updated: 18-Jun-2009
Copan for Windows
Coordinate Files
Virtually everything in Copan involves a coordinate file, or coordfile for short.
Even if you'd like to process only coordinates from another program, you must first create a new coordfile and then import them.
A coordfile is a standalone file containing a head record and a set of survey point records (wich are described in § Point Records).
It is a binary file and has a .pts name extension.
To Create a New Coordinate File
- CoordFile | New...
- Enter a Job name or ID and other details you'd like kept in the head record.
You can always come back and edit the details later.
- Optionally, check Create project folder to have Copan automatically create a project folder in the Initial Project Folder.
Then check Copy auxiliary files to project folder to have Copan do that if you wish to have auxiliary files specific to the new project.
(The default location for the new coordfile is the current Project Folder.)
- Create... or OK.
- Optionally, navigate to the another folder or enter an alternative file name.
By default, the filename is the same as the Job #, plus the .pts extension.
- Save the coordfile.
To Open an Existing Coordinate File
- CoordFile | Open...
- Navigate to the coordfile.
- Open the coordfile.
- If someone is already using that file, or if Copan has prematurely ended while that file was in use, you will be told that editing is disabled.
To Save an Existing Coordinate File under a New Name
- CoordFile | Save as...
- Enter the new name, or navigate to one you wish to overwrite.
- Save the coordfile. (This won't change its Job #.)
To Edit the Head Record
- CoordFile | Edit Head...
- Enter or edit the details. You may change the Job # but this won't change the name of the coordfile.
Most coordfile head fields are not processed by Copan and can be omitted.
The exceptions being Job # and Surveyor, which are used during manual entry of field data, and
the Seek auxiliary files in option which tells Copan where to find the auxiliary files for this coordfile:
- in the program's main auxiliary file folder, or
- in the coordfile's own project folder.
- Update the head.
Notes
- You may change the name of a coordfile using any normal Windows method, but this won't change its Job #.
updated: 18-Jun-2009