micromine 2013 getting started

8/9/2019 MICROMINE 2013 Getting Started

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Table of Contents

Upgrading and Exchanging Form Sets 4

Open an existing project in Micromine 2013 4

Exchange small numbers of form sets between Micromine 2013 and Micromine 2011 4

Exchange many form sets between Micromine 2013 and Micromine 2011 4

Managing Form Sets 5

Locking 5

Unlocking 6

Deleting 7

Searching 8

Importing Form Sets 10

Form Set Folders 12

Create a form set folder 12

Display form set folders in Vizex 13

Move a form set between folders (Vizex) 13

Move a form set between folders (Form Set Manager) 13

Save a form set 13

Scripting 14

Record a script 14Edit a script 15

Run a script 16

Run a script from the Editor 17

Run a script from the Scripting toolbar or menu 17

Implicit Modelling 19

Terminology 19

Processing 20

Plot Editor 22Create a Vizex plot layout 22

Create a 2D plot layout 24

Save your work 25

Open a previously saved plot 25

Load a plot file into an existing layout 25

Create a new plot layout using a template 26

Create a new plot layout from a blank canvas 26

Manage the relationships between plot frames 30

Text and Font Properties 30


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Saving and loading a session 33

Working with multiple Vizex windows and instances 34

Working in multiple Vizex instances 34

Renaming Vizex instances 35

Working in other windows 35

Snap Wireframes 37

Block Model Draw Styles 39

Optimised 39

Legacy 39

Hardware Requirements 40

File Sharing and Accessibility 40


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Getting Started in Micromine 2013

Upgrading and Exchanging Form Sets

Micromine 2013 uses a new form set database so that it can support new features without affect-ing existing settings. This is particularly important in a multi-user environment where some users

may still be using an earlier version of the software.

The form set database upgrade is automatic.

Open an existing project in Micromine 2013

To open an existing project in Micromine 2013 simply open the project as normal.

Micromine will perform the form set upgrade and create a completely new form set database.Existing Micromine 2011 form sets will not be altered in any way.

IMPORTANT TIP: Once this upgrade has been completed Micromine 2013 will not be able toaccess any form sets saved in earlier Micromine versions after the upgrade. If your work-place includes a combination of Micromine 2013 and earlier Micromine versions and you

wish to interchange form sets, you will have to use the steps outlined below.

Exchange small numbers of form sets between Micromine 2013 and Micromine2011

To exchange saved form sets between Micromine 2013 and Micromine 2011 (or earlier) after aproject has been opened in Micromine 2013:

1. Save the form set in the version of Micromine you are copying from.

2. On the Forms dialog, Exportthe saved form set to a Micromine Exported Set File(*.setx).

3. Switch to the Micromine version you are copying to.

4. Select Tools | Form Sets | Importfrom the main menu and browse to the .setx file.

5. If appropriate, enable Import all sets in the SET file.

6. Click the Importbutton to import the form sets.

Exchange many form sets between Micromine 2013 and Micromine 2011

To exchange many saved form sets between Micromine 2013 and Micromine 2011:

1. Select Tools | Form Sets | Exportfrom the main menu.

2. Choose from either theAll forms or Used in macro export options.

3. Enter the name of a Formsetfile.4. Switch to the Micromine version you are copying to.

5. Select Tools | Form Sets | Importfrom the main menu and browse to the exportedfile.

6. If appropriate, enable Import all sets in the SET file.

7. Click the Importbutton to import the form sets.

TIP: Form sets introduced or significantly enhanced in Micromine 2013 may have no pre-vious equivalent and cannot be shared with earlier versions.

Micromine_2013_Get_Started.pdf Page 4 of 40


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Managing Form Sets

A new Tools | Form Sets | Manage function allows you to view and manage your projectform sets. Form sets can be sorted, filtered, renamed, exported and locked, all from the one userinterface.

Select the right-clickLock Form Setoption to dissuade other users from overwriting (editingand saving, or deleting) your form sets. If a Form Set folder is selected, select the right-clickLock All Form Sets option to lock all the form sets in that folder.

When you lock a form set a padlock icon is shown against the form set name. The same func-tionality is also available in the Vizex Forms (and the Plot Forms) pane.

When you lock a form set, you can indicate why you want to dissuade other users from editing,saving or deleting the form set.

Locking

To lock one or more form sets:

1. Select Tools | Form Sets | Manage.

In Vizex, you can also lock form sets in theView | Vizex Form Sets Pane.

2. Select the form sets you want to lock. To select multiple form sets, use the CTRL or theSHIFT key with the mouse.

3. Select the right-clickLock Form Setmenu option to open the Form Set Lock dialog:

4. When you lock a form set, you can indicate the reasonwhy you want to dissuade otherusers from editing, saving or deleting the form set.



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5. If theLock all referenced form sets check box option is selected, allreferencedformsets are also locked. Referenced form sets are form sets that can be referenced by dif-ferent forms, such as colour sets, hatch sets, symbol sets etc.

Unlocking

If form sets have been locked, you can unlock them and optionally unlock all referenced formsets (if they were also locked). If you are not the owner of the lock, you should contact the ori-ginal author to discuss the changes you want to make before unlocking the form set.

If you are the owner of the lock, you may override the lock (save your changes to the cor-responding form without unlocking the form set).

To unlock one or more form sets:


In Vizex, you can also unlock form sets in theView | Vizex Form Sets

Pane.

2. Select the form sets you want to unlock. To select multiple form sets, use the CTRL or theSHIFT key with the mouse.

3. Select the right-clickUnlock Form Setmenu option to open the Form Set Unlockdialog:

4. If the Unlock all referenced form sets check box option is selected,referencedformsets were also locked when the parent form set was locked. You have the option to unlockthem or keep them locked.

5. To save your changes and unlock the form set(s), clickUnlock and Save.

If you are not the owner of the lock, you will be prompted: "Before you Unlock

and Save, please contact the original author to discuss the changes you want to



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make."

