Release of V5.20 TNT products

MicroImages is pleased to distribute V5.20 of the TNT products and the 37th quarterly release of the Map and Image Processing System (TNTmips). It has been over four months since you received V5.10. This has been the longest "quarter" between releases of the products of MicroImages in the history of the company since 1986. As the past four months evolved, it became progressively clearer at MicroImages that the significant advances offered by the use of the TNT products within Microsoft Windows 95 and NT would be worth the wait! The additional time also allowed the complete reissue of the TNT products for the Apple Mac and Power Mac, as well as some important new additions to the application processes. We think you will be well satisfied by these results now finally available in V5.20 of the TNT products.

Since the advent of the TNT product series starting at V4.00, we have never been able to make up the 4 to 6 week losses of time experienced in the release of V4.00 to V4.40 versions. It is complicated enough getting things out in quarters without trying to squeeze 12 weeks' work into 8 or less while continuing to strive to reduce errors and other flaws. Now we have lost the additional six weeks and have decided to roll-over to the next quarter and declare that a virtual quarter has passed. Thus V5.30 is now rescheduled for March to get us all back to the normal planned schedule of releases in March, June, September, and December which best fits around the American Christmas/New Year's holiday and summer vacation seasons.

MicroImages' declaration of a free quarter benefits you as it means that your current subscription will span a longer time period which will result in more new features and enhancements. Unfortunately, it hurts here at MicroImages as it effectively erases an entire quarter's worth of upgrade revenue. However, this is partially offset by our savings in staff time, reproduction, and shipping for the virtual quarter.

Status of Client Base?

General comments.

MicroImages is pleased to announce that more TNTmips and TNTview systems were ordered and delivered in the last quarter than in any of the previous 36 quarters. These results were achieved even when sales are normalized for the extra length of the quarter and sales of the lower cost TNTatlas products are excluded.

MicroImages periodically gets requests and various kinds of pressure to extend special, off-schedule price quotes to clients, potential clients, or our distributors. If such practices were adopted, it would be difficult to claim fairness to all and then to determine who did, and who did not get such special considerations. Additionally, MicroImages' ethics and credibility in supplying professional products and information would also be lowered. MicroImages' "pricing fairness" approach is set forth in writing in the section entitled "Clarification of Prices" to all those who inquire about the TNT products. This approach attempts to provide the best professional products possible at the lowest cost while acknowledging the benefits to all of volume pricing and the special support of educational institutions.

The good and the bad.

MicroImages" staff very much appreciates the friendly input, suggestions, and compliments received from many of you over the past quarter. Some of these are summarized at the end of this MEMO in the section on testimonials. Positive written input is now outweighing negative by about 10 to 1.

Some clients are in frequent communication with MicroImages, especially with the Software Support team. Contacts for this team continue to average over 100 a week. However, we seldom hear from some clients who are very actively using the TNT products. This may occur because one individual at a site coordinates all technical inquiries, which avoids confusion at both ends. Also our Representatives and Resellers give freely and generously of their time to assist their clients, especially to overcome language barriers. However, there are some clients who should call for help and don't. Please do, our success depends upon yours! MicroImages does not always have the correct answer or the answer you want, but eventually most things get attention even if sometimes you have to be persistent.

Site commitments.

MicroImages wishes to thank all the new clients who joined with us this quarter. All of you purchased your products at the prices set forth in our published domestic and international price lists. Your understanding of our firm pricing policies are greatly appreciated. The following new site commitments were made for 5 or more systems during the quarter.

California State University at Monterey Bay.

CSUMB, located in the general area of the former Fort Ord military base, became a new campus wide user of TNTmips during the past quarter with the initial purchase of 10 UNIX chairs and 11 PC based systems. An order for a larger number of Mac systems is also pending upon the test and acceptance of the new Mac version of the TNTmips 5.20. The price of the TNT products purchased by this University was that set forth within the normal MicroImages price list and educational discount policy.

CSUMB is a brand new University dedicated this fall by President Clinton. It is staffed by experienced faculty generally drawn from similar departments in the California State University system or secunded part time from the large number of nearby research institutes in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay area. These faculty had the unique opportunity to start all over with new directions, software, computers, and eventually buildings. This also meant that new approaches could be taken to the formal educational programs, cooperative interfaces to the nearby research institutions, and the focus of the tool skill development of all the students.

The widespread use of spatial analysis tools (both GIS and image analysis) is to be one focus of this University's programs. In aggregate, the faculty and staff members making up the team selecting the software for this purpose were quite experienced from their previous teaching positions or current research activities in the use of public domain and commercial software (Arc/Info, ERDAS, and so on). MicroImages is pleased that they have selected TNTmips for their new campus-wide undertaking.

Due to varying student and faculty personal, professional, and research interests at this University, computer needs by discipline and interest span all popular platforms. With the realization that it is really the people that eventually count, the University is not trying to straitjacket the new campus with one computer solution, but is using an ad hoc mix of workstations, PCs, and Macs to support these diverse needs and interests. TNTmips meets these needs as it is available for all the diverse popular platforms selected while providing an identical user interface, processes, and Project File structure. As a result the students and teaching and research faculty of this institution will be able to easily and smoothly move between classrooms, disciplines, programs, and research project sites. After all, tools should be built to serve the user and not be designed to make their user serve them.

Geological Survey of Japan.

The GSJ has purchased 6 TNTmips systems with options and is considering additional units at this time. These systems are being used to prepare map materials with the Japanese 2-byte language support added to the TNT products over the last year.

University of Freiberg.

The Department of Geology of this German institution has purchased 6 TNTmips systems with options for teaching and training purposes. These systems are being used in German using the full 1-byte font support of the TNT products.

Abbreviations.

Microsoft is confusing all of our communications with the naming of its operating system products. As a result, it is getting difficult to be precise when referring to these products without using a long string of words each time they are referenced. This makes it hard to understand the precise meaning in the long sentences which reference them. For simplicity, the following abbreviations have been adopted in this MEMO.

W31 = Microsoft Windows 3.1 or 3.11 (and you should all be using the more reliable Windows for Workgroups 3.11 by now).

NT = Microsoft NT 3.1 or 3.5 (3.1 is error prone and thus the TNT products require the use of 3.5 and its subsequent patches).

W95 = Microsoft Windows 95.

Mac = Apple Macintosh using the 68xxx Motorola processor and MacOS 6.x or 7.x.

Power Mac = Apple Macintosh using the 60x Motorola Power PC processor and MacOS 7.x.

MI/X = MicroImages' X server for the respective Mac or PC microcomputer platform and operating system.

Summary of New Features.

The following is a brief summary of highlights of the new features and processes which are being released in V5.20.

A complete new suite of native 16-bit Mac and 32-bit Power Mac versions of the TNT products has been completed using new MicroImages X (MI/X) servers. They are included on the standard V5.20 TNT products CD "A". Standard Mac and Power Mac point and click procedures are available for the installation of these new versions on the Mac and Power Mac platforms. A new and simpler TNT authorization key is also supported for insertion into the ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) cable leading to your mouse and keyboard. The alternative serial or universal version of the TNT key previously distributed is also still supported.

A complete, new native W95 version of the TNT products and its new MicroImages' X (MI/X) server is provided on the standard V5.20 TNT product CD "A". The user interface of this new version of TNTmips used within W95 is significantly faster than using the native W31 version within W31 and thus its overall operation (interface and processing) are 2 to 3 times faster. A standard W95 point and click procedure is also available for the installation of this version on the same CD.

The X server (MI/X) for the Windows NT systems running on Intel and Alpha based platforms has been redesigned and rewritten. A single MI/X will now handle both 8-bit and 24-bit displays and is smoother and faster in operation. A standard NT point and click procedure is also available for the installation of this version on the same CD.

A new Prototype2 San Francisco TNTatlas sampler is now available and enclosed. It is prettier and faster than its predecessor. It has new point and click installation programs for PCs using W95, W31, and NT. W95 has considerable improvement in the drivers and buffering provided for accessing CDs. As a result the images on this sample CD are read much faster by the TNT products from within W95 and need not be copied to a hard drive for use as sample data in TNTmips, although it's still faster.

TrueType fonts can now be used on every platform supported for the TNT products including workstations and the Macs.

The display process now provides for transparent color fills of vector, CAD, and TIN layers.

Small icons are now available to represent object types on toolbars in the display process.

The TNT object editor can now select and edit TIN layers. Other additional useful CAD and vector layer edit tools have been added.

The conversion of a vector object to a TIN object can now be controlled by a query. The TIN object's vertices and their Z values can thus be selected or computed by a query applied to the vector object attributes.

