Geomap
Geomap
Overview
The Geomap functions provide a method for quickly digitizing geologic lines and symbols, plus
some more exotic elements collectively called “geomap elements”.
Elements
The elements can be lines (polylines or
polygons), symbols, rulers (polyline with ticks),
labels, or face pictures.
All the geomap elements are 3D and are best
viewed in a 3D viewer.
Each element is attributed with a name and
material.
Standard geologic elements that are put on a
geologic map are provided with this MineSight®
tool; polylines represent geologic contacts and
faults; polygons outline rock units; various strike
and dip symbols represent the structural attitude
of, for example, bedding, fault planes, or veins.
Components
There are three Geomap components:
1) The Geomap Tool is the function
geologists use to digitize elements in the
MineSight® 3-D (MS3D) viewer.
2) The Geomap File contains the definitions
for the line and symbol elements (e.g., line
thickness, color, symbol shape). There is
one Geomap File assigned to the entire
project by the Administrator. This is
the only file that can be accessed by the
Geomap Tool. A default Geomap File is
provided with MS3D.
3) The Geomap File is managed by the Administrator using the Geomap Editor. The Geomap
Editor can add, delete, or modify elements in the Geomap File.
Global
Mining Geomap Tool
Software The Geomap Tool is intended as a convenient way for geologists to digitize lines, symbols, labels,
Solutions and other geomap elements.
Since Activate the tool via Tools | Geomap Tool on the MS3D desktop.
1970 The tool operates on the Open Edit (geometry) Object. Elements digitized in the viewer are
inserted into the Open Edit Object.
The elements can be positioned in the viewer using any of the usual MS3D snapping functions.
Alternatively, the elements can be snapped to the Geomap Grid Plane (discussed below).
As the elements are inserted, they are placed in the selection buffer until saved in the Open Edit
Object. While in the selection buffer, the elements can be either highlighted or displayed using their
material properties depending on the settings in Selection | Properties on the MS3D desktop. A
shortcut button (Selection Props) to this function is provided at the top of the Geomap Tool dialog.
The elements can be manipulated using any of the usual CAD functions.
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Geomap
Grid Page
The first time a geometry object is opened in the Geomap Tool, a default grid will be created for you.
If you don’t like this grid, define another using any of the options on the grid page.
A new grid will be generated any time you choose a new plane (e.g., attach a grid set) or choose to
digitize a grid origin. If you change any parameters (e.g., the Length or Rotation Angle) you must click
Apply Grid to generate the new grid.
Note that the grid is a convenience not a requirement. You can choose to snap geomap elements to the
grid plane if you like. Also the grid provides a default orientation for the symbols and face pictures. If
you don’t want to see the grid, set the Show grid toggle to OFF.
The geomap grid is only visible when the Geomap Tool is open and is part of the geometry object.
Different geometry objects can have different grids, but each geometry object can have at most one grid.
The grid plane is defined either by attaching a grid set, an edit grid, or an orthogonal plane. If you
choose to attach a grid set, all the set’s planes are available in the popdown. Each time you change the
plane, the geomap grid will be updated; the grid center will automatically be moved to the closest point
on the new plane.
Global
The grid center can be defined either by specifying its coordinates or by digitizing in the viewer. If you Mining
specify the coordinates, click Apply Grid to update the grid. If the specified coordinates are not on the Software
plane, the grid center will be moved to the closest point on the plane. If you digitize in the viewer, the
Solutions
digitized point will be snapped to the specified plane and the grid will be automatically updated.
Since
Changing the plane or digitizing the grid center automatically updates the grid. Otherwise you need
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to click Apply Grid to implement the current grid parameters.
The grid has axes that provide the default orientation when digitizing a symbol (the symbol orientation
can be overridden on the Symbols page). A face picture always uses the grid orientation and will always
be inserted in the grid plane.
The grid extent is defined using the Length and Cell Interval fields. Unlike snapping to the Edit
Grid, snapping to the geomap grid plane only snaps to the plane, not the grid nodes. So the grid extent is
only a visual aide.
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Geomap
There are several grid Options. As mentioned above, you can hide the grid by setting the Show grid
toggle to off. All the grid properties will still be utilized (e.g., the orientation or grid snapping), even if
the grid is not be visible.
The visibility of the grid axes is controlled with the Show axes toggle. The color of the axes can
be changed by choosing a different Primary Highlight color from the Selection Props | Color
Preferences dialog. All other grid properties are controlled by the Geomap Grid material.
The Snap to grid plane toggle will snap any digitizing done in the Geomap Tool to the grid
plane. Snapping to the grid plane overrides any other active snapping option.
Lines Page
To digitize a polyline or polygon, go to the Lines page and click the button corresponding to the
polyline or polygon you want.
Line elements come in two types: polylines and polygons. In this tool, polylines represent geologic
contacts, such as faults or unconformities. Polygons
can be used to outline geologic rock types.
