SURFER Help Index
Surfer Help provides you with access to all information on commands, procedures and topics about the Surfer program.  You can click any of the icons below for information on that part of Surfer, or press F1 for information on how to use Help.

Plot Windows

Plot windows contain the commands for creating and modifying grid files, and for creating all types of maps.

Worksheet Windows

Worksheet windows contain the workspace for creating, viewing, editing, and saving data files.

Editor Windows

Editor windows contain the workspace for creating, viewing, editing, and saving text files.

GS Scripter

GS Scripter allows you to write macros for automating tasks in Surfer.

General Topics

Dialog Box Keys

Getting Technical Support

Glossary

Reporting Help System Problems


Mapping and Gridding Topics

Anisotropy

Area Calculations

ASCII Data Files

Atlas Boundary [.BNA]

Attributes - Fill and Line

AutoCAD DXF Drawing [.DXF] Export

AutoCAD DXF Drawing [.DXF] Import

Axes

Blanking [.BLN] Files

Boundary Files

Clipping of Maps

Compuserve Bitmap [.GIF]

Copying and Pasting Maps and Surface Plots

Cuts and Fills

Cuts and Fills Volumes

Data Treatment

DCX (Multi-page PCX) [.DCX]

Drawing Objects

Editor Window

Encapulated Postscript Bitmap [.EPS]

Files

Fill Attributes

Golden Software Blanking [.BLN]

Golden Software Boundary [.GSB]

Golden Software PlotCall [.PLT]

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Grid Lines on an Axis

Gridding Methods

Gridding Methods, Recommendations for Choosing

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

HPGL Files

Inverse Distance

JPEG Compressed Bitmap [.JPG]

Kriging

Level [.LVL] Files

Line Attributes

Macros

Math Text Instruction Overview

Math Text Instruction Syntax

Math Text Instructions

Mathematical Functions

Minimum Curvature

Moving Objects

Net Volume

Number of Original Data Points During Gridding

Numeric Format

Object ID

Objects

Options Dialog Boxes

Page Layout

PCX (ZSoft/Paintbrush) [.PCX]

PICT (Macintosh) Bitmap [.PCT]

Plot Commands

Plot Keys

Plot Mouse Techniques

Plot Screen Regions

Polylines and Polygons

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Resizing Objects

Rotating Objects

Search Ellipse

Search Options

Search Options Dialog Box

Search Rules

Search Type

Selecting Objects

Selection Handles

Set [.SET] File Format

Set [.SET] Files Overview

Set File Fill Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Setting Map Limits

Shepard's Method

Smoothing During Gridding

Status Bar

Surfer [.SRF] Files

Symbols

Tagged Image (TIFF) [.TIF]

Targa (TrueVision) [.TGA]

Ticks and Tick Labels

Toolbar

Triangulation with Linear Interpolation

USGS Digital Line Graph [.LGO]

Viewing Maps and Pages

Volume and Area Calculations

Window Types

Windows Bitmap [.BMP]

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Export

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Import

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Export

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Import

WordPerfect Bitmap [.WPG]

