Our customers do incredible things! This week, I’m pleased to present another customer story. Dr. Richard Koehler, founder of Visual Data Analytics, uses Surfer to visualize complex marine data.

Marine environments can be tricky as data is typically collected over time. This results in large, multi-variate datasets which contain a wealth of information; however, traditional 2D and 3D visualization methods don’t communicate this information in a clear manner.

Dr. Koehler has spent his career demonstrating a different approach to visualizing data. This approach better facilitates the understanding of complex ecosystems such as marine environments. Read on to learn more about Dr. Koehler’s visualization method to see if your data would benefit from a new perspective: Complex Data Made Clear with Surfer

I get great joy writing about the different ways customers use our software to model, visualize, and analyze their data. If you would like your story written, contact me, and I’d be glad to work with you!

I love to hike, backpack, and camp. To me, there is nothing more refreshing than a couple days out in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Recently, I spent my Labor Day weekend hiking in an area new to me. My husband and I did some research and decided on Crater Lakes Trail, near Nederland, CO. According to AllTrails.com, the out-and-back trail is approximately 2.7 miles one way, and it climbs in elevation the entire time, giving it a rating of hard. We were up for the challenge!

AllTrails provides nice contour maps for planning your hike, but as someone who was unfamiliar with the area, I wanted to see just a bit more about my upcoming trek. I downloaded the GPX data for the trail we were going to hike and the surrounding trails. In Surfer 13, I used the Grid | Mosaic command to extract my area of interest from the Surfer sample file Colorado.grd. Using the methods outlined in this article, I converted my paths and grid file from latitude and longitude to feet. I created a profile from the grid file and the path and assembled my maps. I overlaid base maps, a post map, and a contour map for a 2D view, and I also created a 3D surface map to get a better idea of the topography. You can see the results below.

Maps prepared in Surfer 13 before hiking.

I printed my 2D map, grabbed my compass, and I was all set! We arrived at the trailhead in the early afternoon. The trail was moderately populated and pretty well marked in most places. Most places is the key here. I knew we needed to take a turn to reach our destination around 1.6 miles into the hike. Of course, just before this turn, we lost the trail! I learned a valuable lesson about checking the map more frequently to be sure I knew where I was on the path. We stopped, looked around, and found the trail. Well, we found a trail. Excited to be back on our way, I put the map back in my pocket. After about an hour of walking, I realized we should have been at our destination. I referred to the map, again, later than I should have, and I realized we were, in fact, not on Crater Lakes Trail. We were on Heart Lake Trail, a longer walk and a higher climb. We weren't discouraged, so onward we trekked!

Eventually, we did get tired, and dusk began to fall. We didn't make it quite to the lake, but we found a cozy spot near a stream to camp for the night. The next morning, we packed up, cleaned up camp, and headed onward toward the lake. We were relieved to walk on some flatter ground for a bit. We didn't quite make it to Heart Lake before we needed to head back out, but we spent a lovely, quiet morning at what I believe is Roger's Pass Lake.

Roger's Pass Lake

When we returned, I was eager to see how far we had walked and how high we had climbed compared to what we had planned. This wasn't my longest hike, but it was one of the most challenging I have done, and I wanted some statistics. I used the AllTrails app to record much of our hike to Roger's Pass Lake. In order to conserve my phone's battery, I did not record past our camping spot, so I'm missing the last bit of our hike. I modified my original 2D map and added our actual path, camping spot, and destination. I also used the Grid | Slice command to create a cross section of the profiles of our intended hike and our actual hike. It turns out we climbed about an extra 400-500 feet and walked more than an extra mile to reach the lake where we stopped. My comparison map and cross section are below.

Intended path compared to the actual path hiked.

With the help of Surfer, I was prepared for my hike into new territory. Though I wandered off the trail and ended up on another, I knew where I was heading, even if it was not my intended destination. Had I not prepared the maps ahead of time, I would not have known where I was going. I likely would have been lost. Next time, I'll prepare my maps in Surfer again, and pay more attention to them while hiking.