6. If you are the author of the lock, have made changes, and want to save your changeswithout unlocking the form set, clickOverride Lock.

If you are not the author of the lock, you cannot override it.

Deleting

To delete an unlocked form set, select the form set and press the Delete key on the keyboard, orselect the Delete option from the right-click menu. You will be prompted to continue with, or can-cel, the deletion.

If form sets have been locked, you can also delete them. However, if you are not the author ofthe lock, you should contact the author to discuss the reason for the deletion.

To delete one or more form sets:


2. Select the form sets you want to delete. To select multiple form sets, use the CTRL or the

SHIFT key with the mouse.

3. Select the right-clickDelete menu option to open the Form Set Unlock dialog:

4. After you have discussed the deletion with the author of the lock, press Delete to deletethe form set(s).



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Searching

When you enter a Search string in the Search box, the grid is updated dynamically. The list ofform sets is restricted to those form sets that match or partially match the Search string. Wild-cards are not supported.

You can also use the following Search keywords:

Keyword Search for form sets Example

date:today with an edit or creation dateequal to today's date.

date:today

date:yesterday with an edit or creation dateequal to yesterday's date.

date:yesterday

date:


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Keyword Search for form sets Example

notes: with notes that contain thespecified text string.

notes:test

Keywords can be combined with a logical AND operator:

Example

date:


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Importing Form Sets

The Tools | Form Sets | Importfunction has been enhanced to provide greater control overthe Import process. A Report file can be generated that details which form sets have been cre-ated, or which form sets have been overwritten.

To import form sets into a project:

1. Double-click in the File prompt to navigate to the .mmsetx or the .set file containing thesets you want to import.

The form sets are listed in a grid in the Import dialog. By default, the form sets

in each group are sorted by Title. To sort by Project, ID or Export date, double-

click on the appropriate column header.

2. You can either select the Import all sets check box option to import ALL form sets in thefile, or you can interactively select the form sets you want to import.

If you are selecting forms sets in the grid, you can right-click on a Group to

expand or collapse the forms listed for each group. Use the mouse with the

SHIFT and CTRL keys to make contiguous and non-contiguous selections in the

form sets list:

3. Choose whether to Include sub-forms in the displayed grid. Sub-forms comprise formsets that are "nested" in a particular form and in that form only, as well as form sets thatcan potentially be "referenced" in other forms, for example, colour, hatch, symbol, andline sets etc.

If this option is not selected, only the parent forms are shown. Note however

that any sub-forms will still be imported with their parents.

4. Choose whether to Hide referenced form sets. Referenced form sets are form setsthat can be referenced by different forms, such as colour sets, hatch sets, symbol sets etc.If a form set is referenced by other form sets its Title is shown in Italics.

5. Rules can be applied when a form set already exists in the target project, or when there isa conflict between an imported form set and a form set in the project.

In the case of a Duplicate, the recommended approach is to Skip the import ofthe form set, since an identical form set already exists.



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In the case of a Conflict, the recommended approach is to Create a new formsetand ID for the imported form set and retain the original form set. The newform set IDs you create are detailed in the Report file. This information may proveinvaluable, for example, when you are importing a macro from one project toanother.

Alternatively, you can choose to be Prompted whether to create a new form setID or overwrite the original - or choose to Overwrite the original without beingprompted (not recommended).

Note: If an attempt is made to import the same form twice (regardless of the

Rule setting) the second attempt will fail. The fact that the form set already

exists is reported in the Report file.

6. After selecting the form sets you want to import, clickImportto run the Import process.The imported form sets are added to the appropriate form set lists.

7. If no further imports are needed, clickClose to close the form.

To import form sets for a specific function:

The Forms button, in any open form, allows you to import a form set which is spe-cific to that function. The Import Form Set dialog will only display form sets that arerelevant to that function.

1. Select a function from the main menu.

2. Select Forms from the main menu, or click the Forms button.

3. In the Forms dialog, click the Importbutton.

4. The same dialog opened via Tools | Form Sets | Import is opened. Click the ellipsis buttonto navigate to the .mmsetx or .set file containing the sets you want to import.

5. Only those sets saved for the current function are listed. Highlight the form sets you wantto import.

6. ClickImportthenClose. The imported form set(s) are added to the list of available formsets in the Forms dialog. Imported form sets will not overwrite existing sets with the samename unless they have identical content.

TIP: If after importing form sets, you decide you want to revert to the original form set data-base, select Tools | Form Sets | Restore.



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Form Set Folders

Large projects often contain many form sets. With Micromine it is easy organise them into sens-ible groups using form set folders.

Create a form set folder

In the Vizex Forms pane (or Plot Forms pane)

1. Right-click a form set object and choose Create Form Set Folder from the right-clickmenu.

TIP: To create a folder within another Vizex form set folder, right-click the parent folder.

In the Form Set Manager

1. In Tools | Form Sets | Manage, right-click a form set or form set group and chooseCreate Folder from the right-click menu.

TIP: To create a folder within another form set folder, right-click the parent folder.

From a dialog (also saves the form set)

1. In any dialog, select Forms followed by Save As.

2. In the Save Current Values... dialog, enter the new form set Number or clickNew toautomatically generate one.

3. Click the New button next to the Folder box.

4. Enter the Name of the new folder and clickOKto accept it.

5. Enter the Title of the new form set.



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6. ClickOKon the Save Current Values... dialog to create the new folder and save theform set within it.

Display form set folders in Vizex

1. Click the [+] icon next to the Vizex form set object to expand its list.

2. Click the [+] icon next to the form set folder to expand it.

Move a form set between folders (Vizex)

1. Click the [+] icon next to the Vizex form set object and any form set folders within it toexpand them.

2. Drag the form set onto the destination folder.

TIP: To drag a form set out of a folder and back into the root, drag it onto the root (e.g.String) object.

