HP ALTO-G12 - Manual (Page 7)

Advanced Techniques
Creating Data Dictionaries
Data dictionaries allow you to attach attribute data to GPS points, lines, or areas. The
dictionaries must be designed and created using the PC-GPS software, and then uploaded to
the units. Dictionaries increase the efficiency of data collection and reduce the risk of
associating a location with the wrong attribute data.
A. Create a feature list.
Start the PC-GPS 3.62d software. Go to the GPS menu, then Feature List. A window will
appear that allows you to either i) open an existing feature list (*.fbr) or ii) create a new
feature list (type in a filename to create and press OK).
Attribute data are modeled using Features, Attributes and Values. The Feature is the general
descriptive term: e.g. Tree. A tree is characterized by various Attributes: Species, DBH,
Height, etc. Each attribute has a specific value. If you know the range of possible values, you
can create a list that users can easily select the correct choice from. If the range of possible
values is too large to accommodate, or you are measuring precise numbers, you just leave the
Values field blank and the user can type in the value manually at the time of collection.
Click on a blue box and start
typing to fill in a field. Remember
to keep your words short (e.g. 20
letters max).
Use the Insert button to add more
lines (you must fill in the first line
before it will allow you to insert
more).
See pages 66-69 in the “PC-GPS
Reference Guide” for detailed
instructions.
Press OK when you are finished.
B. Uploading the data dictionary to the Alto-G12
Connect the Alto-G12 to the PC using the black-coiled cable as described above (you may wish
to refer to the section “Setting Up the COM Port”). Turn the unit ON, then F4 (XFER), F4
(RECV). A status screen will appear that says WAITING.
In the PC-GPS software on your PC, select GPS, Transfer, Send. Change the file type to Feature
List (*.fbr). Select the file you wish to transfer, and press OK. If successful, you will see
activity on both screens. If it seems to do nothing, then you likely have a connection problem
(see the section “To download the data you have collected” for tips on troubleshooting).
[Note: use the ESC key to force the unit to exit out of transfer mode if you have a connection problem.]
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