Earlier last week, Golden Software presented two preconference workshops at the GIS in the Rockies annual convention in Denver. The workshops focused on using Surfer as an alternative solution to ESRI’s Spatial Analyst and Geostatistical Analyst extensions for ArcMap. The workshop, given by myself, went through a number of different workflows that can be performed in both Surfer and ArcMap, where there is an advantage to using Surfer. Whether the advantage is cost, processing speed, ease-of-use, or fewer clicks; we flexed Surfer’s muscle for a number of different workflows showing the crowd how easy it is to use Surfer as an alternative to these commonly used ArcMap extensions. The workshops, which were well attended, wowed the crowd with in-depth examples. All of the attendee’s left with some great knowledge about Surfer and a solutions manual so they could apply the workflows to future projects.

The workshops detailed using Surfer as an alternative to ArcMap for these workflows:

• To create XY event layers and post maps.
• To change projections.
• Gridding data and creating raster datasets.
• To extract portions of raster datasets.
• To mosaic raster datasets together.
• To convert grids and raster datasets from one format to another format.
• To calculate volume between raster datasets.
• To create profiles.
• To calculate slope from a raster dataset to create a simple slope stability model.

The topics covered in the workshop are some of the same topics that are covered in our Surfer Core I and Surfer Core II training courses that are offered online, about once a quarter. We have just announced new sessions of both of the Core I training and Core II training courses in November. If you are interested in learning more about these workflows, becoming a Surfer expert, and learning everything else Surfer-related, I invite you to attend the training courses!

You can register for both the Surfer Core I and Core II training courses here. Hurry, the spots fill up fast!

As one of the industry leaders in 3D visualization, Voxler does an excellent job creating detailed 3D models that visualize numerous types of 2D and 3D data, including well surveys, CAD and GIS data, imagery, and 3D point data. Our users spend a lot of time creating Voxler models and frequently request methods to share them amongst managers, project stakeholders, colleagues, and other team members that don’t have access to Voxler.

Currently, Voxler users can export their projects to a number of different static image or bitmap formats and can also export to 3D formats like DXF and IV. Although images exported from Voxler projects can be an effective way of presenting a model in a report, the most effective way to display a Voxler project is in three dimensions with zoom in and out capabilities and complete model rotation. This allows stakeholders and teammates to see the full extent and detail of the model in its entirety.

Many Voxler users ask what is the best way to share a model so the full 3D extent is displayed? Typically, our technical support team recommends that non-Voxler users download the free demo version of Voxler and use it as a viewer. There are also some online IV file viewers that can be used to embed models in websites, presentations, and social media pages like Sketchfab.com.

PDF3D ReportGen is Here

There is a new method available to share Voxler models with your team from PDF3D. PDF3D offers an affordable utility, named ReportGen, that will convert IV files that have been exported from Voxler into 3D PDF files that allow for full 3D rotation, turning layers on and off, and zoom control. The 3D PDF is easily created and shareable between teammates and stakeholders. PDF3D ReportGen has a special Voxler mode that has been optimized to facilitate Voxler models. See what PDF3D is saying about the advantages of using Voxler accompanied by PDF3D ReportGen.

It’s Easy to Create 3D PDFs

Once PDF3D ReportGen has been purchased and installed, you can use these steps to create a 3D PDF from your model:

1. Click File | Export in Voxler to export the model to IV format.
2. In the Export dialog, name the file, change the Save as type to IV, and click Save.
3. Open PDF3D ReportGen.
4. Click Add File.
5. In the Open File dialog, navigate to the IV file created in step 1 and click Open.
6. Click the Convert button to create the 3D PDF.
7. When the progress indicator is finished, click Close.

To view the 3D PDF created in ReportGen, it can be opened in a 3D PDF enabled viewer or in a web browser that has 3D PDF support like Internet Explorer or Microsoft edge. Due to the small file size, the 3D PDFs can be shared among stakeholders and team members alike. More information about using and purchasing PDF3D can be found on their website. New copies of Voxler and upgrades from previous versions are available for purchase from our shopping page. Contact voxlersupport@goldensoftware.com with any suggestions or questions you may have!

We are extremely excited to announce the upcoming release of Surfer, the next version of our 2D and 3D mapping, modeling, and analysis program, but we need your help! We are searching for everyday candid users to test drive Surfer’s new features. This is a great opportunity to get a sneak peek into Surfer’s new features and functionality, to provide feedback on usability and have your voice heard, and to help to make these features exceptional.

