CONTOU Process

To access this process:

View the Find Command screen, select CONTOU and click Run.
Enter "CONTOU" into the Command Line and press <ENTER>.

See this process in the Command Table.

Process Overview

Generates a contour plot file from an orebody model.

Four different types of contours are possible.

The required contour is chosen by specifying the appropriate parameter(s) from the set @PLANE (defining the plane of the contour as 'XY', 'XZ', or 'YZ'); @POSITION (defining the position within the plane at which a contour is required); @TOP (defining the top of a seam); and @BOTTOM (defining the bottom of a seam). The choices are:-

For conventional contours, choose @PLANE = 'XY', 'XZ' or 'YZ', and then the position in this plane. For the XY plane, @POSITION is the required elevation (ZC value). For the XZ plane, @POSITION is the required Y co-ordinate (YC value). For the YZ plane, @POSITION is the required X co-ordinate (XC value). Neither @TOP nor @BOTTOM are set. The field *FIELD defines the field whose values will be contoured at the given position.
For top of seam contours, @PLANE = 'XY' (default). @TOP is set to the value of field *FIELD defining the required seam. Neither @BOTTOM nor @POSITION are set.
For bottom of seam contours, @PLANE = 'XY' (default). @BOTTOM is set to the value of field *FIELD defining the required seam. Neither @TOP nor @POSITION are set.
For seam isopachs, @PLANE = 'XY' (default). @TOP and @BOTTOM are set to the value of field *FIELD defining the required seam. @POSITION is not set.

Macro Syntax Examples

Here's an example of a full CONTOU macro:

!CONTOU &IN(FEMODEL), &PLOT(CONTPLOT), *FIELD(Fe), @POSITION=-45, @VMIN= 30, @VMAX=80, @CINT=5, @GRIDINT=10, @HILIGHT=5, @HI= 4

The following information relates to the POSITION and FIELD settings, and what they do:

@POSITION=-45,*FIELD(Fe)

The contour will pick all those cells or sub-cells which cross the xy plane at -45, and will contour Fe.

@TOP=2,*FIELD(SEAMID)

The contour will be generated from the top of the seam identified by field SEAMID=2.

@BOTTOM=2,*FIELD(SEAMID)

The contour will be generated from the base of the seam identified by field SEAMID=2.

@TOP=2,@BOTTOM=2,*FIELD(SEAMID)

An isopach of seam SEAMID=2.

The smoothness of the contour may be controlled by parameter @GRIDINT. This defines the grid interval at which points will be sampled or generated for contour threading. It should be set to the grid size (in user data units) or less, preferably a sub-multiple of the grid size. You are recommended to start with @GRIDINT equal to half of the grid spacing (the smaller of X or Y, if different). Note, however, that the appearance of the contours will once again get worse if the interval is too small, because of the linear interpolation used between points.

Input Files

Name	Description	I/O Status	Required	Type
IN	Input model file. Must contain fields XC, YC, ZC, XINC, YINC, ZINC, XMORIG, YMORIG, ZMORIG, NX, NY, NZ, IJK, FIELD.	Input	Yes	Block Model
PROTO	Plot prototype file. Must contain the fields X, Y, S1, S2 and 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. If no plot prototype file, then XMIN, XMAX, YMIN, YMAX taken from the model file on IN.	Input	No	Plot Prototype

Output Files

Name	I/O Status	Required	Type	Description
PLOT	Output	Yes	Plot	Output plot file.

Fields

Name	Description	Source	Required	Type	Default
FIELD	Field to be contoured.	IN	Yes	Numeric	Undefined

Parameters

Name	Description	Required	Default	Range	Values
VMIN	Minimum contour value.	Yes	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
VMAX	Maximum contour value.	Yes	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
CINT	Contour interval.	Yes	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
GRIDINT	Grid interval for contouring.	Yes	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
PLANE	Plane, 'XY', 'XZ' or 'YZ' through the model. Default is the XY plane.	No	'XY'	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 different colour.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
HI	Colour for highlighting.	No	Undefined	1,64	Undefined
CHARSIZE	Character size in millimetres (3).	No	3	Undefined	Undefined
ASPRATIO	Aspect ratio, width / ht. for chars (0.9).	No	0.9	Undefined	Undefined
	Colour [as 'pen' number] for plot (1).	No	1	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
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 millimetre.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
YSCALE	Y scale in user data units per millimetre.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined

Error and Warning Message

Message

Description

>>> CANNOT APPEND TO NON-EXISTENT OUTPUT FILE.
>>> A NEW OUTPUT FILE WILL BE CREATED.

The @APPEND parameter has been set to 1, but the specified plot file does not exist. A new file will be created to contain the new plot being produced.

>>> ERROR - CANNOT APPEND TO PLOT FILE AS IT DOES
>>> NOT CONTAIN ALL THE REQUIRED FIELDS.
>>> THE PLOT FILE WILL BE OVERWRITTEN.

The @APPEND parameter has been set to 1, the specified plot file exists but is invalid. The existing plot file will be overwritten by the new plot being produced.