Free Benchmarking Software

[Xorand]

First of all, I love to go Benchmarking. I worked up a little routine where I would individually click on various benchmarks in my area, decide if they were something I wanted to visit, then click the download box for EasyGPS. Then, I'd copy and paste the relevant information from the benchmark page into a Word document.

 

Once done, I'd load the benchmarks into my GPS, print out the Word document and off I'd go. I figured there must be a less time-consuming way to do some of this. Being a programmer, I dug into it and came up with a little program that I thought I'd share with my fellow benchmarkers.

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~utsllc101/data/Benchmarker.zip

 

Download, unzip, run Setup.exe. When you run the program, type in the desired zip code at the top and press the Go button. Eventually, you'll see the number of benchmarks found and the count will start ticking up as it gathers information about each benchmark.

 

The first option at the bottom of the form allows you to create a Text document with all the relevant benchmark data for each benchmark. I open it up in Word, apply page footers with page numbers and resave it manually.

 

The second option will simultaneously save out the data in a comma separated format as Latitude, Longitude, Benchmark Number and Designation. I import this file into Microsoft Streets and Trips and it puts pushpins onto the map for each benchmark.

 

Just a little ditty for you all to play with. It's written in Visual Basic and has little in the way of error handling, so buyer beware!

[Xorand]

Here's some sample stuff for the program.

 

Screenshot of the program running:

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~utsllc101/data/programshot.jpg

 

Screenshot of a Streets and Trips map with benchmark pushpins imported:

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~utsllc101/data/samplemap.jpg

 

Sample text output from the program:

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~utsllc101/data/sampleoutput.jpg

 

Cheers!

[+dino_hunters]

it looks like a useful tool , but I can;t figure out how to save the text file. Can you help me with that?

 

War Eagle!!! (I grew Up in Auburn)

[Xorand]

Ooops, sorry. The program, by default, automatically saves the files to the root folder of the C: drive.

 

Filenames will be something like PIDS11111.TXT and PIDS11111.CSV, assuming you used zip code 11111.

 

You can open the .TXT file with Notepad, Wordpad (Write) or Word. It's just a plain text file, formatted to 70 characters or less per line.

 

The .CSV file can be opened in Excel (the default, if installed), but I use them to import pushpins into Streets and Trips, then sync the map to my Pocket PC device.

[+dino_hunters]

Thanks, it works great. Is there any way you can add the ability to search for benchmarks by coordinates? There are many benchmarks in the middle of nowhere that I;d like to be able to get the info for.

 

thanks for the program!!!

[+bitbrain]

 

Good work! This will definitely streamline my Benchmark Hunting preparations.

[+happycycler]

Thank you! I an not wise enough to have thought to ask for this but it is what I need! Thank you!

[Xorand]

quote:

---

Originally posted by tylosaurus:

Thanks, it works great. Is there any way you can add the ability to search for benchmarks by coordinates? There are many benchmarks in the middle of nowhere that I;d like to be able to get the info for.

 

thanks for the program!!!

---

 

Yup, I'll probably add that feature next. Probably should duplicate the search features available on the website. I'll probably clean up the program a bit and make it more user friendly.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

[+gnbrotz]

Can you also allow the benchmarks with skulls to be included (optionally)? I've found some of them in my area, so I don't automatically rule them out.

 

Greg

N 39 54.705'

W 77 33.137'

[+treyb79]

Hey!

 

Sorry I haven't had time to respond to your e-mail yet, but the software is a very nice time saver. I had been slowly importing by hand (ouch) my logged and potential benchmarks into DeLorme StreetAlex Deluxe. I prefer it to MS Trips just because it seems to be more accurate with it's placement of Lat/Lon coordinates on the local map.

 

I also found out how to import the .CSV comma delimited files created by your software into DeLorme. So, if anyone needs to know, here's how you do it:

 

1.) Start program as usual, with data disc in drive.

 

2.) Select the "Draw" Menu.

 

3.) Select "File"

 

4.) Select "Import"

 

5.) Select "All Files *.*" in the file browser window, and go to C: (or wherever you have the .csv file saved) and select it.

 

That's it. Couldn't be much simpler than that.

 

Again, nice job. This is a big help. Give me a call and let's get out this next weekend. BTW, hope that back's doing better. Sounded painful.

 

Trey Brooks

http://www.treybrooks.com

[+Team Shibby]

I like it! But I have 2 questions...

 

1.) Is there a way to have it find only certain types. I would prefer to hunt only BM's and Survey Disks in my area. Most triangulation points (in my area) are on rooftops or smokestacks so I would like to exclude them along with drill holes, etc.

 

2.) Is there a way to set the mileage radius? or maybe even sort by county or state?

 

TEAM SHIBBY!!!!

 

Krs, Kar & Na

[Xorand]

Just removed my software from my site. Please see the other thread in this forum titled "Even Better Free Benchmarking Software".

 

Typical of how my day has gone today. Well, off to erase the source code, too.

 

Have fun benchmarking!

[Elias]

Click here to go to the other thread.

 

Elias