MM12-5 Introduction to Micromine (2011-07)

MICROMINE TRAINING INTRODUCTION TO MICROMINE 2011 BEGINNER A TWO-DAY COURSE DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE NEW USERS TO THE KEY FEATURES OF MICROMINE

.

Micromine Version 2011 (12.5) Training

Introduction to Micromine

MICROMINE (Head Office) Level 2, 174 Hampden Rd Nedlands WA 6009 Australia Tel: Fax:

+61 8 9423 9000 +61 8 9423 9001

Email: [email protected] WWW: http://www.micromine.com To find your local office, please visit: http://www.micromine.com.au/contact

Licence Agreement The use of the software described in this manual is subject to a licence agreement with MICROMINE. The software may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms and conditions of that agreement. This manual assumes that Micromine Version 2011 (12.5) or above is installed.

Disclaimer Micromine will not accept any liability arising from the use of the software or any other software product mentioned in this manual; nor for any technical or editorial errors or omissions made in this manual. The mention of any other computer software product within this manual does not imply any endorsement of such product by Micromine.

Copyright Micromine is the owner of the software, and of all icons and logos within the software, together with all soft- and hard-copy documentation. This manual contains information protected by copyright. No part of this manual may be photocopied or reproduced in any form without prior written consent from Micromine. © Copyright 1999, 2001 – 2011 by MICROMINE Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Editor:

Authors:

Frank Bilki

David Bartlett Frank Bilki Michael Haffenden Alan LeBlanc

Andrew Greenhill Deb Marriner Tenille Szolkowski

Trademark Acknowledgment Micromine, Field Marshal, and Geobank are trademarks of MICROMINE Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries. Other brands and product names mentioned in this manual are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

© Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Before We Begin Course Duration: 16 hours For:

New Micromine users

Introduction This course is designed to show you how to start using Micromine and to introduce some of the program’s key features. To make it as realistic as possible it’s based on a scenario that will be familiar to many Micromine users.

The Scenario: Your Company is evaluating a prospect on which initial stream sediment sampling indicated an anomalous area. You followed this with a geochemical sampling programme over the area of interest. The sample locations were recorded using a GPS and the data coordinates were recorded in Lat/Longs. Finally, you further investigated the detected anomaly with trenching and a subsequent two-phase drilling programme.

Purpose Phase 1 of the drilling program indicated a substantial resource. Your task is to integrate and process the original data in order to evaluate the prospect with a view to designing the Phase 2 drilling program. The purpose of the new drilling program will be to provide in-fill data to enable the classification of the resource as indicated, inferred or measured. The lessons that follow describe the tasks you’ll need to undertake to achieve your objective.

Objectives As a result of this course, you’ll have learnt to:

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·

Use the Micromine user interface and its various tools;

·

Manage Micromine projects;

·

Create and manipulate Micromine files;

·

Validate drillhole and general purpose data;

·

Create lookup tables for rapid data entry and validation;

·

Understand and use filters to subset the data of interest;

·

Create and plot a multi-layered plan, vertical section, and 3D view;

·

Interpret drillhole cross sections;

·

Automate Micromine tasks with macros;

·

(Optionally) Construct a 3D wireframe solid of an orebody.




Approach This course will be dominantly hands-on. Each new topic will commence with a brief introduction, followed by a practical exercise. A small training database will be used for all exercises.

How to Use This Manual Course Content The Introduction to Micromine course is divided into separate parts, each of which is a self-contained document. The six parts that make up this course are: Part 1 – Micromine Basics Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data Part 3 – 3D Presentation Part 4 – Plotting 1 Part 5 – Macros 1 Part 6 – Wireframing 1 Because each part is self-contained, the page, lesson, and exercise numbers reset to ‘1’ at the beginning of each document. Your trainer will introduce each part to you at the appropriate time.

Installing the Data Set Your trainer will supply the data set for this training course and instruct you on how to install it. The data must be present before you can commence the course. You’ll need 20MB free space on the hard disk drive where the data set is installed.

Using the Online Help with the Training Manual Where appropriate, references to topics in Micromine’s online help are also included. These references provide further information about the current task as well as topics that are related to the current task. They also give you an opportunity to become familiar with the online help system. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Online help references will be displayed as italic in the following format:

Topic Heading > Sub heading > Content

Help Topic For example: Importing ODBC

Files > Import > ODBC

To browse to a reference using the online help: 1.

Select Help | Contents from the Micromine menu.

2.

When the Help window appears, click the Contents tab to select it.

3.

Click the Topic Heading. In the above example, the Help Topic is Files and the Topic Heading is Import. From there you can browse to the subheading ODBC to find the content ODBC Import.

4.

Alternatively, you can use the Index tab, enter a keyword, for example ODBC, and click the Display button near the bottom of the index list. If there’s only one topic with that keyword, it’ll be displayed immediately. If the keyword is used in a number of topics, the titles of those topics will appear in a list. Simply double-click a topic to display it.

Conventions Used in this Manual This document uses a combination of visual and text indicators to make it easier for you to identify different sections of the text. Visual indicators use a combination of icon and colour: Icon

Meaning Exercise. A series of steps that you can complete to help understand the current topic. Optional exercise. Additional practice for the current topic but not needed to complete the basic training. The title is printed on a shaded background.

Side-bar. Additional text that amplifies the current topic. The text is printed on a shaded background. Module required. A particular MICROMINE module is required to complete this task. The title is printed on a shaded background.

For exercises, the text uses a combination of bold and italic type to indicate the correct response:

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Style

Denotes

Bold type

Denotes the names of menu items, dialog boxes and prompts when they invoke or contribute to the primary process being undertaken.

Italic type

Denotes the entries you must type, or items you select from a list, in dialog box responses and table fields.


Referring to Entries in Dialog Boxes and Files In many places you’ll need to make entries in dialog boxes or data files (tables). In this manual, the text or values you need to enter as part of the exercises will be illustrated in one of two ways: ·

A screen-shot of the relevant dialog form or dialog box with the correct entries.

·

A tabular display. The first column contains the name of the dialog prompt and the second column contains the text or value to be entered.

As an example, this is a dialog box (form) that contains parameters you might need to enter:

The same information could be presented in a table:


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Prompt

Setting

Project name

TEMPLATES

Project path

C:\MmData\Templates

Create directory for project

Enabled

Project title

Templates

Units

METRIC

Use existing project as template

Disabled

For further study While the primary purpose of this course is to introduce you to the key features of Micromine, optional tasks are included to expose you to more advanced features of the application. In addition to these optional tasks, in-house experts at Micromine have contributed their ideas on how to get the most from the application. You’ll find these ideas at the end of many lessons under the heading Good Practices.

System Prerequisites for this Course Licensing You must have a valid Micromine licence in order to complete the exercises in this training manual. If you don’t have a licence, your trainer may supply you with a temporary training licence for the duration of the course. If you have been issued a temporary training licence, you must return the security key (dongle) and delete the licence file at the conclusion of the course.

Printers and Plotters There’s no need to connect to a printer or plotter to complete this course.

Micromine Options Micromine automatically installs with the relevant options correctly set.

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However, if you’re using a Micromine licence that’s already been used by another person, make sure you’ve checked the following settings before you begin the training course. Check that in: Tools | Options | Default Language English is selected. Tools | Options | Colours & Fonts Compulsory prompt is set to Red. (Choose bright red if your screen does not clearly differentiate the standard red colour.) Grid Text is set to 8 point Arial. Display Text is set to 8 point Arial. Tools | Options | Editor Text Viewer is set to Built-in Tools | Options | Vertical Exaggeration Vertical exaggeration is not set


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MICROMINE TRAINING MICROMINE BASICS

·

BEGINNER

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Part 1 – Micromine Basics

PART 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Micromine Basics LESSON 1 – PREPARING THE PROJECT DATA ................................................................................... 1 WORKING WITH PROJECTS ......................................................................................................................... 1 Projects........................................................................................................................................... 1 Attaching an Existing Project ............................................................................................................. 2 Creating a New Project ..................................................................................................................... 3 Deleting a Project ............................................................................................................................. 4 LESSON 2 – WORKING WITH DATA FILES ........................................................................................ 7 WORKING WITH TABULAR FILES .................................................................................................................. 7

Files in Micromine............................................................................................................................. 7 Micromine Field Types ...................................................................................................................... 8 Creating a New Data File ................................................................................................................. 11 Creating a New File Using a Template............................................................................................... 13 Modifying a File’s Structure .............................................................................................................. 14 LESSON 3 – WORKING WITH DIALOGS AND FORM SETS ............................................................... 19

Dialogs and Form Sets .................................................................................................................... 19 LESSON 4 – DATA ENTRY AND FILE PROCESSING .......................................................................... 25 GETTING DATA INTO MICROMINE ............................................................................................................... 25 The Different Ways of Obtaining Tabular Data ................................................................................... 25 OBTAINING DATA FROM TEXT FILES ............................................................................................................ 27 Importing CSV Text Files ................................................................................................................. 28 Merging Assay Data ........................................................................................................................ 29 IMPORTING CAD OR GIS DATA ................................................................................................................. 34 IMPORTING OR LINKING DATABASE DATA USING ODBC ................................................................................... 36 MANUALLY ENTERING DATA...................................................................................................................... 39 Calculator ...................................................................................................................................... 45 LESSON 5 – VALIDATING DATA....................................................................................................... 50 VALIDATING DATA IN A PROJECT................................................................................................................ 50 Validation ...................................................................................................................................... 50 Validating a Data File ...................................................................................................................... 51 Validating Drillhole Data .................................................................................................................. 54 LESSON 6 – FILTERS........................................................................................................................ 59 WORKING WITH FILTERS ......................................................................................................................... 59 Setting up a Filter........................................................................................................................... 59

Multiple Filter Conditions ................................................................................................................. 61 Using Wildcards ............................................................................................................................. 62

TABLES Table 4.1: File Editor keyboard shortcuts ................................................................................................. 40 Table 6.1: Filter wildcards ...................................................................................................................... 62


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PART 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Micromine Basics SIDEBARS Creating a project folder outside of Micromine ........................................................................................... 4 Defining file fields ..................................................................................................................................12 Creating a new file directly from a dialog .................................................................................................14 The right-click file utility menu ................................................................................................................14 Double-click it to pick it ..........................................................................................................................20 Identifying saved form sets ....................................................................................................................22 Why use form sets? ...............................................................................................................................23 Checking the results of a function ...........................................................................................................32 Managing DSNs .....................................................................................................................................38 Controlling the structure of the imported file ............................................................................................39 Using the File Editor shortcuts on multiple records ....................................................................................41 Creating validation check files .................................................................................................................51 Data type: GENERAL vs. DRILL HOLE ......................................................................................................52 What’s max deviation? ...........................................................................................................................56 How did Micromine know the right field names?........................................................................................57 Why should I save my filters as form sets? ...............................................................................................59 Right-click to edit ..................................................................................................................................60 Filtering date values ..............................................................................................................................63

EXERCISES Exercise 1.1: Attach an existing project..................................................................................................... 3 Optional Exercise 1.2: Create a new project .............................................................................................. 3 Optional Exercise 1.3: Delete an existing project ........................................................................................ 5 Exercise 2.1: Create a new data file.........................................................................................................11 Exercise 2.3: Modify a file’s structure .......................................................................................................14 Exercise 3.1: Explore dialogs and form sets ..............................................................................................22 Exercise 4.1: Import assay data from a CSV file ........................................................................................28 Exercise 4.2: Merge assay data from Exercise 4.1 into the sample locality file...............................................30 Exercise 4.3: Label the sample locality file ................................................................................................32 Exercise 4.4: Import and display topographic contours from an ESRI Shapefile.............................................34 Exercise 4.5: Create an ODBC connection and import data .........................................................................37 Exercise 4.6: Use the File Editor’s data entry tools.....................................................................................41 Exercise 4.7: Use the File Editor Calculator ...............................................................................................45 Exercise 5.1: Validate fields in a file .........................................................................................................51 Exercise 5.2: Validate drillhole data .........................................................................................................55 Exercise 6.1: Create a multiple condition filter ..........................................................................................62

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Lesson 1 – Preparing the Project Data


Notes:

Duration: 20 minutes In Micromine, the project is the primary place for storing and organising your data. This lesson introduces you to projects and how you use them. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Attach an existing project;

·

Create a new project;

·

Delete a project; and

·

Delete a project without deleting the associated data.

Working with Projects Projects Normally you store the data from an area in a Micromine project. This includes surface samples, drilling data, property boundaries, aerial surveys, photography, and any other related information. In addition to information about the area, other information such as macros and form sets are also stored as part of a project.

A Micromine project represents a real-world project. To begin working with Micromine you must create at least one project. A project is a folder (or directory) where you store files containing related information. Once more than one project has been created, you can select the desired project from a list of all projects. When you select a project, all the files, macros and forms sets stored with that project are made available to you. When you’re working in a project there’s no need to enter a file path (i.e. C:\projects\tenement1\...) to create or open files. The only time you “leave” the project is when you need to access external data. To create a project, you enter a project name, a path, and a project title. You subsequently refer to that project by its name. A project may be situated on the computer you’re using, or on a network. In either case, we recommend that you place all projects under a single parent folder. You must also set the units for a project to metric or imperial when you first create it. The default is metric. Imperial is used when rock densities are measured with a tonnage factor and plot scales like 1”:100’ are required.


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Notes:

When you create a new project, you can optionally use file structures, form sets and macros from a similar project. This is a good approach because it means you can re-use existing work and promote consistency between projects. Some Micromine users create a template project and save any reusable file structures, macros and form sets within it. You can rename, move, delete and attach projects. Renaming simply changes the project name, whereas moving a project manages the entire process of moving all the project files from one location to another. If you regularly use different Micromine projects, for example as a consultant with many clients, the Project toolbar provides ready access to most project-related tasks. These include opening, closing, creating, and attaching a project, and special browse tools that step forward or backward through the project list. Because files from different projects are stored in different folders, you can use the same file names in each. For example, the projects “Demo” and “Training” can both have files named collar.dat, survey.dat and assay.dat. By default, Micromine will load the last project you were using.

Attaching an Existing Project Because the data for this training course have already been prepared, you’ll simply attach the project where the data are stored. Attaching a project is a convenient way of working with existing projects and external data such as old projects and data created using other applications. Once you’ve attached a project, you can select it as though you had created it.

The following exercises assume the training data is in the folder C:\MmData\Training. If your data are in a different location, substitute the new location in the instructions that follow.

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Exercise 1.1: Attach an existing project


Notes:

To attach an existing project: 1.

Start Micromine by clicking on the icon on your desktop, or select the application name from the Start menu.

2.

Select File | Project | Attach from the main menu.

3.

Enter the Project name. Generally, this is the name of the folder containing the project data. In this case, enter: Training

4.

Click the Browse […] button next to the Project path response and navigate to the folder C:\MmData\Training. Click OK on the Browse dialog.

5.

Enter Micromine Training in the Project title.

6.

Click OK to attach the project.

You can start Micromine directly in any previously opened project by using the Windows 7 jump list. You’re now attached to the Training project. Note how the Micromine window title bar (at the top of the screen) displays the new project’s name and title. Lastly, confirm that Micromine is attached to the correct folder: 7.

Select File | Open from the main menu.

8.

Assess the contents of the Open dialog. If you don’t see the files shown here, check with your instructor before proceeding.

When a project is created or attached, Micromine copies default template files to the new project (if they don’t already exist).

Creating a New Project Although we’re using an existing project for this training, you still need to know how to create a new project. Creating – instead of attaching – a project allows you to set the units and optionally use an existing project as a template.

Optional Exercise 1.2: Create a new project In this exercise you’ll create a new project that could potentially be used as a template for future projects. It’s not intended to store any real data, just the various file structures that might be re-used elsewhere. To create a new project: © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Notes:


1.

Select File | Project | New from the main menu.

2.

Fill-in the dialog box as shown below. To define the Project path, use the browse […] button to navigate to the C:\MmData folder; once you’ve done this, ensure Create folder for project is selected (ticked).

3.

Click OK to create the project. Micromine will open in the new project, and the project name and title will appear at the top of the Micromine window.

4.

Switch back to the Training project by selecting File | Project | Open, or clicking the Open Project toolbar button.

Under normal circumstances you’d now begin creating template files within the project. When you next create a project you can select Use existing project as template and then enter this project’s name. You can then nominate which items you want to re-use from the template project by selecting from the options shown in the group at the bottom of the dialog.

Creating a project folder outside of Micromine Project | New usually creates the folder for you. If you previously created the folder in Windows, clear the Create folder for project option. Micromine will still add the appropriate files to the folder.

Deleting a Project Deleting a project means removing the reference to the project (the folder where the project data is located) from a special Micromine file. There are two methods of deleting projects. The first method is to delete the link to the project folder. This is like deleting a shortcut from your Windows Desktop. Page 1.4



The reference to the folder is removed but the folder and its contents remain untouched. The second method is to remove the link and delete the project folder and all the files within it.


Notes:

Generally, you only want to remove the link to the project.

Optional Exercise 1.3: Delete an existing project To delete a project: 1.

Select File | Project | Delete from the main menu.

2.

Choose the Examples project from the list that appears.

3.

Make sure Detach only is selected (ticked).

4.

Click OK.

From now on, the Examples project won’t appear in the list when you select File | Project | Open from the main menu. To delete a project and all the files it contains, follow the same procedure but clear Detach only (remove the tick).

Note that this is a deliberate action. You can’t accidentally delete the files in a project folder.


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Notes:


Lesson 1 Summary These are the key points of this lesson: ·

The project is the fundamental structure for organising data in Micromine;

·

To start working with Micromine you must create at least one project;

·

Projects store data files, macros, and form sets;

·

You can set the project units to metric or imperial when you create it;

·

When you create a new project, you can use the file structures, form sets and macros from a similar project as a template.

To attach a project: Select File | Project | Attach, then Type in a new Name and Title, plus Browse to the project’s folder location (Path). To create a new project: Select File | Project | New and enter the settings. To delete a project: Select File | Project | Delete and choose the project. Set the Detach only switch as appropriate.

Good Practice If you created the project folder in Windows, clear the Create folder for project option. Consider using an existing project as a template whenever you create a new project. Doing so will: ·

Encourage consistency in the way you store and process your data, and in the appearance of output;

·

Reduce set-up time because you won’t have to re-create data file structures, colour sets, macro files and form sets.

Help Topics

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For information on:

See:

Projects

Files > Project

Template projects

Files > Project > Using project templates

Form sets

Form Sets



Lesson 2 – Working with Data Files


Notes:

Duration: 40 minutes Data files are the basic data container in Micromine. In this lesson you’ll learn about the different types of data files and how to create and work with them. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Create a new file;

·

Create a file using an existing file as a template;

·

Modify a file’s structure.

Working with Tabular Files Files in Micromine Most files you’ll use as input to functions in Micromine have a tabular structure. If you’re familiar with databases you’ll recognise this structure. An example of a typical Micromine data file is shown below.

Each record of this file contains a sample number and the associated gold, silver, and copper (amongst others) assay values. Micromine uses several types of tabular file. The main input files are Data, Survey and String. These files are differentiated by file extension. The data file has the extension DAT, the survey file SVY, and the string file STR, but in practice you refer to them by type rather than by their extensions. There are no other fundamental differences between these types of file. In fact a file with exactly the same structure could have any of these extensions. The main reason for having the different extensions is so you can group like files in a project. For example, geological data are often stored in DAT files; while contour strings and other string type data are stored in STR files; and survey information from total stations or theodolites is stored in SVY files. You can also arrange files into project subfolders for greater clarity.


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Notes:


The data in most Micromine files is stored primarily in ASCII format. This means you can easily read the data from some fields with a simple text editor. While it’s possible to edit a Micromine file with a text editor, we recommend that you don’t do so because the file format may become corrupted.

Micromine Field Types Micromine also uses many other non-tabular file types (for example, outlines and wireframes); however it handles their creation and management on your behalf. You, as the user, must create the tabular files needed for a project. To do this you give the new file a name and then define its structure. That is, the names and characteristics of the fields and the order in which they will be processed and displayed.

In Micromine you can have three different field types: character, numeric and binary. Binary field types can be then be broken down into real, float, long integer and short integer. ·

Alpha and alphanumeric data is generally given the character type;

·

Data that’s essentially numeric but may contain characters which you wish to display should be in fields with the numeric type.

·

Binary fields are used exclusively for numeric values.

Binary Fields Binary field types improve numerical accuracy, may reduce file size, and produce noticeable speed improvements when loading or processing data. The binary formats that are used by Micromine are: ·

REAL

·

FLOAT

·

LONG INTEGER

·

SHORT INTEGER

All fields that exclusively house Numeric values should be binary fields. However, binary fields DO NOT support Micromine’s numeric exceptions. If you have blanks, characters or below detection values (e.g. < x) and you convert the numeric field into a binary field, the following rules will be applied:

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·

Blanks stay as blanks

·

Character codes become blanks

·

Below detection values (e.g. < x) are automatically multiplied by 0.5




Notes:

Data ranges When choosing a binary field type for numeric data it is important to choose the appropriate type. This decision has two aspects: ·

Does the data contain decimal values?

·

How many significant figures of precision does it need?

REAL and FLOAT fields can handle decimal values. The numeric ranges listed in the table below are not really relevant; what is important here is the number of significant figures of precision. REAL fields offer around twice the precision of FLOAT fields; using the wrong type won’t affect the overall number but will affect the achievable level of accuracy.

Code

Size (bytes)

REAL

R

8

3.4 x 10±308

15

FLOAT

F

4

1.7 x 10±37

7

L

4

-2,147,483,647 to 2,147,483,647

S

2

-32,767 to 32,767

Type

LONG INTEGER SHORT INTEGER

Range

Significant Figures

LONG and SHORT INTEGER are integral types that cannot handle decimals. There is no concept of significant figures here; instead they have very specific limits on the size of numbers that can be stored, also listed in the table above. Using the wrong type here can be a significant problem, because once a SHORT INTEGER reaches its maximum value of 32,767 it simply stops counting and writes each subsequent value as 32,767. Clearly this will have a disastrous effect on real-world data.

Precision The advantage that Binary fields have over Numeric fields is that they are not precision-limited. For example, assume we have a NUMERIC field defined with three decimals. When we perform a calculation the result is written with three decimals. Any other decimals are simply discarded. The same calculation carried out on a REAL field stores the full 15 places of precision in the file, even though we may only be interested in displaying three decimals.

Backward Compatibility If you work in a collaborative environment in which not everyone upgrades to Micromine 2011, please be aware that binary field-enabled files cannot be used in earlier Micromine versions. ·

Caution: binary field-enabled files are incompatible with old Micromine versions


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Notes:


·

Can be exported to old versions using File | Utilities | Convert Binary to ASCII

MicromineMicromineMicromine In general, Micromine processes data files to create output. You must tell a function (in Micromine) the name of a file and the fields it should use from that file. The function then loads data from the file and performs its task. This is the fundamental operating paradigm of Micromine.

The function takes values from the nominated file and processes them record by record

The main file preparation and processing tool is the File Editor. The File Editor has many features and data processing tools that are useful to the earth scientist.

One of Micromine’s strengths is that you can copy the contents of a file or change its structure at anytime. Such flexibility is very convenient. However, if you’re not using a central database it’s very easy to create copies of master files and get into a situation where a colleague enters new data into the copy. To avoid this, establish a convention that clearly defines your file-naming procedures. For example, to make working copies of files easy to recognise, use a prefix like “#” or “!”. The length of the file name is not an issue. Similarly, with master files, you can include “master” in the name of the file.

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Notes:

Before you begin this lesson… Make sure the training data are installed on your PC or some location on your network. You’ll need this data throughout this training course. See ‘Installing the data set’ for details.

Creating a New Data File You create a new file in Micromine using the File | New menu option, the New File toolbar button, or the Ctrl+N keyboard shortcut. Options on the New File dialog give you control over the level of automation. ·

For full control over the file’s structure and contents, enable Auto open file for editing and clear Use Template.

·

For complete automation, clear Auto open file for editing, enable Use Template, and choose a template File.

Because you’ll be using the data set supplied as part of this course you only need to create a couple of new data files in later lessons. However, to reinforce the idea of the template project this task will show you how to create a collar file that could be used as a template.

Exercise 2.1: Create a new data file To create a new collar file template: 1.

Select File | New from the main menu. Alternatively, you can click the New File toolbar button.

2.

Enter the following values into the New File dialog box:

3.

Prompt

Setting

File

COLLAR_TEMPLATE

Type

DATA

Title

Collar Template

Ensure Auto open file for editing is set.

In the workplace you’d typically disable the Auto open option unless you wanted to immediately start entering data. However, we’ll leave it set for this exercise so you can see the newly created file. 4.

Don’t select Use template.

5.

Click OK and the Create Structure file window will appear.

You define the file structure in this window. To do this you must supply: ·

The names of the fields;


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Notes:


·

The type of each field;

·

The width of each field (if it not a binary field);

·

In the case of numeric, real and float fields, the number of decimal places.

Defining file fields FIELD NAME can be up to 255 characters. Try to avoid using spaces in field names. Best practice, unless there’s an overriding company standard, is to keep field names simple. For example, use Sample rather than Sample No., Sample_No or Sample #. TYPE can be C (Character), N (Numeric), R (Real) F (Float) L (Long) or S (Short) WIDTH can be up to 255 for Character or Numeric fields. Binary fields have width and precision rules as explained previously. Numeric and Character fields should be kept as short as possible without compromising the data. DECIMALS in Numeric fields should be enough for your data requirements, but no more. You’ll gain nothing by specifying more decimals than are needed. The decimal point is counted as one character, so be sure to allow for this when you set the WIDTH of a Numeric field.

6.

Type the following values in the table:

Press the Tab key to move right from field to field and Shift+Tab to move to the left. You can also use the arrow keys to move up and down, or just click on a cell with the mouse. Press Enter to create a new row, or press Ctrl+R to replicate existing data onto a new row. 7.

Once you’ve entered these values, click Close on the menu in the Create Structure window.

8.

Click Yes to confirm you want to create the file.

The new file will open into a File Editor window. You could immediately start entering values, but for this exercise we’ll leave the file empty and close it instead. Page 1.12



9.


Close the File Editor window, either by clicking the [X] at the top of the COLLAR_TEMPLATE.DAT tab or the top right of the Editor window (at the same height as the tab!). Alternatively, click the Close toolbar button.Micromine

Notes:

Creating a New File Using a Template Once you have suitable files in the current project (or a dedicated template project), you can use their structures whenever you create new files.

Exercise 2.2: Create a new file using a template To create a file using a template: 1.

Select File | New from the main menu. Alternatively, you can click the New toolbar button.

2.

Enter the following values into the New File dialog: Prompt

Setting

File

TEST_COLLAR

Type

DATA

Title

From Template

3.

Clear Auto open file for editing.

4.

Select Use template and Current project.

5.

Double-click the File response and choose the COLLAR_TEMPLATE file, which is the one you created in Exercise 2.1.

6.

Clear Modify new file structure.

7.

Click OK to create the new file.

Because we cleared the Auto open... and Modify new... options, Micromine silently created the file instead of requesting further input. You can use Modify new file structure to control the structure of the new file. To confirm the structure of the new file: 8.

Select File | Open and open the new TEST_COLLAR file. Inspect its structure and note that it’s the same as the original template.

9.

Close the File Editor once you’re done.

10. Select File | Project | Open, or click the Open Project toolbar button and return to the TRAINING project.


Page 1.13


Notes:


You can see from this exercise how much time using templates can save, especially when you’re creating files with many fields. Additionally, using templates promotes consistent file structures both within and across projects.

Creating a new file directly from a dialog An alternative way to create a new file is to use File | Create or Modify File. With this menu option you can create a new file directly from the dialog, without needing a template, which is especially useful when you’re writing a macro. Macros are explained in more detail in Part 5 – Macros 1.

Modifying a File’s Structure In Micromine you can add and delete fields from a file at any time. If a field contains data when you delete it, the data will also be deleted. To add fields to a file or delete fields from a file, use the Modify File function. The Modify File function is located in the File menu of the main Micromine window and the File Editor. You can also right-click (F6) on a file field in a dialog box and select Modify from the menu that appears.

If you add fields to a file using Modify File, no data will be lost. However, if you delete a field that contains data, the data will be lost.

The right-click file utility menu Modify is one of several functions found on the right-click file utility menu. This menu is accessible from any file or field name response on every Micromine dialog, and makes it possible to perform basic file functions without having to close a partially completed dialog.

Exercise 2.3: Modify a file’s structure This task shows you how to add new fields to a soil geochemistry file, containing sample coordinates and some basic analytical results. The new Page 1.14




fields are needed for merging a broader suite of additional analytical results from the laboratory.

Notes:

To add the new fields, do the following: 1.

Select File | Open from the main menu.

2.

Select NVG_GCHEM from the window that appears. If you can’t see it, make sure that Files of type is set to DATA.

3.

Click OK to open the file in the File Editor.

4.

Press F6 to modify the file, or alternatively select File | Modify File from the File Editor menu to display the Modify Structure window.

5.

Position the cursor in the EAST_GRID field and press Ctrl+I, or select Records | Insert Records from the menu.

6.

Enter 6 in the Insert Records dialog, and then click OK.

7.

Add the following fields to the file: Field Name

8.

Type

Width

Decimals

Ba

F

0

Mo

F

0

Sb

F

2

As

F

0

Hg

F

2

Tl

F

0

When you’ve completed the process, the file structure should look like this:


Page 1.15


Notes:


9.

Select Close once the modification is complete. You’ll be prompted to Modify File? Select Yes.

The OLD_NAME, T, W, and D fields are system fields that Micromine uses to track your changes. Don’t edit them! 10. Micromine automatically saves the modified file so there’s no need to explicitly save it. Instead, simply Close the file editor.

Page 1.16



Lesson 2 Summary


Notes:

This lesson has illustrated the following points: ·

Most data in Micromine is stored in files with a table structure;

·

When creating a file you must give the file a name and then define field names, field types, field lengths and number of decimal places;

·

You can use existing files as templates when creating new files. These templates can be in the current project, in another project, or in a folder on a local or shared drive. This promotes consistency and saves having to repeat work.

To create a new data file from scratch: Select File | New and enter the file’s name and Type, then Optionally, enable Auto open file for editing, and Define the structure by specifying each field’s Name, Type, Width, and number of Decimals. To create a new data file using a template without your intervention: Select File | New and enter the file’s name and type, then Clear Auto open file for editing, and Enable Use template and choose the template file, and Clear Modify new file structure. To modify the structure of an existing file: Select File | Modify File, or Press F6, or Right-click a filename on a form and select Modify from the pop-up menu, then Change the file’s structure. To create a new data file directly from a form: Select File | Create or Modify File, then Type the new file’s Name, and

ADD each new Field Name, Type, Width and Decimals.


Page 1.17


Notes:


Lesson 2 Summary (continued) Good Practice Wherever possible, use templates or form sets to create new file structures. Two options are: ·

Create a set of template files and store them in a folder that has been set aside for that purpose. When you create a file using File | New, retrieve a suitable template and use it to define the file structure.

·

Create a series of file definitions using File | Create or Modify File, saving each one as a form set. When you create a file using File | Create or Modify File, simply open the appropriate form set and use it to define the file structure.

Help Topics

Page 1.18

For information on:

See:

Creating a file

Files > New

Modifying a file

Files > Modify File

Creating a file from a form

Files > Create or Modify File

Character, Numeric and Binary fields

[Index] > Field Types



Lesson 3 – Working with Dialogs and Form Sets


Notes:

Duration: 15 minutes So far, we’ve only seen the simplest of dialogs, but as we continue to learn Micromine we’ll encounter increasingly complex ones. Lesson 4 and onwards will rely extensively on your ability to work with Micromine’s dialogs, so now is a good time to learn about the process of entering parameters. One of Micromine’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to save dialog settings once you’ve created them, and recall those settings whenever they’re needed in future. A simple analogy is using a form-management utility on your web browser: every time you visit, say, your online banking website, the form manager automatically fills out the form for you, saving you time and effort. Micromine’s forms work in much the same way. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Systematically fill out a form;

·

Use the various mouse and keyboard shortcuts to accelerate the process;

·

Save settings as form sets and recall them whenever needed.

Dialogs and Form Sets Dialogs Some Micromine dialogs have over 50 individual controls arranged in numerous groups. The best way to fill out such a complicated dialog is to work through it as if you were reading down the columns of a newspaper: top down, from left to right. In the case of a tabbed dialog, you can extend the analogy to reading the pages of a magazine. Adopting a systematic approach like this ensures that responses are made in the correct order, which is important because other prompts on the dialog may change depending on your earlier choices. Much of Micromine’s user interface is geared towards maximising productivity whilst minimising effort. To help achieve this, numerous dialog shortcuts are available. We’ve already seen the right-click context menu, which is one such shortcut. Another involves the way you specify file or field names: Whenever Micromine prompts you for a file or field name, double-click it (or press F3) to select it from a pop-up list. You should never type a file or field name, since it’s very easy to mistype a name and produce an error. Once you’ve chosen a file name, Micromine will endeavour to automatically select all of the required field names, so you may not have to do this yourself. If a numeric field is selected, Micromine will also automatically calculate the minimum and maximum values of that field.


Page 1.19



Notes:

An example of a more complex Micromine dialog. To fill out this dialog, start at the top of the left-hand column and work down, then repeat for the righthand column. Note – this is only an example; it’s not used in the following exercises.

Double-click it to pick it In general, if a particular piece of information, such as a file name or a field name, already exists, you should choose it by double-clicking instead of typing. Some dialog prompts are highlighted in a different colour (usually red). These are compulsory prompts: You must enter a value before proceeding. Other prompts can be left blank if they’re not relevant.

Form Sets Micromine provides an elegant way to save and re-use the parameters that you’ve entered into a dialog: You save them as a form set, which can be recalled for later reuse. Page 1.20




Notes:

A form set represents the saved contents of a dialog. To save the contents of a dialog as a form set, you generally click the Forms, Save or Save As button located at the right of the dialog. The exact layout will vary according to the context of the dialog, but in general Micromine provides these ways to manage form sets: ·

Dialogs used for Vizex graphic displays have a combination of Forms, Save, or Save As buttons depending on how the dialog was opened, shown on illustrations (a) and (b). Vizex is fully described in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.

·

Filters, colour sets, and other embedded dialogs (that is, dialogs within dialogs) use a layout consisting of Save and Close, Save As and Forms buttons, as shown on illustration (c).

·

Non-graphical dialogs that perform a calculation have the layout shown on illustration (d), using just a Forms button. These dialogs also use Run instead of OK, which signifies that they run a data process instead of contributing to a display.

(a)

·

(b)

(c)

(d)

Graphical dialogs that are not associated with Vizex, such as graphs or histograms, have no buttons. Instead, form sets are accessed from the menu (e) or toolbar (f). However, these options only appear where relevant.

(f) (e) Once you’ve clicked the appropriate forms button, Micromine will display the Forms dialog, which gives you the opportunity to save the parameters with a Title of your choice. The title can be any descriptive text, since all that Micromine needs to internally reference the form set is its Number, which must be unique. The Forms dialog also allows you to recall a previously saved form set, and import or export form sets for sharing with other users.


Page 1.21


Notes:


For convenience you can also group form sets into folders, which are especially useful for managing complex projects that contain many form sets. Form set folders are introduced in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.

Identifying saved form sets Once you’ve saved a dialog as a form set, the Title of that form set will appear at the top of the dialog itself. If you don’t see the name, you’re not working with a saved form set! Micromine automatically manages the form set Number so you’ll rarely need to change it yourself, although you can do so if you want to control the grouping of form sets.

Each Micromine function maintains its own independent list of form sets, so there’s no risk of duplication. For example, more than one function could have a form set Number 1, with the title “Testing”. Even if you forget to save a dialog as a form set, every Micromine dialog is automatically saved to a ‘default’ form set. Simply re-opening a particular dialog will automatically recall the default set, so your previous settings are always available, even after restarting the computer. As soon as you change a value, however, the previous value will be lost.

In Vizex, default form sets are always marked as Untitled, so you can see at a glance whether or not you’ve saved them.

Exercise 3.1: Explore dialogs and form sets In this exercise, we’ll display some geochemical sample locations and save the display parameters as a form set.

Page 1.22

1.

From the main menu, select Display | Vizex | Points.

2.

Ensure the Input Data tab is active (highlighted). Double-click the File response, and choose NVG_GCHEM from the file list that appears.

3.

Once you’ve chosen the file, note how the coordinate fields below the file name have automatically been chosen. Micromine always endeavours to complete as much of the form as it can on your behalf.

4.

Click the Points tab to activate it, and then turn on the Show Points and Use Symbols options.

5.

Double-click the small blank square next to the Default symbol prompt and choose the filled triangle ( ) symbol.

6.

Click OK at the right of the dialog to display the points.

7.

Inspect the Display window pane at the bottom left of the screen. Note how it now contains a single entry called Untitled (NVG_GCHEM.DAT).




Notes:

Assuming you’re happy with how the sample locations are displayed, you can save the settings as a form set. 8.

Double-click the Untitled (NVG_GCHEM.DAT) entry in the Display pane, at the bottom left of your screen, to redisplay the Points dialog.

9.

Click the Save As button at the right of the dialog.

You can also right-click the Untitled (NVG_GCHEM.DAT) entry and choose Save Form As from the pop-up menu. 10. Inspect the Save Current Values dialog and note how the form set has automatically been given the Number 1. 11. Type in the Title Soil geochemistry (overwriting the default NVG_GCHEM.DAT title) and click OK. Note how the name Soil geochemistry now appears on the title bar at the top of the dialog. 12. Click OK on the Points dialog and note how the name in the Display pane has now changed to Soil geochemistry.

You can use the same process to make further changes to the form set: Double-click the form set in the Display pane, make the changes on the dialog, click Save and finally click OK. If you wanted to re-use those settings, you’d simply click the appropriate form set to select it, and then click Open to load the settings.

Why use form sets? As a general rule, if you plan to use the settings on a particular dialog more than once, it’s worth saving that dialog as a form set. Form sets are the main driving force of Micromine. They enable you to create libraries of display layers in Vizex, consistently re-load settings for repetitive tasks without re-entering values, and automate Micromine by writing macros. All of these techniques are covered in subsequent lessons or courses. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 1.23


Notes:


Lesson 3 Summary The key points of this lesson are: ·

Form sets represent the saved contents of Micromine dialogs, and are essential for speed, consistency, and automation of repetitive tasks.

·

Form sets allow you to automate the entry of settings within Micromine, much like a form manager on a web browser would do.

·

Form sets can be grouped into form set folders in a large project.

·

There are numerous form shortcuts, such as the right-click menu and double-click it to pick it.

·

Compulsory prompts are highlighted in red; you must provide a value for these before using the form. You can change the colour under Tools | Options | Colours and Fonts.

To fill out a Micromine dialog: Work through the settings as if you were reading columns in a newspaper, filling out (at least) the compulsory prompts as you go. To speed up filling out a dialog, most information is available from a list. In other words, don’t type but “double-click it to pick it”. To save a dialog as a form set: Click Forms, followed by Save As. To save a Vizex dialog as a form set: Click the Save As button. To recall a previously saved form set: Open the relevant dialog, then Click Forms, then locate the desired form set and click Open.

Good Practice Any process worth doing more than once is worth saving as a form set. For example, if you’re importing text files that have the same format, create a form set containing the import parameters. This will save you re-entering the import parameters every time you need to import data in the same format.

Help Topics

Page 1.24

For information on:

See:

Form sets

Form Sets > ...

Vizex

Display © Copyright MICROMINE 2011


Lesson 4 – Data Entry and File Processing


Notes:

Duration: 105 minutes The data that describes a prospect or mine can be collected and recorded in a variety of ways. These include survey data from total stations, rock sample data from geologists’ notebooks, drillhole data from portable data entry equipment, compass traverse notes, data files from aerial surveys and aerial photography, along with existing data in a variety of third-party formats. Getting all of this information from different formats into a project and into a coherent and useful state can be challenging. This lesson describes some of the processes that can be used to get data into a Micromine project. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Import text files into Micromine files (tables);

·

Merge assay results from a lab with their associated coordinates;

·

Import data from a third-party GIS format (ESRI Shapefile);

·

Import (or link to) data from a database table using ODBC;

·

Spatially preview imported data in Vizex;

·

Enter tabular data using the File Editor;

·

Navigate through the records and fields in the File Editor.

Getting Data into Micromine A geologist working on an exploration or mining project will typically encounter four different data sources: ·

Tabular data exported as a text file format from a third-party application;

·

Spatial data in a CAD, GIS or GPS format;

·

An external relational database such as Microsoft Access®, SQL Server®, or Oracle®. Data within these databases are normally managed by a geologically aware system such as Micromine’s Geobank;

·

Non-digital data such as paper-based field logging or printed logs and reports.

An example of each data type is explored in the following topics.

The Different Ways of Obtaining Tabular Data Micromine includes three different ways to get large quantities of tabular data into a project with a minimum of effort. They are:


Page 1.25


Notes:


·

Importing

·

Linking

·

Merging

When you import tabular data you create a Micromine version of the source data as it existed at that moment. The source data can be any supported tabular format, and you can control which fields are written to the Micromine target file. The data must be re-imported if the source version changes. When you link data you create a permanent connection to the source data, which can only originate from an ODBC data source or Microsoft Access database. Linked data is easily refreshed to stay up-to-date whenever the source version changes. When you merge tabular data, you select fields in a source file and merge them to the correct fields in the target file by matching values in a key field. You can also append data. The source data can be a text or Micromine file.

Before you begin using these techniques, it’s worth reviewing the different types of text file that you’ll meet when you undertake these processes.

If you use Field Marshal to collect field data you can exchange files in native Micromine format. Field Marshal and the Micromine File Editor contain many data entry and processing functions created specifically for earth science data. It’s often cheaper and more efficient to buy FIELD MARSHAL or use the Micromine File Editor than to customise a nongeological spreadsheet or database application.

Page 1.26



Obtaining Data from Text Files


Notes:

There are a numerous types of text file but in general they fall into two groups: delimited and fixed width. A delimited file contains rows of values separated by a separator or “delimiter”. Common delimited formats are comma-delimited (using commas) and tab-delimited (using tabs). Each row is terminated with a CR (carriage return) character and a LF (line feed) character. Fixed width files, sometimes known as column-delimited files, contain values separated into columns made up of a fixed number of characters. Delimited files are generally more space-efficient, but human operators can more easily read fixed width files.

Example fixed width file

Example comma delimited file

You import text using File | Import | Text. Generally Import Text is used to transfer independent data sets into a Micromine project. Alternatively use File | Merge | Text to merge text data. The Merge Text function is used to re-establish relationships within data sets, for example, merging assay results with the coordinates at which the samples were taken. You can also merge two Micromine files to achieve the same result. The next two exercises will teach you to import a text file and then merge the imported file (now in Micromine format) into another Micromine file.

Before you continue... Make sure you’re using the built-in file viewer. To ensure this is the case, select Tools | Options | Editor from the main menu and check that Builtin is selected in the Text Viewer group. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 1.27


Notes:


Importing CSV Text Files CSV (comma separated values) is a simple and popular text format well suited to tabular data exchange. Most applications can export and import the CSV format. A typical scenario might involve a geologist recording field data using the built-in software on a notebook computer or PDA (personal digital assistant). On return to the office he or she would most likely upload the data to a Micromine project. CSV is an ideal format for this situation. The simplest way to import a CSV (or any other text) file is to allow Micromine to automatically define the output file structure. You do this by choosing Determine from Input file in the Output File Structure group, and then using the Scan Rows or Scan File buttons to determine the structure. You’ll explore these options in the next exercise.

