|
Release of V4.50 TNT products| input 8-bit color composite | output 8-bit color composite |
| input 16-bit color composite | output 16-bit and 24-bit color composite |
| input 24-bit color composite | output 16-bit and 24-bit color composite |
| input 8-bit RG&B | output 16-bit and 24 bit color composite |
| mixed inputs (not including 8-bit color composite) | output 16-bit and 24-bit color composite |
The current requirements for input objects are that they have the same orientation, cell size, and row and column numbers. There is no limit to the number of objects that can be merged. When the merge occurs, it is the raster cell value, and not the color, that is transferred to the final output raster. The cell values in the output raster object are assigned colors according to the color table of the raster object that is "on top". Future modifications may provide the ability to merge either cell values or colors.
Note that in the color merge process the null values in the raster object selected first and showing at the top of the input list will be filled by data values for corresponding cells from the next input raster. This continues until there are no remaining null value cells in the output raster, or until the input list is completed, whichever occurs first.
A binary raster object can be inverted, exchanging 0 and 1 values. A new raster object will be formed as the operation is not performed in place.
A new stand-alone, automated contrast matching process is available for 8-bit rasters. It can be found under PREPARE / RASTER / MATCH CONTRAST. It can be used to adjust and match contrast between images which overlap but are not necessarily being mosaicked.
Attaching Database Tables to Raster Objects.
Raster objects containing integer data types can now have database tables attached to them. See comments on new SML features below for plans relative to adding this feature for use with other data types. Records in these database tables are attached to cell values in a raster using the process Prepare / Database / Attach. To complete this attachment the database must contain a field which contains the cell values. For best results use a raster object containing unsigned integer data types ranging from 1-bit (binary) to 32-bit.
Attachment to signed integer and floating point rasters (by data range) will be released in V4.60. However, using these raster types will not take advantage of the optimizations that are possible for unsigned data values making lookup operations somewhat slower.
Attachments to RGB cell values may be possible if needed and a logical approach deduced.
Attachment of a different database record to a given cell might also be possible by using its cell position (row and col) if this creates useful applications.
Each raster object in V4.50 with an attached database automatically has a table named "Internal" which contains one field named "Value". This might be modified in a future so that the table for RGB raster objects contains fields for red, green, and blue.
Additional control parameters have been added to the Minimum Curvature surface fitting process.
a) There are now 3 different initialization options:
i) Linear Interpolation - used for line elements,
ii) Piecewise - used for point elements, and
iii) Inverse Distance - used for either point or line elements.
b) The iteration process has been modified to be a coarse to fine process, a starting grid ratio can be selected depending on the smoothness of the surface.
c) A blanking distance parameter has been added as a control to ignore the region far away from the data points.
d) Logarithmic option can be used to reduce distortion due to highly skewed data such as geochemical data.
The Inverse Distance approach is now a stand-alone, separate process which becomes the sixth surface fitting approach in TNTmips.
You can now optionally validate (fix) a vector object and have the changes and corrections written back into the same vector object.
A new Adaptive Resonance Algorithm for Unsupervised Learning has been added as a new multispectral classification process in TNTmips 4.5 and uses neural network techniques. Basically, during the learning process, the input patterns and stored prototypes are said to resonate when they are sufficiently similar. When an input pattern is not sufficiently similar to any existing prototype, a new class will be generated. This input pattern will be utilized as the new prototype, using a previously uncommitted output unit. The model utilizes concepts from the biologically-based adaptive resonance theory. Specifically, the algorithm implemented here is designed for continuous value application such as multispectral clustering, with Euclidean distance used as the metric for measuring similarities.
The whole process must satisfy two properties: stability and plasticity. Stability means that when new features are introduced, old features must be properly preserved. Plasticity means that when new features are introduced, the system must learn quickly. It is not easy to have both stability and plasticity; and this is the so-called stability-plasticity dilemma. To deal with the dilemma, the process utilizes a vigilance test during the learning process. If the vigilance test is passed, implying that the input pattern and the stored prototype are sufficiently close; then we modify partially the old structure of the prototype class, so the system retains most of the old characteristics. This satisfies the stability requirement. On the other hand, if the vigilance test is not passed, implying that the input pattern and stored prototype are not sufficiently close; then we would build a new prototype class based on this new input pattern so that this new class can learn this type of new features quickly. This satisfies the plasticity requirement.
The process requires three input parameters: the threshold value, the maximum number of iterations and the raster sampling rate. The threshold value is the measurement by which the vigilance test is made. Instead of counting the number of matching features as done in the original model, the Euclidean distance is computed between the input pattern and the prototype. The process then determines the node for which the distance is the least. It maintains "vigilance" by setting radii for cluster centers. A pattern lying outside of this hypersphere would not be accepted as belonging to that cluster even if that node has already been selected. This radius is the threshold value to be selected by you. The maximum number of iterations is to be specified so that the program would have adequate, but not excessive, computational time to finish the process. The learning process terminates when either the maximum number of iterations is reached or the process generates no new clusters at a given iteration; whichever comes first. The raster sampling rate is the sample increment used in the learning process. During the first (n-1) iterations, the clustering operation is performed using the sample increment specified. During the last (nth) iteration, each pixel is labeled for the entire raster; thus no subsampling is involved. In essence, one can save substantial computer time by using large sample increment for the learning, although at the risk that some information may be lost.
The program produces an output file containing the adjusted weights of each node after each iteration. It also gives a distribution of the cells assigned to each node after each iteration. In addition, the user can look at the status dialog box to see how far the process has progressed. The program is written to handle images of arbitrary size, whether a line contains 512, 1024 or 50,000 columns. The program can dynamically adjust its memory requirements. The number of raster objects or images used can be large easily handling hyperspectral imagery such as a Project File containing AVIRIS hyperspectral images of 210 raster objects. The number of clusters or classes generated can be as many as the number of input column samples.