Move a form set between folders (Form Set Manager)1. In Tools | Form Sets | Manage, click and drag a form set onto a folder icon (within

the same form set object group).

TIP: To drag a form set out of a folder, click and drag it back under the group (e.g. String)object.

Save a form set

To an existing folder



3. Click once on the destination folder in the form set list to select it. The folders name willappear in the Folder box at the top of the dialog.


5. ClickOKon the Save Current Values... dialog to save the form set within the folder.

At the root of the folder list



3. Click once in a blank part of the form set list to deselect any previous folders. The Folderbox at the top of the dialog should now be empty.


5. ClickOKon the Save Current Values... dialog to save the form set within the folder.



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Scripting

Micromine comes bundled with a minimal version of Python which allows you to run basic Pythonscripts.

The Python scripting language includes comprehensive mathematical tools and tools that allowyou to create custom user interfaces. Third-party packages and libraries are available thatprovide geospatial, statistical, and graphing solutions.

To take advantage of these advanced features, you can install extra Python modules to increasethe power and the flexibility of the scripting environment.

Micromine Scripting is currently only compatible with Python version 3.3.1 (32 bit version

only).

The complete Python installer for Windows can be found on thePython website.

For more information about Micromine Scripting, click on the following link:http://ex-

tras.micromine.com.au/ProductMicromineService/PythonScripting.asp

Record a script

To record a script:

1. Click the Record Scriptbutton on the Scripting toolbar:

Or select Scripting | Record Script:

The Record button is shown as 'active'. From this point on, your actions in theapplication workspace are recorded. You can run functions, load form sets into

Vizex, change the display orientation etc.

To stop recording a script:

1. Click the Record Scriptbutton again on the Scripting toolbar:

Or select Scripting | Record Scriptagain:

The Record button is shown as 'inactive' and recording has stopped.

2. You will be prompted to save the recording as a Python (*.py) script.

http://extras.micromine.com.au/ProductMicromineService/PythonScripting.asphttp://www.python.org/download/


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Edit a script

When a script has been recorded you can edit the script in the Script Editor. You can also build ascript from scratch by entering Python commands in the Editor.

To open the Script Editor window:

1. Click the Script Editor button on the Scripting toolbar:

Or select Scripting | Open Scripting Editor (CTRL + F11):



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The following options are provided on the Script Editor toolbar:

Click the Runbutton (or pressF5) to run the current script.

Click the Load button to load a Python (*.py) script into the Editor.

Click the Save button (CTRL + S) to save your changes to the current script.

Click the Save As button to save your changes as a new script.

Click the Clear button to clear the contents of the Editor window.

Click the Show/Hide Reference Panel button to toggle the display of a Script EditorReference Pane on and off. When the button is on, help is automatically displayedwhenever you select a Python function from the Function selection box:

You can pin and unpin the Reference Panel to the side of the Editor window:

Click the Show/Hide Script Outputbutton to toggle the display of a Script Output Paneon and off. When the button is on, output is displayed in the Output pane when you run ascript.

Click the Find button (CTRL + F) to search for occurrences of a search string in a script. Asearch can be case-sensitive and you can search in an Up or Down direction.

You can also press CTRL + H to run a Find and Replace operation. When using key-board shortcuts make sure the Editor window has focus.

Click the Help button to display online help about the editor.

For help about a particular Python function, enable the Show/Hide Reference Panel button(see above) and then select a function from the drop-down Function list.

Run a script

When you have recorded a script you can run the script to perform the actions you have recor-ded. You can also build a script from scratch in the editor and then run it.



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Run a script from the Editor

1. Click the Script Editor button on the Scripting toolbar:

Or select Scripting | Open Scripting Editor (CTRL + F11):

2. In the Editor window:

Click the Load button to load the Python (*.py) script you want to run.

Click the Runbutton to run the script.

You can also use the Scripting toolbar and menu to run your favourite scripts

and macros using toolbar and menu shortcuts or 'slots'...

Run a script from the Scripting toolbar or menu

1. Click the Script Slots Manager button to create slots for a maximum of 12 scripts ormacros. The rows in the grid correspond to the slots available on the Scripting | Run Scriptmenu.

2. To create a script or macro shortcut, double-click in a row of the grid and navigate to thename of the Python script (*.py) or Macro (*.MCR) you want to be able to run from theScripting toolbar or menu.

A maximum of 12 script shortcuts or slots can be setup in the Script Slots Manager (see below).

By default, 1 to 4 slots are available on the toolbar, but you can customise the toolbar to addmore:

1. Open the Scripting toolbar drop-down menu and selectAdd or Remove Buttons |Customise.

2. On the Commands tab of the Customise dialog, select the Scripting category.

3. Use the mouse to click and drag the Run Scriptcommand onto the toolbar.

4. Open the Run Script drop-down menu and use the mouse to select a Slotand drag anddrop it onto the Scripting toolbar.

5. After adding additional slots, you can then right-click on the Run Scriptbutton and selectDelete to remove it from the toolbar.



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3. Select a slot on the Scripting toolbar to quickly run a script (or a macro) with a single clickof the mouse:

4. Alternatively, select a slot on the Scripting | Run Scriptmenu. All 12 slots are avail-able for selection.



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Implicit Modelling

The traditional method of explicitly defining 3D geological or grade boundaries relies heavily onthe time-consuming creation of surfaces or solids that are based on digitised strings or points.Implicit modelling is an alternative to explicit modelling which relies on a volume function.

This volume function can be used to construct models to represent grade, lithology or a geo-logical surface in 3D, and takes away the need for time-consuming string or point digitising. Thus,the advantage of implicit modelling is that it is quicker and at times it may be better than trying todigitise complex geology. Implicit modelling may also help geologists see trend in there geo-logical data and pick up faults or folds etc.