Exercise 4.1: Import assay data from a CSV file In this exercise we’ll import the new analytical data referred to in Exercise 2.3, in preparation for merging it into the existing soil geochemistry file. These data were received as a Microsoft Excel workbook and were exported from Excel in CSV format. To import the text file: 1.

Select File | Import | Text from the main menu.

2.

Click the browse […] button next to the Input File response and navigate to the Import folder (within your training project). Select the file NEW_ASSAY_RESULTS.csv.

The .csv extension will be invisible if you have set Windows to Hide extensions for known file types. 3.

Right-click the text file name to display it in the text viewer. Confirm that it’s in comma-delimited format, and note that the first row is a column header for Sample number and the six additional elements (Ba, Mo, Sb, As, Hg, and Tl). Close the text viewer when you’re done.

4.

Set the Format to COMMA DELIMITED.

5.

Enable Field Name Header and choose the One row radio button.

This file contains no rows to ignore so there’s no need to set any Rows To Ignore options. You can use these options to ignore metadata, internal headings, or footers in a more complex file.

Define the structure of the output file 6.

Page 1.28

Select Determine from Input file in the Output File Structure group.



7.

Enter the Output File name NEW_ASSAY_RESULTS and ensure the Type is set to DATA.

8.

Enter the Report file name ASSAY_IMPORT.

9.

Click the Scan File button to scan the input file and automatically determine the structure of the output file.


Notes:

In the workplace, if you have any doubt about the scan, right-click the input file to view it and, if necessary, click the Preview button to alter the output structure. 10. Click OK on the dialog box to run the function. Micromine will report a large number of errors. 11. Right-click the Report file and select View from the pop-up menu to inspect its contents. All of the errors are of the type Value missing. The reason will become clear when we view the output file. 12. Right-click the Output File and select View from the pop-up menu to verify the file contents. The missing values all originate from the Tl (Thallium) column. You can confirm that these values genuinely are missing by viewing the input file.

Merging Assay Data We added fields to the data file in Exercise 2.3 to prepare that file for the merging process. The NVG_GCHEM file contains a sample number, coordinates describing where the sample was taken, some existing geochemical data, and new, empty fields for the additional geochemical elements. In Exercise 4.1 we imported the additional data into a file called NEW_ASSAY_RESULTS. In this task we’ll merge the new geochemical data (NEW_ASSAY_RESULTS) into the existing soil geochemistry file (NVG_GCHEM). To successfully merge the records in two files there must be a field with the same values in both the target and source files. This is known as a key field. If the key field in each file contains duplicate values, you must use two or more fields in each file to differentiate each record. The Merge function processes the target file record by record. It finds the key field in each record and reads the value it contains. It then looks for the same value in the key field in the source file. When it finds an equivalent value, it takes the data from the fields you’ve nominated and writes it to the corresponding fields in the target file.


Page 1.29



Notes:

Exercise 4.2: Merge assay data from Exercise 4.1 into the sample locality file In this exercise the sample identifiers are unique. This means you can use the fields containing sample identifiers in each file as the key field in the merge. In cases where there are duplicates in the key field in the target file you must use multiple fields to form the key. Do the following: 1.

Select File | Merge | MM from the main menu.

2.

Double-click the Source File response and choose NEW_ASSAY_RESULTS (ensure the file Type is set to DATA).

3.

Double-click in the Target File response and select NVG_GCHEM.

Defining the Key Field We know that the Sample field is common to both files. And, because there are no duplicates in the Sample field in either the source or target files, you can use Sample as the single key field. To define the key field: 4.

Click the Key Fields button. (If the button is disabled, select the Use key fields option lower down the dialog.)

5.

Double-click the Source Field for Key # 1 and choose SAMPLE. Micromine will automatically set the matching field name for the Target Field.

6.

Because the sample numbers consist of alphanumeric strings, set the Match to CHARACTER. If you omit this step Micromine will ignore the letter prefix of each sample number. Close the Key Fields dialog when you’re done.

We’re only using a single key field so there’s no need to proceed to the next row.

Defining the Merge Fields You must now define the merge fields, which is very similar to defining the key field. Micromine does, however, greatly simplify the process whenever the field names are the same in both the source and target file. 7. Page 1.30

Click the Merge Fields button. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011


8.

Click the small Select Fields button near the top left of the dialog.

9.

Drag the mouse down the field list, starting with Ba and ending on Tl, to highlight the six geochemical fields, as shown on the following diagram. Click OK when you’re done.


Notes:

There’s no need to select SAMPLE because it’s already defined as the key field. 10. Because the field names are the same in both files, Micromine will complete the form, automatically mapping each source field to the matching target field. 11. Optional: You can map source to target fields on an individual basis by double-clicking and choosing a Source field, then double-clicking and choosing the matching Target field. 12. Close the Merge Fields dialog once you’re satisfied with the field mapping. 13. Set the Match to FIRST, which will only merge the first occurrence of each key field value. 14. Enter Unmerged in the Unmerged file response, Duplicate in the Duplicate file response, and Merge_stats in the Report file response. These files will record the results of the merge process.

Running and validating the merge 15. The final stage of the process is to run the merge. Do this by clicking the Run button on the dialog box. 16. Running this process may give you an error massage, reporting that Hg is longer in the source file than it is in the target file, this is because it has been changed from being a REAL value to a FLOAT value. You can Press Yes to ignore this error message. When the process is complete, a report will appear describing the results of the process, which is also reproduced in the Merge_stats file. You should also right-click the Unmerged and Duplicate files to check their contents, which list any source sample numbers that were duplicated or not merged. In this example there are none and these files are not created.


Page 1.31



Notes:

Checking the results of a function A useful check on any function that processes files is to right-click on the output file (or files) and select View from the pop-up menu. Any problems will become apparent and you can re-run the function after making the necessary corrections. Report files are considered output and should also be checked. In the example above, the non-existence of the Unmerged and Duplicate files is an indication of success, because they are only created when unmerged or duplicate records exist.

Exercise 4.3: Label the sample locality file Now that we know a little more about the soil geochemical data, we’ll add labels for the Au1 geochemical data to the display:

Page 1.32

1.

Open the Soil geochemistry form set by double-clicking it in the Display pane at the bottom left of your screen.

2.

The Points dialog will open back on the Points tab, which is where we last left it. Switch to the Label tab and complete it as shown here: Prompt

Setting

Show labels:

Enabled

Text field (first row)

AU1 (double-click to choose)

Position:

Top-right (double-click to choose option 12)

Angle:

45 (type the number)

Font:

Tahoma, Size 8 (double-click the AaBbYyZz text)




Notes:

You can quickly choose the Tahoma font in the Font dialog by typing the letter ‘t’. Windows will immediately jump to fonts beginning with that letter. 3.

Click the Save button at the right of the Points dialog to save the alterations, and then click OK to redraw the labelled points. Your display should look like this diagram:


Page 1.33


Notes:


Importing CAD or GIS Data In addition to tabular data such as sample locations, drillhole information, and geochemical results, Micromine also supports numerous graphical formats from CAD (Computer Aided Drafting), GIS (Geographic Information System), GPS (Global Positioning System) and general purpose mining applications. Supported formats include: ·

CAD formats: AutoCAD DXF and DWG, Microstation DGN;

·

GIS formats: Mapinfo , ESRI ArcView , and MapGIS;

·

Surpac Strings.

·

Personal Geodatabase

·

GPS Exchange (GPX)

·

Google Earth (KML)

Although it’s possible to directly display many of these formats in Vizex without conversion, in the following exercise you’ll import topographic contours from an ESRI ArcView Shapefile and convert them to a Micromine string file. Directly displaying CAD or GIS data in Vizex is covered in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.

Exercise 4.4: Import and display topographic contours from an ESRI Shapefile 1.

Select File | Import | Vector (CAD/GIS/GPS) Data from the main menu.

2.

Double-click the CAD/GIS file response and browse to the Import folder (inside your project). Choose the nvg_topo_contours.shp file and click Open.

3.

Enable Import attributes.

4.

Type NVG_TOPO_CONTOURS in the Output File name and set the Type to STRING.

5.

Set the field names as shown here: Prompt East field North field RL field Join field String field Layer field

Page 1.34

Setting EAST NORTH RL JOIN STRING MM_LAYER (Don’t use LAYER – it’s a reserved field name)



6.

Click Run to import the contour data. Right-click | View the new string file to confirm the import, and then Close the dialog once you’re done.


Notes:

As verification of the process we’ll display the imported contours in Vizex: 7.

Select Display | Vizex | Strings from the main menu to display the Strings dialog.

8.

Ensure that the Input Data tab is active and the file Type is set to STRING.

9.

Double-click the File response to choose the NVG_TOPO_CONTOURS file. Micromine will fill out the remainder of this tab for you.

10. Switch to the Display Options tab and ensure that only the Default colour is set; use a light brown colour, and clear all other options on this tab. 11. Click the Save As button at the right of the dialog to save your settings as a form set with the Title Topographic contours. 12. Click OK to apply the settings. Your display should now resemble the following diagram. 13. Conclude this exercise by selecting Edit | Remove All from the main menu. The last two exercises have provided an introduction to Vizex, which is fully explained in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.


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Notes:


Importing or Linking Database Data Using ODBC ODBC is an acronym for the term Open Database Connectivity. It’s an industry standard interface that provides data access to a variety of database applications. ODBC isn’t tied to a particular operating system or database program, but instead allows you to see your data in the same way irrespective of the underlying software. You’re able to link to the database of your choice simply by installing the desired drivers on your computer. Whenever you install a database product, the appropriate drivers are usually installed along with it. Setting up a new ODBC connection first involves creating a Data Source Name (DSN). There are three types of DSN, so the choice of which to use seems complex at first. In reality, they differ only in their degree of ‘visibility’ to the rest of the users on your computer or network. You need only create the DSN once; from then on it’s constantly re-used each time you reference the database. The three types of DSNs are: ·

User DSN, which is local to a computer and is accessible only by the current user;

User DSN: One user on one computer. Not available to other users.

·

System DSN, which is local to a computer but isn’t user-dedicated. In other words, it’s shared amongst all users of that computer;

System DSN: Available to all users on one computer.

·

File DSN, which is shared among all users on a network. It’s neither user-dedicated nor local to a particular computer.

File DSN: Available to all users on a network.

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On most computers, the User and System DSN’s are grouped under the category Machine Data Source.


Notes:

You can use an ODBC connection two ways in Micromine: You either Import the data or Link to the database. When you Import, Micromine creates a ‘snapshot’ of the data. The files created in the Micromine project are ordinary data files, exactly the same as any other data file you’d create yourself. Because of this, the newly created files are independent of the database and can be used even if the connection to the database is lost. However, you must re-import the data if anything in the database changes. If you Link to an ODBC database, Micromine maintains a connection to that database. This means that if anything changes within the database, you can refresh your links simply by right clicking its name on any dialog that references it and choosing Reload Link from the pop-up menu. However, your access to the data will be lost if the connection to the database fails. Additionally, the underlying database sets the structure of linked data, so you can’t modify (or edit) the file. If you rely on multiple ODBC links, you can use Tools | Macro Functions | ODBC Link Update to simultaneously refresh them all. You’ll create an ODBC connection name and import an example table in the following exercise.

Exercise 4.5: Create an ODBC connection and import data In most cases you’ll probably want to create an ODBC link (by using File | Link | ODBC) so that Micromine always has access to the most up-to-date data from your company’s database. However, because we may need to edit this file later we’ll import the data instead. The training database contains four tables of drillhole data (collars, downhole surveys, assays, and lithologies), but we’re only interested in one of those: the Collar table. To import the other tables you simply repeat the steps in Load Data from the External Database, below.

Create the ODBC connection 1.

Select File | Import | ODBC.

2.

Click the Select Data Source button.

3.

Select the Machine Data Source tab and click the New button.(If you have non-Administrative privileges you may get an error message simply press OK)

4.

Select User Data Source and click Next >.

5.

Choose Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb) from the list that appears, and then click Next > followed by Finish.

6.

Enter TRAINING as the Data Source Name and Introductory Training in the Description.


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Notes:


7.

Click the Select… button and navigate to the folder C:\MMDATA\TRAINING\IMPORT.

8.

Select MMI_DrillholeData.mdb and then click OK.

9.

Click OK on the ODBC dialogs until the Select Table dialog appears. You’ve just created a new ODBC connection! You need only complete Steps 3 to 10 once, and from now on you’ll be able to reuse the same DSN each time you connect to the database.

Managing DSNs Ask your system administrator for assistance if you run into trouble with your ODBC settings. Connection problems often stem from not having the correct versions of ODBC drivers installed on your computer.

System DSNs must be created by a system administrator in Windows Vista or later. To remove an unwanted DSN from your computer, select Start | Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Data Sources (ODBC). You need not be running Micromine to do this.

Load Data from the External Database Whenever you re-use an existing DSN, you need to complete the first three shaded steps in addition to the rest of the following procedure. However, because the Select Table dialog is already open in this exercise, you don’t need to complete them this time. Instead, go directly to Step 13. 10. Select File | Import | ODBC. 11. Click the Select Data Source button. 12. Select the Machine Data Source tab and choose TRAINING (the DSN you just created) from the list. Click OK. 13. The Select Table dialog box will appear. You’ll see the names of the four tables in the database: Assay, Collar, Lithology and Survey. 14. Highlight the Collar entry and click OK. 15. Fill-out the remaining prompts in the dialog as shown below and on the following diagram:

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Prompt

Setting

Target File

NVG_COLLAR_IMPORT

Determine structure

Selected

Preview

Enabled

Number of records (optional)

20



Select all


Enabled

Notes:

16. Click Import. The contents of the Collar table will be displayed. If you need to change the structure of the target file you can do so here. 17. Click OK. Micromine will import the contents of the Collar table from the MS Access database, reporting the total number of records. 18. Dismiss the message box, and then conform the import by rightclicking the Target file and choosing View from the pop-up menu. 19. Close the file and Import ODBC dialog once you’re done.

Controlling the structure of the imported file You have three choices when it comes to importing a database table. If you select Determine Structure Micromine will scan the table and determine the optimal data structure for the new file. If you select Use Database Structure Micromine will use the structure of the table to create the new file. And finally if you select Use Current Structure Micromine will force the data to fit into the existing target file.

Manually Entering Data Micromine’s File Editor is an excellent data entry tool that’s specifically designed to provide numerous tools for the rapid entry of spatial and drillhole data. For example, by defining a series of rules, you can enter drillhole collar © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Notes:


coordinates and downhole sample data with a minimum of keystrokes. Although many people use a spreadsheet application for data entry, you’ll find that the File Editor provides a safer and more rapid data entry environment. The File Editor has a menu available under Edit | Tools that contains a collection of basic functions for importing, exporting and merging data; sorting and validating files; and performing field-based calculations. Many of these tools also have toolbar buttons.

Micromine files are presented on-screen in a familiar grid layout. You can navigate up and down through the file by using the keyboard up and down arrow keys, as well as Page Up and Page Dn to go one page at a time. Of course, you can scroll using the mouse, too. To move from one field to the next, press Tab or Shift+Tab, or click into the desired field with the mouse. To create a new record, press Enter at the end of the file. The File Editor supports standard Windows shortcuts for editing text, for example: ·

Ctrl+C (Copy)

·

Ctrl+X (Cut)

·

Ctrl+V (Paste)

Using these shortcuts, you can easily transfer blocks of data between Micromine and, say, MS Excel, in either direction. However, the File Editor also provides many other unique shortcuts that are designed to automate repetitive geological data entry tasks. You can access these shortcuts by opening the Records menu, some of which are summarised in Table 4.1. Refer to the lesson summary for a complete list of shortcuts. Table 4.1: File Editor keyboard shortcuts

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To…

Keyboard

Menu

Button

Increment contents to the cell below

Ctrl+A

Records | Add | One

Set Increment value

Ctrl+Shift+I

Records | Increment

Copy contents to the cell below

Ctrl+R

Records | Replicate | One

Operate on multiple fields to record below

Ctrl+T

Records | Execute | One

Define execution parameters

Ctrl+Shift+ P

Records | Execute | Parameters

Delete records

Ctrl+D

Records | Delete



Insert blank records

Ctrl+I


Records | Insert

Notes:

Using the File Editor shortcuts on multiple records The add (Ctrl+A), replicate (Ctrl+R) and execute (Ctrl+T) tools also operate on multiple records, by pressing Ctrl+Shift+[Letter] instead of Ctrl+[Letter]. These standard shortcuts all have a matching toolbar button if you prefer to use the mouse instead of the keyboard.

Exercise 4.6: Use the File Editor’s data entry tools We’ll put some of these tools to work. This exercise always refers to the keyboard shortcut for each function, but you can also use the menu or toolbar if you’d prefer to use the mouse. The corresponding button icon is always shown. Refer to Table 4.1 or the lesson summary to convert between keyboard shortcuts and menus or toolbar buttons.

Field-by-Field Data Entry 1.

From the main Micromine menu, select File | Open and open the NVG_ASSAY file. Alternatively, you can click the Open File toolbar button.

2.

Scroll to the bottom of the file and select (click) the last HOLE value, which should read T17.

3.

Press Ctrl+A. Observe how Micromine creates a new record, recognises that the existing text T17 contains a numeric component, increments that component by one, and places the new value into the new record.


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Notes:

Page 1.42

4.

Now press Ctrl+R four or five times. Each time you choose this command it replicates the T18 value to the record below.

5.

Select (click) the first blank FROM value in your new T18 hole and type in a value of 0 (zero).

6.

Press Ctrl+Shift+I and change the increment from 1 to 4. Click OK.

7.

With the highlight still on the zero value, press Ctrl+Shift+A. The Increment Many dialog will appear. Just click OK to accept the default values.

8.

Observe how Micromine has applied the new increment value to all records below the selected cell.

9.

Select the first blank TO value, type a 4 into that cell, and repeat the Ctrl+Shift+A function. Your file should now resemble the following diagram:




Notes:

That was pretty quick, but wouldn’t it be good if you could perform all of those actions simultaneously? Fortunately, there is a way.

Simultaneous Multiple Field Data Entry 10. Press Ctrl+Shift+P to display the Execute Parameters dialog. Using this dialog, you can define a separate action for each field in the file. Once they’re defined, you can apply them all simultaneously.

11. The HOLE field on the Execute Parameters dialog should already be selected, but if it isn’t, click it to select it. 12. Click the Replicate button. Note how Micromine changes the Action for the HOLE field from IGNORE to REPLICATE. 13. The SAMPLE field is now automatically selected, so just click the Increment button. When the Increment dialog appears, leave the value set to 1 and click OK. 14. The FROM field now becomes the selected field. It’s tempting to set an increment value of, say, four, but there’s a much smarter way to handle this field: Click the Copy button instead. 15. When the Copy Field dialog appears, select TO from the list and click OK. This will take the TO value from the previous record and copy it into the FROM field in the current record.

Copying the previous TO value into the FROM field is an excellent way to ensure that your interval data has no gaps or overlaps. Even if you manually edit a TO value, the next FROM value will always be correct. 16. With the TO field selected, click the Increment button and set the increment value to 4. Your Execute Parameters dialog should now look like this:


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Notes:

17. Click OK to close the Execute Parameters dialog. 18. Select the last T18 value in the HOLE field and press Ctrl+A. This will start a new hole. 19. Manually type in a SAMPLE number of S00001, a FROM of 0 and a TO of 4. Your file should now look something like this:

Before you can use the execution parameters, you must always have a “starter record” containing actual values. The cursor must also be somewhere in this record before creating any new data. 20. Press Ctrl+T and observe the result: All of the rules have been applied simultaneously. Press Ctrl+T a couple more times to add some more records. Your file should now look like this:

If you know how many records you need to add (you might be drilling a series of 100 m Reverse Circulation holes, for instance), you can scroll to the end of the file, press Ctrl+Shift+T, and type the number of new records into the Execute Many dialog.

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Calculator


Notes:

You use the Calculator to quickly perform simple algebra or more complex data manipulation. The calculator works by the following formula: Input A à Calculation Function (i.e. Plus, Minus, etc.) à Input B = Result Input A and Input B can be field names, numbers, or temporary variables. The result can be a new field, existing field or a temporary variable. To access the Calculator you can either select the File | Fields | Calculate menu or click the Calculations button on the File Editor toolbar. Use File | Fields | Calculate for complex calculations or macro automation, and the File Editor Calculator for simpler interactive calculations.

Exercise 4.7: Use the File Editor Calculator In this exercise you’ll use the File Editor Calculator to calculate the INTERVAL value for the new records you’ve just added to the NVG_ASSAY file. You’ll also instruct Micromine to overwrite the intervals for the existing records. 1.

Click the Calculations button on the toolbar.

2.

Double click the first Input response and select the TO field.

3.

Click the Function response and select Minus.

4.

Double click the second Input response and select the FROM field.

5.

Double click the Result response and select the INTERVAL field.

6.

Enable Overwrite result field. The dialog should resemble the following diagram.


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Notes:


7.

Click OK to run the Calculator.

If you need to perform more complex calculations the temporary variables become an invaluable tool. It’s useful to think of a temporary variable as being the same as the Memory button on a standard calculator, the only difference being that you have ten (labelled #0 to #9) instead of the standard one. Now we’ll perform an exercise to calculate the mid-point of each sample interval. 8.

Reopen the Calculator and change the Function from Minus to Plus.

9.

Click the Result response, currently set to INTERVAL, and clear the field name by pressing Shift+Space.

10. Type in #1 in its place to create a temporary variable. 11. Click the first Input on the second row and type in #1 to reference the temporary variable. 12. Click the Function field on the second row and select Divide By. 13. Click the second Input and type in 2. 14. In the second Result field type in MidPoint. This will create a new field in the data called MidPoint, which will be populated by the mid-point of the hole interval. 15. Click OK to run the calculation. You’ll be prompted to create the new field; answer OK to create it. 16. Close the File Editor once you’re satisfied with the result. Please answer NO when prompted to save changes!

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Lesson 4 Summary


Notes:

The key points of this lesson are: ·

Source data for Micromine may originate from tabular data such as text files, database tables, and third-party formats, or graphical data such as CAD drawings or GIS layers.

·

There are several ways to get tabular data into Micromine, namely importing and merging. More than one method may suit a particular data type – for example, text files may be imported or merged, whereas database tables may be imported or linked.

·

You can merge analytical laboratory data into an existing Micromine file by importing the data to a temporary Micromine file and then merging that into the destination file. An alternative technique uses the Merge Lab Data function, which is described in Part 13 – Geology 2.

·

The File Editor understands the relationship between Hole ID’s and From-To intervals, and can be much more efficient than spreadsheet applications for entering tabular data.

·

Use the Calculator to perform a variety of calculations directly on a Micromine file.

To import a text file: Select File | Import | Text from the main menu, then Select the desired Input File and Format, and Enable the appropriate Field Name Header option, and Select Determine from Input file, then Enter the Output File name and Type, and Click the Scan File button. To merge data from one Micromine file into another: Select File | Merge | MM, then Set the Source and Target file names, and Define Key Fields and Merge Fields. To import CAD or GIS data: Select File | Import | Vector (CAD/GIS/GPS) Data, then Select the input CAD/GIS file, and Enable Import attributes, and Enter the name of the output File, and Enter the names of the output fields.

Don’t use LAYER as an output field name: it’s a reserved name in many CAD/GIS file formats.


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Notes:


Lesson 4 Summary (Continued) To access data via an ODBC connection: Select File | Import | ODBC or File | Link | ODBC, then Create or select a Data Source Name (DSN), then Select the Table(s) and type a Target File name, and Use the Preview option to assess the imported structure. To calculate a value for a field: Select File | Fields | Calculate or the Calculate toolbar button, then Define the two Inputs and select a Function, and Choose a Result field or a temporary variable.

Good Practice If you’re importing text files that have the same format, create a form set containing the import parameters. This will save you re-entering parameters every time you need to import data in the same format. Whenever you import data that did not originate in Micromine, right-click and view the selected target file on the Import dialog before importing it. After importing, right-click and view the newly created Micromine file to ensure it’s correct. If not, you can change settings and re-import without closing and reopening the dialog.

Help Topics For information on:

See:

Form sets

Form sets

Importing text data

Files > Import > Text

Merging MM files

Files > Merge

Importing or linking ODBC

Files > Import > ODBC

Importing CAD/GIS/GPS Files > Import > Vector (CAD/GIS/GPS) Data

Page 1.48

Displaying CAD/GIS

Display > Vizex > CAD/GIS

The File Editor

Files

The Calculator (Editor)

Files > Calculations (link on page)

Calculations (Menu)

Files > Fields > Calculate

Vizex

Display




Notes:

Lesson 4 Summary (Continued) Important File Editor shortcuts: To…

Keyboard

Menu

Cut values

Ctrl+X

Edit | Cut

Copy values

Ctrl+C

Edit | Copy

Paste values

Ctrl+V

Edit | Paste

Insert records

Ctrl+I

Records | Insert

Delete records

Ctrl+D

Records | Delete

Set Increment value

Ctrl+Shift+I

Records | Increment =

Increment value to the cell below

Ctrl+A

Records | Increment | One

Increment value in following records

Ctrl+Shift+A

Records | Increment | Many

Copy value to the cell below

Ctrl+R

Records | Replicate | One

Copy value to following records

Ctrl+Shift+R

Records | Replicate | Many

Define execution parameters

Ctrl+Shift+P

Records | Execute | Parameters

Operate on multiple fields to record below

Ctrl+T

Records | Execute | One

Operate on multiple fields to following records

Ctrl+Shift+T

Records | Execute | Many


Button

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Notes:


Lesson 5 – Validating Data Duration: 40 minutes Validation is an essential processing task, with two primary objectives: ·

To eliminate incorrect values from a file;

·

To enhance the consistency of the data.

Many companies use a centralised corporate database to store their corporate and scientific data. If your company uses such a system, it places increased pressure on you to ensure that your data are valid and consistent before uploading into your Database Management System (DBMS). Companies are also becoming increasingly aware of the value of their data, which is encouraging good validation processes. At a simpler level, some Micromine functions may produce undefined results if they encounter invalid data. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Validate fields in a data file;

·

Validate drillhole data comprising collar, downhole survey, and interval files.

Before you continue... Make sure you’ve completed Lesson 2 – Working with data files.

Validating Data in a Project Validation Micromine supports the validation of nearly all types of codified data (with the obvious exception of fields containing random comments) and can also perform rigorous validation of drillhole data. There are five validation functions in Micromine:

Page 1.50

·

Validate in the Tools menu of the File Editor (File Editor: Edit | Tools | Validate)

·

Validate under the Fields item in the File menu (Main menu: File | Fields | Validate)

·

Validate in the Drillhole menu (Main menu: Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole Database)

·

Validate in the Drillhole menu (Main menu: Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole)

·

Validate in the Drillhole menu (Main menu: Drillhole | Validate |Trench)



The first two validation options are designed to validate the contents of fields in a file, whereas the last three are designed to validate drillhole data.


Notes:

Drillhole database validation is covered in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.

Validating a Data File You have two choices for validating fields in a file: Either Edit | Tools | Validate or File | Fields | Validate. With Edit | Tools | Validate, you can only validate one field at a time, but it’s easy to use because you can validate at the same time as you’re editing the file. File | Fields | Validate is a more powerful function because it can simultaneously validate up to ten fields and you can set validation ranges on numeric fields. You’ll use this function in this lesson. The Validate function checks the specified fields in the target file for correct values. If it finds an incorrect value it will write an error message to a report file, along with the name of the field in which the error was found and the number of the record. A check file is used to validate the contents of fields where there’s a fixed set of possible values, which most commonly applies to character fields. The Validate function determines whether the values are correct by comparing them against the check file. If a value exists in the target file but doesn’t exist in the check file, it’s considered an invalid entry. You must have previously created the check file. Although it’s possible to use a check file to validate numeric fields (e.g. 1 = MINED, 0 = UNMINED), most numeric validation is done by range checking. The Validate function determines which values are valid by testing if they fall within the ranges that you specify. Range checking helps to eliminate typographical errors and other mistakes that often occur in data entry.

Creating validation check files There are many ways to create a check file. If your company uses a corporate database you should be able to create one by importing the relevant lookup table from the database. Otherwise you can use File | Fields | Extract Unique to list all codes – including errors – that exist in the main data table. Clearly you should correct the errors in the extracted data before using it as a check file.

Exercise 5.1: Validate fields in a file Validation is often used to check the consistency of lithology codes used to describe sample data. In this exercise, you’ll simultaneously perform character validation using a check file and numeric validation using range checking, to validate records in the NVG_LITH_WITH_ERR file. (This file


Page 1.51


Notes:


contains deliberate errors.) The numeric range checking will identify values that fall outside the range of 0 (zero) to 75. To validate the file: 1.

From the main menu, select File | Fields | Validate.

The Fields Validate dialog is split into two halves: The upper half allows you to set up the input, check, and report files, whereas you define the various validation rules in the lower half. 2.

3.

Fill out the upper half of the Fields Validate dialog as listed: Prompt

Setting

Input File

NVG_LITH_WITH_ERR

Type

DATA

Data type

DRILL HOLE

Check file

NVG_VALID_LITH

Type

DATA

Report file

INVALID_LITH

Right-click the Check file NVG_VALID_LITH and inspect its contents.

The listed codes are all confirmed as being valid; therefore any codes that occur in NVG_LITH_WITH_ERR but are absent from the check file will be recorded as invalid.

Data type: GENERAL vs. DRILL HOLE Both data types validate in exactly the same way; only the way in which errors are reported changes. If you use the GENERAL data type, errors are reported as being on LINE x of the input file. If you use DRILL HOLE, errors are reported as being on LINE x, HOLE y, FROM 4.

Page 1.52

a TO b.

Now, set up the lower half as shown:




Notes:

When you select Case Sensitive, values in the file you’re validating must match the case of your check file or they’ll be recorded as invalid. For example, ANDS would be seen as being different to ands or Ands. 5.

Click the Run button on the dialog to run the process, and dismiss the Errors were detected message box.

6.

The Fields Validate window will disappear, leaving the Report Viewer docked at the bottom of the window.

7.

Double-click a record in the Report File. This will automatically take you to the matching record in the Input File, which you can correct if necessary.


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Notes:


Validating Drillhole Data The drillhole validation function (Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole) detects a large number of errors and inconsistencies in collar, downhole survey, interval, and event files. It detects: FROM < previous TO

Duplicate collar entry

FROM >= TO

Dips or Azimuths change by more than x

FROM or TO missing

Surveys beyond total depth

Collar missing or incorrect

Missing hole in interval file

Record beyond total depth

Compulsory field blank

Hole excluded by collar filter

Total depth missing

Duplicate hole

Rate of Deviation

Non-consecutive surveys

Sample Interval Lengths

Micromine performs this validation by checking the relationship between the files and the relevant fields, as illustrated below. For example, it checks for missing holes by listing the hole ID’s it finds in each file and then checking to see if any are missing from any of the other files. Hole ID Coordinates Total Depth

Collar File

Hole ID Survey Depth Azimuth/Inclination

Survey File

Hole ID From/To or Depth

Interval File(s)

Event File(s)

As you can see, drillhole data undergoes comprehensive testing. You should always validate drillhole data to ensure trouble free operation in later processes.

You must perform a separate validation run for each interval or event file that you’re checking, using the same collar and downhole survey file in each case. For example, if you have interval files for assays, lithologies, and oxidation, you must perform three separate runs of Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole, using a different file each time.

Page 1.54




Alternatively, you can validate all files in one pass using Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole Database. Creating and validating a drillhole database is explained in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.

Notes:

Exercise 5.2: Validate drillhole data To validate the drillhole data, do the following: 1.

Select Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole from the menu.

2.

Ensure the Collar File tab is active and make the following entries:

3.

4.

Prompt

Setting

File

NVG_COLLAR

Type

DATA

Hole field

[Automatic]

Easting, Northing, Z field

[Automatic]

Total depth field

[Automatic]

Switch to the Survey File tab and make the following entries: Prompt

Setting

File

NVG_SURVEY

Type

DATA

All other fields...

[Automatic]

Enter the following on the Interval File tab: Prompt

Setting

File

NVG_ASSAY_WITH_ERR

Type

DATA

All other fields...

[Automatic]

5.

There are no event files to validate, so skip the Event File tab.

6.

Finally, set the following options on the Report tab: Prompt

Setting

File

DH_VALID

Check for missing intervals

Set


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Notes:

7.

Check for missing holes

Set

Check inclinations

Cleared

Check azimuths

Cleared

Check maximum deviation

Set

Check sample interval lengths

Cleared

Valid inclination change

Disabled

Valid azimuth change

Disabled

Max deviation

0.05

Max interval Length

Disabled

Grade Field

Disabled

Click OK. You’ll receive a message saying, “There were X errors found”. These errors are written to the Report File; when you click OK to dismiss the message box the Report Viewer will appear at the bottom of the window.

What’s max deviation? Max deviation is a smart validation tool that takes into account the distance between successive downhole surveys as well as their varying orientations. It will also handle sub-vertical holes with azimuths that vary over the full 0 – 360° range, but which in reality may only deviate by one or two degrees. The traditional dip/azimuth options poorly handle both of these situations. Max deviation is expressed in terms of degrees per linear unit, and a good way to set an initial value is to consider the total amount of deviation you would allow over a 100 m drillhole. If that amount is, say, 5 degrees, then the max deviation would be 5 / 100 or 0.05.

8.

Inspect the report file and note the errors. The file begins with just over 30 downhole survey errors caused by consecutive surveys deviating by more than 0.05° per metre. (These errors could in fact consist of valid data, so it’s entirely up to you to determine whether or not corrections are required. We’ll assume they’re valid for this exercise.)

9.

Scroll to the bottom of the file and double-click the last record.

10. You’ll be taken to the matching record in the NVG_ASSAY_WITH_ERR file, where you can see the offending interval. If this were a real project you’d insert the missing data, but for the remainder of the training we’ll use an alternative file, NVG_ASSAY, that contains no errors. 11. Close the Report Viewer and NVG_ASSAY_WITH_ERR file in preparation for the next exercise.

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How did Micromine know the right field names?


Notes:

You’ve probably noticed that Micromine knew the names of the fields in the drillhole files. You can set the field names that Micromine allocates to dialog prompts by selecting Tools | Options | Forms from the main menu. Here you can enter the names you use for the fields at your site. However, it’s still good practice to click each of the Fields buttons to check that the fields have been correctly allocated!


Page 1.57


Notes:



To ensure consistent results you must validate data before using it.

·

Validation is a prerequisite for data that will be stored in a central repository.

·

Validation processes can be automated on sites where code usage is consistent.

·

Drillhole data should be validated before using it in other drillhole processes.

To validate the contents of a file: Select File | Fields | Validate, and Select the File to be validated, and the Check file, then Define the validation rules. To validate drillhole data: Select Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole, and Select the appropriate Collar, downhole Survey, Interval, and Event files, then Select the desired reporting options.

Good Practice ·

If you’re processing many files containing similar codes, you can create validation files and re-use them.

·

You should always run drillhole validation after adding any new drilling data or after importing it or reading it from other systems. Most drillhole display problems are caused by data errors that Validate will easily identify.

·

If you use multiple interval files (such as separate assay and lithology files), or multiple event files, you must do a separate validation run for each interval file using the same collar and downhole survey file for each run.

·

Use Drillhole | Database | Validate to simultaneously validate all files in a drillhole database.

Help Topics

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For information on:

See:

Field validation

Files > Fields > Validate

Drillhole validation

Drillholes > Validate



Lesson 6 – Filters


Notes:

Duration: 45 minutes Filters in Micromine allow you to subset data of interest from a larger dataset. This might prove useful, for instance, if you only wanted to work with drillholes completed during 2009. Most Micromine functions have a filter option, and the filters themselves can be saved as form sets. As we’ve already seen, form sets allow us to re-use previous settings.

Why should I save my filters as form sets? Saving filters as form sets is an essential practice for macro writing, as it allows for conditional execution – in other words, running a process only on the subset records. Macro writing is introduced in Part 5 – Macros 1.

After this lesson, you’ll be able to: ·

Set up a filter from within another Micromine function;

·

Preview the filter result in the File Editor.

Working with Filters Setting up a Filter If you’d like to work with filtered records instead of a complete dataset, just set (turn on) the filter option on the appropriate dialog:

Once you’ve activated the filter, you can edit the filter conditions by right clicking (or pressing F4) on the filter number. The filter number is currently blank in the illustration above, but a number will appear in this response once you save the filter as a form set. To choose an existing filter, double click (or press F3) on the filter number and choose the form set from the list. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 1.59


Notes:


Right-click to edit Filters are a type of embedded form set – that is, a form set that’s referenced from within another dialog. Embedded form sets are always marked on the referencing dialog with the Forms icon, shown here: You edit embedded form sets by right-clicking the form set number on the referencing dialog.

The Filter Dialog The Filter dialog is divided into two main areas: A variety of settings at the left and bottom of the dialog, and up to 10 filter conditions in the Filter Conditions group. If you open a filter from within another function the filter will automatically choose the correct file and place it into the appropriate response. The remainder is up to you.

The Records group allows you to subset by record numbers (say, records 0 to 100). It’s very easy to accidentally leave this option set, so please remember to clear it afterwards! In the event that a filter gives you exactly everything you don’t want, use the Reverse filter option to invert the filter result. To specify a particular condition, you must provide three items of information for each Filter Condition line: A Field Name, an Operator, and a Value. For example, consider these settings:

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This filter condition will return the points whose easting is greater or equal to 24900. The field name is EAST_GRID (chosen by double-clicking), the operator is >=, and the value is 24900 (entered by typing). Setting the Numeric switch instructs Micromine to ignore any character values that may be in the field.


Notes:

Matching Records Once you’ve set up a filter, you can immediately preview the results in the File Editor by right-clicking the file name, or any of the referenced field names, and selecting View from the pop-up menu. The records on a white background are those that matched the filter conditions. These are the ones that will be used for further calculations. The records on a grey background did not match the filter, and will be excluded from the calculation.

Multiple Filter Conditions The Filter dialog allows you to define up to 10 filter conditions. If you’re working with more than one condition, you must choose a Boolean operator such as AND or OR. As soon as you define two or more conditions, the Combine Lines group becomes active, which allows you to choose the desired Boolean operator.

If you need a filter that’s too complex for a simple AND/OR combination you’ll have to use a filter equation, which is covered in Part 13 – Geology 2.


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Notes:


Using Wildcards In addition to using Boolean operators to combine filter conditions you can also use wildcards to catch a variety of different values. Wildcards supported by the filter are: Table 6.1: Filter wildcards Wildcard

Meaning

?

Any single character

*

Any characters (including blanks)

+

Any characters (excluding blanks)

!

Everything except the filter value (logical NOT)

$

Any string containing the filter value

Exercise 6.1: Create a multiple condition filter We’ll put a filter to work in this exercise. We’ll revisit the Points display from Exercise 4.3 so that we can graphically illustrate the results of our filters. Our task is to create a filter to subset all geochemical samples whose coordinates fall within the following ranges: ·

15900 – 16000N

·

24900 – 25000E

First, we need to reload the Points display we created earlier. To do this: 1.

From the Vizex Forms pane at the top left of your screen, click the small plus [+] icon next to the Points form set type. You’ll see a single entry, Soil geochemistry, immediately below the Points label.

2.

Drag the Soil geochemistry form set onto the graphic display to open it. The Points display from Exercise 4.3 will appear.

Now we’ll modify the Soil geochemistry form set so it only includes the data falling within the specified coordinate range: 3.

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Double-click Soil geochemistry in the Display pane near the bottom left of your screen. Micromine will re-display the Points dialog with the Label tab selected, which is where we last left it.



4.

Click the Input Data tab to select it, and click the Filter check box to activate the filter option.

5.

Right-click (or press F4) the blank filter number to edit the filter. The Filter dialog will appear.

6.

If the filter dialog already contains previous settings, click the Clear Table button at the top left of the filter dialog to remove them before continuing.

7.

Double-click the first Field Name response and choose NORTH_GRID from the list.

8.

Set the first Operator to >=.

9.

Type 15900 into the first Value response and set the Numeric check box.


Notes:

10. Repeat Steps 6 through 8 for the remaining filter conditions. Your filter should now look like this:

11. Set Combine Lines to And. 12. Preview the filter by right clicking on the File response and choosing View from the pop-up menu. Scroll through the file and confirm that most of the records are on a grey background, with a small number of matching records on a white background. If this isn’t the case, you’ll have to correct your filter. 13. Close the File Editor window and then click Save and Close to close the filter. 14. Click OK on the Points dialog to display the filtered data. Your display should resemble the diagram on the following page. 15. Select Edit | Remove All to clean up the display in preparation for the next exercise.

Filtering date values Although Micromine has no date data type it’s still easy to filter on dates that have been stored as numeric or binary values in YYYYMMDD format. A date in this format can be treated as an ordinary base-10 number for the purpose of filtering. So, a filter to extract all records from the 2009 calendar year would look like this: DATE >= 20090101 (numeric) DATE <= 20091231 (numeric) Combine Lines = And


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Notes:

Page 1.64




Notes:


Filters are an extremely versatile way to subset only the data of interest from a larger dataset.

·

Most Micromine functions have a Filter option.

·

Filters can be saved as form sets, which allows them to be re-used.

·

Multiple filter conditions must be combined using a Boolean operator.

To create or edit a filter: Turn on the Filter option on the appropriate dialog, then Right-click the filter number to edit it. To define a filter condition: Specify a Field Name, an Operator, and a Value. To preview the filter result: Right-click the File response and choose View from the pop-up menu, then Observe the relationship between records on white (selected) and grey (not selected) backgrounds. To combine multiple filter conditions: Set Combine Lines as desired.

Good Practice ·

Saving common filters as form sets allows you to re-use them throughout your project.


See:

Filters

Files > Filter > Using Filters

Filter wildcards

Files > Filter > Filters in the File Editor > Wildcards (hyperlink on Edit filter page)


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Notes:

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MICROMINE TRAINING DISPLAYING AND MANIPULATING DATA

·

BEGINNER

.


Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data

PART 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Displaying and Manipulating Data LESSON 1 – INTRODUCING VIZEX .................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 1 THE USER INTERFACE ............................................................................................................................... 3 MANIPULATING THE VIEW .......................................................................................................................... 8 Grid Settings .................................................................................................................................. 10 MANAGING MULTIPLE VIZEX WINDOWS ....................................................................................................... 11

Opening a New Window .................................................................................................................. 11 Creating a New Vizex Document ...................................................................................................... 12 LESSON 2 – CREATING A MULTI-LAYERED DISPLAY ...................................................................... 16 ADDING LAYERS TO THE VIZEX DISPLAY ....................................................................................................... 16 Points: Displaying Geochemical Samples ........................................................................................... 16 Revision: Using the Vizex Forms and Display panes ............................................................................ 17 Outlines: Displaying Property Boundaries .......................................................................................... 21 Image: Displaying an Aerial Photograph............................................................................................ 23 Supported Image File Formats ......................................................................................................... 25 CAD/GIS: Displaying Geological Polygons .......................................................................................... 26 Completing the Picture .................................................................................................................... 27 CREATING A PLOT FILE ........................................................................................................................... 28 LESSON 3 – WORKING WITH DRILLHOLES..................................................................................... 32 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 32 THE DRILLHOLE DATABASE ...................................................................................................................... 32

Creating a New Database ................................................................................................................ 34 Adding Event and Interval Files ........................................................................................................ 35 REFRESHING A DRILLHOLE DATABASE .......................................................................................................... 38 VALIDATING A DRILLHOLE DATABASE .......................................................................................................... 39 Automatically ................................................................................................................................. 39 Manually ....................................................................................................................................... 39 DISPLAYING DRILLHOLE DATA ................................................................................................................... 41 Displaying Drillhole Traces ............................................................................................................... 41 DISPLAYING VERTICAL SECTIONS ............................................................................................................... 44 The Sections Toolbar and Sections Window ....................................................................................... 45 Understanding Clipping ................................................................................................................... 47 The View Toolbar ........................................................................................................................... 48 The Display Limits Dialog ................................................................................................................ 48 VIEWING IN 3D .................................................................................................................................... 52 The Rotate Tool ............................................................................................................................. 52 The Display Limits Dialog ................................................................................................................ 53 SECTION CONTROL FILES ........................................................................................................................ 55 ADDING DOWNHOLE INFORMATION ............................................................................................................ 56 Creating a Text Colour Set............................................................................................................... 58 Creating a Hatch Display ................................................................................................................. 61 CREATING A PLOT FILE ........................................................................................................................... 66


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LESSON 4 – SPATIAL EDITING......................................................................................................... 70 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................................70

The user Interface ..........................................................................................................................70 Using the Spatial Editing Tools .........................................................................................................70 The Editing Toolbars .......................................................................................................................71 Editing Strings ................................................................................................................................73 Creating New Strings (or Points or Polygons) .....................................................................................76 Snapping and Following ...................................................................................................................77 CREATING NEW FILES .............................................................................................................................80 INTERPRETING 3D SOLIDS .......................................................................................................................82 Naming the Interpreted Features ......................................................................................................82 Interpretation Steps ........................................................................................................................84 LESSON 5 – WORKING WITH DTMS ................................................................................................ 90 INTRODUCING DIGITAL TERRAIN MODELS (DTMS) ..........................................................................................90 Draping Images onto DTMs..............................................................................................................93

TABLES Table 1.1: Supported data types .............................................................................................................. 4 Table 3.1: Drillhole data types ................................................................................................................33

SIDEBARS Displaying a Vizex form set...................................................................................................................... 3 Changing the properties of a display layer ................................................................................................. 6 Understanding the Vizex drawing order (depth testing)............................................................................... 8 Middle-button shortcuts .......................................................................................................................... 9 Restoring the Vizex window ....................................................................................................................15 Adding numeric values to a colour set......................................................................................................19 Adding colours to a colour set .................................................................................................................20 Form sets: untitled and unsaved? ............................................................................................................21 Outline vs. string files ............................................................................................................................22 Revision: The Vizex drawing order (depth testing).....................................................................................25 Use saved views to create predefined layer groups....................................................................................27 Don’t use saved views to define multiple views containing the same data ....................................................28 Save your form sets!..............................................................................................................................31 Behind the scenes: How does Micromine calculate drillhole trajectories? ......................................................35 Refreshing a drillhole database containing ODBC or MDB links ....................................................................39 Orientation, location, thickness ...............................................................................................................44 Displaying ‘Plane of the Vein’ with the Section Tool ...................................................................................46 The physics of 3D rotation......................................................................................................................53 Constraining 3D rotation ........................................................................................................................53 Perspective Mode and Depth Testing .......................................................................................................55 Revision 2011-07D1




Hatch field vs. Colour Control ................................................................................................................. 63 How big is the hatch? ............................................................................................................................ 64 Where do new features go? ................................................................................................................... 71 Need a reminder to set properties? ......................................................................................................... 77 Setting the default snap status ............................................................................................................... 78 Save a mouse click: Keep the Properties window visible ............................................................................ 79 Layer precedence and Follow Mode......................................................................................................... 80 Controlling the newly created file structure .............................................................................................. 81 Wireframes, triangulations, DTMs, DEMs, surfaces, TINs, 3D solids – what’s with all the names? ................... 91 Plotting views containing wireframes ....................................................................................................... 94

EXERCISES Exercise 1.1: Load a previously saved view ................................................................................................ 2 Exercise 1.2: Use the Display pane to manage the display ........................................................................... 6 Exercise 1.3: Use the view tools ............................................................................................................... 9 Exercise 1.4: Set up a coordinate grid ..................................................................................................... 10 Exercise 2.1: Symbolise the points display ............................................................................................... 18 Exercise 2.2: Display property boundaries as outlines................................................................................ 22 Exercise 2.3: Display an aerial photograph............................................................................................... 24 Exercise 2.4: Display a geological map in GIS format ................................................................................ 26 Optional Exercise 2.5: Save, remove, and then reload the display............................................................... 27 Exercise 2.6: Create a plot file ................................................................................................................ 28 Exercise 3.1: Create a new drillhole database........................................................................................... 36 Exercise 3.2: Manually validate a drillhole database .................................................................................. 40 Exercise 3.3: Set up a drillhole trace display............................................................................................. 41 Exercise 3.4: Display data in cross section ............................................................................................... 50 Exercise 3.5: View data in 3D ................................................................................................................. 54 Exercise 3.6: Using a section control file .................................................................................................. 56 Exercise 3.7: Add drillhole assay values to the trace display ....................................................................... 56 Exercise 3.8: Add drillhole lithology labels to the display............................................................................ 57 Exercise 3.9: Create a text colour set ...................................................................................................... 59 Exercise 3.10: Add a hatch pattern to the display ..................................................................................... 62 Exercise 3.11: Create a plot file .............................................................................................................. 66 Exercise 4.1: Edit features in a string file ................................................................................................. 75 Exercise 4.2: Snap to features ................................................................................................................ 78 Exercise 4.3: Set up a new string file ...................................................................................................... 83 Exercise 4.4: Interpret the quartz vein, making use of all available data ...................................................... 85 Exercise 5.1: Create a topographic DTM .................................................................................................. 91 Exercise 5.2: Drape an air photo onto the topographic DTM ...................................................................... 93


Revision 2011-07D1



Lesson 1 – Introducing Vizex

Notes:

Duration: 45 minutes Vizex is Micromine’s graphic environment, and is what you see whenever you open Micromine. You use Vizex to display, edit, and interact with all Micromine data types, as well as data from many CAD, GIS, and Image Processing applications. Micromine data types include basic elements like points, strings, and polygons, and compound information like downhole data, dynamic contours, wireframes, block models, and open pit or underground mine designs. The broad range of editing tools includes snapping, smoothing, weeding, gradients, curves, draping, and wireframing. Vizex also supports seamless transitions between 2D and 3D views. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Work with the Vizex user interface;

·

Manage Vizex Forms and Display Layers;

·

Manipulate the view by using the zoom and pan tools.

Introduction The Visual Explorer (Vizex) provides a fully interactive display environment for all Micromine and many third-party data types. You interact with these data types in two ways: using the Vizex Forms pane to load the desired objects as layers in the display, and using the Display pane to change the properties of the displayed layers. Interactive spatial editing tasks such as sectional interpretation, mine design, or wireframe construction, are performed within Vizex. Vizex is a multiple-document and multiple-window environment, which means you can simultaneously view the same data in different windows at different orientations, or completely different data in different windows. You can set additional windows to be overviews, which can be floating or docked, or as full-size windows that are tabbed with the main window and are accessible with a single keystroke. Any Vizex display can be saved as a Saved View, which can easily be recalled at a later stage. This gives you a means of quickly restoring a view without having to rebuild it from scratch.


Page 2.1



Notes:

Vizex Forms pane

Toolbar Area

Display pane

Graphic Display

Exercise 1.1: Load a previously saved view In this exercise you’ll load a previously saved view containing some example Display layers. 1.

Expand the Saved Views list by single-clicking the plus [+] icon to the left of the Saved Views node. This node is located at the top left of your screen, immediately under the menu and toolbar.

2.

Drag the Introducing Vizex object into the graphic display to load it.

Alternatively, you can load the Introducing Vizex saved view by doubleclicking it. 3.

Page 2.2

Vizex will load a number of different display layers into the window and change the window extents to match those of the saved view.




The User Interface

Notes:

Vizex consists of three primary windows: the graphic display, which occupies the bulk of the screen, the Vizex Forms pane, which normally docks at the left edge of the screen, and the Display pane, which also normally docks at the left. If having these windows at the left is not your preference you can easily dock them against any other window edge, stack them over each other, float them over the graphic display, or drag them onto a second monitor. The Properties and Sections windows appear as tabs underneath the Vizex Forms pane. You’ll explore these in later lessons. The Vizex Forms and Display panes can be auto-hidden by clicking the small thumb tack icon at their top right hand corners, temporarily reducing them to a small tab at the docked edge and maximising the graphic display area. To restore them to the view, hover the mouse over the appropriate tab. You can toggle the panes on and off by clicking the Form Sets Pane and Display Pane buttons on the main toolbar. Alternatively, you can open these panes by selecting View | Display Pane or View | Vizex Form Sets Pane from the menu. To close the panes, click the Close button at the top right-hand corner of each one. There are numerous toolbars at the top (and possibly right) of the screen, which provide a variety of tools for selecting and manipulating data, and for manipulating the view. Depending on the specific menu options you select, Vizex may also display or remove additional toolbars.

Vizex Forms Pane You use the Vizex Forms pane to select the Vizex form sets to view in the graphic display. Before you load a form set as a display layer, you can modify its properties to control the way it will appear in the display. If you see no objects displayed under the Vizex node in the Vizex Forms pane, click on the plus [+] icon to its left to expand the list.

Displaying a Vizex form set To display a particular Vizex form set type, double-click the desired type under the Vizex node (the folder icon) in the Vizex Forms pane. Alternatively, you can select from the Display | Vizex | … menu.

You can load virtually all Micromine data types, and a variety of third party formats, into Vizex using the Vizex Forms pane. You’re not limited to one occurrence of each type, but can add as many as your computer will allow.


Page 2.3


Notes:


No matter what Micromine module configuration you have, you’ll be able to display most of the data types shown below, but you won’t be able to spatially edit some of them without the appropriate module. The currently supported Vizex form sets are illustrated in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1: Supported data types Points: Simple point data such as soil samples or rock-chip samples, classified by shape, colour, size, and label. Spatially editable.

Strings: Linear data such as roads, rivers, or contours, classified by colour, fill pattern, and numerous labelling options. Spatially editable.

Outlines: Polygonal data such as geological units or property boundaries, classified by pattern and colour. Spatially editable.

Contours: Labelled 3D contours derived on-the-fly from wireframes, grids, or strings. Classified by line, label, and colour. [Requires the Micromine Exploration module.]

Profiles: Ordered two-dimensional data such as geochemical or magnetic sample lines.

Drillhole … : Drilling data with numerous options for label, pattern, and symbology.

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Table 1.1: Supported data types (continued)


Notes:

Pie Chart: Multivariate point data with each variable displayed as a pie segment, classified by radius and colour. [Requires the Exploration module.]

Image: Raster data such as aerial photographs, from a variety of file formats, and positioned in any 3D orientation.

CAD/GIS: Data from many common CAD and GIS formats, classified by symbol, colour, and pattern. Geographic data, optionally projected to UTM on-the-fly.

Grid File: Interpolated surfaces consisting of regular arrays of blocks or cells, displayed in 2D or 3D. [Display only in Core. Grid creation requires the Exploration module.]

Wireframes: 3D surfaces and solids consisting of meshes of interconnected triangles, with various drawing styles. Spatially editable. [Display only in Core. Wireframe creation requires the Wireframing module; DTM creation requires the Exploration module.]

Block Model: Interpolated solids consisting of arrays of 2D or 3D blocks, classified by colour and label, with various drawing styles. [Requires the Resource Estimation module.]

Design: Open pit and underground mine design and ring/blasthole designs. Spatially editable. [Requires the Mining module.]


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Notes:


Display Pane The Display pane lists the currently loaded display layers, and you use it to manage those layers. From here you can temporarily hide or show a particular layer, permanently remove it from the display, or change its display properties. Temporarily hiding a layer is useful when you’re displaying multiple data layers, since it gives you a clearer view of the objects you’re interested in. To hide a layer, simply uncheck the checkbox alongside it.

To show a previously hidden layer, check the checkbox alongside the layer and it will be re-drawn. Whether it’s visible or not will depend on whether it falls within the current display limits. In comparison, when you remove a layer (by right-clicking it and choosing Remove from the pop-up menu, or by clicking it and pressing the Delete key), it’s removed from both the graphic display and the Display pane. However, the form set you used to load the display object is still available for selection in the Vizex Forms pane.

Changing the properties of a display layer You change the properties of a layer in the current display by doubleclicking it in the Display pane. Alternatively, you can right-click it and choose Properties... from the pop-up menu.

The Display pane also allows you to control the order in which layers are drawn, as explained in the sidebar Understanding the Vizex Drawing Order.

Exercise 1.2: Use the Display pane to manage the display This exercise will show you how to manage the graphic display using the Display pane. First, we’ll show and hide a layer: Page 2.6



1.


Click the check box next to the Aeromag image layer a couple times (slowly!) to alternately show and hide it. Make sure it’s showing before proceeding to the next step.

Notes:

Now we’ll edit a layer’s display properties: 2.

Double-click the Example topo contours layer name or icon to open the Strings dialog.

3.

Switch to the Display Options tab and double-click the Colour field response (half way down the dialog). Choose RL from the list that appears.

4.

Double-click the Colour set response and choose set number 3, which has the title NVG_TOPO DTM Colours.

5.

Click Save, followed by OK, on the Strings dialog to save and apply the changes.

Next, we’ll change the drawing order: 6.

Click a blank part of the Display pane (below the listed layers) to deselect Example topo contours in preparation for the next step. Alternatively, you can click the Vizex node at the top of the displayed layers.

7.

Click the Toggle Depth Testing button near the top of the Display pane to turn off depth testing.

The image now hides the remaining data. You’ve just switched the display from 3D order to layer order; the image covers the other data because it’s above the other layers in the Display pane. 8.

Click the Aeromag image layer in the Display pane and drag it to the bottom of the list. When you release the mouse, Vizex will re-draw the display with the magnetic image below the other layers.


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Notes:

And, finally, we’ll remove a layer: 9.

You’ll notice that the Aeromag image layer is still highlighted, which means it’s still selected. Press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove it. Alternatively, you can right-click and choose Remove from the popup menu.

10. Leave the view open in preparation for the next exercise.

Understanding the Vizex drawing order (depth testing) Vizex displays layered data in two different ways: In layer order, objects are drawn in sequence from the bottom of the Display pane upwards, like sheets of paper on a traditional light table; In 3D order, objects are drawn in 3D sequence from the most distant to the closest, irrespective of their order in the Display pane. In layer order you modify the display by dragging the layers into the desired sequence. The bottom layer is drawn first, the one above that is drawn next, and so on. Conversely, in 3D order the distance between each individual object and your viewpoint determines the drawing sequence; closer objects are always drawn in front of more distant ones. Vizex defaults to 3D order, but you can switch between the two modes by clicking the Toggle Depth Testing button near the top of the Display pane.

Manipulating the View Vizex is fully interactive, providing you with a suite of tools that allow you to easily view and manipulate your data. Many of these tools are dedicated to manipulating the view itself, which is the focus of the next few topics.

The View Tools The View toolbar gives you access to numerous tools for zooming and panning, including a generous zoom undo and redo memory.

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Notes:

There are many other buttons on the View toolbar, which will be introduced in Lesson 3 – Working with Drillholes.

Exercise 1.3: Use the view tools This exercise will quickly introduce you to the basic view tools. First, we’ll look at the tools provided by the middle mouse button, which are available at all times: 1.

Drag with the middle button (the wheel on a standard mouse also doubles as a button). This shortcut gives you immediate access to pan mode without having to select it from the toolbar.

2.

Roll the mouse wheel to invoke the dynamic zoom shortcut. Like the Pan shortcut, this gives you immediate access to dynamic zoom mode without having to specifically select it.

Middle-button shortcuts These middle-button shortcuts (pan by dragging and zoom by rolling) are always available, no matter what tool is active. This is invaluable when you’re spatially editing because you can manipulate the display without closing the current editing tool.

And now, the pan and zoom tools: 3.

Click the Pan Tool and drag the mouse in the display.

4.

Click the Zoom Tool and drag a medium-sized rectangle in the middle of the screen. When you release the mouse, Vizex zooms to the extents of that rectangle.

5.

Click the Undo Zoom button to return to the previous extents.

6.

Click the Pan Tool and hold the Ctrl key. Now drag the mouse vertically in the Graphic Display to activate an alternative dynamic zoom.

7.

With the view zoomed-in, right-click on the Example drillhole trace object in the Display pane and choose View Selection from the popup menu. The view will adjust to fit the drillhole trace display into the screen. Note how the drillholes are surrounded by a blue rectangle, which indicates the layer is selected.

8.

Finally, click the View All button to restore the view to its original state.


Page 2.9


Notes:


Grid Settings Vizex gives you very good control over the way your coordinate grid is displayed, and provides you with a variety of 2D and 3D grids. You can change the grid settings by selecting View | Grid | Grid Settings… from the menu or clicking the Grid Settings button on the Grid toolbar.

Vizex automatically calculates the best grid spacing to keep an appropriate number of grid lines in the display, using spacing values that increase in a 1, 2, 5 sequence. However, you can switch to the User-defined Line Spacing option and control the spacing yourself should you need a specific grid spacing. Micromine ships with a variety of predefined grid settings form sets. Alternatively, you can save your own grid settings as required.

Exercise 1.4: Set up a coordinate grid This exercise will take you through the process of loading a predefined “autoeverything” grid using dotted gridlines and mE, mN, and mRL labels.

Page 2.10

1.

Click the Grid Settings button on the Grid toolbar. Alternatively, select View | Grid | Grid Settings from the menu.

2.

Click the Forms button at right of the Grid Settings dialog, and doubleclick the Dots [mE, mN, mRL labels] form set to apply it to the dialog.

3.

Inspect the contents of the Grid Settings dialog, paying particular attention to the Active Grids, Label Annotation, and Line Settings groups.

4.

Click OK to apply the grid. Your display should look like this:




Notes:

5.

If desired, you can toggle the grid on and off by clicking the Toggle Auto Working Plane button on the Grid toolbar.

6.

Once you’re satisfied with the result, select Edit | Remove All to clean up the display in preparation for the next exercise.

7.

Answer Yes if prompted to save any changes.

The grid stays displayed after you select Edit | Remove All because it’s a property of the view, not a property of the data.

Managing Multiple Vizex Windows Vizex supports multiple documents and multiple windows, allowing you to simultaneously view the same data in different windows, which can be at different orientations, or completely different data in different windows. You create additional windows in one of two different styles: full-size windows that are tabbed or tiled with the main window, or variable-size overviews that can be either docked or floating.

Opening a New Window There are three ways to open a new full-sized Vizex window containing the same data as the current window: ·

Click the Open Additional Vizex Window toolbar button;


Page 2.11


Notes:


·

Right-click the tab at the top of the existing window and choose New Window from the pop-up menu. You can subsequently tile the windows by right-clicking the tab and choosing New Horizontal Tab Group or New Vertical Tab Group;

·

Select Window | New Window from the menu. From here you can either select Window | Tile Horizontally or Window | Tile Vertically to display them side-by-side.

Similarly, there are three ways to create a new overview window: ·

Click the New Overview Window toolbar button;

·

Convert an existing window to a dockable window by right-clicking the tab at the top of the window and choosing Dock as Tabbed Window;

·

Convert an existing window to a dockable window by selecting Window | Dock as Tabbed Window from the menu.

The New Overview Window option creates an overview that may omit some layers to simplify the display. You set which layers are displayed by clicking the Toggle Object Overview Window Visibility button in the Display pane toolbar. You can also predefine which layer types appear in the overview window by selecting Tools | Options | Vizex, switching to the Layer Defaults option, and then selecting or de-selecting the desired Vizex form sets in the Overview list. The two window conversion options maintain the original window contents.

Whenever you’ve opened multiple full-sized windows, you can use Ctrl+Tab to rapidly switch between them. This does not, however, apply to dockable windows, which are excluded from the tab sequence.

Creating a New Vizex Document In addition to opening multiple windows into the same data you can also create an entirely new Vizex document containing completely different data. To create a new Vizex document, click the Open New Vizex Instance toolbar button. In addition to the new window you’ll also see an empty Vizex node in the Display pane, and you’re free to choose the appropriate data. Saved Vizex form sets must, however, originate from the same project as the original window.

Page 2.12




Lesson 1 Summary

Notes:

This lesson has covered the fundamentals of Vizex and has shown you how to work within it. Here’s what we’ve learnt so far: To load a saved view: Expand the Saved Views list by clicking the [+] icon to the left of the Saved Views node in the Vizex Forms pane, and Drag the desired saved view into the graphic display, or Double-click the desired saved view. To save a view: Set up the display as desired, then Select View | Save Vizex View from the menu, or Double click the Saved Views node and choose Save on the Forms dialog. To display a new Vizex form set: Double-click the desired form set type in the Vizex Forms pane, then Set up the dialog and click OK to display the data. To display a previously saved form set: Expand the appropriate form set list by clicking the [+] icon to the left of its type in the Vizex Forms pane, then Drag the form set into the graphic display, or Double-click the desired form set to load it. To hide or show a display layer: Check or uncheck its checkbox in the Display pane. To change the properties of a display layer: Double-click the layer in the Display pane to open its dialog, or Right-click it and choose Properties from the pop-up menu, then Make the necessary changes, and Click Save, followed by OK to accept the changes. To remove a layer from the display: Click the layer in the Display pane and then press the Delete key, or Right-click the layer in the Display pane and choose Remove from the pop-up menu.


Page 2.13


Notes:


Lesson 1 Summary (Continued) To switch between Layer order and 3D order: Deselect all layers (by clicking a blank part of the Display pane, below the listed layers, or by clicking the Vizex node), and Click the Toggle Depth Testing button. To modify the display order of layers (only applies to layer order mode): Drag the objects in the Display pane into the desired order, from the bottom up. To use the middle-button mouse shortcuts: Drag with the middle button to pan, or Roll the mouse wheel to zoom. To use the Pan Tool: Select the Pan Tool and drag with the mouse. To use the alternative dynamic zoom: Select the Pan Tool and hold the Ctrl key whilst dragging vertically. To set up a coordinate grid: Select View | Grid | Grid Settings from the menu, or Click the Grid Settings button on the Grid toolbar, and Click Forms followed by Open to load the appropriate form set, or Enter the desired grid parameters. To display a new full-sized window: Click the Open Additional Vizex Window toolbar button, or Right-click the tab at the top of an existing window and choose New Window from the pop-up menu, or Select Window | New Window from the menu. To display a new overview window: Click the New Overview Window button, or Right-click the tab at the top of an existing window and choose Dock as Tabbed Window from the pop-up menu, or Select Window | Dockable from the menu.

Page 2.14




Lesson 1 Summary (Continued)

Notes:

To create a new Vizex document: Click the Open New Vizex Instance button, and Load the appropriate Vizex form sets into the display.

Good Practice Any layer worth displaying more than once is worth saving as a form set. Display layers that haven’t been saved as form sets appear in the Display pane as Untitled layers, whereas those that have been saved are listed by title. You should only leave temporary, once-off layers Untitled. Always load Vizex form sets from the Vizex Forms pane and change the properties of display layers from the Display pane. If you try to change the properties of a display layer from the Vizex Forms pane (particularly with Untitled layers), you run the risk of duplicating the layer instead of changing its display properties.

Restoring the Vizex window Vizex normally opens a single window whenever you start Micromine. However, if you’ve been switching between multiple windows it’s possible to close them all and be left with a blank Micromine screen. If this happens, you can easily restore Vizex using one of these options: ·

Click the Open New Vizex Instance toolbar button (you can also use this to create a completely new Vizex document);

·

Load any form set or saved view from the Vizex Forms pane; or

·

Load any object or saved view from the Display | Vizex | ... menu.


See:

Vizex

Display

Vizex Forms pane

View > Vizex Form Sets Pane

Display pane

View > Display Pane

Depth testing

View > Display Pane > Depth testing (link on page)

Vizex windows

Display > Vizex


Page 2.15


Notes:


Lesson 2 – Creating a Multilayered Display Duration: 60 minutes Once you’ve acquired and validated the data for a project, the next step is to combine the different data sets into a multi-layered display. The tasks in this lesson demonstrate how to create a display in which all data sets in the project can be integrated. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Classify surface geochemistry using size and colour in proportion to the values of the underlying data;

·

Display property boundaries as labelled outlines;

·

Display an aerial photograph of the area;

·

Create a colour set and save it as a form set;

·

Combine these displays into an integrated view of the project area.

Adding Layers to the Vizex Display The view you used in Lesson 1 contained several different display layers. Vizex displays multiple layers of information, and this ability to simultaneously display multiple data sets as layers helps you to form an overall idea of the area of interest. Vizex is also capable of displaying drillholes in plan, section, and 3D, although this functionality won’t be introduced until Lesson 3. The following topics introduce some of the form set types supported by Vizex by setting up an example of each.

Points: Displaying Geochemical Samples Most surface geochemistry data can be displayed as points. Colouring and sizing the point symbols according to their geochemical value increases the visual effectiveness of the geochemical display, in much the same way as you would when using a GIS.

Varying the symbol colour You add colour to any Micromine display by creating a colour set. Colour sets make it easy to differentiate between values, regions and other objects in the display. Micromine provides you with numerous tools for creating colour sets, and because colour sets can be saved as form sets you’re able to use them anywhere in a project and can even export them to other projects. This promotes consistency and saves time.

Page 2.16




There are two types of colour sets: numeric and text. You use numeric colour sets with numeric data and text colour sets with character data. In this lesson you’ll create a numeric colour set.

Notes:

Varying the symbol size Vizex provides two different scaling methods for varying the symbol size: Factor, which scales each symbol based on the values in the chosen Scaling field, and Ranges, which limits the points to the sizes you specify. When you use the factor method, the function reads the value in the scaling field for each point and performs the following calculations: ·

If it’s less than or equal to the Base value (a cut-off), the point is ignored.

·

Otherwise, the difference between the value in the scaling field and the base value is multiplied by the Scaling factor to determine the radius of the shape.

·

If the radius is less than the Minimum radius, then the minimum radius is applied, preventing the symbol from becoming too small.

·

If the radius is greater than the Maximum radius, then the maximum radius is applied, preventing the symbol from becoming too large.

When Natural log transform is enabled, the log transformation is applied after the base value is subtracted from the value in the scaling field, but before the scaling factor or range calculation. Before commencing the next exercise, it’s appropriate to recap the ways to manage Vizex form sets and display layers:

Revision: Using the Vizex Forms and Display panes You use the Vizex Forms pane to display and save Vizex form sets, and the Display pane to configure or remove display layers. Depending on your exact task, you do so in one of three ways: To display a new Vizex form set, double-click the appropriate form set type in the Vizex Forms pane. For example, to display new Strings, doubleclick the Strings type. Alternatively, select the appropriate type from the Display | Vizex menu. To display a previously saved form set, click the plus [+] icon next to the appropriate form set type in the Vizex Forms pane to expand its list, and then drag the desired form set into the graphic display. For example, to load the Topographic contours form set, click the [+] next to the Strings type, and then drag Topographic contours into the display. Alternatively, you can double-click the saved form set to load it. To change the properties of a layer already in the display, double-click it in the Display pane. Alternatively, you can right-click it in the Display pane and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.


Page 2.17


Notes:


Exercise 2.1: Symbolise the points display In this exercise you’ll use a combination of colour and size to display the geochemical points according to their gold grades. First we’ll load the Soil geochemistry form set we created in Part 1: 1.

If the Points list is not already expanded in the Vizex Forms pane, click the [+] icon next to the Points form set to expand it.

2.

Drag the Soil geochemistry form set into the graphic display. You’ll see the original labelled black triangles in the graphic display and the Soil geochemistry layer name in the Display pane.

Next we’ll open the Points dialog to change the properties of the display layer: 3.

Double-click the Soil geochemistry layer in the Display pane to open the Points dialog.

4.

Click the Points tab to activate it.

5.

About half-way down the Points tab, double-click the Colour field response and select AU1 from the field list that appears. The colour field is the one whose values will be used to determine the symbol colours.

Now it’s time to create the colour set. First we get the numeric values:

Page 2.18

6.

Right-click the Colour set response. The Edit Colour Sets (Numeric) dialog will appear.

7.

Click the Assign button near the bottom right corner to display the Assign dialog. Because you opened this dialog from an existing display the File and Value field responses will be automatically filled out.

8.

Set Calculate mode to RANGES and enter 5 as the Number of ranges.

9.

Click OK. Your dialog should look like this:




Five equal numeric ranges are calculated for the colour set. There’s also provision for values above and below these ranges, which means there’s a total of seven entries in the dialog.

Notes:

Adding numeric values to a colour set There are three methods for assigning values to a numeric colour set: RANGES, which divides the data equally between the min and max values, PERCENTILE, which splits the data into sorted groups containing the same number of values, and STATISTICAL, which arranges the data by the mean and standard deviation. Alternatively, you can type your own values into the Value column.

Next we allocate a colour to each numeric range, which we’ll do in this exercise by creating a gradational colour ramp between blue and red: 10. Double-click the colour box beside the first entry in the table of ranges (labelled < 3). 11. Select a dark blue colour and click OK, or double-click dark blue. 12. Move to the last completed row in the table (>= 726) and do the same, this time selecting red. 13. Return to the first row and check the Ramp checkbox beside it. 14. Do the same for the last row. Note how Micromine automatically checks the intermediate values. 15. Click the Colour Ramp button at the right of the dialog. The intermediate ranges will receive colours that gradually vary between red and blue.

Now that the colour set is created it’s time to save it: 16. Click the Save As button (on the Edit Colour Sets dialog). 17. Enter Soil geochem Au1 as the colour set Title. There’s no need to change the number of the colour set; Micromine automatically finds the next available number. 18. Click OK. Note how the title Soil geochem Au1 now appears at the top of the Edit Colour Sets dialog.


Page 2.19


Notes:


19. Return to the Points dialog by clicking Save and Close. The number allocated to the colour set will appear in the Colour set response.

Adding colours to a colour set In addition to colour ramping, Micromine provides two other ways to add colours to a colour set. You can either double-click each colour box and choose a specific colour from the colour selection, or Select a standard colour palette from the palette well towards the right of the Edit Colour Set dialog.

The colours are completed, so we can shift our attention to sizing the symbols: 20. Check the Scale option to activate it. 21. Set up the Scale options as shown here: Prompt

Setting

Default size factor:

Blank

Scaling field:

AU1 (double-click to choose)

Natural log transform

Set

Method

Factor

22. Click the Factor Values button and fill out the following prompts: Prompt

Setting

Base value:

3

Scaling factor:

0.5

Minimum radius:

1

Max radius:

100

Now that the Points display is completed, it makes sense to save the alterations for later re-use: 23. Click the Save button (on the Points dialog). Micromine will save the new settings, overwriting the previous version. 24. Click OK on the Points dialog to update the display, which should now resemble the following diagram.

Page 2.20




Notes:

Form sets: untitled and unsaved? It’s important to save form sets if you plan to use them more than once, but how do you know if they’ve been saved? Micromine gives you three items of confirmation: The Title of a saved form set will appear at the top of the dialog itself. If you don’t see the name, you’re not working with a saved form set. In Vizex, new (and unsaved) form sets are always marked in the Display pane as Untitled, so you can see at a glance whether or not you’ve saved them. This is like creating a new document in any Windows application, which might display a name like Document1 until you’ve specifically saved it. If you’ve modified a display layer but haven’t saved it, the layer name will be displayed in blue instead of black text.

Outlines: Displaying Property Boundaries Most exploration and mining activities take place within specified properties, the boundaries of which usually comprise polygonal regions of varying shapes and sizes. Mineral properties are customarily labelled with the property name, which is usually displayed at the centre of each property. Micromine uses either string or outline files to draw closed polygons, and each format is suited to certain purposes. We’ll use an outline file in the following exercise.


Page 2.21


Notes:


Exercise 2.2: Display property boundaries as outlines In this exercise, you’ll display an outline file containing property boundaries. First, we’ll select the data and set the display options: 1.

Double-click the Outlines form set type in the Vizex Forms pane to display the Outlines dialog. Or, if you’d prefer, you can select Display | Vizex | Outlines from the menu.

2.

Ensure that the Input Data tab is active. Double-click the Outline file response and choose the PROPERTIES file from the list.

3.

Set the Orientation to PLAN.

There’s no need to set any Restrictions, which provide a way to filter outlines. In this exercise we’ll be displaying all of the properties and can skip this option. 4.

Switch to the Display Options tab and enable the Name option.

5.

Double-click the font preview box and set the font to Tahoma, 12 point regular and the Label Position Method to Optimised.

Outline vs. string files Outline and string files both display filled polygons with centroid labels. However, outline files have certain advantages over strings: They support point-in-polygon assignment and simple polygonal grade/tonnage calculations. They do, however, have some disadvantages: The outline format is fixed and can’t be user-modified, and the data will be incorrectly displayed if the wrong orientation setting is used. Ultimately the decision to use a particular format is yours to make, based on your individual requirements. However, it’s easy to convert between the two formats: just select File | Utilities | Conversions from the menu, choose the appropriate input file, and enter the name of the converted file. You’ll also have to specify field names if you’re converting from string to outline.

Now we’ll save these settings as a form set:

Page 2.22

6.

Click the Save As button on the Outlines dialog and set the Title to Property boundaries.

7.

Click OK to save the form set. Note how its title now appears at the top of the Outlines dialog. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011



8.

Click OK on the Outlines dialog to return to Vizex and update your display.

9.

To view all of the property boundaries, right-click the Property boundaries layer in the Display pane and select View Selection from the pop-up menu.

Notes:

Image: Displaying an Aerial Photograph The next layer you’ll add to the Vizex display is an aerial photograph. Micromine supports a wide range of common image formats from the graphics, GIS, and CAD communities. The Aeromag image from Lesson 1 is an example of a JPG file. Before an image can be displayed with other Micromine data it must be georeferenced. When an image is georeferenced it has a spatial reference that relates pixel coordinates within the image to real-world coordinates. Minimal georeferencing information comprises the real-world X and Y pixel dimensions and the real-world X- and Y-coordinates of the top left pixel. (Some systems use the top left corner of this pixel, whereas others use the centroid. Micromine will handle both standards.) There are three ways to georeference an image: ·

Using existing data (preferred). Micromine supports georeferencing information from ArcView World, MapInfo TAB, ESRI HDR, and ER Mapper ERS files, and inbuilt ECW and GeoTIFF headers (as well as its own 3D GRF format). If you’re purchasing image data, ask your vendor to provide you with georeferencing in one of the above formats.

·

Interactively. You identify up to 10 control points in the image and enter the X, Y, and optionally, Z coordinates of each. Vizex will use these to calculate the georeferencing information. The control point list shows the RMS errors of each point and allows you to turn individual points off if the error is too high. This technique allows you to georeference an image in any 2D or 3D orientation. Micromine will create World, TAB, and GRF files for an image georeferenced in 2D, however if the image is georeferenced in 3D it will only create the GRF file. Thus, 3D georeferencing is not compatible with CAD and GIS standards.

To interactively georeference an image, select File | Image | Georeference or click the Georeference button on the Image dialog. ·

Manually. Select Custom 2D from the Georeference Source list and enter the coordinates at the top-left corner of the image, along with the X and Y pixel sizes. These parameters are illustrated below.


Page 2.23



Notes:

In the next exercise, you’ll use an ER Mapper ECW image with georeferencing data supplied in Micromine’s 3D (GRF) format.

Exercise 2.3: Display an aerial photograph First, set up the image display properties: 1.

On the Vizex Forms pane, double-click the Image form set type to display the Image dialog.

2.

Ensure the Input Data tab is active. Click the browse […] button next to the File response, browse to the Import folder, and select the MMI_IMAGE.ECW file.

Micromine will automatically load the georeferencing information and display the selected header in the Georeference group. In addition to horizontally referencing the image, the Micromine (GRF) file also sets its elevation to 1600 metres, which is the approximate elevation of the surface topography in that area. 3.

Open the Georeference Source list and note the presence of other available formats.

4.

Switch to the Display Options tab and drag the Transparency slider to around 20%. This will stop the image overpowering the other information in the display.

5.

Ensure Interpolation is set to BILINEAR.

Bilinear interpolation ensures the image is displayed smoothly even if it’s zoomed in beyond 1:1 pixel scale. Now, save the settings as a form set:

Page 2.24




6.

Click Save As to save a form set with the Title Air photo. Click OK on the Save Current Values and Image dialogs to return to Vizex.

7.

Observe the result. Half of the geochemical samples have disappeared! However, if you look carefully you’ll see the missing samples are still there – they’re faintly visible below the image.

Notes:

This is essentially a 2D display, so you can eliminate this problem by switching from 3D order to layer order: 8.

Click the Vizex node in the Display pane to deselect all display layers. Alternatively, click a blank part of the Display pane, below all of the layers.

9.

Click the Toggle Depth Testing button to put Vizex in layer order. Now all of the geochemical samples appear faintly below the image.

10. Drag the Air photo object to the bottom of the layer list. When you release it, the display will refresh with the photo beneath the other layers.

Revision: The Vizex drawing order (depth testing) In Layer order, layers are drawn in sequence from the bottom of the Display pane upwards, like sheets of paper on a traditional light table. You modify the display by dragging the layers into the desired sequence. You normally use layer order when you’re working on a 2D display like a plan or cross section. In 3D order, objects are drawn in 3D sequence from the most distant to the closest, irrespective of their order in the Display pane. You normally use 3D order when you’re working on a 3D display.

Supported Image File Formats Micromine supports most common image formats, including JP2, JPG, TIF, ECW, SID, and others. If you have an image in an unsupported format, use a graphics conversion program to convert the file into a compatible format. If the image is large (hundreds of MB uncompressed), convert it into the JPEG 2000 (JP2) format before displaying it. You can perform this conversion in Micromine by selecting File | Image | Convert to JPEG2000 from the main menu. JP2 conversion can either be lossy or lossless. Lossy compression sacrifices some image quality in exchange for a greater reduction in file size. Ratios of 20:1 to 50:1 are common for colour images, and ratios of 10:1 to 15:1 are common for greyscale images. Lossless compression does not alter the image quality. However, the resulting file may be larger than for lossy conversion. Additionally, converting from another compressed format (such as JPEG) to JP2 may increase the file size, depending on the original compression settings. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 2.25


Notes:


CAD/GIS: Displaying Geological Polygons MICROMNE supports CAD data from Microstation and AutoCAD, and GIS data from ArcView, MapInfo, and MapGIS. You can even display 2D data in 3D by nominating an orientation and 3rd coordinate value. In the following exercise you’ll display GIS data consisting of geological polygons in ArcView format, in a plan view.

Exercise 2.4: Display a geological map in GIS format First, set up the CAD/GIS dialog: 1.

Double-click the CAD/GIS form set type in the Vizex Forms pane.

2.

Ensure the Input Data tab is active. Double click the File response, navigate to the Import directory, and choose nvg_geology.shp.

3.

Ensure the Orientation is set to PLAN and enter 1600 into the Z value response.

This will set the elevation of the data to the approximate elevation of the surface topography. 4.

Switch to the Polygons tab and enable the Use Hatch field response.

5.

Click the Hatch Field pull-down arrow and select GEOL_CODE from the list.

6.

Double click the Hatch set response, select ArcView surface geology map, and click the Select button.

7.

In the Polygon Labelling Display field list select the GEOL_CODE field.

8.

Set the Label Position Method to Optimised.

Next, save the form set: 9.

Click the Save As button to save a form set with the Title Surface geology (AV).

10. Click OK on the Save Current Values and CAD/GIS dialogs to display the geology map. Finally, set the drawing order: 11. The geology map now appears above the geochemical points and property boundaries, so drag the Surface geology (AV) layer between the Soil geochemistry and Air photo layers.

Page 2.26




Completing the Picture

Notes:

This display is now complete, and if you inspect the Vizex Forms pane you’ll notice that the Points, Outlines, Image, and CAD/GIS form set types all have a plus [+] icon next to them, indicating they contain at least one saved form set. Because you’ve saved these form sets you can quickly reload them any time you wish to re-use them. We can illustrate this by creating a Saved View and then using it to reload the layers.

Optional Exercise 2.5: Save, remove, and then reload the display First, create a Saved View: 1.

Select View | Save Vizex View from the main menu. Alternatively, double click the Saved Views node in the Vizex Forms pane and choose Save on the Forms dialog.

2.

Enter the Title Regional plan and click OK to save the view.

Next, remove the display layers: 3.

Select Edit | Remove All from the menu.

Finally, reconstruct your display: 4.

Expand the Saved Views list in the Vizex Forms pane by single-clicking the small plus [+] icon to the left of the Saved Views node.

5.

Drag the Regional plan saved view onto the graphic display (or doubleclick it) to open it.

Vizex has reconstructed all of your layers. You’d achieve essentially the same result if you individually loaded each layer.

Use saved views to create predefined layer groups Saved views provide an excellent means for creating pre-defined layer groups, which you can use to quickly build a complex display. For example, you could combine a view called Topography – containing contours, roads, creeks and so on – with another called Geology – containing rock unit polygons, fault and contact lines, and structural symbols, to build a combined topographic/geological view. Saved views also store edit locking, snap status, depth testing, perspective, and overview visibility.


Page 2.27


Notes:


Don’t use saved views to define multiple views containing the same data Although saved views also store view orientation parameters, this is not their primary purpose. If you need to define a number of different views containing the same data, for example a series of cross sections, create one saved view to load the data, and a series of Display Limits form sets or entries in a section control file to define the sections. Display limits and section control files are described in detail in the following lesson.

Creating a Plot File You’ll now create a plot file of the display, to be later used in the plotting exercises later in the course.

Exercise 2.6: Create a plot file To create a plot file: 1.

Click the Generate Plot File toolbar button. Or, select Plot | Generate Plot File from the menu.

2.

Enter the Plot file name PLAN.

3.

Enable Auto load into Plot Editor, and leave the other responses as they are.

4.

Click OK to make the plot file.

Micromine will write a plot file and display a plot layout containing the plot data. You’ll learn more about plotting in Part 4 – Plotting 1.

Page 2.28

5.

Close the Plot Editor window by clicking the [X] on the PLAN.PEX tab.

6.

Finally, select Edit | Remove All from the menu to clean up the display.




Lesson 2 Summary

Notes:

This lesson has taught you to construct a basic Vizex display, as well as create and modify colour sets. Here’s what we’ve learnt so far: To display a new Vizex form set: Double-click the desired form set type in the Vizex Forms pane, or Select Display | Vizex | … from the menu, then Set up the display parameters and click OK. To display a previously saved form set: Click the plus [+] icon next to the appropriate form set type in the Vizex Forms pane to expand its list, then Drag the form set into the graphic display, or Double-click the form set. To change the properties of a current display layer: Double-click the layer in the Display pane, or Right-click the layer and choose Properties from the pop-up menu, then Make the necessary changes, and Click Save, followed by OK to apply the changes. To recognise an unsaved display layer: Inspect the layer name in the Display pane, and If it’s listed as Untitled (FILENAME) it’s never been saved, or If it’s listed in blue text it’s been modified but the modifications haven’t been saved. To save a display layer as a form set: Right-click the layer in the Display pane and choose Save Form As, or Double-click the layer in the Display pane to open its dialog, then Click Save As to create a new form set, or Save to overwrite an existing form set. To create a numeric colour set: Right-click the Colour set response on the appropriate dialog, then Set the numeric ranges (by typing or using Assign), and Set the colours (by double-clicking, selecting a palette, or by creating a ramp).