A quintic surface fitting process is available to generate a raster object from a TIN object.

A kriging surface fitting process is available to generate a raster object from a TIN object.

A DXF file can now be hot linked for immediate use (without importing) as a CAD object for editing, etc. or as a layer in visualization. This is similar to the linking released in V5.10 for the MapInfo's MIF/MID format.

A collection of several hundred point symbols has been provided. Any glyph or character in any TrueType font can also be used as a point symbol.

Raster export processes can now be added to moveable toolbar windows as large icons.

The polygon fitting (home range) process has been overhauled and improved in performance.

The general Ortho/DEM 3-step process has been further modified to provide increased DEM accuracy. Step 2 used to create the DEM raster object now optionally creates a second raster object containing the cross-correlation values for each elevation cell. Another option in Step 2 yields a TIN object whose vertices correspond to those patches of image cells in the stereo pair which yielded high cross-correlation.

What is underway now?

General. The Apple Mac versions of the TNTatlas are currently available and operating using the MicroImages MI/X server. However, there simply was not enough time to perfect simple CD-based installation processes for each in this already extra long quarter. A new Prototype3 version of the San Francisco sample TNTatlas will be prepared with the added Mac versions for V5.30 of the TNT products.

The import of ESRI's ArcView shapefile format into a topological vector object has been added to TNTmips. It can be obtained from Software Support. It is also possible that by the time you call, the export will be available. Eventually a direct link to this format will be provided.

The conversion of a TIN object to a vector object is now available. It can be obtained from Software Support. It can be used to take the TIN object generated by the Ortho/DEM process, TIN editor, or elsewhere and then fit a surface (e.g. via kriging) to the vertices transferred to a vector object.

TrueType glyphs or characters contained in any fonts (fonts containing symbols are available) can now be converted to point symbols for use within TNT processes. Each glyph will be mapped into a single point symbol.

Footnote: It was interesting to find that the shapefile import process was just tested using the U.S. zip code boundaries on the sample data CD supplied by ESRI with ArcView 2.0. The states of Texas (TX_ZIP.SHP) and Nevada (NV_ZIP.SHP) would not properly import. ArcView 2.0 (for PC) was then used to access these shapefiles and it could not display these states. MicroImages then moved on to try the ArcView 2.1 sample data CD and found that the 2 other states of Missouri (MO_ZIP.SHP) and Mississippi (MS_ZIP.SHP) could not be imported but that Texas and Nevada would now import. ArcView 2.1 was then used and found that it also could not display Missouri and Mississippi. Seems like even the guys on top also have their problems getting it right. So what to do? Using the tools in TNTmips it was a straightforward task to merge the missing states of Texas and Nevada from the ArcView V2.0 CD into all the other states imported from their V2.1 which automatically rebuilt the topology of the single vector object created.

For V5.30. The following features for possible release in V5.30 have been started. However, please do not take these as firm commitments but more as an indication that MicroImages is not running out of ideas or work.

The addition of the theme mapping feature common to MapInfo, AtlasGIS, Maptitude, ArcView and other similar products. Rather than "reinventing the wheel", MicroImages has purchased these and other products, the software engineers have installed and tried them, and will incorporate the best features of each.

Modification of the 2D Display process to provide the multiple element selection feature for use with tabular database report similar to that available in the Object Editor.

The update and integration of the stand-alone raster editor into the object editor. This would make it possible for any kind of Project File layer (object) to be edited.

A new record can now be created while you are in the attribute tabular display mode. It is likely that various additional ways of forming these tabular attributes will be added soon: inserting rows for automatic subtotals, totals, means, etc.; setting column (e.g. field headings); and so on, with a way to save and redisplay the table with these properties.

MicroImages is developing the concept of displaying "graphical fields" in tabular database tables. These small boxes will appear similar to numeric fields in the table, but will show in color the current point, line, or fill pattern associated with that record. Think of it as an automatic legend generator for database tables.

A totally rewritten scanner control program is being completed with icons and updated display options. It will still directly support all previously supported scanners via MicroImages drivers. The new process will also support any new scanners or digital cameras via the TWAIN drivers provided by their manufacturers.

Attempts are underway to speed up the display of vector objects.

Under an agreement with Strategic Mapping Inc., MicroImages has obtained both the external (*.BNA) and internal (*.AGF) formats of AtlasGIS. Import, export, and linking will be added for these formats. Linking to the AtlasGIS internal formats will allow TNT products to directly read, display, and use these data sets. Conversely, TNTmips can provide edited and otherwise modified internal data sets for immediate use without importing by an AtlasGIS running concurrently.

A rewrite of the watershed process with improvements.

A new and smarter color line following process for incorporation in the TNT object editor.

Direct support of any color or black and white printer which is supplied with a Microsoft Windows printer driver.

An editor to allow the direct input of COGO data into a TNTmips object. This will include a means of loading and editing a COGO file prepared by some other system.

MI/X (MicroImages X Server)

Overview. Major improvements or additions have taken place during the quarter in all the MI/X servers. MI/X for W31 has received the least change as it has been stable and operating without any need for major alterations. The MI/X server for NT has been significantly improved in performance. New MI/X servers are available for W95, Mac, and Power Mac based platforms. The MI/X servers for W95, NT, and the Macs now provide similar interface performance (moving windows, starting windows, scrolling, etc.) to the native X windows interface on a workstation. Thus the TNT product interfaces via the X windows are now also only slightly slower than that of the native NT, W95, or Macs interfaces on the same platform.

for W31. It is no longer necessary to load separate MI/X servers for 8- or 24-bit operation. When MI/X for W31 is loading, it automatically detects and operates with the W31 display board driver you have selected with its associated color depth and resolution.

for NT. The MI/X for NT has been significantly modified to improve its general operation and revise some of its required network interface service. These changes yield a significantly faster and snappier interface. MI/X exposures, drags, scrolls and all other associated interface features now work smoothly under NT and out-perform those of the MI/X for W31.

It will no longer be necessary to load separate MI/X servers for 8- or 24-bit operation. When MI/X for NT is loading, it automatically detects and operates with the NT display board driver you have selected with its associated color depth and resolution.

Previously the installation and operation of the MI/X was cumbersome on an NT platform which was not part of a network and thus contained no network card. This situation required the installation of Microsoft's complicated loopback connector software to emulate the presence of a network. The requirement to install this optional NT feature has been eliminated.

for W95. The new MI/X server provided for use with the W95 operating system is exactly the process as that used for NT since both W95 and NT are 32-bit operating systems with essentially identical WIN32 graphics calls. This allowed the MI/X for W95 version of the TNT products to be created by concentrating on improvements to the code for the existing MI/X for NT. W95 is delivered network ready for use with NT as a server and thus required much the same refinements as noted above for NT for use with and without a network.

The W95 interface on any given platform is significantly faster in many aspects than the older design W31 and NT interfaces. As a result, the MI/X interface of the TNT products is significantly faster when used within W95. MI/X on a Pentium-based platform used under W95 provides an X interface performance equivalent to that of using X windows on a workstation.

for Mac and Power Mac. MicroImages is very happy to complete and release MI/X servers for both the Mac and Power Mac platforms. Creation and control of the code for MI/X has enabled significant improvements in the performance of the TNT products on the Mac and Power Mac (more on this below in the section on Mac products).

The MI/X servers replace those of White Pine's eXodus and Apple's Mac X (which is still not available for the Power Mac). The MI/X servers are faster for the TNT products than either of these other commercial products. EXodus, Mac X, and other similar commercial X servers are designed to make your Mac into an X terminal, controlling and interfacing to applications on a remote network or execution server. The MI/X server easily equals them in this remote use of the TNT products.

Other commercial X servers are not widely used for operation on a Mac where everything including the application software is executing on the single local, desktop Mac not connected to any network. As noted previously in past MEMOs, their interprocess communication is too frequent and slows down performance. Furthermore, the current MacOS 7.1x and 7.5x are not providing preemptive multitasking on either the Mac or Power Mac (not until MacOS 8.0 late next year). Thus each Mac process is suspended when another is started or selected via the MultiFinder. Very specialized code was necessary to overcome this limitation where the TNT products must run and intercommunicate automatically between several processes at once (e.g., MI/X server, menu, and an application process). The MI/X code has been optimized for this isolated local use of the TNT products and overcomes these local communication limitations of all these other commercial products.

Why MI/X? The popular commercial X servers for W31, NT, and W95 allow remote use (changing a PC into an X terminal) but do not or inadequately support local applications. The MI/X servers all support fast local communication with TNT and any other X applications executing on the same platform. However, the MI/X servers are just as effective as these commercial X servers at turning a local desktop machine into an X terminal for use on a network (except the early MI/X for W31 version which has no support for remote use).

