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DSWorld Questions


PFF

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After letting recovery reports pile up on the desk for nearly a year, I decided to submit them to NGS using DSworld. The first problem I encountered involved the program connecting to the NGS server. It takes up to five minutes for the "no internet connection" message to go away. Eventually, it is able to connect. (This happens on 3 different computers, all of which have been able to connect to other internet sites at the time.)

 

I think the connection issue is related to my other problem: A few reports never get posted to the database. When I have finished a series of entries, I click EXIT on the entry form. A message appears that the reports are being uploaded. Often, I get a message that there is no internect connection, and sometimes it times out. When I've looked at the stations a few months later, some have been updated and some have not. I can't tell, at this point, if there is a pattern because in the beginning, I was not making notes about which stations were entered on a specific computer, or how many recovery reports a batch contained. (I'm watching this more closely, now.)

 

Specific questions:

(1) Is anyone else experiencing connection problems? I've noticed it sometimes takes a few tries to connect to NGS directly (not using DSworld). I have three computers, all running Windows. I keep them updatedm and one is only one year old, running Windows 7. The new computer uses Norton Security, and the other two rely on the Windows security package.

 

(2) Is there a way to verify that an upload was successful--other than waiting a couple of months and then checking each station individually in the data base?

 

-Paul-

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PFF,

 

Don't know if this is a related glitch - I have not used DSWorld for full recoveries - but a year ago after some good road trips in the southwest I would drop 75 or more PIDS (in recovery order) into DSWorld and then scroll along in Google Earth (partly for accuracy, but mostly for the memories) as I used the NGS format to recover them .

 

A few of the batch never showed up, but would peg if I submitted that single PID. Never tried to figure out the problem.

 

Mike

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Thanks, Mike. I've found the program to be very useful in planning a benchmark hunt.

 

I like your idea, and I can see that the ultimate NGS experience would be to let DSworld guide me to a mark, and then I could enter the recovery report into the form at the time. smile.gif

 

So, is the former submission system still in play? Ii.e., a benchmark hunter goes to the NGS website and fillS out the form for Deb to review? I'm much more comfortable with that system. The only issue I had with it was that it took 60 days or more for entries to appear in the database.

 

 

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So, is the former submission system still in play? Ii.e., a benchmark hunter goes to the NGS website and fillS out the form for Deb to review? >>>>>>>>>> took 60 days or more for entries to appear in the database.

 

My last NGS Recovery session was 2 Dec 2012 and the data sheets for the 22 that I submitted then are current. Just now used the below NGS 'Submit Recovery' format with no problems for a single entry (only one I had - house sitting for my daughter in Park Co, Montana, which I worked over pretty good in 2009).

 

NGS Mark Recovery Entry

 

kayakbird

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I have not encountered the problems you've noticed with DSWorld - with this and any suggestions you may have for improvements, drop a note to Malcolm Archer-Shee -- malcolm.archer-shee@noaa.gov. Malcolm is the primary programer for DSWorld and works under contract for NGS. He's a retired land surveyor so he knows the issues with finding and updating passive control information as well as anyone I've known and he's awesome about fixing or adding improvements to the program.

 

As to updates to the NGS database and hence the datasheet. Due to a variety of issues I regret that this is not a straight forward process. If you submit digital pictures they are usually added to the datasheet within 2-3 days. Updating hand-held positions and recovery information can easily take 5-6 weeks. Unfortunately NGS has experienced a number of retirements and is a very small, short staffed organization. Updating and maintaining the primary elements of the National Spatial Reference System such as the CORS, computing geoid models, developing transformation tools, maintaining the database and shoreline survey data tools takes up the vast majority of the agency's resources. I can assure you that they would love to have the ability to make these updates in a more timely fashion -- Maybe someday when they actually get a real budget.

