3.2. RW5 Editor

The RW5 Editor is a tab-based tool for viewing, editing, and converting Carlson RW5 (Raw Data) survey files. It provides a structured, color-coded display that makes it easy to review and modify raw field observations before processing.

3.2.1. Overview 

The RW5 Editor supports:

Opening multiple RW5 files simultaneously in separate tabs
A paired-row grid display with label and value rows
Color-coded records grouped by category
Station separator lines for visual clarity
Direct in-cell editing of field values
Export to multiple formats (RW5, XLSX, CSV, GSI16, StarNet DAT)
Right-click context menu for inserting, deleting, and duplicating records
Integration with the Station Adjustment module

3.2.2. Opening the Editor 

The RW5 Editor is located under Tools > RW5 Editor in the sidebar navigation panel.

3.2.3. Opening RW5 Files 

Click the Open button on the toolbar to browse for RW5 files. You can select multiple files at once; each file opens in its own tab. The tab title shows the file name for easy identification.

3.2.4. Understanding the Paired-Row Display 

Each record in the RW5 file is displayed as two rows in the grid:

Row	Description
Label row	Displays the field code and a human-readable description in italic gray text. This row is read-only.
Value row	Displays the actual data values. This row is editable.

This paired layout allows you to see both what each field means and what value it holds, without needing to memorize the RW5 field codes.

3.2.5. Record Categories and Colors 

Records are color-coded by category for quick visual identification:

Color	Category	Record Types
Blue	Setup	JB, MO, OC, BK, LS, SP
White	Observation	SS, TR, OF
Green	Angle Set	BD, BR, FD, FR
Pink	GPS	GPS, GS, BL
Yellow	Stakeout	DE, SK, SD

3.2.6. Station Separators 

A bold separator line is drawn above each OC (Occupy Point) record. This provides a clear visual grouping of all observations belonging to a single instrument setup, making it easy to navigate large files with many stations.

3.2.7. Editing Values 

To edit a value, click on any cell in a value row. The cell becomes editable and you can type a new value directly. Label rows are read-only and cannot be modified.

Warning

Changes are held in memory only. Use Save or Save As to write changes to disk.

3.2.9. Context Menu 

Right-click anywhere on the grid to access the context menu:

Action	Description
Insert Record	Opens a record type picker dialog. Select the desired record type (e.g., SS, OC, BK) and a new blank record of that type is inserted at the current position.
Delete Record	Removes the selected record (both its label and value rows) from the file.
Duplicate Record	Creates a copy of the selected record and inserts it immediately below the original. Useful for adding similar observations.

3.2.10. Saving and Exporting 

The editor provides two save options on the toolbar:

Save – Overwrites the original RW5 file with the current contents.
Save As – Saves to a new file. The export format is determined by the file extension you choose:

Extension	Format	Use Case
`.rw5`	Carlson RW5	Standard raw data format for Carlson software
`.xlsx`	Microsoft Excel	Reporting, archiving, sharing with non-survey software
`.csv`	Comma-Separated Values	Generic import into spreadsheets or databases
`.gsi`	Leica GSI16	Import into Leica survey software or instruments
`.dat`	StarNet DAT	Network adjustment in StarNet software

The editor automatically appends the correct extension if you do not type one.

3.2.11. Station Adjustment Integration 

RW5 files can be imported directly into the Station Adjustment module via File > Import. This allows you to use raw field observations from Carlson software as input to network adjustment calculations without manual data entry.

3.2.12. Typical Workflows 

Convert RW5 to Excel for reporting:

Open the RW5 file in the editor.
Review the data for correctness.
Use Save As and select .xlsx format.

Convert RW5 to GSI for Leica software:

Open the RW5 file.
Use Save As and select .gsi format.

Export to StarNet for network adjustment:

Open the RW5 file.
Use Save As and select .dat format.

Edit field notes and re-save:

Open the RW5 file.
Click on value cells to correct point names, angles, or distances.
Use Save to overwrite, or Save As to keep the original.

Add missing records to a survey:

Open the RW5 file.
Right-click at the desired position and select Insert Record.
Choose the record type from the picker dialog.
Fill in the field values.
Save the file.

3.3. RW5 Format Reference

This section documents the Carlson RW5 raw data format based on the official SurvCE specification.

3.3.1. Overview

RW5 is a comma-separated ASCII format used by Carlson SurvCE, SurvPC, and compatible field survey software. It is based on the TDS raw data specification with additions for angle sets. Each line represents one record. The first field is a two-letter record type code, remaining fields use code+value pairs, and notes are appended after --.