Worksheet

XYZ Data Files


Mapping and Gridding Procedures

Overview of Mapping and Gridding Procedures

Gridding and Mapping Commands

Gridding and Related Procedures

Blanking a Grid File

Calculating the Z Value at a Point on the Surface

Calculating Residuals

Combining Grid Files using Grid Math

Computing Volumes and Areas

Creating a Grid File

Creating Profile Lines

Gridding a Function

Smoothing a Grid File

Mapping Procedures

Changing Map Orientation

Changing the Scale of a Map or Surface Plot

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating a Surface Plot

Creating a Contour Map

Creating Base Maps

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Displaying Axes

Displaying Several Maps on a Page

Map Clipping and Map Limits

Masking Contours

Moving Axes

Placing Boundaries on a Map

Posting Data Points

Scaling a Map or Surface Plot

Stacking Surfaces

General Procedures

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Arranging Windows

Breaking Apart Objects

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Combining Objects

Computing Volumes and Areas

Copying and Pasting Maps and Surface Plots

Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

Creating DXF Files

Creating Encapsulated Postscript [.EPS] Files

Creating HPGL files

Creating Profile Lines

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

Deleting Maps from an Overlay

Displaying Several Maps

Displaying Several Maps on a Page

Drawing Objects

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Editing Patterns

Exiting Surfer

Gridding

Grouping Objects

Macros

Mixing Colors

Moving Maps

Moving Objects

Moving Plots into Other Applications

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Printing

Reshaping Polylines and Polygons

Resizing Maps

Resizing Objects

Rotating Objects

Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Selecting Objects

Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line

Viewing Maps and Pages


Worksheet Procedures and Topics

Worksheet Window Overview

Active Cell

Active Cell Edit Box

Arranging Windows

Asterisk

ASCII [.DAT] Files

Cell Edit Box

Clearing Data and Leaving Cells Empty

Column Labels

Copying Data

Cutting Data

Data File Formats

Deleting Cells, Columns or Rows

Deleting Data and Shifting Data to Fill the Empty Cells

Desktop

Editing Data

Entering Data

Equations

Exiting Surfer

File Formats

Inserting Cells, Columns or Rows

Marking Cells

Marking Cells with the Keyboard

Marking Cells with the Mouse

Mathematical Functions

Maximize Icon

Merging Files

Minimize Icon

Opening a Worksheet Window

Restore Icon

Row Labels

Scroll Bar

Selecting Worksheet Cells

Sorting Data

Status Bar

SYLK [.SLK] Files

Title Bar

Transforming Data

Undo Command

Window Sizing Border

Worksheet Commands

Worksheet Error Messages

Worksheet Formulas

Worksheet Keys

Worksheet Mouse Techniques

Worksheet Screen Regions

Worksheet Scroll Bars

XLS and WK1 Files


Mouse Techniques

Moving Objects

Resizing Objects

Selecting Objects


COMMAND MENUS
Plot Commands

File 	Contains commands for opening and saving files, printing a map or surface, and changing print options, and opening new document windows.

Edit 	Contains Clipboard commands, and miscellaneous editing commands.

View 	Contains commands controlling the view of the current document window.

Draw 	Creates text blocks, polygons, polylines, symbols, and shapes.

Arrange 	Contains commands controlling the ordering and orientation of objects.

Grid 	Contains commands for creating and modifying grid files.

Map 	Contains commands for creating and modifying maps.

Window 	Controls multiple document windows.

Help 	Provides access to help topics.

The Application Control menu commands control the size and position of the application window.

The Document Control Menu commands control the size and position of the document window.


Arrange Menu Commands

Move to Front	Moves selected objects in front of other objects.

Move to Back	Moves selected objects behind other objects.

Combine	Combines selected objects.

Break Apart	Breaks apart selected objects.

Rotate	Rotates objects to a specified angle.

Free Rotate  	Rotates an object using the mouse.

Align Objects	Aligns objects within a bounding rectangle.


Arrange Align Objects

The Align Objects command is used to align selected objects relative to the bounding box surrounding the objects.  The objects may be aligned both vertically and horizontally.

*	Horizontal Left aligns all selected objects along the left side of the bounding box.

*	Horizontal Center centers all selected objects between the left and right sides of the bounding box.

*	Horizontal Right aligns all selected objects along the right side of the bounding box.

*	Vertical Top aligns all selected objects along the top side of the bounding box.

*	Vertical Center centers all selected objects between the top and bottom sides of the bounding box.

*	Vertical Bottom aligns all selected objects along the bottom side of the bounding box.


Arrange Break Apart

The Break Apart command is used to separate objects that have previously been combined into a composite object.  When you break apart objects that have previously been combined using the Combine command, the Object ID for each object is reset to the default value.


Arrange Combine

The Combine command is used to group several independent objects into one composite object.  Composite objects can be a combination of several types of objects, and can be moved or resized as a single object, and can be assigned a single Object ID.  You can simultaneously set the attributes for all components in a composite object

See also:

Break Apart


Arrange Free Rotate

The Free Rotate command is used to revolve selected objects around the center of the bounding box by dragging the mouse.  Several selected objects are rotated about the center of the group.  Individual objects are rotated about the center of the object.  The relative rotation is displayed on the status bar if both the Status Bar and Dimensions checkboxes are switched on in the Preferences dialog box accessed from the File menu.

After selecting this command, the cursor changes to indicate rotate mode.  Press and hold Button 1 inside the bounding box of the selected object(s).  Drag the mouse to rotate the bounding box.  When the desired rotation is obtained, release Button 1.

To cancel the current rotation, press ESC.  Pressing ESC a second time allows you to exit the Free Rotate mode.

Angles displayed in the Status Bar are in decimal degrees.  Angles increase in a counter-clockwise direction, starting at 0 degrees pointing right on the page.

See Also:

Rotate

Selecting Objects

Rotating Objects


Arrange Move to Back

The Move to Back command is used to change the order in which objects are drawn on the page.  Objects that are drawn first might be obscured by objects that are drawn later.  The Move to Back command moves all selected objects to the back of the page while maintaining their relative page position.  These objects are drawn first and appear beneath all other objects on the page.

You can use this command to select an object that is obscured by another object.  First select the top object, then move it to the back and select the desired object.

See Also:

Move to Front Command

Selecting Objects


Arrange Move to Front

The Move to Front command is used to change the order in which objects are drawn on the page.  Objects that are drawn first might be obscured by objects that are drawn later.  The Move to Front command moves all selected objects to the front of the page while maintaining their relative page position.  These objects are drawn last and appear on top of all other objects on the page.

