A handheld computer which is connectable to an optoelectronic distance measuring device in an integrated manner so as to communicate bidirectionally therewith or connectable via a data interface, includes a computing device, an input device, and a display suitable for marking and displaying a graphic object. In a repeated sequence, an algorithm designed for interacting with the optoelectronic distance measuring device waits, in a marking step, for a marking event initiated by the user through the input device when marking an object of a graphic representation that is displayed by the display, and in a survey step which is close in time to the marking event, waits for a survey event which is triggered by a survey result measured by the user through use of the optoelectronic distance measuring device, whereupon the survey result is associated with the marked object in a subsequent association step.