If you are interested in participating in the beta testing process, please complete this brief survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3YVTNW6

Beta testing will take place between November 28, 2016 and January 20, 2017. All communication will take place via a closed forum. More information to come as the time draws closer.

Below are some of the many new features in Surfer designed to streamline your workflows:

1. Edit contours and grids
2. Map Wizard
3. Top level legends
4. New and improved user interface
5. Streamlined all the grid operations to set the input grid to an existing layer, or create a new map directly from the resulting output grid
6. Reproject a grid from one coordinate system to another
7. Export and Print the current view
8. Georeference an image using any three (or more) points
9. Ability to connect to WCS and WFS servers to directly download DEM and vector data
10. Headers and footers for the plot view
11. And many more! 

This is one of the most exciting releases for Surfer. Our programming team truly outdid themselves. We look forward to your feedback during the beta testing period!

If you have any questions about Surfer or the beta testing program, please contact me at kari@goldensoftware.com. 

Golden Software’s Surfer program can be used in so many applied-science industries for so many different uses, I sometimes forget that it is equally applicable to more business or art-oriented fields. I had a user contact me recently with the following request (paraphrased):

“I have a paper copy of the blueprint of a house, and on it I’ve written elevation measurements that I collected while surveying on the premises. I also have a DXF file of the floorplan of the house. How can I create elevation contours in Surfer and limit them to the shape of the house?”

What a neat application! From a piece of paper and one digital file, can Surfer generate a beautiful and informative contour map of elevation values? You bet it can!

There are a few steps to this process. You need to convert your paper data into digital x,y,z data, grid that x,y,z data, create a BLN file of the outline of the house, and blank the grid file with that outline. Then you can create a contour map of the blanked grid, and display the DXF of the floorplan overlaid on the contours if desired. The steps for each of these processes are detailed below, and sample files are attached so you can step through this process yourself.

1. Import the DXF as a base layer:
   1. Click Map | New | Base Map.
   2. In the Import dialog, select floorplan.dxf (vectorized using Surfer’s Draw menu commands from a JPG I found here) and click Open.
   3. In the DXF Import Options dialog, leave the defaults and click OK.
   4. Click on the Map in the Object Manager.
   5. On the Limits page in the Property Manager, make note of the xMin, xMax, yMin, and yMax.

6. Uncheck all four axes in the Object Manager.

2. Draw the boundary and export to BLN:
   1. Click Draw | Polygon.
   2. Click around the outside of your floorplan, holding the CTRL key while you click to snap the line to perfectly horizontal, perfectly vertical, or at a perfect 45 degree angle.
   3. Double click on the last point to finalize the polygon and then press ESC to exit drawing mode.

4. Uncheck the box next to the Base-floorplan.dxf layer in the Object Manager.
5. Click File | Export.
6. In the Export dialog, set the Save as type to BLN Golden Software Blanking (*.bln), give your file a name (like Blanking) and click Save.
7. On the Scaling page in the Export Options dialog, change the Scaling source to Map: Base-floorplan.dxf.
8. On the BLN Options page, in the Blank areas section, toggle Outside.
9. Click OK to export the BLN file.
10. If desired, uncheck or delete the Polygon from the Object Manager.

3. Digitize the data:
   1. Click File | Import.
   2. Select the PaperNotes.pdf file (a ‘scan’ of the paper notes you made in the field) and click Open.
   3. Right click on the Image in the Object Manager and click Order Objects | Move to Back.
   4. Check the box next to the Base-floorplan.dxf layer in the Object Manager.
   5. Click and drag the handles on the image until the image lines up with the DXF.
   6. Select the Base-floorplan.dxf layer.
   7. Click Map | Digitize.
   8. Click on the first point on the map where you have recorded an elevation value.
   9. In the Digitized Coordinates dialog, type a comma and a space after the second value in row 1 and then type your elevation value. In this example, the elevation value is displayed in red text next to the point on the image.

