Data Integrity | Back to User Tips

For legal reasons and simple data integrity, we are protecting your original collector data for you.

1) When you download from a data collector (any brand or model), into MapScenes or MapScenes Pro, you get an ASCII format file and that file is the one specified in the "DOWNLOADING - Confirm data collector/total station brand" dialog. We default this file automatically to be in the *.PRJ directory (where the * is the name of the scene created in MapScenes and MapScenes Pro). This file may be a RAW collector file, which has the actual angles and distances recorded in it, or it may be a Coordinate collector file with Northings, Eastings and Elevations recorded in it. Both of these file types will be in the format specific to your collector but should also be readable in any text editor if you wish to review the original data collected, at a later date. You may need to know the format of the file to interpret the original data.

2) Next we automatically make a copy of this same downloaded collector file and add a date stamp to the original name of the file, giving a unique final name for archive purposes. We take your file name and append the year_month_day_hour_minute_seconds and save it in the \Forensic Scenes\Downloads folder for you.

Example: Original download file name might be "CRASH1.RAW" the new name we would give it would be "CRASH1_2000_12_23_13_45_52.RAW". This means that the copy we make is now the name of your original file but with the exact date and time of the download appended to the name. In this example the original file was downloaded on December 23rd 2000 at 1:45:52 in the afternoon.

3) Next we take the ASCII file in the *.PRJ folder (from 1 above) and create scene measurement database files (these have the .nx st and .def extensions) and are also placed in the same *.PRJ directory, but are a non-ASCII format. Any editing that you do to the data in the Scene Measurement routines is done to these non-ASCII files. You may only access these file from within the MapScenes or MapScenes Pro program using the Scene Measurement report commands.

This way, neither the original downloaded file (from 1 above), nor the date stamped copy (from 2 above) gets changed. The original will always remain untouched in the *.PRJ directory (provided you don't overwrite it on subsequent downloads, or the user doesn't intentionally use a text editor and open that file). And the one in the \forensic scenes\downloads\ directory will never get overwritten because the name now includes the date/time stamp. Even downloading several times in a row will always give a unique date/time stamp, so this file will always be available and safe. (subject to manual erasing of the files) The contents of both files is identical.

Note: the ASCII file that gets loaded into the text editor where we say "... It is strongly recommended that you print this NOW. ...", immediately after downloading, is the file stored in the *.PRJ directory (from 1 above).

4) In the MapScenes and MapScenes Pro program, you can VIEW and PRINT your RAW data by going to the MapScenes pull down menu, select "Print/Edit/View Reports" and then select coordinate or original (Raw) data options. Prior to printing, you can edit the report and make very minor changes in the format of the report. To underline text you need to highlight it (press the left mouse button and drag it over the text) and then press the CTRL and U keys at the same time. To bold text do the same but press CTRL and B instead, and Italic Text is the same except with the CTRL and I keys. Once you complete the edits and have printed the file, you can now save the report file onto the hard drive, in the location you choose and in one of several different formats, via the SAVEAS command under the file menu.

5) When you exit MapScenes or MapScenes Pro, the current Scene is closed and saved. This means the *.PRJ folder is also closed and all the files contained in that folder are compressed into a file called *.PST. This PST file can not be viewed independently and you must reopen the scene in MapScenes or MapScenes Pro to be able to find and view the files again. The *.PRJ folder is then removed from the computer.

When you pick the save command, the same process happens except the *.PRJ folder is not erased. If a *.PST file already exists then it is renamed to *.PBK automatically prior to the save. If a *,PBK file already exists then it is erased prior to the *.PST being renamed. The *.PBK file is now a backup file that can be accessed if required, at a later date.

At the same time as the *.PST file is being saved, the actual drawing is also saved in a file called *.FLX. If a *.FLX file already exists then it is renamed to *.BAK automatically prior to the save. If a *,BAK file already exists then it is erased prior to the *.FLX being renamed. The *.BAK file is now a backup file that can be accessed if required, at a later date.

Cheers,

Glen W. Cameron, CET
Technical Support Manager