Page 2.29


Notes:


Lesson 2 Summary (Continued) To choose between outline and string files: Use outline files if you need point-in-polygon assignment or polygonal grade/tonnage calculation. Use string files if you need format flexibility or simpler file management. To convert between outline and string files: Select File | Conversions from the menu, and Choose the to-be-converted file and enter a name for the new file, then Set the conversion options and Run the function. To switch between layer order and 3D order: Deselect all layers (by clicking a blank part of the Display pane, below the listed layers, or by clicking the Vizex node near the top of the Display pane), and Click the Toggle Depth Testing button. To modify the display order of layers (only applies to layer order mode): Drag the objects in the Display pane into the desired order, from the bottom up. To plot a Vizex display: Set up the display as desired, then Select Plot | Generate Plot File from the menu, or Click the Generate Plot File toolbar button, then Enter the Plot file name, and Optionally, enable Auto load into Plot Editor. To save a view: Set up the display as desired, then Select View | Save Vizex View from the menu, or Double click the Saved Views node and choose Save on the Forms dialog.

Page 2.30





Notes:

Good Practice Save your form sets! Saving Display Layers as form sets is one of the key concepts for efficiently using Vizex. Doing this allows you to very quickly reconstruct a comprehensive display without re-defining each display object. A simple rule is: Any layer worth displaying more than once is worth saving as a form set.

Because form sets are so easy to create in Vizex it’s possible to create multiple versions of the same information. For example, you could create a Strings object for topographic contours coloured by elevation, and another of the same contours coloured according to whether they’re index or intermediate contours.


See:

Displaying points

Display > Vizex > Points

Displaying strings

Display > Vizex > Strings

Displaying outlines

Display > Vizex > Outlines

Displaying images

Display > Vizex > Image

Image file formats

Display > Vizex > Image > Raster image files

Georeferencing

Display > Vizex > Image > Georeferencing

Depth testing

View > Display Pane > Depth Testing (link on page)

Displaying CAD/GIS

Display > Vizex > CAD/GIS


Page 2.31


Notes:


Lesson 3 – Working with Drillholes Duration: 120 minutes Lessons 1 and 2 focussed on the basics of Vizex and introduced you to various Vizex form set types. Drillholes are an integral part of Vizex, and this lesson will teach you to manage and display drillhole data in 2D and 3D. Vizex supports numerous down-the-hole object types, such as values (labels), hatch patterns, graphs, events, and structures. You construct your drillhole display by adding as many of these objects as required. When you use these in conjunction with other object types, such as sectional geophysical images, DTMs of topography or oxidation surface boundaries, and polygonal geological interpretations, you can produce a rich and informative drillhole display. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Create and manage a drillhole database;

·

Display drillhole traces and their associated down-the-hole data;

·

View drillholes in plan, orthogonal or oblique (transform) cross sections, and in 3D;

·

Work with display limits form sets and section control files;

·

Create a text colour set and a text hatch set.

Introduction Vizex uses a highly efficient method for handling drillhole data, called the drillhole database. You can easily manage all drilling data related to a particular project using a drillhole database. Once you’ve created a drillhole database, use Vizex to display any combination of downhole information in any 2D or 3D orientation. Vizex supports numerous types of downhole data, summarised in Table 3.1. This lesson will introduce you to the drillhole database and teach you how to create and manage your drilling data. You’ll also learn to create and display a variety of downhole information.

The Drillhole Database Before you can display drillhole data in Vizex you must construct a drillhole database. A drillhole database isn’t a database in the traditional sense because it doesn’t store raw data (you can delete a drillhole database and not lose the underlying data). Instead, it manages the relationship between individual tables containing different drillhole data types.

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Table 3.1: Drillhole data types


Notes:

Drillhole Trace: Trajectory of the holes, displayed as a simple or colourcoded line, with collar and end-of-hole symbology and annotation.

Drillhole Values: Labelled FROM-TO data. Multiple fields may be positioned either side of the drillhole traces, individually coloured.

Drillhole Hatch: Rectangular bars positioned relative to the drillhole trace, with various fill patterns and widths.

Drillhole Graph: Various presentation techniques for numeric downhole data such as recovery, magnetic susceptibility, etc.

Drillhole Events: Downhole data that occurs at a set DEPTH, with numerous symbology options including rotation and scaling.

Drillhole Structures: Shows the true or apparent dip of oriented diamond core data (alpha/beta). [Requires the Exploration module.]


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Notes:


A simple drillhole database could consist of only one table, but a typical drillhole database uses three or more tables, the contents of which are related by the ID of each drillhole. The tables you’re most likely to use are: ·

Collar (mandatory): Must contain 3D coordinates of the collar locations and the total depths of the holes. For straight holes, may optionally contain the azimuth and inclination.

·

Downhole survey: For holes where deviation surveys have been completed, must contain the survey depths and azimuth/inclination at those depths.

·

Events: Contains down-the-hole data where individual features are positioned at single DEPTHs. The database may contain as many event files as needed, e.g. structures, groundwater horizons, oxidation state transitions, etc.

·

Intervals: Contains down-the-hole data where individual features are positioned between FROM and TO depths. The database may contain as many interval files as needed, e.g. assays, lithologies, oxidation states, stratigraphic horizons, etc.

Creating a New Database You create a drillhole database from either the main menu (Drillhole | Database | Create), or from Vizex. To create a new drillhole database within Vizex, double-click any Drillhole form set, then right-click the Database response and select New Database from the pop-up menu. Begin by specifying, at a minimum, a collar file. However, most modern drill data also contains downhole deviation survey data, so a downhole survey file is usually present. Together these files determine the location and trajectory of each drillhole.

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Notes:

Behind the scenes: How does Micromine calculate drillhole trajectories? Most drillholes describe a curved trajectory (known in Micromine as the trace). When you construct or modify a drillhole database, Micromine mathematically renders each hole by linking successive downhole surveys with a series of 3D spherical arcs. However, to simplify the trace display, Micromine approximates those arcs with a series of straight-line segments. Micromine automatically varies the length of each straight-line segment (the trace interval) on a hole-by-hole basis, always keeping the displayed trace location within 5 cm of the mathematical location. Consequently, straight holes are always depicted with two points – one at the collar, and another at the end of hole. However, curved holes are given a trace interval that varies according to the curvature of the hole; the more curved the hole, the shorter the trace interval and the more points required to draw it.

Adding Event and Interval Files Once the collar and survey files for a drillhole database are defined, you may optionally add as many event or interval files as needed. As we’ve already seen, event and interval files describe related downhole data, such as rock unit names, assay values, groundwater horizons, or structures, that are relevant to a given drillhole database.


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Notes:

Vizex automatically tracks the relationship between event and interval files and the associated collar and survey files, which means you don’t have to do it yourself. The advantages of this system are: ·

You can refer to the drillhole database by one name, instead of remembering three or more individual file names;

·

You aren’t distracted by dozens of irrelevant files – instead, only the files you added to the database are available.

Exercise 3.1: Create a new drillhole database In this exercise, you’ll learn to build a drillhole database from within Vizex. The database has some errors, which you’ll manage in the next exercise. First, create the new database and specify the collar and survey files:

Page 2.36

1.

Select Drillhole | Database | Create from the menu.

2.

On the Create New Drillhole Database dialog, select the Drillhole database option, type in the name TRAINING, and click the Create button. The Drillhole Database dialog will appear.

3.

Double-click the Collar file response and choose NVG_COLLAR from the file list. Vizex will automatically complete the remaining responses in this group.

4.

Click on the Survey file tab, ensure that Downhole surveys is enabled.

5.

Double-click the survey File response and choose NVG_SURVEY from the list of files. Vizex will again automatically complete the remainder of this group.

6.

Enter an Azimuth correction of 40 degrees and enable Apply to first azimuth.




The Azimuth correction is useful when downhole surveys are logged in a different north orientation to the current data, for example magnetic vs. grid north. In this exercise, the declination between the surveyed values and the project grid is 40°. Your own projects will require a different value, or most likely no correction at all.

Notes:

Now it’s time to add the related downhole files (events and intervals): 7.

Click the Event Files tab.

8.

On the dialog that appears, click the Add button.

9.

A new dialog will appear; double-click the Event File response on this dialog and choose NVG_STRUCTURES from the list.


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Notes:


10. Check that the Hole field is set to HOLE and the Depth field to DEPTH and click Close. Vizex will add the file NVG_STRUCTURES.DAT to the list of event files.

11. Now click the Interval Files tab, followed by Add on the dialog that appears. 12. Double-click the Interval file response and choose NVG_ASSAY from the list. Click Close to add the file. 13. Click Add a second time and add the NVG_LITH file to the database. 14. There are no more interval files, so click OK to close the interval files dialog. You’ve now set up the files for the new drillhole database. The last step is to have Vizex validate and relate them, and then build the database. 15. Click OK to build the database. Vizex will scan and validate the input files, calculate the drillhole traces, and then finally construct the database.

Refreshing a Drillhole Database Databases are dynamic objects, and the data they contain often undergoes regular updates: new drillholes are added, corrections are made, and so on. Although Vizex doesn’t automatically update the drillhole database after you’ve changed the underlying data, you don’t have to go through the process of re-creating the database every time you add a new drillhole. To refresh a drillhole database, choose Drillhole | Database | Refresh from the main Micromine menu and select the appropriate database. Micromine will recognise that the underlying data have changed and refresh Page 2.38




the database accordingly. Alternatively, you can right-click the Database response on any Vizex drillhole dialog and choose Refresh from the popup menu. If your project contains multiple drillhole databases, you can use Macro | Drillhole Database Refresh to simultaneously refresh them all.

Notes:

Refreshing a drillhole database containing ODBC or MDB links Whenever you use ODBC or MDB links as source data for a drillhole database, you must use the correct sequence for refreshing the data. Refresh the ODBC/MDB links before refreshing the drillhole database. (If you refresh the drillhole database first it won’t see the updates to the underlying ODBC/MDB links.)

Validating a Drillhole Database We learned to validate drillhole data back in Part 1 – Micromine Basics, where we used Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole to relate the collar and downhole survey files with one interval file and one event file to establish the accuracy of the data at that time. However, as we’ve seen, drillhole databases are dynamic and each update introduces the risk of invalidating the data. Validation should always be an integrated part of the drillhole database update cycle, using one or both of the following options.

Automatically Micromine provides an auto-validation option for drillhole databases to address the dynamic nature of most drillhole databases, which is accessible via Tools | Options | Drillhole Database. This function automatically performs all of the default validations we learned about in Part 1. However, you can also optionally check for missing holes and missing intervals:

Manually Together with the auto-validation option, Micromine provides a manual version, accessible from the main menu via Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole Database. This function is different from the validation we © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Notes:


performed in Part 1 because it validates the drillhole database in its entirety, rather than as individual files. Think of this function as a shortcut (you need only specify the database name) that will save a great deal of time if your database contains multiple interval or event files. This function is especially useful if your database contains multiple event or interval files. You’ll set up drillhole database validation in the next exercise.

Exercise 3.2: Manually validate a drillhole database To manually validate the newly-created drillhole database: 1.

Select Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole Database from the menu.

2.

Fill out the Drillhole Database Validation dialog as shown here (the options are identical t those we used in Part 1):

3.

Click OK to run the validation.

4.

Inspect the contents of the Report Viewer window, and then close it once you’re done.

As with previous validation runs Micromine displays the Report Viewer. For the most part the errors are identical to those of the original validation; however we’ve also discovered an unexpected error in the NVG_STRUCTURES event file. A missing hole ID in an event file isn’t a critical error and can be safely ignored, but we would not have discovered it without performing this validation.

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Displaying Drillhole Data

Notes:

Vizex can display drillhole data in a variety of ways, as listed in Table 3.1. Over the next few exercises we’ll learn to set up a drillhole trace, along with drillhole values and a drillhole hatch. We’ll begin with the drillhole trace, which is a representation of the trajectory of the drillholes.

Displaying Drillhole Traces To display drillhole traces in Vizex, either load a Drillhole Trace form set from the Vizex Forms pane, or select Display | Vizex | Drillhole | Trace from the main menu. The Drillhole Trace dialog has six tabs, which you use to customise your drillhole trace display. Each tab controls a particular aspect of the display. In the following exercise you’ll use the first four tabs to set some basic drillhole trace properties.

Exercise 3.3: Set up a drillhole trace display To set up the trace display: 1.

Double-click the Drillhole Trace form set in the Vizex Forms pane. Alternatively, you could choose Display | Vizex | Drillhole | Trace from the menu.

2.

On the Drillhole Trace dialog, ensure the Input Data tab is active.

3.

Double-click the Database response and choose TRAINING.dhdb from the list.

4.

Enable Display Trace.

With the database selected and the trace enabled we can now set some cosmetic properties of the display. We’ll colour the traces according to their assay values, display the Hole ID at the top and bottom of each hole, and symbolise the collars. We’ll use a previously calculated statistical colour set to colour the traces. 5.

Set the Trace thickness to MEDIUM and enable Colour Coding.

6.

Double-click the Interval file response. Note how only the two interval files we added to the database are available for us to choose. Select the NVG_ASSAY.DAT file.

7.

Double-click Colour field and set it to AU1.


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Notes:


8.

Double-click Colour set and select Drillhole Au1 (statistical) from the list. When you return to the Drillhole Trace dialog it should appear as shown below:

9.

Switch to the Hole Name tab and enable Show Hole Name.

10. Set the Top Label Location to AUTO and the Bottom Location to CENTRE. 11. Optional: Double-click the Hole name font responses and change the font to Tahoma, 12 point regular.

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Notes:

12. Switch to the Hole Depth tab and enable Show Hole Depth. 13. Type a lower-case m into the Label suffix response. This letter will be appended to each end of hole depth, e.g. 102.3m, in the display. 14. Finally, switch to the Collar tab and enable Show Collar. Double-click the blank Default symbol box (about half way down the form) and choose the double concentric circle ( ) symbol. These settings are worth re-using, so we’ll save them as a form set before continuing: 15. Save these settings as a form set by clicking the Save As button at the right of the dialog. Title the new form set Simple assay display. 16. Lastly, click OK on the Save Current Values and Drillhole Trace dialogs to load the traces, which should look something like this:


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Notes:

Displaying Vertical Sections The lessons we’ve completed so far have only concentrated on twodimensional Vizex views, largely because we’ve only been using 2D data. Vizex is, however, a 3D environment and the drillhole database we’ve just created contains true 3D data. Now is a good time to learn about working with other display orientations, before we explore the more advanced drillhole displays. By default, Vizex creates new views in plan view orientation. However, a vertical section, which may be orthogonal or oblique to the coordinate grid, is the standard method for displaying subsurface drillhole information. (Oblique sections are known as transform sections in Micromine.) Setting up a vertical section requires three pieces of information: ·

Section orientation (orthogonal or oblique, and at what azimuth).

·

Location of the section plane (often called the section number). Micromine will draw the section by literally positioning the screen at this location.

·

Thickness of the section corridor (data falling outside this corridor will be excluded from the section).

Orientation, location, thickness

Orientation, location, thickness is a useful mnemonic for remembering the parameters for producing a vertical section.

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Micromine provides three ways to set the orientation, location, and thickness of a vertical section: the Sections toolbar and associated Sections window, the Display Limits dialog, and via a Section Control File.

Notes:

The Sections Toolbar and Sections Window The Sections toolbar contains tools for setting up and browsing vertical sections in any orientation:

With this toolbar you can use: ·

The Section Tool to draw a section in any orientation (setting both the location and orientation of the section), or

·

The Section or Elevation box to enter the location of an orthogonal section. (You use the Sections window to set its orientation, explained below.)

In both cases you also use: ·

The Towards Distance and Away Distance boxes to control the section thickness.

·

Optionally, the Step box to define a custom step distance between sections.

·

The Clip View tool to enable or disable section clipping.

Along with the Sections Toolbar, the Sections window contains other tools for working with sections. It provides direct access to the Display Limits dialog and any previously saved Display Limits form sets, and a short-cut to Standard Sections such as PLAN or LOOKING NORTH. The remaining tools in the Sections window are dedicated to section control files, which are introduced later in this lesson.

The following sections describe in detail the two main ways to use the Sections toolbar and Sections window.


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Notes:


Defining a section in any orientation with the Section Tool The Section Tool gives you a quick way to define a vertical section in any orientation. Simply click the Section Tool button and drag a section line across the display. You can optionally constrain the line to an orthogonal orientation (a multiple of 90°) by holding the Ctrl key as you drag. When you release the mouse, Vizex will draw the section defined by the line. This tool also clips the view using the current towards and away distances. (See Controlling the thickness and Understanding Clipping for more information on clipping.)

Displaying ‘Plane of the Vein’ with the Section Tool You can use the Section Tool even when the view is already in a section orientation, making it extremely useful for setting up a ‘plane of the vein’ display. For example, to display a long section through a dipping vein, start with a plan view and drag a section parallel to the dip direction of the vein, followed by a second section down-dip.

Defining an orthogonal section with the Sections Window To set an orthogonal orientation with the Sections window, begin by doubleclicking a Standard Section such as PLAN or LOOKING NORTH. Vizex will align the view to that orientation and automatically clip the view using the current section location and towards and away distances. The Section or Elevation box is enabled whenever an orthogonal view is set. Use this box to quickly change the location of the section by typing in a new value. You must press Enter for the new value to be applied. The box remembers previous entries, so once a section number has been entered you can quickly access it again using the pull-down list as shown here:

If you inspect the cursor coordinate display at the right of the status bar after using the Section or Elevation box, you’ll notice that one of the coordinate values (depending on the view orientation) remains fixed at the value you entered. This control is not available for oblique (transform) sections; instead you should use the Section Tool described above.

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Controlling the thickness

Notes:

You set thickness of the section corridor (in any view orientation) with the Towards Distance and Away Distance boxes, which also remember previous settings in the same way as the Section or Elevation box. Once the corridor has been defined you can switch clipping on and off by clicking the Clip View toolbar button. When Clip View is enabled you can use the Previous Section and Next Section buttons to browse through your data:

The default step size applied by the Previous and Next buttons is equal to the total thickness of the section corridor, which is the sum of the towards and away distances. It’s shown on the toolbar as a number in square brackets, as illustrated above. However, you can override the default step size by entering a different value in the Step box, which will be shown without the square brackets. Re-enter the default value to restore the default step size.

Understanding Clipping As we’ve seen, there are many ways to define the orientation and location of a vertical section. However, you always use the towards and away distances to define the thickness of the slice or corridor that will be displayed, by entering values in the Towards Distance and Away Distance boxes. These values represent the thickness of the corridor either side of the section plane, as illustrated in Figure 1. Whenever you enable Clip View, only data falling within the corridor defined by the distance values will be displayed. So, if only part of a drillhole falls within the data corridor, only that part will be visible and the remainder of the hole will be excluded. On the other hand, no corridor is defined if Clip View is not enabled. In this case all of the data will be displayed, and will appear as if projected against the section plane.


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Notes:

Figure 1: Clipping parameters

The View Toolbar The View toolbar provides an alternative way to switch between view orientations without using the Sections Window:

The first six view buttons highlighted above correspond to orthogonal standard views. Their function differs from the corresponding standard sections in the Sections Window because they don’t automatically apply Clip View when they are used. Instead, they take whatever default clipping settings were applied beforehand. In particular, the Plan standard view is useful for returning to a plan view after having displayed a section.

There is one extra standard view icon than there are standard sections because Looking Up is included as a standard view. This portion of the View toolbar also includes four isometric buttons, primarily for quickly setting up a 3D view. On all buttons the shaded side of the cube indicates the viewing direction.

The Display Limits Dialog The second way to set up a vertical section is by using the Display Limits dialog, which you can access by:

Page 2.48

·

Clicking the Display Limits button on the Sections toolbar.

·

Double-clicking the Display Limits node in the Sections window.

·

Right-clicking in the graphic display and choosing Display Limits from the pop-up menu. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011


·


Choosing View | Viewpoint | Display Limits from the menu.

Notes:

The Display Limits dialog has three tabs, two of which are relevant to vertical sections: Orthogonal and Transform (oblique). You can also define the thickness of section corridor on the Display Limits dialog. The settings that Vizex applies will depend on which tab is active when you click the OK button.

Defining an orthogonal section The Orthogonal tab contains three main groups that allow you to vary the View Type, view Limits, and clipping Window. The three groups are: ·

View Type: controls the section orientation, allowing you to choose from six orthogonal standard views.

·

Limits: controls the section location. You set the section number by entering the desired value in the appropriate Section response. The controls in this group automatically enable or disable according to the view type. There’s no need to enter Minimum and Maximum values; they’re set by the view itself.

·

Window: controls the section corridor thickness and, optionally, the step size.

Micromine automatically enables and disables the appropriate Section responses whenever you change display orientation. For example, for a Plan view, only the RL (elevation) Section response is enabled, and the value you enter will set the Elevation of the display. Similarly, for a Looking North view only the North Section response is enabled, so the number you enter will set the Northing of the display, or, © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Notes:


if you’re Looking West, the Section you enter will set the Easting of the display.

Defining an oblique (transform) section The Transform tab allows you to define an oblique cross section, simultaneously controlling orientation and location. You do this by entering the endpoint coordinates that define the section into the Section group; Vizex will calculate the bearing and length of the section based on those numbers. Vizex also provides you with a preview window so you can see how the section will relate to the real world. The Window group on the Transform tab is identical to the Orthogonal version.

Although this technique gives you very precise control of settings that can also be saved as a form set, the previously-described Section Tool is a faster option for drawing a transform section. You’ll explore the section drawing tools in the next exercise.

Exercise 3.4: Display data in cross section In this exercise, you’ll set up a Looking North cross section at 15900mN, followed by a Transform section, and then return to the looking north section. First, load a ground surface profile to give the display more context: Page 2.50



1.


Click the plus [+] icon next to the Wireframes from set (in the Vizex Forms pane) to expand its list, and double-click the DTM 2D slice mode object to display it.

Notes:

Next, set up the section display using the Sections Window and Sections Toolbar: 2.

Click the Sections tab underneath the Vizex Forms pane to display the Sections Window.

3.

Click the plus [+] icon next to the Standard Sections node to display the list of standard sections, and double-click LOOKING NORTH.

Vizex will switch the display to looking north orientation and clip the view. However, the section number and towards and away distances are set to default values that are not what we require. 4.

Enter the value 15900 into the Section or Elevation box on the Sections toolbar, and press Enter apply it.

5.

Enter 15 for both Towards Distance and Away Distance, pressing Enter to apply each change.

Now that the section is set up you can browse through the data: 6.

Click the Next Section and Previous Section buttons to browse between sections.

Note how the value in the Section or Elevation box automatically updates each time you change section. Moreover, the status bar displays the current 3D cursor coordinate (which incorporates the section number when the view is orthogonal) at the lower right corner of the screen. 7.

Click the Plan View button on the View toolbar to return to plan view.

8.

If necessary, reset the plan view by right-clicking the Simple assay display layer in the Display pane and choosing View Selection from the pop-up menu.

Finally, create an oblique section: 9.

Click the Section Tool and drag an oblique (transform) section at an angle to the drillholes.

Observe how Vizex displays the section extents as you drag the mouse, as shown on the following page. When you release the mouse, Vizex displays the transform section. 10. Click the Display Limits button on the Sections toolbar to display the Display Limits dialog. Note how the contents of the Transform tab have been filled out. 11. Click the Next Section and Previous Section buttons to browse the data. Observe how the oblique orientation is maintained as you browse.


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Notes:


12. Click the Plan View button to return to plan view and, if needed, rightclick the Simple assay display layer and choose View Selection to reset the view.

Finally, restore the Looking North view: 13. Double-click the LOOKING NORTH Standard Section to return to a crosssection view. Note that the value in the Section or Elevation box no longer reads 15900. 14. Click the pull-down button next to the Section or Elevation box and choose 15900 from the list. 15. Leave the view open in preparation for the next exercise.

Viewing in 3D In addition to the standard orthogonal and transform displays, Vizex allows you to seamlessly rotate your view to any desired 3D orientation. Clipping is still available if you need it, and all editing tools are also available.

The Rotate Tool The quickest way to view your data from any 3D orientation is to select the Rotate Tool and drag the view with the mouse. If you’re in a clipped section view while rotating, the section corridor will be rotated along with the data, allowing you to view your section from different angles.

Page 2.52




To return to 2D, just click a standard view button.

Notes:

The physics of 3D rotation Although the displayed objects appear to rotate when you use the Rotate Tool, in reality your viewing location (the camera position) is rotating around stationary data. It does this around an imaginary pivot (the viewpoint), which is initially situated near the centroid of the data. To understand the effect of the Rotate Tool, imagine a cardboard model of your data balanced on the head of a pin (the viewpoint). Just like the cardboard model, the position and direction from which you push or pull the view will determine how it rotates. If you push from a corner, the view will rotate with a twisting motion, but if you push from the middle of an edge, it will rotate in a much more controllable way. Constraining 3D rotation Pressing the X, Y, or Z key while you’re rotating the view will constrain the rotation to the corresponding real-world axis. For example, pressing the Z key will rotate the data about the Z (elevation) axis. Pressing the U, V, or W key will have a similar effect, this time constraining the rotation to the X, Y, and Z axes of the screen, respectively.

The Display Limits Dialog Normally you interactively rotate the view in 3D using the Rotate Tool. However, the 3D View tab on the Display Limits dialog allows you precisely control the rotation parameters and also save them as a form set. Most of the controls are beyond the scope of this training and should be left at their current values, but you may alter the Inclination, Azimuth, and Roll values if you’d like to view your data from a specific direction. Vizex will automatically calculate the other parameters based on the changes you make. The Window group in this tab is identical to the Orthogonal and Transform versions. You’ll learn about 3D displays in the next exercise.


Page 2.53


Notes:


Exercise 3.5: View data in 3D In this exercise we’ll view our data in 3D: 1.

Click the Clip View button to disable clipping.

2.

Select the Rotate Tool and drag the mouse in the graphic display. Observe how the view rotates around the data in 3D.

3.

Click the Display Limits button to open the Display Limits dialog, and note how the contents of the 3D View tab have been filled out.

4.

Once you’ve completed 3D viewing, double-click the LOOKING NORTH Standard Section to return to a cross-section view.

5.

Click the pull-down button next to the Section or Elevation box and choose 15900 from the list.

A useful aspect of Micromine’s 3D rotation is its ability to rotate the section corridor along with the data. If you’re viewing with clipping enabled, simply rotate the view and the section corridor will follow. This is particularly useful for checking the relationship between drillholes and the section corridor, especially while you’re interpreting data. (Interpretation is covered in Lesson 4.) We’ll demonstrate that now:

Page 2.54

6.

Select the Rotate Tool and drag the mouse in the graphic display.

7.

As you rotate from the looking north view, observe how the section corridor, defined as a blue box, rotates with the data. Also note how the section is highlighted as a pale blue plane.




8.

Once you’ve completed viewing the section in 3D, click the Undo zoom button to return to the looking north view on a northing of 15900, or

9.

Alternatively, click the pull-down button next to the Section or Elevation box and choose 15900 from the list.

Notes:

10. Leave the display open in preparation for the next exercise.

Perspective Mode and Depth Testing Micromine’s view tools allow you to construct 2D and 3D views in a variety of ways. Some combinations that you might consider are: Depth Testing: turn on for 3D views; turn off for 2D plans and vertical sections; Perspective Mode: turn on to enhance 3D views using vanishing-point perspective; turn off for 2D plans and vertical sections, especially if you are interpreting cross-sections. Perspective mode is explained in Part 3 – 3D Presentation.

Section Control Files A section control file (SCF) provides a way to save section parameters in a standard Micromine file without using numerous Display Limits form sets. Although a detailed explanation is beyond the scope of this introductory training, we’ll introduce some basic concepts here as they complete the selection of tools that can be used with drillhole and related data. The Vizex Sections window (discussed above) and the accompanying Section Control File toolbar provide the tools for creating and managing section control files and named sections:

An SCF defines the orientation, location, and thickness of a section by storing those parameters directly within the file. When you first save an SCF it is automatically placed within the SECTIONS subfolder within your project, which is created if it doesn’t exist. You can edit SCFs in a variety of ways, either visually or using the File Editor, offering clear advantages over the Display Limits workflow. Sections within an SCF are known as named sections. You can use an SCF to instantly move to any named section, or browse through the sections, irrespective of their orientation and thickness.

Sections in an SCF can be defined in any view orientation. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Notes:


You’ll visually create an SCF and named sections in the next exercise.

Exercise 3.6: Using a section control file If a section control file has been created it is easy to use this to get to a specific section quickly and easily. 1.

To open a section control file, click the Open Section Control File button in either the Sections toolbar or window. Click on the section control file NVG_SECTIONS and click Open.

2.

You should now see the NVG_SECTIONS listed in the sections box. Double click on NVG_SECTIONS to see all the saved sections

3.

Double-click any named section to go immediately to that section.

4.

Use the Previous and Next Section buttons on the Section Control File toolbar to browse the sections.

5.

Use the Section or Elevation box to return to the 15900 section.

6.

Leave the display open in preparation for the next exercise.

This example should give you an idea of the versatility of section control files. There are many other tools for working with SCFs, which are described in more detail in Part 7 – Drillholes 1.

Adding Downhole Information With Vizex you can add as much information to your drillhole traces as clarity, common sense, and your computer’s resources will allow. We’ll explore some of the various drillhole object types in the next few exercises.

Exercise 3.7: Add drillhole assay values to the trace display Now that we’ve set up a coloured trace display based on assay value, we’ll place some assay labels using the same colour set:

Page 2.56

1.

Click the Vizex Forms tab underneath the Sections window to redisplay the Vizex Forms pane.

2.

Double-click the Drillhole Values form set type.

3.

In the Drillhole Values dialog, make sure the Input Data tab is active.




4.

Double-click the Database response and choose your TRAINING database.

5.

Double-click the Interval file and choose NVG_ASSAY.DAT.

6.

Double-click the first Label field and choose AU1, and then double-click the Colour set and choose Drillhole Au1 (statistical).

7.

Leave Width, Decimals, and Justify set to their default values.

Notes:

If more than one Label Field is selected they will display in columns to the right or left of the drillhole depending on which side you select. 8.

Switch to the Display Options tab and set the label Side to RIGHT. Ignore all other options on this tab.

9.

Click Save As… and save the form set with the Title Au Assay (statistical).

10. Click OK on both dialogs to load the labels.

Exercise 3.8: Add drillhole lithology labels to the display With the assays labelled we’ll repeat the exercise to display lithologies. 1.

Double-click the Drillhole Value form set type a second time and activate the Input Data tab.


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Notes:


2.

The name of your TRAINING database already appears in the dialog, so go directly to the Interval file response.

3.

Double-click the Interval file response and choose NVG_LITH.DAT, then double-click the first Label field and choose LITH. We have no lithological colour set at this stage, so blank out the existing Colour set and set the default colour to BLACK.

4.

Click the Display Options tab and set the label side to LEFT.

5.

Click Save As and save the form set with the Title Lithology (black).

6.

Click OK on both dialogs to load the labels. You’ll see black labels appear down the left hand side of each drillhole trace.

Creating a Text Colour Set So far we’ve created a numeric colour set, which assigned groups of numeric ranges to specific colours. We can use a similar technique to create a text colour set. Text colour sets work with unique character codes instead of numeric ranges. When you use the Assign button, Micromine finds all unique values in the selected field. To simplify your colour set, you can group similar values in one of two ways: Auto Group, which groups the codes by the first n characters, or Manual grouping, where you decide what codes will be gathered together. Auto grouping is best for hierarchical codes, such as standard Geological Survey codes, where there’s a distinct hierarchy in the code structure. NonPage 2.58




hierarchical codes are best handled using manual grouping. You’ll use manual grouping in the following exercise.

Notes:

Exercise 3.9: Create a text colour set 1.

Double-click the Lithology (black) layer in the Display pane to open its dialog, and activate the Input Data tab.

2.

Right-click the LITH Colour set response to edit the colour set. The Edit Colour Sets (Text) dialog will appear.

3.

Click the Assign button at the right of this dialog.

4.

Micromine automatically identifies the file and field we’re working on, so just click OK on the Assign dialog when it appears.

Grouping and assigning codes 5.

A second Assign dialog will appear, containing two columns. The Found column contains all unique codes in the file, and the Text column will contain our newly created groups.

6.

Highlight the ANDS code in the Found column and, ensuring that Add selected items to group is turned off, click the right single arrow button. The code will be moved to the Text column.

7.

Turn on the Add selected items to group option, highlight the DACT code, and click the right arrow button a second time. Observe how the two codes now appear on a single line in the Text column.


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Notes:

8.

Turn Add selected items to group off and move the FAUL code. Now turn Add selected items to group back on and move the FBX code. Again, observe how they appear on the same line in the Text column.

9.

Finally, turn Add selected items to group off and click the double right arrow to move the remaining codes (NC, SED, and VEIN) as separate entries. Your Assign dialog should look like this:

10. Click OK to close the Assign dialog. Your newly created groups are transferred to the Colour Sets dialog.

Allocating colours and saving the colour set 11. Double-click each colour and choose a colour that you feel is appropriate for each code group. If you’d like, you can also type in a more descriptive Label for each. Once you’re finished, your dialog should resemble the following:

12. Now, click Save As and save the colour set with the Title Basic lithology. 13. Once you’ve saved the form set, click Save and Close to close the Colour Sets dialog and return to Vizex. Note how your new form set

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number appears in the Colour set response of the Drillhole Values dialog.

Notes:

Saving a new Drillhole Value form set We’ll save these Drillhole Value settings as an alternative form set to the black labels we created earlier. 14. On the Drillhole Values dialog, click Save As. 15. In the Save Current Values dialog, observe how Vizex has allocated a new form set number. 16. Set the Title to Lithology (coloured) and click OK. 17. Finally, click OK on the Drillhole Values dialog to accept the changes. Note how the labels on the drillholes are no longer black, the layer name in the Display pane has changed to Lithology (coloured), and a new form set has appeared under the Drillhole Values Vizex form set in the Vizex Forms pane.

Had you not saved the Drillhole Values settings as a new form set Vizex would have displayed the layer name in the Display pane with blue text, indicating it had been modified but not saved. If you want to overwrite the old settings when you modify a Vizex form set, click Save before you click OK.

Creating a Hatch Display The drillhole display is becoming informative, but the very skinny drillhole traces are still somewhat unsatisfactory. We can improve the visual appearance of the drillholes by placing a hatch display along the drillhole trace. Hatch sets allow you to place a fill pattern into any enclosed region. There are three main applications for hatch sets: ·

Downhole hatches (lithology, oxide, etc.).

·

Downhole graphs (assay, recovery, etc.).

·

Polygonal interpretations.

Micromine ships with a large number of hatch patterns. However, if you require additional patterns, you can use any TrueType font. When you set up a hatch set, you can independently control the pattern, foreground and background colours, symbol size, and outline of each pattern. Additionally, many Micromine functions allow you to further control the allocation of foreground and background colours.


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Notes:


Exercise 3.10: Add a hatch pattern to the display In this exercise, you’ll add a geological hatch pattern to each drillhole trace. To save time you’ll use an existing hatch set to complete the display, although some of the patterns have intentionally been left blank to give you practice at creating them.

Setting up the fill patterns First, set up the Drillhole Hatch dialog: 1.

Double-click the Drillhole Hatch Vizex form set type and ensure the Input Data tab is active.

2.

Double-click the Database response and choose your TRAINING database.

3.

Double-click the Interval file response and choose NVG_LITH.DAT.

4.

Ignore the Colour Control group – this advanced functionality is not needed for this exercise.

5.

Activate the Hatch Options tab and enable Use hatch field.

6.

Double-click the Hatch field and choose LITH from the list.

7.

Double-click the Hatch set response and select Sample downhole lithology from the list. When you return to the Drillhole Hatch dialog you’ll see the number of this hatch set in the Hatch set response.

Next, edit the hatch set and define the missing patterns: 8.

Right-click the Hatch set number and choose Edit from the pop-up menu.

9.

You’ll see the partially completed hatch set. The code groups were Assigned using exactly the same procedure as Exercise 3.9.

10. Double-click the empty hatch pattern for the NC (No core) entry to display the Fill Pattern dialog. Create a fill using a combination of pattern and foreground, background, and border colours.

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11. Repeat for the SED (Sedimentary Rocks) entry. Your dialog should resemble this:

Notes:

Finally, save the changes as a new hatch set: 12. Click Save As to save the new hatch set with the Title Basic lithology. Click OK followed by Save and Close to return to Drillhole Hatch dialog.

Hatch field vs. Colour Control The Colour Control option gives you independent control of the foreground and background colours, which override any colours in the hatch set. This is very useful if you have, say, six different rock types, all of which could be subjected to the same five alteration patterns. Clearly this would result in 30 possible rock type/alteration combinations. Instead of creating a hatch set containing 30 entries, you could create a hatch set containing the six rock types, and use foreground colour control to represent the five alterations.

Choosing a size and position for the hatch display If you display the Side list, you’ll see that Vizex only provides options for LEFT and RIGHT. What if you’d like to centre the hatch? Fortunately, there is an easy way. 13. Leave the Side set to LEFT. 14. Set Offset distance to –2, and Hatch width to 4. 15. Set the Border to 4 SIDES. Finally, save the Drillhole Hatch settings as a form set and display them: 16. Click Save As… on the Drillhole Hatch dialog and save a form set with the Title Drillhole lithology. 17. Click OK to return to Vizex. Your display should look like the following diagram:


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Notes:

How big is the hatch? Hatch widths are always measured in real-world units. So, a hatch pattern with a width of four is literally four metres wide. Plotting this at 1:1,000-scale would result in a hatch width of 4 mm on the paper. You can also use the contents of a numeric field to vary the hatch width.

Offsetting the value displays If you zoom in on a drillhole, you’ll notice an unfortunate side effect produced by the hatch display: It overlaps the value labels and the drill trace is still visible in the middle of it. In order to produce an elegant display we need to make two alterations: ·

Offset the two drillhole value displays so that they aren’t overlapped by the hatch pattern.

·

Switch the display to layer order mode.

First, offset the value displays: 18. Double-click the Au assay (statistical) display layer to display its dialog, and activate the Display Options tab. 19. Enter an Offset distance of 2 for the Labels group. 20. Do the same for the Ticks group. 21. Click Save followed by OK to save the modified form set and adjust the display. 22. Repeat the above steps for the Lithology (coloured) display layer. Page 2.64




Now, switch the display to layer order:

Notes:

23. Click the Vizex node in the Display pane to deselect all layers. Alternatively, click a blank part of the Display pane, below all listed layers. 24. Click the Toggle Depth Testing button to place the display in layer order mode. Note how the drill traces, which were originally visible down the centre of the hatch, have disappeared. 25. Zoom in on a drillhole and observe how the value ticks stop exactly at the edge of the hatch display.

26. Restore the view by right-clicking the Drillhole lithology layer in the Display pane and choosing View Selection from the popup menu.


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Notes:


Creating a Plot File The final step in your work with drillholes is to create a plot file of the cross section display, to be later used in the plotting exercises in conjunction with your earlier plan plot.

Exercise 3.11: Create a plot file To create a plot file: 1.

Click the Generate Plot File toolbar button. Or, select Plot | Generate Plot File from the menu.

2.

Enter a Plot file name of 15900mN. Don’t change any of the other responses.

3.

Click OK to make the plot file.

4.

Micromine will write a plot file and display a plot layout containing the plot data.

Naming the plot file with label text, such as 15900mN, will make it easier to automate the plot title, which you’ll learn in Part 4 – Plotting 1. 5.

Close the Plot Editor window by clicking the [X] on the 15900mN.PEX tab.

6.

Finally, select Edit | Remove All from the menu to clean up the display.

The lessons and exercises we’ve covered so far are preamble to sectional geological interpretation, which is covered in Lesson 4.

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Lesson 3 Summary

Notes:

This lesson has taught you to manage and display drillhole data. You’ve worked with various items of downhole data, such as values and hatch patterns. Additionally, you’ve seen how to view data in cross section and 3D, and how to set up text colour and hatch sets. To create a drillhole database: Select Drillhole | Database | Create from the main menu, or Double-click a Drillhole Vizex form set, then Right-click the Database response and choose New Database from the popup menu, and Enter the database name, and Select the desired file names. To refresh a drillhole database: Select Drillhole | Database | Refresh from the main menu, or Right-click the Database response on a Drillhole dialog and choose Refresh Database from the popup menu, or Select Tools | Macro Functions | Drillhole Database Refresh to refresh multiple databases. To validate a drillhole database: Select Tools | Options | Drillhole Database and enable the appropriate auto-validation options, or Select Drillhole | Validate | Drillhole Database to manually validate it. To display a Drillhole form set: Double-click the desired Vizex form set type in the Vizex Forms pane, then Select the Database and appropriate files, and Set up the display parameters as required. To display an orthogonal section using the Sections window and toolbar: Select the Standard Section from the Sections Window to set the orientation, then Enter the Section or Elevation, Towards Distance, and Away Distance on the Sections toolbar to set the location and thickness, and Optionally set the Step value.


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Notes:


Lesson 3 Summary (Continued) To display a transform section using the Section Tool: Use the Section Tool to drag an interactive section, which will simultaneously set the orientation and location, then Enter the Towards Distance and Away Distance to set the thickness, and Optionally set the Step value. To display an orthogonal section using Display Limits: Open the Display Limits dialog, then Choose a View Type to set the orientation, then Enter the Section number to set the location, then Enter the Window Towards and Away values to set the thickness, and Optionally set the Step value. To change view orientations using the View toolbar: Click the desired Standard View to set the orientation.

To display in 3D: Select the Rotate Tool. To restore the view to 2D: Click a Standard View button on the View toolbar.

To add downhole data to a drillhole display: Double-click the desired Drillhole Values, Hatch, Graph, Event, or Structures Vizex form set type in the Vizex Forms pane, then Select the Database and appropriate files, and Set up the display parameters as required. To create a text colour or hatch set: Right-click the Colour set or Hatch set response to open the editor, then Use the Assign button to find the appropriate codes, then Set the codes or patterns.

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Notes:

To centre a hatch pattern along a drillhole trace: Set the Offset to minus one-half of the Hatch width. To create a plot file: Set up the display as desired, then Select Plot | Generate Plot File from the menu, or Click the Generate Plot File toolbar button, then Name the Plot file in a way that could be literal label text, and Optionally, enable Auto load into Plot Editor.

Good Practice The standard views on the View toolbar are different from the standard sections on the Sections Window. Choosing a standard view only changes the view orientation, taking whatever default clipping and towards/away distances were set beforehand, whereas choosing a standard section always applies clipping. Use standard views, particularly Plan, to reset the view without applying clipping, and use the standard sections to display a new section orientation. Use drillhole hatches to emphasise downhole variations. You can add as many hatches as needed (for example for lithology, groundwater, oxidation state, each of which is offset by the appropriate amount) to produce an informative graphic log in the 3D space. Optionally, use a numeric field to control the hatch width. It’s common for Micromine projects to contain numerous cross-section plot files. If you name the plot files with text that could appear on the plot title, for example a plot file name of 15900mN literally represents the section at 15900mN, you can automate the process of titling plots. This technique is covered in Part 4 – Plotting 1.


See:

Drillhole Database

Drillhole > Databases > ...

