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Road P-Line Traverse with Cross Sections

Updated May 14, 2021

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Entering traverse notes without using the mouse is a faster method for the experienced user. All functions for entering traverse notes can be accomplished with keystrokes. The following example demonstrates some techniques using keystrokes to minimize data entry time.

Customizing the Traverse Screen for a P-Line Survey

Unlike the previous boundary example, the P-line traverse in this example includes perpendicular side slopes, creek crossings, and ground types. To accommodate this additional information, you will configure your entry screen and save it as a new layout.

Note: See Getting Started section for file install folders (<SurveyMap> and <Defaults and Layouts>)

1. File | New; select Traverse Document; press OK. You will be prompted for the start coordinates; press OK to take the defaults. Maximize the window by clicking the maximize button  on the top right of the traverse document window.

The columns, entry order and other options currently reflect the settings in your default screen layout (<Defaults and Layouts>\Normal.slt). For consistency, we will start this exercise from a screen layout provided with the tutorial.

2. View | Retrieve button <Defaults and Layouts>Training\training block.slt.
3. Change the columns displayed:

1. Select Traverse | Traverse Entry button or right mouse click and select Traverse Entry Options to open the dialogue box.
2. Press the Columns button to open the column selection dialogue box.
3. In the Displayed list, select in order (use the Shift Up/Down buttons if necessary):
   • Station
   • Type
   • Fore Shot
   • Back Shot
   • Slope
   • S.Dist
   • SS Left
   • SS Right
   • Gnd
   • Creek
   • Label.
4. Press OK.

4. Change the entry order:

1. Press the Tab/Enter Sequence button.
2. Ensure the Selected list displays, in order:
   • SS Left
   • SS Right
   • Gnd
   • Creek
   • Label
   • Type
   • Foreshot
   • Backshot
   • Slope
   • S.Dist.
3. Press OK.

5. Enable the Multiple Side Shots in the Automatic Extended Entry area.
6. Press OK to exit the Traverse Entry Options dialogue box.
7. Save your customized traverse screen layout by View | Save button. Save as <Defaults and Layouts>\Training\pline.slt.

You can later retrieve this layout using menu View | Retrieve Screen Layout.

8. Optional: if you had trouble with the previous step, View | Retrieve button <Defaults and Layouts>\Training\training pline.slt.

Note: If a layout is saved in the RoadEng directory, <Defaults and Layouts> or <Defaults and Layouts>\training, it will be available through the Screen Layouts toolbar dropdown. You can also create your own screen layouts folders; right click on the Softree folder in the Screen Layouts toolbar dropdown.

9. File | Save, as <SurveyMap>\Notes\spur2.tr1.

Entering a Traverse with Side Shots

10. Select Traverse | Current Field button to open the Extended Side Shot Edit dialogue box (figure below). The Extended Side Shot Edit dialogue box allows perpendicular side shots (cross section shots) to be entered.

Figure 1: Extended Side Shot Edit Dialogue Box

Note: Pressing the <Tab> key moves the cursor from field to field within dialogue boxes. Pressing <Shift + Tab> reverses the direction. In the Extended Side Shot Edit dialogue box, <Page Up> mimics <Shift + Tab> and <Page Down> mimics <Tab>; this allows one-handed entry from the keyboard.

Referring to the Traverse notes in the figure below:

11. Type the first left slope -20, press <Page Down>.
12. Type slope distance 40, press <Page Down>.
13. Type final left slope –100. Press <Enter> or click OK.

The dialogue box will re-fresh. The cursor will be positioned to enter the shots right of the centerline (<Alt + R> will also jump to the right-hand side).

14. Type 25 in the SSR Slp. (%) S.D.
15. box. Press <Enter> to exit the Extended Side Shot Editor.

Figure 2: Spur Traverse Notes

Note: The extended side shots defined in the dialogue box will be displayed in the SSL and SSR fields as one line of text (-20/40.0 T,-100/..). It is possible to directly type extended side shots in the SSL and SSR fields once the syntax is known. The “T” stands for turning point and represents a check in the corresponding TP box in the dialogue box. A slash, “/”, can be typed instead of a comma between shots if desired.

16. The cursor should be positioned in the GND column. Type SR (Solid Rock), under the GND column. Press <Enter> to skip the CRK column.

Note: Ground types are used to determine engineering properties, such as cut/fill angles for road design. It is important to record them in the field correctly. If using the traverse for road design, check to see that the cut/fill angles and ground types are pertinent to the geographic location. Changing the ground types can be done using Traverse | Types or Layers by Range buttons.

17. The cursor should now be in the Label column, type main stn 657.5, press <Enter>.
18. Press <Enter> again, to accept the default shot type FS (Foreshot).
19. Type 330.0 in Fore Azimuth column, press <Enter>. Type 150 in Back Azimuth column, press <Enter>.
20. Type 7 in the slp% column, press <Enter>.
21. Type 47.7 in the S.D. column, press <Enter>.
22. The Extended Side Shot Edit dialogue box will appear again. Type –15 <Page Down> type 10 <Page Down> type –50 <Enter>; and for the right type 15 <Enter>.
23. Press <Enter> again to indicate that SR will also apply to the second survey station, and <Enter> <Enter> to skip Creeks and Labels entry fields.

Use Traverse | Traverse Entry | Tab/Enter Sequence to remove any columns infrequently used (such as Creeks and Labels) from the entry sequence; these fields can always be selected with the mouse or use <Control + Arrow keys> to move the cursor to the field to input data.

24. Continue entering notes from the figure above until station 82.2 GND field. The ground type at station 82.2 indicates a 1.0 m layer of HP on top of SR.
25. At station 82.2, with the cursor in the GND column, double click or press <Control + O> to open the Ground Layers dialogue box (figure below).

Figure 3: Ground Layers Dialogue Box

26. Select HP Hard Pan depth 1.0 for Layer1; select SR Solid Rock for Layer2. Note the depth for Layer 1 cannot be entered until a ground type for Layer 2 is selected. Layer 2 depth is ignored unless there is a third layer. Press OK.

For the next two stations, the program will automatically default to the previous ground type. Ground types only have to be entered when the ground type changes. Don't forget to change the ground type to HP at station 121.1.

Note: Extended depths and ground types can be entered by double clicking in the GND column, or by <Control + O> when the cursor is in the GND column and entering the data into the Ground Layers Dialogue Box. The materials and layer depths can also be typed directly in the GND field (i.e. HP/1/SR). Layers are displayed in the cross section of the Extended Side Shot Edit dialogue box.

27. Continue entering notes in Figure 2 until station 349.3.

Note: For IFS (Intermediate Foreshots) shots, type ‘I’ under the Type column or select IFS from the drop box and skip the Azimuth column(s). The azimuth of the IFS will automatically be determined from the azimuth of the next non-IFS shot.

For culvert dimensions, type the pipe diameter in mm in the CRK column. <Control + O> or a double click in the CRK field will provide more options for entering creek/culvert information.

28. Close the window. Do not save changes.