Archive for category Lieca Disto

An Old Friend is Back where it belongs in Disto D8

Posted by John McLean, Jr. in LaserDWG, Lieca Disto on June 9th, 2009

We have just completed interfacing LaserDWG with the new Leica Disto D8TM. The D8 has a lot of new features and maintains many of the best features from previous Disto’s.

Two new features of the D8 that will have a big impact on productivity are the display/targeting screen and the 360° tilt sensor. Each of these new features can take up a blog or two by themselves and will be discussed in another installment in the future.

Today, I am going to discuss a keypad layout that was originally in the Disto Plus. The reference key was a single function button for changing the reference point of the measurement. This was available even when the 2nd function level keys where active.

When Leica made the Disto A6 smaller and lighter, something had to change. Leica decided to reduce the number of keys. The Plus had 17 keys and the A6 had 14. That required some keys to be removed and other keys had to double up. The reference point key was doubled up with lower left arrow key (2nd level function) in A6.

One of the strengths of the Plus, A6 and D8 is the Bluetooth® interface which transmits data from the unit to an application. Some Laser to CAD applications setup the 2nd level keys to transmit both a distance and keypad identifier when an arrow key (2nd level function) is pressed. The key identifier is then used as a direction for the distance.

When the A6 is configured as described above, the reference key is not readily available. This required the operator to perform the following steps:

  1. Press the 2ndlevel button to return to the first level functions.
  2. Change the reference point on the A6.
  3. Press the 2nd level button to return to the second level functions.

As you can imagine, this was painful! This is especial true when working a complex corner or complex column geometry.

The D8 is a little bigger now. The reference point button is now a single function key located in the lower left corner of the Disto D8. This should help reduce a few key strokes.

I am glad to have my old friend back where it belongs; as a single function key. Maybe it is time to retire my old Disto Plus.

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