04 the Vulcan Workbench

The VULCAN Workbench This topic provides reference information about using and customising the Workbench.

Workbench Overview The Graphical User Interface (GUI) to the VULCAN product suite is called the Workbench. The name Workbench was chosen as several applications can be open at the same time thus resulting in an environment that allows quick and easy access to these applications, similar to having all required tools on your workbench. Being able to have several applications open at the same time, makes the Workbench a true multi-windows user interface. The Workbench consists of the following applications:

Plotting Utility

OverviewThis section comprises of information about the Workbench layout.

Starting the Workbench for the first time

This section provides information on selecting an initial layout for the Workbench.

MenusThis section provides information on the File, Tools, Window and Help menus of the Workbench. Apart from File these menus are present in every application.

Using MenusThis section provides information on how to use the menus in the Workbench as well as highlighting differences between Version 4.0 and prior versions.

Context Menus

This section provides information on the Workbench context, or pop up, menus. These menus enable you to select an object in the Explorer and then right click to access commands and options specific to that object.

Grid ControlsThis section provides information on the grid panels, which are used by many applications, such as the Block Model Utility and Isis, to control the entry, display and management of data.

Windows and Toolbar Manipulation

This section provides information on the different types of windows and toolbars that are possible in the Workbench.

AreasThis section provides a description of the different areas in the Workbench.

Window IconsThis section provides information on the icons on Workbench windows.

Explorer ApplicationThis section provides information on the Explorer application, which provides access to files in your current working directory.

Explorer FoldersThis section contains a list of file type (extensions) for each folder in the Explorer.

Report WindowThis section provides information on the Report Window, which displays text information generated by the application that is running.

Workbench ApplicationsThe Workbench consists of the following applications, Envisage, Isis (Database Editor), Plotting Utility and the Block Model Utility.

of 91Workbench : Contents

Envisage Isis Database Editor Block Model Utility

VULCAN Version 4 makes extensive use of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI). The MDI provides a foundation from which applications can be run. As the Workbench is the main application from which other applications are run, it is the parent application with the other application being child applications.

Envisage is loaded into a child window that resides within the Workbench's parent window area. One of the benefits of using an MDI application is that multiple child windows may be run and that each shares the menu bar of the parent window. The example below demonstrates the Workbench layout, keep in mind, however, that many variations are possible through user configuration. There are six default Workbench lavouts supplied with the system.

Refer to Workbench Window Types for more information on the types of windows available under the Workbench, Windows and Toolbar Manipulation and the Tools menu for more information on changing the Workbench layout and Workbench Menus for information on how to use the Workbench Menus.

Figure 1 - Workbench Layout


The Status Bar at the bottom of the screen displays messages regarding required input; name of the <VULCAN> application that is currently active; co-ordinate information; the command tag of the option that is currently active, however, if you are digitising, then the distance, bearing and dip are displayed in this area, and the name of the design database that you are currently using.

The VULCAN Explorer provides access to files that are in the directory from which you started the Workbench.

The Report Window displays text information that is generated from the application in use. There are three different types of text based information that can be shown in this window. These types of information are


indicated by the Workbench, Console and tabs.

The Application Area allows you to start all of the Workbench Applications ( Envisage, Isis, Plotting

Utility, Block Model Utility, C Shell, Borehole Graphics (Bhgute), Borehole Geophysics (Gphute) and

Vulcan Shell) as well as hiding and showing the VULCAN Explorer , Report Window (the icon will flash if the Report Window is hidden and information is being displayed in it) and any of the applications that are

currently running. It is also possible to start the VULCAN Online Help.

Starting VULCAN Software The first time that you start the Workbench, or if you have removed the vulcan.pref file from the User Profile area, the VULCAN 3D Software User Setup Wizard will be displayed.

VULCAN software can be started in four ways:

If you are already familiar with starting VULCAN Software, then you can go directly to the information on the VULCAN Software Program.

Note: If your licence is in overdraft (only applicable to floating licences), a message will be displayed informing you of this fact before the application is started. You can then choose to continue using the overdraft licence or activate the Licence Administrator.

VULCAN Software Icon

When the VULCAN Software icon has been selected (i.e. double clicked) from the desktop or selected from the Start Menu, the following panel is displayed.

Note: This panel is also displayed when you right click on a folder and select Open with VULCAN.

Diagram 1 - Vulcan 3D Software Panel

VULCAN Software

Icon

This icon will be placed on your desktop during the installation. However, if you are using Windows 2000 as your operating system, then you might like to place the icon on the Quick Start toolbar of the task bar. Refer to the System Administration documentation for information on creating shortcuts.

Selecting the icon (either by a single or a double click depending upon your Windows setting).

FolderRight clicking on a folder and selecting Open with VULCAN. This has the same effect as selecting the VULCAN Software Icon.

Drag and DropDragging and dropping a data folder, or Project file (.dg1) (which will start Envisage), from the desktop or a mapped drive onto the VULCAN software icon.

Folder PropertiesSelecting a shortcut to a folder, or Project file (which will start Envisage), which has properties that have been set to run with VULCAN.


The current feature (configuration) and description is displayed. To change the feature, use the License Administrator button.

Previous data areas are displayed in the VULCAN Work Area. Highlight the required data area, by left clicking, or double click on Browse to navigate to the required data. Once you have selected the data, click on the application that you wish to run.

To remove data areas from the VULCAN Work Area, right click on the file and select Remove from History. You can also remove the entire history list by right clicking and selecing Remove All.

Note: If you have been sent a new licence file, then you will need to run the License Administrator. Refer to Starting the Workbench for the first time for more information.

Drag and Drop

Data Folder

To use drag and drop from a mapped drive, simply drag and drop the required data folder onto the Vulcan Launcher. To use drag and drop from the desktop, first create a desktop icon (shortcut) that represents the required data folder. Refer to the System Administration documentation for details on how to create short cuts. Once you have created the desktop icon, drag it onto the Vulcan Launcher icon.


The Vulcan 3D Software panel, see diagram 1, is then displayed. The data that you have "dragged and dropped" will be displayed in the Vulcan Work Area list. Highlight the required data area, by left clicking. Select the application that you want to run.

Project File (.dg1)

To use drag and drop from a mapped drive, simply drag and drop the required data file onto the VULCAN Launcher. To use drag and drop from the desktop, first create a desktop icon (shortcut) that represents the data file. Refer to the System Administration documentation for details on how to create short cuts. Once you have created the desktop icon, drag it onto the Vulcan Launcher icon.

Envisage is then started.

Folder Properties

If you regularly use the same data folders with VULCAN, then create desktop icons for these folders (as described in Drag and Drop) and then change the properties of these folders. This will allow VULCAN to run with the folders. This means that double clicking on the folder icon will have the same affect as double clickingon the VULCAN Launcher icon.

When you double click on the data folder the Vulcan 3D Software panel, see diagram 1, is then displayed.

The installation procedure will automatically alter the properties of project files (.dg1), hence when you double click (or single click depending upon your Windows settings) on the project file, Envisage will run with the data.

The VULCAN Software Program

Once VULCAN is started, by using one of the methods outlined above, then the Vulcan 3D Software panel, see diagram 1, is displayed. This panel contains a series of buttons representing the applications that can be started from the launcher, these applications comprise of Envisage, Isis, Plotting Utility, Workbench and Settings. To start a particular application, highlight the data that you want to use and then click on the appropriate application button. Follow the links below for documentation on starting each application.

Starting Envisage

Starting Isis

Starting the Plotting Utility

Starting the Workbench

Settings

Starting a Hamilton C Shell

Starting Envisage

Envisage can be started in several ways, from the Vulcan Launcher, from the Workbench, from the VULCAN Explorer Application and, by dragging and dropping a Project File(.dg1).


Vulcan Launcher

1. Double Click on the Vulcan Launcher icon, or drag and drop a data folder onto tor double click on a folder, which has had its properties set to run with VULCAN

2. Highlight the Data directory that you want to use for the Envisage session.

3. Click the Envisage button. The Vulcan 3D Software Project Setup panel is displa

4. From this panel, select the project file, or choose to create a new project file. ReCreating a new Project file for more information on this option.

5. Once you have selected the project file, a panel is displayed that lists the projectarea and project file. Select Next to start Envisage and Back if you want to alteproject settings.

6. If a design file (dgd) has not been added to the project file, then a panel will be din which you can enter the name of the design file. You can also create a new deby entering its name in this panel. Refer to File > Design Files > Open for moreinformation.

Workbench

1. Start the Workbench.

2. Click on the Start Button in the Application Area and select Envisage.

3. The Vulcan 3D Software Project Setup panel is displayed. Refer to starting Envifrom the Vulcan Launcher.

VULCAN Explorer Application

1. Right click on a project file (.dg1) in the Specifications folder of the Explorer Ap

2. Select Run Envisage.

Dragging and Dropping a Project File

1. Drag and Drop the project file onto the Vulcan Launcher icon.


It is also possible to 'wrap' the running of Envisage inside a Hamilton C Shell. This means that your login.csh is sourced immediately and you can add custom startup and cleanup code.

Note: We recommend that only advanced users use this feature.

You must create a file called envisage.csh, which must contain the line envis_gui.exe $*, in your ENVIS_RESO area. This file should also contain the startup and cleanup up code. Diagram 1 displays an example envisage.csh file.

Note: Ensure that you have a return character at the end of your envisage.csh file.

Diagram 1 - Example envisage.csh

Once you have created this file, simply start Envisage in your normal manner. The Envisage Console tab of the Report Window will display additional information about your startup code and when you quit Envisage it willdisplay information about your cleanup code.

Diagram 2 - Report Window content on startup when using the above example envisage.csh

Note: The blue highlighting in diagrams 2 and 3 was added to emphasise the startup and cleanup code.

Diagram 3 -Report Window content on quitting Envisage when using the above example envisage.csh

Project File (.dg1)

1. Double click on a project file.

Or

1. Right click on a project file and select Open with VULCAN.


Starting Isis

Isis can be started in several ways, from the Vulcan Launcher, from the Workbench, with or without Envisage running, from the VULCAN Explorer Application and, if you have drill holes loaded, then from the drill hole data.

Starting the Plotting Utility

The Plotting Utility can be started in several ways; from the Vulcan Launcher, from the Workbench, with or without Envisage running, and from the VULCAN Explorer Application.

Vulcan Launcher

1. Double Click on the Vulcan Launcher icon, or drag and drop a data folder onto the icon, or double click on a folder, which has had its properties set to run with VULCAN.

2. Highlight the Data directory that you wish to use for the Isis session.

3. Click the Isis button.

Workbench1. Select Workbench start button, from the Application Area.

2. Select Isis. You will be prompted to open a database.


1. Right click on a database in the Users Databases folder of the VULCAN Explorer Application

2. Select Edit.

Envisage

If you have drill holes loaded (refer to Geology > Drilling for more information), then you can right click on a particular drill hole and select Edit Database or View Database from the displayed context menu to open the Database.

Vulcan Launcher


2. Highlight the Data directory that you want to use for the


Many of the Envisage plotting options, such as Plot All Wizard, will provide the opportunity of viewing the plots, in the Plotting Utility, once the file has been created.

Starting the Workbench

The Workbench can be started in two ways; from the Vulcan Launcher and from the Workbench icon. From the Workbench it is possible to start all of the VULCAN programs and applications, including Vulcan, Bhgute and Gphute.

Settings

The Settings button allows you to edit the Dynamic Memory settings. Refer to Dynamic Arrays in the Envisage Introduction.

Hamilton C Shell

A Hamilton C Shell can be started in two ways; from the Workbench or from the Vulcan Launcher.

Plotting session.

3. Click the Plotting Utility button.

Workbench

1. Select the Workbench start button, in the Application Area.

2. Select Plotting Utility. You will be prompted to open a plot file, which will then be displayed in the Plot Preview Window


1. Double click on a plot file in the Plots folder of the VULCAN Explorer, the selected plot file will then be displayed in the Plot Preview Window. It is also possible to right click on the plot file in the Explorer and select Plot or Preview.

Note: You can select multiple plots by using the mouse and the [Shift] key (for adjacent plot files) and the mouse and the [Ctrl] key (for non-adjacent files).

Vulcan Launcher


2. Highlight the Data directory that you wish to use for this session.

3. Click the Workbench button.

Workbench icon

To use this method, you must first place a short cut to the VWorkbench.exe ( found in the bin/exe directory of your Vulcan files) on your desktop. Refer to the System Administration documentation for information on creating shortcuts.

1. Double click on the icon.


VULCAN Version 4

Starting VULCAN Version 4 for the first time

To start the Workbench, simply double click on the Vulcan Launcher icon that was placed on your desktop during the installation.

If you are using a floating licence, then you need to map a drive to the share that contains the VULCAN files and create a short cut to the Vulcan Launcher before starting VULCAN. Refer to Setting up an Application Server for more information.

The Vulcan 3D Software panel will be displayed.

You need to run the License Administrator before starting VULCAN for the first time, or when you want to change the feature that you are using, e.g., you want to change from the Geology feature to the Survey feature. The current feature (configuration) name and description is displayed on the panel. Also, if the Vulcan Launcher is unable to determine authorisation, then the License Administrator will be run automatically.

