1001 core

Core Manual Chapter 1: About This Manual

Chapter 1

About This Manual

In This Chapter

Purpose Organization of This Volume General Information

Purpose

This manual provides you with the following:

An overview of Gemcom for Windows.

Instructions for getting started with Gemcom for Windows.

Procedures for using core operations common to all Gemcom forWindows installations.

Organization of This Volume

Volume I: Core is divided into five sections: Introduction, CoreConcepts, Core Menus, Standard Tools, and Appendices.

Section I: Introduction Gemcom for Windows

Section I: Introduction

Chapter 1: About this Manual describes the manual, itsorganization, and the conventions used throughout this manual.

Chapter 2: Introduction to Gemcom for Windows outlines theGemcom for Windows system, describes its basic concepts, andillustrates the standard functions provided by the system.

Chapter 3: Getting Started describes what you get in theGemcom for Windows system, lists the resources you need to run it,tells you how to start a Gemcom for Windows work session, anddescribes how to use the menu system.

Chapter 4: Dialog Boxes describes the layout and functions of thevarious data entry screens and editors in Gemcom for Windows.

Section II: Core Concepts

Chapter 5: Project Data Management explains what sessionsand projects are and describes how to initiate a new project.

Chapter 6: General Data Definitions describes essential dataprofiles to be defined, including plan views, sections, colour profiles,rock codes and grade elements.

Chapter 7: Points describes how points are used in Gemcom forWindows and how they can be displayed and selected.

Chapter 8: Polylines describes the different types of polylines,and discusses the various ways that polylines can be used inGemcom for Windows.

Section III: Core Menus

Chapter 9: The File Menu tells you how to use each of the dataand project management commands found on the File menu.

Core Manual Chapter 1: About This Manual

Chapter 10: The Window Menu tells you how to use each of thedata projection commands found on the Window menu.

Chapter 11: The View Menu tells you how to use each of theviewing plane selection commands found on the View menu.

Chapter 12: The Point Menu tells you how to use each of thecommands on the Point menu.

Chapter 13: The Polyline Menu tells you how to use each of thecommands on the Polyline menu.

Chapter 14: The Tools Menu briefly describes commands foundon the Tools menu. Standard tools are discussed individually inSection IV.

Chapter 15: The Options Menu tells you how to use each of theprogram configuration utilities found on the Options menu.

Chapter 16: The Help Menu tells you how to use the programstatus information and on-line help document found on the Helpmenu.

Section IV: Standard Tools

Chapter 17: Digitizing tells you how to use a digitizer to entermap data into Gemcom for Windows.

Chapter 18: DXF Utilities tells you how to edit Gemcom forWindows graphics files for export to AutoCAD systems.

Chapter 19: Graphics Output tells you how to export graphicsand plots to other applications and systems.

Chapter 20: Other Utilities tells you how to format reports andinvoke text editing programs.


Section V: Appendices

Appendix A: The Menu System and Custom Menus describeshow menu files are organized and how you can use them to createyour own custom menus.

Appendix B: Project Structure describes how data is organizedwithin a project.

Appendix C: The File System describes how different files arenamed and organized.

Appendix D: Import Files defines the format of the various filesthat Gemcom for Windows can import.

Appendix E: Export Files defines the formats of the various filesthat Gemcom for Windows can export.

General Information

For overall information about the Gemcom for Windows UserManual, including organization, conventions, technical supportcontacts, and master index, see the Manual Guide & Master Indexbooklet.

Core Manual Chapter 2: Introduction to Gemcom for Windows

Chapter 2

Introduction to Gemcom for Windows

In This Chapter

Introduction The Gemcom for Windows System The Gemcom for Windows Core Data Objects Data Display Operations Viewing Data Output

Introduction

Gemcom for Windows is an integrated software system forexploration data management and analysis, solids modelling andmine production planning. The package permits you to manage,manipulate and view data from all phases of the mineralexploration and mining process.

The Gemcom for Windows System

Gemcom for Windows is an exploration data management systemdesigned to store, manage, report, display and analyze, bothstatistically and geostatistically, any type of spatial data combinedwith any qualitative or quantitative data. It provides extensivegraphical editing facilities and other practical tools to make allaspects of geological and ore reserve modelling, and open pit and


underground mine planning and design, fast, flexible and easy tounderstand.

Gemcom for Windows is available in several configurations.Licensees with extended performance packages will have access toadditional utilities and/or specialized tools.

Common to all Gemcom for Windows installations is a 2D (two-dimensional) and 3D (three-dimensional) graphical environmentwithin which you can display, edit and model data from a variety ofsources. The powerful viewing capabilities of Gemcom for Windowsprovide an ideal environment for looking at your data in overviewor in detail.

The Gemcom for Windows Core

Eight pull-down menus--File, Window, View, Point, Polyline, Tools,Options and Help--are known collectively as the Gemcom forWindows Core. Within these menus, you will find the general toolsyou will use in every Gemcom for Windows project to define dataprofiles, set your viewing window, manage project data, selectprojection planes to view, manipulate points and lines, etc.

Some commands on the Point and Polyline menus are onlyavailable to licensees with extended performance packages.

Data Objects

You can view several types of 2D and 3D data objects in Gemcomfor Windows. The table lists these objects and the volume in whichyou can find them most fully described:


Data object Gemcom for Windows User ManualVolume

Drillholes Volume II--Exploration

Blocks Volume III--Modelling

Points Volume I--Core (Chapter 7)

Polylines Volume I--Core (Chapter 8)

Polygons Volume II--Exploration

Surfaces Volume III--Modelling

Solids Volume III--Modelling

Among other functions, Gemcom lets you:

Display drillholes and use downhole intersections tointeractively create geological interpretations and surfaces.

Display block model data from orebody projects in severaldifferent forms.

Display and use points from extraction files or MINE-SURVEYcontrol stations.

Display, create, edit and manipulate polyline data from eitherASCII files or Gemcom status map files. Polylines can be used todefine surface or sub-surface contour lines, feature lines, orrock code boundaries that can be used for surface triangulationor solids modelling.

Create a surface using a triangulated irregular network fromcombinations of drillhole intersects, points and polylines.

Perform surface to surface and surface to polyline intersections.

Contour surfaces, smooth contours.

Create solid models using three-dimensional triangulation.Sophisticated tie line technology allows complex solids to becreated.


Perform solid to solid and solid to surface intersections.

Contour solids.

Update block models from solids, polygons or points.

View drillholes, block models, points, polylines, surfaces andsolids in three dimensions using either a wire-frame mode, orcolour-rendered mode with hidden line and surface removal.

Quickly switch between 3D viewing and 2D vertical and inclinedsections, and plan views.

Use powerful data selection tools to select items by location,category, line type or rock code.

Produce colour-rendered hard copy output direct to rasterplotters using HPGL/2 or Postscript.

Points and polylines, which are discussed in this manual, areintroduced below.

Points

Point data stored in Gemcoms standard extraction files, or controlstation locations from MINE-SURVEY databases, can be loadedand displayed in Gemcom for Windows.

When you display points from an extraction file, you can specify theway that the points are displayed in several ways:

Select a colour profile.

Specify the extraction file variable to be displayed.

Specify the display type (symbols or text).

Specify the text or symbol size.

When you display control stations, you can control the text sizeonly.


All loaded points are active until they are unloaded. These pointscan be used for surface modelling and solids modelling operations.See Chapter 7: Points for further details.

Polylines

Polylines are one of the most important data objects in Gemcom forWindows. They can represent a large variety of different types ofinformation, including the following:

Topographic contour and feature lines.

Open pit design lines.

Lithological contacts on plans or sections.

Geological structures such as faults on plans or sections.

Orebody outlines on plans or sections.

Tie lines between polylines.

Underground development centrelines.

Stope outlines on plans or sections.

Because of the variety of uses, Gemcom for Windows incorporatessome specific data management techniques to make administrationof polylines easier. Each polyline is assigned a type, anddepending on the type, a set of attributes.

Polylines are always stored in true 3D coordinates, but may becreated in the 2D local coordinates of the current active view plane.