The advantage of this approach in comparison with other unsupervised learning algorithms, such as K-means, is two-fold. First, this approach is usually faster for obtaining the same number of classes. If you limit the number of iterations to two: one for clustering and one for class labeling; then the speed improvement is substantial. Second, there are only three parameters to be specified in this algorithm. (For K-means, five parameters are to be specified.) The threshold value is also used to control the number of classes to be generated. The process suggests a reasonable range for this value and the default value is a good place to start. In an extreme case when the number of clusters created exceeds the allowable limit, an error message is generated with the suggestion that a higher threshold value should be used.
Further information on the concept used in this new TNTmips classification process can be found in Nonrandom Initialization for Backpropagation Using Thresholded Correlation Learning Vector Analysis (TCLVA), 1994, Robert Li, Ming Xu; and Don Nelson, J. of Artificial Neural Networks 1(1):131-144. Additional information on this topic is presented in the Introduction to the Theory of Neural Computation., 1991, J. Hertz, A. Krogh, and R. Palmer, Lecture Notes of Volume I, Santa Fe Institute, Studies in the Sciences of Complexity, pages 228 to 232.
Support for digitizers (and all other serial communications) has been improved for workstations operating under Unix.
The complicated series of dialog boxes used to edit line, point, and polygon styles for display "By Attribute" has been replaced with a new dialog box which is much easier to use.
The new style editor interface has all the controls in one dialog box so that windows are not continuously coming and going. There is now a scrolled list of styles at the top of the new, single style editor window so that all styles can be edited from this one window instead of one at a time.
The main style assignment window in V4.40 had buttons marked "New" which created a new style, and "Edit" which edited the selected style. To avoid confusion there is no longer a "New" button in that window, just an "Edit" button which brings up the new style editor allowing you to edit all the styles. The "New" button which allows you to create a new style is now in this new window.
CAD styles still uses the same user interface as in V4.40 and will be adjusted to the new format in V4.60 together with those additional changes you suggest for the vector styles interface after trying it.
It is now possible to give SML the name of an SML script on the command line. For example:
sml -nowait d:\data\myscript.sml
SML will load the script, check the syntax, and execute the script. When the script is finished execution it will report how long it took to run and wait for your selection of the "OK" button. If given the optional "-nowait" flag as shown above, the execution of the script will not report the time or wait for the OK button. If a syntax error occurs the editor window will be displayed and the cursor will be placed where the error occurs. This new feature can also be used with the new feature added to elsewhere that allows a command to be run automatically when TNTmips 4.5 is started up
IMPORTANT, this now allows you to run your SML script
from an icon within MSW3.1. The icon is created by following the
instructions in the single gold page included with V4.50 entitled: Creating
a Program Group with Icons for TNT products. The command line should read:
tntstart sml -nowait scriptname
A database query can now refer to the object that the query is to be performed on. There will be a symbol called "Vect" which refers to the vector object being queried. There will also be a symbol named "CAD" when querying a CAD object. Subsequently a "Rast" symbol will refer to the raster object being queried if a use for it occurs. These symbols are also used for several of the other new features outlined below.
The built-in tables for vector objects have been renamed. In V4.40 each vector object automatically had tables named "Line", "Point". and "Poly". In V4.50 they have all been renamed to "Internal" in order to reassign "Line", "Point", and "Poly" as outlined below.
Access to Raster Databases from within SML.
If R is a raster object used as a variable, then the expression R.table.field can now be used where "table" is the name of a table under the raster specified by R and "field" is the name of a field in that table. The expression will return the value of the specified field for the first record attached to the cell value of R at the current location. Since the actual raster will not be selected until the script is run, SML has no way to know when it parses the script if the specified field is a character or numeric field. To handle this, the field will be assumed to be numeric unless you add a "$" to the end of the field name. The dollar sign is not part of the field name itself, it just indicates to SML that the field is a character string.
Legal forms are:
R.table.field
R[lin,col].table.field
Value of "field" in the first record of "table" attached to the cell value of raster "R" at the given position. If the position is not specified, the "current" position is assumed. (This only makes sense in the context of a foreach loop).
R[lin,col].table[n].field
Same as above, but uses the value of the "field" from the Nth record attached to the given cell value.
R.table[@n].field
The value of "field" from the Nth record of "table". This ignores attachments and accesses the table directly.
Access to Vector Databases from within SML.
Vector tables can be accessed from within SML using expressions similar to the raster table expressions above. If "V" is a vector symbol, then ...
V.point[n].table[m].field
V.line[n].table[m].field
V.poly[n].table[m].field
V.node[n].table[m].field
refer to the field named "field" in the Mth record of "table" attached to the Nth point, line, polygon, and node respectively. As in the raster table expressions, the reference to record number (the "[m]" in the examples above) can be omitted, and is the same as specifying ...table[1]... which means the first attached record. The element number (the "[n]" in the examples) can also be omitted. In this case, the "current" element number, will be used.
The form:
V.point.table[@n].field
refers to the Nth record of the table, as opposed to the Nth record attached to a given element.
Foreach loops can be used on vector elements. The syntax is:
for each element_type[n] in V
where element_type can be "point", "line", "poly", or "node" the "[n]" part is optional and can be omitted. If given, then the variable "n" (or whatever variable you specify) will be used as the loop counter. Also, as with the raster foreach construct, "for each" can be one word or 2. For example:
GetInputVector(V) # Allow user to select vector for V
sum = 0
for each point in V begin
sum = sum + V.point.well_info.depth
end
mean = sum / NumVectorPoints(V)
NumRecords(table)
Returns the number of records in the given table. For example:
sum = 0
for i = 1 to NumRecords(R.table)
sum = sum + R.table[@i].value
mean = sum / NumRecords(R.table)
StrToNum(string)
Takes a character string and returns the value as a number. This is useful for cases where numeric data is stored in a character field in a database.
ReadHistogram(Raster, histo)
Reads a raster histogram into the given array. Raster should be 8-bit unsigned (other raster types will be implemented in the future). For example:
array histo[256]
ReadHistogram(Raster, histo)
for i =0 to 255 print(i, histo[i])
GetInputVector(Vector)
Asks the user to select a vector object for processing. The variable used as the argument must start with a capital letter and not have been previously used for a raster. (Note: This function will only be available in SML and not in query operations)
NumVectorPoints(Vector)
Returns the number of points in the specified vector object.
