Project CRS Attribute Importer

The Project CRS Attribute Importer plugin allows users to:

1. Retrieve CRS Data: Connect to the Trimble Geodetic Library to retrieve and store CRS attributes in Tekla Structures.
2. Attach Point Clouds: Attach point clouds to the model and retrieve combined scaling factors from Trimble Geodetic Library, ensuring accurate scaling and positioning.
3. Manage Point Clouds: Change the scaling factor of already attached point clouds and manage point cloud data within the model.

Software Requirements:

• Tekla Structures 2024 or later.

Operating System:

• Windows 10 or later (64-bit).

To download and use the Project CRS Attribute Importer plugin for Tekla Structures, you need a paid subscription or an active maintenance agreement and a legacy on-premises license. If you do not have a Trimble Identity account, you can create one here and find support here.

The Trimble Identity account is used to access Tekla Structures, Tekla Warehouse, and Trimble Connect. It also enables the Project CRS Attribute Importer plugin to seamlessly communicate with the Trimble Geodetic Library to retrieve CRS data.

1. Download the Project CRS Attribute Importer plugin from Tekla Warehouse.
2. Double-click the .tsep file to install the plugin and follow the on-screen instructions, or see here for more instructions and information on other installation options.
3. Start Tekla Structures and open a model.
4. Select Applications & components in the side pane, then select Ungrouped items. The Project CRS Attribute Importer plugin should now be listed there. 

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4. Optionally, use the Ribbon Editor to add the Project CRS Attribute Importer plugin on your personalized tab. The icon is included in the TSEP file of the plugin.

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The Trimble Geodetic Library is a set of software libraries commonly used across Trimble to transform geodetic coordinates (latitude, longitude, height) into plane coordinates and elevation (north, east, elevation), as well as to perform time dependent datum transformations and other geodetic computations.

For more information on Trimble Geodetic Library, see this blog post.

1. Use the Setup tab to retrieve the CRS database from Trimble Geodetic Library.
2. Use the CRS Attributes tab to select the country, Coordinate Reference System and zone, then save the attributes in Tekla Structures.
3. Use the Point Clouds tab to attach point clouds when a scaling factor is needed, or to obtain and change the scaling factor of point clouds already existing in the model.

To retrieve the CRS attributes, the plugin connects to the Trimble Geodetic Library. This can be done on the Setup tab.

1. Go to the Setup tab.

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2. Update the database:
   1. To refresh the database from the server, click Refresh Database. Your internet browser opens, and the connection is established automatically.
      In some cases, you may need to sign in with your Trimble Identity at this stage. Refer to the Prerequisites chapter for more information.
   2. If you want to use a previously downloaded database in a new model, click Copy Database from Cache to copy the database to the model folder.
3. Check for a message at the bottom left-hand side indicating that the database has been successfully updated or copied.

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The CRS tab allows you to select the Coordinate Reference System (CRS) for the project and store it in Tekla Structures as model attributes. You can also remove the stored attributes from here. Unless explicitly stated in the project's BIM Execution Plan or similar documentation, this action should only be performed under the guidance of the project surveying team.

Store CRS attributes in a model

1. Go to the CRS Attributes tab.

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2. Select the Country, the CRS and the Zone.

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3. Click Save to save all attributes to Tekla Structures.

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4. Check for the CRS saved into Tekla message at the bottom left-hand side indicating that the CRS attributes have been successfully saved to the model. 

Remove CRS attributes from the model

1. Click Clear CRS Values in Model.

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The Project CRS Attribute Inserter plugin can be used to reference point clouds in Tekla Structures. This is especially useful when dealing with older data, as the combined scaling factor must be retrieved from the Trimble Geodetic Library. This value is related to the project base point and the Coordinate Reference System (CRS). If the project base point values match the CRS, the plugin retrieves a scaling factor. If the coordinates provided for the project base point do not match the coordinates of the selected CRS, the system provides no output, and an alert message is displayed at the bottom left-hand corner of the interface.

1. Go to the Point Clouds tab.

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2. Select the Reference Point (also known as the project base point):
   1. In Source, select Model from the list.
   2. In Model Base Point, select the active project base point.
3. In the CRS section, click the arrow in the Source field and select either App Selection or Model.
   • App Selection displays the CRS that is currently chosen on the CRS Attributes tab.
   • Model displays the CRS that was last saved into the model on the CRS Attributes tab.

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4. Click Get Combined Factor. Your internet browser opens, and the connection is established automatically.
   In some cases, you may need to sign in with your Trimble Identity at this stage. Refer to the Prerequisites chapter for more information.

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5. Click + Point Cloud to add a point cloud

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6. Browse to the file and click Open.

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7.  You can transfer the Source scaling value from the Get Combined Factor section to the point cloud Scale field by clicking the orange arrow next to the Scale value. Alternatively, you can leave the Scale at its default value of 1 or type in a different scaling value you want to use.

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8. Click Save to attach the point cloud in Tekla Structures.

Attaching point clouds using the Project CRS Attribute Inserter plugin is crucial when there is a need to retrieve the scaling factor from the Trimble Geodetic Library, especially when dealing with older datasets. This action should only be performed under the advice of the project surveying team. Otherwise, the normal workflow to attach point clouds in Tekla Structures is to use the Point Clouds side pane. The scaling factor in this workflow is set to 1 by default but can be changed to any other value.

1. Using the normal method via the side pane: 

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Note:  The image above shows the point cloud that has been attached using the Project CRS Attribute Inserter plugin, with the scaling factor retrieved from the Trimble Geodetic Library. This value can still be changed if necessary.

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2. Using the Project CRS Attribute Inserter plugin:

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Examples of data that can be retrieved from the Trimble Geodetic Library:

System Name: United States/NAD83, Record Name: California Zone 2 0402, Proj EPSG: 6417 or System Name: Brazil/SIRGA2000, Record Name: UTM zone 24S, Proj EPSG: 31984.