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NGS Control (published survey marks)

Published NGS survey control into the drawing, ready for the control exhibit. Every published mark in the picked area from the NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet API → COGO points in a point group with datasheet descriptions and heights (points + labels on plain AutoCAD), a CONTROL MARKS table with datasheet links, and a CSV. Then VDCCONTROL turns the point group into the grid-tie exhibit.

Command VDCNGSCONTROL · VDC Survey tab › Points panel
Published NGS survey control into the drawing, ready for the control exhibit. Every published mark in the picked area from the NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet API → COGO points in a point group with datasheet descriptions and heights (points + labels on plain AutoCAD), a CONTROL MARKS table with datasheet links, and a CSV. Then VDCCONTROL turns the point group into the grid-tie exhibit.
VDCNGSCONTROL, NGS datasheets → COGO points in a group + CONTROL MARKS table → VDCCONTROL grid-tie exhibit picked point, 2,500 ft radius DD0835 TIDAL 5 NAVD88AE8352 SUN NAVD88DD0836 TIDAL 3 NAVD88AE8351 MOON NAVD88 point group: NGS CONTROL CONTROL MARKS, NGS DATASHEETS DRAFT, planning-grade placement; datasheet values govern for control. PIDDESIGNATIONNORTHINGEASTINGELEVV DATUM DD0835TIDAL 5681,758.342,642,687.3121.41NAVD 88 AE8352SUN689,215.102,635,402.8824.93NAVD 88 DD0836TIDAL 3680,912.622,643,140.0514.86NAVD 88 + H datum / source, order, and a datasheet link per mark; CSV carries lat/lon, ortho + ellipsoid heights, stability, recovery. Description template: {PID} {NAME} {VDATUM} · {HDATUM} {ORDER} {STABILITY} Then the exhibit Run VDCCONTROL, pick the NGS CONTROL group: control table + grid-tie note from these points. Heights: published orthometric metres → drawing feet. Only-marks-with-a-height filter. Point + radius (default) / window / extents; WKID (any State Plane zone). Re-runs replace; Clear removes. Positions through a NAD83 transform (~1–2 m), recover and verify every mark in the field.

What it does

  • Live NGS datasheet pull: every published mark inside the area with adjusted position, orthometric height, ellipsoid height, datums, sources, orders, stability, last recovery and condition.
  • Civil 3D: COGO points in a point group (default NGS CONTROL), descriptions from a template ({PID} {NAME} {VDATUM} → AE8352 SUN NAVD88), elevation = published orthometric height in drawing feet. VDCCONTROL then builds the control table and grid-tie note from that group.
  • Plain AutoCAD: points + labels on the control layer instead.
  • CONTROL MARKS table at your decimals with a datasheet link per mark, and a CSV in VDC Reports.

Modes, seats & caveats

  • Run / Clear; area Point + radius (default 2,500 ft) / Window / Extents; WKID (any State Plane zone); only-marks-with-a-height filter.
  • Planning grade: positions come through the suite's NAD83 state plane transform (datum treated as WGS84, about 1–2 m). The datasheet values govern for control work; recover and verify every mark in the field. Every output path says so.
  • Clear removes this tool's points, labels and table; COGO points stay in their group (delete from Prospector). Ships in VDC.Acad.bundle. Settings at %APPDATA%\VDC\NgsControl\settings.json (env VDC_NGSCONTROL_SETTINGS).

Dialog

NGS Control (published survey marks) dialog
NGS Control (published survey marks), VDCNGSCONTROL

When to use it

  • Planning a survey: which published marks are near the site, with what heights and orders, before the crew leaves.
  • The control exhibit: NGS marks into the point group VDCCONTROL builds the table and grid-tie note from.
  • Checking a claim: what does the datasheet say about the mark the last survey tied to?

How to run it

  1. Run VDCNGSCONTROL - set the area, WKID, point group, description template, table and CSV; click OK.
  2. Pick the point (or the window). The funnel prints marks in the box / inside the area.
  3. Pick the table's corner when prompted. Read the summary; open the CSV for the datasheet links.
  4. Run VDCCONTROL and pick the NGS CONTROL point group for the grid-tie exhibit.

Options

  • Area: Point + radius (default 2,500 ft), Window, or Extents.
  • Only marks with a published height: drop marks the datasheet gives no orthometric height for.
  • Point group / description: the group VDCCONTROL reads; template tokens {PID} {NAME} {VDATUM} {HDATUM} {ORDER} {STABILITY}.
  • Table / CSV: decimals, text height and style; the CSV carries the raw datasheet values.

Watch out for

  • Planning-grade placement - the datasheet values govern, and the field recovery decides whether a mark is usable.
  • Marks without a published height land at elevation 0 unless the height filter is on.
  • Clear removes this tool's points, labels and table but leaves COGO points in their group (delete from Prospector).
  • Network required.

Related: Control Exhibit · Site Snapshot · Stake Out · Site Data