NumVectorLines(Vector)
Returns the number of lines in the specified vector object.
NumVectorPolys(Vector)
Returns the number of polygons in the specified vector object.
NumVectorNodes(Vector)
Returns the number of nodes in the specified vector object.
SML Georeference Functions: (this is a whole new category functions)
GeorefAlloc()
Returns a georeference id for use with other georeference functions.
GeorefFree()
Frees a georeference id so that it can be reused (reallocated).
GeorefGetParms(georef)
Pops up the standard projection selection dialog and allows you to select projection parameters for the given georeference id. The georeference id parameter is optional and if omitted, one will be allocated and returned.
GeorefTrans(georef1, x1, y1, georef2, x2, y2)
This function translates a point (x1, y1) from one projection (georef1) to another (georef2) and returns the result the result in (x2, y2).
GeorefAngleToNorth(georef, x, y)
This function returns the angle between true north and the projection's north at the given point. The result is in radians. To convert it degrees, multiply the result by deg (a predefined constant equal to 180/pi).
GetGeorefObject(Object)
This function takes any object variable (Raster, Vector, or CAD) and asks user to select a georeference subobject for that object. The function returns a georeference id suitable for use in the other Georef functions.
GetLastUsedGeorefObject(Object)
This function is similar to GetGeorefObject(), but instead of asking you to select a georeference subobject, it just uses the one that was used "last".
ObjectToMap(Object, x, y, georef, mapx, mapy)
This function takes an object variable and converts a point (x, y) from the object's coordinate system (line and column for rasters) to the given georeference and returns the result in mapx and mapy.
MapToObject(georef, mapx, mapy, Object, x, y)
This function is similar to ObjectToMap in reverse.
#
# Sample script to demonstrate new georeference functions
#
| clear() | # Clear the screen |
| GetInputRaster(R) | # Select raster |
| georef = GetGeorefObject(R) | # Select georef subobject |
| dest = GeorefGetParms() | # Select a new projection |
# Convert upper left corner of raster to the projection
# of the georeference object and print it out
ObjectToMap(R,0,0,georef,x,y)
print(x,y)
# Convert upper left corner of raster to the projection
# selected using GeorefGetParms()
ObjectToMap(R,0,0,dest,x,y)
print(x,y)
# Example of converting from one projection to another
GeorefTrans(georef, x, y, dest, x1, y1)
print(x1,y1)
Importing Truetype™ Fonts for the X Window System.
The TNTmips 4.5 outline font editor will now convert Truetype outline fonts to Bitmap Distribution Format (*.BDF) fonts for direct use by MI/X or X/Unix workstations. Use this process from within TNTmips to create the "local" language character fonts on a PC needed to translate the MI/X user interface to a local language (e.g. to edit resource files [button contents, titles, etc.], message file, error messages, etc.). Use the TNTmips utility described below on any PC equipped with MSW3.1 (no TNTmips required) to create identical *.BDF fonts for use to similarly localize a workstation version of TNTmips. Please use only with fixed (monospaced) font widths, as the process does not yet work well with proportional spaced Truetype fonts.
A font selection window can be accessed in the TNTmips font editor showing all the Truetype fonts anywhere on your hard drive (any font available to any of your MSW3.1 programs). Use this window to select 1 or more fonts and point sizes and then to start the conversion process. Each Truetype outline font will be converted to a bitmapped *.BDF font and stored in a file named with the first 8 characters of the Truetype font. Place these fonts wherever your X-fonts are stored for the X server and then install and use them. Ask for further detailed information in using these fonts via MicroImages Technical Support.
MicroImages Utilities (MI utilities are not protected by the hardware key!)
TTFTOBDF.EXE (32-bit MSW3.1 application)
For those using a workstation with X/Unix, a separate MSW3.1 utility program called TTFTOBDF has been created for converting Truetype to *.BDF on any nearby PC equipped with MSW3.1. Use this utility from within MSW3.1 to create the "local" language character fonts on a PC needed to translate the X Server user interface on your workstation to a local language (e.g. to edit resource files [button contents, titles, etc.], message file, error messages, etc.). Please use only with fixed (monospaced) font widths, as the process does not yet work well with proportional spaced Truetype fonts. Place these fonts wherever your X-fonts are stored for the X server and then install and use them. Ask for further detailed information in using these fonts via MicroImages Technical Support.
The latest comprehensive article on the advanced display boards for MSW3.1 is entitled 2 mb Video Boards - Pumping Pixels; PC Magazine; Volume 12; Number 21; December 7, 1993; pages 251 to 330. This comprehensive review article is a must for anyone about to buy a new, fast, advanced performance board for TNTmips and MSW3.1.
MicroImages currently recommends the Matrox MGA display boards with 2 mb of VRAM due to their versatility, speed, and special features which include the use of all VRAM providing as high as 1600 by 1200 pixels at 256 colors on the 2 mb VRAM board, use of all memory as "addressable space" for MSW3.1, and hardware scroll and pan. The best buy is the Matrox Ultima 2AH MGA board with 2 mb of VRAM for the ISA bus with 2 mb of VRAM has a retail price of $700.
These Matrox boards are also available with 3 mb of VRAM memory and for the ISA, VL, MCA, and PCI buses. Below is brief summary of these Matrox boards and their highest resolution and current retail prices. All boards have hardware zoom and pan.
Important, Matrox MGA boards with large addressable display memory areas can be set to display a smaller viewable area on a lower resolution monitor and scroll this area over the larger addressable area by moving the mouse. Thus a MGA based board with 2 mb of VRAM can be set to provide a desktop of 1600 by 1200 by 8-bit color and can be set to display directly on a 1600 by 1200 pixels on an appropriate (and expensive) 21" monitor. However, the same board can be set up to provide the same 1600 by 1200 by 8-bit color desktop under MSW3.1 (addressable space) but display a 1280 by 1024 pixel by 8-bit color display on a good quality 17" monitor (now inexpensive) and to scroll over the larger area by moving the mouse.
