Return-Path: Eric.Madelaine@sophia.inria.fr Received: by crios.inria.fr (8.6.10/8.6.10) id JAA09922; Tue, 14 Mar 1995 09:24:33 +0100 Message-Id: <199503140824.JAA09922@crios.inria.fr> To: madelain@crios.inria.fr cc: madelain@crios.inria.fr Subject: TSW: COMPASS Date: Tue, 14 Mar 1995 09:24:32 +0100 From: Eric Madelaine > CAVE SURVEYING PROGRAMS > A List of Features Compiled by the Texas Speleological Survey, October > 1994 > General-- > > 1. Name & version of program: COMPASS > > 2. Written by: Larry Fish > > 3. Year completed: First version was completed in 1981. > Current release was completed in > September 1994. Windows version in > beta test - available Jan 1995. > > 4. Price: Shareware, $25.00 registration fee. > > 5. Available from: > Internet ftp site: gserv1.dl.ac.uk > or: Fountain Computer Products > 123 E. Arkansas Ave. > Denver, CO 80210 > > 6. Thumbnail description: > Complete mapping/plotting system. > Faster and easier to use than SMAPS. > Hundreds of features including > inventory, feature, and GIS > analysis. > 7. System requirements & capabilities, including peripherals: > > Requires: > PC XT or better. > CGA, EGA or VGA display or better. > 300 to 800K disk space. > Dot Matrix, Ink Jet or Laser Printer. > > 8. Can use math coprocessor: Can use 80387 or better. > > 9. Printer/plotter drivers available: > > Supports all common 8 and 24 pin > dot matrix printers, ink jets and > laser printers. DOS version supports > some plotters. Windows version > supports most plotters. > > 10. Advantages of program: > > Extremely user friendly and easy to > use. Very fast processing and > viewing. Real-time pan, zoom and 3D > rotation. GIS/inventory/feature > analysis. Many utilities including, > survey tree analysis, connectivity, > histograms, access analysis, etc. > > 11. Possible disadvantages of program: > > > Data Management-- > > 12. Data management style (one file, hierarchical, etc.): > > Both single file and multiple file > systems can be created. Master > control files can be used to create > multiple hierarchical file > structures. > > 13. Data entry screen can be customized: > > Yes, entry screen can be customized > to match the sequence and layout of > the survey book. Total control of > survey units including mixed units. > Instantaneously switch to one-shot-mode > for an uncluttered display of a single > shot. > > 14. Station name auto prefixing/suffixing: > > Sophisticated numeric and alphabetic > auto sequencing handles prefixing > and suffixing automatically. > > 15. Input/output units: > Decimal feet, feet and inches, > meters, decimal degrees, degrees > and minutes, quads, and percent > grade. > 16. File import/export: > File import and export to old > SMAPS, new SMAPS SEF, Karst and > AutoCad. > > 17. Database/inventory features: > > A special feature compiler allows > COMPASS to import and display > information from databases, > inventory lists, GIS files etc. > Virtually any kind of information > can be superimposed on the cave. > > Data Processing-- > > 18. Maximum number of vectors: > > Limited only by disk space. > > 19. Type of loop closing: > > Uses a proprietary algorithm for > closing multiple loops. The > algorithm is faster and superior to > the usual least squares approach. > > 20. Processing speed (slow, medium, fast): > > Processes data 8 times faster than > SMAPS. Closes loops 7.5 times faster > than SMAPS. Displays plots 8 times > faster than SMAPS. Real time pan, > zoom and 3D rotation. > > 21. Statistical error analysis: > > Shows loop error in terms of north, > east, vertical, vector and > percentage. Shows closure status of > each shot within the loop. Shows > connection sequence stations in the > loop. > > Graphics-- > 22. On-screen graphics: > > CGA, EGA, or VGA color line plot > display. Super fast custom line drawing > algorithm draws 10,000 vectors > per second. Chromatic color palette > mapping on VGA and EGA for better > feature visibility. > > 23. On-screen scale & north arrow: > > Yes, scale, north arrow, window > corner extents, pan and zoom > parameters are displayed on screen. > > 24. Map rotation: > Rotation of plan or profile view in > .1, 1 or 10 degree increments. > > 25. Oblique/profile views: > > Profile view from any angle. > Rotation is in real time with > single key strokes. > > 26. Perspective view: None. > > 27. Attributes/colors: > Color by depth, color by survey, > plot by date, highlight surveys, > mark features, label stations, label > elevation, and color routes. > > > 