Validating a database

Drillhole > Validate > DHDB

The Section tools

View > Sections & section control files

Display Limits

View > Viewpoint > Setting display limits

Displaying Values

Display > Vizex > Drillhole > Values

Displaying Hatches

Display > Vizex > Drillhole > Hatch


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Notes:


Lesson 4 – Spatial Editing Duration: 120 minutes Much of the information in a mineral project is spatial data that you create through the process of spatial editing. Geological examples include heads-up air-photo or geophysical interpretations and sectional drillhole interpretations, whereas in engineering spatial editing is most often used for design. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Use the Vizex Layers, Edit Strings, and Vizex Tools toolbars;

·

Move and copy a string;

·

Insert, delete, and snap points;

·

Create a new string file for a sectional interpretation;

·

Create and name polygons within that string file;

·

Interpret features using both fact and interpretation.

Introduction Vizex provides you with a broad suite of editing tools and many form set types can be edited. With these tools you can create points, lines, and polygons; smooth and weed strings; define gradients and curves; drape strings onto a wireframe; and snap to any other object in the display. You can also easily insert, move, and delete points, as well as move, copy and delete entire strings.

The user Interface You access the spatial editing tools through the Vizex Layers, Edit Strings, and Vizex Tools toolbar. If you regularly perform spatial editing you should always keep these toolbars visible. In addition to the toolbars Vizex provides numerous context editing modes, where the exact function depends on the type of feature under the mouse cursor. There’s also a right-click context menu that contains additional tools.

Using the Spatial Editing Tools Because the editing toolbars are always visible there’s no need to explicitly activate a stand-alone editor. Instead, you simply start editing. There are three ways to begin editing, the choice of which depends on your preferences and the task at hand. They are: ·

Edit an existing feature Activate the Select Tool, click the feature, and then make some changes to it. For example, you could move a point;

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·


Add a feature to an existing layer

Notes:

Make the layer the Active Layer, either by using the Select Active Layer pull-down list, or by right-clicking the layer in the Display pane and selecting Active Layer from the pop-up menu. For example, you could add a new polygon to a geological interpretation; ·

Create a new layer and add features Choose [New] (Layer type)... from the Select Active Layer list. The new layer will automatically become the Active Layer. For example, you could create a new file for heads-up digitising over a scanned map.

Where do new features go? New features are always added to the active layer. If you haven’t nominated an active layer, or if it’s the wrong type (for example, you can’t add a string to a wireframe), Vizex will prompt you to choose an active layer.

You can make changes to more than one layer at a time. Layers that you’ve edited will be marked with an asterisk (*) on the Display pane, but the files won’t be saved until you specifically do so, or attempt to remove or refresh them. Micromine provides three ways to save your edits, the choice of which is once again based on your preferences and the task at hand. The three ways to save files are: ·

Right-click an edited layer in the Display pane and choose Save or Save As from the pop-up menu;

·

Click an edited layer in the Display pane to highlight it, then choose File | Save or File | Save As from the menu, or press Ctrl+S;

·

Select File | Save All from the menu, or press Ctrl+Shift+S, to save all edited files.

There’s actually a fourth way – if you attempt to remove or refresh an unsaved layer you’ll be prompted to save the edited file, but we recommend that you always explicitly save your work.

The Editing Toolbars The Vizex spatial editing interface consists of three toolbars, the functions of which are described here for your reference. However, for this lesson you’ll concentrate on the Vizex Layers toolbar and the first five buttons of the Edit Strings toolbar.

Vizex Layers


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Notes:


·

Select Active Layer pull-down list: Allows you to set an editable layer as the active layer, or to create a new editable layer on-the-fly;

·

Active layer: Provides an alternative way to set an active layer.

String Editor

·

Snap Mode: Toggles snapping on and off, also allows you to set snapping to point, line, grid, or intersection;

·

Between Snap Tool: Toggles the creation of points by snapping between two selected points;

·

Insert Points: Toggles the insertion of points into existing strings;

·

New Points: Begins digitising new points;

·

New String: Begins digitising a new string, which may be open or closed;

·

New Polygon: Begins digitising a new closed string;

·

New Circle: Begins digitising a circle from a point and a radius;

·

New Arc: Begin digitising an Arc from a Centre point and a start and end point;

·

New Symmetrical Polygon: Begin digitising a symmetrical polygon from a centre point with a specific radius;

·

New Rectangle: digitise a rectangle;

·

Curve: Extends a string by appending a curve to the end point;

·

Extend String: Adds points to the end of a string;

·

Bearing/Distance: Adds a point at the specified bearing and distance;

·

Enter Points from Keyboard: Add new string points using the keyboard;

·

Gradient tool: Sets the gradient for a string;

·

Use Digitiser: Toggles between a digitising tablet and the mouse.

String Editor Tools

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·

Gradient: Sets the gradient for a string;

·

Join Strings: Joins two or more strings;

·

Split String: Splits a string into two separate strings at a position you nominate;

·

Close String: Closes a string, connecting the start and end points with a new segment;

·

Reverse Strings: Reverses the order of the strings;

·

Delete Current String: deleted the selected string;

·

Trim String: Cuts a string against a second string;

·

Extend string to Polyline: This will allow a string to be extend to a second selected string ; © Copyright MICROMINE 2011



·

Offset Angled String: Creates an offset angles string;

·

Insert Curve: Replace a point with a curve;

·

Connect two string using a curve: Creates a curve between two selected points;

·

Copy/Move String: Allows you to copy or move a string;

·

Rotate String: allows you to rotate a string;

·

Insert Points: Allows you to insert points on a string;

·

Point Spacing Limits between points: Setup point spacing limits on a specific string;

·

Angle Limits Between Segments: Allows you to set the angle between two Line segments;

·

Multiple string Split: Split a string segment into equality spaced Segments;

·

Save Selected String: Allow you to save the string you have selected into another string file;

·

Copy Selected String: Allows you to copy the selected string into the active layer;

Notes:

String Editor Tools

·

Intersection: create a point where two strings intersect;

·

Expand String: Expands a string based on the Expansion distance defined in the Options dialog;

·

Drape on Wireframe: Drapes a 2D string onto a wireframe, making it a 3D string;

·

Smooth: Inserts a regular spread of points and removes any unnecessary sharp corners in a string;

·

Flatten: Project string or point onto the current plane;

·

Simplify String: Reduces the number of points in a string;

·

Replicate String: Duplicates a string by making horizontal or vertical copies of it

·

Polygon Boolean Operation: Performs spatial union, intersection or difference operations on overlapping or adjacent polygons;

·

Clip Strings: Clips data falling inside or outside a selected string;

Editing Strings During the spatial editing process Vizex alters the edit mode according to whether your mouse cursor is above a point or a string, and whether that string is already selected. You can further control the edit mode by holding the Ctrl key. Vizex gives you visual feedback on the selected editing mode by varying the shape of the mouse cursor. Some edit modes, for example extending, closing, or reversing a string, are accessible from the right-click context menu. Like the context editing modes, the available functionality will vary according to what you’re doing at the time. Table 4.1 summarises the context edit modes.


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Notes:

Table 4.1: Context edit modes Mouse Over…

(1)

Key

Editing Function

Nothing (New/Extend String mode only)

None

Freehand digitise

String

None

Select; Drag to move selected string

String

Ctrl

Point

None

Point

Ctrl

Cursor

(2)

Multi-select; Drag to copy selected string Drag to move point in selected string Delete point from selected string

(1)

Italicised editing functions apply when string is not yet selected; the remaining functions apply to selected strings. (2)

Cursors are only shown for editing modes. Selection modes (italicised) use the standard Windows cursor.

Many edit modes are only accessible after you activate the Select Tool, so it’s a good idea to keep this tool active while you’re editing. You use three main tools to control the bulk of the editing process: ·

New Points/String/Polygon: Begins digitising new points, or a new string or polygon. To finish, press Esc after the last point, or doubleclick the last point, or right-click | Close String;

·

Snap Mode: Turns snap mode on and off. Alternatively, press the S key to toggle snapping from the keyboard; The Snap Mode button has a pull-down list that allows you to snap to points, lines, coordinate gridlines, or the point of intersection between two lines. Click the small arrow at the right of the button to select from the list. Alternatively, press Shift+S to cycle through the snap modes.

·

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Insert Points: Turns insert points mode on and off. Alternatively, you can toggle this mode by pressing the I key.




Exercise 4.1: Edit features in a string file

Notes:

In this exercise, you’ll load a saved view containing several layers that you might use for a sectional drillhole interpretation. You’ll then explore the edit modes listed in Table 4.1, along with Snap and Insert modes. First, load the view and select an object for editing: 1.

Expand the Saved Views list by clicking its plus [+] icon in the Vizex Forms pane.

2.

Drag the String Editor saved view into the graphic display. Vizex will load four display objects, but only one, a string file containing a series of rock unit interpretations, will be visible.

3.

Activate the Select Tool.

4.

Click any polygon in the display to select it. Vizex will highlight the points that define the polygon, as shown below. You’re now ready to edit it.

Now you can explore the basic edit modes: 5.

Position the mouse cursor over a string segment and drag to move the entire string.

6.

Hold the Ctrl key, position the mouse cursor over a string segment, and drag to create a copy of the string.

7.

Release the Ctrl key, position the mouse cursor over a point and drag to move it.

8.

Hold the Ctrl key and click on a point to delete it.

Next, try Snap Mode: 9.

Click the Snap Mode button, and ensure that it’s set to Snap to Point. Alternatively, press the S key to activate Snap Mode.

10. Click on a point and drag to move it. Note how Vizex snaps to other points in this layer as you drag. Snap Mode only applies within a certain tolerance, so try moving the point near an obvious polygon corner if you don’t see it snapping. 11. Change the Snap Mode to Snap to Line using the pull-down menu at the right of the Snap Mode button.


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Notes:


12. Click on a point and drag to move it. Note how Vizex now snaps to lines. Finally, switch to Insert Points mode: 13. Click the Snap Mode button to deactivate it, and then click the Insert Points button to activate Insert Points mode. Alternatively, you could press the S key to deactivate Snap Mode, and the I key to activate Insert Points mode. 14. Click on a string segment to insert a point. 15. Inspect the Sectional geology interp layer in the Display pane, and note that it has an asterisk next to it, indicating it’s been edited. Once you’re finished experimenting with the String Editor, refresh the layer to restore it to its previous condition: 16. Right-click the Sectional geology interp layer in the Display pane and choose Refresh from the pop-up menu. Answer No when prompted to save your edits. The layer will revert to its unedited state.

Creating New Strings (or Points or Polygons) So far we’ve only edited existing strings in the Sectional geology interp layer. To create a new feature, begin by making the target layer the Active Layer. You can do this by right-clicking the layer in the Display pane and choosing Active Layer from the pop-up menu, or by choosing it from the Active Layer list in the Vizex Layers toolbar. There can only be one active layer at any time, which is displayed in bold text in the Properties window (although you can modify multiple layers at one time). To draw the new feature, click the New Points, New String, or New Polygon toolbar button, depending on your requirements. (If you’re editing a Points file only New Points is available.) Alternatively, you can right-click anywhere in the graphic display and choose New String or New Polygon from the pop-up menu. Vizex will change the mouse cursor into a filled crosshair to indicate the change of mode. You’re now free to add points as required. You can finish a new string in several different ways, depending on whether you want to leave it open or close it. To finish the string and leave it open: ·

Double-click as you add the last point;

·

Press the Esc key after adding the last point.

Vizex will change the cursor back to the Select Tool to indicate the new string is finished. To close the string: ·

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Choose New Polygon when you create it, and use either of the above methods to finish it. The string will automatically close; © Copyright MICROMINE 2011



·

Digitise the last point over the first. Provided you’re reasonably accurate, Vizex will automatically snap the two points;

·

Right-click and choose Close String from the pop-up menu without digitising the last string segment.

Notes:

Closing a string will automatically finish it, and Vizex will change the cursor back to the Select Tool. To set the properties of a new string, keep it selected and switch to the Properties window (tabbed with the Vizex Forms and Sections panes). You can edit any property that is not displayed in grey text. Use the Property Window toolbar button to display the Properties window if you can’t see it.

Need a reminder to set properties? You can optionally configure Vizex to prompt you for the properties every time you create a new string. To do this, select Tools | Options | Vizex from the menu and switch to the String Editor node on the Vizex Options dialog. Select Prompt to edit properties on adding a new string to enable this option.

Snapping and Following Most of your on-screen digitising will probably take place within a framework of existing data. For example, you would typically interpret cross-sections by using existing drillhole information. You can improve the accuracy of your interpretation by snapping to true 3D drillhole intervals whilst digitising. With Vizex you can snap to any object in the display. By default, nearly every form set type can be snapped-to. To snap to a point in a display layer, activate Snap Mode and move the mouse near that point. You’ll see a small black square, the snap cursor, highlighting the target point. Once the snap cursor is in the right place, click the mouse to snap to that point. You don’t need to move the mouse cursor over the point; in fact doing so will obscure the snap cursor, making it harder to tell which point is being snapped.

Snapping is inappropriate for some form set types, such as images or grids, and by default isn’t enabled for those types. Additionally, you might want to display a layer but not snap to it. You can control the snap status of a layer by selecting it in the Display pane and clicking the Toggle Snap Status


Page 2.77


Notes:


button. When this button is down, the layer can be snapped-to; when the button is up, it can’t.

Snap Mode works in two ways: You can either click the mouse to snap single points, or you can drag the mouse to follow an entire string. In either case, Vizex will display a snap cursor showing the currently selected point.

Setting the default snap status You can control the default snap status on a layer type-by-layer type basis by selecting Tools | Options | Vizex and switching to the Default Layer Options tab. Here you can set the default snap status for each new layer type that you might load.

Exercise 4.2: Snap to features In this exercise, you’ll create a couple new polygons and experiment with Snap and Follow modes. 1.

Display the remaining layers by clicking their checkboxes in the Display pane.

2.

Set the Sectional geology interp layer as the Active Layer by rightclicking it in the Display pane and choosing Active Layer from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, select Sectional geology interp from the Select Active Layer list on the Vizex Layers toolbar.

3.

Click the New Polygon button to create a new polygon in the string file. Vizex will change the cursor from the selection cursor to the filled crosshair, indicating that you’re now ready to digitise.

4.

Click the Snap Mode button to activate Snap Mode, ensuring Snap to Point is selected.

5.

Move the mouse cursor around the graphic display and note how the small black square, the snap cursor, finds points in all of the displayed layers.

A dark green rock unit has been logged at the western side of the drilling, and it’s now appropriate to produce a simple interpretation of this unit.

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6.

Move the mouse until the snap cursor is at one of the dark green contacts, taking care to not obscure it with the mouse cursor. Click to add a point.

7.

Repeat for the remaining five points that define the green unit – but don’t try extending the interpretation beyond the drillholes at this stage.

8.

Once you’ve digitised the sixth point (without closing the polygon), press the Esc key. Vizex will automatically close the polygon. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011


9.


Display the Properties window and set the String value to ANDS. Your display should resemble the following diagram.

Notes:

Save a mouse click: Keep the Properties window visible The Properties window is a dockable window that behaves in exactly the same way as the Vizex Forms and Display panes. Keep it visible if you’re doing a lot of editing. Provided it’s visible you only need to singleclick an object to change its properties. In the next part of this exercise you’ll use Follow mode to create a hanging wall unit west of the red HW1 polygon. 10. Click the New Polygon button to create another new polygon. 11. Position the mouse so that the snapping cursor highlights the upper, westernmost point in the red HW1 unit. 12. Drag the mouse down the western side of HW1. As you proceed, you’ll see a faint line appear along that edge. When you’ve reached the bottom of HW1, release the mouse. Vizex will immediately draw the shared line. 13. Click the next point in the MV1 (blue) unit and drag downwards so that your new hangingwall unit extends to the bottom of the existing rocks. 14. Optional: Move (don’t drag) the mouse to the eastern side of the ANDS unit you just created, and continue creating the polygon by dragging the mouse up that side. Finally, drag the mouse along the ground surface profile, back towards the HW1 unit. 15. Press Esc to finish and close the polygon. 16. Optional: Double-click it to set the properties; give it the String DACT. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Notes:


17. At this point your new polygon should resemble this:

18. Once you’re satisfied with your digitising, press Ctrl+S to save the edits. Leave the display intact for the next exercise.

Layer precedence and Follow Mode Vizex uses layer precedence to determine which line to follow, which is important whenever there are coincident points in multiple layers. If Vizex won’t follow the correct lines, move the target layer to the top of the layer list in the Display pane.

Creating New Files You often need to create new files for editing within Vizex, for example to start a new sectional drillhole interpretation, an air-photo interpretation, or heads-up digitising over a scanned paper map. Creating new point, string, and outline files in Vizex is straightforward: pull down the Select Active Layer list on the Vizex Layers toolbar and choose [New] (Layer type)... from the list. For example, to create a new string file, pull down the list and choose [New] String....

Page 2.80




Notes:

Once you’ve made the selection, Vizex will place a new layer in the Display pane, which is named Untitled (Untitled.ext) and is automatically set as the active layer. (Ext varies according to the layer type you requested – DAT for points, STR for strings, and OUT for outlines.) Untitled appears twice because the form set and the underlying file both have no title at this point.

Controlling the newly created file structure Vizex creates a file with a default structure when you use the Select Active Layer list to create a point or string file. If you want to create a file with a custom structure, use this alternative method: Double-click the Points or Strings form set (as required) in the Vizex Forms pane to display the appropriate dialog. Next, right-click the File response on the dialog and choose New from the pop-up menu. Enter the file name, choose the file type, and then manually define the structure using the method you learned in Part 1. A minimal string file should contain these five fields: · ·

·

EASTING, NORTHING, and RL (ELEVATION): Numeric fields with widths and precisions appropriate for your project. STRING: A character field with a width of between 5 and 20 characters. Use this as a label field to identify what a particular string represents (such as a road, fence, oxidation surface boundary, fault, etc.). JOIN: A numeric field with a width of about 8 characters and zero decimals. Vizex automatically places values into this field, which it uses to identify when one feature ends and another begins.

A minimal point file should contain the 3D coordinate fields. Both file types can have as many optional fields as needed. If you regularly create files using this method, consider creating a template and using that to speed the process. Although we recommend naming the fields as listed, you can use any field names that suit the purpose. For example, it’s common to use a LABEL field as a string field.


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Notes:


Interpreting 3D Solids One of the primary reasons for displaying drillhole data is for interpretation. Normally you display your drillholes in a vertical section along with ancillary data such as faults and oxidation surface boundaries, and do your interpretation right on the screen. Before we start an interpretation exercise we need to summarise the prerequisites and conventions that you should use. The prerequisites are: ·

You’ve validated your drillhole data (see Part 1 – Micromine Basics);

·

You’ve loaded the appropriate information into the display (assays, lithologies, existing wireframes or interpretations, block models, or pit shells as required). You’ll use these objects as snapping targets while digitising;

·

The display is set to the correct orientation, location, and thickness.

You can set the display to any orientation, including 3D, for interpretation. Additionally, you can simultaneously edit in multiple windows, say in plan and cross section.

Naming the Interpreted Features Within a given file, you should name each feature according to the real-world object you’re drawing. If you’re digitising Number Four Lode, then give it a name like NO4. As you progress from one section to the next, if it’s the same feature, keep giving it the same name. Whenever there’s more than one feature in a particular section, give each one a unique name. So, if a particular feature is bifurcated or splayed, for example by a fault, use a suffix (e.g. NO4_F for Number Four Lode Footwall) to keep the names unique.

Although you’re not forced to use this convention for naming interpreted strings your workflow will proceed more smoothly if you do. It will also pay dividends when you turn your attention to wireframing.

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Main

Main


Main

Main_F Notes:

Exercise 4.3: Set up a new string file In Exercise 4.1 we edited an existing string file. In this exercise we’ll create a new string file, and use that to make a 3D geological interpretation of a quartz vein that extends through the entire project. Before we create the new file and begin our interpretation, we’ll prepare the display: 1.

Right-click the Sectional geology interp layer in the Display pane and choose Remove from the pop-up menu.

2.

Repeat for the Base of oxide layer.

3.

Double-click the named section 15760mN in the Sections window to go directly to that section.

4.

Alternatively, choose the LOOKING NORTH standard section and then choose 15760 from the Section or Elevation box on the Sections toolbar. This is the first (southern-most) section in the project.

Now create the new string file: 5.

Pull down the Select Active Layer list in the Vizex Layers toolbar and choose [New] String... from the list. Note how Vizex places a new layer called Untitled (Untitled.str) in the Display pane.

In the next exercise you’ll start editing the new file to produce a geological interpretation.


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Notes:


Interpretation Steps At this point it’s tempting to just jump in and start interpreting the geology, but as with most tasks a systematic approach will produce a better result. Generally, you should use a two-stage approach for your interpretation: ·

First, digitise the Facts by Snapping to all available information;

·

Then, digitise the Interpretation by using Insert Points mode, which you normally use with Snap Mode turned off.

Why should you use this approach? Initially concentrating on the facts by snapping to existing points will provide Vizex with a 3D coordinate framework for your new feature. By inserting the interpreted points into this framework, you allow Vizex to place points at their true 3D coordinate, which produces the most accurate possible result. If you had started freehand digitising, Vizex would be forced to put the new points exactly into the plane of the section, which might not correspond to the plane of the drillholes.

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Exercise 4.4: Interpret the quartz vein, making use of all available data

Notes:

In this exercise you’ll create an interpretation of the quartz vein shown in red on the cross section. The aim here is not to produce a geologically meaningful result, but to understand how to set up a new interpretation using the tools and techniques you’ve learnt so far. Therefore, don’t worry if your new polygon looks a little ... creative. 1.

Click the New Polygon button to start drawing a new polygon.

First, digitise the facts: 2.

Click the Snap Mode button (or press the S key) to enable Snap Mode, ensuring that it’s set to Snap to Point.

3.

Digitise a polygon around the red drillhole intervals to produce a basic quartz vein shape, observing the location of the snapping cursor as you go. Don’t extend beyond the drillhole data at this point.

4.

Press Esc to finish and close the polygon.

Now you can focus on the interpretation: 5.

Click the Insert Points button (or press the I key) to activate Insert Points mode.

6.

Click the Snap Mode button (or press the S key) to turn off Snap Mode.

7.

Insert points wherever you’d like by clicking on a string segment and dragging each newly created point to its final location.


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Notes:


Finally, name the string: 8.

With the string still selected, click the String response in the Properties window and enter the name VEIN. Press Enter to apply the change. It should resemble the preceding diagram.

Optional: Continue the interpretation: 9.

Move to section 15790mN in your section control file and repeat the above steps to interpret the vein on the new section.

10. If time permits, interpret the vein on other sections in the SCF. Now, save your work (you may need it for wireframing elsewhere in your training): 11. Once you’ve completed the interpretation, right-click the Untitled (Untitled.str) layer in the Display pane and choose Save As from the pop-up menu. 12. Enter the File Name Geology and set the File Type to STRING. Click OK to save the file. 13. Right-click the just-saved Untitled (Geology.STR) layer in the Display pane and choose Save Form As from the pop-up menu. 14. Enter the Title My geology interpretation and click OK to save the form set. 15. Select Edit | Remove All from the main menu to clean up the display in preparation for the next exercise.

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Lesson 4 Summary

Notes:

In this lesson you learned to do spatial editing in Vizex, including using the various editing modes, the editing tools, and context menus. You also learned how to perform a sectional interpretation. To start editing: Make changes to an editable layer, or Set a layer as the active layer using the Select Active Layer list, or Set a layer as the active layer by right-clicking it and choosing Active Layer from the pop-up menu, or Create a new editable layer on the fly by choosing [New] (Layer type)... from the Select Active Layer list. To save changes to a layer: Right-click the layer in the Display pane and choose Save or Save As... from the pop-up menu, or Highlight the edited layer in the Display pane and choose File | Save or File | Save As... from the menu, or press Ctrl+S, or Select File | Save All from the menu, or press Ctrl+Shift+S. To create a new file: Create a new editable layer on the fly by choosing [New] (Layer type)... from the Select Active Layer list, or Double-click the appropriate Vizex form set in the Vizex Forms pane, then right-click the File response and select New from the pop-up menu. To create a new point, string, or polygon: Click the New Points, New String, or New Polygon button, or

Right click and choose New String. To finish a new feature: Double-click the last point, or Press Esc, or Close the string by clicking the last point over the first, or Right click and select Close String. To move a point or string: Click the point or string and drag it to its new location


Page 2.87


Notes:


Lesson 4 Summary (continued) To copy a string: Hold the Ctrl key, then click and drag the string to produce a copy. To delete a string: Select the string, then press the Delete key, or Right-click and choose Delete String from the pop-up menu. To toggle Insert Points mode: Click the Insert Points toolbar button (or press the I key) and click a string segment. To delete a point: Hold the Ctrl key and click the point. To toggle Snap Mode: Click the Snap Mode toolbar button (or press the S key). To select a snapping method: Select Snap to Point, Snap to Line, Snap to Grid, or Snap to Intersection from the pull-down menu at the right of the Snap Mode button, or Press Shift+S to cycle through the snap modes. To follow an object: With Snap Mode enabled, click and drag the mouse along the object boundary. If Vizex won’t follow the object boundary, move that object’s layer to the top of the Display pane layer list. To interpret a new feature: Digitise the facts using Snap Mode, and then Digitise the interpretation using Insert Points mode. To name a new feature in a file: Display the Properties window. Name it according to the real-world object you’re digitising. If it’s the same feature from section to section, give it the same name. Use a suffix to name bifurcations and splays.

Page 2.88




Lesson 4 Summary (continued)

Notes:

To be automatically prompted to set properties whenever you create a new feature: Select Tools | Options | Vizex from the menu, and Activate the String Editor tab, then Set Prompt to edit properties on adding a new string.

Good Practice Always keep the three editing toolbars (Vizex Layers, Edit Strings, Vizex Tools) visible so that you can begin editing at any time. Similarly, keep the Properties window visible open so that you can set the properties of a newly-created feature by single-clicking it. Become familiar with the keyboard and right-click shortcuts so you can accelerate the editing process. For example, it’s quicker to toggle Snap Mode and Insert Points mode by pressing S and I than it is to move the mouse to the toolbar each time. If you require a different file structure to the default structure produced by the [New] (Layer type)... option, create an appropriate file template and use that to create a new file using the right-click | New method. A useful way to systemise the sectional interpretation process is to break it down to a few lines: ·

Same feature, same name

·

Facts by snapping (Snap Mode on)

·

Interpretation by inserting (Insert Points mode on)


See:

Spatial editing toolbars

[Index] > Edit Strings > Toolbar

Spatial editing functions [Index] > Edit Strings > Menu Options Vizex Layers

View > Toolbars > Vizex Layers (link on page)

The Active Layer

[Index] > Active Layer

Property window

View > Property Window

Displaying points

Display >Vizex > Points

Displaying strings



Page 2.89


Notes:


Lesson 5 – Working with DTMs Duration: 20 minutes A Digital Terrain Model (DTM) is a means of representing a 3D surface using a network of connected triangle facets. DTMs, also known as DEMs (Digital Elevation Models) and TINs (Triangulated Irregular Networks), are usually used to represent real physical surfaces like topography, open pits, waste dumps, and so on. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Build a DTM from a string file of topographic contours;

·

Apply a colour set to a DTM;

·

Drape an image on a DTM;

·

Adjust the transparency of a DTM.

Introducing Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) Vizex allows you to generate a DTM directly from strings or points in the display, which is especially useful if you’ve just finished a pit design and want to produce a pit shell, or if you’ve edited some photogrammetric data and want to produce a topographic surface. There are two ways to create a DTM, depending on your preferences: ·

Select the desired strings from a display layer and click the Create DTM button;

·

Click the Create DTM button and then follow the instructions in the Selection Assistant.

You’ll optionally be asked to use another string to restrict the extents of the DTM, and will then be asked for a wireframe Type and Name, after which Vizex will produce the new DTM. The wireframe Type gives you a convenient way to group similar wireframes; for example, you might have DTMs of preand post-mining topography, along with a proposed pit shell, all of which could be grouped under the DTM wireframe Type. The Name is any name you specify. Creating a DTM requires the Micromine Exploration module.

Create DTM automatically treats the input strings as break-lines, which means the resulting wireframe will exactly honour the input data. The Process as contours option is set by default and prevents contour lines from being connected back to themselves, avoiding flat triangles in the Page 2.90




process (which is best for topographic contours). Disabling this will allow the creation of flat triangles (suitable for pit designs with haul roads).

Notes:

Wireframes, triangulations, DTMs, DEMs, surfaces, TINs, 3D solids – what’s with all the names? All of these objects represent 3D shapes constructed from networks of connected triangle facets, and the names are generally interchangeable. Wireframe and triangulation are catch-all terms for any 3D shape made of triangles. By definition, DTMs, DEMs and TINs represent simple surfaces that cannot fold back over themselves. On the other hand, 3D solids can be any shape.

Exercise 5.1: Create a topographic DTM In this exercise you’ll use the topographic contours you imported from ArcView to produce a topographic DTM. First, create the view and select the Create DTM option: 1.

Expand the Strings form set type by clicking its [+] icon in the Vizex Forms pane.

2.

Drag the Topographic contours form set into the graphic display. Vizex will load the contours you created earlier.

3.

Click the Create DTM toolbar button to display the Selection Assistant.

The Selection Assistant will begin with Step 1 highlighted, asking you to select the strings from which it can create the DTM. It’s also automatically activated the Select Tool. You’re now ready to select the contour lines: 4.

Drag a rectangle that encompasses all of the contour lines. The selected lines will be highlighted when you release the mouse,. If you didn’t select all of the lines, drag a larger rectangle. You can repeat this process as often as needed.

5.

Click the Accept Selection button to proceed to Step 2, which asks you to specify an optional restriction string.

6.

There is no restriction string, so click Accept Selection again to proceed to the Build DTM dialog.

7.

On the Build DTM dialog, double-click the Type response and choose DTM.tdb from the list, then enter the Name TOPO.


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Notes:

8.


Click the Attributes... button and change the Colour from black to green. Close the Wireframe Properties dialog once you’ve done this.

Although there is an Auto-load option on this dialog, we need to learn about the options for manually loading a wireframe so we won’t use it here. 9.

Ensure Auto-load the created wireframe is disabled.

10. Ensure Process as contours is enabled. 11. Click OK to build the DTM. Now you can manually load the newly created DTM: 12. Double-click the Wireframes form set type in the Vizex Forms pane.

13. Ensure that the Input Data tab is active and the Wireframe group is set to Single. 14. Double-click the Type response and choose DTM.tdb from the list. 15. Double-click the Name response and choose TOPO from the list. 16. Switch to the Draw Options tab and set the Draw Style to 3D Shaded. 17. Enable Use Colour coding and double-click the Colour set response. 18. Choose NVG_TOPO DTM colours from the list of available colour sets. 19. At this point the DTM is worth inspecting, so click OK to display it. Your display should look like the following diagram.

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Notes:

Draping Images onto DTMs Using a DTM in combination with a georeferenced air photo makes it possible to display a semi-realistic representation of a topographic surface. The technique of positioning an image on a 3D surface is known as draping.

Exercise 5.2: Drape an air photo onto the topographic DTM In this exercise you’ll drape an air photo onto the DTM. Begin by opening the Wireframes dialog and specifying the name of the image file: 1.

Double-click the Untitled (DTM TOPO) layer in the Display pane to open its dialog. It will open back on the Draw Options tab, which is where you last left it.

2.

Switch to the Drape Options tab and choose Image.

3.

Click the browse […] button next to the Image file response and navigate to the Import folder. Select the MMI_IMAGE.ECW file.

4.

Ensure the Georeference option is enabled.

Vizex will automatically choose Micromine (GRF) georeferencing from the Source list. Now save the settings as a form set: 5.

Click the Save As button and save a form set with the Title Topo DTM with airphoto.


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Notes:

6.


Click OK on the Save Current Values and Wireframes dialogs to display the modified DTM.

At this point the display should resemble the following illustration:

Optional: If needed, change the transparency of the DTM by changing the Transparency slider on the Display Options tab. 7.

Double-click the Topo DTM with airphoto layer in the Display pane to open the dialog.

8.

Switch to the Advanced Options tab and drag the Transparency slider to about 20%. Click OK to apply the changes without saving them to the form set.

9.

Once you’re finished experimenting with the transparency, select Edit | Remove All from the menu to clean up the display, answering No when prompted to save changes.

Plotting views containing wireframes To plot a view containing an image draped on a wireframe, first save the view as a Saved View, and then select Plot | Generate Vizex 3D Plot from the menu. A 3D Plot is drawn directly from a Vizex view and can correctly handle the draping, texturing, and shading of a wireframe. If you generate a regular plot file instead, the Plot Editor won’t be able to correctly interpret the wireframe and it may be drawn poorly, if at all. More information on plotting is in Part 4 – Plotting 1.

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Lesson 5 Summary

Notes:

In this lesson you learned to create and work with DTMs. To create a DTM: Select the desired strings from a display layer and click the Create DTM button, or Click the Create DTM button and then follow the Selection Assistant. To load a DTM: Double-click the Wireframes Vizex form set in the Vizex Forms pane, and Set up the Wireframes dialog as needed. To drape an image on a DTM: Switch to the Drape Options tab on the Wireframes dialog, then Select Image mode, and Browse to the desired Image file, then Choose the appropriate Georeferencing options.

Good Practice Always specify a default colour when you create a new wireframe. If you don’t the wireframe will be displayed in black and no texture will be visible when you display it. You should not use a colour set to change the default colour of a wireframe. Instead, right-click its Name on any dialog that references it and change the colour on the Wireframe Properties dialog. Use 3D Shaded display mode to display a DTM in 3D, particularly if you want to drape an image on it. However, switch to 2D Slice mode whenever the DTM needs to appear as a profile in a vertical section. You can change the draw style of a wireframe at any time by right-clicking the layer in the Display pane and choosing Draw Style from the pop-up menu. Auto draw style will automatically switch between 3D Shaded mode in plan view and 2D Slice mode in section view.


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Notes:


Lesson 5 Summary (continued) Help Topics

Page 2.96

For information on:

See:

Building a DTM

[Index] > Vizex > Tools > Generate a surface DTM (link on page)

Loading a wireframe

Display >Vizex > Wireframe

Draw Style

Display >Vizex > Wireframe > Draw options

Draping an image

Display >Vizex > Wireframe > Drape options


MICROMINE TRAINING 3D PRESENTATION

·

BEGINNER

.


Part 3 – 3D Presentation

PART 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3D Presentation INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 1 LESSON 1 – CREATING A REALISTIC DISPLAY ................................................................................. 2 DRAPING AN I MAGE ONTO A DTM ................................................................................................................ 2 ENABLING PERSPECTIVE MODE .................................................................................................................... 4 SETTING THE BACKGROUND COLOUR ............................................................................................................. 5 CONTROLLING THE LIGHTING ...................................................................................................................... 6 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER ........................................................................................................................ 8 Hiding the Horizon............................................................................................................................ 8 CHANGING SURFACE SHININESS ................................................................................................................... 9 LESSON 2 – CREATING A FLY-THROUGH ANIMATION .................................................................... 13 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 13 CREATING A FLIGHT PATH........................................................................................................................ 14 SETTING FLIGHT PATH OPTIONS ................................................................................................................ 16 REFINING A FLIGHT PATH ........................................................................................................................ 17 RENDER A FLY-THROUGH AS A WINDOWS MEDIA FILE ...................................................................................... 19 LESSON 3 – SAVING AND CREATING OTHER OUTPUT .................................................................... 25 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 25 SAVING A 3D VIEW................................................................................................................................ 25 LOADING A SAVED 3D VIEW ..................................................................................................................... 26 CREATING A VIZEX 3D PLOT ..................................................................................................................... 26 GENERATING A SCREENSHOT .................................................................................................................... 26 PRODUCING A VIRTUAL REALITY FILE .......................................................................................................... 27

SIDEBARS Limitations of image draping .................................................................................................................... 4 Sky blue? ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Restoring classic Micromine lighting .......................................................................................................... 7 Record viewpoints first .......................................................................................................................... 14 Creating a fly-through: art or science?..................................................................................................... 19 What size should I make my video? ........................................................................................................ 21 What’s video compression, what’s a video codec and how do I choose one? ............................................ 21 Choosing a virtual reality viewer ............................................................................................................. 28

TABLES Table 2.1: Common TV video sizes and frame rates .................................................................................. 24 Table 2.2: Common computer video sizes and frame rates ........................................................................ 24


Revision 2011-07D1



PART 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) 3D Presentation EXERCISES Optional Exercise 1.1: Drape an image onto a DTM .................................................................................... 2 Exercise 1.2: Enable Perspective Mode...................................................................................................... 4 Exercise 1.3: Set the background colour ................................................................................................... 5 Exercise 1.4: Add a light.......................................................................................................................... 7 Exercise 1.5: Create a realistic 3D view ..................................................................................................... 9 Exercise 2.1: Create a fly-through ...........................................................................................................14 Exercise 2.2: Set flight path options.........................................................................................................16 Exercise 2.3: Refine the flight path by making direct edits to the string .......................................................18 Exercise 2.4: Render the fly-through as a Windows media file ....................................................................20 Exercise 3.1: Save the 3D view ...............................................................................................................25 Exercise 3.2: Load a Saved View .............................................................................................................26 Exercise 3.3: Create a Vizex 3D Plot ........................................................................................................26 Exercise 3.4: Generate a high-resolution screenshot ..................................................................................27 Exercise 3.5: Export a virtual reality file ...................................................................................................28 Exercise 3.6: Restore the original lighting and background .........................................................................28

Revision 2011-07D1



Introduction


Notes:

Communicating complex 3D ideas to non-technical audiences is an important part of the resource development workflow. Whether your audience includes joint venture partners, potential investors, or local townsfolk, they’re unlikely to have ever used 3D modelling software and most probably lack the 3D acuity to mentally convert a printed plan or cross section into a 3D model. For example, the two images below cover essentially the same area. Although an earth scientist could easily interpret the upper image and mentally picture the data in 3D, the lower image will have a far greater impact on a non-technical person. The people who invest in a project or approve project funding are often non-technicians so it quite literally pays to present your project data in a format they can understand.

The following lessons will teach you the basics of creating a realistic display, creating and rendering a fly-through animation as a Windows media file, and saving the display in a variety of 3D formats.


Page 3.1


Notes:


Lesson 1 – Creating a Realistic Display Duration: 15 minutes One of the simplest ways to produce a semi-realistic 3D display is to take an air photo or satellite image and drape it onto a digital elevation model (DTM). The 2D image will mould to the 3D shape of the DTM, increasing the realism of the DTM. Doing this in a 3D perspective view with the appropriate lighting and background options will further enhance the realism of the display. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Drape an image onto a DTM;

·

Toggle between perspective and orthogonal display modes;

·

Set a realistic sky background colour, and

·

Control lighting and surface shininess.

Draping an Image onto a DTM In the following exercise, which is revision of Exercise 5.2 in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data, you’ll drape an image onto your DTM as the first step towards producing a pseudo-realistic display.

Optional Exercise 1.1: Drape an image onto a DTM To drape an image we begin by loading the DTM wireframe: 1.

Double-click the Wireframes object in the Vizex Forms tree.

2.

Switch to the Input Data tab on the Wireframes dialog, and ensure the Single option is selected.

3.

Double-click the Type response and choose DTM.tdb from the list. Next, double-click the Name response and choose TOPO from the list.

4.

Switch to the Draw Options tab. Ensure the Draw Style is set to 3D Shaded and Use Colour Coding is disabled.

With the DTM loaded we can now drape the image:

Page 3.2

5.

Switch to the Drape Options tab and select the Image option.

6.

Double-click the Image file response (or click the browse [...] button) and navigate to the Import folder. Select MMI_IMAGE.ecw from the list.

7.

Vizex will automatically set the Georeference Source to Micromine (GRF). The dialog should resemble this:




Notes:

Now that the settings are defined we can save them as a form set: 8.

Click the Save As button and save a form set with the Title Topo DTM with airphoto.

9.

Click OK to display the draped image on the wireframe.

At this point the display should resemble the following illustration:

The draped appearance of the image will be more realistic if the image and DTM both contain enough detail. You must also ensure that the image is referenced to the same coordinate system as the DTM, otherwise it won’t drape properly. You can optionally control the transparency of the DTM by changing the Transparency slider on the Advanced Options tab. This tab also allows


Page 3.3


Notes:


you to control the amount of smoothing in the triangle edges by adjusting the Smooth Wireframe slider.

Limitations of image draping Your graphics card controls the amount of detail that can be draped onto a wireframe. To inspect this amount, select Tools | Check Graphics Configuration from the main menu. The Maximum texture size shows the maximum amount of detail that can be draped. Images larger than this will be sub-sampled to fit.

Enabling Perspective Mode If you’ve ever stood on a set of railway tracks you’ll know they appear to converge over distance even though they are actually parallel. Tracks that are straight over a long distance, such as on Australia’s Nullarbor Plain or the North American prairies, will ultimately appear to converge at a point near the horizon. This is known as vanishing point perspective and is one of the visual cues that we use to judge distance and depth in the real world. Vizex uses the same principle for producing a realistic 3D view: features that are further from the current viewpoint will be smaller than features close to it, and parallel lines will appear to converge over distance. You achieve this by selecting Perspective Mode on the View toolbar. Without it your 3D data will be drawn in orthogonal mode and will appear as a magnified view seen from a great distance. However, Perspective Mode can be distracting when viewing a plan or vertical section, and can be downright misleading when you’re drawing interpreted or design strings. Because of this, Perspective Mode is not enabled by default. You’ll inspect the effect of Perspective Mode in the next exercise.

Exercise 1.2: Enable Perspective Mode To enable Perspective Mode:

Page 3.4

1.

Click the Perspective Mode button on the View toolbar and inspect its effect on the data.

2.

Use the Rotate Tool to turn the view in 3D so you are looking at the DTM from a low angle.

3.

Toggle Perspective Mode on and off and inspect its effect. Note how the sense of depth is severely diminished when it’s turned off.

4.

Leave it turned on in preparation for the next exercise.



Setting the Background Colour


Notes:

The background colour is an important aspect of any realistic 3D display. The outdoor sky generally doesn’t appear black, white, or grey, so it’s desirable to use a sky-blue colour instead. Vizex offers three different background colour modes, which are accessible from the View | Vizex Background Options menu: ·

Simple: Displays a single background colour;

·

Gradient: Smoothly grades between two colours from the top to the bottom of the screen. This mode is useful for lessening the visual impact of using a single colour;

·

Sky and Ground: Uses any combination of colour ramps or colour sets to independently control the sky and ground colours.

You’ll use Sky and Ground in the following exercise.

Exercise 1.3: Set the background colour To set the background colour using Sky and Ground mode: 1.

From the main menu, select View | Vizex Background Options.

2.

Select the Sky and Ground option.

The colours for Sky and Ground mode are already set by default, but it’s useful to inspect them before applying them to the view. 3.

Right-click the Colour set response for the Sky Hemisphere and choose Edit from the pop-up menu.

Sky colours are defined in terms of altitude above the horizon, measured in degrees from zero (the horizon) to 90 (the zenith). Note that 0 and 90 do not appear as they are implied by the first and last ranges in the colour set. Also note how the sky is pale near the horizon, becomes darker as the altitude increases, and then becomes pale again approaching the zenith. 4.

Click Cancel to close the colour set.

5.

Inspect the Ramp settings for the Ground Hemisphere.

Ground colours are defined very simply, using a pale brown at the nadir (directly below) and slowly grading to a darker brown at the horizon. 6.

Click OK to apply Sky and Ground mode to the display.

7.

Use the Rotate Tool to turn the view in 3D so that the horizon crosses near the middle of the screen. Your display should resemble this:


Page 3.5



Notes:

Sky blue? The sky is a much lighter blue than many people realise, especially near the horizon. Additionally, the gradation of colour in the sky is not linear; instead the colour changes quickly within about 15° of the horizon, and much more slowly as the altitude increases towards the zenith (90°). The Sky Hemisphere colours have been created to accurately simulate this change of colour.