Polyline Types

There are four types of polylines:


Status lines. These types are either contour lines or featurelines and are used to define changes in elevation. Each polylineis assigned a line type to denote its use; a line colour; a linestyle; and a symbol type to be used at each point. Each statusline is also assigned to a plane (see Figure 2-1) .

3D rings. These types are used for defining lithologicaloutlines, or orebody outlines on plans or sections. Each polylineis assigned a rock type attribute, as well as being assigned to aplane (see Figure 2-2).

Tie lines. These are special line types that are used exclusivelyfor solids modelling. Tie lines are used to connect 3D ringstogether from plane to plane. Tie lines have no attributes.

Clipping Polygons. These are special closed polylines used forisolating regions of graphical data for selection or removal.Clipping polygons have no attributes.

Figure 2-1: Status lines shown in 2D on a plan view


Creation of Polylines

There are many different ways to create polylines. Depending onthe type of polyline, you can digitize lines with the mouse or tablet;load polylines created by other Gemcom systems from text files orstatus map files; copy or create polylines from other lines using anyof the edit functions; or automatically create polylines bycontouring surface or solids models. See Chapter 8: Polylines forfurther details.

Data Display Operations

Data which resides on disk must go through several steps before itcan be viewed or usefully manipulated. There may be up to threesteps in this process, loading, activating and displaying.

Figure 2-2: 3D rings shown in 3D


Loading and Unloading Data

Loading brings the data from storage into the current work session.This is the environment in which selected project data you wish tostudy is resident, along with all the particular settings you havechosen to best view the data (see Chapter 6: Project DataManagement). Some loading operations leave the data quiescent;others activate or display it immediately. You can usually unloadall data or all active data at any time, and there are many optionsfor filtering the data you wish to load, or specifying particularclasses of data you wish to unload.

Activating and Deactivating Data

Only active data can be manipulated or used for most operations.To activate an inactive data object or to deactivate an active one,you generally use a select command. Sometimes, deactivation isaccomplished via a deselect command, other times by simplyapplying a select operation to an object that is currently active.Inactive points and polylines, when visible, are often drawn in afainter colour than active data. Surfaces and solids are nevervisible unless active.

Displaying and Hiding Data

You can choose to display or hide most kinds of active or inactiveloaded data. Hiding does not unload or deactivate the data, itsimply renders it invisible. Conversely, visible data is notnecessarily active or available for certain operations.


Viewing Data in Gemcom for Windows

Gemcom for Windows features an interactive graphicalenvironment designed to offer data viewing, editing and modellingin either three or two dimensions.

The three-dimensional viewing function provides you with twodifferent viewing modes--wireframe and rendered--each of whichcan be viewed in two different projection modes--orthogonal andperspective.

3D Viewing Modes

You can view data in 3D in one of two modes:

Wire-frame (normal) mode. This mode is the usual modeused for data editing and modelling operations (see Figure 2-3).Data is shown with no hidden line or hidden surface removal,and all facets of triangulated surfaces (surface models or solid

Figure 2-3: Data displayed in normal viewing mode


models) are completely transparent. The nodes of all polylinesare shown with small symbols.

Rendered (Z-buffer) mode. This mode is most commonly usedfor data display and hard copy purposes (see Figure 2-4). Alldata is shown using full hidden line and hidden surfaceremoval. All triangulated surfaces (surface models and solidsmodels) are rendered in full colour using configurable lightsources at user-definable locations. Rendering is conducted bythe software and is extremely fast.

In both cases, view directions are assigned using the concept of acamera position, which is the viewpoint, and a target position,which is used as the centre of the view. The field of view is definedusing a focal length for an imaginary lens that you are lookingthrough. You can interactively modify all the view parameters byspinning the view around with the mouse, by picking camera andtarget positions with the mouse, or by explicitly defining viewparameters.

Figure 2-4: Data displayed in rendered mode


3D Projections

In 3D viewing mode, you can use one of two standard dataprojections:

Orthometric view. In this mode, all vertical lines appearparallel, and all horizontal lines appear parallel. All dimensionsof displayed objects are scaled equally (see Figure 2-5).

Perspective view. In this mode, vertical and horizontal linestend towards vanishing points on the horizon. The amount of

Figure 2-5: Orthometric projection (top) and perspective view of data


perspective distortion that is applied to the projection isdependent on the view position and the focal length that youhave defined (see Figure 2-5).

The default viewing mode for Gemcom for Windows is a perspectiveview using a wire-frame mode.

2D View Planes

Gemcom for Windows also allows you to use 2D view planes as anadded method of looking at your data. The 2D view planes consist ofeither vertical sections, inclined sections or plan views. You canquickly toggle between a 3D view and a 2D view with a singlekeystroke.

View planes are also used extensively in Gemcom for Windows fordata management and modelling, as all polylines and contours aretagged with an associated view plane as an attribute. Data cantherefore be selected for modelling on the basis of the view plane aswell as other attributes.

Selecting the 2D view planes is a simple and quick process, with avariety of selection methods available for each type of plane.

Vertical Sections

These types of sections can be defined with the section line orientedin any direction (see Figure 2-6). To select or define a verticalsection, you can:

Pick the section interactively with the mouse from a series ofsection lines displayed in 3D.

Interactively use the mouse to digitize the section endpoints.

Interactively use a slider to locate the section plane, lookingtowards the north, south, east or west.

Use section definitions from other Gemcom systems.


Inclined Sections

As with vertical sections, inclined sections can be defined with thesection line oriented in any direction (see Figure 2-7). To select ordefine inclined sections you can do the following:

Fit a plane through three data points by interactively selectingthe points with the mouse.

Fit a plane through three explicitly defined points.

Define a plane using an origin location and angles.

Use section definitions from other Gemcom systems.

Plan Views

Plan views are horizontal slices through the data (see Figure 2-8),and can be selected or defined by doing the following:

Figure 2-6: A vertical section view plane shown in 3D


Pick the plan view interactively with the mouse from a series ofplan view lines displayed in 3D.

Interactively use a slider to locate the plan view.

Use plan view definitions from other Gemcom systems.

Spatial Filtering in 3D

You can perform sophisticated spatial filtering on your data whilein 3D viewing mode. The spatial filters that you can apply here usethe definitions of the view planes that are defined above.

As well as the parameters used to define the location and extent ofthe plane in space, each view plane definition has a towards andan away projection distance that is used to define a spatial filteron each side of the plane. These spatial filters permit only datafalling within the projection distances to be displayed.

Figure 2-6, Figure 2-7and Figure 2-8 illustrate this spatial filtering.

Figure 2-7: An inclined section view plane shown in 3D


Output

Output from Gemcom for Windows can take the form of hard copyor data files. Graphical data can be plotted or saved in variousformats. Many commands generate reports which can be printed orstored in files.

Hard Copy Output

At any time when you are using Gemcom for Windows, you cancreate a hard copy output of the image that is displayed on thescreen. There are two types of hard copy plots:

Vector plots. These are 3D wire-frame plots of the screenimage that are produced by first creating a graphics file, thenusing Gemcoms standard plotting utility QuickPlot to plot thegraphics file on any of the vector (pen) plotters that Windowssupports. These plots do not have any hidden line or surface

Figure 2-8: A plan view plane shown in 3D


removal. You can also generate QuickPlot batch plotting filesfor producing a quantity of plots.

Rendered colour plots. These are full colour plots withhidden line and surface removal. The plots can be directlyoutput to any raster plotting device that supports eitherPostscript Level 2 or HPGL/2. These type of plots can beproduced at variable resolution (up to 1200 lines per inch) andsize (up to E or A0 size).

File Output

You can save Gemcom for Windows graphical data in a variety offormats for exchange with other Gemcom applications or for outputto external systems. Data can be output in DXF format forAutoCAD, or in GGP format for use in other Gemcom applicationsusing commands found under Tools }} Graphics Output. ThePoint and Polyline menus provide commands for outputting datafiles in standard ASCII format. See Appendix E: Export Files formore details.

