(53) Improvement (06/04/09/JPR):  The Borehole Manager / I-Data / Extract program has been completely redesigned and rewritten as follows;

• A wide variety of new filtering options have been added (e.g. xyz filtering) and well as resampling options.

• The output is now displayed within the extraction menu.  This datasheet includes a variety of new fields.

(52) Improvement (06/04/09/JPR):  The "Create Filtering/Sampling Report" option that is found within most programs that filter and/or resample various data sets now displays the report within the new RockWorks Text Editor (versus whatever editor Windows has been assigned to text files). 

This eliminates several problems;

1. Microsoft Word would "lock" the file resulting in an error if the user attempted to re-run a program that generates a report while Word has the report in a locked state.

2. The default font for the RockWorks text editor is Courier New which creates properly aligned reports.

(51) Improvement (06/03/09/JPR):  The T-Data and Water Level filtering options are now accessed via a button labeled "Time Filter Options".  Once selected, the Time Filter Options will be displayed within a single dialog.

(50) Improvement (06/02/09/JPR):  The P-data resampling options that are available within a variety of programs are now accessed via a button labeled "Resampling Options".  Once selected, the Resampling Options will be displayed within a single dialog. 

(49) Improvement (06/02/09/JPR):  The i-data and t-data resampling options that are available within a variety of programs are now accessed via a button labeled "Resampling Options".  Once selected, the Resampling Options will be displayed within a single dialog. 

(48) Improvement (06/01/09/JPR):  The g-value filtering options that are available within a variety of programs are now accessed via a button labeled "G-Filter Options".  Once selected, the G-Filter Options will be displayed within a single dialog. 

(47) Improvement (05/28/09/JPR):  The spatial filtering options that are available within a variety of programs are now accessed via a button labeled "Spatial Filtering Options".

Once selected, the Spatial Filtering Options will be displayed within a single dialog with a dynamic cartoon that depict the various filter settings relative to the project dimensions. 

(46) Improvement (05/28/09/JPR):  A new item titled "Instructions" has been added to the Tools / General Preferences / Secondary option listing.

(45) Improvement (05/28/09/JPR):  The symbol plotting options within various mapping programs are now accessed via a button labeled "Symbol Optoins".

Once selected, the Symbol Options will be displayed within a single dialog with diagrams that depict the meanings of the various menu settings.

(44) Improvement (05/26/09/JPR):  The 2D legend dimensions are now accessed via a button labeled "Cell Labeling Options".

(9) New Feature (04/19/09/JPR):  A new feature titled "Cycles" has been added to the Color Scheme sub-menu that is used when creating color-filled, two-dimensional contour maps.

This new option is used to create repeating cycles of color gradations.

(8) New Feature (04/17/09/JPR):  The "Color Scheme" sub-menu that is used when generating color-filled contour maps has been completely redesigned and enhanced.

• 2-Colors (Min -> Max): The former "Cold-to-Hot", "Hot-to-Cold", "Black-to-White", and "White-to-Black" options are now consolidated into the new "2-Colors" option.  There are two ways to select a continuous color scheme based on two end-member colors.  The first method is to click on the color buttons below the color spectrum (see following example below).

• The second method for selecting a color palette is to click on the main spectrum bar at which point a pull-down menu (with pre-defined color schemes) will be displayed (see following example below).  Notice how the previous options of black-to-white, white-to-black, cold-to-hot, and hot-to-cold are included within these pre-defined options (as well as many new options).

Examples of 2-Color Palettes

• 3-Colors (Min -> Mid -> Max):  This new option is similar to the 2-Color option except that the user may now specify a starting color, a middle-color, and an ending color.  This provides more possibilities

• The 3-Colors option also provides a list of suggested palettes that are accessed by clicking on the color-spectrum bar.

• The remaining color schemes (2-Logical Colors and Custom) work in a fashion that is identical to the previous version.

(7) Improvement (04/15/09/JPR):  I-Data and P-Data profiles and sections that are based on models that have been truncated by upper and/or lower grid models are now beveled such that the upper and lower edges are less blocky.

(6) New Feature (04/14/09/JPR):  A new program titled "Pick Intervals" has been added to the Borehole Manager / Lithology menu.

This program is very similar to the Stratigraphy / Pick Contacts program.  Specifically, the user can interactively defined lithologic intervals by identifying the tops and bottoms of intervals within a cross-section of logs.

(5) Improvement (04/08/09/JPR):  All of the Utilities / Widgets sub-options have been combined into a single program that features a completely redesigned interface in which the main categories are listed as a group of tabs along the top of the menu.  Each tab has a series of buttons for the associated sub-options.

