This manual describes the iPOGOŽ Command language. For Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), please see the companion Windows Help file or On-Line FAQs Center at www.ipogo.net .

iPOGOŽ is actually a sophisticated programming language that can be used to resolve the simplest 2D surveying computation, or to build complex survey computation object models of subdivisions where you can change one parameter, such as a right-of-way width, and the subsequent computations will automatically adjust to the new right-of-way the next time you process the model. Many of the example command files included in this manual demonstrate the techniques used to build these object models.

This manual is organized similar to the iPOGOŽ commands themselves. iPOGO's native commands are numeric with alpha-aliases and each positive whole number generally represents a different type of surveying calculation. Furthermore, iPOGOŽ commands associated with computing coordinates are termed 'Computing Commands'. iPOGOŽ commands associated with generating print/plot output are termed 'Printing Commands'. And finally, there are 'Utility Commands' used for controlling computational flow, display format, etc.

The content of this manual is organized by the primary iPOGOŽ Command Groups. For example, Group 0 contains the commands used to store points with North, East, Elevation, Code, Class, and Description. Group 1 contains the commands used to compute points from bearings and distances. Group 2 contains the commands used to compute points from angles and distances. Group 3 contains the commands used to compute points from bearing-bearing intersections. And so forth.

The Table of Contents aggregates these primary Command Groups under the three headings of Computing, Printing and Utilities. Each Command Group has sufficient labelling for the user to identify the primary purpose of the Group. The hyper-text links included in the Windows help file and the On-Line versions of this manual will take you from the Table of Contents to the Command Group List.

The Command Group List contains each iPOGOŽ Command in that group with an abbreviated description. Each iPOGOŽ Command description has the Number, Alpha-Alias, Title, Data Format, and Date of Last Update. The Windows Help file and On-line versions of this manual have hyper-text links to the iPOGOŽ Command detail help. Many times, this abbreviated list is all that is needed by an experienced user to confirm a particular command's syntax.

The iPOGOŽ Command detail help begins by providing the abbreviated information described above along with a real world surveying problem, a suggested solution using the current command, and a graphic display of the results. Following this practical solution, the detail help proceeds to document each and every data item in the suggested solution along with comments on requirements, subcommands, variations, changes from previous versions, and multiple methodologies. Finally, each iPOGOŽ Command's detail help concludes with a complete example command file. The Windows Help file and On-line versions of this manual allow the user to copy the example command file to the clipboard, paste directly into the iPOGOŽ editor, and process to generate printed output and graphics of the example.

(Note: The paste operation should result in a command file identical to the copied format. If you end up with a single line of text, then re-copy the data by selecting an additional line above and below the example command file. Otherwise, the single string of text will not process properly in iPOGOŽ and may terminate the program unexpectedly.)

The action of processing the example command file effectively demonstrates the ultimate power of iPOGOŽ by allowing the end user to study a command file written by another surveyor, to follow in the surveyor's footsteps, and to replicate the surveyor's computations exactly with full comprehension of who, what, when and where.

The typing conventions in this manual include braces { } surrounding optional repeating portions of iPOGOŽ commands and brackets [ ] surrounding optional data components of iPOGOŽ commands.

Computing changes from previous versions are noted in italics.

(Note: Particularly notice the change in how the negative angles are handled in the 2, -2, 10 and other commands. Prior versions required the user to enter negative degrees, negative minutes and negative seconds to get a completely negative or left angle. This version automatically sets the entire angle to negative when the degrees are negative. This can result in very different coordinates when you import an old DOS iPOGOŽ command file that contains negative degrees and positive minutes!!! Recommend the user either verify that all negative angles are correct in the original file before importing into Version 5, or simply import the binary coordinate file and leave the old DOS iPOGOŽ command file untouched for posterity.)

Error messages generated by iPOGOŽ are displayed at run-time and are generated when there are invalid data elements, incorrect number of data elements, unrecognized command syntaxes and invalid computation results such as invalid intersections. iPOGOŽ will stop processing when these conditions occur and will display the error message with the line number. To locate the source of the error, simply select the editor window and type the line number in the space provided at the top right corner of the editor window. All line numbers given by error messages are referenced to the first line after the last successful command. In some cases, these line numbers may include comments and blank lines. However, this is the point where the user should begin checking all subsequent commands.

Additional help is provided in the FAQs and elsewhere for the Traverse Module, Metes and Bounds Description module, user interface, graphics control, and DXF import/export functionality.

Please report any problems encountered with using iPOGOŽ to the iPOGO Users Group website at www.ipogo.net.

The graphics in this version of the manual are scanned images from previous manuals and are temporary placeholders for the final graphics. The images are currently being updated and will be replaced as they become available. Periodic updates of this manual will be made available to registered iPOGOŽ users upon request.

Enjoy using iPOGOŽ !
Stan Thompson, PLS
Revision History:
July 2000
June 2001
August 2001
December 2001
February 2002