The icon displays the line as it will be drawn
using the material assigned in the Geomap File.
The polygon symbols also show the fill color and
hatch pattern.
The line’s attributed name and material is set
by the Administrator in the Geomap File via the
Editor and cannot be changed in the Geomap
Tool.
Tool tips display the attributed name and
material, plus a comment if any, for each line.
Click a line button to start digitizing.
Lines are digitized in the same manner as
Polyline | Create | Polyline or Polygon and will
respect any snapping modes including snapping to
the geomap grid plane. You can use the delete key
to remove the last digitized point. Right click to end
a line. Start a new line or right click again to end
line digitizing.
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Geomap
Example:
This example shows how polylines and polygons can represent the geology on a face picture. The thick
green polylines represent faults. Polygons with fill patterns represent different rock types.
Symbols Page
To digitize a symbol, go to the Symbols page.
Click on the button representing symbol to digitize
and click in the viewer to insert the symbol.
The symbols are defined by the project Global
Administrator in the Editor. The symbol Mining
properties (e.g., attributed name and material, the Software
size) are stored in the Geomap File. Solutions
Except for the size and orientation, the symbols Since
are displayed on the Geomap Tool buttons as 1970
they will be shown in the viewer.
Tool tips will display the symbol attributed
name and material, plus a comment, if any.
You can use any of the usual snapping modes,
including geomap grid snapping, to position the
symbol.
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Geomap
The default size of the symbol is set in the Editor, but can be overridden in the Geomap Tool by
toggling on the Symbol Size option at the bottom of the Symbols page.
By activating the Orientation toggle, you can set the symbol Strike azimuth and Dip. If this option
is disabled, the Default Strike azimuth and Dip based on the grid plane will be used.
Example:
This picture shows the Symbols page
and three commonly used geologic symbols
displayed in two MS3D viewers. The symbols
are 3D elements. Note that one viewer has
a horizontal orientation showing the strike
azimuth on the horizontal plane. The other
viewer has an oblique orientation showing the
symbol dipping down.
Label Page
On the Label page you can add multi-line,
non-transformed labels. These labels will always
appear upright in the viewer. Provision is made
for wildcard tokens (azimuth=$az, dip=$dip,
and attributed name=$name) and for attributing
the label with the name and material of the last-
digitized line or symbol.
There are three options for the Label azimuth
and Dip; each displays the value to be used in the
Az and Dip fields.
The values for AZ and Dip do not affect how
the label is displayed – the label will always be
upright. The values only affect what is displayed for
Global the wildcard tokens, $az and $dip.
Mining The Use symbol option will get the azimuth
Software and dip values that would be used for a symbol.
Solutions This means if the Symbols page Orientation
Since toggle is OFF, the Default Strike azimuth and
1970 Dip (see definition in Symbols page section) will
be used. If the Orientation toggle is ON, then that orientation will be used.
Use the Set option to enter values to be used for $az and $dip.
The Use Grid option will get the azimuth and dip from the Default Strike azimuth and dip on the
Symbols page.
The label attributed name and material can either be set on the Labels page or gotten from the
previously digitized line or symbol. Note that the value for Name will be used for the wildcard token
$name.
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Geomap
Example:
This picture shows a label using a strike and dip
symbol for bedding. By toggling Use symbol, the
wildcards $az and $dip get their token values from
the strike and dip values defined on the Symbols
page. Viewer 1 shows the strike and dip symbol
on a horizontal plane. The other viewer has an
oblique orientation to show the labels are non-
transformed (always upright).
Ruler Page
A ruler is a polyline with tick marks. It is useful for
accurately locating geologic information on the map. A ruler is
digitized in the same manner as a line and respects all snapping
modes, including snapping to the geomap grid plane.
The size of the tick marks and the tick spacing are user-
defined.
You can divide the distance between ticks into smaller
subdivisions. Setting the Subdivision count to 1 disables the
subticks.
The ruler attributed name and material can also be modified
on this page.
Example:
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Here a ruler is laid out along
the floor in underground mine
workings (blue outline), and is
snapped to survey points (also
shown in blue).
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Geomap
Face Picture Page
The face picture is a flat parallelogram defined by a Horz Length, a Slant height, and a Slant
angle. The face picture can slant either right or left. The face picture is always oriented in the direction
of the geomap grid: the x-axis of the grid corresponds to the horizontal axis of the face picture, and the
y-axis corresponds to up on the face picture. The face picture is positioned by digitizing it in the viewer.
All snapping modes are respected including snapping to the geomap grid.
The ticks and subticks on the parallelogram allow accurate placement of geologic elements on the face
picture. Note the parallelogram can be slanted to follow the geologic structure or mine design.
Ticks and subticks are defined the same as the ruler. The ticks are numbered using the Tick distance
as the increment. The precision of the numbering is determined by the number of decimal places given in
the Tick distance.
The face picture attributed name and material are set on the Face Picture page.
