Ok, this has me really frustrated. I have been saving my Locus projects to the zip disk. My hopes were to have either Locus V1.2 or Solutions V2.4 on my laptop as well as my home PC. Have loaded Solutions and Locus processor on said laptop.
Now, I was hoping to copy the project file I wanted from the zip disk to the laptop. So far so good. But when I try to process vectors on the laptop, it works fine as long as the zip drive is connected and the zip disk is loaded. If the zip disk is not loaded, the processing starts and states: Cannot find E:/......./(raw data file name).
My intent was to COPY these files to the C: directory/projects sub-directory and it just isn't happening. I have tried "adding raw data from disk", highlighted the raw data files, and the processor indicates it is "loading data". Once again, with the zip drive running it will process, without it will not.
The project indicates in the time view and the files dialogue that everything is there. But once I try to "process all" without the zip drive, it gives me the same "cannot find E:/...... as if it is trying to use the zip drive as the hard drive.
In the download pane, the raw data files are there, on the right hand pane in the specified project directory. In the left pane, if I chose "from disk" and use the E: (zip drive) source, I can highlight the raw data files I want (which are also on the right pane) and if I try and drag and drop it asks me if I want to overwrite. If I delete the files in the right hand pane, and then try and drag and drop, I get a message "file does not contain navigation data" or the such.
Anybody have any suggestions?
TIA Dave
Modified By Dave Huff on 8/12/2001 at 5:45 PM

I'm not using Solutions 2.4 but...

Copy the files to the laptop HD. Creat a new project. Load from disk using the laptop hd. Process.

Note: the project contains the location of the files. If the files move from this location they cannot be found. when loading from disk they aren't copied from there to the current project directory but the project is pointed to them.

Jimbo
Modified By James Webb on 8/12/2001 at 9:36 PM

Dave,

I suppose you got my email. I think your question here sounds like part of my question to you.

Jimbo,

Ditto Dave's question. I'll go you one more. Explain with a bit more detail. You said to copy the files to the hard drive. Anywhere specific. I assumed, I guess incorrectly, that loading files from disk would actually save the files to the current job folder. I think I had the same experience Dave had when trying to process an old file (also from zip disk) that the file would process, could be tinkered with, and saved. At least I thought saved in it's entirety. Nope, when I opened the file again, without the zip disk in the drive, nothing doing.

So, to what target directory do you suggest copying the files, and if not the entire "folder", which particular files. I would assume only the "B" and "E" files for static, and the "D" file for kine. Should these files be copied to the new job folder after the folder is created and closed with no data downloaded? I know I went through this last fall and made it work, but forgot what procedure worked best.

Thank's

J.D.

When you are taking these files off a zip drive, aren't they read only? You need to check the properties of these files after you put them on your hard drive. (right click, properties) If they say read only, change to archive.
If left in read-only none of your changes will be saved.
I have experienced similar problems when taking data from a CD-R.

MW,

Don't know if zip drives set the read only attribute but I don't think the B and e files are modified during processing anyway. Really shouldn't matter if they aren't mdoified.

Dave and JD,

Here is my understanding of how Ashtech handles files in the software.

The project file holds pointers to the project and the data. When it needs to read data it looks for the path that was given when you initially loaded the data files from the zip drive, i.e. Zip:\project name\datafiles. If that zip disk is not in the zip drive...Not found error occurs. If zip disk is in drive should be No problem.

How too avoid needing "that zip disk".

(My suggestion but there are 10E10 different ways.)

I.On your Hard drive...C: D: E: F: ...doesn't matter what but consistency makes things easier.
II. Create project folder.
III. Open project folder
IIIA. create gps data folder in project folder.
IIIB. Create GPS calc folder in project folder
IV. Copy files from wherever (or download from Locus and/or HP)to drive ??:\project folder\gps data folder
V. Open Project Manager
VA. New Project
VB. Project Location drive ??:\project folder\gps calc folder\
VC. Project Name XXXX
VD. NOTE: ProjectName adds XXXX to Project Location path automatically.
VI. Select "Load data files from disk"
Use path to files as in IV above.
VII. Process
VIII.Now when you copy off to Zip drag and drop Project from II above (This copies everything)onto zip.
IX. If you want to reuse project copy project from zip back to the same drive that it came from in I above.


Hope this makes sense :>)

Jimbo

Modified By James Webb on 8/13/2001 at 3:09 PM

Jimbo,

That makes perfectly good sense to you.

Thank me very much

J.D.


Just kidding. I believe that is the procedure to use. Thanks

Hi all,

Jimbo's right. Any changes made during processing are written to the project file. The B & E-files are only read (and left untouched to preserve the integrity of the raw data).

There are many ways to handle your file management, but mine is very similar to Jimbo's. Data to be processed should always be loaded to the hard drive.

Regards,
Brian

Dave,

I think the problem is with the copying of files and/or the "read only" property. You shouldn't be in the Download module at this point, and it sounds like you might be there. I haven't seen the "read only" problem with a zip drive, but that's a good call by M Willmoth, so check that, as well. Send me your phone number and a convenient time to call, and we'll discuss it.
JD, same for you.

Linda
Ashtech Tech Support
lmalcom@magellangps.com

Linda,

I don't think it's a read/write problem with zip drives. I think Jimbo has a handle on it. It probably is the way Locus Processor and Solutions handles file management by "tagging" a path to the files. I did have this same problem last fall when trying to use data files I had already moved to either a zip disk or 3-1/2" floppy. It's just a bit confusing thinking that "download from disk" should actually copy the files from the zip/floppy to the current job file, not unlike "download from receiver", when it doesn't. Absolutely no problem as long as we have a solid work around.

Thanks,

J.D.

Brian, thanks for the second opinion. I'm not speaking for Dave H., but I had just emailed him practically the same question over the weekend. I guess great minds do think (or not think) alike.

J.D.,

I knew there was some sublimenal reason why I tackled the zip drive file thing, and all the while you were FISHING!

I'm sending you a bill for my hours of R&D that I put into this project over the weekend. Now, what was your address?
Dave

Dave,

I didn't say I was gonna get the chance to go fishin' this weekend (or any other week lately), just wishful thinking. Never mind sending me a bill...I should send you one for the psychiatric assistance rendered for your current "awareness disorder". Nah, it would just go on the books as lost income with all the other overhead expenses lately.

J.D.

p.s. Let us (me) know if you followed Jimbo's procedure, and how it worked for the situation. Sounds logical to me.