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------------------------------------------------------------------------------Surfer(R) Version 7 ReadMe.txt File - Aug 15, 1999. Copyright (c) 1999. Golden Software, Inc.

All rights reserved. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------This document provides supplemental information to the Surfer 7 Users Guide and contains late-breaking information about Surfer 7 features, compatibility, and known problems. Please read this file before installing or launching the software. Please remember to send in your registration card! The card is attached to the inside front cover of the Surfer User's Guide. Please complete the tear-off portion of the card and return it to us by mail or fax. You may also register online at www.goldensoftware.com. Registering Surfer entitles you to free technical support, upgrade pricing on future releases of Surfer, and the Golden Software newsletter. Please retain the top portion of the card for your records as you will need the serial number when contacting technical support and when purchasing Surfer upgrades. This information will not be redistributed. Table of Contents ================= - System Requirements - Installing Surfer - Network Information - New Features in Surfer 7.0 - Sample Files - Surfer.ini Settings - Known Issues and Limitations - Troubleshooting - Uninstalling Surfer - Contacting Golden Software System Requirements =================== - Windows NT 4.0 or higher, Windows 95 or higher. - 800 X 600 or higher monitor resolution. - 8 MB of free hard disk space in the Windows drive. - 13 MB of free hard disk space. - 12 MB RAM minimum, 32 MB recommended. Installing Surfer ================= To install Surfer, insert the CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive, and choose the Install Surfer option. If the Setup program does not automatically start after inserting the Surfer CD, run AUTORUN.EXE from the root directory of the CD. Golden Software does not recommend installing Surfer 7 over any previous version of Surfer (e.g., Surfer 6). Please ensure that you install Surfer 7 into a new directory. Surfer 7 can co-exist with older versions as long as they are in different directories. Prior to installing Surfer 7, uninstall any previous versions of Surfer 7 using the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs menu. Select Surfer 7 from

the list under the Install/Uninstall tab. Click the Add/Remove button to uninstall Surfer. Versions prior to Surfer 7 will not appear in the Add/Remove Programs list. As with many other programs, to install Surfer 7 under Windows NT, you need to have permissions as a local administrator for that machine. The setup program writes a Surfer.log file in your Windows directory after installation. This file may contain information useful to Golden Software's technical support staff in determining the cause of Setup-related problems. Network Information =================== Surfer can be installed to operate on networked computers in one of two ways: 1. Install Surfer locally on a workstation's hard drive for exclusive use by that workstation. When Setup asks for a destination directory, choose one on a local hard drive. Surfer must be installed directly at the workstation. 2. The Surfer program files can reside remotely on a file server network drive. First, log onto the file server directly. Locate the Setup program on the CD-ROM. In the command line enter the path to Setup.exe followed by -GSERVER -SMS. E.g. "R:\SETUP.EXE -GSERVER -SMS." The setup title should read "Surfer Server Setup." When Setup asks for a destination directory, choose one on the file server. Setup will copy all Surfer files plus the Setup program and its associated files to the file server drive. It is recommended you now flag the server directory as read-only. Next, log on to the file server from each workstation that will run Surfer. Start Windows, then run the copy of Setup (SETUP.EXE) located on the server directory. Do not run Setup from the CD-ROM. In the command line enter the path to the server Setup.exe followed by -SMS. E.g. "R:\SETUP.EXE -SMS." The setup title should read "Surfer Workstation Setup." When Setup asks for a destination directory, choose one on the local hard drive. A few small Surfer files are copied from the server to the workstation, while the bulk of the Surfer files stay on the server. This allows many workstations to share a single copy of Surfer without having the files duplicated on each computer. Surfer must be installed directly at each workstation. It cannot be installed from a remote computer over the network because the installation involves editing the computer's registry. Certain parts of the registry cannot be edited from a remote computer. *** ATTENTION: You may use Surfer on a networked system provided that the *** number of Surfer users on the network at one time does not exceed the *** number of licensed copies of Surfer. New Features in Surfer 7.0 ========================== - Vector maps (both 1 and 2-grid) - Editable contour labels (labels can be moved, deleted, inserted, etc) - New, faster and more robust contour filling algorithm - Fill blanked contour map regions with custom colors and patterns - Contour level attributes can now be set on a frequency basis (change every nth line)

