Maybe someone can help me. I bought a Topcon Digital Level- a DL-502- which I have since learned is really a Sokkia.
We used the level and when we wanted to download it, found it wouldn't download with Topcon Link. Then they told me
that it would work with a FC-120 they had so I plopped down another thousand dollars for that. I still need the files out of
it. Oh, well that will have to be done with your PC. Back to Topcon Link again. I spent time with the dealer going over all
sorts of settings this morning and still no joy. He sent me a Sokkia routine that extracted the files to my desktop in a
spreadsheet "csv" format. Topcon Link won't open the csv format. I emailed a friend at another company that has an older
Topcon Digital Level and he said they had a module that has to be added to Topcon Link to download and do adjustments.
I forward that email to my dealer and he said no it doesn't need another module and send me a PDF of the Topcon Link manual.
I'm frustrated with Topcon and my dealer. Does anybody know if there is a module that has to be added to TL?
What do I download and adjust my data with?
On edit, my friend used a TDS routine to download and edit the data. I didn't pay enough attention. What Topcon program
do I use?
Thanks
Did you buy the level from Topcon? If so, that's pretty bad that they didn't make sure you were able to download it or at least tell you need to spend another $1000 and go thru a bunch of hoops to use the darn thing. I know many people are crazy about their digital levels and I only demo'd one several years ago and decided I didn't need that kind of drama to do what I can do with 40-year-old technology, but your story doesn't make me want to go out and buy one either.
If its in CSV, your drafting program should be able to read it.
I'm not familiar with the Topcon Link program, but the Trimble one only reads Trimble files that haven't been edited. The linking programs are supposed to make life easier(and keep you locked into a brand), sounds like your dealer gave you a work-around to a bad software issue instead of solving your problem.
Out of curiosity, send me your .csv file (if you want to), and I'll take a look at it. I have dealt with Topcon (and other) so-called "spread sheet files" before (all were ASCII text files in various formats). If the .csv files that you are dealing with, are IN FACT ASCII files (with reasonably formatting), it shouldn't be too big a deal to reformat them to something that "most" leveling packages can handle.
Thanks, Loyal. I have made some progress, though. The "csv" files can be imported into Topcon Tools 8. It was a whole 'nother adventure getting
the new version (up from 7.2) to recognize my dongle. I never did get Topcon Link to download the Digital Level files. My dealer sent me a Sokkia routine that
gets them out but Link, nada. I guess all I need now is to see what Byzantine steps Topcon Tools will require to do a least sq. adjustment to the loops.
We have been using Sokkia Levels for years. Download the file with hyperlink then use an Excel routine for any adjustments. Our biggest problem is the lack of serial ports on the newer computers that gonna bite us on a lot of our equipment for file downloading.
idaho red:
We have been using Sokkia Levels for years. Download the file with hyperlink then use an Excel routine for any adjustments. Our biggest problem is the lack of serial ports on the newer computers that gonna bite us on a lot of our equipment for file downloading.
Can't help thinking that the frustration here should be directed at the dealer, not the equipment. I'm sure there are many posters here and elsewhere who use that very piece of equipment all the time without hassles.
Sounds like you didn't get the full training when you bought the equipment, and the dealer didn't give you the full story about all the peripherals needed to operate efficiently.
Topcon Link the free software can read the files from the DL 502 and 101, but just like any piece of technology it needs the right and correct settings and also part of the issues is the csv file if you haven't thrown the DL on the bottom of the lake yet, try exporting the file as a srd2x.