None of the MI/X processes check the TNT products hardware authorization key and thus are in the public domain. Thus all the MI/X servers can be used on other microcomputers to function as X terminals (hopefully some of them will be used to communicate with TNT products). MI/X can also be used with any of your other X/Motif compliant applications on that local microcomputer if they are recompiled to use the standard (with modified functions) X libraries available from MicroImages.

X supports superior network applications. It is increasingly common in scientific and educationally oriented workstation networks to use any number of PCs as X terminals to provide remote access to graphically oriented applications such as the TNT products. The economical and performance advantages of the use of a PC rather than a dedicated X terminal are readily understood (local storage, off-line use of non-network applications, etc.)

Some of you are still not familiar with this powerful aspect of X and the TNT products. It is now possible to take the appropriate MI/X from the V5.20 TNT products CD (no key needed) and use them on a Mac, Power Mac, W95, or NT platform (but not W31) for remote network operation if the network uses TCP/IP protocol which is now very common. Any Mac or PC anywhere on the network using the free MI/X, or some other commercial equivalent product to emulate an X terminal, can operate any X based application running on any other kind of computer platform on the network. Call this remotely functioning platform equipped with an authorization key a TNT compute server (more than one can exist on the same network). The TNT compute server on the network can be any Mac, PC, or workstation. Also remember that the TNT Project Files are transparent to the kind of platform and operating system which created them on the network. Thus they can be located on a local machine or some other published hard drive such as a file server and freely passed around and used by a TNT compute server on the network.

It is important to carefully note that because of the way X operates, only the graphics and control information are moved back and forth over the network between the local MI/X server or X terminal and the remote TNT compute server! Thus, performance of the TNT products from a remote Mac, PC, or dedicated X terminal is just the same as if you are sitting at the console or keyboard of the compute server, within the limits of the speed of the network. Should the network be ethernet, the performance at the remote Mac or PC would be similar to that experienced directly at the console of the TNT compute server with the key attached.

For example, when a 500 Mb Priroda image is accessed by the TNT display process on the compute server, this server reads and computes the needed image and sends it into the X window on the local MI/X screen. The huge Priroda raster object does not move out to the local machine for this abstraction and display. X handles all the input windows you create in its interface, sends them for processing to the compute server, and gets back the resulting graphics, and constructs the windows. This is a small amount of data transfer at ethernet rates. Similarly all other GIS, IPS, and related applications of TNTmips will also execute on the remote server and send back and forth only your input and the portion you see on the screen to your local Mac, PC, X terminal, or workstation.

Apple Mac and Power Mac 7.1x and 7.5x

Rereleased. The Mac and Power Mac (PMac) versions of the TNT products are rereleased for use with MacOS 7.1x and 7.5x. All those who previously purchased earlier versions of the TNT products specifically for the Mac [e.g. products M45 or M50] will be upgraded to use these new versions.

A simple standard installation process is available for the Mac and Power Mac versions of the TNT products. It is described in more detail below in the section on Installation.

New Authorization Key. A new and simpler hardware authorization key is available for use with Mac and Power Mac versions of the TNT products. This key looks like a 6" piece of cable with a slight bulge in it like a snake that has swallowed a mouse. It is placed in the Apple Developer Bus (ADB) line which runs from the Mac computer to the keyboard and mouse. It simply plugs in "in line" to the keyboard and is forgotten about. Its distinct advantage is that it does not tie up one of the limited serial ports on the Mac computers. Its disadvantage is that it cannot be transferred to other kinds of computers for the alternate use of the TNT products on a PC or UNIX, since the ADB is strictly an Apple concept. Thus this new key is convenient, but restricts its owner to operating their TNT products on Mac and Power Mac computers. This is the key which will be shipped with all orders for the Mac or Power Mac versions of the TNT products due to its added convenience.

New X servers. These new TNT products are being shipped with the new MicroImages X servers (MI/X) for the Mac and Power Mac. These MI/X servers have been completely developed by MicroImages and are being placed in the public domain as these MI/X servers do not check the MicroImages hardware authorization key. This also means that they can be subsequently included and used to operate the Mac and Power Mac versions of the TNTatlas process on each CD. This was not previously possible as the price and license of the White Pine, Mac X, and other commercial X servers prevented their incorporation into an inexpensive, CD based distribution oriented licensed version (keyless version) of the TNTatlas product.

These MI/X servers replace the White Pine eXodus server that MicroImages previously purchased and supplied to clients with the Mac versions of the TNT products or the earlier Apple Mac X server which has not yet been released for the Power Mac. The MI/X versions for the Mac are also superior in performance, especially when operated locally, that is, when communicating with a TNT or other application process operating on the same Mac which is running the MI/X.

Remote Operation. It should also be emphasized again that both of these MI/X servers for the Mac can be used to run the TNT products remotely over an appropriate network. Some of you still may not be familiar with the remote versus local use of X, as it affects the TNT products in particular. The expanded network potential of the TNT products has no equivalent with other commercial products which use only the Microsoft Windows or Mac interfaces. These powerful aspects of the design of the TNT products were reviewed in the section above on the MI/X servers.

Interface Performance. The TNT products interface performance on the Mac is similar to that on a PC of comparable speed running under W31.

Memory Management. The MacOS is behind those of the workstations and W31, NT, and W95 in memory management as it cannot dynamically reallocate memory for or between processes (RAM doubler for the Mac does it to some extent). Thus each application you start on a Mac must have a specific block of memory allocated to it. Mac users are already familiar with using the "Get Info" dialog box to reset the preferred and recommended memory sizes of an application that has somehow indicated that it has run out of memory, usually by not running.

Eventually Apple will improve Mac memory management so that at the very least a process which has been suspended can release its unused memory to another process. Also remember that MacOS 7.5x and W31 give up control, if and when they feel like it, so that other tasks can run--a technique called cooperative multitasking. Thus MI/X, the window manager, and display are each separate TNT applications functioning in this fashion under W31 and MacOS 7.5x. UNIX, NT, and W95 all provide preemptive multitasking where they can interrupt the active task and switch to a new task at regular intervals grabbing available computing time as needed following automatic or controllable priorities.

Dynamic memory management and preemptive multitasking are the key technical improvements which Apple must now make in the MacOS 8.x (code-named Copeland) to continue to compete.

For the operation of any single application on the Mac, the TNT products use three processes: 1) the MI/X server, 2) the window manager, and 3) the application such as 2D Display. All these require fixed blocks of memory which have to be initially set up as defaults by MicroImages' software engineers. V5.20 of the TNT application processes have all been set to load in 5 Mb of memory each. The MI/X server has been set to default to use 4 Mb and the window manager to 2 Mb. With the use of a slim MacOS of 5 Mb all these will fit and TNTmips processes will routinely operate on a Mac with 16 Mb of total real memory. Two application processes will also run in 16 Mb but slower since you will be using virtual memory and not real memory. RAM doubler (see below) significantly increases the apparent amount of memory available to the processes and speeds the simultaneous use of 2 or more TNT processes and switching between them.

Unfortunately you have to be careful about managing memory on a Mac when running TNT processes. Unless you have more memory available than the common 16 Mb, you will need to keep the size of each TNT process to the minimum. However, Mac software in general and TNTmips processes specifically, are not forgiving about running out of memory. Thus it may be necessary for you to use the "Get Info" tool to raise the amount of memory available for any given application process which is asking for it or failing to complete a complex operation. This is not a common occurrence, but MicroImages has set the defaults of all application processes as low as possible, and under some circumstances, this default may be too low for a complex task.

Operational Performance. V5.20 of the TNT products for the Macs are faster than the previous releases (about 3 times faster than V5.10 on the same machine) due to the performance improvements provided by the introduction of MicroImages' MI/X servers. The new Metrowerks C CodeWarrior 7 was also used for this complete recompile of these new versions. It has also improved the performance of the TNT products and is required ($400) for the use of the TNTsdk for the Mac and Power Mac platforms.

It is easy to judge the performance the TNT products (and most others) on any platform. Processor speed in Megahertz seems to continually come back as the controlling factor. This is why manufacturers work so hard to advance it! Of course, advanced or poor motherboard design, hard drives, memory setup, display boards, operating system memory and task management, etc. can increase or decrease the effective "Megahertz" performance of a specific processor. (see PC Magazine table--page 191 enclosed) However, the simplest rule of thumb for judging the performance of any software in general, and TNT products in particular, is to compare them across Mac, PC, and workstation in terms of processor generation and speed. The TNT products are some of the few truly identical products compiled for all popular platforms without programming code modifications. The following logic is thus suggested by the performance of the TNT products for the Mac.