JB,NMSampleJob,DT03-21-2026,TM10:30:00
MO,AD0,UN1,SF1.00000000,EC0,EO0.0
OC,OP100,N 5000.000,E 1000.000,EL 100.000,--CP1
BK,OP100,BP200,BS0.0000,BC0.0000
LS,HI1.550,HR1.600
SS,OP100,FP101,AR45.3012,ZE88.1522,SD125.332,--BLD CORNER

3.3.2. Record Types

3.3.2.1. Setup Records

Code	Name	Fields	Example
JB	Job	NM (name), DT (date), TM (time)	`JB,NMSAMPLE,DT03-21-2026,TM10:30:00`
MO	Mode Setup	AD (azimuth dir), UN (units), SF (scale factor), EC (earth curvature), EO (EDM offset)	`MO,AD0,UN0,SF1.0000,EC0,EO0.0`
OC	Occupy Point	OP/PN (point), N (northing), E (easting), EL (elevation), – (note)	`OC,OP100,N 5000.000,E 1000.000,EL 100.000,--CP1`
BK	Backsight	OP (occupy), BP (back point), BS (backsight angle), BC (back circle)	`BK,OP1,BP2,BS315.0000,BC0.0044`
LS	Line of Sight	HI (instrument height), HR (rod height)	`LS,HI1.550,HR1.600`
SP	Store Point	PN (point), N, E, EL, – (note)	`SP,PN100,N 5002.0,E 5000.0,EL100.0,--PP`

3.3.2.2. Observation Records

Code	Name	Fields	Example
SS	Sideshot	OP, FP, AR/AL/AZ (angle), ZE/VA/CE (vertical), SD/HD (distance), – (note)	`SS,OP1,FP2,AR90.3333,ZE86.0133,SD10.3138,--CP`
TR	Traverse	Same fields as SS	`TR,OP1,FP4,AR90.3333,ZE90.3333,SD25.55,--CP`
OF	Off Center Shot	AR, ZE, SD	`OF,AR90.3333,ZE90.0000,SD25.55`

3.3.2.3. Angle Set Records

Angle sets consist of paired Face I (Direct) and Face II (Reverse) observations to the backsight and foresight points. They enable the elimination of systematic instrument errors through the averaging of direct and reverse readings.

Code	Name	Fields	Example
BD	Backsight Direct	OP, FP, AR, ZE, SD	`BD,OP1,FP2,AR0.0055,ZE86.0126,SD10.32,--CP`
BR	Backsight Reverse	OP, FP, AR, ZE, SD	`BR,OP1,FP2,AR180.0037,ZE273.5826,SD10.315,--CP`
FD	Foresight Direct	OP, FP, AR, ZE, SD	`FD,OP1,FP3,AR57.1630,ZE89.4305,SD7.393,--CP`
FR	Foresight Reverse	OP, FP, AR, ZE, SD	`FR,OP1,FP3,AR237.1612,ZE270.1548,SD7.395,--CP`

3.3.2.4. GPS Records

Code	Name	Fields	Example
GPS	GPS Position	PN, LA (latitude), LN (longitude, negative = West), EL (ellipsoid elevation)	`GPS,PN700,LA39.1235,LN-76.9877,EL45.123`
GS	GPS Store	PN, N, E, EL, – (note)	`GS,PN701,N 7000.0,E 3000.0,EL 150.0,--GPS1`
BL	Baseline	OP, FP, BD (baseline deltas)	`BL,OP700,FP701,BD0.123,BD0.456,BD0.789`

3.3.2.5. Stakeout Records

Code	Name	Fields	Example
DE	Design Elevation	PN, N, E, EL, – (note)	`DE,PN900,N 8010.0,E 4005.0,EL 300.5,--STAKE1`
SK	Stakeout	OP, FP, AR, ZE, SD	`SK,OP800,FP900,AR25.123,ZE99.5,SD11.2`
SD	Stakeout Diff	PN, dN, dE, dEL (deltas from design)	`SD,PN900,dN0.015,dE-0.008,dEL0.012`

3.3.2.6. Special Records

Code	Name	Description
–	Note/Comment	Free text comment line. Example: `--This is a comment`

3.3.3. Field Code Reference

The following table lists all RW5 field codes in alphabetical order.