Vulcan Launcher1. Right click in the VULCAN Work Area.

2. Select Launch CSH.

Workbench 1. Select Workbench start button, from the Application Area.

2. Select C Shell.


Note: A feature is a particular configuration that authorises you to use certain options.

The VULCAN License Administrator is started from the License Administrator button on the VULCAN 3D software panel, which is accessed from the Vulcan Launcher icon.

The VULCAN License Administrator panel is displayed.

There are two types of licences; node locked and floating.

If no features appear in the main part of the panel, then you need to edit the Server field. Your entry in the Server field depends upon whether you are using node locked or floating licensing. If you're not sure which licence type you are using, then consult your System Administrator.

If you're using a Node Locked licence,

Then use the Browse button to navigate to the licence file (extension .lic). This file should be stored locally in a directory C:/flexlm. If this folder does not exist, then create it. Also if the licence file is not stored in the directory, then contact your System Administrator to obtain a copy, which you can then place in this folder. Once you have selected the file, then select the Refresh button.

If you're using a Floating licence,

Then type in the Server field:

@machine_name

where machine_name is the name of the machine running the FLEXlm server and select the


Refresh button. Your System Administrator will be able to inform you of the name of this machine. If you have several floating licence servers, then enter:

@machine_name1;@machine_name2;...

When VULCAN is authorising it will work through this list trying to find an available licence.

For both licence types, once you have selected the Refresh button, the available features should appear in the main section of the panel.

Note: If you are using floating licences with more than one server and the same feature is on more than one server, then the information about that feature will be taken from the first server. For example, if server 1 can allocate 6 licences for feature A and server 2 can allocate 8 licences for feature A, then only 6 will appear in the main section of the panel.

To select a feature, click on it and it will become highlighted (see image above).

Use the Test license button to confirm that you can use this feature successfully. If you are using floating authorisation and the test fails due to "licensed number of users already reached", then use the More Info button to determine which users are presently using the selected license.

When you select the More Info button, the Server Info panel is displayed.

This panel displays the server name and license description, as well as information on the users using the currently selected license.

Set the VULCAN_USER_LIST environment variable to the full path of the comma separated translation file if you want to display user names and phone numbers. Select the Refresh button to update the user details.

Use the Check dongle button to test if your dongle is valid. You can also use this option to determine the type of the dongle.

When you select the Options button the License Server Options panel is displayed.


This panel allows you to:

Save settings for all users of this machine Tick this checkbox if you want to store the information you entered through the License Administrator panel to the registry. This means that when any user runs the License Administrator, the values that you have saved will appear in the panel. (Defaults to off). Note: You can only save the settings for all users to the registry if you have administrative privileges.

Remember last server used Only applicable to floating licence If you have more than one FLEXlm server, then ticking this box will result in the authorisation checking the last used server first, then working through the list of machines. (Defaults to off).

Ignore *_LICENSE_FILE environment variables Only applicable to floating licence These environment variables usually store the machine name of the FLEXlm server from which to checkout the feature. Ticking this box ensures that the machines entered in the Server field of the License Administrator panel will be used and not the value set in the environment variables. (Defaults to on).

Use the Clear Settings button to remove any values that have been saved into the registry.

When you select OK on the License Administrator panel, the feature highlighted is the one that will be used when VULCAN authorises.

You should now be able to run VULCAN.

1. Double click on the word 'Browse ...' in the Vulcan Work Area and navigate to your working directory. The next time you run VULCAN this directory will appear in the work area. To remove directories from the data area, right click on it and select Remove from History. Note: Invalid directories are marked in red.

2. Select, from the list displayed on the right of the panel, the application that you want to run.

The VULCAN 3D Software User Setup Wizard will be displayed. This wizard allows you to select an initial layout for the VULCAN Workbench and the plotter units (either metric or imperial). It is possible, once the Workbench is running, to customise (using the Customise option under the Workbench > Tools menu) the layout.

Notes: 1. If you have not set the HOME environment variable, then you will be prompted to do so, before the Setup Wizard is displayed. 2. The Wizard will also be displayed if you have removed the vulcan.pref file from the User Profile area.


You have a choice of six layouts, the two default layouts are the same apart from the resolution, likewise the two classic options.

If you find after altering the layout that you wish to return to one of the initial four layouts, then use the Import option (under the Tools > Layout submenu). The layout files, default_1024.cui, default_1280.cui, classic_1024.cui, classic_1280.cui, maxgraphics_1024.cui and maxgraphics_1280.cui are stored in the $Vulcan/etc/defaults folder.

Once you have chosen a layout, select OK, you will then be prompted to select your plotter units (either metric or imperial).

Select Finish to exit the VULCAN 3D Software User Setup Wizard. The application you selected will start.

Default_1024

Default_1024

This layout comprises of the Primary, Report and Explorer windows and the Analyse, Design, Digitise, Graphics, Modify,Status, Standard, Visibility and Window: Visibility toolbars.

Default_1280

This layout comprises of the Primary, Report and Explorer windows and the Analyse, Design, Digitise, Graphics, Modify,Status, Standard, Visibility and Window: Visibility toolbars. Note this layout is the same, except for resolution, as the Default_1024 layout.

Classic_1024This layout is designed to resemble V3.x layouts. It consists of the Primary window, the Graphics (with classic icons) and the Digitise toolbars.

Classic_1280

This layout is designed to resemble V3.x layouts. It consists of the Primary window, the Graphics (with classic icons) and the Digitise toolbars. Note this layout is the same, except for resolution, as the Classic_1024 layout.

Maxgraphics_1024

This layout is designed for users requiring the maximum graphics display area in the client area on lower resolution devices, such as laptop computers. It essentially comprises of the Primary window and users can move though to the explorer or report windows via the use of Ctrl/Tab. A number of the most frequently used toolbars are displayed around the main primary window, these being; Top Margin - Standard and Status toolbars; Left Margin - Design and Delete toolbars; Right Margin - Analyse toolbar; and finally at the Bottom Margin there is the graphics facilities consisting of the Digitise and Graphics toolbars.

Maxgraphics_1280

This layout is designed for users requiring the maximum graphics display area in the client area on machines with resolutions greater than 1024x768, usually set at 1280x1024. It essentially comprises of the Primary window and users can move though to the explorer or report windows via the use of Ctrl/Tab. A number of the most frequently used toolbars are displayed around the main primary window, these being; Top Margin - Standard, Status and Open toolbars; Left Margin - Design and Analyse toolbars; Right Margin - Delete, Modify and Move toolbars; and finally at the Bottom Margin there is the graphics facilities consisting of the Digitise, Graphics, Visibility and Look-At toolbars.


Classic_1024


Maxgraphics_1024


Workbench Menus This section provides information on the following topics:

Workbench Menus Selecting Menus Context Menus - Explorer Context Menus - Envisage Context Menus - Grid Controls Context Menus - Toolbar Visibility


Menus

The Workbench consists of a File, Window, Tools and Help menu. These menus, apart from File, are accessible from any application, e.g. Envisage, Isis, Plotting Utility etc.

File This Workbench menu is only accessible if no applications are running. It allows you to exit the Workbench.

Tools The Tools menu contains options that enable you to customise the Workbench. It is possible to create customised toolbars (and menus), allocate hotkeys, import and export user layouts as well as setting the preferences, which control display options, such as colour, position of dialogs, style of the menus and icons and appearance of the background.

Window The Window menu contains options that allow you to customise the layout, size and nature of windows.

Windows allows you to control the positioning and visibility of windows within the VULCAN Workbench.

Cascade arranges open windows, so that they overlap neatly with just the title bars in view.

Tile Horizontally arranges open windows side by side, so that you can see the contents of each window.

Tile Vertically arranges open windows underneath each other, so that you can see the contents of each window.

Arrange Icons arranges icons, i.e. open windows that have been iconised.

Next cycles through the open windows. This is useful when working with multiple windows that are maximised.

Report Window allows you to display the report window if it is hidden or closed.

Vulcan Explorer allows you to display the VULCAN Explorer if it is hidden or closed.

Legend Windows allows you to display any legend windows if they are hidden or closed. Note, the legend windows will only appear in this list if you have used one of the Legend display options to display the legend.

Application Windows allows you to cycle between the windows in the client area. For example, if you were running Envisage and Plotting Utility, you can use this option to toggle between the Envisage Primary window and the Plot Preview Window. It is also possible to use [Ctrl] + [Tab] to cycle through the windows in the client area.

See Windows and Toolbar Manipulation for information on the different types of windows.

Help VULCAN Help provides access to the non-context sensitive documentation.

Tip of the Day provides access to the tips (hints) that are displayed at the startup of the Workbench.

Vulcan 3D on the Web provides access to Maptek's Vulcan 3D web site.

About VULCAN 3D Software provides access to licensing information, such as serial number and


Selecting Menus

The first thing to notice about the application menus used under Version 4 is that their default appearance and behaviour are compliant with the standard Windows guidelines. The menus cascade as the mouse is moved along them as apposed to previous versions of VULCAN that only showed one menu level at a time.

The menu options display access keys (identified by an underscore under a particular letter of the option) that are used as shortcuts to allow you to activate the desired menu option by using the keyboard. To use these access keys, enter [Alt] + <letter> for menu options on the main menu bar, or just the letter for the menu option. For example: To access the File > Save menu option, you would use [Alt] + [F] to open the File menu and then [S] to save. Hotkeys, both system and user defined, are also displayed next to menu options. For example, you can access the New option by using [Ctrl] + N.

Diagram 1- Activating Menu Options by Keystrokes

The arrows located on the right edge of the menu indicate another menu level below the current one. Selecting or highlighting one of these menu options will display the next menu level. A menu option followed by three dots (...) indicates that the menu option will display a panel when selected. Toolbar button icons are displayed next to associated menu options to reinforce the association between toolbars and menu options.

licence agreement. It also shows the current version number of VULCAN software products.


Note: Menus can operate in a native or classic style depending on the preferences that have been set.

Context Menus

Explorer

Context or pop-up menus within the VULCAN Workbench provide you with an efficient and easy way to access the operations of an object or field. As these context menus are displayed at the mouse's current position, they eliminate the need to access toolbars or menus through additional mouse movements. When a context menu is displayed, it will only contain commands and operations that are specific to the object or field (e.g. triangulation, plot file).

To display a context menu, right-click with the mouse on a selected object or field. For example, open the Block Models folder from the Data tab of the Explorer application. Once opened, select a block model and right-click with the mouse to display the context menu. To access any of the commands displayed, simply select the desired operation with the mouse.

Example - Workbench Context Menu

Data Tab

Folder Object Command Description

OpenOpens the selected block model. This is the same as Block > Open.

Header

Displays the header information, i.e. origin, dimensions and defined variables, of the selected block model. This is the same as Block > Header.

View BlocksLoads blocks onto the screen. This is the same as Block > Viewing > Blocks.

SliceCreates a slice through the selected block model. This is the same as Block > Viewing > Slice.

Add Variable

Adds a variable to create a new field in the selected block model. This is the same as Block > Manipulation > Add Variable.


Block Model All files

Index model

Creates a spatial index to the block model. Cannot be performed on locked block models. This is the same as Block > Manipulation > Index. Note: The index procedure requires an amount of disk space equal to the amount that the model already occupies. This means that if the model is 4Mb in size and only 3Mb is free you won't be able to index the model.

Unlock

Unlocks the block model. Locked block models are represented by different coloured locks;

an orange lock means that the block model was locked and the lock was not removed before existing VULCAN - this may happen in

the event of a system failure; and a red lock means the block model is locked by another user. It is only possible to unlock orangle locks.

CopyCopies the selected file. You can then use the Paste command to place the selected file in a new location.

PastePastes the contents of the clipboard into the new location. Note this command only appears if the clipboard contains a file.

Delete Deletes the selected file.

RenameAllows you to change the name of the file. To avoid corrupting your file, make sure that you maintain the file extension.

Open withAllows you to select the program with which to open the selected file. This is the standard Windows Open with command.

Properties

If you have selected a block model, then the standard Windows properties panel is displayed. This panel contains information about the file, such as the size, date of creation, and date of last modification. It is also possible to view security data, which lists other users who can modify, read and execute, write to the file and or have read-only access.

If you have selected a block model variable, then a panel informing you of the model, variable name, description and default value is displayed.

OpenOpens the selected design database (.dgd). This is the same as File > Design Files > Open.

Edit

Opens the database in Isis.

However, making changes to the database in Isis will result in a loss of information.

View Opens the database as read-only in Isis.

Displays the layer descriptions next to the


Design Databases

.dgd files

Show Descriptions

layer name.

Note: There is a preference to control whether or not displaying the descriptions is the default behaviour.

Hide Descriptions

Hides the layer descriptions.

Note: There is a preference to control whether or not displaying the descriptions is the default behaviour.

Unlock

Unlocks the database. Locked databases are

represented by different coloured locks; a green lock means the database was locked by

you; an orange lock means that the database was locked by you and the lock was not removed before existing VULCAN - this may happen in the event of a system failure;

and a red lock means the database was locked by another user. It is only possible to unlock databases that have been locked by you.

Note: Files locked by you (orange lock ) will also be unlocked if you select the Recover option

Close Closes the database.