Implicit modelling works on both closely drilled and sparsely drilled data, or a combination ofboth. It will also work well on data that is not systematically drilled (which may be hard to modelusing explicit modelling methods).

Micromine use a volume function called Radial Basis Function (RBF) to model grade,volumes, and surfaces in 3D space.

Simple functions that can be used to generate surfaces and solids are available on the Modelling| Implicit Modelling. A deep understanding of geostatistics, or of explicit modelling tech-niques, is not needed in order to use them.

l Modelling | Implicit Modelling | Grade is used to generate wireframes rep-resenting grade shells. The input data are typically composited drillhole assay values.

l Modelling | Implicit Modelling | Lithology is used to generate a wireframe rep-resenting the extents of lithology units, based on downhole logging information.

l Modelling | Implicit Modelling | Faultis used to generate fault surfaces based on3D points and/or strings (this data may include dip and dip direction). The Generate Faultalgorithm should only be used with a small amount of points (< 500).

l Modelling | Implicit Modelling | Point Cloud is used to create a surface usingpoints resting on an open or solid surface. The output is a wireframe of that surface.

l Modelling | Implicit Modelling | Downsample Points is used to reduce the num-ber of data points in an input dataset whilst retaining the integrity of the data. This is a pre-processing step for dense (e.g. LIDAR) data sets.

l Modelling | Implicit Modelling | Attribute is used to create a solid from points thatare output (and then perhaps edited) from the Modelling | Implicit Modelling | Lithologyfunction. This function can be used to model any drillhole point data that contains positiveand negative values.

When doing any implicit modelling in Micromine, a surface or a solid is created. This open or solid

surface is created from a point cloud using the RBF function. The RBF is a continuous 3D functionwhich is positive on one side of the surface and negative on the other. The zero-set of the func-tion defines a surface or that smoothly interpolates between the input surface points.

Terminology

For most Micromine users, the term surface is associated with an area (a DTM or a Grid), whilesolids have a volume. In the strictest sense a solid can be considered as a closed surface. Allsolids have an outer surface and any point (not exactly on that surface) lies either inside or out-side that surface.



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In the context of Implicit Modelling, the term surface is used in the more generic sensedescribed above. Implicit Modelling is an indirect method of defining a surface. In simple terms,all points outside the surface are given a positive value and those inside are given a negativevalue. Within the spatial extents of the data, the surface of interest can be considered as the zero

contour. Effectively the definition of this surface is based on a mathematical equation. It is

smooth in the sense that the position of any point on the surface can be calculated exactly. Com-pare this to a gridded surface, where only the cell centres have a known value.

Processing

Each Implicit Modelling function is typically a two stage process. Firstly, a surface is generatedusing indirect methods. Secondly, the implicit surface is converted to a wireframe. Both stagesrequire the user to define new and unfamiliar parameters. The main ones being:

1. Max points per partition

2. Max points per neighbourhood

3. Number of neighbours

4. Mesh size

There are no absolute rules regarding the values that should be assigned to these parameters.This topic will try to explain these terms and, using some examples, suggest how to tweak thevalues if your output does not meet your expectations.

In most cases it is impractical to create a single model using all the points in the data set. So thedata set is divided into overlapping regions (partitions), each modelled separately with overlapsused to smooth out the transition from one partition to the next.

The first two parameters (above) define the maximum number of points per partition and areused to build the surface model. While this is happening the following message is displayed:

When the surface is being converted to a wireframe the message then changes to:

Max points per partition

The Max points per partition parameter is used in Implicit Modelling | Grade and Implicit Model-ling | Lithology.

Start with a value around 1/8 of the number of values in your data file and increase thisvalue if you see golf ball-like blobs.



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Max points per neighbourhood

The Max points per neighbourhood parameter is used in Implicit Modelling | Point Cloud. Thisvalue will depend on the complexity of your surface and the density of your points. If the surfaceis complex and dense, you may need to use a lower value (30-80). If you have a simple surfacewith sparse data, like a DTM for example, you can increase this value (100- 200).

Typically, when modelling a tunnel (solid) these values are lower +- 50. When generating asurface you would use a higher number +-200.

Number of neighbours

This parameter is used to control local orientation of the modelled surface. In particular it is usedto define the direction perpendicular to the surface. In other words it determines what is the topand bottom of the surface at any location. A minimum of 4 points are required for this cal-culation.

Try starting between 6 (sparse) and 20 (dense).

Mesh Size

The Mesh Size value (in Grid units) will determine the size of the individual triangles created inthe model and will have an impact on the time it takes to build the wireframes. The smaller thevalue the longer it takes. A suitable value will depend on the extents and the density of the data.

Although the underlying mesh is three dimensional, the easiest way to envisage the effect ofthis parameter is to consider a square with sides equal to the mesh size length. Draw a diagonalto convert the square into two triangles. These will be indicative of the triangle size in the finalwireframe.

Use a smaller value for smaller extents and dense data. Use a higher value for extensive

data that is not complex. Typically, start large and later reduce the value to smooth the out-put.



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Plot Editor

In Micromine 2013, it is now even easier to generate a Vizex plot of your 2D and 3D data. Vizexplot frames are rendered directly from a live Vizex view or a saved Vizex view and (unlike reg-ular 2D Plot frames) can be interactively rotated in 3Dwithin a layout. Once the view is positioned

as desired it can be printed as normal.

When you generate a Vizex plot, you can now:

l Apply a plot template when you create the plot

l Generate a Vizex plot from anexisting Vizex plot frame

l Override the display limits and the vertical exaggerationof the live or savedVizex view

l Clip the view of the plot frame to the sectionview of a Reference plot frame

Create a Vizex plot layout

Vizex plot layouts are one of the Plot Editors coolest features. These layouts are drawn directlyfrom a Vizex saved view, and unlike regular plot layouts you can interactively rotate your data in3Dwithin the layout. Once the data are positioned as desired the layout can be printed as normal.

