GPSeismic

GPSeismic Version 2008.2 Release Notes

Highlights

Release highlights include a new freeware application, cool new KML capabilities
including the ability to convert a CAD file to a Google Earth polygon file, support
for the new EGM 2008 geoid model, and a new 'specific' ASCII import tool for QuikView. 
Check out the following link to see some of these new features:

http://www.gpseismic.com/v2008_2_highlights.htm

General

1)You will find a new application in the GPSeismic folder called QNav. QNav is 
similar to GPNav in most respects. However, it is not security protected 
and its capabilities are a subset of the GPNav program. For using the target 
utilities, there must be a top layer shape point file that was created by importing 
a QuikLoad QLD file. This action creates a special shape file that allows any 
point in it to become a target. The data output format is a QNV file which is a 
binary file that can be read by QuikView.

QNav was written to offer clients a data collector or navigation application that 
could be used with portable or ruggedized computers running Windows XP or Vista.
All dialogs are designed for screens dimensions of 900 by 600 or greater. Shortcut 
keys are in place for practically all operations. At present, QNav requires the 
NMEA $GPGGA message and optionally, the $PTNTHTM or $SDDBS heading messages. 
QNav contains several seismic survey features including the ability to open and
utilize grid definition files and use polygon type shape files as exclusion areas.
As with GPNav, you may have up to 100 map layers that consist of shape, CAD or
image files.

2) QuikMap, QuikLoad and QuikView now have the ability to convert any vector file 
to a Google Earth KML file. This includes DWG, DXF, DGN, and SHP files. To convert 
a file, load it using the Images/Load menu item, then display the Layers dialog, 
right click on the layer and select 'Save/Convert'. You will see that KML is now 
a possibility. You will be prompted for what types of entities to include (line, 
polylines, points, polygons) and how to portray the entities in the KML file. 
Canadian users who have the DLS option should remember that after you create a 
DXF file of sections, you can immediately save this to a KML file. Download a 
sample to see a how a number of sections are rendered:

http://www.gpseismic.com/images/kml_dls.zip

3) GPSeismic now supports the EGM 2008 geoid model. This model comes in two 
different flavors. One is a 1 minute by 1 minute high resolution model with a
svelte file size of approximately 1 GB. The other is a 2.5 minute by 2.5 minute
model. In contrast, the EGM 96 model is a 15 minute by 15 minute model. The new
EGM 2008 model is available at:

http://earth-info.nga.mil/GandG/wgs84/gravitymod/egm2008/index.html

Thanks to Brian Marsh for pointing out the new model.

4) In the conversion calculator of the geodetic utilities, you can now output your
computations in a more report-like format. The existing csv report will remain an
option. The new report contains a complete set of parameters for both the input 
and output coordinate systems and datum transformations. Note that the coordinate
system and datum details refer to the selected ones at the time the report is made,
however for each row of the spreadsheet, the computation results are prefaced by
a summary of the selected systems at the time the computation was made. There
is also a new File menu item which will allow you to save the current forward/inverse
computations.

This was requested by Brian Marsh.

5) The Shape File Toolbox has been re-named to Shape/KML File Toolbox since there
have been a number of KML utility additions recently. The Toolbox also now has 
several checkboxes that allow you to display only a certain type of utility (for
example, KML related, XZO related, etc.).

6) Added a new KML file creation utility to the Shape/KML File Toolbox. The new
utility allows you to drape an image for which you have a registration 
file over the Google Earth Imagery. You should note that you are prompted for 
the local coordinate system of the registration file and this is used to compute 
the latitude and longitude box into which the image is placed. Since the process 
attempts to display a grid-defined ortho-rectified image on WGS84 based imagery, 
it can be used more effectively on small areas than large.

7) Fixed a problem in modern spreadsheet viewer in which you would switch to 'filter'
mode and not be able to enter the filter.