Controlling the Lighting Lighting is another important aspect of producing a realistic 3D display. Select View | Vizex Lighting Options from the main menu to control the lighting in Vizex. Vizex provides two types of light: ·

Scene Light: One or more point lights that cast a glow evenly in all directions, which can be positioned anywhere relative to the data;

·

Head Light: A point light that illuminates the data from the viewing position, literally like the headlights of a vehicle. Because it always originates from the viewing position, shadows and highlights will change as you rotate the data in 3D.

In the following exercise you’ll add a third light to illuminate the hillsides from the south, which currently appear a little too dark. Page 3.6




Notes:

Exercise 1.4: Add a light To add the light: 1.

From the main menu, select View | Vizex Lighting Options.

2.

On the Vizex Lighting dialog, select Enable Light 3 and enter the following values: Prompt

Setting

Azimuth:

180

Altitude:

60

3.

Click OK to apply the new light and note the effect on the DTM as you do so. Your display should resemble the following diagram (compare this with Exercise 1.3):

4.

Keep the view open in preparation for the next exercise.

Restoring classic Micromine lighting Earlier Micromine versions used a different lighting model, which you may want to restore under some circumstances. For compatibility the Vizex Lighting dialog contains form sets for both Version 11 and 2010 default lighting. You can easily switch between them by clicking the Forms button and choosing the desired form set.


Page 3.7


Notes:


Putting it all Together Producing a visually appealing 3D scene is as much art as it is science. In addition to controlling technical aspects like draping, perspective, background, and lighting it’s also important to consider the artistic appearance of the view. The most important technique for improving the appearance of a 3D view is to always use Perspective Mode and Sky and Ground lighting. For an above-ground view it’s also essential to create an illusion of a real aerial view. Useful ways to do this are: ·

Get close to the data so the screen hides the front, left- and right-hand edges of the DTM, creating the illusion that the DTM continues forever;

·

Position the viewpoint as if you were realistically flying above the data at low altitude to create a sense of depth and drama, and

·

Position the viewpoint so that the DTM hides the horizon, giving the illusion that it is the horizon.

The horizon that Micromine draws (between the sky and ground hemispheres) is situated at an infinite distance and an altitude of zero, just like the real horizon. You can’t change its position (just like the real horizon), so you may need to use other methods if you can’t hide it using the tips above. You’ll apply the techniques for creating an aerial view illusion in the next exercise.

Hiding the Horizon The best way to hide the horizon is to extend your DTM well beyond the project area. If you don’t have enough data to do this you can either “invent” temporary data just for the 3D presentation, or download regional digital elevation data from an online source. Government organisations like Geoscience Australia (GA), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), amongst others, are good sources of free elevation data, although you may need to use GIS software to convert them into a format that Micromine can understand.

SRTM data are available for most of the earth’s surface within 60° north or south latitude. Sky and Ground lighting may be inappropriate for an underground view depending on the extents of the surface DTM. However, you can still create a sense of depth and drama by positioning yourself next to and looking along a drive, heading, or stope to make use of the converging parallel lines.

Page 3.8



Exercise 1.5: Create a realistic 3D view


Notes:

We’ve already done the preparatory work for the 3D view so the only remaining task is to position the viewpoint in such a way that we create the illusions described above. 1.

Rotate, pan, and zoom the data until you produce a satisfactory view. Your display might resemble this:

2.

Compare this view with the one shown in Exercise 1.4, and keep it open in preparation for the next lesson.

Although the change in viewpoint is subtle it has a major effect on the illusion of reality. Within the limits set by the available data this view does almost look like a photograph from the window of a low-flying aircraft, even though we know the DTM stops just beyond the screen. In comparison, because the edges of the DTM are visible in Exercise 1.4, that view looks more like a model in a transparent box.

Changing Surface Shininess The Vizex Lighting dialog also allows you to set the surface shininess of objects such as grids, block models, and wireframes. Shininess is of limited value when you’re creating a realistic 3D display but it is very useful for revealing subtle texture in surfaces with little relief. For example, consider the following scene (containing a topographic DTM from a different project), which uses a headlight with no shininess. This lighting model clearly reveals large features in the hilly terrain, but the flat terrain to the right is almost completely featureless.


Page 3.9



Notes:

In comparison, the scene below uses directional lights with around 30% surface shininess. Note how a great deal more texture is visible in the flat area to the right.

If these images had been of geophysical data you would expect to derive a great deal more structural information from the second image, especially in areas with low geophysical relief.

Page 3.10



Lesson 1 Summary


Notes:

In this lesson you learned to create a realistic display. To load a DTM and drape an image: Double-click the Wireframes object in the Vizex Forms tree, then Choose the appropriate Wireframe, and Switch to the Drape Options tab, then Load the image file, and To enable Perspective Mode: Click the Perspective Mode button on the View toolbar. To change the background colour: From the main menu, select View | Vizex Background Options, then Choose the appropriate background mode, and Set the appropriate colour(s) or colour set(s). To control the lights: From the main menu, select View | Vizex Lighting Options, then Enable or disable a Scene Light or the Head Light as needed, and Enter the Azimuth and Altitude of the desired Scene Light. To change surface shininess: From the main menu, select View | Vizex Lighting Options, and Drag the Object Shininess slider to the appropriate level. To produce a visually pleasing 3D view: Always use Perspective Mode and Sky and Ground backgrounds, and Create an illusion of realism by getting close to the data, so that: The edges of the screen hide the edges of the DTM, and The DTM hides the horizon.


Page 3.11


Notes:


Lesson 1 Summary (Continued) Good Practice Remember that creating a pleasing 3D view is as much art as it is science, so take some time to consider the best viewpoint. Many organisations provide free elevation data, so consider searching online if you need to extend your DTM to create a better 3D view.


See:

View toolbar

View > Viewpoint > View toolbar

Creating a DTM (Vizex)

[Index] > DTM > Create from strings or points

Creating a DTM (Menu) DTM > Creating a surface

Page 3.12

Images

Display > Vizex > Image > Load and display an image

Background options

View > Vizex Background Options

Lighting options

View > Vizex Lighting Options



Lesson 2 – Creating a Fly-through Animation


Notes:

Duration: 30 minutes Nowadays virtually every proposed highway or urban redevelopment is shown in the mass media using a fly-through animation. Similarly, programs like Google Earth™ make it possible for anyone to produce a fly-through animation. In this lesson you’ll learn to create a fly-through in Vizex and render it as a Windows media file. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Understand some of the art behind creating a fly-through animation;

·

Create a fly-through, and

·

Render it as a Windows media file.

Introduction A fly-through serves the same purpose as the 3D view we created in Lesson 1 – it presents complex data in a realistic and easily digestible format. The camera movement in a fly-through creates an enhanced sense of depth — nearby objects move past more quickly than distant ones — and an enhanced sense of drama. It also allows you to naturally direct the viewers’ attention from one part of your project to another. Creating a fly-through involves two tasks: ·

Defining the path along which the camera will fly, called the flight path. Each point in the flight path is called a viewpoint.

·

Setting the direction in which the camera will look at each viewpoint in the flight path, called the view direction.

The actual flight path and changes in view direction are smoothed on-the-fly, requiring only a few viewpoints to create an entire fly-through. Once the flight path file has been created it can be reloaded and replayed using any data that exist within the same coordinate space as the original data. Vizex will display the Flight Path toolbar while you’re editing or displaying a fly-through. This toolbar is split into three sections and contains all of the tools that you need to create or open, record, modify, play back, and create a movie from a fly-through.

You use the buttons near the centre-left of the toolbar, highlighted below, to manipulate the flight path.


Page 3.13



Notes: Modify Current

Delete Current

Insert Before

Insert After

Move Last

Move Next

Move Previous

Move First

Stop Playback

Play

Before creating a fly-through animation it’s important to plan the overall flight path and the view direction of key viewpoints in the animation. This process is known as storyboarding the fly-through. Work on the flight path can begin once the storyboard is created.

Creating a Flight Path As we’ve seen, creating a fly-through involves setting the location of viewpoints in the flight path and the viewing direction of the camera at each viewpoint. You can define these using any combination of: ·

Recording viewpoints using the standard View controls to position the camera, and then using one of the Insert buttons to record the viewpoint, or

·

Making direct edits to viewpoint coordinates and view directions as if the flight path were an ordinary string file.

The easiest way to begin a fly-through is by recording viewpoints. You’ll automatically produce the flight path as you define the key viewpoints from your storyboard; from here you can make adjustments using direct edits on the flight path string. In the next exercise you’ll explore the basic tools by creating a simple fly-through using recorded viewpoints.

Record viewpoints first Recording viewpoints is the safest way to begin a fly-through. It’s a visual process that works well with the storyboard concept and produces a ready-made flight path string. Once the basic flight path is recorded you can finesse it by directly adjusting the string.

Exercise 2.1: Create a fly-through Before we begin the fly-through we’ll storyboard its key viewpoints. This flythrough will be a simple south-to-north “loop”. We’ll start with an overview, fly in from the south, and then fly low over the hills towards the north. As we reach the northern edge of the data we’ll look back towards the south but continue flying upwards and away from the data in a northerly direction. We’ll finish the flythrough where we began, giving us the opportunity to play it as a continuous loop. The six key viewpoints are shown here:

Page 3.14




Notes:

1

2

3

4

5

6

To give the flight path some context and give you the opportunity to fly below-ground, we’ll begin by adding some drillhole data to the display: 1.

Expand the Drillhole Trace list in the Vizex Forms pane and drag the Example drillhole lithology form set into the display.

To create the flight path: 2.

From the main menu, select View | Flight Path | New.

Vizex will add a Flight Path layer to the Display pane and display the Flight Path toolbar. Our first task is to create a viewpoint at the beginning of the fly-through. We’ll also re-use it at the end so we’ll save it as a Display Limits form set before continuing. 3.

Click the Plan View button followed by the View All button (both on the View toolbar) to reset the view. If necessary, manually adjust the zoom level so the data resembles Viewpoint 1 of the storyboard.

4.

Right-click anywhere within the Vizex window and choose Display Limits from the pop-up menu.

5.

On the Display Limits dialog, ensure the 3D View tab is active, then click Forms followed by Save As. Set the Title to Flythru start-end and click OK on both dialogs to return to Vizex.

6.

Click the Insert After button on the Flight Path toolbar to record the first viewpoint.

Now that the start (and end) viewpoint is defined we can record the rest of the fly-through. 7.

Rotate the view downwards (by pushing the data away) about 45° to resemble Viewpoint 2, and click Insert After a second time.

8.

Now zoom in and rotate the view until it resembles Viewpoint 3. Click Insert After to record it.

9.

Using the Seek Tool, click a point on the far side of the DTM to immediately fly to it. Rotate the view horizontally by 180° so that it resembles Viewpoint 4. Click Insert After to record it.

The Seek Tool is an excellent way to move beyond the middle of your data. 10. Repeat the above steps to record Viewpoint 5. Viewpoint 6 is the same as Viewpoint 1, so we’ll re-use the Display Limits form set that we created earlier. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 3.15


Notes:


11. Click the Sections tab at left of the screen to display the Sections window, and then expand the Display Limits list. 12. Double-click Flythru start-end to apply it to the display, and then click Insert After to record Viewpoint 6. 13. Save your work by clicking the Save toolbar button, or by selecting File | Save from the main menu. Name the file TRAINING. 14. Finally, click the Play button to test your fly through.

You can reload a previously saved fly-through by selecting View | Flight Path | Open from the menu, or by clicking the Open Flight Path File toolbar button. Note that the number of markers on the Flight Path Slider (to the right of the toolbar buttons) corresponds to the number of viewpoints that you recorded. If necessary, you can use this to advance to a particular viewpoint in the fly-through.

Setting Flight Path Options You probably noticed a black line trailing behind you when you recorded Viewpoints 4, 5, and 6. This line is the flight path that you recorded, but it is not the line that Vizex flew when you tested it. Instead, Vizex flew a mathematically smoothed or splined version of the flight path. You control the display of the spline, and other properties of the flight path, through the Flight Path Options dialog, which you can display by clicking the Flight Path Options toolbar button. In addition to displaying the spline you can also control the Spline Tension. Minimum tension produces a very smooth but ‘loose’ spline whereas maximum tension forces the spline to closely follow your original flight path. You control the duration of the fly-through using the Time option. The number you enter here either represents the duration of the fly-through (TOTAL FLIGHT PATH mode) or the time between viewpoints (BETWEEN EACH VP mode). Use TOTAL to hold a constant flight speed, or BETWEEN to vary the flight speed according to the distance between viewpoints: the further apart they are, the faster the flight. You’ll explore some of these options in the next exercise.

Exercise 2.2: Set flight path options To set flight path options:

Page 3.16




1.

Click the Flight Path Options toolbar button, or alternatively, select View | Flight Path | Flight Path Options from the menu.

2.

Change the time value to 45 seconds and ensure that Mode is set to TOTAL FLIGHT PATH.

3.

Enable Display Spline and set the following options: Prompt

Setting

Colour:

Red

Width:

THIN

Type:

DOT

4.

Click OK to apply the changes.

5.

Note the appearance of the spline, which is most easily seen if you click the Looking West button followed by the View All button.

Notes:

You can see that even with only six viewpoints the splined flight path is still very smooth. 6.

Play the fly-through and inspect the effect of the new time value.

7.

Drag the Flight Path Slider back to Viewpoint 1 in preparation for the next exercise.

Choose a time value that matches the amount of available time within which to show the fly-through, for example to synchronise to a recorded voiceover. But don’t make it too short or the fly-through will be too fast, potentially nauseating your audience.

Refining a Flight Path Creating a flight path by recording viewpoints, like we did in Exercise 2.1, is a useful beginning, but the resulting flight path will most probably need some refinement before it is considered a finished product. Refinements might include: ·

Adding or deleting viewpoints;

·

Changing the location of a viewpoint;

·

Changing the view direction of a viewpoint.

These changes can be made by either editing the flight path string with the regular Vizex editing tools, or interactively using the tools on the Flight Path toolbar; we’ll make the changes to the string in the next exercise. As you adjust each viewpoint, the spline will automatically recalculate to show the final result on the flight path.

Whenever you need to move a viewpoint set the view orientation so that the intended movement is in the plane of the screen. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 3.17



Notes:

Exercise 2.3: Refine the flight path by making direct edits to the string In this exercise we’ll begin by modifying Viewpoints 3 and 4 so that the flight path passes very close to the hillside. We want to change the heights of these viewpoints so we’ll view the flight path from one side to simplify the edits. To modify the viewpoints: 1.

Using the Section Tool, draw a cross section parallel to the flight path loop, so that you can see the entire loop from one side as shown here:

2.

Adjust the position of Viewpoints 3 and 4 so that the spline (not the original string) just grazes the top of the DTM.

Note how the spline automatically adjusts itself to the new viewpoint locations. You may need a couple attempts to avoid sending the spline below-ground. 3.

Once you’re finished editing the flight path, click the Clip View button to disable clipping.

4.

Play the fly-through and inspect the effect of the changes.

You could also interactively make the same changes with the following Flight Path tools: ·

Page 3.18

To interactively add a viewpoint, position the Flight Path Slider at the viewpoint before it, then position the view as desired, and click the Insert After button; © Copyright MICROMINE 2011


·

To interactively delete a viewpoint, position the Flight Path Slider on that viewpoint and click the Delete Current button;

·

To interactively change the location of a viewpoint, position the Flight Path Slider on that viewpoint, then position the view as desired and click the Modify Current button to apply the change;

·

To interactively change the view direction of a viewpoint, position the Flight Path Slider on that viewpoint, then select the Rotate View Direction tool and point the camera as desired. Finally, click the Modify Current button to apply the change.


Notes:

Creating a fly-through: art or science? Creating a fly-through is conceptually simple: You set up a series of viewpoints and let Micromine fly between them. However, getting the art right can be time-consuming so be prepared to invest some time if you want to produce a quality result. Here are some suggestions: ·

Always begin by recording storyboarded viewpoints so you can literally see where you’re going. You can adjust the flight path string later.

·

When recording viewpoints always change two axes of movement at a time. For example, simultaneously rotate the data away and move inwards. Changing two axes eliminates the “robotic” effect that occurs if only one axis is changed.

·

You can use the Vizex editing tools to modify the flight path string. For example, to simulate a “driver’s eye” view of an open pit mine, digitise points along the haul road, drape them on the pit DTM, and finally add 4 m to their elevations.

·

By default the camera looks along the direction of flight. However, you can use the Rotate View Direction tool to look in a different direction. Be sure to use the Modify Current button to apply the changes.

·

You can also change the view direction directly within the VFLY file. In ANGLE mode (the default) VALUE1 is the azimuth and VALUE2 the inclination of the view. You can enter new values here, or leave them blank to reset the view back to the direction of flight.

Render a Fly-through as a Windows Media File Although it’s easy to play a fly-through animation in Micromine, it can also be played outside Micromine by rendering the fly-through as a Windows media file. This makes it extremely versatile for events such as trade shows, board meetings, or in-house presentations. Click the Create Movie button to render a fly-through as a media file.


Page 3.19



Notes:

Exercise 2.4: Render the fly-through as a Windows media file To render the fly-through as a Windows media file: 1.

In the Display window, click the checkbox next to the Flight Path (TRAINING) layer to hide the flight path.

Clearly you don’t want to see it in the movie. 2.

Click the Create Movie toolbar button, or alternatively select View | Flight Path | Create Movie from the main menu.

3.

Fill out the Create Movie dialog as shown: Prompt

Setting

File:

TRAINING

Type:

AVI

Compression method:

Cinepak Codec by Radius

Quality:

Around 80%

Width:

640

Height:

360

Frames/second:

30

Show live preview:

Set

4.

Click OK to render the video.

5.

Let the video render for a minute, then press Esc to stop the process. Answer Yes when prompted to interrupt processing.

6.

To play the video, select File | Explore | Current Project and then double-click the TRAINING.avi file. Windows will launch a media player and play the video.

7.

Close the media player when you’re done. However, keep Windows Explorer open in preparation for the next lesson.

8.

Right-click the Flight Path (TRAINING) layer and choose Remove from the pop-up menu.

9.

Optionally, close the Flight Path toolbar by right-clicking anywhere in a blank toolbar area and deselecting it from the toolbar list.

10. Keep the display open in preparation for the next lesson. Although you requested 30 frames per second when you rendered the movie, this applies only to playback. The video will be recorded at the best frame rate your computer can manage. If the data are complex this might be only one or two frames per second; thus it might take several hours to render a complex video.

Page 3.20



What size should I make my video?


Notes:

In the preceding exercise setting the dimensions to 640 x 360 produced 16:9 widescreen output in a relatively small window. For full highdefinition output you should set the dimensions to 1920 x 1080, but be aware this will produce a much larger file – up to nine times larger. Consider the destination use of the video when you choose a size and frame rate. If it will be distributed online choose a small size and low frame rate to keep the file size manageable. On the other hand, choose a full high-definition (HD) widescreen format for maximum impact in a boardroom presentation. You should also consider the final output device. There is no point rendering a full HD video if it will be shown on a 1024 x 768 projector; you will only be wasting rendering time and disc space. Table 2.1 and Table 2.2 at the end of the Lesson Summary list some suggested video sizes and frame rates.

What’s video compression, what’s a video codec and how do I choose one? Video compression is a process that makes a video file small enough to be manageable. Consider a four-minute full HD video: uncompressed it would be nearly 42 GB (Gigabytes) in size! (If you don’t believe this, the calculation is below.) Compressed, it will easily fit on a CD. A video Codec (coder-decoder) carries out the compression process. The codecs available to you will depend on your individual computer; be aware that a video may not be compatible with other computers if you render it using an obscure codec. For maximum compatibility choose Cinepak Codec by Radius, which has been available on all Windows computers and media players since 1993. For a modern and higher-quality alternative consider Xvid, which you can download free of charge from http://www.xvid.org . You may need to install this codec on any other machines required to play your video, however Xvid video is widely supported by hardware devices and many now come bundled with the Xvid codec. (Note, although listed here, Micromine does not warrant or otherwise endorse this product.) Here’s the calculation: 1920 x 1080 (pixels) x 3 (colours) x 30 (frames/sec) x 60 (secs/min) x 4 minutes = 44,789,760,000 bytes. Divided by 10243 = 41.7 GB.


Page 3.21


Notes:


Lesson 2 Summary In this lesson you learned to create, modify, and render a fly-through animation. These are the topics that we’ve covered: To create a fly-through animation: Storyboard the key viewpoints beforehand, optionally saving them as Display Limits form sets, then Select View | Flight Path | New from the menu, and Visit each key viewpoint and click the Insert After button to add it to the flight path. To control the display and tension of the spline: Click the Flight Path Options button, and Enable Display Spline, then Set the appropriate display properties To edit a flight path directly on the string: Set the view orientation so the edit will be applied in the plane of the screen, then Use the Select Tool to select to move a viewpoint, or Ctrl+click a viewpoint to delete it, or Use the Insert Points tool to add a viewpoint. To interactively edit a flight path viewpoint: To add a viewpoint, position the Flight Path Slider at the viewpoint before it, position the view, and click the Insert After button, or To delete a viewpoint, position the Flight Path Slider on that viewpoint and click the Delete Current button, or To change the location of a viewpoint, position the Flight Path Slider on that viewpoint, position the view, and click the Modify Current button, or To change the view direction of a viewpoint, position the Flight Path Slider on that viewpoint, select the Rotate View Direction tool, point the camera, and click the Modify Current button. To render a flight path as a Windows media file: Turn off the Flight Path layer to hide the flight path, then Click the Create Movie toolbar button, and Enter the appropriate filename, type, compression (codec), size, and frame rate settings.

Page 3.22





Notes:

To choose a video codec: Use a widely available codec such as Cinepak for maximum compatibility, or Use a modern codec such as DivX, and Distribute the appropriate codec to the destination computer(s). To choose a video size and frame rate from the tables below: Consider the video’s final use, and Choose small dimensions and a low frame rate for online distribution, or Choose full HD for a boardroom-style presentation on HD-capable equipment.

Good Practice Check the lighting and background beforehand. Ensure that all parts of your data are adequately lit by adding lights if needed, and use the Sky and Ground background to add realism to the fly-through. Plan a storyboard of the key viewpoints before you start editing, saving each viewpoint as a Display Limits form set if desired. Having an idea of the order in which you visit different parts of your project will make it easier to create the flight path afterwards. Always begin a flight path by recording the key viewpoints from your storyboard. This will give you visual control over the fly-through as you’ll literally be able to see where you are going. The flight path string will be automatically created as you go. Display the spline so you can see the path that will actually be flown. Whenever you need to move a viewpoint, set the view direction so that the intended movement is in the plane of the screen.


See:

Flight Paths

View > Flight Path > ...

Lighting

View > Vizex > Vizex Lighting Options


Page 3.23


Notes:



Table 2.1: Common TV video sizes and frame rates

Width

Height

Frame Rate

320 720 720 1280 1280 1440 1440 1920 1920

240 480 576 720 720 1080 1080 1080 1080

30 30 25 25 30 25 30 30 60

Quality Name 70 80 80 80 85 85 85 85 85

VHS quality video DVD quality video (NTSC) DVD quality video (PAL) HD 720/25p quality video HD 720/30p quality video HD 1080/25p quality video HD 1080/30p quality video Full HD 1080/30p quality video Full HD Blu Ray quality video

Table 2.2: Common computer video sizes and frame rates

Page 3.24

Width

Height

Frame Rate

320 320 640 640 800 800 1024 1024 1280 1280 1366 1680

180 200 360 480 450 600 576 768 720 1024 768 1050

15 15 25 25 25 25 30 25 30 25 30 30

Quality Name 75 75 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80

CGA as widescreen CGA VGA as widescreen VGA SVGA as widescreen SVGA XGA as widescreen XGA SXGA as widescreen SXGA WXGA quality video WSXGA quality video



Lesson 3 – Saving and Creating Other Output


Notes:

Duration: 30 minutes In this lesson you’ll learn to create plot, image, and virtual reality output of your 3D view, which can be used in other applications. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Save and reload a 3D view;

·

Create a Vizex 3D Plot;

·

Generate a high-resolution screenshot for display in a report or presentation;

·

Export the view to a virtual reality file for display in a browser.

Introduction The 3D views that we created in the preceding lessons serve many communication purposes ranging from reports and presentations, to posters and wall charts, to interactive virtual reality files. Micromine also provides numerous tools to save or export a 3D view into a variety of formats that suit these and other purposes.

Saving a 3D View You often need to save a 3D view so that you can re-open it for later use. This is easy to do in Vizex using the same Saved View concept you learned in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating data. You simply choose View | Save Vizex View from the menu. Alternatively, double-click the Saved Views node in the Vizex Forms tree and then click the Save As button.

Exercise 3.1: Save the 3D view To save the view: 1.

Select View | Save Vizex View from the menu.

2.

Enter the Title DTM and drilling, and click OK to save the view.

3.

Select Edit | Remove All to remove all of the data from the display.


Page 3.25


Notes:


Loading a Saved 3D View Loading a saved view gives you a quick way to reload your data.

Exercise 3.2: Load a Saved View To load a previously saved view: 1.

Expand the Saved Views list in the Vizex Forms tree.

2.

Drag the DTM and drilling saved view onto the graphic display.

Creating a Vizex 3D Plot Any Vizex display, especially those in 3D, can be printed by creating a Vizex 3D Plot. These plots are covered in detail in Part 4 – Plotting 1, so this exercise will only give you a preview of their capabilities. 3D Plots have the advantage of remaining 3D, even in the Plot Editor, and being able to correctly render the texture and shading of views containing wireframes, draped images, grids, or block models.

Exercise 3.3: Create a Vizex 3D Plot To create a Vizex 3D Plot: 1.

Select Plot | Generate Vizex 3D Plot from the main menu.

2.

Click once anywhere within the plot area to select the plot frame. Its borders will be highlighted in red.

3.

Select the Pan Data Within Frame button on the Plot Editor toolbar.

4.

Hold the Shift key and drag the mouse around within the plot. Note how the view can be rotated as if you were still in Vizex.

5.

Hold the Ctrl key and drag the mouse vertically within the plot. Note how the view can also be zoomed as if you were still in Vizex.

6.

Close the Plot Editor window by clicking the [X] on the tab or upper right corner of the window once you’re done.

Generating a Screenshot Screenshots are frequently used in reports and presentations, and the Vizex Generate Screenshot option offers one significant advantage over regular Windows screen capture tools: you can adjust the resolution from 72 dpi to a maximum of 600 dpi. To generate a Vizex screenshot, either click the

Page 3.26



Generate Screenshot toolbar button or select View | Generate Screenshot from the main menu.


Notes:

Exercise 3.4: Generate a high-resolution screenshot To generate the screenshot: 1.

Rotate the view in 3D until it’s visually pleasing. Consider the techniques covered in Lesson 1 as you do so.

2.

Click the Generate Screenshot toolbar button. Alternatively, select View | Generate Screenshot from the main menu.

3.

Enter a Screenshot file name of Training_hires and set the Type to JPEG (*.jpg).

4.

Set the Background colour to white, and the Resolution to 150 DPI.

The Background colour is ignored if the Vizex background is set to Gradient or Sky and Ground. 5.

Redisplay Windows Explorer and then double-click the Training_hires.jpg file. Windows will launch a picture viewer to display the image.

6.

Display the image at 100% scale and note how it’s larger than the original Micromine window.

7.

Close the picture viewer when you’re done. However, keep Windows Explorer open in preparation for the next exercise.

Micromine also saves a 3D georeferencing (.GRF) file with the image, which means you can re-load it in Vizex. It will appear exactly where the screen plane was when you generated the screenshot.

Producing a Virtual Reality File Vizex allows you to export a 3D view as a virtual reality file, which you can send to colleagues who have an Internet browser equipped with a virtual reality plug-in. Your colleagues can then display the 3D view in their browser in much the same way as you displayed it in Vizex. This technique is excellent for sharing 3D models with remote site offices or head offices where people may not have access to a Micromine licence. VRML (Virtual Reality Markup Language) has been the standard virtual reality format for many years, although it was recently replaced by the X3D (eXtensible 3D Graphics) format. Micromine supports the creation of both formats, although fewer plug-ins appear to support X3D.


Page 3.27



Notes:

Exercise 3.5: Export a virtual reality file To export a virtual reality file: 1.

With the 3D view displayed, select View | Export Vizex Scene to | Virtual Reality File from the menu.

2.

Enter an Output Name of TRAINING and set the Type to WRL.

3.

In the Viewpoint Options group, enable Include current viewpoint position.

4.

Click OK to create the virtual reality file.

5.

Redisplay Windows Explorer and then double-click the TRAINING.WRL file. If a virtual reality plug-in is installed Windows will launch it and display the view.

6.

Inspect the tools provided by the plug-in and use them to pan, rotate, and zoom around the data.

7.

Once you’re done, close the virtual reality plug-in and Windows Explorer, and then select Edit | Remove All from the Micromine menu.

Choosing a virtual reality viewer The appropriate viewing software needs to be installed in order to display a virtual reality file. Many viewers are freely available for download; simply search for “VRML plug-in”. Two useful plug-ins are: Cortona3D Viewer, which is widely used but only supports VRML (WRL) format. It can be downloaded from: http://www.cortona3d.com/cortona. Bitmanagement Software BS Contact, which supports both VRML and X3D format. It can be downloaded from: http://www.bitmanagement.com/en/download. (Note, although listed here, Micromine does not warrant or otherwise endorse these products.)

Exercise 3.6: Restore the original lighting and background Before moving to the next lesson it’s important to restore the lighting and background to their original settings:

Page 3.28

1.

Select View | Vizex Background Options and change the background back to Simple.

2.

Select View | Vizex Lighting Options and turn off Enable Light 3.



Lesson 3 Summary


Notes:

In this lesson you learned to save and export a 3D view into a variety of formats. The topics that we’ve covered are: To save a 3D view: Select View | Save Vizex View from the main menu, and Enter the appropriate Title. To load a 3D view: Expand the Saved Views list in the Vizex Forms tree, and Drag the appropriate view into the graphic display. To create a Vizex 3D Plot: Select Plot | Generate Vizex 3D Plot from the main menu. To generate a high-resolution screenshot: Click the Generate Screenshot toolbar button, and Enter a Screenshot file name and set the desired Type, and Set the Background colour and Resolution as needed. To export a virtual reality file: Select View | Export Vizex Scene to | Virtual Reality File from the main menu, and Enter the appropriate Output Name and set the Type to the desired format, then Optionally, enable Include current viewpoint position.

Good Practice Creating a Saved View of an important 3D scene will allow you to revisit it in future. Vizex 3D Plots can be used in two ways: either directly from the current Vizex view (the default), or referencing a Saved View. The current Vizex view option allows you to immediately place any Vizex view into a 3D Plot. You can interact with the data in a 3D Plot as if you were still in Vizex, which is useful for refining the plot before printing it. See Part 4 – Plotting 1 for more information on 3D Plots. Use Generate Screenshot instead of a Windows screen capture utility so that you have better control over the resolution and output file format.


Page 3.29


Notes:


Lesson 3 Summary (Continued) Help Topics

Page 3.30

For information on:

See:

Saving and loading a Vizex view

View > Save Vizex View

Vizex 3D Plots

Plot Editor > Generating a Plot > Generating a 3D Plot

Screenshots

View > Generate Screenshot

Virtual reality files

View > Export Vizex Scene to

VRML plug-ins

http://cic.nist.gov/vrml/vbdetect.html

VRML standard

http://www.web3d.org/x3d/vrml/

X3D standard

http://www.web3d.org/x3d/


MICROMINE TRAINING PLOTTING 1

·

BEGINNER

.


Part 4 – Plotting 1

PART 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Plotting 1 LESSON 1 – INTRODUCING THE PLOT EDITOR ................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCING THE PLOT EDITOR ................................................................................................................. 1 OPENING A 2D PLOT LAYOUT ..................................................................................................................... 2 CHANGING THE PAPER SIZE ........................................................................................................................ 3 SCALING AND POSITIONING THE DATA ........................................................................................................... 4 CHANGING THE TITLE ............................................................................................................................... 5 On the Plot Layout............................................................................................................................ 6

Using a Plot Form ............................................................................................................................. 6 SAVING A PLOT LAYOUT ............................................................................................................................ 7 Revision: Automatically loading a plot file into the Plot Editor ................................................................ 8 PRINTING A PLOT LAYOUT ......................................................................................................................... 8 SUPPORTED FRAME TYPES ......................................................................................................................... 9 LESSON 2 – MODIFYING A PLOT LAYOUT ....................................................................................... 13 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 13 USING A TEMPLATE TO DISPLAY A PLAN VIEW ON A CROSS SECTION..................................................................... 13 MODIFYING THE COORDINATE GRID............................................................................................................ 15 ADDING A COMPANY LOGO ....................................................................................................................... 16 LESSON 3 – 3D PLOT LAYOUTS ....................................................................................................... 20 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 20 CREATING A 3D PLOT LAYOUT .................................................................................................................. 20 MANIPULATING THE DATA IN 3D................................................................................................................ 22 SAVING THE 3D PLOT LAYOUT .................................................................................................................. 22 OTHER USES FOR 3D PLOT LAYOUTS .......................................................................................................... 23

SIDEBARS The files that make a plot layout............................................................................................................... 2 Changing other Plot Settings .................................................................................................................... 4 Putting plot content ‘in the frame’ ............................................................................................................. 4 Dynamically rescaling a layout .................................................................................................................. 5 Creating a logo file ................................................................................................................................ 19 3D Plot templates supplied with Micromine .............................................................................................. 21 3D Plot layouts plot direct from the data.................................................................................................. 23

TABLES Table 1.1: Supported Plot Editor frame types ............................................................................................. 9


Revision 2011-07D1



PART 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Plotting 1 EXERCISES Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise

1.1: 1.3: 1.4: 1.5: 1.6: 1.7: 1.8: 2.1: 2.2: 2.3: 3.1: 3.2: 3.3:

Open a plot layout............................................................................................................... 2 Set the plot scale ................................................................................................................ 4 Position the data ................................................................................................................. 5 Change the title on the plot layout ........................................................................................ 6 Change the title using a plot form ......................................................................................... 7 Save the plot layout............................................................................................................. 8 Print the plot layout ............................................................................................................. 8 Display a plan view on the cross section ...............................................................................14 Modify the coordinate grid display ........................................................................................15 Add a company logo ...........................................................................................................17 Create a 3D plot layout .......................................................................................................20 Pan, rotate, and zoom the data in 3D ...................................................................................22 Save the 3D Plot layout.......................................................................................................22

Revision 2011-07D1



Lesson 1 – Introducing the Plot Editor


Notes:

Duration: 30 minutes In this lesson you’ll learn to open, modify, and print a plot layout that you created in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data. The result will be a drillhole cross section with an automatic plot title. You’ll also print the layout to PDF (if available). After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Load a plot layout into the Plot Editor;

·

Change the paper size of the plot layout;

·

Change the scale and position of the plot data;

·

Enter title text;

·

Modify the title using a pre-existing plot form;

·

Print your layout to PDF (if available), and

·

Save your plot layout to a new file.

Introduction The Plot Editor allows you to create plot layouts of your project data and then print them to a plotter or other output device. Plot layouts can be as simple or as complex as you need, with multiple frames incorporating other plots, coordinate grids, legends, images and tables. This lesson will teach you the basics of the Plot Editor. In later lessons you’ll create advanced layouts such as displaying a cross-section and plan on the same layout.

Introducing the Plot Editor You work within the Plot Editor window whenever you interact with a plot layout. This window provides a separate interactive environment similar to Vizex. Like Vizex, the Plot Editor window includes plotting-related toolbars and a set of docking windows through which you interact with your plot data. The Plot Editor toolbar contains essential tools for interacting with a plot layout and the Layout toolbar provides the tools necessary to design a plot layout. Docked at left of the Plot Editor window are the Plot Frames window, through which you manage the frames on a layout, the Plot Forms window, which contains definitions for ready-made plot frames, and the Properties window, with which you edit the properties of any frame on the layout. You’ll explore many of these tools and windows over next few lessons.


Page 4.1



Notes:

Main Toolbar

Layout Toolbar

Plot Frames Window Plot Forms Tab Properties Window

Opening a 2D Plot Layout You open a plot layout by selecting Plot | Open from the main menu. In the following exercise you’ll open one of the layouts that you created in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.

Exercise 1.1: Open a plot layout To open a plot layout: 1.

Select Plot | Open from the main menu. Alternatively, click the Open button on the Main toolbar.

2.

Ensure the file type is set to Plot Document (*.PEX).

3.

Select the file 15900mN.PEX and click Open. You screen will resemble the diagram on the following page.

The files that make a plot layout A complete plot layout consists of two files: a plot document (.PEX) file, which contains the cosmetic settings of the layout, and a plot (.PEL) file, which contains the plot data. Micromine automatically creates the plot document and gives it the same name as the plot file whenever you generate a plot file using Auto load into Plot Editor. Although it’s not compulsory to use Auto load..., doing so makes the two files easier to manage. The relationship between them is fully explained in Part 9 – Plotting 2. To open a plot file without a matching plot document, change the file type to PLOT (*.PEL) when you use Plot | Open. Page 4.2



Micromine will display the plot layout using the default 2D layout template, which was automatically applied when you created the file in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data. You can see that much of the configuration has already been done and only minor changes are needed.


Notes:

Hide or close the Vizex docking windows to clear additional space for the Plot Editor window.

Changing the Paper Size Layouts are created by default on A3 (420 x 297mm) paper so your first task when working with a new layout is usually to change the paper size. This is introduced in the following exercise, in which you’ll change the paper size to A4 so that the layout can be included in a report.

Exercise 1.2: Change the paper size To change the paper size: 1.

Double-click anywhere in the paper margins (on the page but outside the plot area) to display the Page Setup dialog. The margins will also be highlighted in red. Alternatively, select Plot | Print | Page Setup from the main menu.

2.

On the Plot Settings dialog, click the Forms button and browse to the Metric | Landscape | A4 Landscape form set (it’s easier if you collapse the Imperial node first).

3.

Double-click the form set, or click Open, to apply it to the layout, then click OK.


Page 4.3


Notes:


4.

Click the Zoom to Full Page button in the Plot Editor toolbar to zoom the layout to the new paper size:

5.

Click anywhere outside the page (on the window background) to deselect the paper margins. The red highlight will disappear.

Changing other Plot Settings The Plot Settings dialog also allows you to change the measurement units and default substitutions. Substitutions are covered in Part 9 – Plotting 2.

Scaling and Positioning the Data Now that the layout is on the correct paper we can turn our attention to editing it to suit our requirements. Our first task is to correctly scale and position the data within the plot frame.

Setting the Plot Scale Scales in a metric layout are always expressed as a representative fraction, or RF, such as 1:1000. Imperial layouts have access to other scales, such as inches-to-mile or foot-to-miles.

Exercise 1.3: Set the plot scale To set the plot scale: 1.

Click within the plot frame (the box containing the plot data) to select it. You’ll see its border highlighted in red.

Putting plot content ‘in the frame’ The rectangular boxes on a plot layout are called frames and the plot frame is simply the one containing the plot data. Depending on the layout other frames might contain title text, a scale bar, a legend, or a company logo. Managing the frames on a plot layout is covered in Part 9 – Plotting 2.

2.

Page 4.4

The Properties window should be visible. If not, click the Properties button in the Plot Editor toolbar to display it:




Notes:

3.

Select the X Scale value in the Properties window and change it to 1500.

4.

Select the Y Scale value and set it to the same value.

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

Positioning the Data Positioning the data is an interactive process that involves dragging the contents of a plot frame until they are correctly located within that frame.

Exercise 1.4: Position the data To position the data within the plot frame: 1.

Click the Pan Data Within Frame button in the Plot Editor toolbar:

2.

Ensuring the plot frame is selected (its border should be highlighted in red), drag the data until it is appropriately positioned within the frame.

3.

Note the changes to the X Centre and Y Centre values in the Properties window.

Dynamically rescaling a layout You can also dynamically rescale the data using the Pan Data Within Frame button by Ctrl+dragging the mouse vertically within the frame. Once the scale is visually correct, re-enter the nearest sensible scale in the Properties window.

With the data configured it’s time to work on the marginalia – the information around the margins of the plot frame.

Changing the Title The new layout includes several frames containing title text, but they currently display default placeholders. Our next task is to change the title text to something more appropriate. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 4.5


Notes:


There are two ways to supply title text for a layout: you can either enter it yourself or you can use a plot form to quickly load predefined text. You’ll learn both techniques in the next two exercises.

On the Plot Layout To change the contents of a text frame (or any other frame) on a layout, select the frame (so that its borders are highlighted in red) and then doubleclick it to display its dialog.

Exercise 1.5: Change the title on the plot layout To change the title text on the layout: 1.

Click anywhere in the title area at the bottom of the layout to select it. You’ll see its outer border highlighted in red.

2.

Double-click the TITLE frame (containing the text Plot Title / Description of Plot Title) to display the Text dialog. The frame border highlight will also change to include just this frame.

3.

In the Free Text edit area, replace the existing text with Introduction to Micromine / Training Plot. (The ‘/’ represents a line break. Press Enter to create it.)

4.

Click OK to apply the new title. Your TITLE frame should resemble this:

Using a Plot Form Although it’s possible to manually enter your own text, numerous plot forms are provided to give you a head start towards customising your layouts. You’ll use a plot form to create automatic title text in the next exercise.

Page 4.6




Notes:

Exercise 1.6: Change the title using a plot form In this exercise you’ll use a plot form to change the title text into an automatic title that combines the project title and plot filename.

You’ll learn to manage plot forms in Part 9 – Plotting 2. To change the title text using a plot form: 1.

If the TITLE frame is still highlighted, double-click it to redisplay the Text dialog. Otherwise repeat Steps 1 and 2 from Exercise 1.5.

2.

At the right of the dialog, click the Forms button and browse to the Title | Auto [+projtitle+plotfile] form set.

3.

Double-click the form set or click the Open button to load it into the dialog:

The text @projtitle is a predefined substitution that instructs Micromine to display the project title (which appears in the Micromine title bar) on the layout. Similarly, @plotfile will display the name of the plot file. You’ll learn about substitutions in Part 9 – Plotting 2. 4.

Click OK to apply the change to the layout. The title now contains text automatically constructed from the project title and plot filename.

You can change the contents and properties of any frame in a plot layout by double-clicking it.

Saving a Plot Layout To save a layout, select File | Save or File | Save As from the main menu. Alternatively, you can click the Save button on the Plot Editor toolbar, or press Ctrl+S.


Page 4.7



Notes:

Exercise 1.7: Save the plot layout To save the plot layout: 1.

Click the Save button in the Plot Editor toolbar, or select File | Save from the main menu, or press Ctrl+S.

2.

Leave the layout open in preparation for the next exercise.

Revision: Automatically loading a plot file into the Plot Editor In Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data you used Auto load into Plot Editor to automatically load a generated plot file into the Plot Editor. Be sure to select this option whenever you use Plot | Generate Plot File. This option saves time through not having to manually open the layout, and it also automatically creates and names the plot document (.PEX) file.

Printing a Plot Layout On the main menu, Plot | Print | Print Setup allows you to choose the desired printer and paper size. You must ensure that the paper you choose here matches the one used by the layout. Plot | Print | Page Setup gives you a second opportunity to configure the page. It’s exactly the same as double-clicking somewhere in the paper margins. To send the layout to the printer, select Plot | Print | Print. Alternatively, you can click the Print button on the Plot Editor toolbar, or press Ctrl+P.

