TPC Desktop 2026
TPC 2026 R2 includes several new Point Code tools TPC users have asked for.
Multiple variants per survey point (i.e. FNL1–FNL5)
Any point that has multiple codes in its description can be sorted into traverses for each of the codes. This gives you the ability to sort an OAK–TREE into both the Oak traverse and the Tree traverse for example. You may find many uses for this feature.
Point Code Properties Dialog
We added a Properties dialog where you can access all the properties of any point code directly.
Set Survey Point Symbol & Size
Override survey points point symbols automatically, when sorting survey points into point code traverses. Manual command is still available also.
Setting Survey Point Properties
Specifying Traverse Groups
Traverses created for point codes can now be assigned to a Traverse Group. In the example shown here, the new traverse created for the FNL point code will be added to the Features traverse group.
Alphanumeric Variants
Alphanumeric variants (i.e. SW1, SW2) now work with [x] Exact match for more control when sorting points into traverses.
Added What list
You can now use the same What list you use pretty much everywhere else in TPC to tell TPC which survey points to include in your Point Code operations.
In the example shown here, the 42 survey points selected in the Point Manager will be sorted into traverses by their point codes.
Creating Traverses from Point Codes
You can also use the new What list when searching for codes used by your survey.
Working with ‘None’ Objects
When the line type or symbol is set to None, TPC doesn’t draw the object. So how do you select that object if you can’t see it?
We made it supper easy to work with ‘None’ objects.
Setting Traverse Drawing Settings to ‘None’
Sometimes, you want to set all the symbols or lines in a traverse to None. TPC knows all about this and handles it just the way it should.
Snap Nearest
You can now select the object to snap Nearest To. This really speeds up this snap in large files.
When you select a near object, TPC limits the snap nearest operation to just that object.
For large drawings, this can greatly increase the responsiveness of this command.
This option is also useful when you want to limit snapping to one particular drawing object.
Font Tools
We’ve improved the drawing font tools so you can manage the fonts you use in your drawings more easily.
The Convert Font tool is a good example of why we added the font tools.
It lets you change fonts in a drawing. So, if you don’t want to use font A, just convert it font B. But instead of selecting one drawing object at a time and changing it’s font, you can select drawing objects that uses that font and change that font to another font.
Font Tool Options
You now have more Options, including separating Survey objects and Survey Space objects. Plus, you now know how many objects have that font for each option.
Text Box Size
Drawing text boxes can now have twice as many characters. The old limit was 10,000. The new limit is 20,000.
Save / Recall Table Settings
Beginning with V26 Release 2, you can save and recall drawing table settings just like you do Traverse Drawing Settings, Traverse View Formats and others.
PDF Pattern Lines
Beginning with TPC 2026, TPC draws pattern line types itself, instead of relying on your Windows or PDF printer driver.
This ensures that these line types, like the /Dash lines shown here, appear on a printout like they do on your monitor.
We added a new Predefined Linetypes.trv survey to the Sample surveys. You’ll find drawings showing all the predefined line types, like /Dash shown below.
CAD Line Types
TPC now exports just the line types used by the drawing when exporting to CAD (along with defaults like ByLayer, Continuous and None).
TPC now exports most of it’s predefined line types to CAD. We are able to do this using line types shapes included in the ltypeshp.shx file included with most CAD programs.
The /Fence line types shown below are a good example.
Legend CAD Line Types
Beginning with TPC 2026 R3, TPC writes better line types to CAD Legends.
The /Fence line types shown below are a good example.
Legal Description Stations
You can now include stations in your legal descriptions.
Adding Stations to Legal Descriptions
TPC lets you choose to use stations at the beginning of courses or the end of courses. This gives you the flexibility to include them just the way you want.
Plus, we’ve added a new DefaultToStation.xml legal description style template so you can get started using stations right off the bat.
Import Shape Details
You can now include details about each imported shape. Just turn on [[x] Details in the Import Settings dialog.
In the example shown here, TPC includes the M values in the details. M values are also added to the point descriptions as M=[value].
Import Shapes to Drawing vs Survey
We’ve documented the difference so you can get the results you want.
You can import GIS shapes into a drawing. TPC creates the appropriate block refernces for point shapes and polylines for polyline or polygon shapes. When you import Point shapes into a drawing, TPC creates Point objects with X,Y,Z coordinates.
When you import shapes into the survey, you create survey points and traverses (when polyline or polygon shapes are imported).
Import .zip Files
When importing a shape file, you can select either the .shp file or it’s corresponding .zip file.
For example, if both Phase1.shp and Phase1.zip are available, you can select either one.
When you select a .zip file to import, TPC TPC first extracts the shape files from it, then imports the extracted .shp file.
Export to QGIS
Shape files exported from TPC now open in QGIS without any extra steps.
Of course, TPC’s shape files have always imported perfectly iinto esri GIS.
New Export Traverses Options
When exporting traverses to shapes, you can now choose
- Export as Points
- Export as Polylines
- Include Elevation / Ellipse Ht
You can choose which shapes you want to export and include elevations.
Export .zip Files
When you export a shape file, TPC first creates the shape, index, data base and projection files, then compresses them into a .zip file with the same filename.
For example, when exporting a Phase1 shape file, TPC creates the files Phase1.SHP, Phase1.SHX, Phase1.DBF, Phase1.PRJ and Phase1.ZIP.
Read Ellipses from PRJ Files
If you use a prj file to define the CRS for a survey, TPC looks for an ellipse definition in the prj file, and if found, incorporates it into that survey’s CRS.
Check +/- Longitude
TPC considers a positive (+) longitude to be West and negative (-) to be East. This may or may not conform to the convention used in a particular prj file. If you use a prj file for a survey’s CRS and the sign of the Central Meridian is wrong, you survey coordinates will be way off from where they should be.
We built and tested this version of TPC with the latest version of Windows 11. Everything is up to date.
Wordpad
Microsoft completely removed Wordpad from Win 11 update 24H2. It’s just gone. When you try to edit a Rich Text object externally with the [pencil] button, nothing happens.
If Wordpad is no longer available on your computer, TPC 2026 defaults to MS Word automatically.
Network and Multi-User Installation
Windows 11 requires you to run TPC.exe one time as administrator if you want to install TPC for use by multiple users one computer or workstation. We updated several help topics to explain how this works.
Network Deployment
This version includes new command land parameters to activate TPC that can be very helpful in network deployment tools like Microsoft InTune.
Document Install Command Lines Parameters
The TPC installer includes command line parameters that can be very helpful in network deployment tools like Microsoft InTune.
Install Command Line Parameters
TPC Desktop Help – PDF
The TPC Unified Help is now available as a PDF. Click Here
TPC 2026 R1 released 1/21/26, TPC 2026 R2 BETA released 4/3/26, scheduled release 5/27/26
What’s New – all versions
