Creating the Vehicle File:
The image of the barge used in HydroStar is provided by the vehicle file. This is a polyline file and has
an extension .veh. It is stored in the directory C:\data. The steps outlined here will guide you through
creating the vehicle file. Alternately, you can contact Carlson Software (617-254-5429), provide us
measured drawings of your barge and we will create the vehicle file and send it to you, free of charge.
The drawing should be created in Carlson Software’s SurvCADD or another CAD package that allows
saving polyline files. The barge should be drawn in the same units (feet or meters) you will be using in
your project.
There are three critical points on the barge: the two GPS antennas and the pile driver (or depth sounder).
The barge must be drawn correctly in order to appear correctly in HydroStar. The barge should be
drawn so that GPS Antenna #1 is positioned at the origin (0,0). The barge should be rotated until GPS
Antenna #2 is on the x-axis (y = 0). We recommend drawing the outline of the barge and each GPS
antenna. Any other structures on the barge can be drawn as you see fit. Do not draw the four arrows
around the pile driver. These will be added automatically as a check.
Export this drawing as a polyline file called barge. It will have a .pnl extention. Change the name from
barge.pln to barge.veh. Put this vehicle file in the C:\Data or D:\Data directory.
Top Row: Examples of barge layouts showing GPS1, GPS2 and Pile Driver.
Bottom Row: These barges as drawn in the vehicle file with proper orientation.