Core Manual Chapter 3: Getting Started

Chapter 3

Getting Started

In This Chapter

Introduction System Requirements Window Layout Information Windows Menu Bar Toolbar Using the Keyboard 3D Graphics Interface Quitting Gemcom for Windows

Introduction

Because Gemcom for Windows is designed specifically for Windows,users of previous Gemcom DOS applications will notice manyenhancements, including increased speed and smoother operations.The Gemcom for Windows interface has the following features tomake it easy for you to use the system:

Pull-down menu system

Toolbar buttons

Status bar prompts and information

3D graphics interface

Project view area


Dialog boxes and picklists (see Chapter 4: Dialog Boxes)

This chapter describes system requirements and the Gemcom forWindows user interface.

System Requirements

In order to use Gemcom for Windows to its full potential, you willneed the following hardware and software (as a minimum), as wellas some optional peripherals for graphical input and output:

Item: Your choices are:

Operating system Windows 95, Windows 98orWindows NT Version 4.00

Minimum memory 32 Mb total RAM (64 Mb recommended)

Processor Pentium, with at least 90 MHz clock speed

Disk drives 1 Gb or more hard diskplus1.4Mb 3.5" floppy disk driveplusCD drive (recommended)

Graphics adapter Windows-accelerated graphics card with 1 Mb videoRAM (Open GL-accelerated recommended)

Plotter Any Windows-supported device

Digitizer Any Windows-supported device

System Settings

For optimal Gemcom for Windows performance, you should ensurethat the screen display settings in Windows are set properly. To


bring up the Display Properties dialog box in Windows, follow thesesteps:

1. Use the mouse to click on the Start Menu. Move the mousedown until the Settings command is highlighted and theattached pull-down menu appears.

2. Use the mouse to highlight Control Panel and press the leftmouse button.

3. Select the Display icon from within the Control Panel anddouble click the left mouse button to bring up the DisplayProperties dialog box.

Desktop Area

For optimal screen display of Gemcom for Windows, the minimumrecommended desktop area setting in Windows is 1024 by 768pixels. Gemcom for Windows will run if the desktop area is set to alower resolution, but it will not all be visible on screen at the sametime. For best results, ensure that you have the latest driveravailable from the manufacturer of your video card.

To ensure that the desktop area setting is correct, follow thesesteps:

1. Choose the Settings tab in Display Properties.

2. Ensure that the Desktop area is set at 1024 by 768 pixels (orhigher). To change the setting, position the mouse cursor on theslider control, and click and drag the mouse to the right toincrease the number of pixels, or to the left to decrease thenumber of pixels.

Colour Palette Setting

For best viewing, the colour palette should be set to 64K colours. Toensure that this setting is correct, do the following:


1. Choose the Settings tab in Display Properties.

2. Ensure that the Colour Palette is set at 64K colours. To changethe setting, position the mouse cursor on the small trianglebeside the setting box and click the left mouse button. This willbring up a list of the possible settings. Move the mouse cursoruntil High colour (16 bit) is highlighted and click the leftmouse button.

Applying New Settings

Once you have made all the necessary changes within the DisplayProperties dialog box, you must save these changes and close theControl Panel. It will probably be necessary to restart Windows inorder to apply these changes.

1. In the Display Properties dialog box, position the mouse cursoron OK and click the left mouse button.

2. If you have made any changes in the Settings dialog box, youwill see a Systems Setting Change dialog box which will tell youthat you must restart your computer for the changes to takeeffect and giving you the option of restarting your computerimmediately. If you want the changes to take effectimmediately, point the mouse cursor to Yes and click the leftmouse button. If you want to defer the changes to the next timeyou start up your computer, point the mouse cursor to No andclick the left mouse button.

3. Note: You should close any other applications that are runningbefore shutting down the computer.

4. Close the Control Panel by clicking on the [X] in the upperright-hand corner.


Window Layout

The Gemcom window is divided into six areas. At the top of thewindow is a title bar; below the title bar is a menu bar that lists theGemcom functional menus; beneath that lies a toolbar with buttonsrepresenting common operations; at the left centre of the window isthe project view area; at the right centre is the graphical work area;and the bottom consists of a status bar. There may be one or morecustom menu bars at user defined locations (see Figure 3-1).


Title Bar

The title bar at the top of the window contains the name of theapplication and the Minimize, Maximize and Close commandbuttons.

Minimize Button

Click the minimize button to reduce the application window to abutton on the Windows taskbar. The application will continue to

Status bar

Userprompt

Data identification

Worldcoordinates

Operationstatus

Window corner

Graphicalwork area

Close

Windowborder

ToolbarMenu barTitle barName of application

Maximize

Minimize

Custommenu bar

Projectview area

Slidingborder

Objectstab

Scriptstab

Figure 3-1: Gemcom window layout


run but doesnt take up space on your Windows desktop. To restorethe application, click the button.

Maximize Button

Click the maximize button to enlarge the application window sothat it fills the entire screen. After you enlarge the window, themaximize button is replaced by the Restore button. Click theRestore button to return the window to its previous size.

Close Button

Click the close button to quit the application. You will be asked toconfirm that you want to exit the program.

Menu Bar

The menu bar lists the available pull-down menus of the Gemcominteractive graphics operations. You can choose menus and menucommands with the mouse or keyboard. Choosing an commandusually triggers an action or displays a dialog box.

Custom Menu Bar

Custom menus are expanded menus or submenus which enable youto access a set of commands by descending through fewer levelsthan would be required using the main menu bar, or to groupcommands from various menus in a way that fits your needs. Youcan drag a floating custom menu bar to a screen location where itwill not interfere with your data or with existing menus. Custommenu bars behave like the regular menu bar in all other ways. Youcan bring up custom menu bars via the File }} Custom Menucommand.


To learn how to create your own custom menus, see Appendix A:The Menu System and Custom Menus.

Toolbar

This row of buttons underneath the menus provides a convenientway to access some of the most common operations. In general, eachbutton corresponds to an existing menu command.

A toolbar button can be quickly selected with the mouse. Eachbutton is identified by a symbol; you can also rest your mousepointer over the button to display the button name.

Graphical Work Area

This area displays your data and the current session. Initially thisarea surrounds the extent of the data, but you can also cover otherareas by panning this window or you can cover areas in more detailby zooming the window. A minimal set of coordinate grid lines isoften displayed so that you can see the location and extent of thework area.

Within the work area, all data objects can be selected graphicallyone at a time using the left mouse button (and deselected by beingselected a second time).

Project View Area

You can use the project view area button on the toolbar (orWindow }} Show Project View Area) to hide or show the projectview area. This area contains an Objects tab and a Scripts tab.Using these tabs, you can see the structure of your projects (infolder trees) and quickly access a number of common commands.


Objects Tab

A folder tree for your current project appears on this tab. Dataobjects are separated into projects (Drillhole, Block, etc.).

Folder Tree

In the folder tree (see Figure 3-2), click any box containing a plussign [+] to expand the associated project or folder, revealing itscontents. Clicking a box containing a minus sign [-] will compressthe associated item.

A checkmark alongside a block model icon indicates the block modelis currently selected for display.

A checkmark alongside a drillhole workspace folder icon indicatesthe workspace is currently loaded.

Once the desired project, folder or block model icon appears on thefolder tree, you can rightclick on the name or icon to access theProject View Context Menu. This menu will contain variouscommands, specific to what you have highlighted. For commanddescriptions and procedures refer to Volume II: Exploration,

Project icon

Block model icon

Folder icon

Expanded item

Compressed item

Display check mark

Figure 3-2: Project view area folder tree


Chapter XV: Working with Drillholes or Volume III: Modelling,Chapter XI: The Block Menu.

Scripts Tab

A folder tree for your scripts (.BAS files) appears on this tab. Youcan rightclick on the desired folder or script icon to access theScript View context menu.

The following commands are available when you choose a foldericon:

Folder command Function

Create New Script Brings up GSIEdit or other text editor window

Refresh Refreshes the list of scripts contained

The following commands are available when you choose a scripticon:

Script command Function

Edit Brings up script in GSIEdit or other text editorwindow

Execute Runs script

Rename Renames script

Delete Deletes script

You can doubleclick on a script icon to execute the Executecommand.

Sliders/Sliding Border

If the folder tree is too large to fit in the project view area, you canuse sliders at the bottom and right to view the entire folder tree.


You can control the portion of the Gemcom window taken up by theproject view area. Move the pointer to the sliding border. When thepointer changes to a two-headed arrow, drag the border until theproject view area is the size you want and release the mousebutton.

