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 TBC Baseline processing taking too long

Ben Bryant's profile image
Ben Bryant posted 12-05-2024 21:07

Hi 

Could anyone please help troubleshoot why TBC baseline processing is taking so long? I have update my TBC to the latest version 2024-10.  I am trying to process 8 baselines with 30 second epoch intervals. The receivers (T10s T12s and T980) were run for aprox 6-10 hours with a overlap of at least 6hours where all 8 receivers were running. It is currently at 6 of 8 processed after about 3 hours. Similar sessions for the same project are taking just as long and a colleague's machine is similarly taking as long.

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated 

Thanks

Robert Hoy's profile image
Robert Hoy

Did each baseline take 45 minute to process or was it just #6 or 7 that is taking so long?

Dave Olander's profile image
Dave Olander

Can you share a link to the data?

Ben Bryant's profile image
Ben Bryant

Each of the baselines took upwards of 45 mins to process. 

Please see attached a link to the files. 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/oh1e3ci357fz2u3gcd0iu/AFhjuuvnNcqiJ9WCfKKgZYc?rlkey=cze8kzzb6hiledkioa8uzyckw&st=zhxb9m93&dl=0

There were four separate days of data collection. The above problem with processing was day 2, but all of the days are taking abnormal amount of time to process.  MGA2020 zone 54. 

Dave Olander's profile image
Dave Olander

Processing these baselines which are shown on your processing dialogue took about 1 minute with mostly default settings:

Some thoughts:

Make sure you are running the multi-thread baseline processor (enhancement of the year when it came out in HD GNSS). Looking for the setting I don't see it anymore so it must be hard-coded. You can check this by (while the processor is running) hitting CTL-Shift-ESC, click on "performance" and "CPU". The processor graph might bounce between them on the chart, but if you are using only 1 you should be able to tell. The image below is from when it was running the 6 that you show.

My utilization is only about 1/3 of the available processing power which is a little surprising. I'm pretty sure I've seen it use 100% in the past. I have been out of the static processing role for years, and my memory is cloudy about what to expect with this. I may be getting mobile trajectory and point cloud processing mixed up with this discussion.:

It looks like your logging interval is 15 seconds which is reasonable in general for static, and may be required depending on your standards, but it is overkill for baselines that are several hours, as they are in this case although again it might be required. The baseline processor can automatically down-sample the interval if you want. Try setting the processing interval to automatic if it isn't already and see if it improves. This will reduce each vector computation to the interval that is needed. Settings --> Baseline Processing --> Processing interval: Automatic

That is what I had to get it to process quickly. It down-sampled them down to either 3 or 4 minutes:

When I set the processing interval to 15 seconds, which it appears you have the file logging at, it took quite a while. All 6 took 2 hours. If you compare the estimated precisions below at (15 seconds), with those above (at automatic 3 - 4 minutes), you can see that there is a very moderate improvement in precision. You can decide whether it is worth it. One strategy might be to do your analysis with the interval set to automatic and doing it at a defined interval for the final vectors.

The first one finished in about 14 minutes

At which time the processor utilization dropped to about 27%:

In summary, I suspect that you are processing nominally 6 hour baselines, with full GNSS (60+ satellites) at a 15 second interval. That will take a while.

Ben Bryant's profile image
Ben Bryant

Thankyou Dave for taking the time to look at this and respond - much appreciated. 

Setting the processing interval to Automatic improves things (I had been processing at 30s intervals despite collecting at 15s intervals).  I will look into whether I am using using the multi thread baseline processor. Similarly I am using about 1/3 of the available processing power (32GB Ram)

Cheers

Robert Hoy's profile image
Robert Hoy

Somewhere there is a Trimble white paper from 5 or so years ago and in it, lists recommended data rates for static depending on session length.  Basically shorter sessions needing more frequent logging while longer (in the hours range) need less frequent.   You want satellites to move to determine your position.   8 hour session recording certainly doesn't need data logged every 15 seconds, but probably in the 1 to 5 minute range.  More data is not always more beneficial or even useful, and in your situation ends up being a hindrance.