splico

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SPLICO - contour raw data, wireframe or block models using spline method

Process Name	Menu Path	Link to Command Table
SPLICO	Command line only	Click here

Introduction
Files, Fields and Parameters
Notes
Example
Errors

Introduction

SPLICO produces contour plot and string files of irregularly scattered data points or of a triangulated wireframe or of a solid model.

How to use

A regular mesh is generated from the data by linear interpolation, when using wireframe data, or inverse power of distance interpolation, when using point or model data. Spline coefficients are generated for the mesh nodes which are then used to create smooth contour plot or string files.

Mathematical Algorithm

The contouring algorithm in SPLICO, as in most commonly available techniques, calculates iso-value lines from a regular grid of points which are interpolated from input data. The coefficients of a series of two-dimensional, third-degree polynomials which represents the continuous surface of minimum curvature passing through all grid points are computed. Contour line start points are calculated at regular spacings in the data area and using these, smooth contours are generated by interpolation between grid nodes using spline coefficients.

Files, Fields and Parameters

Input Files

Name	Description	I/O Status	Required	Type
PROTO	Plot prototype file. Must contain the fields X, Y, S1, S2, CODE (numeric, explicit) and XMIN, XMAX, YMIN, YMAX, XSCALE, YSCALE (numeric, implicit). If these last 6 values set in PROTO , then corresponding parameters need not be set. Optional only if APPEND=1	Input	No	Plot
BOUND	Optional bounding perimeter. No contours will produced outside this perimeter. Must contain fields XP, YP, ZP, PTN and PVALUE. This file must contain only one perimeter, must be clockwise and must not be closed.	Input	No	String
WIRETR	Input wireframe triangle file.	Input	No	Wireframe Triangle
WIREPT	Input wireframe or raw data point file. The raw data point file must be sorted on X field.	Input	No	Points
MODEL	Input model file. Must contain fields XC, YC, ZC, XINC, YINC, ZINC, XMORIG, YMORIG, ZMORIG, NX, NY, NZ, IJK + FIELD field.	Input	No	Block Model

Output Files

Name	I/O Status	Required	Type	Description
PLOT	Output	Yes	Plot	Output plot file.
STRING	Output	No	String	Optional output string file. If selected this file be written out as well as the plot file and will contain fields XP, YP, ZP, PTN and PVALUE. The value of PVALUE field is determined from the PVALST and PVALINC parameters.

Fields

Name	Description	Source	Required	Type	Default
X	X field in input point file. Only required if contouring raw data.	WIREPT	No	Numeric	Undefined
Y	Y field in input point file. Only required if contouring raw data.	WIREPT	No	Numeric	Undefined
FIELD	Field to be contoured. Only required if contouring raw data or solid model.	WIREPT, MODEL	No	Numeric	Undefined
SEAM	Seam ID field. Only required if contouring solid model.	MODEL	No	Any	Undefined

Parameters

Name	Description	Required	Default	Range	Values
CMIN	Minimum contour value in user data units.	Yes	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
CMAX	Maximum contour value in user data units.	Yes	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
CI	Contour interval in user data units.	Yes	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
GRIDINC	Grid interval of mesh in user data units. This value is used to set up an internal mesh using input data. It is important to note that this mesh is used for contouring and not the original data.	Yes	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
PLANE	Plane, 'XY', 'XZ' or 'YZ' through the model. Default is the XY plane.	No	Undefined	Undefined	'XY', 'XZ', 'YZ'
POSITION	Position of the plane. For example if the XY plane is used a Z position is needed. Only required if neither TOP nor BOTTOM are specified.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
TOP	Value of FIELD for which top of seam contour required. Only required if neither POSITION nor BOTTOM appear.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
BOTTOM	Value of FIELD for which base of seam contour required. Only required if neither POSITION nor TOP appear. Both TOP and BOTTOM set for an isopach.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
HILIGHT	Highlight every Nth contour with HI.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
HI	Colour [as 'pen' number] for highlighting.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
CHARSIZE	Character size in millimetres (3.5).	No	3.5	Undefined	Undefined
	Colour [as 'pen' number] for plot (1).	No	1	Undefined	Undefined
NDC	Number of dec. places for annotation. Default value is for no annotation(-1).	No	-1	Undefined	Undefined
POWER	Interpolation power. Used for solid model or raw data contouring (2).	No	2	Undefined	Undefined
RADIUS	Interpolation search radius. Used for solid model or raw data contouring (0).	No	0	Undefined	Undefined
PVALST	If STRING file requested, for the first string to be written PVALUE will be set to PVALST. For the following strings PVALUE is incremented by PVALINC (1.0).	No	1.0	Undefined	Undefined
PVALINC	If STRING file requested, PVALUE value increment (1.0).	No	1.0	Undefined	Undefined
XMIN	Minimum value of X for plot. None of XMIN, XMAX, YMIN, YMAX, XSCALE, YSCALE need be set if this information is already in the prototype.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
XMAX	Maximum value of X for plot.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
YMIN	Minimum value of Y for plot.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
YMAX	Maximum value of Y for plot.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
XSCALE	X scale in user data units per millimeter.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
YSCALE	Y scale in user data units per millimeter.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
APPEND	Plot append flag. If set to 1 then the new plot will be appended to the PLOT file, if it exists and is a valid plot file (0).	No	0	0,1	0,1

Notes

The parameter @GRIDINC defines the grid interval at which node values are calculated for contour threading. This parameter can control the quality of the contour plot. Therefore, it is important to set this parameter with respect to the spacing of the data points.