Other combinations of desktop size and viewable area are also available such as 1600 by 1200 pixels viewed via 1024 by 768 pixels on a 14" or 15" monitor. The ideal desktop arrangement to use of such combinations is to size the main window (e.g. main display window) of each TNTmips process to equal the viewable area on the monitor in the lower left corner of the desktop or addressable area. The other auxiliary or support windows, dialog boxes, etc. can be set off to the top and left of the main window in the processes. Normal use would then expose the main window filling the screen and then you simply move the mouse (as you would normally do anyway) to expose and select from the auxiliary windows.
Remember that MSW3.1 and TNTmips (as did MIPS with similar boards) use the large addressable area and know nothing about the smaller viewable area which is controlled only by the setup of the electronic output components for the board. Thus the display level required by TNTmips is set by the larger desktop addressable area and not the area viewed by the monitor.
Matrox MGA Impression 3AH (3 mb VRAM, ISA bus therefore EISA bus) $1000
top resolutions B, E, G, I
Matrox MGA Impression 3MH (3 mb VRAM, MCA bus) $1100
top resolutions = B, E, G, I
** Matrox MGA Ultima 2AH (2 mb, ISA bus therefore EISA bus) $700
top resolutions = B, E, G, J, L
Matrox MGA Ultima 2MH (2 mb, MCA bus) $900
top resolutions = B, E, G, J, L
Matrox MGA PCI2 (2 mb, PCI bus) $600
top resolutions = E, G, J, L
** Matrox MGA PCI2+ (2 mb PCI bus) [can be expanded to 4 mb VRAM] $700
top resolutions = B, E, G, J, L
Matrox MGA PCI4 (4 mb, PCI bus) $1000
top resolutions = A, C
Matrox MGA VL2 (2 mb, VL bus) $600
top resolutions = E, G, J, L
** Matrox MGA VL2+ (2 mb VL bus) [can be expanded to 4 mb VRAM] $700
top resolutions = B, E, G, J, L
Matrox MGA VL4 (4 mb, VL bus) $1000
top resolutions = A, C
Only highest resolution at maximum colors are listed in the above board list. Lower resolutions at that color resolution can also be used.
resolution A 1600 by 1280 pixels by 16-bit color
resolution B 1600 by 1280 pixels by 8-bit color
resolution C 1280 by 1024 pixels by 24-color
resolution D 1280 by 1024 pixels by 16-color
resolution E 1280 by 1024 pixels by 8-bit color
resolution F 1152 by 852 pixels by 24-bit color
resolution G 1152 by 852 pixels by 16-bit color
resolution H 1152 by 852 pixels by 8-bit color [standard Sun SPARCstation display]
resolution I 1024 by 768 pixels by 24-bit color
resolution J 1024 by 768 pixels by 16-bit color
resolution K 1024 by 768 pixels by 8-bit color
resolution L 800 by 600 pixels by 24-bit
resolution M 800 by 600 pixels by 16-bit
resolution N 800 by 600 pixels by 8-bit
** At this time MicroImages recommends these Matrox boards as the overall best performance and cost for TNTmips. This is of course subject to change at any time with the continuous introduction of new MSW3.1 display boards and progressively lower prices.
Important note: You will note that with the capabilities of some of these low cost MSW3.1 boards far exceed the capability available for workstations. Off hand, MicroImages does not know of any display boards available for workstations at 1600 by 1200 pixels. Furthermore, boards of 24-bit color resolution on these same workstations usually cost more than $5000.
Final notes, if you ever want the MGA board to operate at the 1600 by 1200 pixel resolution as a directly displayed desktop on a 21" monitor make sure it has the optional higher speed RAMDAC (inexpensive). For direct display or viewable area of 1280 by 1024 pixels the optional RAMDAC option is not needed. Also make sure any Matrox board uses the Matrox Graphics Adapter (MGA) chip as earlier Matrox boards still sold (e.g. 1280 by 1024 pixels by 24-bit color with 4.5 mb VRAM) use old TI34010 graphics chips and others which would be much too slow for MSW3.1.
The most recent detailed review of 17" monitors, a size which we recommend be considered as minimum for TNTmips, is entitled 17-Inch Monitors: A Wider View; PC Magazine; Volume 12; Number 5; December 14, 1993; pages 161 to 227. Pages 216 to 222 containing the basic tables comparing these monitors are included with V4.50. Clients considering a new 17" monitor for MSW3.1 should acquire the complete article and review the detailed discussion of each of these many monitors.
New Image Printers/Plotters Supported
FARGO Primera (model 76000).
This 204 dpi printer was supported in V4.30 in its thermal transfer configuration. In this mode it is capable of printing on 8.5" by 11" paper via a parallel port using the P5 printer support feature. The retail price of the printer for the thermal transfer mode is $1000 and supplies cost $.50 per page.
V4.50 supports this printer in its sublimation color printing configuration to prepare photographic like prints using the same P5 printer support feature and a parallel port. Each FARGO printer can use both configurations by switching supplies if ordered with the sublimation printing option. The cost of the printer to support both modes is $1250. The supplies to prepare a sublimation print are $3.00 per 8.5" by 11" page.
The support for these printers has been modified to support 5 color print passes in addition to the previous 4 pass support. Five printing passes may provide higher quality images for printers which are not as carefully calibrated in alignment. Five pass printing will first print the calibration track along the side of the paper followed by the black, cyan, magenta, and yellow passes.
Printer support for this excellent large format color ink jet printer will be retroactively added to MIPS V3.33 in late January under a special contract. However, its use will be available to every V3.33 user who has printer support feature P15 and makes a special request for it after 1 February 1994.