The Motorola 68030 and 68040 chips, when used with an optional math coprocessor (the 68881 and 68882), provide Macs which are contemporary with the PCs based upon the Intel 386 and 486 chip with integrated math coprocessors (remember, the 386SX and 486SX omitted the math coprocessor). Thus a Quadra 700 rated at 25 Mhz runs TNTmips 5.2 about the same as a PC using a 486DX at 25 Mhz. Similarly, a Quadra 800 using a 68030 rated at 33 Mhz runs TNTmips 5.2 about the same as a PC using a 486DX at 33 Mhz.

The latest Power PC based Macs based upon the PPC 604 chip may be contemporaries of the Pentium, P5, or 586-based PCs. Macs using the Motorola PPC 601 were introduced a year and a half ago by Apple (and subsequently those using the PPC 603) with a lot of marketing hype, claiming that they were twice as fast as the Pentium. Experience and testing by many has proved that this simply is not so. Power Mac computers based upon the PPC 601 compare along similar Megahertz ratings with 486DX-based PC computers. Thus a 100 Mhz PPC-based machine is similar in general to a 100 Mhz 486DX-based machine. Due to many factors, such as Apple's rushing out the earlier Power Macs to compete, 16-bit to 32-bit file I/O, no changes in the MacOS 7.5 from that used on the 68xxx, the earlier Power Mac 601-based machines function consistently slower than their contemporary Macs (e.g. Quadra 800, 840, and 950) which even operate at lower Megahertz ratings.

As a general rule of thumb, the TNT products provide the same performance on a Mac or Power Mac as a similarly configured PC with a comparable processor and Megahertz rating. The TNTmips products will not be practical on any 68xxx-based Mac which is earlier, and thus slower than a Quadra 700 (e.g. 68000 or 68020-based). The TNT products will not operate at all on a 68xxx-based Mac which does not have a math coprocessor, which was optional on most 68xxx-based Performas and some Quadras. Performas based on the PPC chips automatically have this accelerated math processing.

MicroImages as yet has been unable to measure the performance of the TNT products on a new fast Power Mac (like the 8500 or 9500). A Power Computing Power Mac clone is on order with a model 604 PPC chip of 132 Mhz. It is configured almost identically to our Gateway 133 Mhz Pentium machines running W31, NT, and W95. By the time you read this, MicroImages will have installed and tested the performance of TNTmips on this high-performance Mac.

At COMDEX 95 all the popular display board manufacturers (Matrox, ATI, Cardinal, STB, etc.) were demonstrating Mac drivers for their accelerated PCI bus-based boards for the PC. These are the same inexpensive display boards ($200 to $300) with 2 Mb of display memory (some VRAM some DRAM) that you will be buying this year for the PC and will significantly accelerate the Mac's display at the same low costs. MicroImages has just checked with several of these vendors in order to buy sample boards to test. Unfortunately the Mac drivers shown at COMDEX were beta versions and not yet ready for shipment.

Another collection of more expensive ($500 to $2500) and higher-performance display boards (more colors and color depth) is available now for the Power Macs with a PCI bus. These boards all provide from 1,600 or 1,920 by 1,200 pixels and 16 to 24 bits of color resolution via 4 to 6 Mb of VRAM. They are reviewed in the article: Fast on the Draw, If you've just bought one of Apple's new Power Macs, consider getting one of these superfast graphics cards to go with it. by Henry Bortman. In MacUser, January 1996, pages 97 to 104. Tables summarizing the characteristics and prices of these display boards are enclosed.

The switch of the Mac to the PCI bus will bring great rewards by allowing PC board manufacturers to easily extend their newest board level products without hardware change to the Mac platform (e.g. accelerated display boards, fast SCSI, etc.). MicroImages recommends against buying any new Apple Power Mac or clone which does not provide empty PCI bus slots, as their absence will severely limit access to these new Mac add-on devices at their familiar, lower PC prices.

Speed Doubler. The performance of V5.20 of the TNT products on the Mac and Power Mac may be improved by using the inexpensive Connectix Speed Doubler product. The amount of improvement depends upon the particular Mac or Power Mac being used. Speed Doubler increases the speed of loading and execution. If you do not have this Speed Doubler auxiliary product, it should be tried with all your applications!

RAM Doubler. The performance of V5.20 of the TNT products on the Mac and Power Mac can be improved by using the inexpensive Connectix RAM Doubler product. RAM Doubler replaces the native MacOS virtual memory with a faster variety. However, it also packs the memory being used, similar to a disk doubler, and thereby effectively increases the apparent real memory available as well.

Summary. A lean MacOS requires 3 to 4 Mb when loaded. Remember with MacOS 7.5 you can use the extensions manager to maintain various minimal skinny startup configurations even if you have to keep restarting to get to use each of them. When the MI/X, window manager and 2D Display are all loaded, they and the system just fit in 16 Mb. The MacOS does not provide dynamic memory allocation (RAM doubler does this to some extent). Thus MicroImages has set both the fixed and suggested memory for each TNT process to 5 Mb (you can reset this memory allocation if required). It is thus clear that TNTmips requires a Mac or Power Mac with a minimum of 16 Mb of real memory to operate. You can then add RAM doubler to dynamically allocate and virtualize this real memory to support starting more than one major process. If you do not have this auxiliary RAM doubler product, it should be tried with all your applications!

Windows NT 3.51

The X server (MI/X) for Windows NT (Intel and Alpha) has been significantly modified as part of the preparation of an MI/X for W95. Both of these are true 32-bit operating systems with almost identical graphics libraries (WIN32). It has thus been possible to create a single new 32-bit MI/X server which works with either NT or W95. This MI/X server is released with V5.20 and significantly improves performance for the NT version of TNTmips. The windows user interface, and thus the TNT interface for NT is slightly slower than when using W95 due to NT's additional overhead.

The single MI/X server for NT supports all color depths and resolutions supplied by your display board. If you have selected an 8-bit display driver, then MI/X senses and adjusts to this. If you have selected a 24-bit display driver, then MI/X operates in this mode. Thus you do not have to change MI/X servers if you change the display parameters used by NT.

NT is designed for installation in network environments with network cards installed. It has been difficult for those using NT on a PC without a network card to install TNTmips. This could be circumvented by installing NT so that it thinks that a network connection has been made (called the loopback modification). The new MI/X has been improved so that it no longer requires these special installation conditions. This has also resulted in improvements in the performance of the X/Motif interface in the TNT products for NT.

The revised MI/X for NT, just as its V5.10 predecessor, does not check the TNT products authorization key and is thus in the public domain. Thus any NT PC can be set up to run MI/X without a key and used to operate, via network, a TNTmips which has been installed on some other computer (workstations, PC, or Mac under its operating system). Try this powerful TNT feature on your NT network.

MicroImages is now able to recommend networks using NT on PCs as compute and/or file servers and remote lower cost PC client machines using MI/X with NT or W95 (i.e. as X terminals).

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The V5.20 of TNT products for NT on DEC Alpha stations is now updated to use NT3.51. As announced in the MicroImages MEMO which accompanied the release of V5.10 of the TNT products, Microsoft NT3.1 (Intel or Alpha) is no longer supported by the TNT products or the MicroImages software support engineers. Please invest the small amount of money needed to upgrade to Microsoft NT3.51 to eliminate the defects in version NT3.1. Also be sure to apply all NT3.51 patches to your NT system

Windows 95

A completely native V5.20 of all TNT products is available for use with W95. Due to the similarities in W95 and NT, no source code modifications were required. Microsoft C++ was used to compile a single version of all the TNT products including MI/X for installation and use with either W95 or NT! The only difference in the processes installed for NT or W95 is the new installation process, since their user interfaces are different and support different standard installation procedures.

Recommending W95. MicroImages recommends that the users of the TNT products under W31 upgrade to W95. W95 does not require more computer resources (drive space, memory, etc.) than you are currently using for W31. It has been stable for the use of TNTmips both in emulation mode (V5.10) and in native mode (V5.20), both of which severely tax and test W95. The TNTmips user interface is significantly faster under W95 than under W31. MicroImages has experienced no particular difficulty using other commercial W31 software in the emulation mode under W95 (PageMaker, Word, etc.). W95 has many of the standard network access features of NT built in. However, those who are still using older add-on equipment should proceed with caution and insure its operation (e.g. drivers) under W95 or in a W31 emulation mode (e.g. Trantor SCSI boards, TARGA video capture boards, older display boards, etc.).

