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What is Surveyor’s Edge?

A project-based mobile field app for maps, points, photos, tracks, alignments, layers, local coordinates, and sharing.

Surveyor’s Edge helps field users carry project context into the field. It keeps points, photos, tracks, alignments, background layers, coordinate settings, localizations, offline maps, and exportable deliverables organized around a project.

The app is useful for survey technicians, construction layout crews, inspectors, field engineers, GIS/CAD users, utility mappers, environmental teams, and small firms that need a mobile project workflow without losing coordinate-system context.

The goal is simple: bring your project data into the field, see it on a map, collect useful records, and share the results back to the office.

Accuracy and GPS expectations

What Surveyor’s Edge can organize and display, and what still depends on field procedure and GPS hardware.

Surveyor’s Edge helps organize, transform, display, and document project coordinate data in the field.

Final positional accuracy depends on the source data, the active coordinate system, localization quality, GPS hardware, device GPS accuracy, and field procedures.

The app should not be treated as making normal phone GPS survey-grade by itself. Use appropriate survey procedures and equipment when the work requires survey-grade accuracy.

Basic project workflow

The recommended path from project setup to field collection and sharing.

A typical workflow starts by opening or creating a project, confirming the projection and units, loading any needed localization, then importing layers, points, tracks, alignments, or offline map data.

Once the project context is ready, users can navigate, reference alignments, log points, take stamped photos, record tracks, and share project deliverables.

Projection, units, and localization should be checked early so field data and imported files line up before users rely on them.

Common steps

1. Create or open a project.
2. Confirm project projection and units.
3. Create, load, or import localization if local/site coordinates are being used.
4. Import project layers, points, alignments, tracks, or MBTiles as needed.
5. Use Navigation, Alignment Map, Points, Photos, and Tracks in the field.
6. Export/share project data, photos, KML, points, tracks, or alignments.

Set up a project

Create or open a job, confirm units and projection, and keep project files separated.

Projects keep each job separated so points, photos, tracks, alignments, layers, offline data, and exports do not get mixed accidentally.

Use the Project area to open an existing project, create a new one, import a Surveyor’s Edge project package, export a project package, rename a project, or delete old projects.

Common steps

1. Go to Home → Project.
2. Choose Create Project, Open Project, or Import SEPROJ File.
3. Set or review the project name, projection, linear units, and area units.
4. Use Export when you need a complete project package for backup, transfer, or sharing.

Choose or check a projection

Use projection tools to keep imported and collected data in the right coordinate basis.

Projection settings describe how the project relates to the earth. They affect projected northing/easting, distances, offsets, stationing, imported data, and display conversions.

Projection tools can help users select a built-in or suggested projection, import a definition, define a custom projection, or run a projection check with known coordinates.

Changing projection metadata should not be described as rewriting imported geometry. It changes how coordinates are interpreted and transformed.

Common steps

1. Go to Home → Project → Projection.
2. Use Modify Projection to select a built-in, suggested, State Plane, UTM, global, custom, or user-defined projection.
3. Use Import for EPSG, WKT, PRJ, or PROJ4 definitions.
4. Use Define when a project-specific coordinate system must be entered manually.
5. Use Check to compare known geographic, projected, and local coordinates.

Use localization for local/site coordinates

Transform local or assumed grid coordinates into project projected coordinates.

Localization is used when a file or entered coordinate is in a local, assumed, contractor, or site grid coordinate system.

A localization converts local coordinates into project projected coordinates. It does not directly convert to Web Mercator; the map display pipeline handles display projection afterward.

Local-coordinate layers and alignments can stay hidden until an active localization is available, because they cannot draw in the correct project location without that transform.

Common steps

1. Go to Home → Localization.
2. Create a localization manually, from local + projected points, from local + latitude/longitude, or from observed GPS/control points.
3. Load or import a SELOC file if the localization already exists.
4. Set the correct localization active.
5. Use Check Coordinates or a localization report to verify assumptions.

Import CAD/GIS layers

Bring DXF, shapefile, KML/KMZ, and MBTiles data into the field map.

Layers bring project context into the map. Surveyor’s Edge can manage vector backgrounds and MBTiles raster layers, including visibility, draw order, scale ranges, source projection, source units, and storage behavior.