This scanner has been supported for use on PCs and MSW3.1 under scanner support feature product S15 using a SCSI interface card. Its support can also be readily extended to the other platforms supported by TNTmips via SCSI if requested. It has a media width of 40" and a scan width of 36". It can be purchased to scan in 8-bit grayscale in various models as follows: model 400 for 400 dpi; model 500 for 500 dpi; model 800 for 800 dpi; and model 1000 for 1000 dpi with optical resolutions of 138, 277, 416, and 555 dpi respectively.
The Scanplus II is identical to scanners marketed by Ideal and Context as all these scanners are made in Denmark by Contex and simply renamed. In fact, assistance in supporting them for TNTmips had to be obtained directly from Denmark. Thus scanners sold under these other names are also supported.
The Nikon Coolscan has been supported for use on PCs and MSW3.1 under scanner support feature product S5 using its SCSI interface. Its support can also be readily extended to any other platforms supported by TNTmips via SCSI if requested. This 35 mm color scanner operates up to the maximum resolution of 2700 dpi and 8 bits for each of red, green, and blue. The area scanned from slides is 24.3 mm by 36.5 mm. The external Coolscan is 1.85 by 5.83 by 12.61 inches and retails for $2500. The internal Coolscan is 1.65 by 5.83 by 8.20 inches, mounts in an internal 1/2 height drive bay, and retails for $2200. The principal drawback of this scanner is that it is slow when scanning at full resolution of 2700 dpi.
The UMAX color scanners now work under MSW3.1 with either the UMAX proprietary SCSI interface card and the Trantor SCSI interface cards using the standard ASPI software interface.
The interface of the Scanmaster III+, available previously for the PC via MSW3.1, is now available for the Sun SPARCstation workstations using the appropriate National Instruments GPIB (IEEE 488) interface card. Currently a similar interface is being completed for the IBM RS6000 workstation. Support for the other workstations supported by TNTmips can be readily supplied on request. Since the Scanmaster III+ is similar in interface requirements to the Scanmaster III and earlier Howtek and Sharp scanners, it is likely that these scanners are also usable.
MicroImages has now completed its own support of SCSI and GPIB interfaces for all platforms supported by TNTmips products. This will enable the cross platform support of many new scanners, printers, and film recorders if their manufacturer will supply an appropriate description of the control commands and a loaner unit.
The Release Memo accompanying the shipment of TNTmips 4.4 announced that MicroImages would provide services for transferring selected standard image data types (Landsat TM. Spot, etc.) to CD-ROM. The very first attempt to provide such a service (and others examples of providing similar services in the past) has convinced MicroImages to immediately discontinue any services of any type and to refer such custom operations to our Resellers and Representatives.
The first attempt at CD-ROM preparation occupied a great deal of time on the part of MicroImages and ended up uncovering that the images provided were both non-standard (modified by a previous owner) and damaged. This resulted in considerable loss of time and money at MicroImages and in the client requiring the results blaming MicroImages for the delays and lack of results. MicroImages has enough problems without taking on the problems of altered and corrupted data access.
MicroImages will no longer provide special data preparation services of any type. This includes data format conversion from tapes to EO cartridges and preparation of CD-ROMS from *.RVC files. These special services can be obtained from most MicroImages Resellers in the U.S. and several Representatives. Many of these companies can also provide other services such as color scanning of film and maps and color printing.
The following MicroImages Resellers and Representatives are known to have CD-R (CD-Record) devices and may provide transfer of your data to a CD-ROM: NPA in London; Delta Graphics in Huntsville; Paris and Associates in Fresno; and Comp-Tron in Baltimore.
Several other U.S. companies specialize in data media conversion such as conversion of files from open reel tape, 4 mm DAT, 8 mm Exabyte, QIC tape, and other tape formats into EO and CD-ROM cartridges as well as many other similar conversion services.
MicroImages will still be happy to discuss contracting for software and writing projects which advance the TNT product series and its ultimate use by all clients. Software projects could be new extensions and features which would be made available to all clients. In general these projects can be considered as simply setting a higher priority on adding the feature and thus the cost would be partially underwritten by MicroImages. Writing projects might be those which would assist a specific group of users in understanding and applying TNT products to specific projects and objectives. The results of these writing projects might be published by their sponsors or MicroImages Press.
A one day videoconference entitled Application of Airborne Video Remote Sensing with GPS by Dr. William Anderson of the Center for Mapping at Ohio State will be broadcast 25 January 1993. A flier describing this videoconference is enclosed with V4.50.
MicroImages has been informed that anyone in the Denver area can attend this seminar without cost under the sponsorship of the Bureau of Reclamation in Conference Room 4 of the Veteran Administration Regional Office at 4 Union Blvd. (near the Denver Federal Center). Please call Lee Werth at the Bureau of Reclamation at (303)236-4340 if you have any additional questions.
Exclusive International Representatives
Slovakia and Czech Republics. MicroImages products will now be available from Geocomplex a.s.; Sladkovicova 5; 052 01 Spisska Nova Ves; Slovensko; voice (429)652-4031; FAX (429)652-4238. Geocomplex has 4 regional offices in Slovakia in Bratislava, Spisska, Banska Bystrica, and Kosice but initial contacts should be with Dr. Slavomir Daniel in Spisska. Dr. Daniel has his principal background in geophysics and a Doctorate in Natural Sciences and additional recent professional studies at the Geological Survey of Finland. He and his colleagues at Geocomplex have completed several internal projects with TNTmips with systems installed at several end user sites in these new Republics. Geocomplex is the major engineering firm in Slovakia specializing in regional geology, hydrology, ecology, mineral and energy prospecting, and geophysics. Geocomplex also publishes the bimonthly, high quality professional journal entitled Mineralia slovaca in tandem with the State enterprise of Geologicky prieskum.
Iran. MicroImages products will now be available in Iran from CHKON, Co., North Eskandari Street; Mohamadi Alley; Number 21; Tehran 14197; Iran; voice (982)192-6411; and FAX (982)192-7908. Sohrab Batmanglidj, who owns CHKON and Lumar Kansaar, a geophysical consulting company, is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines in geophysical engineering and worked for about 20 years in the U.S. with Phelps Dodge, CONOCO, and Rocky Mountain Energy.