Recover

Allows you to recover a work file, you would use this in the event of a system failure when you did not save your edits. The file recover.dgd is created, which you can then load using the File > Recover option.

Note: It is not possible to select the Recover option if a work file (.wrk) does not exist.

Compress and rebuild

Allows you to compress and rebuild a database. This will remove data that has been marked for deletion. Data isn't removed from the database when deleted, it is simply marked as deleted, this means the size of your file can increase rapidly. We recommend that you should perform this operation on a regular basis.





Allows you to select the program with which to


Open withopen the selected file. This is the standard Windows Open with command.

Properties

Allows you to display information about the file, such as the size, date of creation, and date of last modification. It is also possible to view security data, which lists other users who can modify, read and execute, write to the file and or have read-only access.

Layers

SelectAllows you to load the layer into the current window.

DeselectAllows you to remove the layer from the screen.

ReselectAllows you to cancel any editing made to the layer and reselect the layer as it was when last saved

Save Allows you to save the layer.

Grid Calc All Files





Open WithAllows you to select the program with which to open the selected file. This is the standard Windows Open with command.

Properties


Grids

Folder

LoadLoads a grid model, you will need to specify the model. This is the same as Model > Grid Mesh Surfaces > Load.

Load AllLoads all of the grids in the file. The progress will be displayed on the screen.

OpenLoads the selected grid model. This is the same as Model > Grid Mesh Surfaces > Load.

Close Closes the selected grid model.




All files




Properties


Images

All files






Properties


.ireg files

Open in 3D window

Loads the ireg file into the Primary window.

To see the ireg file you must have solid

shading and draw textures switched on. This is the same as Model > Image Registration > Load into 3D window.

Open for editing

Opens the image in the Image Registration when where you can edit the positioning or add more control points. Refer to Using the Image Registration Module for more information.

Export to 4X

Exports blocks from a regular or sub-blocked VULCAN block model to a Whittle Four-X block model. This is the same as File > Import Export > Block Model to 4X.

Export to ASCII

Exports selected Envisage layers and objects to a column formatted ASCII (American National Standard Code for Information Interchange) text file. This is the same as File > Import Export > Export ASCII.


Import Export

Folder

Export to CSV

Exports Character Separated Value tables (CSV) from an existing database. The tables will be written to files within the current working directory. This is the same as File > Import Export > Export CSV.

Update CSV Export

Updates records in an existing database. This is the same as File > Import Export > Update CSV.

Export to DSV

Exports any Envisage data that is visible on the screen to a DXF (Drawing Interchange) file. This is the same as File > Import Export > Export DXF.

All files

Import

Imports the selected file. The panel and prompts will differ depending upon the extension of the file being imported. Refer to File > Import Export for more information.






Properties


Lava All files

RunRuns the selected Lava script. This is the same as File > Lava.

EditAllows you to open the file in a text editor of your choice.





Allows you to select the program with which to


Open withopen the selected file. This is the standard Windows Open with command.

Properties


Other All files






Properties


Plot All Files

EditOpens a plot file that was created in Envisage or Datamine. This is the same as File > Plot Edit > Open.

Preview Opens the plot in the Plotting Utility .

PlotPrints the selected plot file. This is the same as the Print option in the Plotting Utility (File menu).






PropertiesAllows you to display information about the file, such as the size, date of creation, and date of last modification. It is also possible to view


security data, which lists other users who can modify, read and execute, write to the file and or have read-only access.

Specifications

Folder

New scheme file

Allows you to create a new scheme (.scd) file. This is the same as Analyse > Legend Edit > Create.

New design parameters

Allows you to create a new project file (.dg1). Refer to Creating a Project file for more information.

New block definition file

Allows you to create a new block definition file (.bdf), via the Block Model Utility. This is the same as Block > Construction > New Definition.

New block estimation file

Allows you to create a new block estimation file (.bef), via the Block Model Utility. This is the same as Block > Grade Estimation > New Estimation File.

New borehole graphics plot specification

Allows you to create a new borehole graphics plot specification file, via the Borehole Graphics Plot Specifications editor.

All files






Properties

The panel displayed when you select the Properties option depends on whether you have selected a specification file, section, or variable.

Each specification file comprises of sections, which in turn contain variables.

If you have selected a specification file, then the standard Windows properties panel is displayed. This panel contains information about the file, such as the size, date of creation, and date of last modification. It is also possible to view security data, which lists other users who can modify, read and execute, write to the file and or have read-only access.

If you have selected a section, then you will be able to view the variables and the variable


values for the section.

If you have selected a variable, then you will be able to view the variable values. Variables may have only one value or they may have a table of values.

New Variable

Allows you to add a new variable to the specification file. To change the name of the variable, use the Rename option. To add a value to the new variable, right click on the variable name and select Properties.

.dg1 files

Run Envisage

Starts Envisage. Note it is only possible to have one Envisage session running at a time.

EditAllows you to edit the project file (.dg1), via the Design Parameters Editor.

New SectionAdds BEGIN$DEF/END$DEF to the project file.

.bef files

New bef (block estimation file)

Allows you to create a new block estimation file (.bef), via the Block Model Utility. This is the same as Block > Grade Estimation > New Estimation File.

EditAllows you to edit the selected file. This is the same as Block > Grade Estimation > Open Estimation File.

RunAllows you to the estimation process. Using the parameters from the selected file. This is the same as Block > Grade Estimation > Run.

.bdf files

New bdf (block definition file)

Allows you to create a new block definition file (.bdf), via the Block Model Utility. This is the same as Block > Construction > New Definition.

EditAllows you to edit the selected file. This is the same as Block > Construction > Load Definition.

Create block model

Allows you to create a block model using the parameters from the selected file. This is the same as Block > Construction > Create Model.

Saved Screens (.dg_spec)

Load into Envisage

Allows you to load a saved screen. This is the same as File > Load Screen.

Folder

LoadLoads a triangulation file. This is the same as Model > Triangle Utility Load.

Load AllLoads all of the triangulations in the file. The progress will be displayed on the screen.

Open Opens a triangulation file.

Close Closes a triangulation file.



Triangulations All files





Properties


Headered Databases

EditOpens the database in Isis (the database editor).

View Opens the database (as read-only) in Isis.

Unlock



you; an orange lock means that the database was locked by you and the lock was not removed before existing VULCAN - this may happen in the event of a system failure


Compress and Rebuild



Properties


Headered Designs

Edit Opens the design in Isis (the database editor).


Properties

Allows you to display information about the file, such as the size, date of creation, and date of last modification. It is also possible to view security data, which lists other users who can modify, read and execute, write to the file and


Resources Tab

User Databases

or have read-only access.

Library Databases

EditOpens the database in Isis (the database editor).

View Opens the database (as read-only) in Isis.

Unlock



you; an orange lock means that the database was locked by you and the lock was not removed before existing VULCAN - this may happen in the event of a system failure


Compress and Rebuild



Properties


Library Designs

Edit Opens the design in Isis (the database editor).


Properties


Folder Object Command Description

New SheetAllows you to create a new drafting sheet. Refer to File > Plot Templates > New for more information.

Edit




Copies the selected file. You can then use the Paste


Drafting Database

All .dgd files

Copycommand to place the selected file in a new location.




Properties


Drafting sheets

SelectThe drafting sheet is loaded into the Drafting Editor Window.

Save Allows you to save the drafting sheet.

Save AsAllows you to save the drafting sheet with a new name. Refer to File > Plot Templates > Save As for more information.

Line Style Database

All .dgd files

New StyleAllows you to create a new line style. Refer to File > Line Styles > New for more information.

Edit








Properties


Line styles

SelectThe line style is loaded into the Line Style Editor Window.

Save Allows you to save the line style.

Allows you to save the line style with a new name.


Envisage Context Menus

Envisage also has context or pop-up menus. To use these menus, right click on an object or, if you want a selection of multiple objects, then hold the shift key down while left clicking the objects that you want selected and then right click on one of the selected objects. You can also select regions by dragging out a rectangle. If you drag from top-left to bottom-right, then only objects completely inside the rectangle are selected. However, if you drag from top-right to bottom-left, then all objects that touch the rectangle are included. In both cases to access the menu, right click on a selected object.

Example - Envisage Context Menu

Save AsRefer to File > Line Styles > Save As for more information.

Symbol Databases

All .dgd files

New Symbol

Allows you to create a new symbol. Refer to File > Symbols > New Symbol for more information.

Edit








Properties


Symbols

SelectThe symbol is loaded into the Symbol Editor Window.

Save Allows you to save the symbol.

Save AsAllows you to save the symbol with a new name. Refer to File > Symbols > Save As for more information.


The menus change depending on the objects that have been selected, see the tables below for a brief summary. However, it is always possible to Hide objects, this is the same as making the objects invisible, to cancel the operation, to Continue selecting and to use the select submenu. If all of the selected objects are from the same layer, then it is possible to delete or to deselect the layer. If all of the selected objects are design data, then it is possible to move (left click to accept the move, right click to cancel) the objects, delete the objects or colour the objects.

If only string objects (including polygons and points),or a single text object, drillhole or triangulation is selected, then additional properties options are available. Also if you right click on a point or line segment, then additional point or line segment options are available, such as delete, move and colour.

One or Multiple Object Selection

Command Description Object Selection

Cancel Clears the selection. All types of object selection

Continue selecting

Closes the menu without clearing the selection, i.e. the selected objects remain selected, but the menu is closed. When you select more objects these first selected objects will be unselected. To maintain their selection while adding more objects, then use the shift key.

All types of object selection

Select - All Selects all loaded objects. All types of object selection

Select - Clear Clears the selection. All types of object selection

Select - All Design Data

Selects all loaded design data. All types of object selection

Select - Only Design Data

Selects only design data from the current selection, i.e. this option filters out non-design data from a selection.



Select - Filter fully inside the polygon

Selects only design data fully inside a polygon. You will be prompted for the polygon after you have selected this option.

Multiple selection of design data. Not for triangulations or dimension objects.

Select - Filter partially inside the polygon

Selects only design data partially inside a polygon. You will be prompted for the polygon after you have selected this option.


Select - Filter partially outside the polygon

Selects only design data partially outside a polygon. You will be prompted for the polygon after you have selected this option.


Select - Filter fully outside the polygon

Selects only design data fully outside a polygon. You will be prompted for the polygon after you have selected this option.


Select - All from Layer <name>

Selects all objects in a given layer. The layer is the layer in which the object, that you right clicked, is stored.


Select - Only from Layer <name>

Selects only objects that are stored in the given layer from the current selection, i.e. this option filters out objects that are not stored in the chosen layer. The chosen layer is the layer in which the object, that you right clicked, is stored.


Select - All triangulations

Selects all loaded triangulations. All types of object selection

Select - Only triangulations

Selects only triangulations from the current selection, i.e. this option filters out all design data from a selection.


Hide This makes selected objects invisible. All types of object selection

Delete This deleted the selected objectsSingle and multiple selections of design data

Move

This moves the selected objects. Once this option is selected, moving the mouse will move the objects. Left click to accept the new position and right click to cancel.

Single and multiple selections of design data

Set ColourThis allows you to change the colour of the objects. Multi-coloured objects will revert to the chosen single colour.


Label - Point Name

This allows you to label points with their name. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Point Name


Label - Point W Value

This option allows you to label points with their W values. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Point W Tag


Label - Point Z Value

This option allows you to label points with their Z values. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Point Z Value


Label - Point Sequence

This option allows you to label points with their digitised sequence number. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Point Sequence



Label - Object Name

This option allows you to label non-textual objects with their name. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Object Name


Label - Object Value

This option allows you to label non-textual objects with their value. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Object Value


Label - Object Group

This option allows you to label non-textual objects with their group code. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Object Group


Label - Object Feature

This option allows you to label objects with their feature code. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Object Feature


Label - Remove Labels

This option allows you to remove labels. This is the same as Analyse > Label > Remove


Properties

This allows you to alter the graphic properties of the selected objects. This is the

same as using the Properties Tool on the Status Toolbar.

This allows you to edit the hole collars. This is the same as Open Pit > New Blockout > Edit Hole Collars.

This allows you to alter the triangulation properties. Refer to the following for more information.

Single and multiple selections of design data; or one or more string objects.

Single and multiple selections of blast holes.

Single and multiple selections of triangulations.

Layer - Deselect

This allows you to deselect the layer.

Single and multiple selections of design data that are stored in the same layer.

Layer - Delete This allows you to delete the layer.

Single and multiple selections of design data that are stored in the same layer.

Grid - Remove

This allows you to remove a grid.One or more grids, and nothing else, are selected.

Triangulation - Remove

This allows you to remove a triangulation.One or more triangulations, and nothing else, are selected.

Set True Type Font

This allows you to select the true type font. Refer to Design > Text Edit > Draft Font for more information.

One or more text objects, and nothing else, are selected.

Triangualtion - Boolean

This allows two loaded triangulations to be intersected precisely. The resulting pieces (referred to as "splits") may be grouped and saved as a new triangulation. This is the same as Model > Triangle Utility > Boolean.

Only two triangulations selected.