Example:
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Here is a face picture using a
Since
90º (not slanted) parallelogram
1970
shown in green. The parallelogram
helps the geologist to accurately
place geologic symbols, contacts,
and other information. In this
example, there are multiple rock
types separated by two generations
of faulting (one red, one green). The
ore zone is outlined with the thick,
dashed pink line.
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Geomap
Geomap File
The Geomap File contains line and symbol definitions: the attributed name and material, symbol
shape and size, etc.
A default Geomap File is provided with MS3D. It can be customized or a new Geomap File can be
created using the Geomap Editor.
There can be many Geomap Files, but only one is assigned to the project at any time. The Geomap
Tool uses the single Geomap File assigned to the project. Everyone working on the project will access
the same Geomap File in the Geomap Tool, and will thus be using the same lines and symbols.
Geomap Editor
The Geomap Editor is the administrative tool for managing the set of geomap lines and symbols
used by the project. The project’s line and symbol definitions are stored in a Geomap File.
The attributed names and materials for line and symbol elements are defined by the project
Administrator in the Geomap File via the Geomap Editor. All other geomap element names and
materials are defined in the Geomap Tool.
Any two elements having the same attributed name will necessarily have the same attributed material.
The Geomap Tool and Geomap Editor will issue a warning if you try to assign a name and material to
an element when another element already exists having the same name but a different material. Proceed
at your own risk.
Open the Geomap Editor via Tools | Geomap Editor on the MS3D desktop. Note the Geomap
Tool and Geomap Editor cannot both be open at the same time.
The first time the Geomap Editor is opened it will be display the lines and symbols in the file default
file provided with MS3D: $(medexe)\geomap.gm. This file cannot be modified; it is intended as a
starting point. Use File | Save As to save the file to a new name.
The name of the Geomap File associated with the project is stored in the dialogs.ptf file. There
can be only one Geomap File assigned to the project at a time. Use File | Assign to Project to assign
a different Geomap File to the project. Every time the Geomap Tool is opened in the project, this
Geomap File will be used. There is no way to access a different Geomap File from the Geomap Tool.
Each line and symbol has an attributed name and material. All lines and symbols having the same
attributed name must have the same material. You cannot save the Geomap File unless the attributed
names and materials are consistently specified for all lines and symbols. Any conflicts must be resolved
before the Geomap Editor will save the file.
Use the Apply or OK button to save the current Geomap File. Or save the file to another name
using File | Save As.
Lines Page
The polyline and polygon definitions are displayed on the Lines page.
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Geomap
The defined lines are listed in the table. The Icon column shows how the line will appear on its button
in the Geomap Tool.
The toggle in the Polygon column determines if the line will be a polyline or polygon.
The line’s attributed name and material can also be reset in the table. Each line (and symbol) having
the same attributed name must have the same material. Tool tips will display the name and material for
each line in the Geomap Tool.
A comment describing the line can be added. Any comment will also be displayed in the Geomap
Tool via tool tips.
The table right-click menu allows you to select (or unselect) all the lines currently
defined in the table, or you can individually select a line by toggling Select in the table.
The selected lines can be either copied or deleted using the right-click menu.
Also on the right-click menu is the option to Refresh table. Use Refresh table
to update the table column widths (if, for example, you’ve added a comment that’s
wider than the current Comment column) or to update the Icon if you’ve changed the properties for a
line’s material.
New lines can be added in the New Line container under
the table. Use the Add button to append the new line and set its
parameters in the table.
Symbols Page
The currently-defined symbols are listed in the table on the Symbols page.
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Since Symbols have more properties than lines. The symbol default Size can be set in the table. The symbol
1970 is a square and the Size corresponds to the larger of either its height or width. Note this value can be
overridden by the Geomap Tool when the symbol is digitized.
The two columns labeled X pct and Y pct define the insertion point of the symbol. These are integer
percentages between zero and 100. It’s easiest to see how these work by an example. Say a symbol has X
pct = Y pct = 0. Choose the symbol in the Geomap Tool and drag the cursor across the viewer. Note
that the symbol is being dragged by the lower left corner. This point corresponds to (0,0) on the symbol.
If you change Y pct to 100, the same symbol will be dragged by the upper left corner: (0,100). If you are
using snapping, the insertion point of the symbol gets snapped.
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Geomap
The symbols table has the same right-click menu options as the lines table: Select all, Unselect all,
Copy selected, Delete selected, and Refresh table.
New symbols are created from existing 2D geometry; In a geometry object, digitize a new symbol in a
2D viewer using any of the usual MS3D CAD functions. Symbols can contain polylines and polygons.
Make sure only the symbol geometry exists on the 2D plane.
Add new symbols from the New Symbol container below the table.
Using the OCB selector button choose the object containing the 2D geometry elements and select
(highlight) the elements to be used in the symbol.
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An image of the symbol is displayed using its material parameters at the bottom left. To rotate or
Since
invert the symbol, use the arrow buttons. 1970
Click the Add button to append the symbol to the table.
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