To create a Vizex plot layout:

1. Create a Vizex Saved View of the data to be plotted.

2. Select Plot | Generate Vizex Plotfrom the main menu.

3. Double-click (or click on the Select icon) to select a Plot template. Micromine provides anumber of predefined standard layouts you can use as the basis for your plots. When youselect a template, a Plot Layout (.PEX) file is generated.

If no template is selected, a default template will be used to generate a PEX file.

4. Optionally, enter (or double-click or click on the Forms icon to select) an alternativeVizexPlot form setwhich will be used to override the master plot frame in the template. If itis left blank then the plot frame in the template is used. If the master plot frame in the tem-plate is not a Vizex plot frame then a default Vizex plot frame will be used

5. Enter the X and Y scale of the plot. If no Scale is specified, the scale of the live or savedVizex view will be applied in the plot frame

Interactively rotate the data in 3D

1. Click anywhere in theVizex plot frameto select it. Its border should be highlighted in red.

2. Click the Pan Data Within Frame button.3. Hold the Shiftkey and drag the mouse within the frame to rotate the data.

4. Hold the Ctrl key and drag the mouse within the frame to zoom the data.

TIP: When a Vizex plot frame is selected in the layout, you can use the options on the tool-bar to select anOrthogonal (Plan, Looking Up, Looking East, Looking West, Looking North,Looking South) viewpoint - or set the set the 3D camera to a preset Isometric (LookingSW, NW, NE or SE) view.



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Save the Vizex plot layout

Whenever you re-open a previously saved Vizex plot layout it draws its information from Vizex,not the position of the data when you saved the layout. To permanently change the orientation orposition of the data, you can either change the Vizex view or you can override the display limits inthe Vizex plot frame:

1. Double-click in the Vizex plot frame to display its properties. Its border will be highlightedin red.

2. On theVizex plottab, choose the Saved Vizex view option.

3. Double-click theVizex view response and choose your saved Vizex view.

4. Select the Override Display Limits check box if you want to override the display limitsof the Saved view.

You can choose to link the scale, centre and rotation of the plot to a reference plot,and set vertical exaggeration, camera projection, position and orientation para-meters:



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5. ClickOKto apply the changes.

6. Click the Save button in the Plot Editor toolbar or select File | Save (Ctrl + S) to save thelayout.

Create a 2D plot layout

Create the plot layout

1. Load some data into Vizex, display it in plan or as a vertical section, and select Plot |Generate Plot File from the main menu.

2. EnableAuto load and choose a plot template, for example MICROMINE Bottom.

TIP: An assortment of layout templates is provided in the Layout Templates folder, whichyou can access by double-clicking the Plot Template response.

3. ClickOKto create and open the plot layout.

You can now edit the layout to suit your requirements. Your first task is to correctly scale and pos-

ition the data within the plot frame.

Set the plot scale

1. Click within theplot frame(the box containing the data) to select it. Youll see its borderhighlighted in red.

2. The Properties window should be visible. If not, click the Properties button in the PlotEditor toolbar at the top of the window to display it.

3. Select theX Scale value in the Properties window and change it to a suitable scale.

4. Select theY Scale value and set it to the same scale.

Now that the scale is correct you can position the data.

TIP: You can enforce vertical exaggeration in a cross section by using the Maintain aspectratio option. To display this option double-click anywhere within the plot frame to displaythe 2D Plot dialog.

Position the data

1. Click the Pan Data Within Frame button in the Plot Editor toolbar.

2. Ensuring theplot frameis selected (its border should be highlighted in red), drag the datauntil it is appropriately positioned within the frame.

3. If desired, dynamically re-scale the plot data by Ctrl+dragging the mouse verticallywithin the frame. Once the scale is visually correct, re-enter the nearest sensible scale inthe Properties window.



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With the data configured its time to work on the marginalia. The steps below assume you usedthe MICROMINE Bottom template.

Change the title

1. Click anywhere in the Title frame at the bottom of the plot to select it. Youll see its outer

border highlighted in red.

2. Double-click the Plot Title frame to display the Textdialog. The frame border highlightwill also change to include just this frame.

3. Enter your own text in the Free Textedit area of the Source tab. Or, if youd prefer,switch to the File Textoption and choose an existing PED file from within your project.

Use a Plot Form to quickly change the title contents

Although its possible to use the templates as they are, numerousPlot Formsare provided to giveyou a head start towards customising your layouts. In this example youll use a Plot Form tochange the title text.

1. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 above to redisplay the Textdialog for the Plot Title frame.

2. At the right of the dialog, click the Forms button and browse to the Title \ Auto [+pro-jtitle+plotfile] form set.

3. Double-click the form set or click the Openbutton to load it into the dialog, and then clickOKto apply the change to the plot.

4. The plot title now contains text automatically constructed from the project title and plot file-name.

Save your work

1. Click the Save button in the Plot Editor toolbar, or

2. Select File | Save from the main menu, or

3. Press Ctrl+S.

Open a previously saved plot

1. Select Plot | Openfrom the main menu.

1. To open a Micromine 2011 plot layout, leave the file type set to its default DATA (*.PEX),or

2. To open a plot file, set the file type to DATA (*.PEL)

2. Select the desired plot file or plot layout and clickOpen.

TIP: A Micromine 2011 plot layout consists of two separate files:

l .PEX file: contains the cosmetic settings of the layout, but does not contain any actualplot data;

l .PEL file: contains the plot data. PEL files are also used by Version 11.

Load a plot file into an existing layout

It is sometimes more efficient to load different plot files into an existing layout when making mul-tiple plots than to create multiple layouts. This is especially true for automating the Plot Editor,and plotting macros rely on this method. However you can also use it manually for small plotbatches:



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1. Create or open a layout using the previous methods.