Clients and MicroImages staff have been using the W31 version of the TNT products with W95 since its August release. No special errors have been reported by any of these users of V5.10 which were related to the use of W95 in the W31 emulation mode. Several sites reported very slow operation of TNTmips 5.1 in emulation mode under W95. In all cases this was traced to some W95 setup error on that computer. All this speaks well for W95 and TNTmips' robust design.

Running the W31 version of TNTmips 5.1 in emulation mode under W95 was found to increase performance in some areas. For example, displaying all of the TIGER vector object for Solano County, CA with solid color lines was faster. On a Pentium 120 Mhz using W31 without SMARTDRV, this display of the whole county directly from the San Francisco Atlas CD (quadspeed drive) takes about 5.5 minutes. With SMARTDRV set at 2 Mb, the same display takes 2.5 minutes. Using V5.10 under W95, the same display takes 30 seconds. This Solano County, CA vector object is on the new TNTatlas CD if you wish to repeat this test. Similarly compound displays of several layers are faster under W95. Many features of W95 account for such gains, especially the much better built-in memory cache (no more SMARTDRV), the automatic virtual drive, the faster CD driver support, and so on.

During the past quarter MicroImages has set up many of its own Pentiums so that they have W95, W31, and NT all installed. MicroImages' staff can thus choose to boot up under any one of these 3 systems and use them equally well with our internal network. Consistently our development, documentation, and support staff now boot into W95 and use that version of TNTmips. Why, because W95 provides a better and faster interface which helps them get their TNTmips tasks done sooner. All those using TNTmips have machines with 16 Mb of memory, and thus MicroImages recommends an immediate switch to W95 from W31.

MI/X performance. A native X server (MI/X) for Windows 95 is now available in V5.20. Since both W95 and NT are true 32-bit operating systems with almost identical graphics libraries (WIN32) a single MI/X server is now used with both these TNT products. This new MI/X for W95 server significantly improves performance for the W95 version of TNTmips over your previous use in V5.10 of the MI/X for W31. This is due in part to the fact that the new "native" MI/X for W95 server operates only in 32-bit mode with W95. The W31 server constantly switches between 32-bit TNT applications and a 16-bit mode in order to communicate with the 16-bit operation of W31 and DOS.

MicroImages has frequently pointed out that you have always been running 32-bit applications in TNTmips (classification, vector display, etc.) since you started. The use of 32-bit compilers and processes was incorporated into the TNT products from the onset over 3 years ago. As a result there are no direct numeric computation improvements in TNT processes when used under NT or W95. The improvements associated with using W95 are in the user interface performance, CD-ROM drivers, improved and automatic virtual memory, improved memory management and protection, better buffering, and so on.

The single MI/X server for W95 supports all color depth and resolutions supplied by your display board. If you have selected an 8-bit display driver, then MI/X senses and adjusts to this. If you have selected a 24-bit display driver, then MI/X operates in this mode. Thus you do not have to change MI/X servers if you change the driver used within W95.

How fast is the new W95 X server? It compares favorably with the operation of normal W95 interface on the same machine. On a Pentium with a modern display board it provides an X interface which is just as fast as a workstation. File lists scroll far more rapidly than you can read them. Windows move almost instantly. Text in dialog boxes flashes into place. It now requires about 2/3 the time to start or load to the main menu bar in the W95 version of TNTmips 5.2 compared to using W31 (about 9 seconds on a Pentium 120 Mhz to start TNTmips 5.2 in W95).

The MI/X server for W95 does not check the TNT products authorization key and is in the public domain. W95 also has built-in network support when used with a PC server equipped with NT. Thus any suitable W95 PC can be set up to run MI/X without a key and used to operate via network a TNTmips which has been installed on some other computer (workstations, PC, or Mac under its operating system). Just try this powerful feature unless you are already familiar with how X terminals work on UNIX-based workstations. MicroImages is now able to recommend network (LAN) setups which use W95 on PCs to operate as X terminals to manipulate TNTmips and other software on other compute servers (workstations, PCs, or Macs).

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that, as has been the case with the NT versions of the TNT products, the W95 version will run only with new gray hardware authorization keys or the red, green, or blue universal serial keys. The older black keys which still may be used with the W31 systems are not useable with W95 and must be returned to MicroImages for an exchange which costs $50 plus return shipping.

Installation

Completely new installation processes are provided for V5.20 of the TNT products for use with the Mac and Power Mac and NT and W95. Those for use with the Macs use the standard Apple process and are slow. Those for use with NT and W95 also follow the standard Microsoft procedures and thus now install very similarly to those provided for use with TNTmips 5.1 for the W31 version only. The W31, NT, and W95 installation procedures are now very fast. This makes it quite easy to temporarily install your key and TNT products on some other computer in your office, add the software to a portable, demonstrate the ease of use of TNTview or TNTatlas at a client site, remove a workstation key for temporary trial on a PC, and so on. Installations for use on the various workstation platforms remain about the same and use their respective scripts provided on the TNT products CDs.

* Faster / simpler installations.

Details on these new installation procedures are presented below. Sample installation times are as follows (all times are in minutes). TNTview and TNTatlas were installed "over the top" of TNTmips and shared components. They would take a little longer if installed independently.

for W31_ for NT _ for W95_ for Power Mac__

TNTmips 5.2 2:54 4:00 2:50 38:00 for all

TNTview 5.2 :18 :12 :18

TNTatlas 5.2 :15 :15 :15

Illustrations 4:40 2:00 2:26

_ used a standard Gateway Pentium 120 Mhz (16 Mb and quad speed CD)

__ used a standard Power Mac at 60 Mhz (16 Mb and dual speed CD)

TNT products used on a PC via W31, NT , or W95 no longer require or make any modifications in your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files. The need for the TNTPATH in your AUTOEXEC.BAT has been eliminated. This will simplify the installation of the TNT products for new clients. It also avoids some confusion for existing clients. However, those clients who already have V5.10 or earlier installed will have had this now unnecessary path inserted into the AUTOEXEC.BAT files by the earlier installation program. This TNTPATH can now be deleted from your AUTOEXEC.BAT. Specific instructions are noted below advising how to remove this previous modification. Clients using UNIX variants are not affected by this change.

* Installation via networks.

Those using W31, NT, and W95 can make easy "over the network" installations via NT, NFS, or almost any other network software. This is very convenient for client sites with system managers with a network upon which there are multiple local TNT clients. Simply place CD "A" for V5.20 of the TNT products on the CD-ROM drive of the network server or any other platform accessible from all needed locations. From the local client PC or on the network server select this CD-ROM drive and start the appropriate SETUP_xx.EXE process directly from the CD. The installation process for the W31, NT, and/or W95 versions will request the full path to CD "A" if the appropriate directories are not automatically found where the SETUP process expects them to be. Next, simply supply the full network/drive path to the directory where the installation will be made and it will be completed over the network onto the machine designated. If you have a number of local machines to upgrade you can speed up this approach by first copying the contents of the appropriate W31, NT, and/or W95 directories from the CD "A" onto any "published" hard drive on the network.

W31 Installation.

An improved standard W31 SETUP process is available to install the TNT products on the W31 platform. Simply use RUN from the "File" menu in the Program Manager and select the SETUP_31.EXE program in the root directory on CD "A". Then follow the instructions in the dialog boxes which lead you step by step through the installation of all the TNT products. The installation process will set up a Tnt_31 folder on the hard drive you designate and copy all the TNT processes, fonts, illustrations, etc. into this and appropriate subfolders. Upon completion you will also find that this new installation process has created and opened a TNT products program group on your desktop that contains three new and distinct TNT product icons. Mousing the new icon for TNTmips, TNTview, or TNTatlas will immediately launch that application.

A TNTPATH is no longer needed in your AUTOEXEC.BAT. You should clean up your AUTOEXEC.BAT file by editing it to delete the line looking like this: SET TNTPATH=C:\TNT. This line was inserted into your AUTOEXEC.BAT during the installation of all previous versions of the TNT products. Also remove the directory which was previously created when installing V5.10 or any earlier version of the TNT products and which is designated by the TNTPATH statement in AUTOEXEC.BAT.

* NT Installation.

A new, separate NT standard SETUP process is available to install the TNT products on the NT Intel and NT Alpha platforms. They operate identically to the installation process provided for W31. Simply use RUN from the "File" menu in the Program Manager and select the Setup_nt.exe (for NT on an Intel platform) or Setup_al.exe (for NT on a DEC Alpha platform) program in the root directory on CD "A". Then follow the instructions in the dialog boxes which lead you step by step through the installation of all the TNT products. The installation process will set up a Tnt_nt folder on the hard drive you designate and copy all the TNT processes, fonts, illustrations, etc. into this and appropriate subfolders. Upon completion you will also find that this new installation process has created and opened a TNT products program group on your desktop that contains three new and distinct TNT product icons. Mousing the new icon for TNTmips, TNTview, or TNTatlas will immediately launch that application.