Triangualtion - Merge

This allows you to merge two loaded triangulations and show the new resultant triangulation as an intersection, union or difference of the two. This is the same as Model > Triangle Utility > Merge.

Only two triangulations selected.


Single Object Selection

Channel - Annotate On

This allows you to annotate the samples within the chosen channels. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Annotate On.

One or more channels, and nothing else, are selected.

Channel - Annotate Off

This allows you to remove the annotations. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Annotate Off.


Channel - Composite

This allows you to display, in the Report window of Envisage, the weighted average grade of specified composites. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Composite.


Drilling - Label On

This allows you to label the selected drillholes with a single field from the drillhole database. This is the same as Geology > Drilling > Label On

One or more drillholes, and nothing else, are selected.

Drilling - Label Off

This allows you to remove the drillhole labels This is the same as Geology > Drilling > Label Off

One or more drillholes, and nothing else, are selected.

Single Object

Command Description

Triangulation

Triangle Statistics

This allows you to gather simple statistics on the triangles (facets) in a nominated triangulation. This information can be used to locate and analyse any problem areas in the triangulation. This is the same as Model > Triangle Edit > Analyse Triangles.

Vertex Statistics

This allows you to gather simple statistics on the points in a nominated triangulation. This information can be used to locate and analyse any problem areas in the triangulation. This is the same as Model > Triangle Edit > Analyse Vertices.

Filter

This allows you to reduce the size and complexity of triangulations. It also enables you to remove excess data that causes the formation of small triangles (facets). This is the same as Model > Triangle Edit > Filter.

CheckThis allows you to validate and stabilise triangulations. This is the same as Model > Triangle Utility > Check.

PropertiesThis allows you to alter the triangulation properties. This is

the same as using the Triangulation Properties tool on the Status Toolbar.

Report Details

This allows you to display the triangulation's details in the Report Window. This is the same as Analyse > Details > List.

Drillhole

IdentifyThis allows you to display, in the Report window of Envisage, collar information on the selected drillhole. This is the same as Geology > Drilling > Identify.

ColourThis allows you to change the displayed colour legend of the selected drillhole. This is the same as Geology > Drilling > Colour.

Composite This allows you to display a 'length weighted average' for numeric data over the selected drillhole interval. This is the


same as Geology > Drilling > Composite.

View Database

Opens the database, as read only, in Isis

Edit Database


Report Details

This allows you to display the Drillhole's details in the Report Window. This is the same as Analyse > Details > List.

Text

PropertiesThis allows you to change the drafting size, angle, font, and colour of a text object. This is the same as Design > Text Edit > Attributes

Report Details

This allows you to display the Drillhole's details in the Report Window. This is the same as Analyse > Details > List.

Edit TextThis allows you to edit the text. This is the same as Design > Text Edit > Edit

String

PropertiesThis allows you to alter the graphic properties of the string.

This is the same as using the Properties Tool on the Status Toolbar.

Report Details

This allows you to display the string's details in the Report Window. This is the same as Analyse > Details > List.

Line Segment

Delete This allows you to delete the line segment.

Recolour This allows you to change the colour of the selected line segment. However, it is not possible to change the colour of the line segment that closes a polygon.

Report Details

This allows you to display the line segment's details in the Report Window. This is the same as Analyse > Details > List.

Point

Move This allows you to move the selected point. Once the option has been selected, moving the mouse moves the object. Left click to accept the new position, right click to cancel.

Delete This allows you to delete the selected point.

Recolour This allows you to recolour the selected point.

Report Details

This allows you to display the point's details in the Report Window. This is the same as Analyse > Details > List.

Channel

Annotate On

This allows you to annotate the samples within the chosen channel. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Annotate On.

Annotate Off

This allows you to remove the annotations. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Annotate Off.

CompositeThis allows you to display, in the Report window of Envisage, the weighted average grade of specified composites. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Composite.

IdentifyThis allows you to display, in the Report window of Envisage, sample information on the chosen channel. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Identify.

MoveThis option allows you to move the channel to a new position. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Move Channel.


Grid Controls

Several options and applications, including the Block Model Utility and Isis, use grid panels to allow for easy data entry and management. It is possible, by using the context menus, to sort columns, delete and insert columns and rows, control column visibility, cut, paste and copy individual cells or highlighted sections of the grid.

To enter values in the cells, simply select the cell and start typing. If you click on the graphic to the right of a cell, then you will be placed in edit mode (meaning you can enter values in the cell) and if the cell contains a drop-down list or activates a panel, then the list or panel is displayed.

It is possible to set a dialog preference (in Workbench > Tools > Preferences > Dialogs section) that will warn you when you are editing a cell that may cause other cells on the same row to change value. By using this setting you can then chose to update the affected cells or to have them maintain their current value. If you do not use this setting, then the affected cells will be automatically updated.

Example: Grid

Grid Controls - Context Menus

These grid panels have context or pop-up menus that allow for easy management of grids and values. To use

RotateThis option allows you to rotate a channel. This is the same as Geology > Channel Sampling > Rotate Channel.

Report Details

This allows you to display the channel's details in the Report Window of Envisage. This is the same as Analyse > Details > List.

View Database

Opens the database, as read only, in Isis

Edit Database


Blast Hole PropertiesThis allows you to edit the hole collars. This is the same as Open Pit > New Blockout > Edit Hole Collars.

Dynamic Block Model

Properties

This option allows you to modify the dynamic block model details. For example, you could switch from displaying all of the blocks to only displaying the block model extents, or you could change the colouring method. This is the same as Block > Viewing > Modify Dynamic Model.


these menus, right click on a grid row, column or cell. The functions displayed on the resulting context menu depend on whether you selected a row, column or cell. The commands are described in detail in the table below.

Note: Some of the Block Model Utility specific commands are only displayed if Envisage is running. For example, the Pick from Screen command.

Command Description

Select Columns

Allows you to control column visibility by displaying a panel where each column is represented by a checkbox. If the checkbox representing a specific column is ticked, then that column is set as visible.

It is also possible to select a template, which contains column visibility settings, from the drop-down list at the top of the panel.

If you are creating or editing a block estimation file, then this list, contains system templates; Indicator Kriging, Inverse Distance, Ordinary Kriging and Stochastic; as well as any user created templates. As you select a template, the appropriate columns will be ticked in the panel. For example, if you select the Inverse Distance template, then the ticked columns will be the columns required for the Inverse Distance Estimation method.

If you are creating or editing other files (i.e. a block definition file or a drill hole multi-labelling specification file), then this list will only contain user created templates.

To create a user template, tick the appropriate columns and then select Save. You will need to enter a name for the template, which will then appear in the template drop-down list.

You can delete templates that you created by selecting the template and then selecting delete. It is not possible to remove system templates or to create new templates with the same name as system templates.

Hide Column

Allows you to hide the current column.

Note: This feature is disabled if a row label was right clicked to display the context menu.

Cut Copies the highlighted cells to the Clipboard and then clears the cells.

Copy

Copies the highlighted cells to the Clipboard.

It is possible to highlight and then copy non-adjacent columns by holding the [Shift] key down whilst left clicking on the heading of the columns you want to copy.

PastePastes data from the Clipboard into the grid. It is not necessary to highlight the entire paste area, simply highlight the upper left cell of the paste area and select paste from the context menu.

Insert Rows

Allows you to specify the number of rows to be inserted and whether they are to be placed above or below the currently selected row.

Note: It is only possible to insert 9999 rows at one time.

Insert Row Above

Inserts a row above the currently selected row.

Note: This feature is disabled if a column label was right clicked to display the context menu.


Toolbar Visibility

There are two mthods of controlling toolbar visibility.

You can use the Tools > Toolbar Visibility option to control which toolbars are displayed.

Or you can control toolbar visibility by right clicking in empty docking space (i.e. the space where the toolbars are docked, see diagram below) and selecting toolbars that you wish to make visible. The list displayed depends on the docking area upon which you right clicked. If you clicked in the empty docking space around a window, then the list will display the window toolbars. However, if you clicked in the docking area of the application, i.e. Envisage, Isis etc., then the standard toolbars are displayed. Refer to the table in the introduction to toolbars for a comprehensive list of both window and standard toolbars.

Insert Row Below

Inserts a row below the currently selected row.

Note: This feature is disabled if a column label was right clicked to display the context menu.

Delete Rows Clears the contents of the currently selected row.

Clear Cells Clears the contents of the currently selected row, column or cell.

Pick From Disk

Allows you to select a triangulation from your data directory through the use of the File Manager. This feature is only available when creating or editing a block definition file (.bdf)

Note: This feature is only displayed if a row, column or cell containing the Triangulation field is right clicked to display the context menu.

Pick From Screen

Allows you to select a triangulation from the screen (only when Envisage is running). This feature is only available when creating or editing a block definition file (.bdf)

Note: This feature is only displayed if a row, column or cell containing the Triangulation field is right clicked to display the context menu.

Edit Row

Allows you to edit a row by taking its contents and placing it into a panel. This feature is only available when creating or editing a block estimation file (.bef).

Note: This feature is not displayed if a column label was right clicked to display the context menu.

New Estimation Wizard

Launches the New Estimation Wizard. This feature is only available when creating or editing a block estimation file (.bef).

Colour Range

Allows you to set the colours sequentially, i.e. in the order they appear in the colour table. You will need to select the colour from which you want to start your sequence.

Note: This feature is only displayed if a column (containing colours) is right clicked to display the context menu.


Multiple Triangulation Properties

Once the Properties option has been selected, the Multi Triangulation Properties panel is displayed.

Apply to all selected triangulations Select this option to apply the graphical properties to all of the selected triangulations.

Customise selected triangulations Select this option to customise the attributes of each selected triangulation. Once selected, the panel is updated with the name and properties of the first selected triangulation. Change any of the properties and select OK. The panel is redisplayed with the second selected triangulations name and properties. This process continues until all of the triangulation properties have been displayed.

This panel is divided into two separate tab panels:

Shading Advanced


Shading

This section allows you to set the standard attributes of a triangulation.

Solid Shading The triangulation can be displayed as a wire frame or as a solid shaded surface.

Solid shade triangulation Select this option to display the triangulation as a solid shaded surface. With this option you can specify any number of the following: Draw wireframe mesh over surface

Tick this box to display a wireframe mesh on the surface. Ensure triangulation is not striped

Tick this box to avoid strange lighting effects. For the majority of triangulations it will not be necessary to select this option. However, if a triangulation appears to be striped, then you may want to reload it with this checkbox ticked.

Note: Using this option may slow down the loading process.

Smooth Shading Tick this box to apply smooth shading to your model. Each vertex is coloured according to the angle the triangulation makes with the light direction. Smooth shading, also known as Gouraud shading, blends these vertex colours over the triangulation. For example, a segment or patch facing away from the light could be coloured darker; a segment or patch facing the light could be coloured brighter.

Note: The rounded appearance of smooth shading is only a graphic attribute and does not affect the volume of the triangulation.

The Surface definition angle refers to the angle required between the triangle normals for the surface to be considered continuous. If an angle is less than this value, then the triangles are considered to be on different surfaces. For example, if the angle between your bench and batter is 70°, then select an angle less than 70° to ensure that the bench and batter look like different surfaces in the model. If you set this angle to 0°, then all of the triangles are considered to be on different surfaces. If you set the angle to 180°, then all of the triangles are considered to be on one surface, and the colours will blend over the whole model.

When the Use load time shading checkbox is ticked, the lighting calculations used to shade the triangulation are performed at load time using the current light direction and a two-sided lighting model. This means that the shading will not change until the triangulation is reloaded, even if the direction of the light is changed later. This lighting technique is used in Envisage versions prior to Version 4.0.

Note: On some graphics cards, this option may be significantly faster than allowing changes in the light direction to change dynamicallythe shading of the triangulation. However, this is not always the case, particularly on newer cards where this option may in fact make the display slightly slower.

The fact that a two-sided lighting model is used means that this option may be used to correct the display of triangulations that have "checker-board" effects due to inconsistent ordering of triangle points.

Diagram - No smooth shading applied


Diagram - Smooth shading applied where the continuous angle until is 120°

Diagram - Smooth shading applied where the continuous angle until is 60°


Draw as wireframe

Select this option to display the triangulation as a wireframe. With this option you can specify any number of the following: Fill triangles with pattern

Tick this box to display the model with pattern filled triangles. Select a pattern.

Display simple contours Tick this box to display contours on the model at specified intervals. Enter the contour interval.

Colours Use RGB colour/Use Colour index

These options allow you to select a colour for the triangulation. The colour will be used for the wireframe, and as a base colour for the lighting effects. Although both options appear to be similar, the Use RGB colour option provides you with a more extensive colour range.

Advanced

This section allows you to apply extra features to your triangulation, such as translucency and texture mapping.

Note: The features available through the Advanced section are only accessible if the Solid shaded triangulation option was selected.

Colour by axis Tick this box to colour the model by axis (X, Y or Z). You have three choices for colouring by axis; colour by spectrum, interpolate between two RGB values and by a VULCAN colour scheme. When you select the Modify button the Select Colour Scheme panel is displayed. Colour by spectrum

Select this option to colour the triangulation by spectrum. The colour spectrum is stretched over the axis values, thus small axis values are represented by red, large values by violet and the largest by white.

