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New

Creating a new design database


The New option allows you to create a new design database. These files contain all of the design
information relating to a project, such as co-ordinate points, lines, polygons, features and text
annotations.

As only one design database can be open at a time, any open design file will be closed and the
new file will be opened. Open design databases have the locked symbol to the left of them in
the Vulcan Explorer (under the Design Databases).

Diagram 1 - The Design Databases folder

It is also possible to create design databases by using the New icon on the Standard toolbar,
or by using the Open option (under the File > Design Files submenu).

Instructions:
z Select File menu
z Select New option

The following panel is then displayed.

If you have made any changes to the currently open design database, then you will be
prompted to Save or Discard the edits.

Create New Design Database panel


If you want the design database to open when Envisage starts, then tick the Load when
starting VULCAN checkbox. You can specify that Envisage should start with this design
database at a later date by editing the project file.

To create a design database in the current working directory, simply enter the spatial
database identifier <sdi> (the full name is <proj><sdi>.dgd.isis). The project code and file
extension will be added once the OK button has been pressed. An error message will be
displayed if the <sdi> already exists.

To create a design database in another directory, simply use the Browse button to navigate
to the required directory. Once selected, the Select Design File panel is displayed.

Diagram 2 - The Select Design File panel

Choose the directory in which you want to create the file.

If the Design Files in Project <proj> file type is chosen, then the project code will be
appended to the name entered in the File Name field. If, however, the All design files
(*.dgd.isis) file type is chosen, then the name entered in the File Name field is the name of
the design database. If you wish to append a project code, then you must enter it as part of
the file name. In both cases the file extension will be added automatically.

Select Open to return to the Create New Design Database panel, the full path of the design
database will be displayed.

Select OK.

The database will be created and opened. Before creating any design data it will be necessary
to create layers. Use the Layer option (under the Design > Create submenu), or the New
Layer icon on the Design toolbar, to create layers.
Open
Loading VULCAN Data
This section provides information on how to load existing block models, triangulations, grid models, design
files, layers, saved screens and selection files, as well as information on how to create selection files.

The Open icon, which is displayed on the Standard toolbar, and the following options use the same
procedure to load files:

z File > Open


z Model > Grid Mesh Surfaces > List
z Model > Triangle Utility > List
z Underground > Underground Development > List

Once the option has been selected, the Open panel is displayed.

If you are using the Open icon, then the Files of Type field will contain the following entries:

z Block Models (*.bmf)


z Triangulations
z Grids
z Selection files (both *.sel and *.sms)
z Design Databases (*.dgd.isis)
z Screen Files (*.dg_spec)
z All files (*.*)

When using an option (except File > Open), the Files of Type drop-down list will only contain the particular
file type that you are trying to open (i.e. block models, triangulations or grids) and selection files.

To control the types of files that appear when you are trying to load grids or triangulations, set the file type
preference through the Vulcan Explorer : File Types section of the Tools > Preferences option. In this way,
you can limit the files that are displayed to only those that have a specific extension. For example, you
could limit the triangulations to only files with a '.00t' extension.

If you try to open a file that is not of the right type, then an error message will be displayed.

Diagram 1 - Standard Open panel (List View)


The List View tab is used to display all files (except design databases) in your current working directory.

Diagram 2 - Standard Open panel (Tree View)

The Tree View tab is used to display databases in your working directory. The Tree View tab uses an
environment similar to the Vulcan Explorer application, i.e. folders can be expanded to reveal layers. Hence
you can also use this option to load layers.

In both views it is not possible to open files that do not appear in the particular view. For example, you
cannot open triangulations from the Tree View.

Note:

The text labels for the List View and Tree View tabs will not be shown when using the Microsoft XP
window theme. This is due to Microsoft not supporting vertical tabs within Windows XP.
You can use the View Menu icon to alter the appearance of the list. You can choose to view the list as
large icons, small icons, list, details and thumbnails.

It is possible to navigate to other directories through using the drop-down list in the Look in field. Refer to
the Data Management section for information on creating shortcuts to data directories. Keep in mind,
however, that the Files of type field and the particular view (i.e. tree or list) will affect what files are
displayed. For example, block models are never listed in the tree view regardless of the files of type setting.

To select the required file(s), use the standard Windows selection methods. Press to move the file(s)
selected to the selection list. Files in this list are loaded once OK has been pressed. Pressing selects all
files (it is disabled in tree view). Similarly, to remove files from the selection list, select the required ones
and press or .

You can also single or double-click (depending upon your Window settings) on a file, or simply enter the
name of the file in the File Name field, to load it. If you enter the name of the file in the File Name field,
and if it has a standard extension, then it is not necessary to enter the extension. For triangulations this
is .00t, grid models .00g and block models all have an extension of .bmf.

For example: If you have a triangulation named 'TOPO.00t', then you only need to enter 'TOPO' in the File
Name field to open this model.

Tick the Modify triangulation attributes checkbox if you don't want to use the display settings from the
previous load. If multiple triangulations were selected, then the Multi Triangulation Properties panel (see
Model > Triangle Utility > List option) is displayed, otherwise, the Load Triangulation panel (see Model >
Triangle Utility > Load option) is displayed once the OK button has been selected.

The Modify triangulation attributes checkbox is only applicable to triangulations. Therefore, this
checkbox is disabled for all other file types.

Tick the Open design file at startup checkbox if you want the selected design file to be automatically
opened at the start of each Envisage session.

Tick the Save Selection checkbox to save the list of selections. Once the Open panel has been completed,
the Save As panel will be displayed.

Diagram 3 - The Save As panel

Navigate to the directory in which to save the selection file and enter a file name. The full name will be
<file_name>.sel. The next time you want to load this selection of files, choose selection files from the
Files of Type field on the Open panel, navigate to your selection file and then select OK. The models will
be loaded using the display settings from the previous load. Select Save to save the selection file.

If, however, you want to create a drillhole selection file, then you need to create a text file, which has the
extension .sel, in the following format.

[drillholes <database name>]


list drillhole names
where the <database name> consists of the directory in which the database is stored, environment variable,
project code, optional database identifier <odi> (if one exists for the database) and the name of the design
(datasheet).

Diagram 4 - Drillhole Selection File Format

Below is an example of a drillhole selection file

[drillholes c:\Test_data.d\pit|env=krj|proj=thor|odi=demo|design=dhd]
L11
L16-N1
L16-N10
L16-N2
L16-N4
l16-N4a

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