Multiple copies of the Widgets program may be run concurrently.  Each instance will also appear within the main Windows taskbar.  The following example shows 13 instances on a 3-monitor system.

(4) New Feature (04/04/09/JPR):  A new 3D voxel-editor has been added to the Utilities / Solid / Edit option.

The initial menu asks the user to specify the name of the model to be edited and to define what type of data is represented by the model.  This information is used to define the legend and log-types that will be displayed within the editor.

Solid Model:  This is the name of the model that is to be edited.  Please note that it is possible to load a model, edit it, and then save the model with a different name to avoid overwriting the original model.

Type of Model:  The type of model is important because the program uses this selection in order to determine which type (if any) log should be displayed in conjunction with the model.

• Generic: The diagram will include the block model and a color legend.  Colors will range from cold colors (purple) for the low g-values through hot colors (red) for the high g-values.

  • 

• Lithology: The diagram will include a lithologic block model, simple lithology strip-logs, and a lithology color legend.  Colors will be based on the lithology types table.

  • 

• Stratigraphy:  The diagram will include a stratigraphic block model, simple stratigraphic strip-logs, and a stratigraphic color legend.  Colors will be based on the stratigraphic types table.

  • 

• I-Data:  The diagram will include a block model, simple I-data strip-logs, and a color legend.  Colors will range from cold colors (purple) for the low g-values through hot colors (red) for the high g-values. 

  • 

  • Track: This setting determines which I-data track will be displayed within the I-data logs.  Care should be taken to make sure that you're matching the right I-data track with the correct model.

Once, the model name and data type have been specified, a new window will appear in which the individual voxels and borehole data are displayed.  This program serves as an interactive editor that allows the user to change individual voxels by clicking on the new value within the "Index" and then selecting points within the model.

The various items within the Voxel Editor are described as follows;

• The Menu Bar at the top of the screen.   These menu items mimic the "ribbon menus" within selected Microsoft's Office 2007 components.

  • File:  Options to save, reload and exit the Model Editor;

    • Save: This option will save the currently displayed model using the current model name (i.e. the one you specified when you first activated the program).  Notice that the name (and Windows path) of this model is displayed at the very top of the solid model editor.

    • Save As:  This option is used to save the current file with a different name.  It is useful when you don't want to modify the original model that you started with.

    • Reload:  This will reload the currently displayed model within the original model.  It is useful when you're unhappy with the changes that you've made and want to start over with the original model.

    • Exit:  This will exit the solid model editor.

  • Edit:  Options to define how voxels will be changed.

    • Replacement Value:  When you click on a voxel within the model, the voxel's value will be replace by whatever value is defined within this block.

      • Null:  Voxel values will be replaced with the RockWorks universal "null" value (-1.0e27).  This value will be interpreted by all other RockWorks programs as being "undefined".

      • Other:  If you click on this setting, a small window will appear.  The value that you enter into this window will be the value that is used as a replacement value.  For example, let's say that you're working with a geochemical model and you want to set a particular voxel to zero, you would enter zero for the "Other" value and click on the appropriate voxel(s).

    • Mode:  There are two ways to change voxels; identifying a single voxel or defining a region whose voxels should be changed to the designated Replacement Value.

      • Single Point:  Check this option if you want to click on individual voxels and change their values (to whatever value has been specified within the "Replacement Value" window).

      • Multiple Points:  Check this option if you wish to edit regions within the model rather than individual voxels.  Once selected, two new buttons will appear next to the "Multiple Points" button;

        • The Done Button:  Click this button when you are done editing a region.  Once the Done button has been pressed, the program will perform the necessary (and often lengthy) process of identifying the nodes within the designated polyhedron and changing their g-values to the designated Replacement Value.

        • The Reset Buttont:  Click this button if you are unhappy with the region that you have selected.  The program will then discard any changes that you have made and restore the model to it's state that it was in before you started identifying the multiple points.

  • View:  The options within this ribbon menu are used to manipulate how the model will be displayed.

    • Size:  The size option is used to zoom in on a subset of the model for greater precision when making changes.  Once the size has been increased beyond 100%, scroll bars will appear along the base and right-side of the Model Display Area.  These scroll-bars provide a means for panning within the model.

      • 

    • Visible Items:

      • Voxels:  Unchecking the voxel display provides a means for displaying just the polyhedron vertex connectors and/or the strip-logs.

        • 

      • Voxel Borders:  Turning the voxel borders off removes some of the clutter but may be undesirable when working within areas that have similar values (i.e. all voxels the same color - difficult to tell where the voxels begin and end).