Code	Name	Description
AD	Azimuth Direction	0 = North, 1 = South
AL	Angle-Left	Horizontal angle turned left
AR	Angle-Right	Horizontal angle turned right (most common)
AZ	Azimuth	Azimuth bearing
BC	Back Circle	Backsight circle reading
BP	Back Point	Backsight point name
BR	Bearing	Bearing in format N123.4500W
BS	Backsight	Backsight angle (when back point is not defined)
CE	Change Elevation	Direct elevation change (height difference)
DL	Deflection-Left	Left deflection angle
DR	Deflection-Right	Right deflection angle
DT	Date	Local date in MM-DD-YYYY format
E	Easting	Easting coordinate (field header includes trailing space)
EC	Earth Curvature	0 = off, 1 = on
EL	Elevation	Height or elevation value
EO	EDM Offset	EDM offset in inches
FE	Foresight Elevation	Foresight point elevation
FP	Foresight Point	Target point name
HD	Horizontal Distance	Horizontal distance
HI	Height of Instrument	Instrument height above the mark
HR	Height of Rod	Prism or rod height above the mark
LA	Latitude	WGS84 latitude in dd.mmss format
LN	Longitude	WGS84 longitude (negative values indicate West)
N	Northing	Northing coordinate (field header includes trailing space)
NM	Job Name	Survey job name
OC	Occupy Point	Alternative to OP in certain record types
OP	Occupy Point	Instrument station point name
PN	Point Number	Point name or number
SD	Slope Distance	Slope distance (most common distance type)
SF	Scale Factor	Combined scale factor
TM	Time	Local time in HH:MM:SS format
UN	Distance Unit	0 = feet, 1 = meter, 2 = US Survey feet
VA	Vertical Angle	Vertical angle (0 = horizontal, +90 = zenith)
ZE	Zenith	Zenith angle (0 = up, 90 = horizontal)
--	Note	Comment or description text

3.3.4. Angle Types

An RW5 file can contain different horizontal angle types depending on the instrument setup and field procedure:

Code	Type	Description
AR	Angle-Right	Clockwise horizontal angle from the backsight. Most common type.
AL	Angle-Left	Counter-clockwise horizontal angle from the backsight.
AZ	Azimuth	Absolute azimuth bearing. The MO record’s AD field determines whether 0 = North (AD0) or 0 = South (AD1).
DR	Deflection-Right	Clockwise deflection from the prolongation of the previous line.
DL	Deflection-Left	Counter-clockwise deflection from the prolongation of the previous line.
BR	Bearing	Quadrant bearing in the format N123.4500W.

3.3.5. Vertical Angle Types

Code	Type	Description
ZE	Zenith Angle	Measured from the vertical (0 = straight up, 90 = horizontal, 180 = straight down). Most common type.
VA	Vertical Angle	Measured from the horizontal (0 = horizontal, +90 = up, -90 = down).
CE	Change Elevation	Direct height difference between instrument and target. No trigonometric reduction needed.

3.3.6. Distance Types

Code	Type	Description
SD	Slope Distance	Distance measured along the line of sight. Most common type. Requires vertical angle for reduction to horizontal.
HD	Horizontal Distance	Already reduced to horizontal. No vertical angle reduction needed.

3.3.7. Sample RW5 File

The following is a complete example of a small RW5 survey file demonstrating the most common record types:

JB,NMSampleJob,DT03-21-2026,TM10:30:00
MO,AD0,UN1,SF1.00000000,EC0,EO0.0
--Station setup at CP1
OC,OP100,N 5000.000,E 1000.000,EL 100.000,--CP1
BK,OP100,BP200,BS0.0000,BC0.0000
LS,HI1.550,HR1.600
SS,OP100,FP101,AR45.3012,ZE88.1522,SD125.332,--BLD CORNER
SS,OP100,FP102,AR112.0544,ZE89.3210,SD87.445,--FENCE
TR,OP100,FP200,AR270.1234,ZE90.0012,SD200.100,--CP2
--Station setup at CP2
OC,OP200,N 5200.100,E 1000.050,EL 99.850,--CP2
BK,OP200,BP100,BS0.0000,BC0.0000
LS,HI1.550,HR1.600
SS,OP200,FP201,AR32.1500,ZE87.4422,SD55.210,--TREE
SS,OP200,FP202,AR310.2030,ZE90.1055,SD142.880,--ROAD CL

Note

Angles in RW5 files use the DDD.MMSS format (degrees, minutes, seconds), where the digits after the decimal point represent minutes and seconds, not decimal fractions of a degree. For example, AR45.3012 means 45 degrees, 30 minutes, 12 seconds.

3.3.8. References

Carlson Software – SurvCE RW5 Format Specification: https://web.carlsonsw.com/files/knowledgebase/kbase_attach/223/SurvCE%20RW5%20Format.pdf
Total Open Station – RW5 input format documentation: https://totalopenstation.readthedocs.io/en/latest/input_formats/if_carlson_rw5.html
Carlson SurvCE Online Help – File Format: https://files.carlsonsw.com/mirror/manuals/SurvCE/online/source/FileFormat.html