Status Bar

The status bar displays user prompts and messages, andinformation about the current operation and your data.

When selecting planes locations using Looking North, LookingDown, etc. on the View menu, pressing [Backspace] once willenable you to explicitly enter a coordinate on the status bar. Youmay have to press [Backspace] several times first to erase theexisting coordinate.

User Prompt

Prompts and messages appear at the left of the status bar.

Operation Status

The current operation appears at the centre of the status bar.

Data Identification

The program identifies whether you are in 2D or 3D mode and thename of the current plane.

World Coordinates

The world coordinates of the current cursor location within thegraphical work area appear at the right of the status bar. Thecoordinates change as you change the position of the cursor. If you


are in 2D, the values are the local 2D coordinates and in 3D, theyare the true 3D coordinates.

Window Border

When the application window does not fill the entire screen, youcan lengthen or shorten any of the outside edges of the window oneside at a time with the mouse. Move the pointer to the windowborder. When the pointer changes to a two-headed arrow, drag theborder until the window is the size you want and release the mousebutton.

When the application window does not fill the entire screen, youcan move the window by dragging its title bar to a new locationwith the mouse and then releasing the mouse button.

Window Corner

When the application window does not fill the entire screen, youcan lengthen or shorten two sides of the window at the same timewith the mouse. Move the pointer to the window corner. When thepointer changes to a two-headed arrow, drag the corner until thewindow is the size you want and release the mouse button.

Information Windows

Users of advanced editions of Gemcom may see one or moreinformation windows in addition to the main window. Thesewindows display key information whenever the graphics cursorrests on a data element of the appropriate type.


Figure 3-3: Block information window

Presently there are information windows for the following dataelements:

Blocks Polygons

A menu toggle command hides or displays each informationwindow. You can drag the window to any convenient location on thescreen; it remains on top.

Menu Bar

The Gemcom for Windows menu system is organized in a pull-downstyle that appears across the top of the window. You select themenus and their commands by clicking them with the left mousebutton or by using single keys or key combinations.

Accessing Menus with the Mouse

To access the pull-down menus using the mouse, first move thegraphics cursor to the desired menu on the menu bar. When thecursor changes from a cross to an arrowhead, click the left mousebutton. A list of commands will be "pulled down". Hold down theleft mouse button, move the pointer to the desired menu commandand then release the button to select it.


Accessing Menus with the Keyboard

Instead of using a mouse, there are designated keys on yourkeyboard that you can press to access the menu system. To select amenu on the menu bar, press both the [Alt] key and the underlinedletter (accelerator key) in the menu name. Then, to select anindividual menu command, press just the underlined letter in thecommand name. There is also a set of shortcut keys (single keysand key combinations) that can be used to access some of the menucommands. These appear next to the command names on themenus. Use the underlined letters when you are within a pull-downmenu; use the shortcut keys when you are not in a pull-down menu.

Menu Conventions

The following symbols may appear beside commands on the pull-down menus:

A checkmark (4) next to an command name means that thecommand is toggled on. When you reselect the command totoggle off the command, the checkmark will vanish.

A triangle arrow (4) next to an command name indicates thatchoosing the command will open a submenu listing additionalcommands.

A dimmed menu command is not available in the current mode.

Toolbar

Below the menu bar is the Gemcom for Windows toolbar, whichconsists of a row of buttons. These buttons can be used to performsome of the more common File, Window, View and Options menufunctions.


To invoke one of these functions, simply use the mouse to positionthe mouse cursor on the desired button and press the left mousebutton.

To see what a particular button does without activating it, allow themouse cursor to rest briefly on the button. After a couple of seconds,a small box showing the name of the function will appear directlyunder the mouse cursor.

The functions available on the Gemcom for Windows toolbar arelisted below, and are described in detail in this section. The firstfive buttons are standard Windows buttons seen in most Windows95 programs; the remaining buttons are unique to Gemcom forWindows.


Create a new session

Load an existing session

Save the current session

Undo last edit

Redo

Pan at current scale

Zoom into smaller area

Zoom into smaller area using mouse

Out into previous window

3D perspective view

2D planar view

Set view position dynamically (3D mode only)

Dolly in (3D mode only)

Dolly out (3D mode only)

Wire frame view (3D mode only)

Z-buffer view (solid) (3D mode only)

Set large projection distances


Revert to plane corridor distances

Previous plane

Next plane

Plot visible data

Show/hide project view area

Create a New Session

This button allows you to begin a new Gemcom for Windowssession. This function can also be accessed by choosing the File }}Projects }} New Session command.

Load an Existing Session

This button allows you to open and work with a previously savedGemcom for Windows session. This function can also be accessed bychoosing the File } Projects } Load Session command.

Save the Current Session

With this button, you can save the data and settings of your currentwork session to disk. This function can also be accessed by choosingthe File } Projects } Save Session command.

Undo Last Edit

Most polyline editing operations done in Gemcom for Windows canbe undone using this button. However, you can only undo your


last edit, and not all edits can be undone. If an undo is possible, youwill asked to confirm that you want to undo the last edit. Thescreen will be redrawn as it appeared before your last editingoperation.

This function can also be accessed by choosing the Options } UndoLast Edit command.

Redo

You can use this button to bring up the Express Menu, a picklistof your ten most recently selected menu commands. There is nocorresponding menu command for this function.

The Express Menu can also be accessed by right-clicking anywherein the graphical work area.

Pan at Current Scale

This button allows you to reposition the viewing window byselecting which part of the displayed graphic you want to see in thecentre of the viewing window. This function is available as ancommand on the Window menu.

Zoom into Smaller Area

With this button, you can display a portion of the current graphicin more detail. This function is available as an command on theWindow menu.


Zoom into Smaller Area Using Mouse

With this button, you can use the mouse to define a portion of thecurrent graphic to be enlarged and viewed in greater detail. To doso, follow these steps.

1. Point the mouse cursor to the Zoom into smaller area usingmouse button and click the left mouse button.

2. Position the cross-hair mouse cursor at one corner of the areayou want enlarged. Click on the left mouse button and hold itdown while you drag the mouse. You will see a box appear onthe screen. Continue dragging the mouse until the box enclosesthe entire area you want enlarged. Release the left mousebutton. Gemcom for Windows will redraw the screen, enlargingthe area that you have defined and showing it in more detail.The smaller the area that you define, the greater theenlargement of detail will be.

This function is available as an command on the Window menu.

Out Into Previous Window

You can use this button to return to the screen view you had beforethe last use of one of the Zoom in options. If you have zoomed inmany times, each subsequent selection of this option will stepbackwards through the work areas defined by previous zooms.

Once the original screen view is in place, or if you select this optionwithout having used either of the Zoom in options, this buttonwill function as a zoom out option, showing you an increasinglylarger (and less detailed) area of your working graphic.

This function is available as an command on the Window menu.


3D Perspective View/2D Planar View

These two buttons allow you to choose whether to view the selectedgraphics in 3D mode (default) or in 2D mode. The buttoncorresponding to the current mode will be dimmed. For example, ifyou are working in 3D mode, the 3D perspective view button will bedimmed.

If you are in 2D mode, click the 3D perspective view button tochange to 3D mode. In 3D mode, all objects are shown in threedimensions, using either a perspective or orthometric projection.The window will expand to display the graphical work area limitswhen switching from 2D to 3D.

If you are in 3D mode, click the 2D planar view button to change to2D mode. In 2D mode, all data is projected onto a single plane,which can be a vertical section, an inclined section, or a plan view.The view is perpendicular to the plane. The window will expand todisplay the graphical work area limits when switching from 3D to2D.

These functions are available as commands on the View menu.

Set View Position Dynamically

This button allows you to change your viewing position by orbitingthe camera around the target position. When you press this button,Gemcom for Windows will display the northing, easting andelevation axes. You can then use the mouse to position these axes toreflect the position from which you want to view your data. Movethe mouse from side to side to change the azimuth. Move the mouseup and down to change the zenith, or, while pressing the rightmouse button, to dolly in or out. Once you have the axes in thedesired position, press the left mouse button to lock the view. Thedata will reappear in the viewing area in its new orientation.


