Quick Start - Before you Go

This topic is part of the Studio Mapper Quick Start Guide.

This collection of tasks should be completed after Server and Tablet Setup. It is important that you have access to a shared, synchronized local folder containing the Studio Mapper Demonstration Database before you continue.

Tasks to Complete Before you Go

In this section, you will go through some tasks typically completed before going to the face.

As time at the face is limited, commonly, these tasks are performed in advance at the office, maximizing the time for field data capture and minimizing disruption to operations.

The following tasks are covered in this section:

Create a Working Project (File-based Data Management)

For information about creating a working project using MineTrust, contact your local Datamine office.

If Studio Mapper is already running on your local/portable device, close it. If you had the demonstration project open, don't save any changes if any were made.

(Re)launch Studio Mapper on your portable device using the desktop application icon.

At this point, you should have a checked out or locally installed license available, so there will be no further prompts during startup.

 

 

On the Start Page, select New Project...

Create a project called WorkingProject in your Local Project Folder.

This is the local folder that was synchronized with your central database in a previous task.

Once the project has been created and opened, you will see the Database Settings screen.

  1. Leave the Current DatabaseDirectory field as it is. This is your local copy of the server database, and is currently synchronized.
  2. For the Configuration File, browse to your Local Project Folderand select the config.mpcfg file found there.

For this example, you're going to create add map data to an existing Mine and Area following new drive development.

  1. Select the Mine and Area tab
  2. Ensure Mine 1 is selected in the Current Mine drop-down list.
  3. Ensure Area 1 is selected in the Current Area drop-down list.
  4. Click OK to dismiss the Database Settings screen.

 

It is important that Studio Mapper can operate away from your network, so ensure you have checked out or installed a license for a sufficient time period of time to cover your time away from the office.

Studio Mapper can be run using any Windows account type.

You're creating a new temporary Studio Mapper project file which will be deleted later. A project is an access point to the shared database.

Tip: select the Location first, then specify the project Name.

Ignore the contents of the Add Files screen.

Your local configuration file is identical to the one on the demonstration server. It's important that your new map attributes match your central database configuration.

The Database Settings screen is also available using the Setup ribbon's Database button.

All map data has a mine and area context, and each project must have at least one mine and area defined and selected before you can start mapping.

 

Create a Base Face Map

For guidance on creating a base level map, see Create a Level Map.

In the Mapping task bar, select the New Map icon to display the New Map dialog.

In this example, you're going to add a single front face map.

Ensure the Map type is set to Face

The default Width and Height of the map is fine (5x5m).

Click OK to create the blank map.

Review the Map Properties tab of the Mapping task bar.

This displays the map-level attributes and orientation/georeference status of the map.

At the bottom of the table, add a Comment: "Demonstration Map" and press <Enter>.

In this case, map-level data is available (this may not always be the case) so you can apply some general attributes.

Select the following map properties using the controls in the Map Properties panel.

Lithology: [Siltstone]

Grainsize: [Fine]

Stratum: 50

The Map type options in the New Map dialog are controlled by your configuration file.

You might see other maps in your project that can be viewed later. These will have been added by other users of the database.

The demonstration configuration files supports maps comprising one or more faces, say, to capture a partial or full heading.

Your new map follows the naming convention in the demonstration configuration file, i.e. MapYYYYMMDD-n, where n is an incremented suffix.

For a single-face map, the Depth value is not relevant.

The new map'sGeoreferenced value is Local as the map has a 0,0,0 origin.

Once georeferenced (later), this setting will change to World.

The map has a default Azimuth, Dip and Roll of 0.

 

These attributes and lookup values are defined in your system configuration file.

   

 

Create and add a Standard Map Profile (Face Mapping)

Profiles aren't typically a feature of level maps, but they could be used as a measuring guage, potentially.

On the Setup ribbon, select Manage Profiles.

This displays the Profile Manager.

 

Click Import and navigate to your Local Working Folder's Templates sub-folder.

Import the file profileTemplates.xml

If the item Arch_5_5 already appears in the Profile list, move on to the next step.

Otherwise, click Add to display the profile editing controls and create a new ArchProfile type with the following dimensions:

  • Name: Arch_5_5
  • Width: 5
  • Height: 5
  • Arch Radius: 2

Then, click Export and update the profileTemplates.xml file referenced above.

Back in the Mapping task bar, select the Profiles tab (see above).

Use the Profile drop-down list to select [Arch_5_5].

Next, click the Add Profile button immediately below to add the base profile to the new  map.

Review the Profiles grid below. It should contain one entry listing your standard profile.

In the Comment field, enter "Standard profile".

Save your project - there shouldn't be any additional prompts.

 

Standard profile data is stored in an external data file. This XML file is separate from your system configuration file but is commonly stored in the Templates sub-folder of the server database.

Studio Mapper also lets you create freeform profile shapes and edit standard ones.

Where profiles have been created by other users, or you previously, you could simply Import the relevant profile XML file, then select the item you want from the Profile drop-down list.

If your file didn't contain the profile you need (as other users hadn't added it yet), this step instructs you to create it and save it to the profile XML configuration file.

Standard profiles are just like other string data - you can edit them if you wish.

They can be a useful starting point for defining an enclosed profile area. You will use this profile to guide your contact and polygon map features later at the face.

All profiles can be supported with a comment, and you're not restricted to one profile per map (although one is normally expected).

At this point, you have created a new base map, which will be transmitted to the server database automatically.

Next Section: At the Face