10. Click to the next empty row (2 this time).
11. Repeat steps 3h through 3j for the other elevation values you have recorded.
12. In the Digitized Coordinates dialog, click File | Save As.
13. In the Save As dialog, change the Save as type to Data Files (*.dat), give your file a name (like Elevation), and click Save.
14. Click X in the upper right corner of the Digitized Coordinates dialog to close it, and press ESC to exit digitizing mode.
15. If desired, you can now delete or turn off the Image.

4. Grid the digitized DAT:
   1. Click Grid | Data.
   2. In the Open Data dialog, select your Elevation.dat file and click Open.
   3. In the Grid Data dialog,
      1. Make sure the X, Y, and Z Data Columns are set to Columns A, B, and C from your digitized DAT file.
      2. Set your Gridding method (I’ll leave the default, Kriging).
      3. Make sure the Maximum in both the X Direction and Y Direction of the Grid Line Geometry section is larger than the maximums you made note of in 1e, and verify that the Minimums are less than the minimums you made note of. Since our minimums are in the low single digits and the maximums are around 850, using 0 for the minimums and 900 for the maximums here is just fine.
      4. If desired, increase the # of Nodes or decrease the Spacing to get a higher-resolution grid file (I will decrease the Spacing to 3 in both directions).
      5. Click OK.

4. Click OK in the dialog telling you the grid file was created.

5. Blank the grid file:
   1. Click Grid | Blank.
   2. In the Open Grid dialog, choose your Elevation.grd file and click Open.
   3. In the Open dialog, choose your Blanking.bln file and click Open.
   4. In the Save Grid As dialog, give your output file a name (like Elevation_blanked.grd) and click Save.
   5. Click OK in the dialog telling you the grid file was blanked.
6. Plot your contour map:
   1. Select your base map.
   2. Click Map | Add | Contour Layer.
   3. In the Open Grid dialog, select your Elevation_blanked.grd file and click Open.
   4. If prompted to expand the map limits, click No.

Now that your contour map is created, you can fill it as desired, and rearrange the layer ordering so the details in your floorplan display over top of the contours.

It’s amazing how much you can do from so little. From one piece of paper with some elevation values jotted down, you can create a stunning and informative image like this one!

As one of the industry leaders in 3D visualization, Voxler does an excellent job creating detailed 3D models that visualize numerous types of 2D and 3D data, including well surveys, CAD and GIS data, imagery, and 3D point data. Our users spend a lot of time creating Voxler models and frequently request methods to share them amongst managers, project stakeholders, colleagues, and other team members that don’t have access to Voxler.

Currently, Voxler users can export their projects to a number of different static image or bitmap formats and can also export to 3D formats like DXF and IV. Although images exported from Voxler projects can be an effective way of presenting a model in a report, the most effective way to display a Voxler project is in three dimensions with zoom in and out capabilities and complete model rotation. This allows stakeholders and teammates to see the full extent and detail of the model in its entirety.

I recently received a call from one of our Surfer users who was trying to create a site suitability model for a new manufacturing development. The user needed to find areas within the proposed site where the slope was under 10 degrees. The site suitability model required specific slope to be respected; the areas that were under the threshold criteria of 10% would be considered potential locations within the site to locate the new development.

A site suitability model can be easily developed in Surfer by creating a slope grid from a digital elevation model or DEM for the area, masking the slope grid to the site boundary, and creating a contour map that highlights the areas that meet the 10% or under criteria. Since this is such an interesting workflow, I thought it would be a great topic to blog about it so others in the Surfer community could benefit from seeing the approach.

Now that Christmas is just days away, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve fully entered into peak holiday travel time. If you’re travelling this holiday season, I don’t have any good advice for how to beat the security lines or what to do if your luggage is lost, but if you’re interested in some fun graphics based on factual data, look no further! I found a gold-mine of data at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and plotted up a few graphs and maps from data that I found interesting.

The new year is here! 2017 is a book of clean, blank pages waiting to be filled and brimming with potential.

With the beginning of the new year, I, like many of you, set aside time for reflection. It is easy for me to forget just how much was accomplished over the past 365 days when I’m in the midst of projects and tasks of my own. As I look back on 2016, I am pleased with just how much Golden Software has accomplished.