The following helpful tips for Intermediate gINT users have been previously published via e-mail to "gINT News" subscribers prior to November 2009.
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Centering Material Descriptions Within Layers |
To implement this capability, set the following properties in the Text with Depth dialog: a. Vertical Offset to blank. Descriptions that are input with values in the Bottom field will be centered between the Depth and Bottom on the log at output, otherwise they are placed at the Depth value. |
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<<Calc(. . . )>> Operator Optional with Math Functions |
With Math Functions in data expressions you have the option of omitting the <<Calc(...)>> operator. For example: You can either write the following expression as: <<Calc(Sqrt(<<Data expression>>))>> Or you may simply use <<Sqrt(<<Data expression>>)>> This applies to the entire Math Functions list in the Data Tool. Frequently these functions are within a <<Calc()>> so they have been pasted without <<>>. This will still work if the function is inside a Calc. However, for readability you may wish to omit the <<>> inside a Calc(). Using Right+click to paste the function will omit the brackets. |
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Aggregate Functions Clarified |
The following functions work on aggregates of data: Min, Max, Avg, StDev, StDevP, Sum, Var, VarP, Count, CountN They all use the following syntax: <<AggFunc(<<TABLE.Field>>[,WHERE][,FORMAT])>> For example: <<Avg(<<SAMPLE.Moisture>>,<<SAMPLE.Moisture>> > 15,0.0)>> This will calculate the average moisture contents where the values are greater than 15 and format the result to one decimal place. The Where and Format parameters are optional. If you have a Format parameter but no Where parameter, you do not need an extra comma, that is: <<Avg(<<SAMPLE.Moisture>>,0.0)>> will work. If the Where parameter is just: <<TABLE.Field>> where < comparison operator > can be =, <, >, <>, >=, <=, then use the gINT format of the <<TABLE.Field>>. If the Where parameter requires multiple comparison, that is, the use of And and/or Or operators, then you must use the SQL format. For example: ([TABLE].[Field] > 15) And ([TABLE].[Field] < 35) gINT will just pass these expressions through to the ACCESS database engine for evaluation. You can have the datatool automatically insert this format by right clicking on the Paste button instead of left clicking. Search for SQL for additional information. Where you need to extract data for a certain set of data you could write: <<AggFunc(<<TABLE.Field>>,<<TABLE.PointID>> = <<DataSetKey(1)>>)>> This would evaluate the function for the first data set. This comes up in the header/footer region of fences and graphs where there is more than one set of data. A better, a simpler, way however, is to write: <<AggFunc(<<TABLE.Field>>1)>> Search for DataSetKey for additional information on the format of this last example. |
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Graphic Files Import and Export II |
DXF Export: At least one major software product (GDS) has been found to assume that all text in a DXF file is left/base aligned. If you export a drawing file from gINT as a DXF file, the resultant drawing has all non left/base aligned text placed in the wrong positions on the page. To accommodate GDS and other products that might share the same DXF import behavior, use the following property: DXF Text Output to left/base alignment
You will find it under the DXF Files tab in the System Properties dialog. Check it if you wish to have the program adjust the text alignments and coordinates to accommodate the above condition during DXF Export. |
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Graphic Files Import and Export I |
At least one major software product (GDS) cannot import DXF Solid entities. If you are experiencing problems try marking the Solid Fills Output as Lines property on the DXF Files tab in the System Properties dialog. If marked the program will export solid filled areas as tightly spaced lines. Solid Fills Output as Solids To use the option, mark ""Solid Fills Output as Lines"" and fill in ""Solid Fill Line Spacing (inches)"" with the desired value. If blank, 0.01"" will be used. Note that outputting solid filled polylines as tightly spaced lines is many times slower than outputting as solid entities and it creates a much larger DXF file so don't use it unless absolutely necessary. |
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Persistence of Dialog Values |
One of the many convenience features of gINT is the persistence of dialog values during a session. For example, after creating a new text entity, the next text entity dialog will start with the same properties as the previous text entity. This is particularly useful when creating a new report where you want several text entities to share the same properties, such as, font name, height, vertical and horizontal alignment. However, we have found that this convenience can be an inconvenience in the case of polyline properties. For example, you are working in the Symbols:Discrete Graphics application and have created a polyline entity that is solid filled. You then move to Reports to work on a log form. All polylines will be solid filled unless you explicitly change the properties. So, to avoid possible property settings that you do not want, on initial entry to any gIDraw application, the polyline properties are reset to a Solid line type and Black line color. All other properties are cleared. Also, on creating a new entity other than polylines, you can reset all the properties by clicking the Reset button at the lower right of properties dialog. |
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Project-Level Key Set |
CLARIFICATION NOTE: In reports that have a Project-level key set, such as Text Document and Graphical Text Document reports, aggregate functions act on all records within the project. For example: <<Max(<<SAMPLE.Depth>>)>> Returns the deepest sample from all boreholes. <<Lookup(<<SAMPLE.PointID>>,<<SAMPLE.Depth>>=<<Max(<<SAMPLE.Depth>>)>>)>> Returns the Point ID of the hole that has that sample and deepest sample. |
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Data Design:Library Tables, Reports--Automatic Field Replace |