Supported layer concepts include DXF, SHP or zipped shapefile packages, KML, KMZ, and MBTiles. Files can be known projected data, geographic data, or local-coordinate data that requires localization.

Layer cards use clear visual status cues to show whether data is visible, hidden, scale-limited, unloaded, or blocked by an issue such as missing localization.

Common steps

1. Open Layers from the Project area or a map page.
2. Choose Import Layer From Device.
3. Select the source file and confirm coordinate handling.
4. Review source projection and units when applicable.
5. Adjust visibility, order, style, scale range, and Keep Loaded as needed.

Download and manage offline maps

Prepare basemaps and tile data for remote areas or poor service.

Offline map tools help users keep working when cellular data is unreliable or unavailable.

Surveyor’s Edge supports offline basemap tile downloads, program map cache management, MBTiles libraries, and an Offline Tiles Only mode that prevents live tile downloads.

Data management tools help users review storage, clear cache, manage MBTiles files, and understand loaded vector geometry.

Common steps

1. Go to Home → Data → Offline Map Management.
2. Choose the basemap source and area to download.
3. Use Stored Offline Data to review or clear downloaded tile areas.
4. Use Program Map Cache to clear cached online tiles without deleting planned offline downloads.
5. Use Offline Tiles Only when you want to prevent live tile downloads.

Navigate in the field

Use the Navigation map to orient yourself and move toward project targets.

The Navigation map helps users see their current position, map context, target state, speed, distance, and bearing.

Map tools can show backgrounds, points, photos, tracks, and alignments depending on project settings.

Follow modes can intentionally keep the user location or selected target centered, while user panning and zooming should remain under the user’s control.

Common steps

1. Open Navigation from Home or the quick dock.
2. Start GPS if needed.
3. Choose a target such as a point or path where applicable.
4. Use distance and bearing feedback to move toward the target.
5. Use layers, basemaps, scale bar, zoom controls, and measurement tools to maintain context.

Work with alignments

Reference design lines using station, offset, active alignment, and map context.

Alignments help users work with design lines, corridors, roads, utilities, drainage paths, and other station-based project geometry.

The Alignment map shows the active alignment, current position, station, offset, points, photos, tracks, backgrounds, and map tools.

Alignments can be imported from supported files or created from points, map input, or tracks.

Common steps

1. Go to Home → Alignment.
2. Import, create, or set the active alignment.
3. Use View Map to see station and offset context.
4. Use Edit Alignment for name, start station, coordinate handling metadata, units metadata, reverse state, and preview.
5. Share alignment deliverables when needed.

Log, create, import, and share points

Collect project points, average readings, import point files, and export common formats.

Point tools support quick GPS-based point logging, typed coordinate entry, station/offset point creation, point import, point editing, deletion, and sharing.

Users can manage active point files so multiple point collections can exist in one project without mixing field records.

Point sharing can include common formats such as CSV, KML, PNEZD, PENZD, XYZ, and projection definition sidecars when available.

Common steps

1. Open Points from Home or tap the quick dock Point button.
2. Use Log Point to store the current GPS/project position, optionally averaging readings.
3. Use Create Point for Northing/Easting, Latitude/Longitude, or Station/Offset entry.
4. Use Import Points to bring in existing point data.
5. Use Share Points to create deliverable files.

Take, stamp, and share photos

Create project-aware field photos with notes, coordinates, alignment references, and optional branding.

Photo tools turn field photos into project records. A photo can include point number, description, note, local/projected/geographic coordinates, heading, alignment name, station/offset, and optional logo overlay.

Photos can be exported as stamped images or shared with supporting data, including KML so photo locations can be viewed on a map.

Photo settings control display symbols, labels, image size, image quality, text sizes, logo overlay, and stamp content.

Common steps

1. Open Photos or tap the quick dock Photo button.
2. Use Camera or Import to select an image.
3. Add point number, description, and note.
4. Review or update the stamped preview.
5. Store the photo, export stamped photos, or share photos with KML/data as needed.

Log, clean, create, and share tracks

Record paths, import tracks, manually create tracks, clean noisy paths, and share outputs.