Interpolate between two RGB values Select this option to stretch two colours over the axis values. For example, if you selected red (From) and blue (To), the smallest values would be red, middle values purple and the largest values blue. The colour of the middle values is an average of the two chosen colours.

By Vulcan colour Scheme


8/27/2003file://E:\temp\~hh3556.htm

Select this option to colour the triangulation by using a VULCAN Colour scheme. A default scheme file and type will be entered automatically, these can be altered. Select the file, type and scheme section from the drop-down lists. These colour schemes can be edited using the Legend Edit option (under Analyse), or by right clicking on the appropriate scheme file in the Specifications folder of the Explorer application.

Note: If you select a "Device_Colour" scheme type, then a range of colours will be stretched over the variable values, similar, but not the same as, the Colour by spectrum option.

Texture resource

Tick this box to drape an image file over the triangulation. Additionally, you can tick the Blend texture with triangulation colour option box to "blend" the solid shaded triangulation colour with the image to see both lighting and texture effects.

Diagram - Terrain shaded by colour spectrum

Diagram - Terrain shaded by colour scheme


Diagram 6 - Terrain draped with an image file


Diagram - Terrain shaded with a colour scheme and draped with an image


Translucent triangulation

Tick this box to apply a level of translucency to the triangulation. When the slider is at the far left end, the triangulation is solid and therefore not translucent. When the slider is at the far right end, the triangulation is fully translucent (invisible). Alternatively, you can enter a translucency percentage with 0 (zero) being solid and 100 being fully translucent.

Note: A translucency value of 50% is applied by default.

Note: If the Cancel button is selected (when editing properties using the Customise selected triangulations option), then the triangulation editing process is stopped and all remaining triangulations are left unaffected.

Windows and Toolbar Manipulation This section contains information on manipulating windows and toolbars in the Workbench.

Windows

The Workbench applications are run in windows within the Workbench area. There are several types of windows:

Hidden A Hidden window is obscured from display. For example, you could hide the Explorer and maximise


your client window.

Client A Client window is positioned in the client area. You can use the [Ctrl + Tab] keys to cycle through windows docked in the client area.

Floating A Floating window can be positioned anywhere on or outside the Workbench area.

Own An Own window can be positioned anywhere on or outside the Workbench area. The main difference between a Floating and Own window is that floating windows always stay on the top, i.e. you can see them. An Own window can be overlapped by other windows, i.e. you don't see them, but a corresponding tab is displayed in the task bar allowing you to switch to the separate window using [Alt] + [Tab].

An Own window may be useful when you are running several <VULCAN> applications at the same time, e.g. Envisage and Isis or Grid Calc and Borehole Graphics (bhgute).

Docked A Docked window is positioned in a docking area.

The diagram below displays each type of window and toolbar, excluding hidden windows and toolbars.

Diagram 1 - Window Types


Client, Floating and Own windows have title bars at the top, whereas a Docked window has a vertical or horizontal bar. Both the title and vertical/horizontal bars contain small icons, which perform different functions depending on the type of window (see Workbench Window Icons).

To change the type of the window in which a Workbench application runs, select the Windows option from the Window menu. Alternatively, for Floating and Docked windows, you can move the window to another positionby double clicking on the horizontal/vertical or title bar and then dragging to the new position. A Floating window becomes a Docked window when you double click on the title bar; a Docked window becomes a Floating window when you double click on the horizontal/vertical bar.

To resize Floating, Client or Own windows, drag the bottom right hand corner to the required size. To resize a Docked window, move the cursor over the vertical line that separates it from another area. The cursor will change to <-> and you can then drag the window to the required size.

You can control the positioning and visibility of windows in the Workbench by using the Windows option under the Window menu.

Toolbars

Toolbars are a special construct for managing sets of controls. Toolbars allow you to access and perform a particular function by using the an icon, similar to access keys that allow you to select a menu or option using


the keyboard. The toolbars displayed under the VULCAN Workbench adopt the standard appearance of the Windows interface. Icons contained in the toolbar are identified by a pop-up description called a tooltip.

Certain icons have corresponding menu options. The Delete icon ( ) for example, performs the same function as the Delete option under Design > Object Edit. Selection of an icon may also lead to sub-toolbars. The existence of sub-toolbars is indicated by the following image ( ) in the lower right corner of an icon. The sub-toolbar is accessed by clicking and holding, e.g. clicking once starts the List option, clicking and holding produces the List sub-toolbar

Example - Toolbar and sub-toolbars

Some toolbars within the VULCAN Workbench may contain list-boxes or sliders. A list-box is a control method that enables a list of choices or items to be displayed. A slider is a control method that consists of a bar, which defines the range or extent of an adjustment made. The slider's indicator displays the current value and also provides you with the means of changing it by moving the indicator to the left or right.

Example - List-Box and Slider Bar

Workbench toolbars are separated into two different types:

Parent toolbars Refers to toolbars that are independent of the child windows. Parent toolbars act on the current active window and are linked to options on the menus. As such they may not be used during other menu operations.

Child toolbars Refers to toolbars that are dependent on the child windows. Child toolbars always act on their specific child window, and may be used during other menu options.

The toolbars operate in a very similar manner to the windows, they can float, dock and hide. As with the windows, a floating toolbar has a title bar at the top whereas a docked toolbar has a vertical or horizontal bar. To dock a floating toolbar, drag the toolbar to the new position, you should see a preview outline of the new toolbar position. To float a docked toolbar, double click on the horizontal/vertical bar. To redisplay a hidden toolbar, right click in empty docking space and select the toolbar from the displayed context menu.

By customising your toolbars you can select which toolbars to display, arrange the chosen toolbars to your satisfaction as well as creating your own toolbars and then save your customisations using the Save option under the Tools > Layout submenu. This means that the next time you start VULCAN, the Workbench will be in your chosen layout.

Workbench Areas

The area occupied by the Workbench consists of a client area, usually the area in which the <VULCAN> application runs, and docking areas (labelled A-D in the figure below). Docking areas are generally used for those Workbench applications that do not involve editing or other type of design work. For example, the VULCAN Explorer, Report Window and toolbars. You can, however, move applications from the client area to


a docking area and vice versa (see Workbench Windows).

Diagram 1 - Workbench Areas

Workbench Window Icons

The title and vertical/horizontal bars of the Workbench windows contain small icons that perform different functions depending on the type of window.

Table - Window Icons

VULCAN Explorer The VULCAN Explorer provides access to files that are in the directory (referred to as the working directory) from which you started the Workbench.

The Windows Explorer button allows you to access the Windows Explorer and hence files in directories other than your working directory. You can also use the Remote Directories preference (Tools > Preferences > Remote Directories) to specify directories other than your working directory to be included in the Explorer.

Diagram 1 - Explorer Application

Window Icons Description

Client

Iconises to lower left corner of Client window. Maximises to full Client window. Closes the window.

Floating

Puts the window into the client area. Makes the window an Own window. Puts the window into its last docked area. Closes the window.

Toolbars are either in a Floating window or Docked window. When in a Floating window, only the last two icons apply.

Own

Iconises to Windows task bar. Maximises to full screen, Closes the window,

Docked Expands the window to occupy full docking area. If there was another window in the same docking area, then this window will be 'minimised'. Closes the window.


The VULCAN Explorer groups the files based on file extension, for a list of the file extensions refer to Workbench Explorer Folders. The groupings are referred to as virtual folders. Expanding a virtual folder will list the files. The type of folders and the files within them are easily identified through the use of icons. For example, an image of a block to indicate block model files, an image of a triangle to indicate triangulation files.Any directories that contain sub-directories, such as the Triangulation directory which may contain *.tri sub-directories, will have the sub-directories displayed at the top of the list (see Diagram 2).

Note: To create a triangulation sub-directory, create a new folder with the extension .tri in your working directory and move the appropriate triangulations into this directory.

Diagram 2- Triangulation directory expanded to show the sub-directories at the top of the list

The VULCAN Explorer consists of two (possibly three) tabs, Data and Resources and if Envisage is running, then there is an Envisage tab.

Data Tab Diagram 3 shows the Data tab of the Explorer. This tab contains a list of the data that is stored in the current working directory. Any files that are loaded into an application are displayed in bold type.

Diagram 3- Data Tab


Resources Tab Is similar to the Data Tab, however, it shows only files and folders that are in a data area pointed to by the ENVIS_RESO environment variable (usually symbols and drafting databases).

Envisage Tab Is only present when Envisage is running. This tab contains a list of the data that is currently loaded into Envisage. Although any data loaded into Envisage is indicated by bold type in the other tabs, the Envisage Tab is useful to observe quickly the loaded data (without having to scroll through all of the data) and to deselect loaded data.

Selection of a file is through the standard Windows selection methods, i.e. click the left mouse button on the required file; Shift and left click to select multiple consecutive files; Ctrl and left click to select multiple non-consecutive files.

Notes

1. Multiple file selection does not apply to design databases as only one can be open at any one time.

2. There are three types of locks placed on design databases; the green lock indicates that the database has been locked by you (this happens automatically when the database is opened), so that

it cannot be modified by another user; the orange lock indicates that the the original lock was not removed before exiting, this may have been due to a system failure, to remove this lock right

click on the file and select unlock; the red lock indicates that the file is being used by someone else, it is not possible to remove this lock.

3. A block model is locked when it is accessed by Envisage, an external program or another user. If

another user is using the block model, then it will be locked with a red lock . It is not possible to remove red locks. If the original lock was not removed before exiting, then the block model will be

locked with an orange lock. To remove this type of lock, right click on the block model name and select unlock. If you try to expand a locked block model, then it will display its last known list of variables. This means that if you have not expanded it and collapsed it prior to it being locked, then it will not be possible to expand the block model.

4. For more information on locked files refer to the System Administration documentation.

Once the files have been selected, you can right click and select an action from the displayed context menu.

Files that can be further expanded are indicated by a + (plus) to the left of the icon. For example, a design database, refer to Diagram 4, can be further expanded to show all layers. Right clicking on the required layers show the available actions, such as Select, which will send the contents of the highlighted layers to the screen.

Diagram 4- Layers


The VULCAN Explorer also allows you to copy, paste and "drag and drop" items from folder to folder as well as into VULCAN windows in a manner similar to the standard Windows Explorer application.

Note: This feature is only applicable to the VULCAN Explorer's Data and Resources tabs.

To "drag and drop" features out of the Explorer, simply highlight the items and use the right mouse button to drag the selected files to the desired destination. To drag items into the Explorer, highlight the items and then drag them into the Explorer window and then release the mouse button.

To copy and paste objects and items, either highlight the items and press [Ctrl] + [C ] or right-click on an item and then use the Copy command on the displayed context menu. The items will then be copied to the clipboard as per standard Windows applications. To paste into the Explorer, copy the file data to the clipboard and then use the Paste command or press [Ctrl] + [V].

Note: The left and right mouse buttons can also be used to drag and place values into combo and edit boxes in any of the VULCAN panels. However, when using the left mouse button to drag, any range or value already highlighted will be removed.

Workbench Explorer Folders

The groups of files in the Explorer application are referred to as virtual folders. The contents of each folder is based on file extension.

Virtual Folder

File Extensions

Blockmodels .bmf

Design Databases

.dgd

Grid Calc .gdc_cmnd, .gdc_glob, .gdc_spec

Grids Specify, in the Workbench > Tools > Preferences > File Types section, the file exentions you wish to have stored in this folder.


Report Window

The Report Window displays text information that is generated from the application in use. There are three different types of text based information that can be shown in this window. These types of information are indicated by the Workbench, <Application> Console and <Application> tabs.

Diagram 1- Report Window

Workbench Text based information that relates to the Workbench, e.g. the location where your Workbench preferences are stored.

<Application>Console Text based information that consists of error or information messages generated when running the application, e.g. startup messages.

<Application> Text based information that consists of reports and lists generated when performing a certain operation

Images .pexel, .rgb, .gif, .ireg, .jpg, .tif

Import/Export .asc, .dxf, .par

Lava Scripts .lava, .clava

Other Files with extensions other than the ones listed in this table.

Plots .plot, .00_plot, .00p_plot, .00c_plot, .dhq. xsq, .vpgz

Specifications .bdf, .bef, .dg1, .scd, .bge, .dg_spec

Triangulations Specify, in the Workbench > Tools > Preferences > File Types seciton, the file exentions you wish to have stored in this folder.

User Databases

Databases other than .dgd are divided into library, headered and ODBC link databases. Library databases are selected based on the design names in the library index file (<env>dd.ilb), i.e. any database that uses a design listed in the library index file is assumed to be a library database. Headered and ODBC link databases are selected based on their file name suffix (.isis for headered databases, _odbc_n (where n is a system generated string) for ODBC link databases). Refer to the Isis documentation for further details on the different styles of databases.


in the application, e.g. a list of an object's details, block reserves reports.

The information can be copied and pasted into other applications. To do this, highlight the required text and click the right mouse button, this gives you access to the context menu. Select Copy, move to the application into which you want to paste and select Paste. The Select All command can be used to highlight (select) all text. It is also possible to use the keyboard to copy, [Ctrl] + [C], to paste [Ctrl] + [Insert], and to select all, [Ctrl] + [A]. Whether using the keyboard or the context menu, [Esc] will remove the highlighting.