Zimbabwe. MicroImages products will now be available from the Environmental and Remote Sensing Institute; P.O. Box 2406; Harare; Zimbabwe; voice (263)473-1049; FAX (263)445-628. Fatima Ferraz, an experienced TNTmips user previously working with MicroImages in Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa has recently set up this location in Harare. She will operate in tandem with Neil Pendock and Image Processing Consultants, the MicroImages Representative for Southern Africa.
No Brasil. EIKON located in Sao Paulo will no longer represent MicroImages for the sale of products in Brasil. All Brazilian clients and known potential clients have been notified of this directly and requested to transact any further business directly with MicroImages or our Representatives in Chile or Argentina until a such time as a new Representative is appointed.
Colorado Area. Walsh Environmental Scientists and Engineers, Inc. will provide access to the products of MicroImages via their Boulder, Colorado main office. Walsh conducts environmental studies in the U.S. and Internationally and has project offices in Omaha and elsewhere. Dr. Tom Furst, an experienced TNTmips user is coordinating Walsh's Representation of MicroImages products and their expanding GIS and image processing activities. He can be reached at 4888 Pearl East Circle, Suite 108; Boulder, CO 80301; voice (303)443-3282; FAX (303)433-0367.
Alabama Area. GeoTechnologies located in Huntsville, Alabama has been renamed Delta Graphics Corp. but remains at the same location and phone numbers.
Texas Area. Advanced Programming Concepts has closed their El Paso office with the successful completion of the installation of their products and TNTmips at a military site. Don Buckley has transferred to their Austin, Texas office and he and David Sietsema will now resell and integrate MicroImages products from this central office.
No Maine Area. Kork Mapping located in Maine was purchased 100% during the last quarter by Autometrics. As a result, MicroImages has concluded that it will no longer be appropriate for Kork Mapping to operate as a Reseller or VAR. This is due in large part to the fact that Autometrics is currently closely allied with ERDAS Inc. Autometrics also developed the OrthoMAX software concept which is currently licensed and sold by ERDAS as an option for their workstation systems. Kork's continuation as a Reseller and VAR would have automatically provided Autometrics with Reseller and VAR status and information with regard to the products of MicroImages.
Feature Mapping.
The final printing of the Application Note entitled Feature Mapping of 153 pages by Dr. Merri Skrdla is being transmitted with TNTmips 4.5. All image illustrations were prepared in TNTmips in color and cut and pasted from TNTmips into Pagemaker for the Apple Macintosh. While graphics illustrations were prepared in color, the Application Note would have been far too expensive to print in color.
Feature Mapping is a process unique to TNTmips and MIPS before it and results from 9 years of serious thought and coding on the part of the principles at MicroImages. It is designed to "keep the expert in the image processing loop" and yet increase the accuracy and speed with which features can be extracted from marginal multispectral digital imagery such as airvideo, airslides, and airphotos. This process should have wider use by clients but is often not understood or tried. It is hoped that with its extensive and excellent treatment in this Application Note that the objectives of this unique approach will be more fully understood by all clients and reviewed for use in your projects.
Orthoimage and DEM Creation.
A preliminary draft of an Application Note entitled Orthoimage and DEM Creation of 71 pages is enclosed explaining how to use these new processes within TNTmips 4.5. While not yet edited, this carefully illustrated contribution by Keith Ghormley will help you test and apply these processes.
MicroImages Press Plans for 1994
The Objectives The goal of MicroImages over the next several years will be to broaden the base of use of GIS and integrated image processing under the general concepts of visualization and spatial database analysis. A much greater number of professionals should make "personal" use of these concepts than do currently. In general these professionals already have spatial data but do not know how to go about organizing and using it. They also have other professional objectives and do not want to become specialists in these new fields but merely to employ the techniques. The wide spread of powerful mainframe and workstation-like desktop computers to many desktops based upon the 586, PowerPC, Alpha AXP, and other new processors will make powerful processing tools available to everyone. The corresponding simplification and spread of powerful "unifying" operating systems such as NT, OS/2, and Unix will properly harness this power providing the end user with easily used MSW3.1 and X System user interfaces.
Certainly the first wave of microcomputer use has shown us that a concept like spreadsheets can widely impact on all our professional activities even though few professionals ever stated that "I need something like a personal spreadsheet process on my desktop" before they were invented. More recently Autodesk has shown the way for another type of professional need to be satisfied by the wide-spread use of a complex microcomputer tool. A lot more professionals now use AutoCAD than would ever have admitted a need for it in its early days. A similar spread of complex spatial data visualization and management are predicted by many including MicroImages.
What will further this penetration of these new concepts into solving your and your uninitiated associate's daily spatial database management problems? It is the opinion of MicroImages that we, as a company, have the base products (TNTmips™, TNTview™, TNTatlas™, TNTsdk™, and TNTdemo™) completed to provide a basis for the further development and extension of this concept into a wider application area and user population. What is now needed is a lot of educational oriented materials which will clearly portray the components and opportunities of these new methods and illustrate how to apply them. The careful preparation of such materials is why you will now find that MicroImages has as many experienced scientific writers (documentation specialists) on its staff as software engineers who create the processes. This is also why you will find that we will jointly expand the employment of these disciplines in tandem as future income and associated expansion plans allow.
The Current Situation. Currently MicroImages provides clients with the equivalent of about 3000 pages of single spaced reference materials with extensive illustration. About 1/2 of this is in the on-line documentation and the remainder in the Application Notes, Guide, Installation Manual, and other miscellaneous materials. Some of this material relates back to MIPS and must be updated but is still conceptually correct and usable as only the user interface references have changed between products. Some of the older materials will be updated and others will be replaced. At present we do not plan to rewrite the Guide as it was already getting too big and thus difficult to maintain in an "up to date status". The principal effort of 1994 will be to expand the Guide into at least 1500 pages of additional well written and illustrated, focused Application Notes.
