Roads

New features

12da file support

Trimble Access General Survey and Roads now support the display of 12da files in the map.

12da files can contain point, line, arc, circle and polyline strings that are read and treated as standard point line, arc and polyline entities in General Survey. They can also contain super alignments and alignments that have horizontal and vertical definitions that are read and treated as alignments in General Survey and Roads. There is also support for triangulated surfaces.

For more information, see the topic 12da files in the Trimble Access Help.

Enhancements

RXL and LandXML stakeout enhancements

The RXL and LandXML road stakeout workflows have undergone significant improvements by combining the traditional menu workflow with the map based workflow. This provides improved access to all stake methods via the menu, as well as access to most methods from the map – and all from the same screen.

Six stakeout methods can be selected directly from the map:

  • To the road

  • To the string

  • Station on string

  • Additional points

  • To an additional string

  • Station on additional string

When using the Additional points method you can tap the additional points displayed with a red symbol in the map, or use the Select softkey at the bottom of the screen.

When using the To an additional string or the Station on additional string method you can tap the string or stations on the additional string in the map to select them, or select them using the Station and String softkeys at the bottom of the screen. Previously these methods were available from the tap and hold menu in the map.

Less commonly used stakeout methods can be selected from the Stake field in the Stake out form that appears alongside the map:

  • To the nearest string

  • Skew offset

We recommend you explore the new road stakeout workflows before upgrading field crews and sending them to the field. Stay tuned for further improvements in the next release.

 

  • When you start stakeout from the map only the roads that are layered on and selectable are available. LandXML string roads and 12da roads can only be selected for stakeout from the map. When you start stakeout by tapping and then Stakeout, all RXL and LandXML cross section roads in the project are listed for selection, and when selected are layered on in the map automatically.

  • Tap in the map to clear the current selection and set the stake method To the road. Tap an alignment to select a string and set the method to To the string. Tap a station to select a station and set the method to Station on string.

  • Construction offsets and reference alignments can be defined from the tap and hold menu in the map.

  • You cannot change the staking method from the cross-section view, it can only be changed when in the plan view.

  • Previously you could stake out a side slope from an alignment when working with the traditional menu workflow. Because a fully defined road design includes the sideslope, this workflow was not commonly used and has been removed. If you still need to stake a side slope from alignment switch to General Survey and do it from there.

  • There have been no changes to GENIO road stakeout.

Reference alignments

When staking a road with a LandXML string road selected as the reference alignment you can now select the string from the road for which the software shows the station and offset values of your current position relative to the selected string. During stakeout, a dashed line is drawn from your current position to the selected string.

Staking to the road options

The option to display the cut/fill perpendicular to the road in the Stakeout options screen has been moved to the new Road group box to clarify that it is only applicable to a road. Previously it was part of the Display group box.

Staking to the road messages

We have improved the following messages when staking to a road:

  • The text Undefined (Non-tangential) now appears when consecutive horizontal alignment elements are non tangential and your current position is beyond the end tangent point of the incoming element but before the start tangent point of the next element and you are on the outside of the road. This message used to read simply Undefined.

  • The text Off road appears when your current position is before the start of the road or beyond the end of the road.

Autodesk Civil 3D LandXML roads

Autodesk Civil 3D LandXML roads that comprises only an horizontal alignment, or only a horizontal alignment and a vertical alignment, can now be used without saving as an RXL road. Previously these roads were treated as cross section roads which do require conversion to an RXL road before they could be used.

Cogo menu now available within the Roads app

The Cogo menu is now available within the Roads app. Use the Cogo menu to carry out coordinate geometry (cogo) functions without having to switch to General Survey. You can also access some of these cogo functions from the tap and hold menu in the map.

Resolved issues

  • Re-measure: We have fixed an issue when remeasuring a position (for example, after an "Excess movement" or "Position compromised" warning), where if you tapped the Re‑meas softkey the software incorrectly reported a measurement was already in progress and you were unable to continue without first restarting the survey.

  • RXL folder location: When you create an RXL file in Trimble Access, the RXL file is now stored in the same folder as the current job. Previously it was always stored in the project folder.

  • LandXML string roads: We have fixed an issue when editing a road where you could not select the first string in the list without first selecting another string. The list in question is accessed from the Strings softkey via the Strings menu item.

  • LandXML string roads from SBG Geo: We have improved loading times for files from SBG Geo Professional software.

  • LandXML string roads from Civil 3D: When reviewing or staking a LandXML string road from Autodesk Civil 3D software, you can now use the arrow keys to select another station.

  • Staking with a calculated construction offset: We have fixed a number of issues with the displayed staked deltas when staking with a construction offset, including:

    • The calculated construction offset value is now displayed. This was inadvertently missing from Trimble Access version 2021.10 and 2021.11.

    • When staking to a string the Go Left/Right Relative to string delta is no longer displayed as it does not apply.

    • When staking a station on a string the Go North/South, Go East/West and the Go Left/Right Relative to string deltas are no longer displayed as they do not apply.

  • Staking with a skew offset: When staking a road with a skew offset, the Go forward / Go backward delta now shows the appropriate value. Previously it always displayed null.

  • Application errors: We have fixed several issues that caused occasional application errors when using or closing the software. In particular:

    • When you tap and hold in the map when staking a GENIO road.