WinKarst 9.0

[Garry Petrie]

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****           WINKARST VERSION 9.0                       ****
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WinKarst 9.0 is available now. The two most important
improvement are the program can process multiple Digital 
Line Graphs (DLG) in an integrated, seamless manner with 
your cave survey data. Second, WinKarst can place sketches
over line plot, either as passage drawing or as background
location maps.

WinKarst is "shareware" with a 30-day trial period. WinKarst 
runs on post Windows '95 operating systems. It is recommended
the Pentium class computer has a display resolution of at 
least 800x600 and set to display more than 256 colors. A fee
of $25 registers a license, previous and subsequent registered 
users can upgrade for free. The update includes an updated 
help file and online pdf manual suitable for printing. 

View the general description at

http://www.resurgentsoftware.com/winkarst.html

and download at

http://www.resurgentsoftware.com/~gp/software/download.htm

The major enhancements in Version 9.0 are

o Sketches and Background Images
  - PNG image format files read has four level grey scale
  - Images registered to two stations in the cave survey.
  - Smaller passage sketches form composite prototype or
    preliminary cave map.
  - Larger topographical or district maps placed as
    background locator image for cave system.

o Digital Line Graphs (DLG)
  - Read free to the public USGS SDTS DLG files.
  - Display "Streams" or "Trails and Road" DLG layers.
  - Automatically merge adjacent DLG files.
  - Read either 24,000 or 100,000 to 1 scales.

o Bitmap Export
  - Export any sized bitmap, limited by the computers
    available RAM.
  - Export either PNG or BMP image file formats.

o Editor
  - SDTS DEM and DLG files specified in the editor and
    part of the SUR cave survey data format.
  - Sketch Page for previewing and registering Stations
    in the images.
  - Sketches part of the SUR cave survey data format.

o User Interface
  - Several new tool bar buttons for DLG and Sketches
  - Label sketches for identification of up to 100 loaded
    images.
  - Display only sketches to create preliminary cave map.
  - Updated Help file and PDF formated manual.

For previous users of WinKarst, version 9.0 can be installed 
directly over an earlier version and it should assume your 
existing registration code. But as a precaution, please write 
down your registration code by running the older version 
first and accessing the Registration dialog from the Help 
pull down menu. Then install the new version.

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Detailed descriptions
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o Sketches and Background Images

  - WinKarst can only read the PNG image format files. The
    images can be color, but they are converted to an image
    with four levels of grey. Images must be less than 4000 
    by 4000 pixels in size. Only 100 images can be held in
    memory at one time. Images are bound to individual caves
    of a system of caves.

  - For WinKarst to display the images, two stations in the 
    cave survey must be registered to a pixel location in
    the image. Once registered, the image can be scaled and
    rotated to match the line plot of the survey.

  - Smaller passage sketches done in the cave are assembled
    by WinKarst to form composite prototype or preliminary 
    cave map. The background color of the images is drawn
    transparently so images can overlap at the edges. The
    line plot can be removed from the drawing.

  - A single larger topographical or district maps is 
    placed by WinKarst as a background locator image for 
    a cave system. The maps probably should be converted
    from color to black and white in a third party image
    editing program before being loaded by WinKarst. The
    registered stations can be control points at the
    intersection of UTM or Lat/Long grid lines.


o Digital Line Graphs (DLG)

  - The USGS had moved all of its digital data to the 
    Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS), including 
    elevation and line (roads, rivers, etc) data. The data
    is currently supplied by the USGS free of charge for 
    the entire United States. WinKarst's help file contains
    detailed instructions on how to download and unpack the
    data. For more details visit the www site:

    http://mcmcweb.er.usgs.gov/sdts/

    and download data from:

    http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/doc/edchome/ndcdb/ndcdb.html

    Files can also be downloaded from the comerical site:

    http://www.gisdatadepot.com

  - DLG files that are adjacent are merged into larger model. 
    When a DLG file is read that does not touch the existing 
    model, the old model is discarded in favor of the newly 
    read data. DLG and DEM files are handled independantly.

  - WinKarst can read the DLG types for "Streams" or 
    "Trails and Road" layers. Road and streams of different
    strength are displayed with different line widths.

  - SDTS files can be specified in the data file of a cave
    survey so loading the files occurs automatically.
    WinKarst can read both 24,000 and 100,000 to 1 scales.


o Bitmap Export

  - WinKarst can export any sized bitmap, as specified by
    the user. The size is practically limited by the 
    computers available RAM (e.g. a 4000 by 4000 pixel
    requires some 48MB of memory).

  - The program can export either PNG or BMP image file 
    formats. The PNG is a compressed format is can save
    a considerable space on the hard disk compared to a
    BMP file.


o Editor

  - SDTS DEM and DLG files are specified in the editor 
    System Page and are part of the SUR cave survey data 
    format. The files can still be loaded interactively
    from the menu/toolbar on the main window.

  - The Editor has a new Sketch Page for previewing and 
    registering Stations in the images. Stations are
    registered by selecting a station name and then
    clicking on the image at the desired location. For
    best results, the registered stations need to be
    as far apart as possible. The stations can be either
    from a shot within a survey or control points.

  - Sketches and their registered stations are part of 
    the SUR cave survey data format.


o User Interface

  - Version 9.0 has new tool bar buttons for DLG and 
    Sketches. The sketches can be displayed with or with
    out the line plot of the survey. The DLG types streams
    and roads have separate buttons.

  - WinKarst can label sketches for identification on the
    line plot. Up to 100 loaded images can be displayed at
    one time (practically limited by the computers available
    RAM, a single image may take 1BM).

  - The Help file and PDF formated manual are updated to
    include all of the latest features.