The Report Window icons are:

Workbench Applications The Workbench consists of the following applications:

Tools

The Tools menu contains tools that you can use to customise the Workbench. You can create menus that contain all of your frequently used options, toolbars that contain your most frequently used tool, as well as creating short cut, or hot, keys to access menus quickly. You can also arrange the windows and toolbars to suit your preferences, alter the way, and where, dialogs appear on the screen, select the colours that you want to use for the background, shading, highlighting etc. In this way you can create different "versions" of the Workbench for the different tasks that you perform. It is also possible to export these different "versions", so that other people can use your Workbench layout.

The Tools menu consists of the following submenus:

Icon Tooltip Description

Close Report Window Closes the report window.

Print contents Prints the text to a printer. Also allows selection of required plotter/printer; print range; number of copies; and page setup information (e.g. paper size, paper source, page orientation).

Save Contents Sends the text to a file in a specified directory (folder).

Clear Report Removes the text from the report window.

Kill related process This icon is only present on the <Application>Console.

Exits the application. As this can cause a loss of data and instability, you will be asked to confirm that you want the application terminated.

Envisage

Envisage is the heart of the VULCAN suite of programs. It has several standard Core Modules (File, Design, Analyse and View) and many specialised Optional Modules that can be licenced separately or in groups.

Plotting Utility The Plotting Utility reads a selected plot file and sends it to the Plot Preview window, or to a plotter.

Isis Isis is the new interactive database editing application designed specifically to complement VULCAN databases.

Block Model Utility The Block Model Utility allows you to create and edit a block definition file (.bdf) and a block estimation file (.bef)


Layout

The Layout submenu consists of the following options:

Import

Importing Workbench Layouts

The Import option enables you to import a customise user interface file (extension .cui). You can choose to import the entire layout, the toolbar layout, the window layout, the general preferences, or a combination of these options. In order to use this option, you need to know the name and location of a user interface file. Once the file is imported, for the changes to take effect, it is necessary to restart the Workbench.

Note: Six default user layouts, which appear in the VULCAN 3D Software User Setup Wizard, are stored in the $Vulcan/etc/defaults folder.

Instructions:

Layout

These options allow you to customise the Workbench layout. It is possible to rearrange toolbars and windows and to save these changes for future Workbench sessions. It is also possible to export your layouts or to import default or user created layouts.

Customise

This option allows you to create custom toolbars and hotkeys. This combined with the Layout submenu allows you to create different versions of the Workbench catered for the different tasks that you perform.

PreferencesThis option is used to customise the appearance of the Workbench and set defaults.

Toolbar Visibility This option allows you to select which toolbars to display.

Dynamic Memory Settings

This option is used to view, and alter if necessary, the Dynamic Memory Settings. You might like to alter these settings if you get error messages stating that 'memory allocation has failed'.

Note: You will need to restart the Workbench for the changes to take effect.

DiagnosticsThis option allows you to find out information about your computer (System Info), which displays the standard Windows system information panel.

Save

This option allows you to save the positioning of any items in the Workbench. This means that the next time you use the Workbench your toolbars and windows will be in the same position. Please note, however, that if your vulcan.pref (located in the User Profile area) is read-only, then you will not be able to save the preference file and an error message will be displayed.

Import This option is used to import workbench layouts. These layouts contain information about the name, location and display properties of toolbars and windows as well as general preference settings.

Export This option is used to export workbench layouts. In this way you can create different "versions" of the workbench that you can alternate between depending upon the task that you are performing.


Select Tools menu Select Layout submenu Select Import option

Once the object is selected, the following panel is displayed.

Import File If the file is located in your current working directory, then enter, or select from the drop-down list, the name. Otherwise use the browse button to navigate to the file.

Import Sections It is possible to import selected components of the layout file. Select Toolbars if you want to import the location, position and display properties of the Toolbars from the Workbench layout. This means that the current window settings and preferences will remain the same. Select Windows if you want to import the location, position and display properties of the windows from the Workbench layout. Select General Preferences if you want to import the preferences, which include colour settings for highlighting and labelling, icon style and plotting preferences. It is possible to choose any combination of these three options.

OK

To accept the panel. You will then be prompted to shutdown the Workbench. If you select Yes, then Workbench is closed and the next time you restart, the imported layout will be used. If, however, you select No, then you will be returned to the Workbench. The layout will not be updated until you restart the Workbench.

Export

Exporting Workbench layouts

The Export option enables you to export your workbench layout, which includes toolbar and window positioning and visibility, and preferences, such as highlighting colours and the type of dialog box that will be used. As part of the exporting process, you will need to choose a name and a location for the Customise User Interface file, the extension .cui is added automatically. This option is useful if another user wishes to use your layout or if you wish to create, and use, different layouts depending upon the different tasks that you perform.

Instructions:

Select Tools menu Select Layout submenu Select Export option

Once the option is selected, the following panel is displayed.


Customise User Interface file Enter, or select from the drop-down list, the name of the user interface file. Or use the browse button to navigate to a directory other than you working directory, where you can select an existing file, which will be overwritten, or enter the name of a new file.

OK

To accept the panel. The layout is exported.

Customise

Create Custom Toolbars and Hotkeys

The Customise option allows you to define custom toolbars, which can contain drop-down menus and lava scripts as well as Envisage options, and Hot Keys, key sequences that access menu options and lava scripts. In this way you can create toolbars and hotkeys that provide quick access to the options that you use frequently.

Note: To display existing toolbars (both VULCAN and User toolbars), right click in empty docking space and from the displayed context menu select the toolbar you want to display.

Diagram 1 - Example toolbar

Your toolbar can consist of individual options (Point Sequence and Remove Labels ( ) in Diagram 1), user menus (Plot menu and Text menu in Diagram 1), existing menus (Text Edit in Diagram 1) and lava scripts (circle).

Note: If your toolbar only consists of options and lava scripts, then by placing all of the options onto one submenu, you can create a 'thin' toolbar that will list the options vertically rather than horizontally.

You can also change the name of options, icons, submenus, menus and lava scripts. For example, in Diagram 1, the Point Sequence option could have been changed to 'Label Point' and the Text Edit submenu changed to 'Edit'.

Note: All lava scripts will have the same icon (see circle button in Diagram 1), thus you can distinguish between lava scripts and options on your toolbars.

Diagram 2 - Example toolbar expanded

To provide quick and easy access to the options on your menus, we recommend that you only create one level menus. In this way any option can be activated with at most two clicks of the mouse. One to access the menu


and one to access the option.

This section provides information on the following topics:

Creating Toolbars Editing Toolbars Deleting Toolbars Changing the name of options Changing the icon of options Worked Example - Creating a Ring Design Toolbar Creating Hotkeys Removing Hotkeys Print Hotkey List Saving Customisations

Creating Toolbars

1. Select the Tools > Customise option.

2. Navigate (under the Vulcan Menus tab in the left half of the panel) to the option, submenu or menu that you want to include on your toolbar.

Diagram 3 - Navigating to the File > Plot > Defaults option

3. Left click and drag the selected object onto the [*]New Toolbar label (under the Toolbars tab) in the right half of the panel.

Diagram 4 - New Toolbar Label


Diagram 5 - Defaults option added to the toolbar

Once an object has been added to the toolbar, the [*]New Toolbar label changes to Untitled toolbar, a [*]New SubMenu label is added to the toolbar and a [*]New Toolbar label is added to the User Toolbar section. Note: To ensure that your toolbar uses minimal space on the screen, drag all of the options onto the [*]New SubMenu label. This will create a toolbar that consists of one menu, which will list the options vertically, rather than all of the options appearing horizontally on the toolbar.

4. Right click on the Untitled Toolbar label and select Rename from the context menu.

5. Enter a name for your toolbar.

6. Continue adding objects to your toolbar. If you want to add a submenu, then drag the object onto the [*]New SubMenu label. If you want to create a new toolbar, then drag the object onto the [*]New Toolbar label.

If you want to add a lava script to the toolbar, then navigate (under the Lava Script tab) to the script that you want to include. Once selected, left click and drag the selected script onto the [*]New Toolbar label.

Note: To change the order of items on your toolbar, simply left click and drag. You can also move options from one toolbar to another, from one menu to another etc.

Diagram 6 - Example toolbar

Diagram 7 - Example toolbar after the Remove option has been shifted

The [*] New Toolbar and [*] New SubMenu labels will not be visible on your toolbar.


Deleting Toolbars


2. Right click on the toolbar and select Delete from the context menu.

Editing Toolbars


2. To add more objects, simply 'drag and drop' the objects as you did when you created the toolbar. To delete objects, right click on the object and select Delete from the context menu. To move objects, simply drag them to their new location.

Changing the Name of options.


2. Right click on the label of the option you want to change.

3. Select the Rename option.

4. Enter the new name.

Changing the Icon of Options

You can create Window Icons, in any third party icon editor, that you can then use to customise your toolbars and menus. The icons that you create must have the extension .ico and be stored in the ENVIS_RESO/icons.d directory.

All of the VULCAN icons are stored in the etc/resources/icons.d directory. If your ENVIS_RESO environment variable points to a different area, then you might like to copy these files to your ENVIS_RESO area. Otherwise you will not be able to use these icons to customise your menus and toolbars.


2. Right click on the label or the icon of the option you want to change.

3. Select Change Icon option.

4. Select, from the displayed panel, the new icon.

5. Select OK.

6. Select OK on the Workbench Customisations panel.

7. Specify the Workbench Customistation file (.vwc) in which to save your toolbar. To ensure that your toolbar is available the next time you use VULCAN, tick the Use Customised Workbench option in Tools > Preferences > Appearances and specify the customisation file that contains your toolbar.

Worked Example - Creating a Ring Design toolbar

If you work through this example, then you will have created an Underground Ring Design toolbar that contains the Open Database, Set Layout, Set Plane, Create Hole, Move Hole, Report Layout and Section Plots options.


Diagram 8 - Ring Design toolbar


2. Navigate to the Underground > Ring Design submenu.

Diagram 9 - Ring Design submenu

3. Left click on the Open Database option, without releasing the mouse drag over to the [*]New Toolbar label.

Diagram 10 - Dragging Open Database onto the [*]New Toolbar label


After you have added the Open Database option to the toolbar, the Toolbars section of the panel should look like Diagram 11.

Diagram 11 - After Open Database has been added to the toolbar

4. Right click on the Untitled Toolbar label and select Rename from the context menu.

5. Enter the name Ring Design.

6. Drag the Set Layout option onto the Ring Design toolbar. If you want this option to appear to the left of the Open Database option on the toolbar, then it must be above the Open Database option in the list. Once it is on your toolbar, simply drag it to its new position.

7. Repeat the above step for the Set Plane, Create Hole, Move Hole, Report Layout and Section Plots options.


Diagram 12 - User Defined GUI Element Section after all options have been added

8. After saving your toolbar (see Saving Customisations section), it will be displayed as a floating toolbar. To dock the toolbar, double click in the title bar.

9. Select the Tools > Layout > Save option to ensure that the current Workbench layout will be used the next time you start the Workbench.

Creating Hotkeys


2. Select the Hotkeys tab.

3. Navigate to the option or lava script to which you want to allocate a hotkey.

Diagram 13 - Navigating to the File > Plot > Defaults option

4. Select a key, or combination of keys, from the Modifier drop-down list. If you want to set the


function keys (F2 etc.) as a hotkey, then select None.

Note: Unlike earlier versions of VULCAN (specifically versions 4 to 4.2), it is now longer possible to assign the [Alt] + <key> keystroke combination. This functionality has been removed to prevent any possible conflicts with hotkeys reserved by the Microsoft Windows package.

5. Select a key from the Key drop-down list. The drop-down list displays all of the available unreserved keys (depending on the modifier being applied).

You can reassign any hotkey that you have created. However, you cannot use or edit hotkeys reserved by VULCAN. If a particular key combination has already been allocated, then a 'Reserved Status' message is displayed in the Status field.

The following hotkeys are reserved by VULCAN:

6. Select the Apply Hotkey button to assign the hotkey. If the Apply Button is disabled (greyed out), then it means that this particular key combination is already being used.

Ctrl + A

Ctrl + C

Ctrl + N

Ctrl + O

Ctrl + P

Ctrl + S

Ctrl + V

Ctrl + X

Ctrl + Y

Ctrl + Z

Ctrl+F4

Ctrl + F6

Ctrl + Shift + F4

F1

F10

Shift + F1

Shift + F10

Shift + <letter keys>

Shift + <number keys>

Shift + Alt

Alt + F4

Alt + F6

<letter keys>

number keys


7. You can then continue creating Hotkeys.

Removing Hotkeys


2. Select the Hotkeys tab.

3. Select the hotkey you want to remove.

Diagram 14 - Navigating to the File > Plot > Defaults Hotkey

4. Select None from both the Modifier and Key drop-down lists.

5. Select the Apply Hotkey button to apply the changes. Once selected, the hotkey is deleted.

Print Hotkey List

If you want a hardcopy of all your allocated hotkeys, then select the Copy Hotkey list to clipboard ( ) icon. Once selected, paste the hotkey list into your preferred text editor.