You can also access this function by selecting Window }Target/Camera Position Options } Set View PositionDynamically.

Dolly In/Dolly Out

These two buttons are used to move the camera position closer to orfarther away from the target position. When you select Dolly in, thenew camera position will be half the distance between the previouscamera position and the target position. When you select Dolly out,the new camera position will be twice the distance from theprevious camera position to the target position. In both cases, thenew view will be automatically generated.

These functions can also be found on the Window menu as 3DDolly In and 3D Dolly Out. They are available only in 3D mode.

Wire Frame View

You can use this button to select the wire frame view mode, ornormal display mode, which is the usual mode for data editing andmodelling operations. Data is shown with no hidden line or hiddensurface removal, and all facets of triangulated surfaces arecompletely transparent. This display mode is always used in 2Dplanar view mode but can be optionally selected in 3D mode.

You can also access this function by choosing Options }} ProgramDisplay Mode } Normal Display Mode.

Z-Buffer View

Selecting this button causes the data to be rendered in the Z-bufferhidden surface mode. This mode is most commonly used for datadisplay and hard copy purposes. All data is shown using full hiddenline and hidden surface removal, and all triangulated surfaces are


rendered in full colour using light sources at user-definablelocations. This display mode is only available in 3D perspectiveview mode.

You can also access this function by choosing Options }} ProgramDisplay Mode Z-buffer Hidden Surface Mode.

Set Large Projection Distances

You can use this button to set the two projection distances (i.e.,towards the view plane and away from the view plane) to a verylarge number (10,000,000 units). This option is useful when youhave your projection distances set, but you need to see all your dataagain. To return the projection distances to their original values,select the Revert to Plane Corridor Distances button.

This function is also available by choosing View }} Set LargeProjections.

Revert to Plane Corridor Distances

When this button is selected after the selection of large projections,the projection distances will revert from the large projectiondistances to their previously defined values.

This function is available as an command on the View menu.

Previous Plane/Next Plane

These two buttons allow you to select the previous active plane orthe next active plane to display on the screen. Note that planes aresorted according to their series and sequence numbers for theseoptions.

You can also access these functions by choosing Select Next Planeor Select Previous Plane on the View menu.


Plot Visible Data

You can use this button to plot or save all data visible in thegraphical work area in the form of a bitmap file.

You can also access this function by choosing Tools }} GraphicsOutput } Plot Visible Data.

Show/Hide Project View Area

You can use this button to show or hide the project view area in theGemcom window.

You can also access this function by choosing Window } ShowProject View Area.

Using The Keyboard

Users of previous Gemcom DOS applications will notice changes inthe use of function keys and menu shortcut keys in Gemcom forWindows.

Function Keys

The properties of the function keys [F1] through [F12] have beenstreamlined in Gemcom for Windows:

[F1] - [F4] and [F10] - [F12] are not presently assigned in Gemcom forWindows.

[F5] - [F9] now solely represent operations on the Window menu:


Function key Window menu command

[F5] Pan at Current Scale

[F6] Zoom into Smaller Area

[F7] Out into Previous Window

[F8] Where Am I?

[F9] Home to Initial Window

Note that [F5] is no longer used to toggle through choices in dialogboxes or on the status bar.

Note that [F10] no longer serves as the Save/Ready function key asit did in DOS applications when accepting changes in dialog boxesor in the status bar, or when closing interactive graphics operations(e.g., closing a polyline). Click the right mouse button to save/acceptchanges when working on-screen, and the left mouse button to doso on the status bar. See Chapter 4: Dialog Boxes for the differentways to navigate through dialog boxes.

Menu Shortcut Keys

The main Gemcom for Windows pull-down menus are selected withthe [Alt] key plus the underlined letter (accelerator key) in themenu name. For example, to select the File menu with thekeyboard, you press [Alt] + F. Previous DOS applications requiredonly the underlined letter.

Menu commands are still selected with the underlined letter only.

There are several changes to the shortcut keys:

The key combinations [Alt] + N (Next Plane) and [Alt] + P(Previous Plane) are now [Ctrl] + N and [Ctrl] + P.

The [Tab] key no longer accesses the Express Menu (the list ofyour last ten commands). Instead, you can right click on thegraphical work area or use the Redo button on the toolbar to


activate the Express Menu (see Toolbar). You now use the [Tab]key to move within dialog boxes (see Chapter 4: Dialog Boxes).

You no longer use A (All) or N (None) for selection in picklists.

You no longer use [Esc] to exit the program. You can use [Esc] tointerrupt screen redraws.

The complete list of shortcut keys for menu commands has beenextended:

Shortcut key Menu Command/Function

\ Window Zoom using mouse

; View Set view position dynamically

2 2D planar view mode

3 3D perspective view mode

[Shift-2] Return to last 2D view from 3D mode

[Shift-3] Return to last 3D view from 2D mode

C Set projection distances

L Set large projections

[Ctrl] + N Select next plane

[Ctrl] + P Select previous plane

R Options Redraw picture

/ Help About Gemcom

? Gemcom settings

During polyline creation, you can use the following shortcut keys:

Shortcut key Polyline Create submenu command

A Extend by circular arc

C Close current polyline

E Set point by relative bearing

[Backspace] Delete last segment


Use the Spacebar to bring up a picklist of active solids/surfaces forselection during operations in graphics mode.

Click the right mouse button anywhere in the graphical work areato bring up the Express Menu of your 10 most recent commandsand to access the Properties command which is equivalent toOptions } Program Display Mode } 3D Rendered ModeSettings. The Properties command allows you to reset lightingand rendering preferences and change show/hide toggles for datadisplay. It may also bring up additional commands from the Blockand Polygon menus.

3D Graphics Interface

The 3D viewing function offers you two different viewing modes:

Wire-frame (normal) mode

Rendered (Z-buffer) mode

Within each of these modes, you can use either a perspectiveprojection or an orthographic projection.

3D Reference Axis

When you are viewing data in 3D, you can display 3D referenceaxes so that you can spatially reference your data (see Figure 3-4).These reference axes show the northing, easting, and elevationdirections, as well as a bounding box that surrounds the extents ofyour data. Commands for axis display are found on the View menu.

Graphics Cursor

The graphics cursor appears as a crosshair with a small circle at itscentre. You can define the size of the circle, which indicates the


snapping tolerance when you pick points. The cursor is moved bythe mouse and is used for all graphical operations such as digitizingpoints, picking points, picking surfaces, picking solids, etc.

When the cursor moves off the graphics area onto the menu bar oronto a pull-down menu, its shape changes to an arrow. When thearrow cursor is displayed, it can only be used for selecting menucommands.

Snapping

To aid in making lines connect precisely, the graphics cursor offersa "snapping" function. Click the mouse anywhere within thesnapping radius of an existing data point to move the cursor exactlyto the coordinates of that point. You can adjust this radius using ancommand on the Options menu. The snap function works in anyviewing mode.

Figure 3-4: The 3D reference axis


Moving the Graphics Cursor in 3D Mode

When data is displayed in 3D mode, the location of the graphicscursor is projected onto the active 2D view plane at the true 3Dcoordinates of the projected location of the cursor. As you move thecursor, these coordinates are updated along the bottom edge of thescreen.

Moving the Graphics Cursor in 2D Mode

When you move the graphics cursor around the screen, the locationof the cursor appears in local 2D coordinates at the bottom of thescreen.

Zooming In

Zooming in allows you to display a part of the current plot using alower plotting scale. Therefore, you can view more detail in asmaller work area.

Zooming Out

If you have zoomed into the current work area, you can zoom out todisplay the previous work area. If you have zoomed in many times,each subsequent zoom out will go backwards through the workareas defined by previous zooms.

Panning

Panning allows you to re-position the viewing window by selectingwhere you want the centre of the viewing window to focus.

Home

You can re-display the graphics screen using the initial scale andwindow origin.


Quitting Gemcom for Windows

There are two ways to exit Gemcom for Windows:

On the File menu, choose Exit Program.

Or, click the Close button [X] in the top right hand corner of themain window.

You will be asked to confirm the exit. Click the Yes button or pressY.