* W95 Installation.

The new standard W95 installation process is even simpler than those provided for W31 and NT. It uses improved and simpler procedures enabled by new installation support features in W95. When you insert your CD "A" into the PC, a TNT products icon labeled Tnt_v520_a will appear on your main window and the setup folder will be opened. Mouse the icon labeled Setup_95.exe. This will automatically establish a Tnt_95 directory on the hard drive you designate and lead you step by step through the installation of all the TNT products. Upon completion you will find that this installation process has opened a TNT products folder on your desktop which contains three new and distinct TNT product icons. Mousing the new icon for TNTmips, TNTview, or TNTatlas will immediately launch that application.

* MacOS Installation.

A new process is provided for the installation of the TNT products on the Mac and Power Mac platforms using MacOS 7.1x and 7.5x. Insert your CD "A" into the Mac drive. Also insert the special installation floppy disk into the Mac. Then locate the TNT install icon on the floppy drive and mouse it to start the normal Mac installer. Simply follow the instructions in the dialog box provided. Upon completion you will find that the Mac installation process has created a TNT products 5.2 folder where you specified. All the TNT products are placed in this folder into a subfolder named TNT files. Do not move any of these components out of this TNT files folder as this is where the system expects to find them. You will also find in the TNT products 5.2 folder the three new and distinct TNT product icons. Mousing the new icon for TNTmips, TNTview, or TNTatlas will immediately launch that application.

Floppy Disk. The use of an auxiliary floppy disk for the V5.20 Mac and Power Mac installation processes is an exception to the normal self contained TNT CD based procedures for all other platforms. There was insufficient time this quarter to work out the procedures to get an Apple installation process to execute off the generic CD "A". These procedures will be resolved for the release of V5.30. In the meantime, simply use the installation on the floppy provided to all those with the Mac and Power Mac versions of TNTmips.

Any other client who wishes to install and try these Mac and Power Mac versions with their key can simply contact MicroImages or a Representative or Reseller to receive a copy of the Apple installation disk. The installation of the Mac versions by those using a PC requires that you already have a serial key (red, green, or blue) at the level D50 or higher. All those with serial keys on workstations can also make this installation.

Faster Installation and Loading. Installation on a Mac computer can be slow compared to that on a W31, NT, or W95 platform. MicroImages uses the standard installation program provided by Apple and which you already use for most other software products you install. This Apple process seems like it was designed a couple of years ago for the installation of smaller products from 5 or 10 floppy disks, and not for Microsoft Office or TNTmips 5.2 from CD-ROMs. Their approach first loads as much as it can from floppy disks (all for a few floppies) to memory or temporary drive space, then assembles it, then writes it to the hard drive. All this causes very degraded access to the CD. This program is very slow in creating and copying many small files such as the more than 1000 illustrations for the on-line documentation. This appears to be due to the poor buffering used by this program when accessing a CD-ROM.

Experimentation at MicroImages has shown that the installation of the TNT products on a Mac or Power Mac can vary over a range of 3 to 1 depending upon how many extensions you have active during installation. For example, under the best conditions with the minimum number of extensions active it takes 13 to 15 minutes to install all the TNT processes from a dual speed CD to a hard drive on a Power Mac 6100. It can take over an hour with the normal flock of extensions installed as is usual with a Mac.

Installation of the TNT products will take about 1/3 the time if only the needed extensions are loaded which include only Apple CD-ROM and Foreign File Access options. If you have Speed Doubler, then also load the extensions: Speed Access, Speed Copy, and Speed Emulator. Do not use High Sierra! Since it is one of the drivers which can be used by Foreign File Access, and not an independent extension, it must literally be removed from the Extensions folder. On a Mac or Power Mac you will normally have many more extensions turned on which will significantly slow down the installation of any software.

Tests also show that having many unused extensions loaded will slow down the startup or load times of each TNT process and other commercial software by up to 20%. Why this occurs requires further investigation as it is not yet known whether it is due to a specific extension or simply due to the total number of extensions loaded.

How slow is slow? If you follow all the advice above it will take less than 40 minutes to install TNTmips (11 minutes), TNTview (2.5 minutes), TNTatlas (2.5 minutes), the on-line documentation, and the illustrations on a standard Power Mac model 6100 (16 Mb memory and dual speed CD). If you simply go ahead and install with all extensions on etc., it may take 150 minutes for the same installation. This compares with 6 to 7 minutes to install all the same products and illustrations within W31, NT, or W95. Unfortunately, at present MicroImages can see little that can be done about this disparity between platform types until Apple provides a new standard installation process oriented toward CDs.

Apple Installation Error. There is an error present in Apple's Mac standard installation program which will affect the installation of the TNT products and others. If you want to install on any hard drive other than the one containing the system, then an "error of type 1" will occur when you mouse the "Destination Folder". This error can be avoided by going to the Control Panel for General Controls. In the lower right Documents box select either of the two choices other than the Documents folder. The three choices in this box determine the default locations for your Save As... actions: 1) Folder containing the application; 2) Last folder used in application (the obvious choice); or 3) Documents folder. Unfortunately this stupid Documents folder is the default set in this Documents box by the installation of the MacOS 7.5x system and will thus error in any attempt to install on a non-system (e.g. second) hard drive until changed.

UNIX Installations.

The Installation procedures for UNIX-based workstations remain the same as in V5.10. These scripts used to install UNIX workstations already follow the standard installation procedures on these platforms and continue to require only incremental changes to improve them.

Installed Sizes. Loading a full installation of TNTmips 5.2 onto your hard drive (exclusive of illustrations) requires the following storage space in megabytes. The illustrations will add another 22 Mb to these values.

PC using W31 90

PC using W95 110

PC using NT (Intel) 110

DEC using NT (Alpha) 107

Mac using MacOS 7.1 (680xx) 64

Power Mac using MacOS 7.5 (PPC 60x) 74

Hewlett Packard workstation using HPUX 100

SGI workstation using IRIX 126

Sun workstation using Solaris 1.x 91

Sun workstation using Solaris 2.x 82

DEC workstation using OSF/1 139

V5.20 of the TNT products for the DEC Ultrix, Data General Aviion, and IBM RS/6000 platforms are available upon special request for which a special CD will be produced.

Upgrading.

If you did not order TNTmips 5.2, and wish to do so now, please contact MicroImages by FAX, phone, or email to arrange to purchase your quarterly upgrade to V5.20. Upon receipt of your order, MicroImages will immediately supply you with an authorization code by return FAX. Entering this code when running the installation process will allow you to complete the installation and immediately start to use TNTmips 5.2 and the other TNT products.

If you do not have an annual subscription to TNTmips, you can purchase V5.20 under the elective upgrade plan at the cost in the table below. Please remember that new features have been added to TNTmips with each quarter. Thus, the more quarters you are behind V5.20, the higher your upgrade cost, up to a fixed limit. Upgrades from all previous versions of MIPS and TNTmips 4.7 or earlier are the same, fixed cost shown below. As usual, there is no special additional charge for the upgrade of your special peripheral support features, TNTlink, or TNTsdk which you may have added to your basic TNTmips system.

Within the NAFTA reselling area (Canada, U.S., and Mexico):

Product Code Price to upgrade from TNTmips: MIPS:

V5.10 V5.00 V4.90 V4.80 V4.70 any version

D30 to D60 (CDs) $250 450 600 700 750 750

D80 $375 675 900 1050 1125 1125

M50 (replaced U45) $250 450 600 700 750 750

U100 $450 800 1000 1200 1300

U200 $780 1400 1875 2200 2350

U300 $1030 1850 2475 2900 3100

For all other nations:

Product Code Price to upgrade from TNTmips: MIPS:

V5.10 V5.00 V4.90 V4.80 V4.70 any version

D30 to D60 (CDs) $300 560 750 875 940 940

D80 $425 800 1050 1225 1300 1300

M50 (replaces U45) $300 560 750 875 940 940

U100 $500 850 1050 1250 1350

U200 $830 1450 1925 2250 2400

U300 $1080 1900 2525 2950 3150

M50 is the new product code for the Apple Macintosh MacOS 7.1x and 7.5x versions and replaces their older designation as U45 for the Mac using A/UX.

TNTsdk ^® 5.2 for TNTmips 5.2

TNTsdk can now be easily installed on W31, W95, NT, and MacOS 7.1x and 7.5x based platforms using the new installation process described above. Please also make note that TNTsdkÆ is now a mark registered with the United States Government.

TIN toolkit.