        • 

      • Log Titles:  When plotting striplogs, it is sometimes useful to de-clutter the diagram by turning off the log titles.  Conversely, log titles can be indispensible when trying to figure out why something doesn't make sense (e.g. logs with the wrong collar coordinates, incorrect picks, etc.).

        • 

      • Model Borders:  This option is used to plot a border around the model perimeter.  By combining this option with the Voxel Borders option, it is possible to obtain four different combinations of display.  Notice how turning off both options makes it difficult to understand the perspective.  Conversely, notice how it is difficult to

        • 

      • Tetrahedrons:  When selecting regions of the model to be replaced with a designated value, it is possible to enable and disable the plotting of lines that connect the polyhedron vertices.

        • 

    • Colors:  This group of options determine the colors that are used to plot the voxel borders, model borders, and the lines that connect the tetrahedron vertices.

      • Voxel Borders:  Click on this button to change the voxel border color.

      • Model Borders:  Click on this button to change the model border color.

      • Tetrahedrons:  Click on this button to change the color of the line segments that connect the polyhedron vertices.

  • Stats:  This ribbon bar is used to display various statistics for the model that is being edited.

    • X-Nodes:  Number of nodes/cells in the east/west direction.

    • Y-Nodes:  Number of nodes/cells in the north/south direction.

    • Z-Nodes:  Number of nodes/cells in the vertical direction.

    • Nodes Per Layer:   Number of nodes/cells within each horizontal layer (x-nodes multiplied by y_nodes).

    • Total Nodes:  Total number of nodes/cells within the model (x-nodes x y_nodes x z_nodes).

    • Memory:  Amount of memory (in bytes) required to store the model (total nodes x 8 bytes per real number).

• The Model Display Area:  This is the large area within the center of the dialog box where a color-coded display of your model will be depicted.  As you move the cursor over the individual voxels, note how the voxel parameters are displayed at the bottom of the screen within the Status Bar.  Clicking on a voxel will either change the voxel value (if the "Mode" has been set to "Single Point") or identify a polyhedral vertex (if the "Mode" has been set to "Multiple Points").

• The Tilt Adjuster:  This is a vertical slider bar located along the left side of the dialog box.  Notice the "T" (for "Tilt") at the top of the bar.  Try sliding this up and down.  Notice how it is used to tilt the model toward you (moving downwards) or away from you (moving the slider bar upwards).  The Tilt Adjuster does not alter the numerical model in any way.  It just controls how the model is currently being viewed.

• The Skew Adjuster:  There is a horizontal slider bar located along the base of the dialog box.  Notice the "S" (for "Skew") at the left edge of the slider bar.  Try sliding this bar left and right.  Notice how it is used to rotate the model about the z-axis such that the model can be viewed from the southwest or the northeast. The Skew Adjuster does not alter the numerical model in any way.  It just controls how the model is currently being viewed.

• The Vertical Exaggeration Adjuster:  There is a vertical slider bar located along the right side of the dialog box just to the left of the "Index" box.  Notice the "V" (for "Vertical exaggeration") at the top of the slider bar.  Try sliding the bar up and down.  Notice how it is used to vertically stretch and compress the model.  The Vertical Exaggeration Adjuster does not alter the numerical model in any way.  It just controls how the model is currently being viewed.

• The X-Plane Adjuster:  There is a horizontal slider bar located along the base of the screen just above the Skew Adjuster.  Notice the "X" (for X-plane adjuster) at the left edge of the slider bar.  Try sliding the bar left and right.  Notice how it is used to adjust the interior north/south vertical plane to provide a "bench view" whereby the user can view voxels within the interior of the model. The X-Plane Adjuster does not alter the numerical model in any way.  It just controls how the model is currently being viewed.

• The Y-Plane Adjuster:  There is a vertical slider bar located along the left side of the screen just to the right of the Tilt Adjuster.  Notice the "Y" (for Y-plane adjuster) at the top of the slider bar.  Try sliding the bar up and down.  Notice how it is used to adjust the interior east/west vertical plane to provide a "bench view" whereby the user can view voxels within the interior of the model.  The Y-Plane Adjuster does not alter the numerical model in any way.  It just controls how the model is currently being viewed.

• The Z-Plane Adjuster:  There is a vertical slider bar located along the right side of the screen just to the left of the Vertical Exaggeration Adjuster.  Notice the "Z" (for Z-plane adjuster) at the top of the slider bar.  Try sliding the bar up and down.  Notice how it is used to adjust the interior horizontal plane to provide a "bench view" whereby the user can view voxels within the interior of the model. The Z-Plane Adjuster does not alter the numerical model in any way.  It just controls how the model is currently being viewed.