Core Manual Chapter 4: Dialog Boxes

Chapter 4

Dialog Boxes

In This Chapter

Introduction Dialog Box Operations Inside a Dialog Box Common Dialog Box Types

Introduction

Dialog boxes appear any time Gemcom for Windows requiresinformation about a task you are performing. They may also supplyyou with needed information.

Some menu commands will bring up several dialog boxes insuccession. You may also see status boxes with additionalinformation, warnings, or messages indicating why a requestedtask cannot be accomplished.

This chapter will introduce you to the basic functions and layout ofGemcom for Windows dialog boxes. Several common types of dialogbox you will encounter are described in detail.


Dialog Box Operations

Most dialog boxes contain one or more data fields for you to enter oredit information (see Figure 4-1). These fields may be of varioustypes and may be positioned in a variety of ways in the dialog box.

There are three types of data fields:

Data entry fields. These are text boxes that require you totype in data. You move around within the field using the mouseor arrow keys.

Profile picklist

Commandbuttons

Pulldown picklists Scroll bar

Close buttonData entry fields

Option buttons

Figure 4-1: Example Gemcom for Windows dialog box


Picklists. These are list boxes where you must choose from apredefined list of items. You select an item from a picklist withthe mouse or arrow keys. Some picklists require you to makeone selection and some allow you to make multiple selections.

Grids. These are tables where you either type in data or usepicklists to fill in the columns of information.

In addition to data fields, there are check boxes and optionbuttons that toggle options on and off. As well, there are severalcommand buttons that either allow you to specify moreinformation or perform a subsequent action.

Temporarily unavailable fields, options or command buttons indialog boxes will appear dimmed.

After you have made all the necessary modifications in a dialog box,you choose a final command button that accepts your changes andperforms a command.

Note: Before exiting a dialog box, you must check that you havefilled in all the required data fields: Gemcom for Windows does notdo this for you.

Moving Within a Dialog Box

You generally move around a dialog box by doing either of thefollowing:

Press the [Tab] key after each field (press [Shift-Tab] to movebackwards through the fields).

Use the mouse to move from field to field.

Note that you can also hold down the [Alt] key and type theunderlined letter in the option name to move between fields,command buttons, option buttons and check boxes.


Closing a Dialog Box

Dialog boxes close automatically when you click the final commandbutton with the mouse (usually OK), or if you press the [Enter] key.Generally, your changes will be accepted although you may beasked to confirm them. If necessary, select Yes to confirm the newsettings.

If you want to exit the dialog box without saving your entries, clickeither the Cancel button or the Close button [X] in the top rightcorner, or press [Esc].

Moving a Dialog Box

You can move a dialog box to another location on the screen. Tomove, drag the title bar of the dialog box to the new location, andthen release the mouse button.

Inside a Dialog Box

Gemcom for Windows dialog boxes contain one or more of thefollowing components:

Data Entry Fields

When you tab or move with the mouse to an empty data entry field,a flashing insertion point appears at its far left side. The text youtype starts at the insertion point.

If the field you tab to already contains text, this text is highlighted,and any text you type completely replaces it. You can also deletethe existing text by pressing [Delete] or [Backspace]. If you move to afield with the mouse, the text will not be highlighted; you will startoverwriting the text wherever you place the cursor.


To remove only part of a text entry, drag the pointer across the textand press [Delete] or [Backspace]. Or, use an arrow key to move tothe start of the text to be deleted and then hold down [Shift] and thearrow key to select. Press [Delete] or [Backspace].

Picklists

Picklists contain a list box of available choices. Some picklistsnormally display the list box; others, known as pull-down picklists,display only the current entry with a down arrow to the right foropening the list box. In a list box, you use the mouse or arrow keysto move from one item to another.

Figure 4-2: List box picklist

If there are more choices than can fit in the list box, scroll bars areprovided so you can move quickly through the entire list. The scrollarrows and boxes may appear either on the right or the bottom ofthe picklist. With a mouse, either press the up or down scrollarrows or drag the scroll box until the item that you want appears.You can also use the up or down arrow keys to move through thelist.

To pick a single item from a picklist:


With the mouse, use the scroll bar to bring the item you wantinto view, if necessary. Click the item to highlight it and thenclick the appropriate command button (usually OK). Or,combine the two steps by double-clicking the item.

Or, use the arrow keys to move to the item you want and press[Enter].

Sometimes you can select more than one item in a picklist. To picksequential multiple items:

With the mouse, click the first item that you want to select, holddown [Shift] and click the last item that you want to select. Bothitems and all items in between will be selected.

Or, with the keyboard, use the arrow keys to move the cursor tothe first item you want to select. Hold down [Shift] and continueto press the arrow key until all the items you want are selected.

To cancel the selections, release [Shift] and reselect an item.

To pick multiple nonsequential items in a list:

Hold down [Ctrl] and click each item you want to select. There isno keyboard equivalent.

To cancel a selection, press [Ctrl] and reselect the item.

To cancel any selection upon re-entering a picklist, press [Ctrl] andreselect the item.

Pull-down Picklists

A pull-down picklist appears initially as a rectangular boxcontaining the current selection. When you select the down arrowin the square box at the right, the box opens to show the availablechoices. If there are more items than can fit in the box, scroll barsare provided. You can only select one item in a pull-down picklist.


Figure 4-3: A pull-down picklist entry before and after opening

To use a pull-down picklist with the mouse, click the arrow at theright of the box to open the list. Click the desired item to pick it(usethe scroll arrows or scroll bar to move to the item if necessary).

To use a pull-down picklist with the keyboard, press the up anddown arrow keys repeatedly to cycle through the options one at atime, until the item you want is displayed in the field. Or, press [Alt]+ the down arrow key to pull down the list and then use the up ordown arrow to move to the item. Press [Alt] + either arrow or [Enter]to select it.

Grids

Grids in dialog boxes present you with rows and columns of fields.A field in a grid may be a data entry field or a pull-down picklist.


Figure 4-4: Grid in dialog box

Use the arrow keys, mouse, or [Tab] key to move from field to fieldin a grid. An outline will highlight the current field. Press [F2] toedit. Any existing text in the field will be highlighted andoverwritten once you start typing. To insert text into the existingtext, use the mouse to move the insertion point to where you wantto insert and type the new text. You can also select just part of thetext with the mouse and press [Delete] or [Backspace]. Once you havemade your modifications, press the [Enter], [Tab] or an arrow key tomove to the next field and to save your changes.

You can also edit fields by pressing [Backspace] to delete existingtext. The flashing insertion cursor will be at the beginning of thefield ready for your text. After making your entry, you can edit ordelete as above.

Use the scroll arrows to see any data that cannot fit into the gridbox. When you have finished entering data, select OK.

Use a pull-down picklist in a grid as you would any other pull-downpicklist.

In grids that can have an unlimited number of rows, you mayposition the field outline appropriately and do any of the following:


Add a new row at the end of the grid by pressing the downarrow key.

Insert a row above the existing row by hitting the [Insert] key.

Delete the row by hitting the [Delete] key.

You can change the size of columns and rows: when the pointerchanges to an arrow, drag the arrow to the desired location.

Command Buttons

Command buttons initiate immediate actions such as allowing youto add or save a profile. The most common are the OK and Cancelbuttons.

Figure 4-5: Command buttons

To choose a command button, you can:

Click the button with the mouse.

Tab to the command button and press [Enter] (or the Spacebar).

Hit the key corresponding to the underlined letter in thecommand button name.

Any currently selected command button is highlighted by a dottedrectangle, as is Yes in the above figure.


Option Buttons

Selecting an option button turns its option on. Option buttonsrepresent mutually exclusive options: you can select only oneoption at a time. When selected, an option button contains a blackdot. Selecting an option button may determine which of the nextfields in the dialog box are available for editing.

Figure 4-6: Option buttons

To select an option button, either click it with the mouse or tab tothe currently selected option button and use the arrow keys tomove to the button you want. Use the [Tab] key to continue movingthrough the dialog box.

To cancel a selection, click a complementary button.

Check Boxes

Selecting a check box turns its option on. Check boxes representnonexclusive toggle options: if there is more than one check box,you can select as many options as needed. When a check box isselected, it contains a checkmark. Selecting a check box maydetermine which of the next fields in the dialog box are available.