Track tools record or import paths, create tracks from map input, clean saved tracks, edit or delete track files, and share track data.

Tracks can document site walks, routes, field movement, as-built traces, and remote work paths.

Track settings let users distinguish active and inactive tracks by color and line weight.

Common steps

1. Open Tracks from Home or long-press the quick dock Track button.
2. Use Log Track to record a path using device location updates.
3. Use Create From Map to draw a track manually.
4. Use Clean Tracks to remove noise or simplify a saved track.
5. Use Share Tracks to export KML, CSV, or a compressed package.

Export and share data

Package field information for office review, backup, and team workflows.

Export and share workflows help move field work back into office, GIS, CAD, project documentation, or team review workflows.

Users can export complete project packages, points, photos, tracks, alignments, KML, CSV-style files, and projection definitions when available.

Project export is useful for backup, device transfer, and job archives.

Common steps

1. Use Project Export for a complete SEPROJ package.
2. Use Share Points for CSV, KML, PNEZD, PENZD, XYZ, or sidecar projection files.
3. Use Share Photos to include photos and optional KML.
4. Use Share Tracks for KML, CSV, or compressed output.
5. Use Share Alignments for XML, DXF, KML, and projection sidecars where available.

Home page

The command center for current project, projection, units, workflow cards, Help, and quick dock.

The Home page shows the current project name, projection, linear units, area units, and major workflow destinations.

The bottom quick dock gives fast access to Home, Navigation, Alignment, Point, Photo, and Track actions from most screens.

Project page

Open, create, import, export, rename, delete, and configure project-level settings.

The Project page manages the current job and project-level coordinate settings.

It provides access to Open Project, Import SEPROJ File, Create Project, Projection, Units, Export, Rename Project, and Delete Projects.

Projection & Units

Review and change project coordinate system and unit settings.

Projection tools help users select, import, define, and check coordinate system settings.

Project units govern stored northings/eastings, distances, offsets, station/offset calculations, inverse results, and measurements.

Localization page

Create, load, import, check, activate, edit, report, share, and delete localizations.

The Localization page helps transform local/site coordinates into project projected coordinates.

It includes a Use Localization toggle, create/import/load actions, coordinate checking, and a selected localization card with active status and residual information where available.

Data Management page

Manage offline maps, cache, MBTiles, loaded geometry, RAM, and device storage.

Data Management provides access to Offline Map Management, Stored Offline Data, Program Map Cache, MBTiles Files, App Memory & Storage, and Offline Tiles Only mode.

It helps users prepare for remote work and diagnose storage or performance issues.

Layers page

Manage vector backgrounds and MBTiles with visibility, order, style, scale range, source projection, and units.

The Layers page manages map backgrounds and raster tile layers.

Layer cards show visibility, status, projection/source summary, scale range, drag/reorder controls, Keep Loaded, and colored border status.

Points page

Log, create, edit, import, share, delete, and configure points.

The Points hub is used for point collection and management.

It includes point logging, coordinate entry, station/offset point creation, import, export, edit, delete, and point display settings.

Photos page

Take, import, edit, export, share, delete, and configure stamped photo output.

The Photos hub supports project-aware field documentation.

Photos can include notes, descriptions, coordinates, heading, alignment references, and branding. Shared photo packages can include KML for map placement.

Tracks page

Log, import, create from map, clean, edit, delete, share, and configure tracks.

The Tracks hub manages recorded and imported paths.

It supports logging, manual track creation from map input, track cleaning, editing, deletion, sharing, and track display settings.

Alignment page

View, import, create, set active, edit, share, delete, and configure alignments.

The Alignment hub is used to work with design/reference paths.

The Alignment Map shows active alignment, current position, station, offset, points, photos, tracks, backgrounds, and map tools.

Navigation map

Navigate to selected points, tracks, or alignment-related targets.

The Navigation map helps users orient themselves and move toward targets while keeping project map context visible.

It can display current coordinates or latitude/longitude, speed, distance and bearing to target, backgrounds, points, photos, tracks, and alignments.

Functions page

Use field calculation tools such as inverse, area, bearing-distance, triangle, curve, and level notes.

The Functions hub gathers calculation and utility tools.