2. Double-click anywhere within the plot frame to display the 2D Plotdialog.

3. Enable Retain Scale when loading new plot file (located towards the bottom of theform).

4. Optionally, enable Retain Centre when loading new plot file.

5. ClickOKto apply the changes and save the layout.

6. Re-open the 2D Plotdialog and double-click the Plot file response to choose a new plotfile.

7. Change the marginalia as required.

8. Repeat for all other plot files.

Create a new plot layout using a template

So far weve only looked at editing an existing plot layout, but one way to create your own cus-

tom layouts is to start with one of the provided templates.

Create the new l ayout

1. Select Plot | New Layoutfrom the main menu.

2. Select the From Template option and then double-click the template response.

3. Navigate to Layout Templates\Classicand choose theMICROMINE Insidetemplate file.

4. ClickOKto create the new layout.

5. From here you can change the properties of any frame to suit your requirements. Allframe types are provided with at least one Plot Form to give you a head start on cus-tomising your layout.

Create a new plot layout from a blank canvas

An alternative way to create your own custom layouts is to start with a blank canvas. The nextfew examples will use a Plot Form for each new frame to illustrate how quickly you can build anew layout from a blank sheet.

Create the new l ayout

1. Select Plot | New Layoutfrom the main menu.

2. Select the Blankoption and clickOK.

Set the paper size, orientation, and units

1. Double-click anywhere on the layout to display the Page Setup dialog. The plot marginswill also be highlighted in red.

2. On the Plot Settings dialog, click the Forms button and browse to the desired paper ori-entation and size.

3. Double-click the desired paper, or clickOpen, to apply it to the layout.

TIP: If you are changing the paper size of a layout that already contains some plot frames,be sure to double-click outside the frames.

Add a 2D Plot frame to the layout

1. Click the Create New Frame button in the Plot Editor toolbar.



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2. Drag a rectangle anywhere within theplot marginsand release the mouse when the rect-

angle is about the right size and shape.

3. The Plot Editor will prompt you to Select Frame Type. Choose 2D Plotfrom the list.

4. On the 2D Plotdialog, click the Forms button and choose Master [scaling=RF] from thelist of form sets.

5. Optionally, double-click the Plot file response and choose the appropriate plot file.

TIP: It is not necessary to choose a plot file at this stage, and you can leave the Plot fileprompt blank if you are creating a generic layout to be later used as a template.

6. ClickOKto create the plot frame.

7. With the2D Plot frameselected (its border will be highlighted in red) drag the frameboundaries until it is located as desired. You will not be able to drag it beyond the plot mar-gins.

TIP: You can also add a frame to a plot by dragging-and-dropping the appropriate form setfrom the Plot Forms tree directly onto the plot.

Add a title block to the layout

Well start by dragging-and-dropping an empty frame to provide the overall border for the newtitle block.

1. Click anywhere outside the plot to ensure no frames are selected.

2. In the Plot Forms pane, click the [+] icon next to the Empty item to expand its list.

3. Drag theBlack Border 1.5 pt [no fill]form set anywhere onto the layout and release themouse.

4. Click once on the frame to select it. Its border will be highlighted in red.

5. Drag the frame boundaries until it is located in the bottom right-hand corner of the plotmargins. You will not be able to drag it outside the margins.

Add a frame as a child of another frame

Now that the basic title block frame is created we can add some content.



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1. Ensure the empty frame is selected (its borders should be highlighted in red). This framewill be the parent of any frames contained within it.

2. Click the Create New Frame button in the Plot Editor toolbar.

3. Drag a rectangle across the top of theempty frameand release the mouse when it is

about the right size and shape. You will not be able to drag it outside the parent frame.4. When prompted to Select Frame Type, choose Textfrom the list.

5. On the Textdialog, click the Forms button and choose Auto Cross Section [+plotfile] fromthe list of form sets.

6. On the Options tab, pull down the Reference plotlist and choose Master [scaling=RF]from the list. This will associate the plot frame with the title text.

7. ClickOKto create the text frame.

8. With the text frame selected (its border will be highlighted in red) drag the frame bound-aries until it is located as desired. It will automatically snap to the borders of the parentframe.

TIP: Because there is no plot file associated with the layout at this stage, the title still showsthe @plotfile substitution. The correct name will appear once you load a plot file into the lay-out.

In the workplace, you would complete the design of the title block by adding as many childframes as needed.

TIP: You can alter the parent/child relationship of any frame using the Plot Frames tree.To make a frame become a child, simply drag the frame onto its new parent. Alternatively,you can make a child become a parent by dragging it out of its parent frame.

Configure a legend

Configuring a legend begins by loading the appropriate colour, hatch, or symbol sets. Once theyare loaded you can configure sub-titles, column breaks, and other cosmetic properties.

1. Double-click the Legend frame to display the Legend dialog.

2. Switch to the Legend tab, clickthe first legend entry, and then Shift+clickthe lastlegend entry to select all entries.

3. Click the Delete button on the Legend Items toolbar (at the top of the list) to delete theentries.

4. Click the Load legend items button to open the Load Legend dialog.



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5. Choose an appropriate COLOUR, HATCH, or SYMBOL set from your project, and clickOKto load it.

6. Repeat for any additional COLOUR, HATCH, or SYMBOL sets, ensuring you use theAppend option for each new set.

Add a sub-title and column break to the legend

1. To add a sub-title, click the Insert New button on the Legend Items toolbar, set theType to Text, and the Colour to black.

2. Enter the sub-title text in the Description, for example,Gold Assays.

3. Set theAlignmentto Patch to left-align the subtitle with the symbols, and clickOK.

4. Use the Move Up or Move Downbuttons to move the sub-title to the correct place.

5. To add a column break, click the New button on the Legend Items toolbar, set theType to Column Break, and clickOK.

6. Use Move Up or Move Downto position it at the correct row.



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Manage the relationships between plot frames

1. Inspect the Plot Frames tree at the left of the plot window. The listed items represent theparent frames in the plot.

2. Click the [+] icon next to one of the parent frames to expand it. The frames underneaththe parent frame arechildren. These frames are said to be nested within the parent. Other

frames within the same parent are said to besiblings.