1994 Plans. The on-line documentation is now complete and current and can be maintained as part of the Application Note activity during 1994. Thus the 7 full time professional writers, a layout specialist, and any additional staff added to MicroImages Press, will devote most of their creative time to preparing 14 new and revised Applications Notes. They have been instructed to concentrate first on the writing of the core of these Notes leaving the "boiler plate" of glossaries, table-of-contents, introductory and concluding materials, supportive sections, etc. until last. This will enable MicroImages to reproduce partially complete, but very useful draft materials on several of these topic areas as early as the mailing of V4.60 with more complete and useful materials with V4.70 in June.
These new publication tasks for the staff of MicroImages Press are outlined below for your review together with the identification of the writer to whom they are currently assigned. As part of the careful creation of these detailed Application Notes each of these professionals are responsible for the quarterly updating of the documentation on their processes as well as their quality control. They are also now members of the design team for the same processes.
1995 and Beyond. What would be the next step in the creation of materials to help educate professionals and managers as to the value of using spatial database methods? Certainly other media could be considered such as scheduled training and video or other multimedia based materials. The next kind of written materials created could be something which might be called case studies or discipline application reviews. These reviews would focus on outlining how the new spatial data management concepts could be used in a particular discipline or management activity. For example an application review might cover how a county government could employ these methods in its activity. Another might focus on the various uses of the concepts in a nature, conservation, or related environmental organization. A third could focus on how public and private forest industries might employ the concepts. A very import topic would be to review all the possible applications in supporting the study of the spread of disease and insects - at present this is an important potential area of use in saving lives which has little penetration by this methodology.
MicroImages Press would be pleased to take on the challenge of how to convince a whole discipline or potential group of users if and as internal funds become available. It would also be possible to immediately undertake such writing projects under contract to external fund sources. This is part of our future marketing challenge but is also an important future challenge in 1995 and beyond in assisting professionals in understanding the potential applications of the available, powerful spatial analysis tools of the present and future. It is also one of the important feedback loops by which we learn what is needed to enable our products to be better applied within an application's area.
Writing Priorities for 1994. The following are the first priority writing tasks for 1994. The second priority tasks are listed in the second group. These priorities may not make sense to you in terms of importance of the process. However, they are set by a number of factors including the current state of the process (Pin Mapping is very important but not quite done), current experience of the writer, the number of clients using the process, the current availability of the materials, need for marketing materials, and so on. These priorities are subject to change at any time as circumstances dictate.
Visualization of Geo-information will provide extensive illustration with accompanying descriptions of the many complex uses of the display process in TNTmips. A complete, extensively illustrated Application Note is needed on this topic as the visualization tools now provided with TNTmips, in contrast with MIPS, have many expanded features which are not going to be fully used unless explained and well illustrated. Dr. Merri Skrdla and Rick Otoupalik
Color Promo Brochure will likely be a 16 page illustrated color brochure which would provide an overview of what TNTmips is and illustrate its use and processes. Dr. Merri Skrdla
Map and Poster Layout will be revised from MIPS to TNTmips status, extended to cover new pen plotting capabilities, and reprinted. Mary Sutton
TNTview Manual will be prepared at about 300 pages. This will be a printed manual as TNTview is targeted at a more casual user of the MicroImages complex visualization tools who will want this physical reference for review before buying and while using this product. This manual will consist basically of a revised version of the on-line manual for the TNTmips display process which omits the features which have been deleted from TNTview such as the printing process, creation of multiple groups, etc. Carol Wells
Creating Vector and CAD Materials will deal in an integrated fashion with such topics as vector objects and their topology, editing vectors, X-Y digitizing, smart line following, thinning and filtering elements, import and export of vector objects, standard attributes, attaching databases, preparing the form of database reports, copying databases, validating topology, and so on. Dr. Tom Murauskas
Creating, Representing, and Visualizing Surfaces will cover such processes as surface fitting, contouring rasters, color separation and smart line following, vector to raster conversion, autoboundaries, viewshed, watershed, slope, aspect, shading, 3D display, 2D to 3D conversion, etc. Dr. (elect) Chris Dore
Finding Spatial Relationships (title will probably be changed) will cover topics related to analyzing CAD and vector objects such as home range, buffer zones, intersections, vector and CAD copying, and others with extensive focus on database query in such processes. Tom Schafer
Advertising Fliers are being prepared for TNTmips, TNTview, and TNTatlas. These 1 or 2 page promotional items for each product will have a color cover and contain a summary description of the functions of that product. All three will be in a visual format which interrelates the products. Keith Ghormley and Rick Otoupalik
Spatial Manipulation Language will be updated from MIPS to TNTmips and reprinted. Many new functions have been added in SML such as attachment and manipulation of databases attached to rasters, processing georeference information, adding your own functions to SML, and so on. Keith Ghormley
Air Photo Interpretation will also deal with the vector and CAD editing processes. However, this Application Note will focus upon explaining their use for those familiar with air photo interpretation. These clients wish to use these same tools for interpreting images for preparing maps electronically which may not have any further use in a GIS. The topics addressed will cover how to interpret a wide variety of images (35 mm, airvideo, NAPP, NAPH, Priroda, SPOT, etc.) and processes (warping, trend removal, etc.). Dr. Merri Skrdla
Creating and Manipulating Rasters will cover such topics as editing rasters, copy rasters, raster analysis, vector and CAD conversion to rasters, color merge, import and export of rasters, scanning, video capture, manual resampling, description and conversion of raster data types, applying contrast, etc. Mary Sutton
HyperIndex® concept will be discussed dealing with how to make stacks and the many ways they can be used. The use and distribution of these stacks with MicroImages' new TNTatlas product (licensed and protected versions) will be covered in detail to assist you in planning, preparing, and publishing your own materials for distribution with this "run time" product. TNTatlas will not need a manual as it will have a simple user interface which can accompany the CD-ROM or other media on a small reference card or foldout. Carol Wells
Georeferencing GIS Materials will cover such special topics as warping raster, vector, and CAD objects and creating and transferring georeferencing. Map projections and geodes will be discussed briefly as needed. Dr. Tom Murauskas
Pin Mapping will explain an entirely new concept coming into TNTmips which will be explained together with its applications as it is released in TNTmips. Pin mapping will be a visualization strategy oriented toward those clients more familiar and comfortable with database manipulations. It will allow database queries to automatically generate map and image overlays without being attached to any object. Its use requires that geographic coordinate information be stored within the database record structure. Dr. (elect) Chris Dore
Image Processing is an overview of these concepts. The general topics will cover automatic classification methods, filtering, enhancement, principal components, progressive transformations, multilinear regression, raster analysis, vegetation transforms, tassel cap, and other topics. Generally these topics are covered in many good text and reference books. However, this AN will summarize this material focusing upon their use and providing extensive references to other technical materials on these topics. Dr. (elect) Chris Dore
Mosaicking raster, vector, and CAD objects will be extracted from the current MIPS Guide, revised to cover the TNTmips approach, and applications shown to a wide variety of objects. Tom Schafer
Software Development Kit will be updated and printed in final form. The new topics will cover developing processes for multiple platforms, use of the MicroImages (Motif Interface) Builder (MI/B), standard interface design elements, and other new topics. Keith Ghormley
Internationalization and Localization will be updated and printed in final form. New topics will be Truetype conversion to outline fonts (e.g. bird fonts), Truetype conversion to *.BDF font for use in X Windows interface, outline font editor, and the pending multilanguage keyboard entry methods. Keith Ghormley
Orthoimage and DEM Creation will be revised and extended as appropriate.