• The Index Column:  The vertical strip that is located along the right side of the dialog box contains a color index that shows what the various colors represent. 

  • The Index also serves as a selection whereby the user can click on a color and the corresponding numeric value will become the new replacement value (see the Edit / Replacement Value description above). 

  • Notice the "Color Index G-Value" at the base of the Index strip.  As you move the cursor over the color index above, the associated "G" value will be displayed below.

  • There are two buttons at the base of the Index column;

    • The Expand-Index Button:  This will expand the width of the Index column

    • The Reduce-Index Button: This will reduce the width of the Index column.

  • Edit Button: When editing lithology and stratigraphy models, an button labeled "Edit" will appear at the base of the Index Column.  This button will activate the lithology or stratigraphy tables such that the user may add or modify the appropriate lithotypes or stratatypes without leaving the program.

• The Status Bar:  The horizontal region at the very bottom of the dialog will list all of the properties for each voxel as the cursor is moved within the Model Display Area.

  • X-Node:  This number represents the number of nodes to the east of the origin (lower southwest corner) .  Notice that the origin node is listed as node zero.  The x-node is a positive integer based on a Cartesian coordinate system.

  • Y-Node:  This number represents the number of nodes to the north of the origin (lower southwest corner) .  Notice that the origin node is listed as node zero.  The y-node is a positive integer  based on a Cartesian coordinate system.

  • Z-Node:  This number represents the number of nodes above the origin (lower southwest corner) .  Notice that the origin node is listed as node zero.  The z-node is a positive integer  based on a Cartesian coordinate system.

  • X-Global:  This number represents the easting coordinate (e.g. UTM easting, longitude, local minesite x-coordinate, etc.) for the voxel at the currentl cursor position.

  • Y-Global:  This number  represents the northing coordinate (e.g. UTM northing, latitude, local minesite y-coordinate, etc.) for the voxel at the current cursor position.

  • Z-Global:  This number represents the elevation for the voxel at the current cursor position.

  • G-Value:  This number represents the "G" (Grade) value for the voxel at the current cursor position.  These are the numbers that this program is designed to selectively modify.

Editing Voxels:  There are two methods for modifying the voxel values;

• Single Point:  Click on a color cell within the index and then click on a voxel.  The voxel will change to the associated color.  Behind the scenes, the numeric value that is associated within this color is changed to the current replacement value.

• Multiple Points:  Click on a color cell within the index and then click on the vertices for a polyhedral region.  After a few seconds, the model will be updated.

• Picking Points On Logs: It is also possible to define regions to fill by clicking on a point within the borehole logs;

When used to edit lithologic models, this program is useful for manually editing/creating lithologic units that aren't possible using the interpolation algorithms.  Consider the following examples;

Buried channel.

Intrusive dikes.

(3) New Features (04/03/09/JPR):  The I-Data, P-Data and Utilities / Solid Model modeling options now include settings for automatically generating grids models, based on borehole collar elevations and/or borehole total depth (TD) elevations.  These grids are used to truncating the upper and/or lower values when interpolating models.  These new capabilities eliminate extra steps in which the user would typically create a separate stratigraphy or ground surface elevation / TD elevation models prior to creating a block model model in order to truncate the model.

The "Automatic" lower surface filtering will generate a grid model based on an inverse-distance-squared interpolation algorithm and then assign a null value (-1.0e27) to all of the voxels values that reside below this surface.

(2) New Feature (04/02/09/JPR):  The lithology modeling options now include a new setting for automatically generating a grid model, based on borehole total depth (TD) elevations, that is used for truncating the lower values when interpolating a lithology model.  This eliminates an extra step in which the user would typically create a separate stratigraphy or TD elevation model prior to creating a lithology model in order to generate a truncating surface.

The "Automatic" lower surface filtering will generate a grid model based on an inverse-distance-squared interpolation algorithm and then assign a null value (-1.0e27) to all of the voxels values that reside below this surface.

By combining the automatic/upper and automatic/lower filters, several steps are removed from a typical modeling session.

(1) New Feature (04/01/09/JPR):  The lithology modeling options now include a new setting for automatically generating a grid model, based on borehole collar elevations, that is used for truncating the upper values when interpolating a lithology model.  This eliminates an extra step in which the user would typically create a separate stratigraphy or surface elevation model prior to creating a lithology model in order to generate a truncating surface.

The "Automatic" upper surface filtering will generate a grid model based on an inverse-distance-squared interpolation algorithm and then assign a null value (-1.0e27) to all of the voxels values that reside above this surface.