In the next exercise you’ll print the layout to PDF.

Exercise 1.8: Print the plot layout To print the layout:

Page 4.8

1.

Select Plot | Print | Print Setup and choose the appropriate PDF printer. Choose Microsoft XPS Document Writer if no PDF printer is installed.

2.

On the Print Setup dialog, change the Paper Size to A4 and the Orientation to Landscape, then click OK to return to the Plot Editor.

3.

Click the Print button on the Plot Editor toolbar and then click OK on the Print Setup dialog to print the layout.



4.

If prompted for a filename, navigate to your project folder, enter 15900mN and click OK or Save.

5.

If a preview or PDF window appears, confirm that the layout was printed correctly and then close the window when done.


Notes:

Supported Frame Types In the preceding lessons we interacted with two different frame types: a 2D Plot frame and a Text frame. The Plot Editor supports a variety of other frame types including:

Table 1.1: Supported Plot Editor frame types 2D Plot: Contains spatial data supplied by a plot file. Can be interactively zoomed and panned.

3D Plot: Contains spatial data supplied by a Vizex Saved View. Can be interactively rotated, zoomed, and panned.

Empty: Contains no information. Background and border can be set, making it ideal for grouping other frames, for example to construct a neatline or title block.

Image: Contains image data in a wide variety of file formats. Ideal for displaying a company logo or site photograph.

Table 1.1 (continued): Supported Plot Editor frame types


Page 4.9



Notes: Legend: Contains legend items. Can be constructed from colour, hatch, or symbol sets, or manually.

Text: Contains any combination of literal text, predefined substitution parameters, or user-defined substitution parameters. Can also reference pre-Version 2010 plot text files. North Arrow: Displays a variety of different north arrow symbols.

Scale Bar: Displays a scale bar showing the current scale of the reference plot. Dynamically adjusts to changes in paper size or plot scale. Different styles are available.

Table: Displays data from any tabular Micromine file with a variety of formatting options.

Page 4.10



Lesson 1 Summary


Notes:

This lesson has introduced you to the Plot Editor and the process of editing a layout. Here’s what we’ve learnt: To open a plot layout: Select Plot | Open from the main menu, and Ensure the file type is set to Plot Document (*.PEX), then Select the desired file and click Open. To change the paper size of a layout: Double-click anywhere in the paper margins, or Select Plot | Print | Page Setup from the main menu, then Click the Forms button and browse to the desired paper size, and Double-click it to apply it to the layout. To set the scale: Select the plot frame, and Enter the X and Y Scale in the Properties window.

You can also use the Auto Scale option on the 2D Plot dialog, which is covered in Error! Reference source not found.. To reposition the data in the layout: Select the plot frame, and Click the Pan Data Within Frame button, and Drag the data to the correct location. To dynamically rescale the data in the layout: Select the plot frame, and Click the Pan Data Within Frame button, and Ctrl+drag the mouse to rescale the data. To change the text in a title frame: Select the appropriate frame, then Double-click the frame to display the Text dialog, and Enter the desired Free Text.


Page 4.11


Notes:


Lesson 1 Summary (Continued) To change text using a plot form: Select the appropriate frame, then Double-click the frame to display the Text dialog, and Click the Forms button and select to the appropriate plot form. To save a plot layout: Click the Save button in the Plot Editor toolbar, or Select File | Save (or Save As) from the main menu, or Press Ctrl+S. To print a plot layout: Select Plot | Print | Print Setup and choose the appropriate paper and printer, then Click the Print button on the Plot Editor toolbar, or Select Plot | Print | Print to print the layout.

Good Practice Always select Auto load into Plot Editor whenever you use Plot | Generate Plot File. This option saves time through not having to manually open the layout, and it also automatically creates and names the plot layout (.PEX) file.

Help Topics

Page 4.12

For information on:

See:

The Plot Editor

Plot Editor > Getting started

Creating a layout

Plot Editor > Generating a plot



Lesson 2 – Modifying a Plot Layout


Notes:

Duration: 25 minutes In this part of the training you’ll learn to make simple modifications to a layout, which are the first steps towards designing your own customised layout template. The lesson covers two important techniques: using a layout template to change the entire design, and modifying a plot frame to change the contents of a specific plot element. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Apply a template to a layout to change its overall design;

·

Add a plot file to a 2D Plot frame;

·

Modify the contents of a coordinate Grid frame;

·

Add a company logo to an Image frame.

Introduction A plot layout consists of one or more plot frames containing data and one or more frames of other types containing the various pieces of information that make up the marginalia of a layout. Modifications can be as broad as applying a completely new template to a layout or as subtle as changing the properties of a single plot frame. To speed up both processes Micromine ships with a variety of pre-defined layout templates and plot forms (a plot form defines the properties for a plot frame), and you’ll learn to use both of these in this lesson.

Using a Template to Display a Plan View on a Cross Section A common way of enhancing a drillhole cross section is to place a plan view of the holes along one edge of the layout. The plan view is oriented parallel to the section plane and matches the scale and location of the section. It shows the location of the holes in relation to the section, along with the thickness of the clipping windows towards and away. Micromine makes this process easy provided you’ve created a plan plot that encompasses the entire project area. To incorporate the plan plot, apply a Section+Plan layout template and then specify the name of the plan plot. The following exercise demonstrates this process.


Page 4.13



Notes:

Exercise 2.1: Display a plan view on the cross section To display the plan view: 1.

Ensure the Plot Frames window is visible. If it is not, click the Frames tab to display it:

2.

Right-click the 15900mN.PEX filename at the top of the tree.

3.

Choose Apply Template from the pop-up menu.

4.

Browse to the Layout Templates \ Section+Plan folder.

5.

Select Section+Plan Bottom.ptx and click Open to apply it.

Note how an empty plan window now appears at the top of the layout. The grey text indicates that the frame is a 2D Plot frame called Plan Plot. The entire layout has been reformatted by the new template.

Bottom refers to the location of the title frame, not the plan window. 6.

Double-click anywhere within the Plan Plot frame to display the 2D Plot dialog.

7.

Double-click the Plot file response and choose PLAN from the list.

8.

Click OK to apply the settings.

9.

Optionally, change the Paper Size back to A4 and reselect the Auto title text.

10. Your display should resemble the illustration on the following page. 11. Using the Pan Data Within Frame button, drag the data within the section view. Note how the plan view updates once you release the mouse. By using a template it was possible to add the plan plot with minimal effort. There are many other templates in the Layout Templates folder and we encourage you to explore them. You’ll learn to manage your own templates in Part 9 – Plotting 2, which is part of intermediate-level training.

Page 4.14




Notes:

Modifying the Coordinate Grid A coordinate grid overlay, which is supported by a Grid frame, is always associated with a 2D or 3D Plot frame. The coordinate grid supplied by the template uses a combination of major and minor gridlines. However, you can format a coordinate grid overlay in a variety of ways, which we’ll learn in the next exercise by adding a more subtle dotted grid. The Grid frame is subordinate to the Plot frame and is said to be a child of the plot. There’s no direct way to modify the grid’s properties from the layout so we’ll use the Plot Frames window to access it instead.

Exercise 2.2: Modify the coordinate grid display To modify the coordinate grid display: 1.

Ensure the Plot Frames window is visible. If it is not, click the Frames tab to display it:


Page 4.15


Notes:


2.

Click the [+] icon next to the Master Plot list to expand it. It contains one sub-item, the Master Plot Grid.

3.

Double-click the Master Plot Grid frame to display the Grid dialog.

4.

Click the Forms button at right of the Grid dialog and browse to the Label Inside Border | Label=metres folder. It will be easier to locate if you collapse the other folders.

5.

Choose Auto Spacing [DOTTED] from the list and click Open to apply it.

The spacing of the grid lines is currently automatic, but we’ll change it to a fixed 100 m interval. 6.

In the Line Settings group, change the Spacing for all three axes (East, North, and Z) to 100.

7.

Click OK to apply the changes.

8.

Optionally, repeat the above steps for the Plan Plot coordinate grid.

9.

Click the Save button on the Plot Editor toolbar to save your work.

Because a Grid frame is a child of its Plot frame you can only modify its properties from the Plot Frames window.

Adding a Company Logo Even if you’re happy to use the layouts provided by Micromine you’ll still need to add your own company logo to the title area. The simplest way to add a company logo is to save it as a popular image file like TIF, JPG, or PNG. Once it’s in that format it can be added to a layout using an Image frame, which you’ll do in the next exercise.

Page 4.16




Notes:

Exercise 2.3: Add a company logo To add a company logo: 1.

Click anywhere in the title area at the bottom of the layout to select it. You’ll see its outer border highlighted in red.

2.

Double-click the [Image “LOGO”] frame to display the Image dialog. The frame border highlight will also change to include just this frame.

3.

Double-click the Image file response and choose Micromine Logo.jpg.

4.

Ensure that Maintain aspect ratio is enabled.

5.

Click OK to apply the new logo. Your display should resemble this:

6.

Save and Close the layout once you’re done.

7.

When you’re finished, click the [X] on the 15900mN.PEX tab to close the Plot Editor window.


Page 4.17


Notes:


Lesson 2 Summary This lesson has introduced the basic ways to modify a plot layout. Here’s what we’ve learnt: To apply a template to a layout: Ensure the Plot Frames window is visible, then Right-click the layout filename at the top of the Plot Frames tree, and Choose Apply Template from the pop-up menu, then Select the desired template. To modify a (Grid) plot frame that is a child of another frame: Ensure the Plot Frames window is visible, then Click the [+] icon next to the parent frame’s list to expand it, and Double-click the child frame to display its dialog. Modify the parameters on the dialog, or Click the Forms button and select an existing plot form. To load a plot file into a 2D Plot frame: Double-click anywhere within the Plot frame to display the 2D Plot dialog, then Double-click the Plot file response and select the desired plot file. To add an image file reference to an Image frame: Select the Image frame, then Double-click Image frame to display the Image dialog, and Double-click the Image file response and select the desired image file, and Ensure that Maintain aspect ratio is enabled.

Good Practice Use pre-existing templates and plot forms where possible to speed up the plotting process.

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Notes:

Creating a logo file Micromine supports all common image formats, such as JPG, GIF, TIF, or PNG. When making a logo file it’s important to ensure the image is large enough to make high quality hardcopy output. The largest paper you’re likely to use might be A0 or ARCH E, which means the LOGO frame might be around 185 mm x 65 mm (7.2 x 2.5 inches). The image should be big enough to accommodate this. A simple rule is: if you view the logo at 100% scale on your computer screen it should just about fill the screen. If it’s only 65 mm high on your screen, it’ll be too small to print at maximum quality.


See:

The Plot Editor

Plot Editor > Getting Started

Templates

Plot Editor > Working with files and templates > Creating a layout from a template

Plot Forms

Plot Editor > Working with plot frames > Managing frame form sets

Parent/child relationships

Plot Editor > Working with plot frames > Managing plot frames

Adding a plot to a 2D Plot frame

Plot Editor > Working with plot frames > Adding a 2D plot


Page 4.19


Notes:


Lesson 3 – 3D Plot Layouts Duration: 15 minutes In this part of the training you’ll learn to work with 3D Plot layouts. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Create a 3D Plot layout;

·

Manipulate the 3D layout, including rotating the data in 3D;

·

Save the 3D layout, including updating the referenced Saved View;

·

Understand the alternative uses for 3D Plot layouts.

Introduction A 3D Plot layout is any plot layout containing a 3D Plot frame, and differs from a 2D Plot frame in three key areas: ·

It draws its data directly from a Vizex Saved View instead of a plot file;

·

It can handle the complex texturing and shading required when wireframes, block models, draped images, and 3D interpolated grids are drawn in 3D Shaded mode;

·

It can be interactively rotated in 3D within the layout in addition to the interactive panning and zooming of a 2D Plot frame.

With a 3D Plot layout you can interact with the data as if you were using Vizex, and once the data are positioned as desired you can print the layout as normal.

Creating a 3D Plot Layout You can create a 3D Plot layout in a variety of ways. The quickest way is to create it directly from Vizex, using Plot | Generate Vizex 3D Plot. There’s no need for an Auto load option here since 3D Plots are always immediately loaded into the Plot Editor. This method is best suited to layouts containing only one 3D Plot frame. Alternatively, create a layout containing one or more 3D Plot frames and then load the appropriate Vizex Saved View into each frame. This method is best suited to layouts containing multiple 3D Plot frames or a combination of 2D and 3D Plot frames. You’ll learn the Generate Vizex 3D Plot option in the next exercise.

Exercise 3.1: Create a 3D plot layout To create the 3D Plot layout: Page 4.20



1.

If you completed Part 3 – 3D Presentation, expand the Vizex Saved Views list and reload the DTM and drilling saved view, then proceed directly to Step 5.

2.

If you did not complete Part 3, load the following Vizex form sets instead: · Wireframes > Topo DTM with airphoto · Drillhole Trace > Simple assay display · Drillhole Hatch > Drillhole lithology

3.

Click the Perspective Mode button on the Vizex View toolbar to place the view into perspective mode, and rotate the view into a 3D orientation.

4.

Select File | Save View, or double-click the Saved Views node, and Save the view with the Title DTM and drilling.

5.

Select View | Vizex Background Options and enable Sky and Ground mode, then click OK.

6.

Select Plot | Generate Vizex 3D Plot from the main menu. Micromine will automatically load the view into a default 3D plot layout.

7.

Your display should resemble this:


Notes:

In the workplace you’d work on formatting the layout, filling out the frames in the title area, or perhaps by applying a different layout template. For brevity we’ll conclude this exercise here.

3D Plot templates supplied with Micromine A range of 3D Plot layout templates is provided in the Layout Templates\3D folder. In addition, the Layout Templates\Modern\Modern Poster template is also a 3D Plot template.


Page 4.21


Notes:


Manipulating the Data in 3D One of the coolest features of a 3D Plot frame is its ability to rotate data in 3D as if you were still using Vizex. However, because the rotation is applied to a frame within a window the keyboard and mouse combination is slightly different to Vizex. You’ll learn to use the correct keyboard/mouse combinations in the next exercise.

Exercise 3.2: Pan, rotate, and zoom the data in 3D To rotate the data in 3D: 1.

Click anywhere in the 3D Plot frame to select it. Its border will be highlighted in red.

2.

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

3.

Drag the mouse within the frame to pan the data.

Because the view was created in perspective mode it appears as if we are flying above the data rather than panning a map. 4.

Hold the Shift key and drag the mouse within the frame to rotate the data.

5.

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

Saving the 3D Plot Layout When you first create a 3D Plot layout Micromine draws its information from the currently displayed live Vizex view. Saving a layout in this configuration gives you the flexibility to re-open it using any displayed Vizex view. However, before saving this layout we’ll make a simple change that will permanently associate it with the original saved view.

Exercise 3.3: Save the 3D Plot layout

Page 4.22

1.

Double-click in the Master Plot frame to display the 3D Plot dialog. Its border will be highlighted in red.

2.

On the 3D Plot tab, choose the Saved Vizex view option.

3.

Double-click the Vizex view response and choose the DTM and drilling saved view.

4.

Click OK to apply the change.

5.

Click the Save button in the Plot Editor toolbar, or select File | Save from the main menu, or press Ctrl+S. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011


6.

Ensure Save as type is set to Plot Document (*.PEX).

7.

Enter the File name 3D View and click Save to save the file.

8.

Click the [X] on the 3D View.PEX tab to close the Plot Editor window once you’re done.

9.

Back in Vizex, select View | Vizex Background Options and change the background back to Simple, then click OK.


Notes:

3D Plot layouts plot direct from the data 3D Plot layouts have the advantage of not using a plot file. Instead, they plot directly from the current Vizex display or a Saved View, which are inturn derived directly from your data. You can use a 3D Plot layout whenever your data are rapidly changing since the layout will always display the most up-to-date information.

Other Uses for 3D Plot Layouts You can also display regular 2D data in a 3D Plot layout. Working this way offers two benefits: 1.

Up-to-date information: Because 3D plot layouts don’t use a plot file they always display the most up-to-date information.

2.

Complex shading: 3D plot layouts can handle complex texturing and shading more efficiently than 2D layouts. Texturing and shading are required for draped images, shaded wireframes, and shaded interpolated grids.


Page 4.23


Notes:


Lesson 3 Summary This lesson introduced the Plot Editor’s 3D Plot layouts. Here’s what we’ve learnt: To create a 3D Plot layout: Create a Vizex view containing the data you wish to display, and Consider enabling Sky and Ground mode and Perspective Mode for a more realistic 3D presentation, then Select Plot | Generate Vizex 3D Plot from the main menu. To manipulate data in a 3D Plot layout: Select the 3D Plot frame, and Click the Pan Data Within Frame button, then Drag the mouse within the frame to pan the data, or Shift+drag the mouse within the frame to rotate the data, or Ctrl+drag the mouse within the frame to zoom the data. To make a 3D Plot layout reference a Saved View: Double-click in the 3D Plot frame to display the 3D Plot dialog, then On the 3D Plot tab, choose the Saved Vizex view option, and Choose the appropriate Saved View. To save a 3D Plot layout: Ensure you have completed the Saved View steps above, then Click the Save button in the Plot Editor toolbar, or Select File | Save from the main menu, or Press Ctrl+S.

Good Practice 3D Plot layouts plot directly from the current Vizex display or a Saved View, and can handle complex shading and texturing. Use a 3D Plot layout for communicating complex ideas to non-technical audiences, whenever your data is rapidly changing, or if you need to support shading or texturing.


See:

Saving a Vizex view

View > Save Vizex View

3D Plot frames

Page 4.24

Plot Editor > Working with plot frames > Adding a 3D plot


MICROMINE TRAINING MACROS 1

·

BEGINNER

.


Part 5 – Macros 1

PART 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Macros 1 LESSON 1 – MACROS ......................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCING MACROS ............................................................................................................................. 1 WHY WRITE MACROS? ............................................................................................................................. 1 CREATING A MACRO ................................................................................................................................. 3 Creating Form Sets ........................................................................................................................... 3 Adding Default Values to Macro Dialogs .............................................................................................. 4

Editing a Macro File .......................................................................................................................... 7 RUNNING A MACRO ................................................................................................................................ 14 ALTERNATIVE MACRO (SECTION CONTROL FILE VERSION) ................................................................................. 15 TOOLBOX ............................................................................................................................................ 17 LESSON 2 – OPTIONAL: PLOTTING VIA A MACRO .......................................................................... 20 AUTOMATING THE PLOT EDITOR ................................................................................................................ 20

SIDEBARS Managing macro and interactive form sets ................................................................................................. 7 Understanding the macro Plot File field ..................................................................................................... 9 Loading a Saved View vs. loading individual form sets............................................................................... 11 Editing form sets within a macro............................................................................................................. 12

EXERCISES Exercise 1.1: Run an example macro......................................................................................................... 2 Exercise 1.2: Set up form sets for a cross-section plotting macro (Display Limits version)................................ 5 Exercise 1.3: Write a macro file ................................................................................................................ 9 Exercise 1.4: Run a macro ..................................................................................................................... 14 Exercise 1.5: Write and run a macro using a section control file ................................................................. 15 Optional Exercise 2.1: Write a macro to plot cross sections using the Plot Editor .......................................... 20


Revision 2011-07D1

Part 5 – Macros 1

Revision 2011-07D1




Lesson 1 – Macros

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

Duration: 60 minutes This lesson will teach you to write, test, and run a macro, which you can use to automate a variety of Micromine tasks. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Understand the macro writing process;

·

Define replaceable parameters on dialogs;

·

Save dialogs as form sets in preparation for macro execution;

·

Write a macro file;

·

Run a macro.

Introducing Macros Macros are an important part of Micromine because they allow you to automate Micromine processes. A macro is simply a file containing a list of instructions that allow Micromine to perform a sequence of commands without further input. Once a macro is set up you can run it repeatedly without intervention. You can include any function that appears on the Micromine menu as a macro instruction.

Why Write Macros? There are numerous reasons for writing macros, but they usually belong to one of three primary tasks: ·

Repetition. Macros allow you to perform the same operation many times without having to sit at your computer. A classic geological example involves plotting many cross sections at the conclusion of a drilling programme. In this case the macro would repeat the same display function as many times as there were cross sections.

·

Perform Complex Tasks. It’s possible to perform a complex task with a macro by stringing together a chain of simple commands. For example, you might regularly extract assay files from a database, perform a significant intersections grade calculation, and report the results. These three simple commands could be combined into a single macro that would automate this complex task.

·

Auditability. Macros allow you to document your Micromine tasks by listing each of the form sets, in sequence, which contributes to those tasks.

You can combine repetition and complex tasks using advanced macro writing techniques. You can also increase the flexibility of your macro by prompting the user for values during execution. You’ll learn to write those advanced © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 5.1

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


macros in Part 8 – Macros 2, which is part of the Advanced Micromine course. Before learning to write a macro it’s useful to run a ready-made example so you can see the result.

Exercise 1.1: Run an example macro In this exercise you’ll run a macro that performs a task familiar to most geologists: extracting significant intersections from an assay file and formatting them into intervals labelled X m @ Y g/t. These intervals can subsequently be displayed on cross sections or plans. To run the macro: 1.

Select Macros | Run from the menu. Alternatively, click the Run Macro toolbar button.

2.

On the Run Macro dialog, double-click the Macro Name response at row number 1 and choose Ag Composite Intervals from the list.

3.

Type the name Ag Composite Intervals into the Reporting File response at the bottom left of the dialog.

If you give the report file the same name as the macro you’ll be able to track which reports correspond to which macros. 4.

Click the Run button and observe the result.

You’ll see a series of dialog boxes and messages flash across the screen, representing each process executed by the macro. 5.

When the macro is finished, Micromine will return you to the Run Macro dialog. Close the dialog once the macro is done.

6.

Select File | Open from the main menu and open the NVG_ASSAY_COMP file, which was created by the macro. If you can’t see it, ensure that Files of type is set to DATA.

7.

Inspect the data, noting the contents of the AG_COMP field towards the right of the file.

8.

Close the file when you’re finished.

Understanding the Example Macro The example macro runs three separate processes:

Page 5.2

·

Grade compositing (Drillhole | Compositing | Grade): Extracts to a new file all records from NVG_ASSAY whose silver grade is > 200 g/t, combining adjoining records into single, length-weighted average intervals;

·

File modification (File | Create or Modify File): Adds file fields that collectively define the label, populating some of them with literal text such as m @; © Copyright MICROMINE 2011


·

Field joining (File | Fields | Join): Concatenates (joins) the added fields to build the final label.

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

Below: The input and output of the example macro.

The macro reads this…

…and creates this.

So, why should you automate a task like this with a macro? ·

Repetition: The output intervals must be recalculated every time new assays are received from the laboratory; clearly it’s much easier to run a single macro than run the individual processes by hand.

·

Complexity: The three steps are clearly denoted by the macro name, in this case Ag Composite Intervals. On the other hand, manually stringing together the individual tasks increases the risk of mistakes and makes the process more difficult for inexperienced users.

·

Auditability: At any time, if questioned about how the figures were generated you can open the macro and step through the individual forms.

Now that you’ve seen what a macro can do it’s time to create one of your own.

Creating a Macro Writing and using a macro is a three step process: 1.

Create, test, and save all form sets that will be accessed by the macro;

2.

Write the macro file, referencing the previously saved form sets;

3.

Run the macro and check the result.

The following topics describe these steps in detail using a section plotting example.

Creating Form Sets The easiest way to create form sets for a macro is to use Micromine in the normal way. In other words you choose a menu option, fill out the dialog,


Page 5.3

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


and if possible run the function with some trial data. You should continue to test the dialog until you’re satisfied with the result. Once you’ve prepared the dialog, consider which responses on that dialog will change each time it is run from a macro. For example, if you were plotting cross sections the Section coordinate would probably change each time that function was run.

After you’ve identified the responses whose values will change, substitute the trial data values with replaceable parameters. These parameters are identified by a % (percent) symbol followed by a number, for example %3, and will be replaced with actual values when the dialog is run from the macro. You can define replaceable parameters %1 through to %15.

Not all macros require replaceable parameters.

Adding Default Values to Macro Dialogs Once a dialog has been set up using replaceable parameters it can’t be used interactively (that is, directly from the menu). However, you can make it useable from the menu, perhaps for further testing, by adding default values to all replaceable parameters using the notation in these examples: For the Section: For Window Away: For Window Towards:

%1=”15760” %2=”15” %3=”15”

Default values (in the form of %x=”value”) allow you to develop a macro using real data, which will be automatically replaced with parameter values at run-time.

Page 5.4



You’ll use replaceable parameters with default values in the next exercise.

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

Exercise 1.2: Set up form sets for a cross-section plotting macro (Display Limits version) In this exercise you’ll set up an initial drillhole cross-section in preparation for automatically plotting multiple sections. From our experience with the project data we know that the sections will display the same data and will all be oriented Looking North. Consequently, the only parameters that will change within the macro are the Section (the northing), and the Away and Towards distances (because the sections have variable spacing). The Display Limits dialog controls all of these parameters, so this is the only place where replaceable parameters will be needed. For brevity we won’t set up all of the necessary display layers. Instead, we’ll re-use existing form sets provided as part of the training data.

Set up the Vizex Display Limits The Display Limits always adjusts the minima and maxima to suit the data, so you must load some trial data before you can save a form set. This also gives you an opportunity to test the settings and ensure they’re correct. To set up the Display Limits: 1.

Expand the Drillhole Trace list by clicking its [+] button in the Form Sets pane, then double-click the Example drillhole lithology form set to display it. This form set is enough to define the coordinate limits of the display so there’s no need to load any additional data.

You’ll load the full display within the macro itself, using layers that you created in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data. 2.

Once you’ve loaded the trial data, click the Display Limits button (or right-click and choose Display Limits from the pop-up menu) to open the Display Limits dialog.

3.

Set the View to Looking North, the North Section to 15760, and the Windows Away and Towards to 15 as shown here:


Page 5.5

Part 5 – Macros 1


Notes:

4.

Click OK to draw the cross-section and ensure that the settings are appropriate.

Define Replaceable Parameters with Default Values It’s time to consider which responses will change each time this dialog is run from a macro. Given the macro’s intended function the Section, or northing, is obviously going to change. Inspection of the data reveals that the drillhole line spacing varies somewhat, so the Window Away and Window Towards responses must also change. Now we’ll set up the replaceable parameters:

Page 5.6

5.

Click the Display Limits button (or right-click and choose Display Limits from the pop-up menu) to re-open the Display Limits dialog.

6.

Replace the existing Section (currently set to 15760) with %1=”15760”.

7.

Replace Window Away with %2=”15” and Window Towards with %3=”15”. Your dialog should look like this:



These replaceable parameters serve as placeholders for real data, but the default values mean we can still use the Display Limits dialog interactively. When the macro is run, Micromine will search the macro file for data values matching the various %-parameters and place them into the dialog.

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

Save the form set Now we need to save the dialog as a form set so that it can be referenced from the macro. 8.

Click the Forms button at the right of the dialog, followed by Save As.

9.

On the Forms dialog click the New Folder button and create a folder called Macros.

10. Set the Title to Cross section. Placing the form set in a folder keeps it separate from other Display Limits form sets. 11. Click OK to save the form set, and OK to close the Display Limits dialog. 12. Inspect the contents of the Sections window and note the addition of the Macros folder under the Display Limits node, containing the Cross section form set. 13. Select Edit | Remove All from the main menu to clear the Vizex display.

Managing macro and interactive form sets It’s common for some Micromine projects to contain dozens of form sets in any combination of interactive and macro configurations. A systematic approach is essential in order to distinguish the two types – the titles may make sense to you but will probably be meaningless to your colleagues. Saving macro form sets in a separate folder is an excellent way to separate them from their interactive cousins. The folder structure will allow you to easily separate the two types.

Editing a Macro File Once you’ve defined the form sets that make up your macro it’s time to write the macro file itself. To create a new macro file, either choose File | New and set the Type to MACRO, or choose Macros | New. The macro structure is well defined so there’s no need to use a template in either case. Macro files are ordinary Micromine files so you can use all of the standard data entry shortcuts like Ctrl+A (add) or Ctrl+R (replicate). Additionally, the PROCESS and Form fields in the macro file have permanently attached lookup tables to simplify the macro writing procedure. The PROCESS lookup table reproduces the main Micromine menu, and the FORM lookup table lists the saved form sets corresponding to the chosen process. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

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Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


When you write a macro, each line represents a single step or “process”, which usually requires you to specify three pieces of information:

1.

The Process, which corresponds to the menu item you’d have chosen if you were performing the same task manually;

2.

The Form, which allows you to choose the appropriate form set;

3.

The values of any replaceable parameters (%1 to %15). These represent the values you’d have typed into the dialog if you were performing the task manually.

Special Macro Fields and Commands Some functions can’t be saved as form sets in the normal way. However, you can still use these special macro commands by selecting them from the Macro functions or Macro menu options. Most PROCESS commands correspond to main menu options, but there are a few special commands that apply only to macros. Most are found under the Macro functions menus, and some common ones are: ·

PRINTER (Macros | Select Printer or Plot | Print | Macro Select Printer): Allows the macro to choose a printer without using the standard Windows Print Setup dialog.

·

ODBCUPD (Macros | ODBC Link Update): Updates the selected ODBC links.

·

ABORT (Macro | Abort): Type YES into the Form field to make the macro terminate if an error occurs;

·

COMMENT (Macro | Comment): Forces the macro to ignore all subsequent text on that line. You can use this to label the fields in your macro file. You can also use ‘!’ (exclamation mark) to comment out a macro line.

If you’re writing a macro that involves creating plot files you must enter the name of the output plot file into the Plot File field.

Page 5.8



Understanding the macro Plot File field

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

The Plot File field serves two purposes: ·

In any process that makes a plot file it reproduces the output Plot file response of the Generate Plot File dialog, equivalent to manually entering the name when you create a plot file from a graphic display.

·

In the Plot Editor (PLOTPRINT) process, it contains the name of the plot document that controls the appearance of the plot. A lookup table button will appear next to any PLOTPRINT processes, simplifying the task of choosing a plot document.

During normal (interactive) use, when you type a value directly into a dialog Micromine just uses that value. 15760

During a macro, Micromine searches the dialog for replaceable parameters. Values for these are extracted from the matching %-fields in the macro file.

Interactively entering values into a dialog versus using a replaceable parameter and macro file

Exercise 1.3: Write a macro file Now it’s time to write the macro itself: 1.

Select Macros | New from the main menu.


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Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


2.

On the New Macro File dialog, enter the File name MAKE_DH_SECTION and ensure Auto open file for editing is enabled.

3.

Click OK to create and open the file.

You’ll see a blank macro file appear in the File Editor. Observe how the Process and Form fields have lookup table buttons.

During normal use, Micromine asks you for a file name when you create a plot file. During a macro, Micromine identifies any display processes and reads the new plot file name from the Plot File macro field before creating the plot.

Interactively creating a plot file versus using the Plot File field in a macro

Load the display layers If you were producing this cross-section by hand the first thing you’d do is load the desired display layers. You do the same within the macro: 4.

Click the PROCESS lookup table button and note how the popup menu reproduces the main Micromine menu.

5.

Select Display | Vizex | Drillhole | Trace from this menu and note how the command VXTRACE now appears in the PROCESS field.

6.

Click the Form lookup table button and select Example drillhole lithology from the list.

7.

Press Enter to create the second line in the macro.

8.

Click the PROCESS lookup table button and select Display | Vizex | Drillhole | Values from this menu.

9.

Click the Form lookup table button and select Au Assay (statistical) from the list.

10. Repeat Steps 7 to 9 and select Lithology (coloured) from the list. 11. Repeat the above, selecting Display | Vizex | Drillhole | Hatch and the Drillhole lithology form set. 12. Finally, repeat the above selecting Display | Vizex | Wireframe and the DTM -- 2D slice mode form set. Your macro should look like this:

Page 5.10



Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

You’ve just instructed the macro to load five individual display layers, in exactly the same way as if you’d loaded them by hand.

Loading a Saved View vs. loading individual form sets Vizex also allows you to create a saved view containing all of the desired display layers, and it’s easy to load a saved view in a macro. Loading a saved view is initially quicker because the macro needs only one form set – the saved view – instead of a separate form set for each layer. However, loading individual form sets is better because you can control each display layer in a separate macro process. You can add or remove layers by adding or removing (or temporarily commenting out) lines in the macro without having to recreate the saved view each time.

Set up the cross-sections If you remember the Display Limits dialog from the previous exercise, Section corresponded to %1, Window Away was %2 and Window Towards was %3. Knowing this, we’re now ready to place actual data values into the matching fields of the macro. 13. Press Enter to add a new line to the end of the macro. 14. Click the Process lookup table button and select View | Viewpoint | Display Limits from this menu. 15. Click the Form lookup table button and select Cross section from the list. 16. Type the value 15760 in the %1 field, and 15 into both %2 and %3. 17. Type the name 15760mN into the Plot File field. Your macro file should now look like this (we’ve hidden some fields to simplify the display):


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Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


At this point it’s worth exploring the similarities between this macro and interactively performing the same task. In an interactive process you: ·

Select the desired form sets from the Vizex Forms pane to load the required display layers.

·

Select Display Limits from the toolbar or right-click menu

·

Enter the Section coordinate.

·

Click the Generate Plot File button and give the new plot file a name.

·

Repeat the last three steps for each section.

In a macro you: ·

Select the desired object type from the Display | Vizex | ... PROCESS menu to load the required display layers. This is exactly like making the same selection from the main menu. In other words, choosing a process within a macro is the same as making a menu selection during a manual process.

·

Choose a saved Form set. This is just like selecting from the Form Sets pane.

·

Select View | Viewpoint | Edit from the PROCESS menu and choose a saved Form set. This form set contains replaceable parameters (%values).

·

Type values into the %-fields. This is equivalent to typing those values directly into the Display Limits dialog. When you run the macro, Micromine sees the %-values in the dialog and searches the matching %-fields in the macro for actual data values.

·

Type a Plot File name. This corresponds to typing the name in the Generate Plot File dialog after clicking the Generate Plot File toolbar button.

·

Repeat the last three steps for each section.

Finish the macro Our macro is well under way, but at this stage we’ve only instructed it to plot one cross section. In the next stage we repeat the VXLIMITS command as many times as there are cross sections.

Editing form sets within a macro When you’re editing a macro you can view or edit a form set without leaving the File Editor: simply right-click in the Form field on the desired row. You can also create form sets for simple dialogs that don’t require testing (for example File | New), just choose the required PROCESS and right-click the Form field to display the process’ dialog.

Page 5.12



18. Select Records | Execute | Parameters from the File Editor menu and set up the following parameters, then click OK.

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

19. Highlight any cell in the VXLIMITS row and press Ctrl+T (or, click the Execute One toolbar button). 20. Continue pressing Ctrl+T until you reach 16000mN. Your macro file should now look like this:

21. Press Enter to add a new line to the end of the macro. 22. Click the Process lookup table button and select Edit | Remove All from this menu. This will prevent multiple instances of each layer from being loaded if you run the macro more than once.

You can also place this process at the beginning of your macro instead of at the end, so that it clears the Vizex display before continuing.

23. Save the macro and close the editor. You’ve now written a macro that will automatically make nine plot files. In reality, the Section (%1) values don’t increase at regular 30 m intervals, and the Window Away (%2) and Window Towards (%3) values vary © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 5.13

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


slightly from section to section. For this lesson we saved time by assuming they’re all at regular intervals.

Running a Macro Running a macro means executing the commands stored in the macro file. You don’t run the macro file itself, but call the file from the Run Macro dialog. You can include up to 42 macro files in the one run. This allows you to create smaller files, which are easier to test, and then combine them to create complex operations. To run a macro, select Macros | Run from the menu or click the Run Macro toolbar button. You can enter the names of all the macro files you want to execute into the Run Macro dialog. They will be processed in the order you enter them. If you’d like to start with an intermediate macro, select the Start At button next to the file where you’d like to begin. The files before it will be ignored. You must also enter a compulsory report file name. It’s essential that you check this file after the macro has run, since any pop-up messages that would have been displayed during a manual run will be written to this file. At the very least you should scan the report for errors, which will always be highlighted with blocks of hash ‘#’ symbols, like this: Time: 08:48:48 #### ERROR IN COPY STRUCTURE #### ----------------------------

Exercise 1.4: Run a macro Now you can check the result of your efforts: 1.

Select Macros | Run from the menu, or click the Run Macro toolbar button (located on the Main toolbar).

2.

On the Run Macro dialog, double-click the Macro Name response at row number 1 and choose MAKE_DH_SECTION from the list.

3.

Type the name MAKE_DH_SECTION into the Report File response.

If you give the report file the same name as the macro you’ll be able to track which reports correspond to which macros.

Page 5.14

4.

Click the Run button and observe the result.

5.

If you watch carefully you’ll see %1 being replaced with actual values on the Display Limits dialog. You’ll also be able to see the sections changing in the graphic display.



6.

Once the macro is finished right-click the report file name and view the contents. Any error messages will be reproduced here. Close the report file once you’re satisfied.

7.

Finally, close the Run Macro dialog.

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

Alternative Macro (Section Control File Version) The preceding exercise used the Display Limits dialog to control the section position, but this was largely as a mechanism for teaching macro writing. In reality you’d most probably use a section control file (SCF), assuming you had created one. Using an SCF for macro plotting saves time and ensures absolute consistency between interactively drawn cross sections and macroplotted ones. Also, a section plotting macro written to use an SCF is simpler than the corresponding Display Limits version because virtually no replaceable parameters are needed. In the next exercise you’ll repeat the macro writing process, this time by making use of the SCF you created in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.

Exercise 1.5: Write and run a macro using a section control file To write the macro: 1.

Open your previous macro and then select File | Save As.

2.

Save it as a new file with the File name MAKE_DH_SECTION_SCF.

We’ll begin by deleting the unnecessary form sets: 3.

Click anywhere in the first VXLIMITS process and press Ctrl+D, or click the Delete Record(s) button.

4.

Enter 10 as the Number of records and click OK to delete them. Your macro should look like this:


Page 5.15

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


Now we can add the section control file processes. We’ll use default values for all replaceable parameters to make the macro easier to understand and test. 5.

Press Enter at the end of the file to create a new record.

6.

Click the PROCESS lookup table button and select Macros | Section Functions | Go to Section by Name from this menu.

7.

Right-click in the Form column in the NAME_IN_SCF process to display the Go to Section by Name dialog.

8.

Click the browse [...] button next to the File response, select the TRAINING.DAT section control file, and then modify the text so it reads %1=”TRAINING”.

9.

Enter the Section Name %2=”15760mN”.

10. Click Forms followed by Save As, and enter a Title of First section in SCF. Click OK to save the form. Your dialog will now look like this:

There’s no need to use form set folders here because this dialog has no interactive equivalent. 11. Close the dialog and note how the form set number now appears in the macro’s Form field. 12. Although not strictly necessary, enter TRAINING in the %1 field and 15760mN in the %2 field of the NAME_IN_SCF process. 13. Also enter 15760mN in the Plot File field.

In future you may want to run this macro with a different section control file containing different named sections. You can now do so by changing the values in the macro without having to edit the form. 14. Press Enter at the end of the file to create a new record. 15. Click the PROCESS lookup table button and select Macros | Section Functions | Go to Next Section in Control File from this menu. This process does not have a form so there is nothing else to do. 16. Press Ctrl+R (or click the Replicate One button) seven times to add the remaining sections (there are nine in the section control file). 17. Enter the appropriate Plot File name for each section. You can increment (Ctrl+A), or copy and paste the names from the other macro file, or copy them from the section control file itself. Given that the Page 5.16



sections might not be evenly spaced, copying the plot file names from the named sections is safest.

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

18. Finally, add the VXREMOVEALL (Edit | Remove All) process to the end of the macro, which should look like this:

19. Save and close the macro. 20. Display the Sections window and expand the TRAINING list to display the named sections. 21. Run the macro and observe the Sections window as it runs. As expected, you’ll see Vizex quickly stepping through the named sections as well as momentarily displaying each section in the graphic display. 22. Right-click the Report file to view it, and note how the display commands now contain the message Overwriting plotfile.... Any messages that would have appeared as pop-up dialogs during interactive use are written to the macro file instead. It’s important to check for warnings such as these to ensure the macro behaved as intended.

Toolbox The Micromine Toolbox is a project that is attached to Micromine whenever you choose Install Toolbox Project from the Micromine installer. It’s essentially a group of macros available to use with your own data. The Micromine Toolbox provides a way to run processes that are not available as a single function, and contains macros that can be used to manipulate data in any of your working projects. You run a Toolbox process by opening the Toolbox project and then running the appropriate macro. To read about the Toolbox macros, select Help | Contents from the Micromine menu and open the Macros > Toolbox topic.


Page 5.17

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


Lesson 1 Summary This lesson has introduced the concepts of macro writing. The topics that we’ve covered so far are: Writing a macro involves three steps: Create the form sets, with replaceable parameters; Write the file; Run it! For each process in a macro file, you must generally provide three items of information: The PROCESS (i.e. what menu you’d have manually chosen); The Form (i.e. which form you’d have manually loaded); The replaceable parameter values (i.e. what you’d have manually typed into the dialog). To set up a form set: Use Micromine as normal, then Define the replaceable parameters, and Save the form set. To allocate a default value to a replaceable parameter: Replace the original value with %x=”value”, where %x is the name of the matching %-field and “value” is the default value (including the quotes). To set up a Display Limits form set in preparation for a macro: Load some sample data, and Set up the first section view, then Open the Display Limits dialog, and Substitute real values with replaceable parameters, and Save the Display Limits form set to a different folder. To write a plot file from a macro process: Enter a name in the Plot File field for that process.

Page 5.18



Lesson 1 Summary (continued)

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

Good Practice Keep your macros short and restrict them to achieving a single outcome whenever possible. Short macros are much easier to maintain, and you can string them together in the Run dialog to perform a more complex task. Use a systematic approach for managing form sets saved for macros. Consider prefixing their titles, for example with (M), or saving them in subfolders so they are separated from other interactive form sets. Use default values (in the form of %1=”15760”) so that macro form sets can still be used interactively. Always view the report file after running a macro. Giving report files the same names as the macros will allow you to track the relationship between them. If you’re writing a macro that incorporates a section control file then copy and paste the section names from the control file into the Plot File field of the macro.


See:

Macros

Macros > Steps in running a macro

Macro functions

Macros > Macro functions

Macro processes

Macros > Macro processes

Display Limits

View > Viewpoint > Setting display limits

Execution parameters

[Index] > Execute Parameters

Toolbox

Macros > Toolbox


Page 5.19

Part 5 – Macros 1


Notes:

Lesson 2 – Optional: Plotting Via a Macro Duration: 30 minutes This lesson will teach you to automate the Plot Editor using a macro. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Define replaceable parameters on a Plot Editor layout;

·

Write a macro that plots multiple cross sections;

·

Output those cross sections to PDF.

Automating the Plot Editor Making the plot files is clearly only half of this story; the plots must also be configured and sent to an output device via the Plot Editor. You automate the Plot Editor using the same technique you learned in Lesson 1: ·

Set up a plot layout and save it with replaceable parameters;

·

Write a macro file incorporating the Plot Editor;

·

Run the macro.

In the following exercise you’ll learn to set up a Plot Editor macro.

Optional Exercise 2.1: Write a macro to plot cross sections using the Plot Editor In this exercise you’ll write a macro that sends your cross sections to PDF software, if installed.

Step 1: Set up and save the layout First, set up a trial plot:

Page 5.20

1.