- Export 3D DXF contours - Optimized contour drawing eliminates unnecessary contour regeneration for faster window updates - Improved contour map accuracy using internal coordinate scaling - Contour smoother uses a new, improved spline-smoothing algorithm - Contour level table in the dialog uses resizable columns - Variograms, interactive variogram modeling, and report generation - Sophisticated data exclusion filtering when gridding and creating variograms - Full fault support in the gridding and visualization modules - Native support for SDTS DEM files - Native support for USGS GTopo30 DEM files - Automatic conversion of geographic DEM's from arc-seconds to degrees - Additional grid info in the Open File dialog box for some grid file formats - Reading and writing binary grid files is up to 25 times faster - Grid data outputs a complete report of data and process statistics - Minimum Curvature uses a new weighting scheme resulting in improved output - Improved Shepard's gridding method results in more accurate grids - New gridding method: Natural Neighbor Gridding - Break lines may be specified in the gridding process to force an abrupt change of slope - New option to output a grid of kriging standard deviations - Grid data declustering options - Numerous options for handling duplicate data during the gridding process - Grid Extract dialog is much more informative - Grid Function, Grid math, the worksheet, and exclusion expressions support IF functions and Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) - Double precision and increased accuracy throughout - New Object Manager provides easy access to all graphic objects - Easily hide individual graphic objects via the Object Manager - Improved color spectrum control that allows assigning data values to colors - New option to specify the color of blanked areas in shaded relief and image ma ps - Increased control of default settings using a hierarchical tree organization - Powerful Active X Automation using the included BASIC language or the Automation-compatible language of your choice - Includes Scripter - a Visual Basic for Applications compatible programming environment for writing and debugging Automation scripts - Dockable, floating toolbars - Many new import and export filters (both graphic and worksheet) - Apply Now button within many dialog boxes allows quick viewing of changes - Plot Post map labels in the plane of the screen for easier viewing - Scale Post map legend symbols to the same size as those in the plot - Unlimited number of data points now allowed on Post Maps - Embedded data files eliminate missing links when using Post Maps - Right click objects displays object-specific context menus - Designed for Windows 95/98 and NT4 - Symbols are in TrueType format and can be edited with third-party font editors - New print options: Print only Selected, Number of Copies, Collate, and Margins - Several additional symbols have been added to the symbol sets - Easily reshape complex polygons (those with excluded and disjoint regions) - Export 3D BLN files when computing cross sections through a grid. - Improved light position control in shaded relief map (can drag the light pos) - Explorer style file open/save dialogs - Improved dialog controls allow easy editing of graphic properties (drop down colors, lines, fill patterns) - Faster, higher quality bitmap output throughout - New interface using tabbed dialogs (property sheets) - Larger page limits under NT - Easily connect to the Golden Software web site from within Surfer to check for product updates, FAQs, etc.

- Open all supported documents (SRF, GRD, DAT, etc) from the command line - Filename case is now preserved throughout the program - Rearranged the Grid Slice dialog to make it more intuitive - Added Arrange, Move Forward, and Move Backward commands - New progress gauge on the status bar keeps you informed during lengthy operati ons - Clicking in the window can interrupt most operations - Deselect All menu command - Can change the number of Recently Used Files in the File menu - Arrange Transform menu command allows complete control over object transforms - Scalable vector fill patterns appear the same size on the printer as on the screen (enable via File Preferences). - Add an unlimited number of scale bars to any map - New worksheet supports double precision accuracy, printing, and multiple views - Worksheet supports reading and writing of most data formats including Excel97 - Control worksheet cell height, width and color - New worksheet data statistics functions - Digitize command enhanced to automatically generate BLN files Sample Files ============ Several sample files are included in the Samples directory. The samples include interesting maps, data files, and some scripts that can be used to automate Surfer. Script1.bas Script2.bas Script3.bas Client.cpp Script4.js Script5.vbs Blusteel.clr Bywaves.clr Landsea.clr Rainbow.clr Rainbow2.clr RedHot.clr Demogrid.dat Sample3.dat Tutorws.dat Tutorws2.dat Vario1.dat Demogrid.grd Helens2.grd Ca.gsb Nv.gsb Sample1.srf Sample2.srf Sample3.srf Sample4.srf Sample5.srf Sample6.srf Sample7.srf Sample8.srf Symbols.srf Tutorial.srf Script to create a contour map for each gridding method Script to overlay contour map and wireframe map Script to create contour maps from multiple Z data columns Example C++ program to Automate Surfer Creates a relief map using Windows Scripting Host and JScript Creates a relief map using Windows Scripting Host and VBScript Color Spectrum File - black, blue, gray Color Spectrum File - alternating blue, yellow Color Spectrum File - black, blue, cyan, brown, yellow Color Spectrum File - violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, red Color Spectrum File - black, blue, cyan, yellow, red, white Color Spectrum File - red, yellow Sample data file for DEMOGRID.GRD Sample data used in scripts Used in Lesson 2 and 5 of the Tutorial Used in Lesson 1 of the Tutorial Sample data file for creating variograms Sample Grid file Sample Grid file from Mount St. Helens DEM Golden Software boundary file - California Counties Golden Software boundary file - Nevada Counties Wireframe map - Colorado Front Range Stacked Wireframe and Contour map - Morrison Colorado Filled Contour map - Sagebrush Hills Idaho Filled Contour map - Grand Canyon Arizona Image map - Colorado Counties Contour/Shaded Relief map - Mt. St. Helens Vector/Contour map of the earth Classed Post map - Antarctic temperatures Post map of symbols and numeric values Used in Lesson 5 of the Tutorial