Tools include Inverse, Area, Point From Address, Point By Bearing Distance, Triangle Solver, Curve Solver, and Level Notes.

Settings page

Control themes, GPS behavior, display styles, map tools, and performance settings.

Settings use themed accordion rows for Theme, Navigation & GPS, Alignments, Points, Photos, Tracks, Performance, and Interface & Controls.

Settings help users tune map readability, point/photo/track/alignment appearance, GPS refresh, photo output, and performance behavior.

SEPROJ project packages

Surveyor’s Edge project export/import package.

A SEPROJ file is the user-facing Surveyor’s Edge project package.

It can be used for backup, sharing, transfer between devices, or archiving a job.

SELOC localization files

Saved localization definitions for local-coordinate projects.

A SELOC file stores a localization definition.

It can be imported into a project and activated when local-coordinate data needs to be transformed into project projected coordinates.

LandXML

Common civil/survey alignment data format.

LandXML is commonly used for civil and survey alignment data.

When importing alignments, missing CRS should not automatically be treated as local coordinates, and geometry should not be numerically rewritten because metadata changes.

DXF

CAD drawing exchange format for vector backgrounds and sometimes alignments.

DXF files can be used for vector background layers and alignment import.

Coordinate handling depends on whether the source file is known projected data or local/site data requiring localization.

Shapefile / SHP

GIS vector file format, ideally imported as a complete zipped package.

Shapefiles are GIS vector data. They often require companion files such as SHX, DBF, and PRJ.

A zipped shapefile package is often the cleanest way to keep all required shapefile components together.

KML / KMZ

Geographic map feature formats used for backgrounds, points, tracks, photos, and exports.

KML and KMZ are commonly used for geographic map features and Google Earth-style workflows.

Surveyor’s Edge can use KML/KMZ concepts for vector backgrounds, point import/export, track import/export where applicable, photo location sharing, and alignment export where applicable.

MBTiles

Raster tile packages for offline/background map layers.

MBTiles files are raster tile packages that can be used as map backgrounds.

They can be managed in the layer stack and in MBTiles file management.

Point export formats

CSV, KML, PNEZD, PENZD, XYZ, and projection sidecars when available.

Point workflows can support common deliverable formats such as CSV, KML, PNEZD, PENZD, and XYZ.

When projection definitions are available, PROJ4 and WKT sidecar files can help preserve coordinate-system context.

Why is my layer not visible?

Common reasons a layer may be loaded but not drawn.

A layer can be hidden because the user turned it off, the map scale is outside its visible range, background display settings are hiding it, the source is not loaded, or the layer needs an active localization.

Green, yellow, and red layer card borders help distinguish visible data, intentionally hidden data, and blocked/problem states.

Why is my local data hidden?

Local layers and alignments need an active localization.

Local-coordinate layers and alignments require an active localization before they can display correctly.

If localization is unavailable, the data can remain loaded but hidden until a localization is created, imported, loaded, and activated.

Why is my data in the wrong place?

Projection, units, source metadata, and localization are the first things to check.

Data can appear in the wrong place when the project projection is wrong, the source projection is wrong, units are wrong, local data lacks a localization, or geographic/projected coordinates were confused.

Use Projection Check and review source projection, source units, and localization status before relying on imported data.

Why is GPS not accurate enough?

Phone GPS accuracy depends on hardware, conditions, and procedures.

Normal phone GPS can vary significantly depending on device hardware, signal conditions, sky view, multipath, and field procedure.

Use appropriate survey-grade equipment and procedures when survey-grade positional accuracy is required.

Why are offline maps not loading?

Check downloaded tile coverage, selected basemap, cache, MBTiles, and Offline Tiles Only mode.

Offline map display depends on downloaded tile coverage, the selected source, the map zoom level, MBTiles availability, and the Offline Tiles Only setting.

If the map looks empty, check whether the current view is inside the downloaded area and whether the selected basemap or MBTiles source is available.

Why are large layers slow?

Large vector layers can affect RAM, rendering, and storage.

Large vector backgrounds can use significant RAM and make map rendering slower.

Use scale ranges, visibility controls, Keep Loaded settings, and App Memory & Storage tools to manage performance.

Coordinate terms

Plain-language coordinate system definitions.

