Exporting into an ESRI Shape File from GPS Pathfinder Office

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This tutorial will teach you the steps on creating an ESRI Shape File, using Trimbles GPS Pathfinder office Software. For this tutorial, I will be using the following: GPS Pathfinder Office, v5.10 A Post-Processed Data File ArcGIS Software preinstalled onto my PC To ensure that your procedure will work, it best to open the data file in GPS Pathfinder to check that the points you collected are stored and displaying correctly.

Open the Export utility, either by selecting the button on the utility menu on the far left or by selecting the directory in the main toolbar of GPS Pathfinder Office: Utilities>Export The Export window is now open. In this menu, you can select your file, the output setup, and the properties of the file.

Copyright 2000-2011 California Surveying & Drafting Supply. Not to be copied or distributed without permission.

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Features of the Export Main Menu 1. Input Files Menu: Press the Browse button to select the folder where your input files are being stored. 2. Selected Files Window: Displays the files that you want to apply Export properties to; You can select multiple files. If you have a file already open in GPS Pathfinder, it will be selected for you/. 3. Output folder: Press the Browse button on the opposite side to change the directory of your exported file. Currently, GPS Pathfinder Office will send all exported files to your default folder within your PC.\ 4. Choose an Export Setup: Allows the user to define the file format to export your data. In this example, I have it set up for a new ESRI Shapefile. 5. New: Allows for the user to create a customized export setup procedure for a file and save it into GPS Pathfinder 6. Delete: Deletes a customized export setup created in GPS Pathfinder. You can also delete preset export setups in GPS Pathfinder. 7. Properties: Allows the user to adjust the properties of the export setup (i.e. Coordinate System, Units, Unit Attributes, etc.). After you setup the conditions of your export, you press the OK button (highlighted by the red rectangle) to begin the export process. For now, lets set up the main properties of our ESRI Shapefile.

Copyright 2000-2010 California Surveying & Drafting Supply. Not to be copied or distributed without permission.

The Data Tab: Allows the user to select the type of data they want to export. Features Positions and Attributes: Exports all data and attributes. Check the Include Not In Feature Positions to export positions that lie in between features. Positions Only: Only exports GNSS positions and neglect attribute and feature information. This is best for collected data that does not have a data dictionary appended. Create Point Features from: Notes, velocity records, or external sensor can be exported as point features when checked. Starting Feature ID: Only available for formats that can export a feature ID.

The Output Tab: Allows the user to set up the conditions of the exported files that are outputted. Combine all input files and output to the project export folder: All of the data files you select will export in the user-defined export folder. Combine all input files and output to an Auto-generated subfolder: Creates a subfolder within your export directory to store your exported files. For Each input file create output folders of the same name: This option is best if you are working with exporting multiple data files; subfolders are created for each multiple file. System File Format: Usually defaulted as a DOS file

The deselected option, For Each input file create output files(s) of the same name, designates that an output file (or set of output files) with the same filename as the input file will be created in the export folder. This is unavailable if the export format cannot combine different feature types into one file or file set.

Copyright 2000-2010 California Surveying & Drafting Supply. Not to be copied or distributed without permission.

The Attributes Tab: Allows the user to export specific attributes to be displayed with their features. Export Menu Attributes As: If code values were created in your data dictionary, you can export either these, or the default definitions you made. Generated Attributes: You can select the types of attributes you want to be exported into your file. Selecting GPS information in All Feature Types will apply to Point, Line, and Area Features. If you made line, point, and area features during your GPS survey, you can select the attributes you want to export in each of their respective menus.

The Units Tab: Allows the user to define the export unit properties. Use Export Units Allows the user to define the Distance, Area, and Velocity Units. Use Current Display Units: Exports the units defined in GPS Pathfinders Units menu. Decimal Places: Allows the user to set the decimal places of their data. Lat/Long will only display if the Coordinate System is Lat/Long. Lat/Long & Date Time Options: Displays how the above units will be displayed and formatted when exported. Lat/Long will only be featured when the coordinate system is Lat/Long only.

Copyright 2000-2010 California Surveying & Drafting Supply. Not to be copied or distributed without permission.

The Position Filter Tab: Allows the user to control what points to exclude. Filter Position Criteria: Exclude either by GNSS Position info (PDOP, HDOP, or Geometry) or by Precision. Include Positions that Are: Allows the user to exclude the types of points that were stored. Filter by Precision: Points are filtered via user-defined horizontal and vertical precision. Include Non-GNSS Positions: Points not collected by GNSS methods are exported when this option is checked. Export Features that Have no Positions: Best used when attribute information was collected, but not the GPS/GNSS position.

The Coordinate System Tab: Allows the user modify their export files Coordinate System. Use Export Coordinate System The user gets to define the coordinate system for their export file. Use Current Display Coordinate System Uses the coordinate system set by GPS Pathfinder. Also allows the user to define the desired Cartesian coordinates, whether they want XY or XYZ.

Projection File: If ArcGIS is installed, click the Browse button and GPS Pathfinder will search for the default directory where the .prj files are stored. You can then select your desired .prj file. If ArcGIS is not installed, you must browse to the directory where your .prj files are being stored, if any.

Copyright 2000-2010 California Surveying & Drafting Supply. Not to be copied or distributed without permission.

The ESRI Shapefile Tab: Contains controls for selecting options pertinent to the Shapefile format. Export Tracking Themes: Creates a TRX file for ArcView Analyst Software to create tracking themes for each feature. Track ID Attribute Name: Enter the Track ID Name here so that you can track a certain attributes event. If you are not planning on using tracking, simply leave the Box unchecked.

Each tabbed menu displays a Default Tab. If you do not like the settings that are displayed, you can select the Default tab on the bottom right near Help Button. To store your export preferences, press OK to go back to the export menu; otherwise, press Cancel to exit and keep the current settings.

To export, press the OK button as mentioned before in Page 2. GPS Pathfinder will read and write the file into your selected export designation as a new Shapefile. If done correctly, GPS Pathfinder will read and export only the positions that you defined within the preferences menu. A detailed log will be created, displaying the details of your exported file, including the location of the export directory. This concludes the tutorial for Exporting into a Shapefile.

Copyright 2000-2010 California Surveying & Drafting Supply. Not to be copied or distributed without permission.