Keith Ghormley
Soil Map Vectorization will be modified from the MIPS approach and expanded to show how to handle maps and drawings of other types. Keith Ghormley
Guide to System Features may be prepared but is already extensively covered in the on-line documentation and changes somewhat each quarter. If this Application Note is prepared it would cover such features as validating topology, running batch jobs, managing project files, converting Truetype fonts for use, outline font editor, text editor, keyboard setup for other languages, preferences, etc. not assigned
Guide to MicroImages Information Resources may eventually be needed. MicroImages already provides over 3000 pages of single spaced illustrated written materials. Each printed item contains its own table-of-contents, index, and glossary. However, MicroImages Press is now setting out to create potentially thousands of additional pages and it will eventually be necessary to supply some sort of electronic and printed cross-reference to all these various reference materials. A comprehensive cross index to all topics in all publications would be useful. This Application Note might also be an appropriate place for a discussion of the on-line manual, why it's on-line, how to use it, how to export its text and illustration for use in your own syllabuses and training materials or for translation. A discussion of how to cut and paste images and screens from TNTmips would assist you in illustrating you own materials. Finally, a comprehensive list could be included of other information resources available including papers, books, and related materials. not assigned
George Ren is no longer employed as a software engineer at MicroImages. George was responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the filter, home range, copy vector, intersect, and other TNTmips processes.
Ben Hollingsworth has just departed from MicroImages after working part time on MIPS and then TNTmips for 4.5 years while a computer science student at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Ben will now devote full time for a semester to finishing his BS degree.
Steve Mackie left MicroImages after just 1 month to take a job at the Construction Engineering Research Labs at the Corps of Engineers in Champaign, Illinois (a different Division than the developers of GRASS) and also a MicroImages installation.
Faith K. Rolfsen has just joined MicroImages as a software engineer. Faith returned to school after a long absence and recently completed her BS degree in Mathematics and Computer Science at Peru State College in Nebraska. Faith's initial responsibility will be to convert the route tracing process in MIPS to run in TNTmips and to add new features.
Scott Richert has just joined the MicroImages team as a technical support specialist. This maintains at 5 the number of these support specialists provided to assist you at no charge via phone, FAX, and training in the use of TNTmips and other MicroImages products. Scott received his BA degree in Anthropology and Archeology from the University of North Dakota in 1982. In 1990 Scott completed his MS degree in GeoEnvironmental Studies from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. Previous to joining MicroImages Scott has been working for 3 years as a Geographic Information Specialist for the Lebanon County Conservation District in Pennsylvania. During this period he was responsible for learning and using GPS, GRASS via Unix, LTPlus, and related tools. Scott will bring his previous experience in "do it yourself" GIS to assist you as TNTmips begins to mature in this area.
Future Staff planned for MicroImages over the next 6 months include several additional software engineers, a marketing administrative assistant, a marketing specialist, and a scientific writer. Recommendations for any of these positions will be appreciated.
A Russian geophysicist with 30 years of experience, most recently as a Chief Geophysicist and as a Senior Research Scientist in Moscow, has recently relocated into the United States and has contacted MicroImages seeking employment. This individual has recent experience with TNTmips and several of our competitors' GIS and image processing systems. He speaks and writes English well and would probably be restricted by his visa to employment within the United States. His salary requirements are moderate. Please contact MicroImages for further information.
The MIPS V3.33 features listed below are not available in TNTmips 4.5. These features are being reworked as time allows. If any particular feature listed is specifically holding up your conversion to TNTmips 4.5 or your projects please let us know so we can give their conversion a higher priority.
Generally used features.
** Raster profile display
** Elliptical arcs - (arc, wedge, and chord) can not be created
** Snap to grid feature is not available in CAD editor
** Vector route tracing
Printers which communicate via Xerox VPI card
** Making legends for the screen and Map and Poster Layout (being redesigned)
Preparing and showing a slide show
* CLASS-CMAP - special image analysis routine
Importing all raster formats directly from open reel CCT tapes.
Specialized features used by 1 or a few users.
Transfer of labels from vector polygons in Feature Mapping
Dual raster color overlay method for georeferencing
Automatic interval capturing (intervalometer) in video digitizing
* WDBII - World Data bank II data
* now completed post production of V4.50, contact Technical Support
** likely to be worked on this quarter, ask for status if you need before V4.60
| 25 March 2009 |
page update: 16 Jun 11 |
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