Surfer.ini Settings

=================== The following advanced settings can be specified under the [Settings] section of SURFER.INI. In general, these settings should not be changed unless there is a very good reason to do so: DitherScaleColors=1 ;Set to a non-zero value to enable dithering of the ;color scale colors. This allows the color scale to ;better match the line color used in wireframe plots ;when printing on printers that dither lines. ErrFlags=147 ;This controls error message display. The value is the ;sum of the desired options: ; 1 Display Errors ; 2 Display Warnings ; 16 Display errors in a dialog box ; 128 Beep on errors ; 256 Display Module, File, and Line info ;Set to a non-zero value to allow the edit control in ;the Text Properties dialog accept the Enter key to ;begin a new line. A value of 0 causes the Enter key ;to shut down the dialog. ;This defines a trade-off between coordinate range and ;resolution. Windows 9x is limited to 32767 logical ;units. With the default resolution of 1000 logical ;units per inch, the maximum plot size is 32767/1000 ;or 32.767 inches. Decreasing this value decreases ;the resolution, but increases the maximum page size. ;For example, a value of 500 would result in a maximum ;page size of 32767/500 or 65.534 inches.

EditReturn=0

LogPerInch=1000

MaxReportedDups=100 ;Maximum number of duplicate data to report in the ;gridding and variogram report. MaxReportedExcl=100 ;Maximum number of excluded data to report in the ;gridding and variogram report. ScrollPercent=10 ScrollPageSize=90 ScrollLineSize=10 ZoomMargin=100 EmulateS6Auto=1 ;Percentage of the grid editor window size to scroll ;when the arrow buttons are pressed. ;Percentage of the plot window size to scroll when the ;page up/down portion of the scroll bar is clicked. ;Percentage of the plot window size to scroll when the ;arrow buttons are pressed. ;The margin around the window after Zoom Page. ;Measured in mils (thousandths of an inch) ;Set to 1 to enable Surfer 7 emulation of Surfer 6 ;Automation. Set to 0 to disable. Surfer 6 must be ;run once manually after setting this to 0 in order ;to reset the registry entries to Surfer 6.

Known Issues and Limitations ============================ - Gridding is much slower when faults or breaklines are specified.

- Complex faults (many line segments) are much slower than simple faults. - Due to a limitation with Windows 95/98, the default maximum page size cannot exceed 32.76 inches. Add the LogPerInch setting to the [Settings] section: [Settings] LogPerInch=500 <-- Add this line