After field names are changed in Library Tables a dialog pops up automatically upon saving indicating that a change was made that could have altered field names or the table name. If you Cancel the dialog the changes will be saved to the library but not applied to reports, and the change history will be maintained until you apply them, exit the screen, or switch to a different table. |
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File:Copy Project |
In Input the File:Copy Project menu item allows you to make quick backups of your projects or to start a new project with the data in an existing one. |
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Preview Report Type!Name |
The Preview Report Type!Name property associates a report (log, fence, graph, histogram, graphic table, text table, graphic text document, or text document) to the Input table. This allows you to preview in the Input application. |
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CTRL+RIGHT BUTTON |
While the mouse cursor is on an entity, this will bring up the properties dialog for the entity. This is a short cut for the Modify:Entity Properties menu item. |
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Associate Reports with the Printer |
You can reset the printer associated with multiple reports with one command. Under the File menu of: the gINT Main menu, you will find Set Printer for Reports. This launches a dialog that asks for the printer to assign and the reports to which you wish to assign this printer. Both parameters are specified via the Browse Button [...] to the right of each field. If the report list is left blank, then all reports and their blocks will be modified. This command saves you the trouble of manually modifying the printer associated with the report for many reports. To change just one report's configuration, you can also use the File:Print:Printer Setup menu item within the Report application or at output time. If you change the printer at output time the printer change will not be saved. It will only apply to the current output run. |
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gint\temp folder |
Check your gint\temp folder occasionally. The program automatically removes all program temporary files from the TEMP directory on startup. This will clear any such files that were left over after a system crash. If you have experienced program crashes, temporary files can accumulate. While the program is NOT running, you can delete all files that end in GTM and LDB in this directory (generally all the files). Note: If you have elected to edit any reports that you had first previewed in the Output application using Print Preview, the program will have created temporary GDW files. The files will begin with dwg and end with gdw. If you had used the File:Save As command in the gIDraw application to give the drawing file a more descriptive name, these files are no longer needed and you can safely delete them also. |
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Bitmap Symbols |
The Symbols:Bitmap Symbols application has a "Do Not Display" check box at the upper left of the bitmap display area. If marked the bitmap will not display in this application. This is for large bitmaps that take a long time to refresh. |
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Default Values |
You can set default values for most fields in Input to speed your data entry. Search for "Field Properties" in Help. |
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Include Script File Name on Fence Reports |
ScriptFile: Command script file in effect, no path You can type them directly with <<ScriptFile>> or <<ScriptFileSpec>> or you will find them under the Items list in the Data Tool with the System list set to ""Data Items"". These items are particularily useful for fences. Many times you will need to experiment with various parameters at output time to achieve the desired report. You will then save the parameters in a script and print once more. If you need to regenerate the fence much later (well after you've forgotten the name of the script), printing this information on the report ensures that you can bring back the output as it was generated by using the appropriate script. |
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Printing Lithology Layer Lines in Columns Other Than Lithology |
If you wish to put a lithology layer line through a column that contains text data that is not from the LITHOLOGY table, you might try to use a Lines with Depth entity and set the Depth Expression to LITHOLOGY.Bottom. The problem with this method is that the line entity knows nothing about the text entity and will cut through the text if they overlap. The proper way to do this is to use the Boundary Line properties of the text with depth entity. For example: Depth Expression: <<SAMPLE.Depth>> Text Expression: <<SAMPLE.Blows_Per_Ft>> BL Depth Expression: <<LITHOLOGY.Bottom>> This is what you want to do but it will not work. Because you are mixing two tables (Sample and Lithology), you must change the Depth Expression to KeySet form, <<Depth>>, as follows: Depth Expression: <<Depth>> Text Expression: <<SAMPLE.Blows_Per_Ft>> BL Depth Expression: <<LITHOLOGY.Bottom>> Another situation is where you have a more complex depth expression than that shown above, for example: Depth Expression: <<Calc(<<SAMPLE.Depth>> + <<Val(<<SAMPLE.Length>>)>> / 2)>> Again, because you are mixing data from two tables, this will not work. Instead use the following: Depth Expression: <<Calc(<<Depth>> + <<Val(<<SAMPLE.Length>>)>> / 2)>> |
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Report Body Entity Depth Expressions |
In a Body entity if the Depth Expression is simply the Depth from each record accessed (<<Table.depth>> for a single table), you can use the system Key Field <<Depth>>. This is particularly useful if the Text Expression has fields from more than one table. For example, in the UK and Hong Kong it is common to separate the main layer description and the descriptions of intermediate features (""detail"" descriptions) into two tables but you want to print both in the same column on the log. In this case you would use <<Depth>> in the Depth Expression. |