3. Depending on which parent frame you expanded you may see a third level of nestedframes. These frames arechildren of children.

4. To rename a frame, right-click it in the Plot Frames tree and choose Rename from thepop-up menu. A slow double-click will also allow you to rename a frame.

5. To edit the properties of any frame from the Plot Frames tree, double-click it, or right-click it and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

6. To change the drawing order of a frame, drag it up or down the tree.

TIP: The accessibility of a frame depends on its relationship to the currently selected frame.

To edit a sibling of the selected frame, just double-click the sibling. But, to edit a frame at adifferent nesting level, or from a different parent, youll have to drill down from thatframes parent.

Text and Font Properties

AText and Font Properties dialog replaces the Windows Font dialog provided in previousversions, and is available wherever you can define labels or annotations in Micromine. When youhover the mouse over the icon a preview of the current or the default font setting is shown:

In some cases, a Scaled Text Properties icon is available:



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To set text and font characteristics for labels and annotations:

1. Double-click on the Text Properties or Scale Text Properties icon to open the Text andFont Properties form.

2. Use the settings provided in the form to customise the characteristics of a fixed or scale-

able font and set text properties such as the background colour and border colour.

3. If you are setting TextProperties, the option to specify a Fixed font size inPoints is thedefault. In some cases, you will have the option to make the font scaleable by specifying aScaled font size in Grid units.

Note that some functions are restricted to either a Fixed font size (for example,

in the Plot Editor) or a Scaled font size (for example, in Display | Contours) and

you cannot change from one to the other.

When the units are set as Points, the actual size is shown in the Preview box. If

the size is large, you can right-click on the Preview box to see a clearer view of



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the text.

4. If you are setting Scaled TextProperties, the option to specify a Scaled font size inGridUnits is the default and you cannot specify a Fixed font size.

When the units are set as Grid Units, the size shown in the Preview box is fixed.

However, you can right-click on the box to see the true size of the text.

Advanced options are available on the Advanced tab of the Text Properties form:

5. Select the Halo check box and double-click the Colour icon to apply a halo or glow effectto the background of the text. You can also specify the Widthof the halo around the textas a percentage of the chosen font size.

The Halo colour and width are applied to the Sample text in the Text Properties

form.

6. Select the Border check box to apply a Fill colour and a Line colour to the border ofthe text. You can also specify the Widthof the line as a percentage of the chosen fontsize.

The default background colour for a label is the NULL (transparent) colour.

7. Select theAnchor check box to also apply a Fill colour and a Line colour when ananchor is shown as part of the properties of the label. You can also specify the Widthofthe line as a percentage of the chosen font size.



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Saving and loading a session

Saving a session combines the functionality we associate with saving aviewwith the functionalitywe associate with saving aworkspace.

When asessionis restored it provides a means of saving and recalling multiple views, since theoperation will load all saved form sets, Vizex instances, and panes (both floating and docked) totheir original positions and in their original camera orientations.

Multiple monitors are supported. When a monitor becomes unavailable all floating panes thatarent visible are moved to the active monitor.

Note that the saved session includes all Vizex windows and the Display, Form Set, Sections

and Properties panes. A current limitation is that there should always be at least one docked

window per Vizex instance. If you need to save and restore toolbars use the Tools | Work-

space | Save and Load menu options.

To save a session:

l Select theView | Save Sessionmenu option.

To load a saved session:

l Select the Display | Vizex | Saved Sessionmenu option.



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Working with multiple Vizex windows and instances

In Vizex, you can open multiple windows in the same Vizexinstance, and open multiple Vizexinstances in the same session.

To open an instance of Vizex:Click theVizex button on the Main toolbar or selectView | Vizex | New VizexInstance.

To open an additional Vizex window:

Click the Open Additional Vizex Window button on the Main toolbar (or alongsideany open Vizex tab) to display data from the same Vizex instance in a new window.

When you open multiple windows (including Overview windows) for a session, a colon plus anumeric suffix:nis used to make the name of each window unique. This makes it easier to dif-ferentiate between multiple views of your data. If a second window is opened, for example, thewindows will be named:Vizex:1 andVizex:2.

Before After

You can tile tabbed windows in the workspace by right-clicking the tab in the workspace andselecting either New horizontal tab group or New vertical tab group.

Working in multiple Vizex instances

You are not restricted to working in just one instance of Vizex, or in one active layer.

For example, you might be working on a new triangulation in Vizex and want to edit the outlinesthat will be used later to assign grades.

To open a new instance of Vizex, click theVizex button on the Main toolbar (or select View| Vizex | New Vizex Instance).



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When you open more than oneinstanceof Vizex, a numeric suffixnis used to make the name ofeach subsequent instance unique. This makes it easier to differentiate between multiple Vizexinstances. If a second instance is opened, for example, the instances will be named:Vizex1 and

Vizex2.

Before After

Thus, in a situation where you have multiple Vizex instances and multiple windows open in eachinstance, it is easy to identify which windows belong to which instance:Vizex1:1, Vizex1:2,

Vizex2:1, Vizex2:2 etc.

The naming scheme applies equally to Overview windows:

In the Display pane you can also see which layers belong to which instance:

Renaming Vizex instances

You can rename a Vizex instance in the Display Pane by selecting Rename from the right-clickmenu to make the Instance name editable. Alternatively, click on the Instance name and pressF2.

Renaming a Vizex instance has no effect on the default naming convention (and suffix) used tomake subsequent instances unique. So for example, if you have instancesVizex1 andVizex2and rename instanceVizex2 as (say)View_SE, when a subsequent instance is added it will stillbe assigned the default nameVizex3.

Working in other windows

You are not restricted to only displaying your data spatially. For Micromine data types, when anobject is selected, you can right-click and select the Open Input File menu option for the cur-

rent display layer.