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I have not encountered the problems you've noticed with DSWorld - with this and any suggestions you may have for improvements, drop a note to Malcolm Archer-Shee -- malcolm.archer-shee@noaa.gov. Malcolm is the primary programer for DSWorld and works under contract for NGS. He's a retired land surveyor so he knows the issues with finding and updating passive control information as well as anyone I've known and he's awesome about fixing or adding improvements to the program.
I want to echo Dave's comments. I had some now-forgotten issues when I first started using DSWorld. I contacted Malcolm, and he was very responsive. I haven't been doing a lot of benchmarking recently, but I have filed a small number of reports using DSWorld without incident in the last few months. I think, as Dave suggests, the issue is the manual processing by the short-staffed folks at NGS. And if, as looks likely, funding across the government is subject to sequester, I would not at all be surprised if NGS has to furlough some employees, which might make the process even slower than it is now.

~ArtMan~

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>>>>>>>>, drop a note to Malcolm Archer-Shee -- malcolm.archer-shee@noaa.gov. <<<<<<<<<<

 

This one has a one minute clerical error in the longitude.

 

RIVER RIGHT, 9 MILE CAMP, GLEN CANYON, COLORADO RIVER

 

d60101cf-02c1-4261-8617-44fcedc125a9.jpg

 

I have submitted the correction via DSWorld a couple of times but the datasheet has not been changed (HH2 in my recovery note is correct). Does Mr. Archer-Shee attend to little things like this; or should I attempt contact with someone at NGS?

 

Thanks, kayakbird

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I checked the datasheet for GP0238 and it shows the updated HH2 position you reported in a 2010 recovery note along with the pictures you took. Typically when HH1 and HH2 positions are submitted via DSWorld they are usually posted to the NGS database within 4-6 weeks. The loading process has a checking routine that flags anything that differs from the scaled value by more than 10 seconds of latitude/longitude. Those submissions must then be hand checked by someone, in most cases while I was still at NGS that was me. While these are typically a small number per month they can take take some time to resolve depending on work loads etc.

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I have not had any problems with DSWorld and the connection issues that you mentioned, Paul. I am very pleased with the interface and ease of use. Nevertheless, with my desktop computer, I can submit multiple reports and pictures without any issues, but with my laptop I must exit the program after each submission(pictures or report) or else I receive various error messages. I have told Malcolm about this and he thought that it might be a connection issue.

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DaveD,

 

Thanks for the response. I did notice that it is now carried as an HH1.

 

GP0238* NAD 83(1986) POSITION- 36 52 41.7 (N) 111 32 03.8 (W) HD_HELD1

 

Would that lock it out of a DSWorld correction?

 

The two 2006 GeoLoggers must have had a Total Station dialed in just right to see it from anywhere on the trail to the Horseshoe Bend Overlook. Would hate to use the five letter B word. MEL

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Specific questions:

(1) Is anyone else experiencing connection problems? I've noticed it sometimes takes a few tries to connect to NGS directly (not using DSworld). I have three computers, all running Windows. I keep them updatedm and one is only one year old, running Windows 7. The new computer uses Norton Security, and the other two rely on the Windows security package.

 

(2) Is there a way to verify that an upload was successful--other than waiting a couple of months and then checking each station individually in the data base?

 

-Paul-

 

Paul, which version of DSWorld are you using. The later versions have a log feature (in the view menu), that the program will keep logs of all your submittals...whether they are recovery reports, HH2 corrections, photos, etc.

 

DSWorld only keeps logs from the computer you submitted the information from. EX: If you have DSWorld installed on multiple computers, say computer A and computer B....................then you can only see the submittal logs for computer A that you used DSWorld to submit from computer A.

 

The NGS also state that any version of DSWorld below 2.05 won't function correct. Here is a copy of that from their site:

 

DSWORLD (Version 3.00)

DSWorld plots NGS network points by state, county and type (vertical or horizontal) in Google Earth. Google Earth must be installed prior to running DSWorld.

NOTE: After installing DSWorld, please run 'Tools>Update Program' to insure you have the latest intermediate update.

 

NOTE: Because of changes to NGS web offerings, older versions of DSWorld no longer function. Please upgrade to the latest release (2.05 or better).

Edited by LSUFan
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he's awesome about fixing or adding improvements to the program.

 

I totally concur. I have corresponded with Malcolm on several things about DSWorld, and he has always helped me. If you know of something you would like to see in DSWorld, I would follow Dave's advice and contact Malcolm. He is constantly improving the functionality of the program.

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