28. Coordinates/GIS features: > > A feature compiler allows GIS data to > be imported and displayed as a part > of cave plot. > > 29. Cross-sections: None. > > > 30. Clipping: > A pair of cursors is used to create > a three dimensional clipping box. > The same cursors can be used to > measure angles and distances between > any two points in the cave. > > > 31. Positioning of title, scale on plot: > > Positioned at the bottom of the > plot. > > 32. Quadrangle plotting: > > Yes, through external quadrangle > files. Also, using fix aspect ratio > scalable and rotatable quadrangles. > > > ========================================================================= > COMPASS INFORMATION PACKET > WHAT IS COMPASS AND HOW CAN I GET IT? > > I. COMPASS FEATURES > > OVERVIEW > > COMPASS is a software package designed to edit, process, analyze and > view cave survey data using an IBM PC compatible computer. The > programs in the system allow you to enter cave data, revise the data, > generate statistics on the cave, close loops, view plots from various > angles on the screen and finally, print finished quality plots on > almost any of dot matrix, laser or ink jet printer. > > PHILOSOPHY > > COMPASS is user friendly. Even a novice computer user will find it > easy to use. Every screen has brightly colored windows and simple > options similar to those used in PCTOOLS for DOS. A simple set of > easy to understand menus guides you through every step of the > process. There is always a complete list of commands on the screen so > you don't have to run to the manual every time you want to do > something. > > Some programs force you memorize the names of your cave files and > laboriously type them in. If you can't remember, you have to go all > the was back to DOS and try to find the files. In COMPASS you never > have to type a filename. You browse through disks and directories > with a few keystrokes. All the files appear in a window. When you > find the one you want, just move the highlight and press a key. > > There are no cryptic error messages like: > > Runtime Error @ 2095:2034 > > Instead, clear error messages tell you exactly what you did wrong and > what you need to do to correct the problem. Over 130 pages of > documentation is included with the system. It covers every aspect of > the system; from philosophy, to file format, to practical problem > solving. > > DATA ENTRY > > COMPASS was designed with an emphasis on easy data entry. The entry > format is very flexible. Data can be in decimal feet, feet and > inches, meters, decimal degrees, degrees and minutes, quads, and > percent grade. Data can be entered in almost any sequence to match > the format of the survey notes. Clear and friendly messages guide you > through every step of the data entry process. > > The COMPASS editor is very powerful. It can be configured to match > any survey book. It has two modes of operation: One Shot Mode and > WYSIWYG Mode. In One Shot Mode, only one shot is displayed on the > screen at one time. WYSIWYG stands for > "What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get." This means that the entry layout > looks like a page from a normal survey book. In other words, each > survey is on a separate line, and you can see up to ten shots at a > time. > > One shot mode has the advantage of giving you a less cluttered > display, where it is easy to see each shot item. WYSIWYG mode has the > advantage of looking like the survey book, which makes it easier to > check for errors. You can instantly toggle between One Shot Mode and > WYSIWYG Mode by hitting a single key. Both modes can be configured so > that the order of the data items matches the survey book. For > example, azimuth, length, inclination, and up, down, right, left, can > be in any order you specify. > > The editor can auto-sequence station names. In other words, if the > last station was AB24 then the editor will tentatively set the next > station to AB25. This can save many keystrokes and speed up data > entry. The feature works with both alphabetic and numeric parts of > the station name. Thus, COMPASS would anticipate that MM24a would be > followed by MM24b. > > EFFICIENCY > > COMPASS was designed with the limitations of the micro-computer in > mind. It was designed to be lean and fast and the programs were > written to conserve memory. Although multi-megabyte PCs are > commonplace these days, it is still very useful to carry a cheap > laptop underground and enter data. The main programs in COMP