Sort - sorts the points in the grid. See "Sorting Points"
- Select All - selects all the points in the CURRENT grid (the visible grid) for a subsequent operation. The drop down menu allows for selecting
*All ( a repeat of the toolbar button)
* every 2nd, every 3rd, every 5th, or every 10th point in the grid
- Unselect All - de-selects all the points in the CURRENT grid
- Delete Items - Deletes all the Selected items from the CURRENT grid
- Add Points - Brings up the Add Points window
- Find Points - Brings up the Find Points window
- Waypoints/Routes/TrackPoints tabs - displays the respective grid. Note that all of these can be populated at one time, and you can click between them for viewing
- Current Position Label - shows the current position being read from the GPS unit screen/real time information ( not the database)
- Total Waypoints - shows the total waypoints in the Current Grid
- Datum - Shows the current Datum and Zone (if applicable) that has been selected in Setup
- Grid Units - Shows the current Grid Units that were selected in Setup