8) If you tried to create a surface chart or other operation in which you utilized
a DEM with multiple contiguous NULL rows, an error would be generated.  This
has been fixed.

Items 1 and 2 were spotted by Cliff Wittig.

9)  Both GPArc and QuikMap have the ability to make a grid and title block. In 
QuikMap, this item is in the Image menu. In GPArc, the utility is in the Utilities 
menu. There are now two buttons in the title block group. One allows you to 
define system information and other metadata as before. The new one allows you 
to define parameters that have a geophysical flavor. All entries are remembered. 
If you want a title block with the geophysical information, you would check the 
checkbox underneath this button before pressing the CREATE button.

This resulted from discussions with Lisa D'Ambrosia of Lockhart Geophysical.

10) Added a 'History' table to the geodesy database. This contains all changes made
to the database since its release. Also added a utility to the geodetic utilities
to view the history. Obviously, this is only available for geodesy.mdb files in a new
installation or the one available on our web site.

11) In the conversion calculator of the geodetic utilities, if the input system
is WGS84 and the output system is grid and you have selected a geoid model, then
a 'local' height will be computed for the grid position.

This was requested by Alan Stanton of WesternGeco.

12) In the conversion calculator, heights will now be transformed for grid coordinate
systems using classical datum shifts.

This was requested by Michael.Schlautmann of DMT

QuikLoad

1) An option has been added on the Miscellaneous Settings dialog which will allow 
you to control whether decimal bins will be rounded up or down when populating 
the database (note that this has no effect on integer stations).

This was requested by Alan Stanton of WesternGeco.

2) Added the ability to swap track and bin values when creating Lowrance USR files.

This was required by Aaron Totten of CGGVeritas.

QuikView

1) A Utility menu item called Specific ASCII has been added. This utility allows 
the user to select a predefined ASCII format from a list. A sample of that format
is displayed along with applicable controls for user defined parameters. For
example, for file formats that have no dates there will be the opportunity to
select a survey date. Note that this utility provides support for formats that
previously were supported in the Generic ASCII utility. Support for the all formats
in Generic ASCII (and now supported in Specific ASCII) will be dropped
in the next version of the software so it is important to begin using this new
utility. This includes the following:

SurvCe RW5 Standard Format
SurvCe RW5 Carlson Format
SurvCe RW5 Norbert Format
SurvCe Export Format
Thales RW5 Format
Topcon Raw Format
Maptech MXF Format
GPTracker System Format
Magellan UPT Format
Google Earth KML Point Format
Online Positioning User Service (OPUS) Format
OziExplorer Point File Version 1.0
OziExplorer Waypoint File Version 1.1
NMEA Message $GPGGA Format

2) An option has been added on the Processing Settings tab page of the Miscellaneous 
dialog which will allow you to control whether decimal bins will be rounded up 
or down when populating the database (note that this has no effect on integer 
stations).

This was requested by Alan Stanton of WesternGeco.

3) Added a 'Clear All' mask queries button to the query builder dialog.

This was requested by a PGS class recently conducted in Brazil.

4) The Utility menu now contains a new item for GPSeismic QNav files. See the
first item in the General section for information on this new application.

5) The Display/Output tab page of Miscellaneous Settings now includes an option
to display the summary dialog when a file is imported.

This was requested by Brian Marsh.

GPLocator

1) Added an embedded simulator. You select 'Simulator' as you would any serial
comms system on the communication tab page of the Map Properties dialog. When you
do this, a button becomes visible that will allow you to automatically assign
the correct coordinate system and vehicle ID assignments.  The simulator positions
are derived by adding values ranging from 0 to 2 minutes to the latitude and 
longitude values that you enter in textboxes immediately underneath the 
configuration button. The values are entered in decimal degrees and default to 
values that place the simulated vehicles in the center of our map data located 
in the GPSeismic\Sample Data\Mapping\ folder. However, if you have shape layers
or registered images for another location, you can enter the approximate coordinates
for the area and the simulated vehicles will show up there. Just remember that if
you utilize anything but the default coordinates (which are 17.75,-92.733) you
will have to select the grid coordinate system appropriate for the area.