Saving Customisations

When you have finished creating or editing your toolbars and hotkeys, select OK to save the changes. Once selected, the Save Workbench Customisations panel is displayed.

This panel allows you to save any customisations to a specified Workbench customisation file (<name>.vwc).


In this way you can create different "versions" of VULCAN that contain menus and toolbars custom designed for the tasks you perform.

Customise file Enter, or select from the drop-down list, the name of the Workbench customisation file to which you want to save the customisations.

Set as Default Tick this box if you want to set a specified Workbench customisation file to be loaded and used for every Workbench session.

Note: Selecting this option automatically ticks the Use Customised Workbench option box on the Appearance tab of the Preferences panel.

Select OK to accept the panel and save the customisations. If your vulcan.pref file, located in the User Profile area, is read-only, then it is not possible to save your customisations. When you try to save your customisations an error message will be displayed stating "Error Saving Preference File".

The newly saved customisations will take effect in the next Workbench session if the Use Customised Workbench option box is selected. To disable the loading of a customisation file, untick the Use Customised Workbench option box on the Appearance tab of the Preferences panel. To save the positioning of custom toolbars, select the Layout > Save option.

Note: If you try to exit without saving your customisations, then you will be prompted as to whether or not you wish to save them. Choosing to save the customisations will result in the Save Workbench Customisations panel being displayed.

Overview

The Preferences option on the Tools menu is used to customise the appearance of the Workbench and set preferences, such as what file extensions can be used for triangulations and grids, default printer etc.

The Preferences panel comprises a tree control in the left half and various panels in the right half that very depending upon what control was selected from the tree. For example, in Diagram 1, Appearance was selected.

Diagram 1 - Preferences - Appearance panel


The documentation consists of information on the following sections.

Note: Click on the book icon to expand a section.

Appearance

Dialogs and Popups

Graphics

File Types

Miscellaneous

Plot All

Applications

Appearance

Diagram 1 - Appearance Panel


Use classic icon set Tick this checkbox if you want to display the Graphics toolbar icons as they appeared in V3.5x.

Diagram 2 - Classic Icon Set

Disable toolbars when application is not current Tick this checkbox if you want to disable all toolbars associated with the applications that are loaded, but not being used. The icons on the corresponding toolbars will then be shaded and cannot be selected.

Diagram 3- Enable/Disable Toolbars

Disable toolbars when menus are disabled Tick this checkbox if you want to disable all toolbars when the menus of the current application are disabled. The icons on the all the displayed toolbars will then be shaded and cannot be selected.

Enable Menu persistence Tick this checkbox if once you have completed an option, you want to return to the menu/submenu from which the option was selected, e.g. Geology > Drilling. The menu will be displayed in the upper-left hand corner of the Workbench. Even without this preference selected, you can use F12 to redisplay the last menu.

Enable popup prompt Tick this checkbox if you want to enable/disable popup prompts. This checkbox is ticked (popup prompts enabled) by default.

Use customised Workbench Tick this checkbox if you want to load and use the customised toolbars, menus and hotkeys created through the Tools > Customise option. If ticked, then you will need to specify the custom file (.vwc) that contains the details of customised workbench.

Enabled toolbar and icons

Disabled toolbar and icons


Dialog & Popups

Diagram 1 - Dialogs and Popups Panel

Dialogs Panel Position

Select, from the drop-down list, the position of panels. You have a choice of Under cursor, Centre of screen and System decides.

Right mouse click is cancel Tick this box to use the right mouse button as a Cancel button.

Popups Popup Position

Select, from the drop-down list, the position of popups. You have a choice of Under cursor, Centre of screen and System decides.

Right mouse click is cancel Tick this box to use the right mouse button as a Cancel button.

Disable confirms Tick this box to switch off prompts and dialog boxes that require you to confirm certain actions. For example, when deleting large numbers of objects, you will be asked to confirm each selected object before it will be deleted. Selecting Disable Confirms before using the Delete option will bypass these confirmation prompts.

Grid Controls Prompt before forwarding grid cell values

Tick this box to be prompted before forwarding grid cells. This means that if you edit a cell, which will cause other cells on the same row to change, then a message will be displayed asking you if you want to change the other cells. It is possible, through the displayed dialog box, to request to not be asked this again, in which case your last response will be used. If this option is not selected, then the system assumes that you do want the values of the other cells altered.

Save panels as bitmaps Tick this box to save all panels as bitmap images in a specified directory. The directory can be set by either entering the destination path or by using the Browse button and navigating to the required directory. The panels are only saved after either an OK or Next button is pressed. The bitmap images


are named with the panel name, which is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the panel, and have a .bmp extension.

Graphics

Diagram 1 - Graphics Panel

Display Datatips Tick this checkbox if you want to display popup information for data loaded in a graphics window when the cursor is placed over it. If ticked, then you will need to specify the popup delay value (in milliseconds). This refers to the amount of time the cursor needs to hover over the object before the tooltip is displayed.

Background Draw random stars

Tick this checkbox if you want to generate a starfield behind the data. Draw backdrop

Tick this checkbox if you want to display a background. If ticked, then you will need to select the background from the drop-down list.

Draw bearing/elevation grid Tick this checkbox if you want to envelop the data in a spherical grid that shows bearing and elevation details. If ticked, then you will need to select the colour for the grid.

Points Fixed screen size

Select this option if you want to specify, in pixels, the size of the points. This means that the points stay the same size regardless of any manipulation of the design data, i.e. zooming in and out does not affect the size of the points.

Fixed world size Select this if you want option to specify, in real world units, the size of the points. This means the pointsare displayed the same size as they would appear in the real world. For example, if you used a point size of one unit (these are the units defined in your project file), then the point would be the same size as an object one metre long.

Draw markers Select this option if you want to draw points with a cross (+) marker.

Note: If the background isn't changing when you select Draw Random Stars, Draw bearing/elevation grid or Draw backdrop, then you will need to activate the Window : Effects toolbar and then select the Draw Background option. Alternatively, you can press [Shift + G] to activate the background.


Input

Diagram 2 - Input Panel

Rotation Enter snap mode when choosing rotation centre

Tick this checkbox if you want to enter the Snap to Objects mode when choosing the rotation centre. Default rotate mode

Select, from the drop-down list, the default rotate mode (Ortho Rotate, Ortho Sphere Rotation, Z Up Rotation or Virtual Sphere rotation).

Note: This feature only takes effect after the centre point has been selected.

Centre rotation mouse movements on Select, from the drop-down list, the location on which to centre the mouse movements (rotation centre and screen centre).

Rotation Speed This preference is only applicable to Rotate Ortho mode. Enter the speed with which the view will rotate when you press the [Space] key in Rotate Ortho mode. The value represents the number of degrees rotated with each refresh (or view change). The [O] keyboard control can be used too display the refresh rate.

Fly Mode Do not fly through surfaces

Tick this checkbox if you want to prevent penetration of solids when flying in Fly mode.

Note: If you run into a surface while in Fly mode, then the velocity will be set to 0. Invert mouse in Y direction

Tick this checkbox if you want to invert the mouse when in Fly mode e.g. flies downwards when the cursor is moved upwards.

Snapping Reset snap mode for each menu

Tick this checkbox if you want to reset the snap mode to your chosen default when you digitise for the first time within a new menu option. If ticked, then you will need to select one of the following as the

default mode, Indicate, Object snap, Point snap, Indicate in Plan and Object snap in 3D or

Indicate in Plan and Point snap in 3D.

Picking Pick Aperture

Enter, in pixels, the pick aperture. The pick aperture refers to the number of pixels away from an object


the cursor needs to be before snapping takes effect. This defined boundary is known as the selection zone.

Show pick aperture when picking Tick this checkbox if you want to display a graphical representation of the aperture when picking.

Show pick aperture when snapping Tick this checkbox if you want to display a graphical representation of the aperture when snapping.

Colours

Diagram 3 - Colours Panel

Default Colour Set Use Standard Colour Set

Select this option if you want to use the colours set in the Standard Colours section of this panel. It is

possible to toggle between these colour sets (Standard and Alternate) by using the Cycle Colours icon on the Effects toolbar or by using the [A] hotkey.

Use Alternate Colour Set Select this option if you want to use the colours set in the Alternate Colours section of this panel (Once this option is selected, the Alternate Colours will be displayed instead of the Standard Colours.)

It is possible to toggle between these colour sets (Standard and Alternate) by using the Cycle Colours icon on the Effects toolbar or by using the [A] hotkey.

Standard Colours Background

Select the background colour. Highlight

Select the highlight colour. Overlays

Select the overlays colour. Labels

Select the label colour. Shadow

Select the shadow colour. Alternate Colours


Background Select the background colour.

Highlight Select the highlight colour.

Overlays Select the overlays colour.

Labels Select the label colour.

Shadow Select the shadow colour.

Slice Colours Slice forward

Select the forward slice colour. Slice backwards

Select the backward slice colour. Graphics Drivers Issues Use slow, but robust, colour changes

Tick this box to use a work around for the "delayed colour scheme problem" caused by some graphics cards and drivers. This problem usually manifests itself in line objects that contain colour changes; on some graphics cards the colour change does not take place until the line segment after the desired line segment. This option uses a slower method of colour changing that ensures the colour change takes place in the correct place.

Effects

Diagram 4 - Effects Panel

Full Screen Mode This group of settings specifies the display characteristics when operating in Full Screen Mode. Full Screen Mode is one of the options available on the Primary: Effects Toolbar

Note: Use the [Esc] key to return to normal view from Full Screen Mode.

Use alternate full-screen resolution Tick this checkbox if you want to specify screen attributes, such as height and width, to be used when in


Full Screen Mode.

Width Enter the screen width (in pixels).

Height Enter the screen height (in pixels).

Colour bits Enter the setting for colour resolution.

Refresh Rate Enter the screen refresh rate (in hertz).

Double mouse x position when in full screen mode This option should only be used if your graphics card is stereo enabled, and your mouse cursor appears to be incorrectly positioned on the display window.

Use texture compression for RGB images Tick this checkbox if you want to enable texture compression for RGB images (on display cards that support this feature). This option will also speed up the texture memory on supported display cards. Note: Selecting this option will result in an increased loading time for images.

Warn on drawing out of bounds Tick this checkbox if you want to display a warning whenever a layer is drawn out of bounds.

Let light direction change with viewing direction Tick this checkbox if you want the lighting effects to change with the orientation of the objects.

Use 2 sided lighting Tick this checkbox if you want to have two lighting sources. This was the standard lighting method in versions 3.5x. This method of lighting can be quite useful when viewing the back (or underside) of objects, or if a triangle's normals point inwards. One sided lighting (i.e. the off version of this option) is useful for displaying three dimensional (closed) objects.

Save default Z value with view Tick this checkbox if you want to save the default Z value with the view.

You can use the [Shift] + [1 ... 9] keys to save a view in a numbered buffer. When you return to the saved view, by pressing [Shift] and the corresponding number, the default Z value will be restored.

Highlight interior of selected polygon Tick this checkbox if you want to highlight the interior of a selected patterned polygon.

Polygon offset Enter the value that will be used to increase/decrease the polygon offset.

Note: This may be useful when lines appear to poke through triangulations when they should not be physically.

Fit world Z expansion Enter the expansion value that will be used to reduce front and back clipping when rotating an object. The value entered will be used to specify the 'container' around the view volume, e.g. if 2 is entered, then the 'container' is twice as long as it is wide.

Perspective factor at near plane Enter the perspective factor. The specified value will affect the appearance of a "fly-by" view at close to ground level.

If you enter a value less than 0.01 (the default), then the objects closer to the view will be included in the display, as seen in Diagram 6. This, however, may induce some undesirable depth buffering artefacts, as seen in Diagram 7, which has the texture removed and a wire-frame displayed. In general, we recommend that you try using settings between 0.01 and 0.001.

Diagram 5- Perspective Factor set at 0.01 (the default value) Diagram


When drawing layers on top of underlays Select the method to be used when drawing layers on top of underlays.

The Use 3D display ordering option allows you to retain the correct depth ordering within layers and underlays, however, all underlays will be drawn behind the loaded layers. The Display object in load-order option allows you to disregard the depth ordering, resulting in all underlays being drawn first with the last loaded layer being drawn on top.

The chosen method will only take effect when the Draw layers on top of underlays feature is enabled. Use

the Draw layers on top of underlays icon (on the Windows : Effects toolbar) or [Shift + Z] to enable this feature.

Video Capture

Diagram 8 - Video Capture Panel

Diagram 7- Perspective Factor set at 0.001.


AVI Files

Coding Method Select, from the drop-down list, the method of compressing the avi file. The list contains all of the compression methods that are installed on your computer. It is not recommended (due to the large file size) that you use no compression. The default method is Microsoft Video 1 (msvc), which has been tested to produce good results at high quality settings. Files created using any of these methods can be replayed using the Windows media player. More information on compressors can be found under Windows > Control Panel > Sounds & Multimedia > Hardware > Video Codes.

Video quality(%) Use the slider, or enter manually, the quality for the video. The higher the percentage the better the quality, however, the file size is also increased. Explore different settings until you find the one that satisfies your quality and file size needs.

