Get Started

Connect

This guide assumes the project is already configured (required references added, file structure in place).

Driver Manager

The DriverManager loads the sensor driver (e.g., Trimble S Series) and creates sensor instances.

Although the high‑level API is unified, the SDK still needs to know which instrument type you intend to control.

Key points in the snippet below:

IsvDetails.Developer enables development mode
Trimble.Ssi.Driver.CarpoBased.Driver.SSeries.Windows.dll is loaded dynamically
A driver instance is created from the loaded assembly
_sensor is a sensor instance from that driver (you can create more if needed)
DriverManager.DriverLogFilePath is set to a folder that is created if missing

IDriverManager driverManager = new DriverManager(IsvDetails.Developer);
try
{
    var driverDir = Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "..", "..", "..", "lib", "ssi", "Trimble.Ssi.Driver.CarpoBased.Driver.SSeries.Windows.dll");
    var driverAssembly = Assembly.LoadFrom(driverDir);
    driverManager.RegisterDriverAssembly(driverAssembly);
    var drivers = driverManager.ListAvailableDrivers();
    var driverInformation = drivers.FirstOrDefault();
    var driver = driverManager.CreateDriver(driverInformation);
    _sensor = driver.CreateSensor();

    var logPath = Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location), "TPSDK_log");
    if (!Directory.Exists(logPath)) Directory.CreateDirectory(logPath);
    DriverManager.DriverLogFilePath = logPath;
}
catch (Exception)
{
    throw; // Re-throw so upstream logic can handle/report
}

Connecting to a Sensor

You now have a valid _sensor and can query capabilities.

Typical connection types for a Trimble S Series:

USB
Serial
Bluetooth
Radio

List supported types:

var supportedConnectionTypes = _sensor.ListSupportedConnectionTypes();

Returns an IEnumerable<ConnectionType>.

USB

Simplest option (no extra parameters):

if (_sensor.IsSupported(ConnectionType.Usb))
{
    var settings = new ConnectionSettings(ConnectionType.Usb);
    try
    {
        await Task.Run(() => _sensor.Connect(settings));
        Initialize();
        return true;
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        exceptionCallback(e);
    }
}

Bluetooth

Requires a Bluetooth address:

public async Task<bool> ConnectViaBluetooth(Action<Exception> exceptionCallback, string bluetoothAddress)
{
    if (_sensor.IsSupported(ConnectionType.BluetoothSocket))
    {
        var btParam = _sensor.CreateConnectionParameter(ConnectionParameterType.BluetoothSocketSettings) as IConnectionParameterBluetoothSocketSettings;
        btParam.BluetoothParameter = btParam.CreateBluetoothParameter(bluetoothAddress);
        var parameters = new List<IConnectionParameter> { btParam };
        var settings = new ConnectionSettings(ConnectionType.BluetoothSocket, parameters);
        try
        {
            await Task.Run(() => _sensor.Connect(settings));
            return true;
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            exceptionCallback(ex);
        }
    }
    return false;
}

Bluetooth Radio Bridge (e.g., EM120 via EDB10)

ConnectionType.BluetoothRadio combines Bluetooth and radio parameters:

public async Task<bool> ConnectViaBluetoothRadio(Action<Exception> exceptionCallback, string bluetoothAddress, int channel, int networkId)
{
    if (_sensor.IsSupported(ConnectionType.BluetoothRadio))
    {
        var btParam = _sensor.CreateConnectionParameter(ConnectionParameterType.BluetoothSocketSettings) as IConnectionParameterBluetoothSocketSettings;
        btParam.BluetoothParameter = btParam.CreateBluetoothParameter(bluetoothAddress);

        var radioParam = _sensor.CreateConnectionParameter(ConnectionParameterType.RadioCommonSettings) as IConnectionParameterRadioCommonSettings;
        radioParam.Channel = channel;
        radioParam.NetworkId = networkId;

        var parameters = new List<IConnectionParameter> { btParam, radioParam };
        var settings = new ConnectionSettings(ConnectionType.BluetoothRadio, parameters);
        try
        {
            await Task.Run(() => _sensor.Connect(settings));
            Initialize();
            return true;
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            exceptionCallback(ex);
        }
    }
    return false;
}

Connection Parameters Pattern

Each transport uses one or more parameter objects (ConnectionParameterType):

IConnectionParameterBluetoothSocketSettings – Bluetooth address
IConnectionParameterRadioCommonSettings – radio channel + network ID
IConnectionParameterSerialSettings – serial port settings

You collect the required parameter instances in a List<IConnectionParameter> and pass them — together with the desired ConnectionType — to a ConnectionSettings instance used by _sensor.Connect(...).

This pattern keeps connection logic explicit and extensible.