Note that for all essential purposes, the simulator is identical to operating 
GPLocator with a real serial comms input except that there is one new vehicle 
position received every two seconds.

2) Fixed a problem in which selecting a vehicle font character did not always
remember the user selection.

3) Modified the Change Layer Properties dialog so that you may see the effects of 
your settings without closing the dialog.

GPNav

1) Modified the Change Layer Properties dialog so that you may see the effects of 
your settings without closing the dialog.

2) Added ability to set reference azimuth by clicking on points. When you use the
'Information' item of the View menu and click on a point, as before, you will see
the infomation associated with the underlying database. However, the coordinates 
of that point are remembered. The next time you click on a point, the information 
for the underlying database is shown along with the inverse distance and azimuth
between the current and previous points. A button allows you to assign the 
azimuth as the reference azimuth for inline/cross line tracking.

3) Added the ability to define two target circles by individual radius values.
Two new View menu items allow you to display these circles over the target
users position, or both. The target circle radii are entered in the Target 
Settings dialog.

Items 2 and 3 were requested by Jan Quaak of CggVeritas

QuikCon

1) Added ability to reverse station and RO fields for selected rows in Control 
Manager. This action also adds 180 to the reference azimuth.

Requested by Jonh Socadagui of Geokinetics.

2) When creating SHP files from the Export tab page, only the side shots layer
was being created. Now it creates a turn points layer and a line of sight line 
layer.

This was spotted by Cliff Wittig.

3) Added the ability to open a QCC file from the Sunshot utility to assist in
populating the OC station name and grid coordinates.

This was requested by a PGS class recently conducted in Brazil.

4) Added yet another Topcon import routine to the DCO editor. At this writing, 
its our belief that this is the preferred method for Topcon data import. More 
information about this import method can be found on the following page:

http://www.gpseismic.com/topcon_suggested.htm

GPArc

1) There is a new utility available in GPArc and in the Shape Toolbox that allows
you to quickly create up to 50 text legend items for inclusion in your map. You
can enter text manually or you can use tools to automatically retrieve data from 
the Project/Metadata dialog or a csv file. There is also a tool that allows you 
to open a table of any database and drag and drop text from it. The utility allows 
you to make a DXF, SHP  or GPArc GPG file. The SHP file is a point type with the 
text in the underlying database. The GPG file is a special GPArc file that, when 
imported, displays the text entities on the map which can be edited, moved or 
deleted. A new file menu item allows you to create a DXF file of all existing 
text elements. This is useful if you carefully position text elements and want 
to create a map layer that can be imported in another application

GPSQL

1) You can now color the queries in the main interface. You make changes by 
selecting the 'Manage Queries' item in the Define menu. You then highlight the rows
you want to change the color for and press the 'Change Color' button. This displays
a color dialog where you select your color. You can use the CTRL and SHIFT keys
when you select rows.

This was requested by a PGS class recently conducted in Brazil.

2) Fixed a problem with rebinning in which selecting a numeric type field for
the IsRebinned field would erroneously result in a message box warning.

This was spotted by Earl Dahl of WesternGeco.

3) Added an option on the Updates dialog to default to WGS84 latitude and 
longitude fields when populating the 'convert coordinates' dropdowns.

This was requested by Alan Stanton of WesternGeco.

4) In the Utility menu, you can now use your query to create  Google Earth KML 
files which include time. When KML files contain time tagged points, a special 
control appears in Google Earth which allows you to define a time span to view 
and interactively move through the entire time period. GPSQL now allows you to 
create these KML files using a new item in the Utilities menu. Download the
following file o see how this works:

http://www.gpseismic.com/images/kml_time.zip

2008.4 |2008.3 |2008.2 |2008.1 |2008.0

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