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Tip of the Week #67 - Background Map to Verify Data

By Matt McLean posted 02-12-2019 13:51

  

Are you a big fan of the Google Earth export in TBC? I sure am! It's handy for quickly sharing project data with clients in a digestible form. Did you know TBC has it's own background imagery? This is great for screenshots, deliverables, and—most notably—verifying that field data is in the correct coordinate system and things are (at least) close to where they should be!

 

Background Maps and Imagery are available in TBC Intermediate Edition and higher. If you're not sure what you're licensed for, go to Support > License > License Manager in TBC to find out.

 

Here I have a parcel which was keyed-in from a survey plan, (check out the CreateCOGO command on the Survey ribbon and this video to see how I did it), and I want to verify it's location to ensure my coordinate system is set up properly.

 

First thing I need to do, is log in to my free Trimble Connect account. I can do this from Options in the Quick Access toolbar.

 

Next, External Services - Profiles. If you don't have a Trimble Connect account yet, head over to connect.trimble.com and create a free account! We at Trimble are moving towards having a single login for all of our services, and Trimble Connect is that single account. If you have a Trimble Connect account already, click Create and choose a name for your profile.

 

Enter a name for your profile.

 

Then select Sign-In to open a login screen for Trimble Connect.

 

Select OK to close out of the options. To toggle the background map, select the Map toggle on the Status bar at the bottom of TBC.

 

This will open a Trimble Mapview background map by default. This shows roads and building footprints in most areas. 

 

What about background imagery you might ask? Well, we on the TBC team have the solution for you!

 

On the Project Explorer, right click on your project, select Properties. In the Properties pane, go to Type: and in the drop-down, select DigitalGlobe Imagery.

 

To better view your data over the background map, try toggling the background color on the TBC status bar, or adjusting the Transparency of the background map.

 

And there you go! Background Maps and Imagery built into TBC for quick verification of data.

 

TBC - From Field to Finish (and back!) with Confidence

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Comments

Joel Vogt
03-04-2020 10:39

When I toggle on the background map I get this error message.

I have set up my coordinate system, any ideas?

Thanks

Joel

Saif Bin Darwish
12-18-2019 22:29

Naermap is a paid service. Right?

 

On Wed, Dec 18, 2019 at 6:49 PM frank.guerrero@ebcc.com <trimble@jiveon.com>

Francisco Guerrero
12-18-2019 07:47

I just came across NearMap.  I am waiting to hopefully get a trail download.  Their update ariel images is great when we need to show our work to others in the company.  Also says the resolution is much better,  this will be great if it is and be nice to import into TBC for better image qualitity.

Russell Smith
09-26-2019 17:05

Hi Matt,

Any updates on when this functionality will become available?

I would use WMS a lot.

Thanks

Robert Hoy
08-05-2019 17:17

Since it's a part of Access 2019, hopefully it's not far off from being part of TBC.

David Young
08-05-2019 07:47

They said above this isn't available right now. I wish it was. I have two states I work in that has WMS servers that have 6" pixels

Liam Curran
05-29-2019 14:54

Our State Gov has quite a few service options for imagery delivery - will any of these (below) integrate with the background mapping described? 

 

Digital Globe is rather coarse in this part of the world...

Sean Lahann
05-29-2019 06:32

This is a great option! It is so nice to not have to toggle between TBC and GE anymore. Now, if I could only connect to my local (agency) map service. Thanks!!

Liam Curran
05-19-2019 22:21

Does Near Map integrate with this feature?

 

Thanks, Liam

Robert Hoy
04-24-2019 17:29

Matt,

Your option for logging in through Options is a way to always log in, but in my example above I get an error trying to use that method. I realized today on the start screen when TBC opens you can log into Connect which actually let me log in. Now I'm able to have digital globe background images shown.  

Robert Hoy
04-01-2019 10:55

I'm able to log in through a Trimble connect log in via a web browser from a google search, but I can't through your instructions in this weekly tip through TBC. It could be my company's website communication blocking programs from contacting websites. Here is the error I get trying to sign into Connect through the options in TBC.

 

Matt McLean
04-01-2019 09:23

Yes, that is correct, kind of. To log into Community, you use a Trimble ID. Trimble Connect uses the Trimble ID to login, and offers a range of additional functionality. You will still have to create a Trimble Connect account if you don't have one already, but it will use the same login as you used for this site.

 

Cheers,

Matt

Robert Hoy
03-31-2019 12:37

Is a Trimble connect account the same account I logged into be able to add this reply? it's hard to tell.

Robert Hoy
03-31-2019 12:20

Yes, google maps aerial photos in Access is long overdue. Competitors have it.

Matt McLean
03-27-2019 09:29

Hi Jeff,

Does your job have a coordinate system, or is it a local site/scale only project?

I saw the same as you without a coordinate system assigned and in the 3D view. I was able to fix this by 1. Applying a coordinate system. (Can set the project location in Project settings > Coordinate System > Local Site) 2. Switching to plan view, turning on the background map via the bottom bar of TBC, and re-opening the properties of the project from the Project Explorer.

 

Let me know if this works,

Matt

Matt McLean
03-27-2019 09:17

Hi David,

We cannot do this today in TBC, it is on our enhancement list of features to add!

 

Cheers,

Matt

David Young
03-26-2019 12:28

Any way to add WMS Image services? Many states have resources. Two of the States I work in have 6" pixles for the whole state. It is really easy to add them in civil 3d or arcgis. It would really be nice to be able in TBC.

Jeff Clark
03-26-2019 10:40

TBC version 5.00 (5.0.6956.26460)

Jeff Clark, PLS, RLS

Precision Products

270-559-9097 (cell)

jeff@yourprecision.com

 

 

On Tue, Mar 26, 2019 at 11:47 AM matt_mclean@trimble.com <trimble@jiveon.com>

Matt McLean
03-26-2019 09:46

Hi Jeff, which version and edition of TBC are you running? (v5.0 advanced for example).

Matt McLean
03-26-2019 09:44

Hi Sharlene,

This is related to an installation issue I have seen before. The solution is to re-install TBC but uninstall using the Cleanup Utility which came installed with TBC.

 

Instructions:

Before running, export your project options, any custom ribbons, and any templates and save them outside of the TBC programs folder (I use the desktop).
Options:
Custom ribbons: Right click on an empty part of the ribbon.
and Templates (contained here)

Open the Cleanup Utility by seaching in the Windows 10 bar for "Cleanup", or navigating to the Trimble Office program folder, which should contain the Cleanup Utility.

 

Open and run the utility on "Quick" mode, this will remove all TBC related installation files to ensure a clean install.

 

You will be prompted towards the end of the process asking "This operation will remove and backup Feature Definition (.fxl) files to another folder. Do you want to continue?" Answer No to this, and you will retain your feature definition library.

Reinstall TBC, if you still have the .exe in your downloads you can use that, otherwise find the download link here
After installing, you can import the same settings you exported, and TBC will be set up just as it was before.

Hopefully that does it. 

Jeff Clark
03-26-2019 09:19

When i select properties of my job i do not have the extra task bar to select any background map or transparency.Tip of the Week #67 - Background Map to Verify Data

Sharlene Naidoo
03-26-2019 04:59

Thanks for the post. How would I add DigitalGlobe? My TBC only gives the option for Trimble Mapview.

Mark Macfarlane
02-27-2019 17:17

That is cool. I can't wait until we can get this functionality in Access as well.

Saif Bin Darwish
02-12-2019 21:58

On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 12:52 AM matt_mclean@trimble.com <trimble@jiveon.com>