to the Surfer.ini file to double the maximum size to 64 inches. - Most PostScript printer device drivers are NOT 100% Microsoft Windows compliant when it comes to imaging complex polygons. Under rare circumstances (mostly in filled contour maps) this can result in stray lines appearing when they shouldn't. We have worked around this in our software, but the modification makes PostScript printing 3 to 5 times slower. If you want to speed up PostScript printing, but at the risk of an occasional stray line when printing complex filled contour maps, you may do so by placing a semi-colon character (";") in front of the following line in SURFER.INI: DecomposePrinterPolygons=2 - HP LaserJet 4 problems: When printing on a LaserJet 4 (or 4M non-PostScript), TrueType text blocks can be wider than requested or character spacing can be incorrect. This has been fixed in version 31.V1.35 of the LaserJet 4 driver. You can get this driver from Hewlett Packard at www.hp.com. If you are unable to get the new driver, using the LaserJet III driver can resolve problem. - HP LaserJet Series II and III problems: Single characters in the axis labels, axis titles, and text blocks may not print with some drivers. In the Control Panel Printers menu, select the printer, and choose Printer Properties. Turn on the option to "Print TrueType as Graphics" to solve the problem. - HP DeskJet problems: The last character in text strings may not print. In the Surfer.ini file remove the semi-colon from the beginning of the line listed below: [GSIMAGE] ;Windows Picture:Printer:Text=0x8000 Save the changes, then restart Surfer. - Video Problems: On some video cards (ATI & Trident), the last character in text blocks is not displayed; however, printing does not seem to be affected. Solution 1: Remove the semi-colon from the beginning of the line listed below in the Surfer.ini file: [GSIMAGE] ;Windows Picture:Window:Text=0x8000 Save the changes, then restart Surfer. Solution 2: Change video driver to use "plain" VGA.

- Toolbar positions are not saved when Surfer is maximized: The position of the toolbars is based on the NON-maximized window size. If you find the toolbar positions are not being saved when you restart Surfer with a maximized window, follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Start Surfer, UN-maximize the main window Resize the main Surfer window so it almost fills the entire screen Position the toolbars as desired Re-Maximize the main window again The toolbar positions should now be saved correctly

- Automation issues: Several changes were required that may break old script files. Most of these are a result of moving to a VBA-compatible scripting language: - When a wireframe plot is selected the default name is "Wireframe" rather than "Surface". This may break old script files. - "Surfer.App" is the Application object for the old Surfer 6 interface. "Surfer.Application" is the new Surfer 7 Automation model. - The commands Surfer.FileNew(int iDoc) and Surfer.FileOpen(FileName,iDoc) no longer support iDoc==2. This created an editor document which is no longer supported. This will silently fail to minimize the effect on existing scripts. - The new Scripter requires named arguments to be specified with := whereas the old Scripter required the single =. - Scripter statements must be contained within a Sub block. The main program should be within a "Sub Main", "End Sub" block. Surfer 6 Scripter allowed stand-alone statements outside blocks. The old "End" statement should be changed to "End Sub" - Subroutines used to be specified by labels. They now must be specified with "Sub XXX" and "End Sub" statements where XXX is the old subroutine label. - The old "gosub" statement is no longer allowed. Delete it and call the subroutine directly. For example "gosub DoWork" should now just be "DoWork" . The old Print statement is not supported. Use Debug.Print or MsgBox. Arrays must be dimensioned with the dim statement. Global variables must be declared outside the body of sub blocks. It is not possible to jump to labels in other subroutines. The \ line continuation character is not allowed. You need to use the underscore character _ for the equivalent functionality. - Comments are not allowed after the line continuation character _. - The Surfer 6 macro command FileNewWindow() always returns true (success). - If Surfer 7 is started via Automation, the default directory is set to the applications startup directory. It used to be set to the Windows System directory. Troubleshooting =============== Surfer has an error logging facility that may help us resolve problems. Run Surfer from the Start Run menu with the following command line: d:\path\surfer.exe /L where d:\path is the drive and path for Surfer 7. By default, Surfer 7 is installed in "c:\program files\golden software\surfer\". Include the double-quotes around the path and program name. Attempt to duplicate the problem, and document the steps prior to the occurrence of the problem. Surfer writes information about the state of the program and your system

to the file Surfer.msg to the Surfer directory. Zip this file and e-mail it to technical support (surfersupport@goldensoftware.com) with a description of the problem and the steps necessary to duplicate it. Uninstalling Surfer ==================== To uninstall Surfer, go to Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel. Select Surfer 7 from the list under the Install / Uninstall tab. Click the Add/Remove button to uninstall Surfer. Contacting Golden Software ========================== Please report Surfer problems to Golden Software at: Golden Software, Inc. 809 14th Street Golden, CO 80401-1866 USA phone: 303-279-1021 fax: 303-279-0909 e-mail: surfersupport@goldensoftware.com web: http://www.goldensoftware.com Golden Software business hours are 8:00AM to 5:00PM Mountain Time Monday through Friday (excluding U.S. holidays). Check the Golden Software web page for FAQ's and for additional information about our products. ### end of Readme.txt ###

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