Select Plot | Open from the main menu. Alternatively, click the Open button on the View toolbar.

2.

Browse to the 15900mN.PEX file you created in Part 4 – Plotting 1.

3.

Ensure that the cosmetic settings for this layout are correct (scale, grid, etc.). In particular, confirm that the Title text uses the @projtitle and @plotfile substitutions for ease of automation.



Next, define the replaceable parameters: 4.

Once you’re satisfied with the result, double-click anywhere within the Master Plot frame to display the 2D Plot dialog.

5.

On the 2D Plot tab, replace the Plot file value (currently 15900mN) with the replaceable parameter %1=”15900mN”.

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

Keeping the original file name as a default value makes it easier to work with the layout. 6.

Replace the X- and Y-Centre values with the replaceable parameters %2=”25000” and %3=”1500” (rounding your existing centre values to the nearest 5 metres).

7.

Enable Retain Plot Definition when loading new plot file. Your dialog should resemble this:

Now, save and close the layout: 8.

Click OK to close the 2D Plot dialog.

9.

Select File | Save As from the main menu, and save the layout as a Plot Document (*.PEX) type file with the File name Macro DH section.

10. Close the layout.

Step 2: Write the macro Create the new macro file:


Page 5.21

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


11. Select Macros | New and name the file PLOT_DH_SECTION. Ensure Auto open file for editing is enabled and click OK to create the file. Next, choose a printer: 12. Click the PROCESS lookup table button and select Plot | Print | Macro Select Printer from that menu. Any macro that incorporates the Plot Editor should always execute this process. 13. At this point there’s no existing Printer form set so right-click the Form field (avoiding the lookup table button) to open the Select Printer Parameters dialog. 14. Set up the dialog as shown below. Be sure to choose the same paper size and orientation as those in your plot layout. Prompt

Setting

Mode:

Plot Editor Printer

Printer name:

Any installed PDF software, Microsoft Office Document Image Writer, or Microsoft XPS Document Writer

Paper size:

A4 (must match the layout paper size)

Orientation:

Landscape

15. Click Forms, followed by Save As, to save these settings as a form set with the Title PDF A4 Landscape.

Omit Steps 12 to 15 if you don’t have any of the printers listed in the table, or if you’ve already completed these steps then close the Printer Parameters dialog and press Ctrl+D to delete the PRINTER process from your macro. You can complete the remainder of the exercise without referencing a specific printer. There’s no need to use form set folders because this dialog has no interactive equivalent. 16. Close the Printer Parameters dialog. Note how Micromine has automatically placed the new form set number in the Form field. Now, set up the individual plots: 17. Press Enter to add a second line to the macro. 18. Click the Process lookup table button and select Plot | Print | Print from this menu. 19. Click the Plot File lookup table button and select the Macro DH section.PEX layout from the list.

Page 5.22



20. Instead of re-typing the plot file names into the %1 field, copy and paste them directly out of your earlier macro. To do this, select File | Recent Files from the main menu and open MAKE_DH_SECTION.MCR.

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

21. In the MAKE_DH_SECTION editor window, drag the mouse down the list of Plot File names to highlight them, and then press Ctrl+C to copy the values. Close this window when you’re done.

22. In the PLOT_DH_SECTION editor window, place the typing cursor in the %1 field on the PLOTPRINT line (line 2) and press Ctrl+V to paste the file names. Note how Micromine automatically creates the necessary rows. 23. Enter a value of 25000 (the X Centre) into the %2 field on the PLOTPRINT line, and then press Ctrl+Shift+R to replicate it to the end of the macro. 24. Enter 1500 (the Y Centre) into the %3 field on the PLOTPRINT line and press Ctrl+Shift+R. 25. Click the cursor onto the PLOTPRINT process and press Ctrl+Shift+R to replicate it to the remaining rows. 26. Repeat for the Plot File Macro DH Section. Your macro should look like this:

27. Save and Close the macro.


Page 5.23

Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:


Step 3: Run the macro 28. Select Macros | Run, double-click the Macro Name at row 1, and choose PLOT_DH_SECTION. 29. Change the Report File name to PLOT_DH_SECTION. 30. Click Run to run the macro. The Micromine window title will display [Executing Macro Process X/Y from PLOT_DH_SECTION], where X is the current process and Y the total number of processes.

The process number corresponds to the line number in the macro, making it easy to determine which one to correct. 31. Use the installed PDF or XPS software on your computer to view the PDF file(s), inspecting the location of each plot’s data with respect to the frame. Sending the plots to PDF as we did here provides a simple way to preview them before committing the output to paper.

Page 5.24



Part 5 – Macros 1

Notes:

Lesson 2 Summary This lesson has shown you how to use a macro to automate the Plot Editor. The topics covered are: To reference the plot file within the macro: Set the Plot file response on the plot layout to a replaceable parameter, e.g. %1, and Use a default value (e.g. %1=”15900mN”) to make the layout easier to develop and maintain. To control the choice of destination printer: Make PRINTER the first PROCESS (Plot | Print | Macro Select Printer), and Create a Select Printer Parameters form set. To preview the results before sending the plots to a physical printer: Use a PDF printer as the output device (via the PRINTER process), and Confirm, and correct if necessary, the layouts by inspecting the PDFs. To send the plots to the destination printer: Change the PRINTER process to use the destination printer, and Re–run the macro.

Good Practice Plotting to PDF is useful even if the final destination of the plot is a physical hardcopy, because it gives you a human-readable digital record of your output through time. Many PDF plotting programs are available; one such program is FinePrint PDF Factory Pro, which can be downloaded from: http://www.fineprint.com/products/pdffactory/index.html (Note, although listed here, Micromine does not warrant or otherwise endorse this product.)


See:

Macros

Macros

PRINTER process

Macros > Macro functions


Page 5.25

Part 5 – Macros 1


Notes:

Page 5.26


MICROMINE TRAINING WIREFRAMING 1

·

BEGINNER

.


Part 6 – Wireframing 1

PART 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Wireframing 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 1 LESSON 1 – GETTING STARTED......................................................................................................... 2 THE BASIC WORKFLOW ............................................................................................................................. 2 LOADING THE INPUT DATA ......................................................................................................................... 3 DATA QUALITY CONTROL........................................................................................................................... 4 Additional reading: the difference between a DTM, a 3D surface, and a 3D solid ..................................... 6 LESSON 2 – CONSTRUCTING THE WIREFRAME ................................................................................ 9 BUILDING THE WIREFRAME ........................................................................................................................ 9 Making a Wireframe Object the Active Layer...................................................................................... 10 Building a Wireframe ...................................................................................................................... 10 VALIDATING THE WIREFRAME ................................................................................................................... 13 FIXING VALIDATION ERRORS .................................................................................................................... 15 Adding Tie Lines............................................................................................................................. 15 CLOSING ENDS ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Creating Intermediate Sections ........................................................................................................ 19 LESSON 3 – SAVING YOUR WORK ................................................................................................... 25 SAVING THE WIREFRAME ......................................................................................................................... 25 SAVING TIE LINES ................................................................................................................................. 26 SAVING MODIFIED INPUT STRINGS ............................................................................................................. 27

SIDEBARS Checking outline orientation ..................................................................................................................... 5 Maintain quality from the start ................................................................................................................. 5 Rock the boat to see better 3D ................................................................................................................. 6 Keep the Select Tool active ...................................................................................................................... 6 Choosing a triangulation method ............................................................................................................ 10 Keep tie lines and input strings in separate files ....................................................................................... 16 Positioning intermediate sections ............................................................................................................ 20

TABLES Table 1.1: Kinds of wireframe .................................................................................................................. 7


Revision 2011-07D1



PART 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Wireframing 1 EXERCISES Exercise 1.1: Load a string file for wireframing .......................................................................................... 3 Exercise 1.2: Perform a visual quality control check .................................................................................... 5 Exercise 2.1: Build a 3D solid ..................................................................................................................10 Exercise 2.2: Validate the wireframe ........................................................................................................13 Optional Exercise 2.3: Fix the validation error and finish building the wireframe ...........................................16 Exercise 2.4: Close the ends of the 3D solid .............................................................................................19 Exercise 3.1: Save the wireframe ............................................................................................................26 Exercise 3.2: Save the tie lines................................................................................................................26 Exercise 3.3: Save the modified input strings ............................................................................................27

Revision 2011-07D1



Introduction


Notes:

This document introduces the process of creating a wireframe solid, which you can use to model 3D shapes such as geological units or structures, ore grade envelopes, or underground mine workings. However, before we learn about wireframe solids it’s useful to revise the process of carrying out a drillhole interpretation. Starting with a series of vertical cross-sections you correlate the object of interest (perhaps a mineralised vein) between holes to produce essentially 2.5-dimensional interpretations on each section.

A vertical cross-section showing drillholes and the polygons interpreted from them.

Clearly, the object exists in three dimensions and the drillholes should therefore be correlated in 3D. You do this in Micromine by linking a polygon from one section to the matching polygon on the next, creating a threedimensional shape as you go. This process, called building a wireframe or simply wireframing, produces a mesh of interconnected 3D triangles that can represent a surface (such as a fault plane or weathering horizon) or a solid (such as a rock unit or ore grade envelope). Because wireframes are constructed from triangles they are also known as triangulations.

A 3D view of the same data after linking the sections to form wireframe solids.

Additionally, you usually need a closed and validated wireframe solid of an orebody before you can estimate its grade and tonnage, and because of this requirement you should adopt a systematic approach to wireframing. Even if you don’t need to calculate a grade/tonnage estimate you should still adopt the systematic workflow explained on the following pages.


Page 6.1


Notes:


Lesson 1 – Getting started Duration: 15 minutes In this lesson you’ll learn about the overall wireframing process, along with the specific steps you should carry out before starting. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Understand the wireframing workflow;

·

Load input strings in preparation for wireframing;

·

Perform visual quality control on the input strings;

·

Understand the difference between a DTM, a 3D surface, and a 3D solid.

The Basic Workflow Building a wireframe can be described by a simple workflow consisting of loading and checking the input strings, constructing and closing the wireframe, and then saving the result. More formally, the steps are: Load strings

Quality control

Build*

Close

Save

The basic wireframing workflow

The Build step, marked with an asterisk in the preceding diagram, is usually the most time-consuming part of the procedure. That’s because it consists of a recurring sub-process that can be further broken into three steps:

Build

Fix

Validate

The Build step expanded into its recurring sub-steps

Consequently, much of the wireframing workflow is non-linear: you load and check your strings once and then spend a period of time iterating through the build-validate-fix cycle until you’re happy with the result. Only then will you consider saving your work as a closed and validated wireframe solid. Page 6.2



So, although the following pages present these steps in a linear fashion you’ll need to repeat some of them as needed before you complete your wireframe.


Notes:

This document assumes you’re building a 3D solid. If you’re building a 3D surface such as a fault plane you can freely substitute the word surface for the word solid throughout the text. There is, however, one exception: a surface is always open and you should not try to close it. The differences between 3D solids, 3D surfaces, and DTMs are explained in the additional reading at the end of this lesson.

Loading the Input Data Before you can begin wireframing you must load the input strings. If you’re building a 3D solid these will come from one of two sources: ·

A single string file containing all sections to be wireframed (recommended);

·

A series of outline files with one section per file (not recommended, but backward compatible with early Micromine). You can Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click to load multiple outline files in Vizex.

If needed you can convert and append multiple outline files into a single string file. You do this by loading the outline files into Vizex, dragging a rectangle with the Select Tool to select them, then right-clicking and choosing Selection | Save Strings As from the menu. Or, you can convert the files via a macro (macros are covered in Part 5 – Macros 1). In the following exercise, which is revision of Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data, you’ll load input strings from a string file.

Exercise 1.1: Load a string file for wireframing To load the input string file: 1.

Double-click the Strings form set type in the Vizex Forms pane to display the Strings dialog.

2.

Ensure the Input Data tab is active. Double-click the File response, set Files type to STRING, and choose EXAMPLE_VEIN_INTERP from the list.

3.

Switch to the Display Options tab and ensure the Line type is SOLID and the Line width is THIN.

4.

Double-click the Colour field response and choose STRING from the list.


Page 6.3


Notes:


5.

Double-click the Colour set response and choose Part 6 – Wireframe input strings from the list.

6.

Click Save As at the right of the Strings dialog and enter a form set Title of Vein interp. Click OK on the Save Current Values and Strings dialogs to display the input strings.

7.

Highlight the Vein interp layer in the Display pane and then click the Display Colour Legend button to display the string colours. Make note of the colours used for each mineralised zone.

8.

Dock the floating dialog under the Display pane as shown:

Data Quality Control Once the strings are loaded you should visually inspect them before commencing wireframing. In particular, check:

Page 6.4

·

Position: Display your strings and drillholes together and compare their positions. Are they in the same coordinate space? Performing a coordinate transformation on one dataset but not the other can produce this problem. You must correct any coordinate discrepancies before continuing;

·

Snapping: Do your string vertices snap to the tops and bottoms of drillhole intervals? If not, is it important for your project that they do? You can snap un-snapped vertices by nudging each one with Snap Mode turned on;

·

Closure: Are your strings closed? Mistakenly including an open string in a wireframe will produce a surface instead of a solid. To close an open string, select the offending string, then right-click and choose Close String from the pop-up menu;



·

Viewpoint: Set the view orientation so you can easily see the front and back of each section as well as seeing each section as an individual item. It may not be possible to find a single view orientation that works for the entire project so be prepared to change the view as often as required. A confusing viewpoint showing overlapping strings will make it hard to know exactly what you’re linking.


Notes:

Checking outline orientation The position check is especially important if you use outline files. Because they rely on an orientation flag (PLAN, LOOKING NORTH, or LOOKING WEST) you must load them with the same flag value as when you created them. Loading them with the wrong flag value will place the outlines—and the constructed wireframe—in the wrong location.

Once you’ve established the quality of the input data you’re ready to start wireframing. Detailed quality control is beyond the scope of this manual and is covered in Part 9 – Wireframing 2. At this stage we’ll assume the input data are valid and will perform a simple visual check of the match between the strings and drillholes.

Maintain quality from the start Although quality control is presented here as a part of the wireframing process, a far better alternative is to keep an eye on quality while you’re digitising or interpreting the original strings. If you’re systematic about how you create the strings you won’t need to run these checks as a separate step.

Exercise 1.2: Perform a visual quality control check To perform a visual quality control check on the input strings, start by loading the drillhole data: 1.

Expand the Drillhole Trace list in the Vizex Forms pane by singleclicking the small plus [+] icon to the left of the Drillhole Trace node.

2.

Double-click the Example drillhole lithology object to open it.

3.

Vizex will display the drillhole data from which the interpretation was created; even a casual glance will reveal that the strings are in the same coordinate space as the drillholes.

4.

Using the Pan Tool (drag with the middle mouse button), dynamic zoom (roll the mouse wheel), and Rotate Tool, zoom in on each section and slowly rock the view back and forth, inspecting the interpreted strings and their relationships with the drillholes. Be on the lookout for incorrectly snapped points and any other obvious errors.


Page 6.5


Notes:


5.

Once you’re done, click the check box next to the Example drillhole lithology layer in the Display Pane to turn off the drillholes.

6.

Click the Plan View button, followed by View All, to reset the view.

You’re now ready to begin wireframing.

Rock the boat to see better 3D Gently rocking the view back and forth is a great way to establish the 3D depth relationship between objects. The subtle differences in movement between them will enhance the 3D cues sent to your brain, making the 3D relationships much easier to see. Keep the Select Tool active Keeping the Select Tool active and using the middle mouse to pan and zoom, and Shift+middle mouse to rotate, will enable you to rapidly switch between view manipulation and string selection without wasting time moving the mouse to the toolbar area and back. For example, you can display the points that define a particular string by clicking that string. However, if the Select Tool isn’t active you’ll need an extra few seconds to click it and then return to the string. The wasted time will add up if you repeat this for a few hundred strings.

Additional reading: the difference between a DTM, a 3D surface, and a 3D solid In Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data you worked with a DTM, which is one kind of wireframe supported by Micromine. In this document you’re working with a 3D solid, and you’ve read references to a third kind of wireframe, a 3D surface. All three consist of networks of interconnected triangle facets. However, Micromine uses the following criteria to differentiate between them:

Is there a single Z value at any X, Y coordinate? In other words, how many times would a vertical hole drilled at a random X, Y location intersect the wireframe? If the answer is always one no matter which X, Y coordinate is chosen, the wireframe is a DTM. If the drillhole intersects the wireframe more than once, it’s a 3D surface or 3D solid.

Is it open at the edges? Does the wireframe have an outside edge, with some triangle edges not connected to other triangles? If it does, it’s a DTM or 3D surface. If it doesn’t, it’s a 3D solid. Page 6.6




Notes:

Does it enclose a volume? Does the wireframe enclose a volume? Could a random 3D point be considered as falling inside or outside it? If the answer is yes, the wireframe is a 3D solid. If the answer is no, it’s a 3D surface or DTM.

The right tool for the job There are many ways to build wireframes in Micromine and identifying the right kind of wireframe will determine the best tool for the job. As a guide Table 1.1 summarises the various kinds of wireframe and lists the most appropriate method for constructing each kind.

Table 1.1: Kinds of wireframe Kind of Wireframe

Single Z value

Open at edges

Encloses a volume

Example

DTM

ü

ü

û

Topography

3D surface

û

ü

û

Recumbent fold surface

3D solid

û

û

ü

Ore grade envelope

Table 1.1: Kinds of wireframe (continued) Kind of Wireframe

Best Construction Method

DTM

Use DTM | Create Surface (menu) or the Create DTM button (Vizex Tools toolbar). See Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data for more information on creating DTMs.

3D surface

Follow the techniques described on the following pages, using open strings as the input data to create an open surface.

3D solid

Follow the techniques described on the following pages, using closed strings as the input data to create a closed solid.


Page 6.7


Notes:


Lesson 1 Summary This lesson has covered the basic workflow of wireframing and has introduced you to basic visual quality control. Here’s what you’ve learned so far: To load input strings: Use the Vizex Strings or Outlines form set to load either a single string file or a series of outline files. To perform visual data quality control: Load the original drillholes along with the strings and check: Position – are the drillholes and strings in the same coordinate space? Snapping – do the string vertices snap to drillhole intervals? Closure – are the strings closed? Viewpoint – choose a view that gives you an unobstructed view of the strings.

Good Practice Perform your quality control checks right from the beginning by digitising your open or closed strings, or outlines, with wireframing already in mind. Ensure that you systematically check the naming, snapping, and closure of each string before moving onto the next one. By doing this you’ll be less reliant on performing a specific QC step before wireframing. Keep the Select Tool active and use keyboard and mouse combinations to switch between the Select Tool and view manipulation. With the Select Tool enabled you can still pan and zoom using the middle mouse wheel and button, and you can rotate by using Shift+middle mouse button.

Help Topics

Page 6.8

For information on:

See:

Vizex

Display > Vizex

Displaying strings

Display >Vizex > Strings

Displaying outlines


Displaying drillholes

Display > Vizex > Drillhole > ...




Lesson 2 – Constructing the Wireframe

Notes:

Duration: 45 minutes Lesson 1 introduced you to the basic wireframing workflow and briefly described the build-validate-fix cycle:

Build

Fix

Validate

This lesson will cover the build-validate-fix cycle in more detail. Once you’re finished, you’ll be able to: ·

Build a 3D solid by linking each section to the next;

·

Optionally choose a triangulation method for optimal results;

·

Use select by condition and object visibility to control which strings are displayed;

·

Visually and mathematically validate a 3D solid;

·

Use tie lines to control the triangulation process;

·

Create intermediate sections and close the ends of a 3D solid.

Building the Wireframe In Micromine you can build a 3D solid one of two ways, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. The two methods are: ·

Automatically, using the Auto Build Wireframe option;

·

Manually, by linking each section to the next in Build Wireframe mode.

Automatically building a wireframe is very fast but is based on mathematics and may not represent the reality you’re trying to model, whereas the manual method is slightly more time consuming but gives you complete control over the process. You’ll learn the manual method in the next few exercises.


Page 6.9


Notes:


Making a Wireframe Object the Active Layer The wireframing process begins by making a wireframe object the Active Layer. How you do this depends on your personal preference and the task at hand, but there are three alternatives: ·

Allow Vizex to prompt you to choose an existing or create a new Active Layer when you first activate either Build Wireframe option;

·

Right-click an existing wireframe layer in the Display Pane and choose Active Layer from the pop-up menu;

·

Pull down the Active Layer list and choose [New] Triangulation….

The Active Layer is described at length in Part 2 – Displaying and Manipulating Data.

Building a Wireframe You use Build Wireframe mode to build a wireframe. This process involves clicking a string on one section and then clicking the matching string on the adjacent section. Vizex will link the two strings with a series of triangles. If you’re satisfied with the result, continue by clicking the matching string on each subsequent section. The Build Wireframe button is a combination button offering a variety of triangulation methods. To choose from the list, click the small triangle at the right of the button. If you refer to Lesson 1 you’ll recall that the one of the quality control checks was to choose the correct viewpoint. This is especially important when you’re wireframing because you must be able to easily visually identify each string before you click it. Take time to adjust the view as often as needed, since using a poor viewpoint that obstructs your view of the strings will make the wireframing process more difficult. In the following exercise you’ll build the MV2 wireframe, represented by the green strings.

Choosing a triangulation method In normal operation you should use the default Maximum Volume triangulation method, which automatically selects the most suitable of the remaining three methods and nearly always gives the best result.

Exercise 2.1: Build a 3D solid We’ll begin the wireframing process by creating a new triangulation to use as the active layer. We’ll then hide any non-essential strings so that they don’t obstruct the view. To create the active layer: Page 6.10



1.


Pull down the Select Active Layer list and choose [New] Triangulation… from the list. Vizex will create a new display layer called New Wireframe.

Notes:

To hide the non-essential strings: 1.

Click the Selection by Condition button on the View toolbar.

This tool allows you to interactively select all strings matching the conditions you specify. In this exercise we need to select all of the strings that are not MV2* so that we can use a visibility tool to hide them. 2.

Fill out the Selection Condition dialog as shown here: Prompt

Setting

Method:

New selection

Layer (1):

Vein interp

Field (1):

STRING

Operator (1):

!= (not equal to)

Value (1):

MV2* (note use of wildcard)

Numeric (1):

Cleared

3.

Click OK to apply the selection and inspect the result: everything but the green strings is highlighted.

4.

Click the Invisible button on the Vizex Object Visibility toolbar.

If you can’t see this toolbar, right-click a blank part of the toolbar area and choose Vizex Object Visibility from the list of available toolbars. Alternatively, select View | Toolbars | Vizex Object Visibility from the menu. 5.

Although they are still loaded in memory the non-essential strings are now invisible.

Click the All Visible button to reinstate the hidden strings. Now it’s time to set the viewpoint: 6.

Rotate the view until you can clearly see each string as an individual object and can also clearly see the front and back of each.


Page 6.11


Notes:


7.

Click the Build Wireframe button to activate Build Wireframe mode. Note how the cursor now shows an icon that matches the current triangulation method.

8.

Click the first (southern-most) string to select it.

9.

Now click the string in the next section and observe the result: Vizex links the two strings with a series of triangles. Your screen should look like this:

10. Click each section in sequence, extending the 3D solid to each new section. Your display should resemble this once you’re done:

Page 6.12



Validating the Wireframe


Notes:

Micromine automatically validates the wireframe each time you link a new section, immediately alerting you to new problems. If your wireframe is simple this level of validation may be sufficient. However, a mathematically valid wireframe may still be geologically invalid. Additionally, the automatic validation only concentrates on the latest link and ignores all previous links; because of this it won’t identify errors caused by interaction between separate wireframe parts. Such unexpected interaction is often the cause of triangulation errors. Because of the potential for geological invalidity or unexpected errors you should still perform two types of validation over and above the automatic version: ·

Visual validation;

·

Mathematical validation.

Visual validation is extremely important but simple to carry out: turn the wireframe around and look at it from all directions. Does it make geological sense? Does it accurately represent the shape you’re trying to create? Has it excluded required volume or included unnecessary volume?

It’s easy to produce a mathematically valid but visually invalid wireframe, so perform this step regularly even if the automatic validation reports no errors. Mathematical validation rigorously checks the relationships between triangle facets, edges, and vertices throughout the wireframe. However, it knows nothing about the shape you’re trying to create, which is why it’s also important to regularly perform visual validation. If the wireframe is complex you may need to visually validate every section. On the other hand, if the wireframing is simple you can link several sections before validating. No matter how simple the wireframe you should mathematically validate it at least once at the end of the construction process, or more often if there’s a risk of interaction between different wireframe parts.

Periodic validation will alert you to potential problems before they become too deeply entrenched. In the following exercise you’ll visually and mathematically validate your work so far.

Exercise 2.2: Validate the wireframe Visual validation is simple and intuitive and is a sensible place to begin. To perform a visual validation:


Page 6.13


Notes:


1.

Rotate the view and inspect the 3D solid. Look for sections where volume may be lost or where the wireframe is geologically nonsensical. In this example a crease representing small amount of missing volume appears between sections 15900 and 15920 north.

Visual validation will reveal the creases highlighted above We’ll also perform a mathematical validation: 2.

Right-click in the graphic display and choose Validate Wireframe from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, click the Validate Wireframe toolbar button.

3.

Turn on both validation options and set the two Highlight colours to bright but different colours.

4.

Click OK to run the validation.

5.

Assess the validation report.

You can ignore the 2 open section(s) – they’re normal for a 3D solid whose ends haven’t been closed yet.

Page 6.14



Your validation report should find no errors other than the two open ends. Ultimately Micromine should find zero problems, proving that the solid is closed and valid.


Notes:

Fixing Validation Errors Whenever you need to fix an invalid wireframe you nearly always start by removing the invalid link(s) that created the problem in the first place. You can do this in different ways, based on where they occur within the wireframe: ·

Undo: If the invalid link is the last one you created, undo it by pressing Ctrl+Z, or right-click | Undo, or clicking the Undo toolbar button. The ease of this method is one of the main reasons to validate regularly.

·

Select Triangles by Construction String: If the invalid link is surrounded by valid links but can be identified by the strings originally used to create it, delete the offending triangles by selecting the two strings, then right-clicking and choosing Select Triangles by Construction String from the pop-up menu.

·

Select Triangles: If the geometry of the invalid link is complex you can delete the offending triangles by clicking the Select Triangles button, dragging a line through the triangles to highlight them, and then pressing Delete on the keyboard.

Once you’ve deleted the invalid links in a problem wireframe you must consider how to replace them with valid links. There are many ways to correct a wireframe, but tie lines are the easiest tool to use. Advanced remediation methods are covered in Part 11 – Wireframing 2.

Adding Tie Lines Tie lines are construction lines that control how the wireframe will be linked from one section to the next. Whenever Micromine finds a tie line it will position a pair of triangle edges either side of that line, which means you can use tie lines to control how points are connected between two sections. However, don’t get carried away with adding tie lines. Creating too many tie lines not only wastes time but can increase the number of problems instead of reducing them. Some key points to consider when positioning tie lines are: ·

Less is more: use the fewest tie lines needed to fix the problem;

·

Pick the worst problem: in other words concentrate on the most invalid parts first;

·

Pick obvious vertices: in other words concentrate on the sharpest corners.

You add tie lines with the New Tie Line button. When you first click this button you’ll be asked to Select Active Tie Lines. If you already have a tie line file loaded choose that from the list. If not, choose [New] String… and create the file. Once you’ve chosen the tie line file Micromine will automatically switch to string edit mode with Snap Mode enabled. © Copyright MICROMINE 2011

Page 6.15


Notes:


To build a tie line, click a vertex in one section and then click the matching vertex in the next section. Micromine will join them with a line segment, which constitutes a single tie line. To continue with this or any other tie line, click the start and end vertices for each segment.

Keep tie lines and input strings in separate files In order to preserve the integrity of the input data always edit tie lines in a separate layer. Don’t add them to the original input string file. Why? The input strings represent your raw interpretation based on drillhole or other subsurface data. Each point in the interpretation is there because it’s somehow related to those data. On the other hand, tie lines extend between sections and do not represent the original interpretation. Logically they have no place in the original strings.

Optional Exercise 2.3: Fix the validation error and finish building the wireframe The validation you carried out in Exercise 2.2 identified one minor problem: a small amount of lost volume in the link between sections 15900 and 15920 North. In this exercise you’ll remove the triangles between those sections, repair the error by adding a tie line, and rebuild the 3D solid.

Page 6.16

1.

Reset the view by clicking the Plan View button followed by the View All button.

2.

Zoom and pan the display to focus on the region between sections 15900 and 15920.



3.

Switch to the Select Tool and select the strings at 15890 and 15920 North. Use the Ctrl key to select the second string.

4.

With the strings selected right-click in the graphic display and choose Select Triangles by Construction String from the pop-up menu, as shown in the diagram on the preceding page.

5.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard to delete the triangles.


Notes:

Now, add two tie lines: 6.

Right click and choose New Tie Line from the pop-up menu, or alternatively click the New Tie Line toolbar button.

7.

On the Select Active Tie Lines dialog, choose [New] String....

Don’t choose the existing Vein interp layer! 8.

Click OK. Micromine will create a new layer called Untitled (Untitled.str) and switch to string edit mode with Snap Mode enabled.

9.

Rotate the view sideways slightly so you can clearly identify the vertices that make up the top of the vein.

10. Click near a string vertex at the top left of the gap to start a tie line, ensuring that the tie line snaps to the correct point.


Page 6.17


Notes:


11. Click near the matching vertex in the next section. Micromine will join the two vertices with a tie line segment as shown in the diagram on the preceding page. 12. Press Esc or click the New Tie Line button to finish adding ties. Finally, replace the missing section of the 3D solid: 13. Click the Build Wireframe button to return to Build Wireframe mode. 14. Click a string segment in the section either side of the opening to rebuild that link. 15. Validate the 3D solid both visually and using Validate Wireframe, noting that the errors have been corrected.

Closing Ends A wireframe is not a 3D solid until you close the ends. Until you do so the wireframe is merely a complex 3D surface that can’t be used for volumetric or grade/tonnage calculations. It’s tempting to simply close the wireframes across the existing sections at either end of the model. However, if your sections originated from a drillhole interpretation this will close the wireframe straight down the drillhole traces on the end sections, and you’ll lose volume as a result. Additionally, you’ll literally split the intervals on the end sections lengthwise and won’t know if they fall inside the wireframe or not. Instead, extend the wireframe by half a drill line spacing beyond the end sections. This is a three-dimensional extension of how you normally terminate polygons half way between two holes on a 2D vertical section.

2D close. The polygons are extended by half a drillhole spacing before closing

3D close. The wireframe is extended by half a drill line spacing before closing

The quickest way to extend a wireframe beyond the end sections is to create intermediate sections. This technique is also essential for modelling splits or bifurcations in a wireframe, which is covered in Part 11 – Wireframing 2. Closing the end of a wireframe is a trivial process: you select the string that represents the end, right-click in the graphic display, and choose Close End Page 6.18



from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, you can click the Close End toolbar button.


Notes:

On the other hand you can use Close End to Point to create a conical end. There’s usually no need to create an intermediate section in this case.

Creating Intermediate Sections Use the Copy/Move String option to create an intermediate section. To do this, select a string, right-click in the graphic display, and choose Copy/Move String from the pop-up menu. Copy/Move String executes three tasks: ·

Move the string by a given distance in a given direction. Distance and direction can be specified in terms of X, Y, Z offsets, azimuth / inclination / distance, or distance perpendicular to the plane of the data or plane of the screen;

·

Optionally, Make a copy of the selected string;

·

Optionally, Resize the string to a percentage of its original size. This is useful if you wish to taper the wireframe to, say, 80% of its original size to represent your decreasing confidence in its shape beyond the drilling.

Whenever Make a copy is selected the original string is left in place and Move and Resize are applied to the copy. In the following exercise you’ll use Move String to create intermediate sections and close the wireframe.

Exercise 2.4: Close the ends of the 3D solid The average drill line spacing for this project is 30 m, so it’s logical to make intermediate sections 15 m beyond the end sections. Because the intermediate sections are not based on any real data we’ll also resize them to 80% of their original size. Once the sections are created we’ll extend the 3D solid to them and then close ends. First, close the southern end: 1.

Switch to a Plan view and pan to the southern end of the 3D solid.

2.

Click the Select Tool to take Micromine out of Build Wireframe mode.

3.

Click the string at the southern end of the 3D solid to select it;

4.

Right-click in the graphic display and choose Copy/Move String from the pop-up menu;

5.

Fill out the Move String dialog as shown below to move the string 15 m south and resize it to 80%.


Page 6.19



Notes:

6.

Prompt

Setting

Mode:

Azimuth/Inclination/Distance

Azimuth:

220

Inclination:

0

Distance:

15

Copy:

Selected

Resize:

Enabled [80%]

Click OK to produce the new end string.

Positioning intermediate sections The Azimuth/Inclination/Distance option is best when you’re working with conventional geological data such as an orebody or rock unit model. An easy way to determine the appropriate azimuth, inclination, and distance values is to use the Measure Tool to draw a line to where you think the new section should go. Make note of the measurement values in the status bar and use them on the Move String dialog. 7.

Switch back to Build Wireframe mode and extend the 3D solid to the new string.

8.

Right-click and choose Close End from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, click the Close End toolbar button.

Next, close the northern end: 9.

Click a blank part of the graphic display to ensure there are no selected strings.

If you don’t deselect the current string when you move to a different part of the 3D solid Micromine will attempt to (incorrectly) link the two parts. 10. Repeat Steps 4 through 9 at the north end of the 3D solid, using an Azimuth value of 0. 11. Validate the 3D solid. It’s only closed when the validation report shows zero invalid connections, zero open sections, and zero intersecting triangles.

Page 6.20




Notes:

This lesson has introduced the basics of wireframing. Advanced wireframing is covered in Part 11 – Wireframing 2.


Page 6.21


Notes:


Lesson 2 Summary This lesson has extended the basic wireframing workflow to incorporate the build–validate–fix cycle and has introduced a technique for creating intermediate sections to close ends. Specifically, you’ve learned: To make a wireframe object the Active Layer: Allow Vizex to prompt you when you first start wireframing, or Right-click an existing wireframe in the Display Pane and choose Active Layer from the pop-up menu, or Pull down the Active Layer list and choose [New] Triangulation… To manually build a wireframe: Click the Build Wireframe button, then Click a string segment on one section to highlight it, and Click the matching string segment on the adjacent section, then Continue clicking the matching string on each subsequent section. To validate a wireframe: Rely on Micromine’s on-the-fly validation to check each link, and Periodically rotate the 3D model and inspect it from all sides to perform a visual validation, then Right-click the graphic display and choose Validate Wireframe from the pop-up menu, or Click the Validate Wireframe button. To remove validation errors: If the last link is invalid, press Ctrl+Z, or right-click | Undo, or click the Undo button to undo it, or If the errors are within the wireframe, click the Select Triangles button and drag to select the offending triangles, then Press the Delete key to delete them. To fix validation errors using tie lines: Click the New Tie Line button, and Nominate a tie line file using either a new or existing file, then Click a vertex in one section and click the matching vertex in the next section, and Continue until all tie lines are added, then Click the Build Wireframe button to rebuild the deleted triangles.

Page 6.22





Notes:

To determine the position of an intermediate section: Use the Measure Tool to draw a line indicating the rough position of the new section, matching the known strike and dip of the wireframe, then Make note of the Length, Azimuth, and Inclination values in the status bar or Properties window, and Use those values in the steps below. To produce an intermediate section: Click the Select Tool, then Select the nearest string (whether by proximity or shape), and Right-click in the graphic display, then Choose Copy/Move String from the pop-up menu. To close the end of a 3D solid: Click the Select Tool, then Select the string that represents the opening, then Right-click in the graphic display, and Choose Close End from the pop-up menu, or Click the Close End toolbar button. Alternatively, click Close End to Point to create a conical end.

Good Practice If you’re dealing with a multiple strings, use the Selection by Condition option to restrict the view to just the relevant strings. This is more efficient than using a filter. Validate often. It’s better to take a few seconds to validate than to spend days building a wireframe only to discover it contains numerous errors. Keep data integrity in mind whenever you add tie lines or adjust the source strings. Tie lines should always go in their own file. Always deselect the last string of the current wireframe part if you plan to work somewhere else, otherwise Micromine will attempt to join the two parts. Needless to say this will cause numerous validation errors at worst and a visually invalid wireframe at best. If you’re building a 3D solid of a drillhole interpretation, never close the 3D solid on the end sections. You’ll lose volume and may not know if intervals right at the edge will fall inside or outside the 3D solid.


Page 6.23


Notes:


Lesson 2 Summary (Continued) Help Topics

Page 6.24

For information on:

See:

Wireframes

Display > Vizex > Wireframe

The Active Layer

[Index] > Active Layer

Select by Condition

[Index] > Select by Condition, Vizex

Building Wireframes

Wireframing

Wireframe validation

Wireframing > Validation

Tie lines

[Index] > Tielines > Working with tie-lines

Close End

Wireframing > Wireframing tools > Close End, Close End to Point (topics on page)

Move String

[Index] > Edit Strings > Menu options > Copy/Move String (topic on page)



Lesson 3 – Saving Your Work


Notes:

Duration: 15 minutes Saving your work is simply a matter of saving each of the files on which you’ve been working (wireframe, tie lines, input strings). However, some data management and integrity decisions are needed, particularly if your work will be audited by banks, clients, or consultants. Although it’s possible to simultaneously save all of the files it’s best to save them separately so you can control the destination of each data element. You control which layer is saved by selecting it in the Display pane before saving. After this lesson you’ll be able to: ·

Save a wireframe;

·

Save tie lines, using a name that relates them to the wireframe;

·

Save modified input strings without altering the original input data.

Saving the Wireframe The finished wireframe is clearly the ultimate result of this process and saving it is as simple as clicking the Save button. Your only major consideration will be where to save the wireframe and what to name it. As you learned in Part 2, Lesson 5, you can group wireframes into wireframe types, which provide a convenient way to classify wireframes. If you’re building 3D geological solids the Types you’re most likely to use are ORE, ROCK MODEL, or MINERALISATION. However, you’re not restricted to just these types. Fault or shear zones can be modelled as 3D surfaces or solids and you can group them under the FAULT type. Similarly, for 3D solids of underground workings you might use the STOPE type. If none of supplied wireframe types suit your requirements you can easily define your own. Just select Wireframe | Utilities | Types from the main menu and click the New button on the Wireframe Type Definition dialog. Whenever you create a new wireframe type Micromine will ask you to create user defined attributes for that type. However, they’re generally not needed unless you’re an advanced user so you can dismiss that dialog box once it appears. Or, you can use another wireframe type as a template. The wireframe Name can be anything meaningful. However, consider building version information into the name if you plan to work through multiple iterations of a particular wireframe. For example, STH_LODE_V1 might represent the first version of South Lode.


Page 6.25


Notes:


Always specify a default Colour when you create a new wireframe. If you don’t the wireframe will be displayed in black and no texture will be visible. In the following exercise you’ll save the wireframe with the Type ORE and the Name MV2.

Exercise 3.1: Save the wireframe To save the wireframe: 1.

Single-click the New Wireframe layer in the Display pane to select it.

2.

Click the Save button on the toolbar. Alternatively, press Ctrl+S, or right-click the layer in the Display pane (or anywhere in the graphic display) and choose Save from the pop-up menu.

3.

Double-click the Type response and choose Ore.tdb from the list.

4.

Enter the Name MV2 and set the Colour to darkgreen.

5.

Click OK to save the 3D solid.

6.

Right-click the Ore MV2 layer in the Display pane and choose Refresh from the pop-up menu to redraw the 3D solid in your chosen colour.

Saving Tie Lines Tie lines are an essential part of wireframing and it’s important to save them in a way that relates them to their associated wireframe. This is especially the case if your wireframes will take longer than one day to build, or if you’re producing a reportable resource and will need to justify your result. In Optional Exercise 2.3 you learned about separating tie lines from the input strings; when you save the tie line file you should name it in a way that relates it to the wireframe. For example, if your wireframe is named STH_LODE_V1, one possible name for the tie line file might be STH_LODE_V1_TIES. The tie line file is still a string file, so although you’ve separated the tie lines from the input strings you should still set the file Type to STRING when you save it. In the following exercise you’ll save your tie lines as a string file with the Name MV2_TIES.

Exercise 3.2: Save the tie lines To save the tie lines:

Page 6.26

1.

Single-click the Untitled (Untitled.STR) layer in the Display to select it.

2.

Click the Save button on the toolbar. Alternatively, press Ctrl+S, or right-click the layer in the Display pane and choose Save from the popup menu.



Remember to keep tie lines separate from your interpretation strings. 3.

Enter the File Name MV2_TIES and set the File Type to STRING. Naming the tie line file this way indicates that it contains tie lines and relates it to the 3D solid.

4.

Click OK to save the file. Note how the display layer is now named Untitled (MV2_TIES.STR).


Notes:

Saving Modified Input Strings The input strings you use for a wireframing project most probably represent the result of a series of sectional interpretations made by snapping to drillholes. However, if you modify the strings whilst wireframing, for instance to add end or intermediate sections, the data no longer consist of a pure sectional interpretation. This is because the new sections did not originate from actual drillholes and therefore no longer represent the raw drillhole information. Because of this change in data origin you should consider saving modified strings to a new file instead of saving them to the original one.

This does not apply to error corrections, which you should save back into the original file whenever possible. In the following exercise you’ll save the modified input strings to a new file called MV2_INTERP, which relates it to the 3D solid.

Exercise 3.3: Save the modified input strings To save the modified input strings to a new file: 1.

Single-click the Vein interp layer in the Display pane to select it.

2.

Select File | Save As from the menu. Alternatively, right-click the layer in the Display pane and choose Save As from the pop-up menu.

3.

Enter the File Name MV2_INTERP and set the File Type to STRING. As you did with tie lines, naming the file this way relates it to the wireframe.

4.

Click OK to save the file.

5.

Answer No when prompted to save EXAMPLE_VEIN_INTERP.STR.

6.

Micromine will place the new file name (MV2_INTERP) into the Vein interp form set, protecting the original file from accidental modification at a later date.


Page 6.27



Notes:

Lesson 3 Summary In this lesson you learned to save the various files that contribute to a built wireframe. Topics covered are: To save a modified wireframe, tie line, or string file: Single-click the relevant layer in the Display pane to select it, then Click the Save button, or press Ctrl+S, or right-click the layer in the Display pane and choose Save from the pop-up menu, and Name the file according to the wireframe it’s related to and, if necessary, its version number. To save modified input strings to a new file: Click the relevant layer in the Display pane to select it, then Select File | Save As from the menu, or right-click the layer in the Display pane and choose Save As from the pop-up menu, and Name the file according to the wireframe it’s related to and, if necessary, its version number.

Good Practice Don’t rely on the Save All option to simultaneously save your files as you may inadvertently overwrite an existing file, particularly if you’ve modified the input strings. Consider building version information into the name if you’ll be performing multiple iterations of a particular wireframe. For example, STH_LODE_V1 might represent the first version of South Lode. In addition to using Wireframe | Utilities | Types to create a new type you can also create one while you’re saving the wireframe. To do this, rightclick the Type on the Wireframe Properties dialog, which will open the Wireframe Type Definition dialog.

Help Topics

Page 6.28

For information on:

See:

Wireframe types

Wireframe Utilities > Types

Displaying strings


Displaying outlines


Displaying drillholes

Display > Vizex > Drillhole


MM12-5 Introduction to Micromine (2011-07)

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