Recording scheme - coordinates

[Deb London]

Hi guys,

I have been asked to submit a couple of records (and pictures) to the leader of a volunteer project. I think they will be sent to GIGL, but I'm not certain. It is hoped that these records will help safeguard a piece of land from development.

When submitting a map reference, I am aware of a number of formats. But I don't know which one, if any is best, and most the universally accepted format.

Thanks in advance,

Deb

[The Woodman]

Hi Deb

I would imagine the most frequent recording format for map references is the six figure reference giving an accuracy of 100m.

I am currently recording using the OS "Get a Map" facility on their website and use the higest resolution at 25000:1.

The two letter prefix gives the 100 km square.

Foe example, if you saw a rabbit on the centre of Tower Bridge over the Thames the record would be TQ 336802.

If a more accurate fix or other format is required it is normal to request it.

[Deb London]

Thank you Woodman for a very helpful post. I'll go with that one.
Deb

[Matt Smith]

I'd agree with the above comments - use the Ordnance Survey grid reference system.

I run a national invertebrate recording scheme (www.tachinidae.org.uk) and, although we can cope with Lat/Long coordinates if needed (by converting them to OS grids) every recording scheme I know of uses OS Grid refs as their default system. I use Streetmap when tracking down grid refs along with an OS Gazeteer - a very large book.

A final note - when providing an OS Grid Ref, never put spaces anywhere in the grid ref. If you do add spaces the majority of mapping systems will not recognise it, they are built to work with "SU123456", not "SU 123456" or "SU 123 456".

Similarly, if you are sending in data on a spreadsheet, put the grid ref in a single cell and never split it over 2 or 3 cells (ie "SU" "123" "456"). I (and I am sure a lot of other recorders) spend a lot of time fiddling with grid refs on speadsheets to get them to read "SU123456", removing spaces or combining spreadsheet cells to get them into a state where we can actually use them.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Matt Smith

Similarly, if you are sending in data on a spreadsheet, put the grid ref in a single cell and never split it over 2 or 3 cells (ie "SU" "123" "456"). I (and I am sure a lot of other recorders) spend a lot of time fiddling with grid refs on speadsheets to get them to read "SU123456", removing spaces or combining spreadsheet cells to get them into a state where we can actually use them.

This is something I have had to contend with, try some of the string handling formulae, "concatenate" is really helpful to get bits of things and join them up, "left" and "right" combined with numbers can be very useful. I think they are string handling in excel, in Open Office they are text functions. I spent a happy half hour with records fom various sources, about 6000 records with all sorts of ways of recording co-ordinates, and got a formula that sorted them out or flagged an error, time well spent.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Matt Smith

I'd agree with the above comments - use the Ordnance Survey grid reference system.

I run a national invertebrate recording scheme (www.tachinidae.org.uk) and, although we can cope with Lat/Long coordinates if needed (by converting them to OS grids) every recording scheme I know of uses OS Grid refs as their default system. I use Streetmap when tracking down grid refs along with an OS Gazeteer - a very large book.

A final note - when providing an OS Grid Ref, never put spaces anywhere in the grid ref. If you do add spaces the majority of mapping systems will not recognise it, they are built to work with "SU123456", not "SU 123456" or "SU 123 456".

Similarly, if you are sending in data on a spreadsheet, put the grid ref in a single cell and never split it over 2 or 3 cells (ie "SU" "123" "456"). I (and I am sure a lot of other recorders) spend a lot of time fiddling with grid refs on speadsheets to get them to read "SU123456", removing spaces or combining spreadsheet cells to get them into a state where we can actually use them.

Cheers for all that Matt. I would have put in one space, so it's good that you have told me about this, before I submit the records today.

Thanks again,

Deb

[The Woodman]

Good point, Matt. I think the spaces are just bad habits created by trying to make the ref/number easier to read.

I always split my mobile phone number up into chunks i.e. 077 678 905 816 to make it easier to dial or remember.

(That's not my real number!)

[Matt Smith]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

This is something I have had to contend with, try some of the string handling formulae, "concatenate" is really helpful to get bits of things and join them up, "left" and "right" combined with numbers can be very useful. I think they are string handling in excel, in Open Office they are text functions. I spent a happy half hour with records fom various sources, about 6000 records with all sorts of ways of recording co-ordinates, and got a formula that sorted them out or flagged an error, time well spent.

I have no problem handling them now, I have got my databases (Lotus Approach) set up to basicly deal with any of the various combinations of letters and numbers that have been submitted to me so far, there is a nice "combine" function that will do this, it just takes time to set it all up in the first place and get all the working fields in the right place.

Once I have got them them in one "lump", I can then use them put into DMAP or generate 10k square refs (useful for searching) or whatever.

[poschiavanus]

There is another thread with some useful links for finding National Grid refs and various conversion utilities.

It's unfortunate that the recording software does not allow spaces in GRs: separating eastings from northings by a space allows much more error checking. The concatenation etc., required could be done in the software. Many GPS devices store GRs with the 100k square, eastings and northings separated by strings, and these will become more popular for directly recording data. I am now spending effort converting point records into 100m or 1k grid squares, when in principle all of this could be done when records are queried.

However, I'm all in favour of making life for recorders easier so give 'em the data in the form they want.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Matt Smith

I have no problem handling them now, I have got my databases (Lotus Approach) set up to basicly deal with any of the various combinations of letters and numbers that have been submitted to me so far, there is a nice "combine" function that will do this, it just takes time to set it all up in the first place and get all the working fields in the right place.

Once I have got them them in one "lump", I can then use them put into DMAP or generate 10k square refs (useful for searching) or whatever.

Combine sounds like concatenate. As you say once it is all set up... but it all takes time.