A new suite of library functions is available for the creation, manipulation, and editing of TIN objects. These new functions have been the basis for additions to the TNT object editor to add new nodes and lines to TIN structure and provide a number of different methods for element deletion within TIN structure such as: node, triangle, and edge deletion with or without filling remaining areas with new triangles. These interactive editing features allow the creation of multiple-hull structures with one TIN object to define lakes and islands. All functions which operate on TIN objects automatically ensure topological integrity of the TIN model.

Compilers used.

The TNTsdk for W95 uses the Microsoft Visual C++ V2.2 sold for use with the W95 operating system. This is the same Microsoft compiler that has been used for the previous releases of the TNT products for use with the NT. Those planning to use the TNTsdk will need to use this version to compile a native application for both the W95 and NT platforms. Watcom C V9.0, 9.5, or 10.0 will continue to be the compiler used with the W31 versions of the TNT products and is still required for the use of TNTsdk. Remember that while TNTsdk lets you create portable source code for use on each platform, you must compile that code using the specific compiler required for each platform.

The Mac and Power Mac versions of the TNT products are complied with MetroWerks Code Warrior 7 C++. This single compiler can be used to compile native 16-bit applications on a Mac or native 32-bit applications on a Power Mac. Those planning to use the TNTsdk will need to use this C to compile native applications for Mac platforms.

TNTview ^TM 5.2

The new features available in TNTview mirror exactly the new features described below for the TNTmips display process (e.g. transparency, object icons, etc.). It has been decided by MicroImages that the following additional features available in TNTmips will also be made available in TNTview, probably with the release of V5.30 of the TNT products.

Import and Hot Linking.

TNTview clients will be able to use any raster, vector, CAD, TIN, and database import or hot linking process available in TNTmips. TNTview clients will not be able to use any export process as it is not the function of TNTview to assist in preparing data for use in some other competing system. The inclusion of flexible and varied import processes previously available only in TNTmips allows a wide variety of other commercial data sets to be imported and used as layers in the advanced spatial visualization processes in TNTview. The growing list of formats which can be linked to allow TNTview to immediately, directly, and uniquely use as layers the datasets created by other systems, even over networks. This modification to TNTview is not a major change and will be available during the next quarter for those eager to try it early.

SML support.

It is being debated at MicroImages whether to allow TNTview users to use SML scripts developed within TNTmips.

Color Printing.

As has been noted in a previous MEMO, a limited color printing capability is to be provided in TNTmips, TNTview, and TNTatlas, possibly within V5.30. A high priority for V5.30 is the support of the Microsoft Windows generic printer drivers used with W31, NT, and W95. When these drivers are available in the TNT products, together with the existing Postscript capabilities, most color printers will be useable by TNTmips. The limitation on the new, no-cost color printing features to be incorporated into all TNT products will be that only what can be displayed on the screen can be printed. Larger format map and poster products will still be controlled by the optional printer support feature extensions and restricted to TNTmips.

Installation.

TNTview can now be easily independently installed on W31, NT, W95, and the MacOS 7.1x and 7.5x based systems using the same simple new installation procedure provided for use in TNTmips 5.2. With your TNTmips or TNTview authorization key attached, simply select to install TNTview from the appropriate product list presented by the appropriate installation process.

TNTatlas^TM 5.2

TNTatlas can now be easily independently installed on W31, NT, W95, and the MacOS 7.1x and 7.5x based systems using the same simple new installation procedure provided for use in TNTmips 5.2. With your TNTmips, TNTview, or TNTatlas authorization key attached, simply select to install TNTatlas from the appropriate product list presented by the appropriate installation process.

TNTatlas ^TM sampler of San Francisco

Your new Prototype2 San Francisco TNTatlas and its simple installation reference card is enclosed. This sampler is still considered a work in progress. Not just for the software, but how one designs an atlas, which is analogous to designing a home page on the World Wide Web. When preparing a TNTatlas, you end up being a producer of a multimedia product, but one designed specifically to support the needs and interests of the potential users of the geographic and related image materials it contains.

The new atlas is simpler to install on all platforms. It contains more artistic and attractive index screens. It is also much faster in the display of large raster data, since the large rasters it contains are pyramided and tiled. On a Pentium 120 or 133 Mhz using W95 it takes only 3 or 4 seconds to display any portion of the single band images on this sampler from a quad speed CD drive. Rasters now display so fast that the display of vector objects seems slow by comparison and thus vector display is the focus of thought on how it might be improved.

Prototype2 still lacks the TNTatlas software to operate it on the Mac and Power Mac platforms. MicroImages now has its own X server for the Mac which can be included on the Prototype3 sampler CD. However, as has been pointed out earlier, the process for the direct installation of the TNT products from a CD using a program also on the same CD has not yet been perfected by MicroImages.

The new color image on Prototype2 of the label of San Francisco TNTatlas CD is well known to all who have visited San Francisco as the Golden Gate Bridge, which occurs in many of the objects. Unfortunately the color San Francisco Bridge image on this CD is pale and washed out due to a MicroImages error in the form that the image file was transferred to the CD at the duplication plant.

No manualette is available for Prototype2. It may not be needed except perhaps in the operation of special tools (e.g. measurements).

REMINDER. Pizzazz Plus and many other products can print any color screen which you save to the clipboard at any point during the operation of this sample TNTatlas. Alternately you can use the ALT and then the PRINTSCRN keys to copy the screen to the windows clipboard and subsequently paste the contents of the clipboard into any paint program for Windows (works even better under W95 than W31 or NT).

TNTdemo ^TM 5.2

The TNTdemo for the unlimited use of all the TNT products for 30 days can now also be used with the Apple Mac and Power Mac and W95 platforms. The standard "A" and "B" CDs used to release V5.20 of the TNT products now contain these new products for use via a TNTdemo key.

PRICE CHANGE. A minor but significant change is made in the cost of the TNTdemo. Previously the $200 prepaid charge was only refunded if the end client purchased a TNT product and returned the TNTdemo authorization key. Now the return of the key will be all that is necessary to receive the $200 refund check (but not the shipping charge). There is no requirement to subsequently purchase a TNT product to receive the refund. Nothing else is changed in the TNTdemo program except for this guaranteed refund when the authorization key is returned for reuse. The promotional paperwork for this product will not be changed at present to reflect this small but important change.

This policy change will be of most benefit to those potential clients who wish to try the TNT products. Often those working for larger organizations have difficulty in convincing their superiors to commit to the $200 as it is seen as a commitment to ultimately purchase. This change makes it less committal to try TNTmips and easier to find the dollars (even in one's own pocket) since it will eventually be refunded.

The change will be of even greater benefit to Representatives and Resellers who can now pay the $200 on behalf of a potential client (bottom one half of the order form). After the TNTdemo 30 day period is over, the $200 can then be recouped by the return of the authorization key to MicroImages. It will still be required that the prospective client complete (or the Rep/Reseller complete for them) the order form and that the client signs the order form acknowledging that they understand the terms of use of the TNTdemo package.

On-Line Documentation

Effort continues at a good pace to catch the on-line documentation up with the changes in the interface of TNTmips. Initial draft documentation is available for all the new processes released in V5.20 and the Ortho/DEM process which was not documented in V5.10. The size of the printed version has increased to 2068 single spaced pages.

Four last minute documentation sections were completed for V5.20 after the master CDs were created for the reproduction process. These 75 additional pages are included in supplemental, printed form as follows.

Manipulating Database Information in 2-D Display (12 pages)

Create and Edit Tin Objects in Object Editor (13 pages)

Stereoscopic Modeling (34 pages)

Kriging (16 pages)

Tutorial

Two MicroImages U.S. Resellers have now prepared a tutorial for TNTmips which can be purchased separately from them. A sample lesson reproduced from this tutorial together with information on how to order it from them is enclosed. It is designed to assist in the teaching of undergraduates and advanced high school students in the use of TNTmips for spatial analysis in 26 lessons. This tutorial is also useful for other professionals just getting started with TNTmips without any formal TNTmips training.

New TNTmips Application Features

* Paragraphs or main sections preceded by this symbol "*" introduce significant new processes, or features in existing processes, which are released for the first time in TNTmips 5.2.

System Level.

* When defining the moveable ToolBars the user may now specify the command to be executed. This allows the easy addition of non-TNT processes to the TNTmips Toolbars.

* TrueType fonts can now be directly selected and used for text in any TNT process and product. The new MicroImages internationalized TrueType font rendering engine makes this possible. This rendering engine is used within all the TNT products on every platform (Macs, PCs, and workstations). Simply copy your favorite 1- or 2-byte TrueType fonts to your fonts subdirectory, and they will be immediately available for selection by name from within TNTmips. Alternatively, if the font(s) is already located somewhere on your system for use with other software, simply locate it for the TNT product the first time you wish to use it. The older bird or outline fonts provided with each TNTmips can also still be selected.