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You can also use theFile | Openmenu option to open a file while you are working in Vizex. Theeditor window will be opened as a new tabbed page in the workspace.

The same file can be edited concurrently in both the File Editor and in the Vizex display. Changesto the files are updated in each view dynamically.

When the last editable view of a file is closed, you will be prompted to save your changes. Altern-atively, you can use the Save button on the main toolbar (or File | Save) to save your changes atany time.

Note that the layout of windows and toolbars that you have opened, resized and repositioned,

can be saved as a workspace configuration. You can also save multiple Vizex views as part of

a Vizex session.



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Snap Wireframes

In Micromine 2013, it is possible to perform a 'snap' operation interactively on the wireframesyou have selected in Vizex, or on the wireframes you have selected in the Wireframe | Util-ities | Snap form. You can also select a Snap option when running Wireframe | Operations |

Boolean.

Note that the Snap process simply performs a fix to remove discrepancies. The wireframes

positions are not moved.

To perform an interactive snap:

1. SelectWireframe | Tools | Snap (or the Interactive Snap tool on the WireframeTools toolbar) to perform a Snap operation on one or more selected wireframes.

2. If you have not already selected the wireframes you will prompted to do so. Select thewireframe objects to be snapped and click on theAccept Selection(Next) button (or

right-click). Note that you cannot load a wireframe or edit other objects while the processis active.

3. Enter a Snap tolerance. Tolerance values greater than the minimum distance between

wireframe points, or the natural separation between the Input wireframes, may produceundesirable results. The default is 0.00001.

4. Click the OKbutton to process the wireframes you have selected.

To perform a Snap operation on one or more Input wireframes:

1. Select Wireframe | Utilities | Snap.

2. In the Snap Wireframes form, select the wireframes you want to process:



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3. Either select the Overwrite check box to overwrite the Input wireframe or double-click(or click on the Select icon) to select the Output Name of a new wireframe.

It is recommended that you write the results of a Snap operation to a new Output wireframe in

the first instance. If results are okay, you can then overwrite the Input wireframe.

4. Enter a Snap tolerance. Tolerance values greater than the minimum distance betweenwireframe points, or the natural separation between the Input wireframes, may produceundesirable results. The default is 0.00001.

To snap wireframes as part of a Boolean operation:

1. Select Wireframe | Operations | Boolean.

2. Select theSnap common trianglesoption to remove any discrepancies that result fromnumerical precision problems on shared triangles.



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Block Model Draw Styles

Micromine's block model draw styles now fall into two groups.

The Optimised draw styles (listed above the divider in the Display Options form) are intended

for modern hardware. They rely heavily on your computer's graphics card to display a blockmodel, and achieve high performance by handing all of the rendering to the graphics processor.

The Legacy draw styles (below the divider) are retained for compatibility with existing form setsand older or less powerful computers.

Micromine may not be able to display a block model in the selected draw style on an inferior com-puter. In this situation it will fall back to progressively simpler draw styles until it finds one thatthe computer will handle. It may automatically choose a legacy draw style if it detects an oldergraphics card.

Optimised

Optimised draw styles all use OpenGL shaders to render the block model, and comprise:

Style Description

3D Shaded Displays the model as a 3D volume where the block facesappear as solids. This style is equivalent to the old 3DShaded draw style (Micromine 2011 and earlier) but usesfar less memory for the same model.

3D Lines Displays the model by only drawing the block edges. Equi-valent to the old 3D Lines draw style with the samememory improvements as 3D Shaded.

3D Points Displays the model by drawing a point at the centroid of

each block. Equivalent to the old 3D Points draw style, withimproved memory use.

2D Slice Displays the model by drawing only those blocks inter-sected by the screen plane (in an orthogonal view) or threeorthogonal planes that intersect at the camera viewpoint(rotated view). Although this is roughly equivalent to theold 2D Slice mode it has been extensively modernised andis capable of handling the largest models. This is the fall-back style for computers with inferior graphics cards.

Legacy

Legacy draw styles consist of:

Style Description

3D Shell (formerly 3D Shaded) Displays the blocks as if they werewireframes. On some older computers this style mayprovide better performance than the new 3D Shadedstyle.

3D Frame (formerly 3D Lines) Displays the blocks as if they werewireframes, using the Wireframe 3D Lines draw style.



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Hardware Requirements

The performance of the optimised draw styles depends very much on your graphics hardwareand drivers, and it is vital that your hardware is appropriate for the volume of data with whichyou intend to work. We recommend that you use a high-end professional 3D graphics card for

working with large models.Although we cannot predict exactly how your computer will perform, with the right hardware andup-to-date graphics drivers it is possible to display very large block models (containing more than100 million blocks) and still experience good real-time performance.

Note: For the default method to be applied for the Shaded style, your graphics card must sup-

port OpenGL 3.2 as a minimum. Also, the Disable Advanced OpenGL features option (Tools |

Options | Vizex) should not be selected.

To view the details of your graphics configuration, including the OpenGL version, select Tools |

Check Graphics Configuration.

File Sharing and Accessibility

The rules that govern the accessibility of files that are open across a shared network, or openacross multiple Vizex instances, have been changed in this release.

From now on, if a file is open for reading or viewing (i.e. is open in the File Editor in read-onlymode, or is open in Vizex) that file cannot be opened for editing. Conversely, if a file is open forediting, it cannot be opened for reading or viewing.

Note that these changes ONLY affect a file which is opened in multiple instances of the applic-

ation. Within the same instance it is still possible, for example, to edit a file which is open sim-ultaneously in Vizex and the File Editor.

File Recovery

Data file recovery has also been enhanced for this release. In the event of an application crash, itis possible to recover unsaved changes you have made to one or more files. When you next openthe project, if the application detects that a file was being edited and recovery data is available,you will be given the opportunity to recover your data.

micromine 2013 getting started

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