Coordinate Reference System (CRS)

A formal definition of how coordinates relate to the earth.

EPSG

A registry of coordinate systems. EPSG codes identify standard CRS definitions.

Geographic coordinates

Latitude and longitude coordinates.

Projected coordinates

Northing/easting coordinates in a defined projection.

Local coordinates

Site, assumed, contractor, or local-grid coordinates that need localization before they line up with project projected coordinates.

Localization

A transformation from local coordinates to project projected coordinates.

Northing

The Y-like projected or local coordinate value.

Easting

The X-like projected or local coordinate value.

Projection Check

A tool for verifying geographic, projected, and local coordinate relationships.

PROJ4 / WKT

Text formats used to describe coordinate systems.

Residual

The difference between transformed coordinates and expected control coordinates in a localization solution.

Map and layer terms

Definitions for basemaps, layers, tiles, scale ranges, and display behavior.

Basemap

A map tile source such as streets, imagery, topo, or another XYZ tile provider.

Background layer

A vector or raster layer displayed behind or alongside project features on map pages.

Layer stack

The ordered list of layers that controls draw order.

MBTiles

A raster tile package used for offline/background map tiles.

Scale range

A layer visibility range that controls when a layer appears at certain zoom levels.

Vector background

Point, line, or polygon geometry displayed from formats such as DXF, SHP, KML, or KMZ.

Viewport

The visible map area on the phone screen.

Web Mercator

A common map display projection used by many online basemaps.

XYZ tiles

An online/offline map tile scheme using z/x/y tile coordinates.

Survey and field terms

Definitions for stationing, offsets, bearings, alignments, points, tracks, and COGO.

Alignment

A line or path used for stationing, offsets, navigation, and design reference.

Station

Distance along an alignment, commonly displayed in station format such as 12+00.

Offset

Perpendicular distance left or right from an alignment at a station.

Bearing

Direction from one point to another.

COGO

Coordinate geometry calculations such as inverse, bearing-distance point creation, area, triangle solver, and curve solver.

Connector line

A line from the current position or selected point to the nearest point on an alignment.

Point file

A saved collection of point records.

Track

A recorded or imported path made of many points.

Station text

Labels drawn along an alignment at configured station intervals.

File terms

Definitions for common file types used by Surveyor’s Edge.

SEPROJ

Surveyor’s Edge project package file.

SELOC

Surveyor’s Edge localization file.

DXF

CAD drawing exchange format used for vector layers and sometimes alignments.

KML

Keyhole Markup Language, a geographic file format often used for map features and Google Earth workflows.

KMZ

A zipped KML package.

LandXML

An XML format commonly used for civil/survey alignments and project data.

Shapefile

A GIS vector format usually made of SHP, SHX, DBF, and often PRJ files.

PNEZD

Point format order: Point, Northing, Easting, Elevation, Description.

PENZD

Point format order: Point, Easting, Northing, Elevation, Description.

Quick dock buttons

Fast field access to Home, Navigate, Alignment, Point, Photo, and Track.

Home returns to the Home page. Navigate opens the Navigation map. Alignment opens the alignment map, and long press opens the Alignment hub.

Point opens Log Point, and long press opens the Points hub. Photo opens Take Photo, and long press opens the Photos hub. Track opens Log Track, and long press opens the Tracks hub.

Map tool buttons

Common controls on Navigation and Alignment maps.

Common map tools include Start/Stop GPS, scale bar, zoom controls, basemap/tile controls, Layers, map content toolbar, Measure, and follow/center behavior.

Long-press actions may open related settings such as GPS refresh rate or scale bar zoom behavior.

Common page actions

Typical action buttons across Project, Points, Photos, Tracks, Alignments, Layers, Localization, and Settings.

Most workflow pages use familiar actions such as Open, Create, Import, Export, Share, Edit, Rename, Delete, Settings, Save, Cancel, Apply, and Close.

Long-running actions should show busy status and prevent repeated taps until the operation finishes.

Release status

Surveyor’s Edge is coming soon to Google Play.

Surveyor’s Edge is not publicly available yet.

The app is planned for Google Play release soon. Additional support, contact, and troubleshooting resources can be added as release gets closer.