The separate TIN profile process no longer exists. Support for TIN profiling has been added to Measurement tools in 2D Display where there is one integrated process showing profiles of raster and TIN objects and layers. Showing profiles for TIN objects previously allowed only the use of straight lines. The modified measurement tools version displays profiles of any shape available including circular and polyline shaped tools. There is also a new option on "Profile View" dialog that allows saving the profile in the text file including x, y coordinates, cumulative distance, and z-value.

User Interface.

* Fixed Toolbars. The fixed Toolbars introduced with V5.00 with 16 by 16 pixel small push button icons and associated ToolTips have been added to additional processes. Among them are new, symbolic icons representing generic raster, vector, CAD, TIN, text, and database objects. The most obvious place these are used is for 3 toolbars in the Display window where they help you select the object type to be used. For example, in the layer subsection, mouse the raster icon if you wish to select a raster object as your layer. These small generic object icons are also incorporated as part of larger 32 by 32 pixel icons. For example a 32 by 32 pixel icon showing a vector object icon in the upper left corner and a raster icon in the lower left is used to represent the vector to raster conversion process.

There are now a total of 138 of the 16 by 16 pixel small icons in TNTmips 5.2 (increased from 115 in V5.10). A 3 page reference chart of the V5.20 small icons is attached to this MEMO. The small icons which are newly introduced with V5.20 are specifically indicated. These icons can also be directly viewed with a more expanded description in Appendix 2 of the on-line documentation

Custom Toolbars. Large icons can now be placed on any moveable toolbar to initiate direct export of rasters to each external format (ERDAS, PCI, TIFF, etc.). You will also find an expanding collection of large icons available to represent the import, export, linking, conversion, and copying of objects. Three pages of color illustrations of these icons and their uses are attached for your quick review. Wherever possible the design of the icon contains the icon of the other commercial products and the action to be taken. For example a 32 by 32 pixel icon representing the import of a DXF file is made up of a 16 by 16 pixel AutoCAD logo icon and a 16 by 16 pixel icon representing a generic TNT CAD object with a curved arrow to represent importing. Similarly the same icon composition with a link would represent performing a hot link from a CAD object to a DXF file and so on for copying and exporting using related symbolism.

* Hot Link to AutoCAD *.DXF.

It is no longer necessary to import a *.DXF file in TNTmips. Simply establish a hot link to incorporate the *.DXF file as a CAD object in any Project File. Every process which opens and reads this CAD object from that Project File will function just as if the linked object had been imported. So far hot links have been established for most raster formats and the MIF/MID and DXF CAD formats. The next hot link added will be to a topological vector object, probably the USGS *.DLG format.

2D Viewing.

* The polygons displayed from a vector object can now be displayed with transparent color fills. The style settings of the polygon designate the solid color fill for the polygon and the transparency level of it. However, the designed transparency level of all polygons can be toggled on and off at the actual time of display by using the transparency effects toggle button on the Options menu in the 2D Display process. For example, if the polygons are the only layer displayed, then set the toggle to display them as solid. Alternately, if the same polygons are displayed as a layer over a raster then make them transparent. A color print illustrating the use of such transparent fills is attached to this MEMO.

* Small icons have been added to the main control window for commonly used operations. These operations include opening, saving, and printing layouts, adding, removing, raising, lowering, hiding, unhiding layers and groups and creating various layer types.

A layer which has been previously hidden is now indicated in the layer list by a minus (-) sign preceding the layer name.

The display of a vector layer now allows the selection and display of "enhanced" text for labels in addition to the other available modes (italics, bold, outline, ...). The enhanced text mode allows the use of a 2-color character rendering. This provides a character outline in one color while the interior of the character is filled with a separate color. This enhanced kind of color text insures that the letters will show up on a complex color image background.

* Line patterns can now be designed to have either flat and rounded ends for continuous or dashed lines.

The Raster Correlation window now allows the display of any "line" for which an equation will also be shown.

The tool for examining the values in individual raster cells now also allows manual editing of the values in the cells. This feature is now also available for all data types.

The Map Coordinates display now allows all available distance units. Previously only feet and meter units could be displayed.

Color maps may now be saved for binary raster objects. This avoids complications when other processes subsequently use such raster objects and use their color map subobjects.

*Pin Mapping

Pin mapping can now move an existing pin to a new location, change its style, and all other characteristics controlled by its attributes. With Examine Attributes selected you are shown the single record display for any pin you select. Now simply select and edit any field in this record. For example, enter a new X and Y value. Your next action such as selecting a new pin to edit, closing the table, selecting a new tool, etc. will show the pin in its new location. Another useful edit would be to simply edit in a new style for the pin.

A new pin can be added to an existing pin map display layer. Choose the New Record menu option. Then fill out the attribute fields for that pin's style, location, and other desired fields. Your next action such as selecting a new pin to edit, closing the table, selecting a new tool, etc. will show the pin in its new location.

The labels used in pin mapping can now be more intuitively created when using queries by simply using the print() or printf() query commands instead of creating a "Label$" string.

Point Symbols.

* A collection of 472 pre-made point symbols is now available. Two color pages are attached displaying the contents of this collection. Since some parts of some of the symbols are white, they have been displayed on these pages as legends over a blue background using Map and Poster Layout.

Each group of related symbols on the attached charts (circles, diamonds, etc.) is a style object. The individual names next to each symbol on the prints are the style name and also the symbol name. If you want to select one of these symbols, simply select this name. Since it is also the style name, you can also use a query to assign this drawing style.

This symbol collection was completed at the last minute when the packing and shipping operation for V5.20 was underway. Thus, you will need to make a special effort to obtain the symbols for use this quarter. If you want this supplemental symbol set, please request a new STDSTYLE.RVC (standard symbol set) from MicroImages' Software Support, and it will be airmailed to you on a floppy. It can also be downloaded via FTP from ftp.microimages.com. After you have this new symbols file, delete the STDSTYLE.RVC you currently have installed (dated 18 May 95 or earlier) and copy the new file of the same name to the same location. However, be careful if you have created your own point, line, or polygon styles and inadvertently saved them into the existing STDSTYLE.RVC. Please note that you should be storing any styles you create in a separate *.RVC file (e.g. MY_STYLE.RVC). Otherwise, each time a new version of TNTmips is installed, you will lose the special styles you have created.

Video Digitizing.

The automatic interval capture (intervalometer) feature available in DOS MIPS has been implemented for TNTmips.

You will also find information enclosed on the "SNAPPY" video capture device which can be attached to a parallel port (but not to the TNT key!). This $200 device is available at most discount computer stores such as Best Buy and quite effectively replaces any need for the expensive, messy Truevision TARGA boards in airvideo and other video applications. It is supplied with a TWAIN driver and thus it is anticipated that this new device will be directly supported by V5.30 for video capture in much the same fashion as the TARGA display boards.

Georeferencing.

An option has been added to create a simple affine georeference for rasters based upon the selection of a specific corner and the entry of a cell size. This information is often available for rasters which are imported from public-domain datasets.

Combine Rasters.

This process and its interface have been rewritten to current standards. It is now easier to select and enter parameters, defaults are retained, etc.

Importing Rasters.

The MicroBrian raster format can now be imported or linked to.

The georeference material which accompanies the ER-Mapper format is now imported into a georeference subobject if the map projection is selected from the list provided.

An option has been added so that during import of TIFF files the red and blue bands can be swapped. Service bureaus and other software products cannot seem to ag

Release of V5.20 TNT products
December 1995

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. MI/X (MicroImages' X Server)

III. Apple Mac and Power Mac 7.1x and 7.5x

IV. Windows NT 3.51

V. Windows 95

VI. Installation

VII. TNTsdk^{^®} 5.2 for TNTmips 5.2

VIII. TNTview^{^TM} 5.2

IX. TNTatlas^{^TM} 5.2

X. TNTatlas^{^TM} 5.2 sampler of San Francisco

XI. TNTdemo^{^TM}5.2

XII. On-Line Documentation

XIII. Tutorial

XIV. New TNTmips Application Features

XV. Changes in Distribution of TNT products

XVI. New Image Printers/Plotters Supported

XVII. Computers

XVIII. Promotional Activities

XIX. Staff Additions

XX. AUW8

XXI. Testimonials

Color Plates

Release of V5.20 TNT products December 1995

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

XI. TNTdemoTM 5.2

Color Plates

Release of V5.20 TNT products
December 1995

XI. TNTdemo^{^TM}5.2