Example

Example 1

Contouring raw data points.

!SPLICO

&PLOT(PLOT1),&PROTO(PROTOP1),&WIREPT(POINTS),
*X(X),*Y(Y),*FIELD(Z),
@CMIN=720,@CMAX=920,@CI=20,@GRIDINC=0.5,@POWER=2.0,@RADIUS=1.0

Example 2

Contouring triangulated wireframe.

!SPLICO

&PLOT(PLOT2),&PROTO(PROTOP2),&WIREPT(WIREPT),
&WIRETR(WIRETR),@CMIN=720,@CMAX=920,@CI=20,@GRIDINC=0.5

Example 3

Model contouring - Conventional contour of a numeric field.

!SPLICO

&PLOT(PLOT3),&PROTO(PROTOP3),&MODEL(FEMODEL),
*FIELD(FE),@CMIN=41,@CMAX=51,@CI=1,@GRIDINC=10,
@POSITION=-5,@POWER=2.0,@RADIUS=15

Example 4

Seam model contouring - Elevation of top of seam.

!SPLICO

&PLOT(PLOT4),&PROTO(PROTOP4),&MODEL(COALMOD),
*FIELD(ZONE),@CMIN=100,@CMAX=160,@CI=5,@GRIDINC=25,
@TOP=3,@POWER=2.0,@RADIUS=45

Example 5

Seam model contouring - Elevation of bottom of seam.

!SPLICO

&PLOT(PLOT5),&PROTO(PROTOP5),&MODEL(COALMOD),
*FIELD(ZONE),@CMIN=100,@CMAX=160,@CI=5,@GRIDINC=25,
@BOTTOM=1,@POWER=2.0,@RADIUS=45

Example 6

Seam model contouring - Isopach of seam.

!SPLICO

&PLOT(PLOT6),&PROTO(PROTOP6),&MODEL(COALMOD),
*FIELD(ZONE),@CMIN=0.2,@CMAX=1.6,@CI=0.2,@GRIDINC=50,
@TOP=4,@BOTTOM=4,@POWER=2.0,@RADIUS=45

Example 7

Seam model contouring - Contouring of a field (e.g. stripping ratio) related to a seam.

!SPLICO

&PLOT(PLOT7),&PROTO(PROTOP7),&MODEL(COALMOD),
*FIELD(WV/OV),*SEAM(ZONE),@CMIN=2,@CMAX=20,@CI=2,@GRIDINC=25, @POSITION=1,@POWER=2.0,@RADIUS=45

Example 8

Lerchs-Grossmann pit model contouring - Elevation of pit benches (with string file output)

!SPLICO

&PLOT(PLOT8),&PROTO(PROTOP8),&MODEL(LGMOD),
&STRING(LGPER),*FIELD(PHASE),@CMIN=277.5,@CMAX=362.5,
@CI=10,@GRIDINC=20,@BOTTOM=1.0,@POWER=2.0,@RADIUS=40,
@PVALST=18,@PVALINC=-1

Error and Warning Messages

Message	Description	Solution
*** Error - Bad contour limit or interval.	@CMIN or @CMAX or @CI is not set correctly. Fatal; the process is exited.	Check the @CMIN, @CMAX and @CI parameter values against the range of *FIELD values.

*** Error -Bad grid interval selection	@GRIDINC parameter has not been set correctly. Using the values of X minimum/maximum and Y minimum/maximum and @GRIDINC, the process calculates the number grid lines in the X and Y directions required for contouring. The minimum number of grid lines permitted is 3 and the maximum is 200. If the number of the required grid lines exceeds these limits a fatal error is produced and the process is exited.	Increase the @GRIDINC value or reduce the area of the plot.

*** Error - Field aaaaaaaa missing from point file.	The input point file &WIREPT is missing one or more essential field(s). Fatal; the process is exited.	Check that the &WIREPT file exists and contains the correct fields.

*** Error - Field aaaaaaaa missing from triangle file.	The input triangle file &WIRETR is missing one or more essential field(s). Fatal; the process is exited.	Check that the &WIRETR file exists and contains the correct fields.

*** Error - Field aaaaaaaa missing from model file.	The input model file &MODEL is missing one or more essential field(s). Fatal; the process is exited.	Check that the &MODEL file exists and contains the correct fields.

*** Error - Point file not sorted on X coordinate.	The input wireframe or point file &WIREPT is not sorted on the field *X. Fatal; the process is exited.	Sort the &WIREPT file on *X.

*** Warning - No contour start locations computed.	The search for contour start locations has failed for all contour values.	Check the @CMIN, @CMAX and @CI parameter values against the range of *FIELD values.