Figure 4-7: Check boxes

To select a check box, either click it with the mouse or tab to it andselect it with the space bar.

To cancel a selection, reselect the box.


Browse Buttons

Browse buttons () are command buttons that enable you to view ahierarchical list (directory tree) of drives and directories to select anew path for your data.

Figure 4-8: Dialog box with browse buttons and one check box

Click the Browse button with the mouse. You can also tab to aBrowse button and press [Enter]. Note that you can also enter textmanually in the corresponding data entry fields.


Figure 4-9: Directory tree

Select a drive or directory (using the scroll bar if necessary) and hitOK. Or use the arrow keys to move to the directory that you wantand press [Enter].

If it is necessary to move further down the directory tree, you candisplay the contents of a drive or directory by double-clicking it orclicking the plus (+) sign.

Continue until you see the desired directory.

Select it with the mouse and click the OK button, or select it withthe arrow key and press [Enter].


Common Dialog Box Types

In your work with Gemcom for Windows, you will become familiarwith several types of dialog boxes. In this section, some of the mostfrequently encountered dialog box types are described in detail.

File Name Dialog Box

The same File Name dialog box appears whenever Gemcom forWindows requires you to enter or select a file name. This occurseither when you want to open a file or when you want to save datato a file.

Up one levelCreate new folder

List

Details

Figure 4-10: File name dialog box

If you are opening a file, you will generally start by specifying thecorrect drive/directory in the Look In data field. If you are savingdata with a new file name, you may choose to enter the name in theFile Name data field first. After specifying the appropriate pathand file name, select the Open or Save button.


There are three data fields in the File Name dialog box and fourcommand buttons (in addition to the Open/Save and Cancel buttons):

Look/Save in

The current drive or directory will appear in the pull-down picklistat the top of the dialog box, and its contents will be listed in thedisplay area below. To select a different drive, click the arrowbutton at the right of the picklist to show the list of drives on yourcomputer, and click the desired drive. The contents of that drivewill appear in the display area. Double click on the desireddirectory. The contents of that directory (subdirectories and/or filenames) will be listed in the display area. Continue until the filename/directory that you want to select appears in the display area.To select the file name/directory, either double click it, or click itand select the Save or Open button.

File Name

You can directly enter file names in the File Name entry field.Either a sample file name of the current file type or the file namethat was last entered will appear in the field. Type the name of thefile.

Files of Type

This option specifies which type of files will be displayed in the filedisplay area. The current type of file and its extension will appear.

To select another file type with the mouse, click the arrow at theright of the pull-down picklist to see the available file types andclick the type of file you want.

To select a file type with the keyboard, press [Tab] to move to thepicklist, and then press the Down or Right arrow key. Press the Upor Down arrow key to move to the type of file you want and press[Enter].


Create New Folder

To create a new folder, click the Create New Folder button. The newfolder appears with a temporary name. Type a name for the folderand click the left mouse button outside of the rectanglesurrounding the new name or press [Enter]. Select the folder bydouble-clicking it with the mouse, or press [Enter] again.

Up One Level

Use this button to go up one level in the directory tree.

List

Use this button to see names only in the display area.

Details

Use this button to see the name, size, type (e.g., file or application)and date of last modification of each entry in the display area.

Select Project Dialog Box

To select a project for loading data, you will be presented with aSelect Project dialog box.


Figure 4-11: Select Project dialog box

In the left half of the dialog box, click the desired drive. Thecontents of the drive will appear in the right half of the dialog box.Under the Project header, click the desired project name and clickthe OK button or double-click the project name.

Solid/Surface Selection Dialog Box

The Solid/Surface Selection Dialog Box operates like any picklistwith one exception. When you are selecting solids or surfaces, youhave the additional option of filtering the information that appearsin the picklist. This enables you to make your selection from only asubset of the entire list for convenience. By clicking on one of thecolumn headers, you will be presented with a picklist of all theentries in that column. You may select more than one entry at onetime. The information displayed in the main picklist will changebased on the filter(s) you select for the column.

For example, there may be solids from three workspaces in the list,but you may only want to view those from one of them. Click on theProject column heading, click on the desired workspace, and onlythe solids from that workspace will appear in the main picklist.

Note that you can only filter by one column at a time.


Figure 4-12: Solid selection dialog box filtered by Project

Record Selection Dialog Box

When you load the contents of a workspace into the session, youwill frequently encounter a Record Selection dialog box, providingseveral methods for choosing which workspace records to load.

Figure 4-13: Record Selection dialog box

By choosing Specific Records, you can pick records manually basedon the contents of a particular data field. You can load recordsbased on record number by choosing Range of Records.


To load records based on a previously defined key index file, chooseKey Index File. Select the key index file in the File Name dialog boxwhich appears.

To load records based on previously defined Gemcom filters, chooseGemcom Filters. A dialog box will appear allowing you to select thefilter to use for each table in your workspace.

You may see the option to load records based on previously definedSQL filters. SQL filters are recommended over Gemcom filters andkey indices as a significantly faster way to load data. To loadrecords based on an SQL filter, choose SQL Filters. A dialog box willappear allowing you to select the filter to use for each table in yourworkspace.

Choose All to load data records without any of the aboverestrictions.

For more information on workspaces, key indices and filters, seeVolume II: Exploration.

Profile Dialog Box

Any time you need to define a profile in Gemcom, you will see avariation of the Profile Editor dialog box.


Figure 4-14: Profile dialog box

To add a profile, click the Add button or tab to it and press [Enter].Enter a profile name and click OK. You will be placed in the firstfield. Then, tab to move through the options (or use the mouse).Click Save and confirm the changes (Y/N).

To modify or view an existing profile, click or use the arrow keys inthe profile picklist at left to highlight the profile name you want tomodify. The defined values will appear at right. Then click or tab tothe option(s) to modify. Click Save and confirm the changes.

To make a copy of the current profile under a new name, click SaveAs.

To delete the current profile, click Delete.

To import a profile from another directory, click Copy From.

To export a profile to another directory, click Copy To.

To exit the dialog box, click Exit. You will be asked to confirm anychanges.


To cancel changes to a profile, select another profile or click Exitand specify No when asked whether or not to save your changes.

Procedures for working with Profile Editor dialog boxes arediscussed in greater detail in the Edit Profiles section of Chapter 9:The File Menu.

ASCII Import Dialog Box

When importing data from an ASCII file, you may encounter anASCII Import dialog box. This dialog box enables you to specify thecolumns where data fields begin and end and specify which fieldshold what type of data. A window at the top of the dialog boxdisplays a line of the file. Column numbers above this window andfield numbers below it provide references to help you specify thefield formatting. There are two versions of this dialog box, one forfixed format files, and one for free format which allows you tospecify the field delimiter.

Figure 4-15: ASCII Import dialog box


Report Destination Dialog Box

You may see a Report Destination dialog box when you choose ancommand that issues a report.

Figure 4-16: Report Destination dialog box

You can choose to print the report immediately, view it on thescreen, or save it in a file for later printing or viewing. Highlightthe desired destination in the picklist and click OK.

If you choose to save the report to a file, a File Name dialog box willappear. At this point, find the directory where you wish to store thereport file. Enter the file name--it will automatically carry an .RPTextension. Click Save to store the file.

Core Manual Chapter 5: Project Data Management

Chapter 5

Project Data Management

In This Chapter

Introduction Starting Gemcom for Windows Project Databases Workspaces Creating a New Project Data Management Backing Up Data

Introduction

Several steps should be taken at the outset of every Gemcom forWindows project. After you start Gemcom for Windows, you willwant to assign a name and description to your project and instructGemcom for Windows where to find and store the data associatedwith the project. And you should define many of the data profilesyou will need to be able to view, display and plot the data in a clearand informative manner.

This chapter describes how to create a new project and get aGemcom for Windows session up and running. Data profiles arediscussed in detail in Chapter 6: General Data Definitions.