Replay frame rate Enter the number of frames per second to use when playing the video. For example, if you recorded 150 frames and have a replay frame rate of 15, 15 frames will be displayed per second, thus the video will last 10 seconds. This value is only for replaying the video and has no effect when recording.

Single Frame Capture

Use software rendering for single frame and WYSIWYG capturing Tick this box to substitute the standard windows graphics drivers with the hardware specific graphics card drivers when capturing WYSIWYG plots or single frame screen dumps (it is not applicable to AVI recording). This can fix the problem where, on certain graphics cards and drivers, WYSIWYG plots contain corrupt rectangles where other windows overlap the graphics window. There are drawbacks to using this method, such as speed and non-identical images, which suggest that this problem may be better solved using other techniques, such as upgrading/retrograding the graphics drivers. Since different graphics drivers are used, the software driver image may differ from the hardware driver image. Points and text may be off by a pixel. This option may also be useful for debugging graphics drivers. By capturing a screen dump with the software drivers enabled and comparing the image with what is seen in Envisage, graphics driver images can be isolated from non-driver specific errors.


File Types

The File Types category is separated into two subcategories, Triangulations and Grids.

These preferences allow you to set which triangulation and grid extensions will appear in the Explorer

application (Triangulation and Grid folder), when you use the Open icon on the Standard toolbar, and when

you use the Open Triangulations icon or the Open Grids icon on the Open toolbar.

Note: Using the and icons are the same as using the Model > Triangle Utility > List and Model > Grid Mesh Surfaces > List options.

For example, if you enter 00t in the Extension section of Triangulations and tick the Use checkbox, then triangulations with the extension 00t will appear in the Triangulations folder of the explorer and in the file

list displayed when you use the Open or the Open Triangulations icons. Changes made to these preferences will not appear in the Explorer until the Workbench is restarted, they will, however, appear in the

file lists, which are displayed when the Open, Open Triangulations or Open Grids icons are used.

Note: When you enter the extensions it is not necessary to include the decimal point (full stop).

Triangulations and Grids that have extensions, which are not listed in these preference settings will not appearin the appropriate Explorer folder or in the file lists displayed when the Open or List icons are used.

Tick the Auto update checkbox to include automatically any new grid (three letter extensions ending with g) and triangulation (three letter extensions ending with t) extensions that appear in the directory from which you started Envisage or the Workbench. All of the added grid extensions will be ticked automatically. The triangulations, however, will only be ticked if the file is a multiple of 24 bytes in size.

Miscellaneous

Diagram 1 - Miscellaneous Panel

Project


Project The project code is used in some naming conventions to organise or group files. Some options will automatically prefix the project code when generating file names. For example, design databases are constructed from the project code, followed by an optional database identifier (odi). This project code must then be supplied with the <odi> when subsequently referencing the file.

Environment The Environment code is used when referring to the structure of Isis Library Databases. These databases require additional information to define the way in which the data are stored internally. This information is found in the dd.ilb file, which must be present in order for the database to be accessed. Use Isis, the database editor, to manipulate the contents of the dd.ilb files.

By convention, the project and environment codes should not be the same.

For convenience, the project code, along with the environment code, are written into the "vulcan.chk" file on your current directory, allowing other utilities, such as the external block modelling programs, to be run without explicitly supplying the project code.

Since Envisage writes the vulcan.chk file, you will not need to alter these values unless you intend to run a external utility without first starting Envisage. Setting the project code in the "Preferences" (i.e. here) will write to the vulcan.chk file. However, other programs, such as Envisage, also write to this file and may overwrite this value. If you only have one project and one environment code in a single directory, then this value will always reflect the correct value.

Legend type Enable GELT legends

Tick this box to enable GELT legends. This means that you will be able to use ranges when displaying legends.

Angular units Select the angular units format to be used in Envisage. The angular units can be degrees or gradians.

Plotter Scale units Select the plotter units, either metric or imperial, to be used by VULCAN.

Alternative Work Area This section of the panel allows you to specify the location of the workfile (.wrk). If left blank, then the workfilewill be stored in the same directory as the design database (.dgd). We recommend using this option if your design database is not stored locally (i.e. you access it over the network) because data access speed will be increased and no data will be lost when the network fails. Refer to Recovering Design Databases for information on reloading the workfile.

Note: If a design database is open, then this option will only take effect when you close it and reopen it.

Save Absolute Paths As This section of the panel allows you to specify how path names should be saved in specification files. Relative path names can be useful if you are planning on moving or emailing the working directory.

Relative path when under the current directory Select this option to save path names as relative paths if the object is under the working directory.

Relative where possible Select this option to save the path names as relative when possible. This will mean that objects on the same drive (or share) as the working directory will be saved with relative path names.

Absolute path Select this option to save path names as absolute.

The following diagrams, which are excerpts from a screen file, highlight the difference between each type of path preference.

Diagram 1 - Relative path when under the current directory


Diagram 2 - Relative where possible

Diagram 3 - Absolute path

Plot All

Diagram 1 - Plot All Panel

Enable Defaults Tick this box to use the defaults set on this panel in the File > Plot > Plot All Wizard. Default Scale

Enter the scale for the plots. The scale can be entered as a ratio in the form 1:<n> or as a single number <n> (in which case the ratio is assumed to be 1:<n>.

Default Page Size Select the paper size.

Default Page Orientation Select the page orientation.

Notes:

1. All of the default values can be overwritten in the Plot All Wizard option.

2. The default printer/plotter is specified in the Plotting Utility Preferences.


Plotting Utility Preferences

Diagram 1 - Plotting Utility Panel

Default Scaled Text

These settings are only applicable to text that was created with the Scaled font.

Scaled font Select this option to use the standard Envisage plotting font as seen in version 3.5x.

True Type font Select this option to substitute the "Courier New" true type font in place of the default scaled font. The spacing for the scaled font and the true type font differ, which can mean that text appears offset in the plot. To avoid this problem, tick the Align words checkbox. This will ensure that each word starts in the same place as it would have done if the scaled font was used. You should use this option when you are plotting reports, such as in the Underground > Ring Design > Section Plots option.

Brush Patterns

Pattern Size Specify the size (in centimetres) of the pattern used on the resulting plot. Refer to the Plotting Utility Overview for a diagram displaying a pattern size of 0.25cm and 0.1 cm.

Note: Due to the lower dpi (dots per inch) resolution of the screen, changes in pattern size may not be noticeable until printed.

Emulate transparent patterns Tick this box to apply a brush with the logical AND operator to allow for transparent patterns. This means that if patterns overlap the bottom pattern will be visible through the gaps in the top pattern. Refer to the Plotting Utility Overview for a diagram displaying the effect of ticking this checkbox.

Line Width


Line Width The width of the lines on the plot are real world sizes.

You can use the Line Width factor to increase or decrease the width of these lines. A factor of (1) one makes no change, a factor of (2) two doubles the line width, i.e., line style 1 would be 0.4 mm wide and a factor of 0.5 (half) halves the width, i.e., line style 1 would be 0.1 mm.

Default Page offset

Default plot to page origin (no offset) Select this option to have the plot origin coincide with the page origin (see Diagram 2). Keep in mind that the page contains non-printable margins (see Diagram 1) and by moving the plot origin to the origin of the page you might also be moving some of your plot into the non-printable areas of the page.

Diagram 1 - Page showing printable area

Diagram 2 - Page showing page and plot origin coinciding

Envisage Line Style Width (in millimetres)

1 0.2

2 0.4

3 0.6

4 0.8

5 1

6 1.2

7 1.4

8 1.6

9 1.8

10 2.0


Default page to plot area (use printer area offset) Select this option to have the plot origin coincide with the origin of the printable area (see Diagram 3).

Diagram 3 - Page showing printable area and plot origin coinciding

Whichever preference you choose here will be used by default in the Plotting Utility. You can, however, switch

between settings in the Plotting Utility by using the Adjust page to plot origin icon (which aligns the plot

with the page origin) or the Adjust plot to page origin icon (which aligns the plot origin with the printable area origin) on the Plotting Utility Application toolbar.

Use default plotter

Use default plotter Tick this option to use the default plotter specified here rather than the Windows default printer. This means you can have a default printer set for VULCAN and a different default printer for other software applications. Select the default plotter from the drop-down list.

Note: You can specify defaults (page size, orientation and scale) for the Plot All Wizard in the Plot All Preferences.

Vulcan Explorer

Diagram 1 - Vulcan Explorer


The Vulcan Explorer preference allows you to choose to show layer descriptions in the VULCAN explorer by default and to specify directories other than your working directory to appear in the VULCAN Explorer. You specify the virtual folders, i.e. Triangulations, Grids, etc., in which the remote directory should appear. In this way, you can take advantage of the Explorer Context Menu options and the "drag and drop" facilities with files not stored in your working directory

Show layer descriptions in Vulcan Explorer by default Tick this checkbox to display the layer descriptions in the Explorer. The description will appear beside the name in the Explorer. You can override this preference (either hide the descriptions or display the descriptions) by right clicking on the design database (.dgd) name and selecting Hide descriptions or Show descriptions from the displayed context menu.

Remote Directory Use the drop-down arrow or the Browse button (which appear when you click in the cell - see Diagram 2) to specify the remote directory. Note: You can type UNC style names (i.e. \\host\share) to avoid mapping drives.

Diagram 2 - Remote Directory cell activated

Display Name Enter the name, which will appear in the Explorer, for the directory. If you leave this cell blank, then the directory name will be used.

Monitor Changes Tick this option to monitor the remote directory and have the Workbench update the file list in the Explorer when the directory changes. For example, to have files removed from the list when the files are deleted. Using this option on a large number of directories in multiple virtual folders may slow down the operating speed of the Workbench. An alternative to the monitoring option is to use the Refresh context menu option (simply right click on the remote folder and select Refresh from the context menu).

Triangulations, Grids, DGDs, etc. Tick the boxes of the virtual folders in which you want to include the remote directory. The remote directories will appear before files in the virtual folders.


Toolbar Visibility

The Toolbar Visibility option allows you to specify which toolbars are displayed.

Once the option selected, a list of all of the toolbars (including both Window and Standard toolbars) is displayed.

Diagram 1 - Toolbar Visibility List

To display toolbars, place a tick in the checkbox beside the toolbar name. For example, in the above diagram the Analyse, Delete, Design, Insert, Merge, Open, Standard, Primary:Digitise and Primary:Look At toolbars would be displayed. The toolbars are displayed as soon as the checkbox is ticked, i.e. the panel doesn't need to be closed before the toolbars are displayed.

To hide toolbars, remove the checkmark.

You can also hide and display toolbars by right clicking on empty docking space. A list of toolbars is displayed, tick the ones you want to load. However, unlike this option, the list is different depending upon the docking space selected. If you select docking space around a window, then the list only contains the Window toolbars and if you select space in the Application area the standard toolbars are displayed.

Use the Tools > Layout > Save option to save your toolbar selection.

Windows

The Windows option allows you to control the positioning and visibility of windows within the VULCAN Workbench.


Instructions:

Select Windows menu Select Windows option

When selected the following panel is displayed.

Window Highlight, by left clicking, the window you wish to change from the provided list.

Window Position

Hidden Select this option to hide the window. This means it will not be visible. This may be useful when you want to enlarge your client window and do not require the Explorer window or the Report Window to be displayed.

In own window Select this option to place the window into its own personal window. This will mean that it is not constrained to the Workbench.

In client area Select this option to position the window within the Client area of the Workbench. You can use the [Ctrl + Tab] keys, or the Window icons in the Application Area, to cycle through windows docked in the client area.

Floating on top Select this option to place the window into its own personal window that will always remain on top of any other windows displayed.

Docked Select this option to dock the window onto the VULCAN Workbench.

The Advanced button allows you to position the selected window.


By simply entering in the appropriate values, you can control where a displayed window is to be placed. This feature is particularly useful when windows are misplaced on the screen as it allows you to easily replace a 'lost' window. The Iconised option enables you to minimise a selected window when it is not in use, whereas the Maximised option allows you to enlarge a minimised or hidden window.

Note: The -1 value represents the default location.

Select Apply to enable the selections without closing the option. Select the Advanced button to hide the section of the panel displaying the advanced options.

Select OK.

Select Apply to enable the selections without closing the option. Select the Advanced button to hide the section of the panel displaying the advanced options.

Help The Help menu consists of the following options:

Vulcan Help

This option opens the online help for Version 4. It is also possible to

access the help by using the Help icon on the Standard Toolbar. This icon also appears on panels and when selected will open the help relating to the particular option that is being completed.

Tip of the Day

This option provides access to the tips (hints) that are displayed at the start of the Workbench. If you do not wish to display the tips of the day simply untick the Show tips at startup checkbox.

To find more information about the current tip of the day, then the


select the more info button. To read more tips, select the next button and to close the tip of the day, select close.

Vulcan 3D on the Web

This option provides access to Maptek's Vulcan 3D web site.

CreditsThis is a list of past and present Maptek employees who have contributed to the production of VULCAN.

About VULCAN 3D Software

This option provides access to licensing information such as serial number and licence agreement. It also shows the current version number of VULCAN software products.


04 the Vulcan Workbench

Documents

Transcript of 04 the Vulcan Workbench