Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 19:28:57 -0600 (MDT)
From: dah@geology.byu.edu
To: cavers
Subject: Cave Surveying Programs: CavePlot 2.1
Message-ID: 51605432846@geology.byu.edu


CAVE SURVEYING PROGRAMS
A List of Features Compiled by the Texas Speleological Survey, October 1994

General--
1.      Name & version of program:
   CavePlot 2.1

2.      Written by:
   David Herron

3.      Year completed:
   1994

4.      Price:
   $40

5       Available from:
   Speleo Resources
   1457 South  280 East
   Orem, Utah 84058

   Phone:  (801) 224-7357
   E-Mail: CaverDave@AOL.com
   E-Mail: Dah@Geology.byu.edu

6.      Thumbnail description:
   Complete cave surveying program for the Macintosh computer.

7.      System requirements & capabilities, including peripherals:
   Requires Macintosh Computer, About 1 meg free Ram
   System 6.05 or better, Finder 6.0 or better

8.      Can use math coprocessor:
   No

9.      Printer/plotter drivers available:
   Uses system-installed Macintosh printers and drivers
 
10.     Advantages of program:
   Very user friendly.  Uses standard (and intuitive) Macintosh interface.
   All-in-one design.  Very fast, with many many options.
   All data maintained in memory, so there's no data swapping from disk.
   Once you purchase CavePlot, future updates are free.
   No multiple files (Raw, XYZ, Linked, etc) to cause confusion.

11.     Possible disadvantages of program:
   The current version of CavePlot (2.1) does not do loop closures.
   Version 2.2 (not yet released) does do loop closures.
   Doesn't import Smaps data.

Data Management--
12.     Data management style (one file, hierarchical, etc.):
   One file for everything.

13.     Data entry screen can be customized:
   Not at present.  Future releases may include this ability.
   CavePlot can import text files from other sources.

14.     Station name auto prefixing/suffixing:
   Yes

15.     Input/output units:
   Default distance unit is meters.
   Any distance unit can be used (given conversion factor to meters).
   Angle measurements are degrees
  
16.     File import/export:
   Can Import and Export Compass, Karst, and CavePlot-Text data formats.

17.     Database/inventory features:
   Yes!
   Stations assigned to Sections can be plotted, colored, etc. as a group.
   Stations can be assigned their own icon to show their location

Data Processing--
18.     Maximum number of vectors:
   Maximum is 5,000 stations for the regular CavePlot 2.1.
   Larger versions (available on request) allow up to 32,000 vectors.

19.     Type of loop closing:
   Not available in CavePlot 2.1
   CavePlot 2.2 (soon to be released) does a modified-sequential Closure.

20.     Processing speed (slow, medium, fast):
   Fast

21.     Statistical error analysis:
   Not available in CavePlot 2.1
   CavePlot 2.2 (soon to be released) reports raw closure errors.

Graphics--
22.     On-screen graphics:
   Yes, real pretty too.

23.     On-screen scale & north arrow:
   Yes, optional

24.     Map rotation:
   Yes

25.     Oblique/profile views:
   Can rotate to any viewing angle

26.     Perspective view:
   No

27.     Attributes/colors:
   Stations assigned to "Sections" are given attributes/colors as a group.
   Each station can also be assigned an icon to show its unique attributes.

28.     Coordinates/GIS features:
   Stations can be selecting directly from the lineplot.  When selected,
   the station's coordinants, section assignments, and comments are shown.

29.     Cross-sections:
   No

30.     Clipping:
   Vertical clipping is easily done using "Color-by-depth" options.
   Other clipping can be done using Section assignments.

31.     Positioning of title, scale on plot:
   Not currently, but both title and scale are optional.

32.     Quadrangle plotting:
   Not supported.
   Can assign quadrangles to Sections which can be plotted independantly.

----

   A free demo of CavePlot 2.1 is available for those who are interested.  
The free demo can be obtained via anonymous FTP from Speleology, or by 
contacting Speleo Resources at the address listed below.
   The FTP address for Speleology is "Speleology.cs.yale.edu"

   Speleo Resources
   1457 South  280 East
   Orem, Utah 84058

   Phone:   (801) 224-7357
   E-Mail:  CaverDave@AOL.com  or  Dah@Geology.byu.edu

   If you have questions regarding CavePlot please feel free to contact me!

David Herron