Section II: Core Concepts Gemcom for Windows

Starting Gemcom for Windows

Gemcom for Windows is a multi-purpose system that will be used inconjunction with many different projects. When you start Gemcomfor Windows, there are two different strategies for setting up andmaintaining project information:

Start Gemcom for Windows from the \GEMCOM directory onthe hard drive and use session files (*.GES) to maintain pathsto different projects and profiles. Session files contain a set ofpaths to the projects and profiles, plus other operatingparameters that are useful to maintain from run to run. Youwill have to load a new session file manually each time youstart Gemcom for Windows.

Start Gemcom for Windows from within a Gemcom for Windowsproject directory (i.e., \GCDBaa) and dont use session files atall. Gemcom for Windows will always save configuration files inthe current directory when you exit the program. These filesare automatically re-read when the program is started.

The decision is one of personal preference. At Gemcom, where weoften work with several dozen datasets, we usually use the secondmethod. In both cases, it is always advisable to define the projectand profile paths as the first step when running Gemcom forWindows for a new project. The purpose of this is to specify whereGemcom for Windows will look for certain items to display, import,etc. (such as planes and rock type definitions). These options areaccessed through the Assign Project Paths and Assign ProfilePaths commands on the File menu. It is advisable to fill in allapplicable fields as soon as possible when starting a project. Thedetails of the Project and Profile Path dialog box editors are foundlater in this chapter.

Working with Session Files

Each time you exit from Gemcom for Windows, the program keepstrack of which project and workspace were active. It also


remembers a number of other program settings and options thatwere in place. This information is stored in a session file (usuallyGEM4WIN.GES), which automatically reactivates these settingsthe next time you start the program.

At any time, you can save a session file to disk. We strongly advisethat you save session files to your \GEMCOM program directory inorder to avoid confusion. Saving a session file has no effect on theGemcom for Windows environment.

When you load a session from disk, or begin a new session, all datacurrently loaded in Gemcom for Windows will be unloaded and youwill start with a clear graphical work area. Be careful not toaccidentally start a new session before saving any altered data,such as polylines.

Please note that session files only store locations of specific dataitems and profiles and not the data itself. When you load a sessionfile that specifies the location of a block model or drillholeworkspace, these data items are not automatically loaded when thesession file is read in.

Project Databases

Using Gemcom for Windows will help you collect and organize largeamounts of data on a project-by-project basis. Each project is storedon your hard drive in its own root directory which contains theproject database and other files associated with the project. Thisroot directory is also sub-divided into a collection of multi-level sub-directories for each main component of the project (see Figure 5-1).

The project data is stored in the project database, where it isdivided into workspaces based on user requirements and the datatype. The data stored in the workspaces of the project database isthen used to generate the working data that you will create and useduring your exploration and solids modelling procedures. Thisworking data is stored in the various subdirectories of the projectroot directory according to the function of the data. The working


data and the workspace data are interrelated and interdependent,so that modification of one will often cause modification of theother.

Gemcom for Windows automatically creates a suitable directorystructure on your hard disk when you start a new project or reloadan old one. It creates the project root directory and manages themulti-level sub-directories and individual data files. You do notneed to know how the directory structure works in Gemcom forWindows because the system handles the administration anddirectory navigation for you. However, when you become morefamiliar with Gemcom for Windows, it is useful to know about thesub-directories, the file names and how they are organized. SeeAppendix B: Project Structure and Appendix C: The File Systemfor more information.

Each project root directory is defined by a unique name thatconsists of two parts:

Project(Root Directory)

GCDBaa

Database(File)

GCDBaa.MDB

Session File(File)

GEM4WIN.GES(Subdirectories)

DrillholeWorkspace(s)

PolygonWorkspace(s)

OtherWorkspace(s)

PointWorkspace(s)

TraverseWorkspace(s)

Working Filesand Data

General DataDefinitions/Profiles

(Files)*.DAT, *.NDX

Figure 5-1: Gemcom for Windows Project Hierarchy


GCDBaa GCDB stands for Gemcom Database.

aa is a unique two-character mnemonicthat you enter to identify the project.

Using unique names to define plans, sections or profiles willsimplify the management of major data elements in the workspace.When you define these items, you are asked to identify them withunique names which you will use throughout the system to retrievethe data.

Workspaces

A Gemcom for Windows workspace is a set of data within a projectthat is grouped together on the basis of its general type. Typicaltypes of data are point data, traverse data, drillhole data, polygondata and other data. These general data types are chosen based onthe logical organization and hierarchy of the data itself. They havebeen specially selected because they are the most common ways oforganizing spatial data in the exploration world.

Because of this logical data organization, the workspace (and notthe entire project database) is the main working unit withinGemcom for Windows. You must select an appropriate workspacebefore you can use many of the commands available.

Gemcom for Windows keeps track of the active workspace betweensessions as part of the session file; thus, the selected workspace willstay active throughout the current session and any subsequentsessions until another is selected.

The active workspace is used by operations in the Workspacemenu, in Tools } Create Plane Plots, and by most Drillhole }Drillhole Compositing commands. In other areas of the program,you can select workspaces within the related menu (e.g., Polygonworkspaces can be selected in the Polygon menu).


The File menu provides utilities for converting existing Gemcomdatabases into Gemcom for Windows workspaces. Information oncreating and using workspaces can be found in Volume II:Exploration.

Creating a New Project

Gemcom for Windows allows you to create a new project using theFile }} Create New Project command. When selected, thiscommand first prompts you for the drive on which you want tocreate the project, then a two character database code. Assumingyou enter C: as the drive and aa as the project code, a directorycalled C:\GCDBaa will be created and will become the currentactive directory for the current Gemcom for Windows session. Atthat stage, you will normally want to define the project and profilepaths for the current project. These procedures are described below.

Data Management

Gemcom for Windows is designed to bring together a variety of datafrom numerous sources. During a typical Gemcom for Windowssession, it may be necessary to work with drillholes from a PC-XPLOR project, block models from a PC-MINE project, and a statusmap from MINE-SURVEY. You may want to use polygons createdin GEO-MODEL for solid creation purposes, or a grade extractionfile from ORE-CONTROL for contouring. In addition to accessingdata already created in other Gemcom systems, Gemcom forWindows creates its own data which must also be stored on disk.When there are different people doing different jobs involvingseveral projects, organizing the administration of all the data canget quite involved.

To assist in the management of this often complex task, Gemcomfor Windows provides flexible data management facilities thatallow you to specify where Gemcom for Windows will look whenaccessing specific data items (e.g., vertical section definitions or


colour profiles) and where new objects created by Gemcom forWindows (e.g., solids or surfaces) will be stored.

External vs. Local Profiles

Realizing that you may have invested significant time creatingprofiles in other Gemcom systems, Gemcom for Windows allows youto link into these external profiles for work within Gemcom forWindows. For example, you can use all your section definitions andcolour profiles defined within a PC-XPLOR project. This can be areal time-saver as you can, for example, look at drillhole sections inGemcom for Windows without having to re-enter any of yoursection locations. The other option is to use local profiles that arespecific to your Gemcom for Windows project, where certain datadefinitions, such as vertical sections and plan views, are copied infrom an existing project.

Initially, it may seem that accessing external profiles is always thebest strategy; however, there are pros and cons to both approaches.Remember that Gemcom for Windows is accessing external profilesdirectly from your other Gemcom project directories, and that anychanges will affect the original files. For example, you may want toadd some colour profiles for viewing block models that are specificto some ongoing pit design work. If you specify a PC-MINE projectas the source of the colour profiles while working in Gemcom forWindows, the new colour profiles created within Gemcom forWindows will be added to the existing profiles in the original PC-MINE project. As a result, anyone who subsequently uses PC-MINE on that project will see the new colour profiles in addition tothe original ones, possibly causing confusion.

A more hazardous case occurs when data is deleted from theseexternal sources. For example, if you choose a GEO-MODEL projectas the source of your vertical section definitions and, while workingin Gemcom for Windows, delete several definitions, it will beimpossible to access any data entered on those sections from withinGEO-MODEL unless the definitions are re-entered.


Which Way To Go?

Although there is no ideal strategy that works best all the time,here are some general guidelines to consider:

If you are not planning to make changes to the external profiledefinitions, or if you feel that the changes will be minor, useexternal profiles.

If you are planning to frequently modify profiles and this couldhave a negative impact on the use of other Gemcom systems,use a local copy of the profiles.

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