See Also:

Move to Back Command

Selecting Objects


Arrange Rotate

The Rotate command is used to display the Rotate dialog box, allowing you to revolve selected objects around the center of the bounding box by entering a rotation value.  Angles increase in a counter-clockwise direction, starting at 0 degrees pointing right on the page.  Several selected objects are rotated about the center of the group.  Individual objects are rotated about the center of the object.

See Also:

Free Rotate

Rotating Objects


Draw Menu Commands

Text	Creates a text block

Polygon	Creates a  closed polygon

Polyline	Creates a  polyline

Symbol	Creates a centered symbol

Rectangle	Creates a rectangle

Rounded Rect	Creates a rounded rectangle

Ellipse	Creates an ellipse

Line Attributes	Changes the default line attributes or line attributes of selected objects.

Fill Attributes	Changes the default fill attributes or the fill attributes of selected objects.

Text Attributes	Changes the default text attributes or the attributes of the selected text.

Symbol Attributes	Changes the default symbol attributes or the attributes of the selected symbol.


Draw Text

The Text command adds text at any location in the Plot window.  When you choose the Text command, the pointer indicates you are in the text mode and allows you to specify a position for the text block when it is drawn on the screen.  Click Button 1 to define the position for the text block, and the Text dialog box appears allowing you to type in the text, and to specify the text attributes.  When you click OK, the text you entered in the dialog box appears in the Plot window at the position you specified.

You can modify an existing text block by double-clicking the text to display the Text dialog box.  This allows you to edit the text, or to change the typeface, point size, style, color, and alignment for the selected text.  The text can be moved and resized using the mouse, and can be rotated using the Rotate or Free Rotate commands from the Arrange menu.

To change the attributes of several text blocks at one time, select all the text blocks to be changed, then choose the Text Attributes command.  The changes you make in the Text Attributes dialog box are applied to all selected text blocks.

Text blocks can include special non-printing codes (called Math Text Instructions) that change text string attributes, such as the typeface, size, color, and style (bold, italic, strikethrough and underlined), within a single text block.  Math text instructions are typed in the text edit box of the Text dialog box, but do not appear in the Plot window.  Instead, the instructions are interpreted to control the appearance of the text.  Math text instructions are useful for placing mathematical equations on a map, or creating custom axis titles using mixed Greek and Roman characters.

See Also

Keystrokes Used When Entering Text

Math Text Instructions

Object Types

Text Attributes

Text Dialog Box

Toolbar


Text Dialog Box
The Text Dialog Box

To add a text block in a Plot window, click the Text tool in the toolbar, or choose the Text command from the Draw menu.  The pointer changes to indicate that you are in text mode.  Move the pointer to the position marking the upper left corner of the text block, click Button 1, and the Text dialog box appears.  Type the desired text in the Text dialog box edit box.  Click on OK to draw the text block in the Plot window,  or click Cancel to exit the text mode without typing the text.  To modify an existing text block, double-click the text block and the Text dialog box is displayed.

The Face drop-down list box displays a list of typefaces available to Surfer.  To change the typeface, click the drop-down list box, and click the desired face from the list.

The Points edit box sets the point size.  Either type the size in the edit box, or click the up and down arrows to incrementally change the point size.

The Style group changes the style of the text.  When the checkboxes are checked, Surfer creates a font with the requested styles.  You can use any combination of the styles, although some styles might not be available for certain fonts.  In this case, the style is not applied.

The Alignment group aligns the text block horizontally and vertically, and justifies the text when more than one line of text is present in the text block.  You can use any combination of horizontal and vertical alignment.

When you initially create a text block, you click in the Plot window at the position you want the text block to appear.  The point at which you click is the reference point for the text, an invisible point placed in the Plot window.  The text block you create is aligned relative to this reference point.  The reference point is moved whenever you subsequently move the text block.

*	The horizontal alignment drop-down list box positions the bounding box relative to the initial reference point for the text block, and also justifies the text within the bounding box.  All lines of text are aligned at either the Left, Center, or Right limits of the bounding box.

*	The vertical alignment drop-down list box moves the text in an up and down sense relative to the reference point.  The text block is aligned vertically at the Top, Baseline, or Bottom of the text block.

The Color palette specifies the color for the text.  Click on the color from the palette to select the color, and the selected color becomes highlighted.  You can use the scroll bars to display more colors.  The name of the selected color is also indicated.

The Sample box provides a sample of the text, displaying all the specified attributes.

The text edit box allows you to type in the text that appears in the Plot window.  You can use the Clipboard to cut, copy and paste text to and from the edit box.

The text you enter can contain math text instructions that appear in the edit box, but are not included in the Plot window.  The math text instructions are interpreted by Surfer and control the appearance of the text as it appears in the Plot window.

See Also

Draw Text

Keystrokes Used When Entering Text

Math Text Instructions

Object Types

Text Attributes

Toolbar


Keystrokes When Entering Text

The following keystrokes can be used when entering text:

BACKSPACE	Erases a character to the left of the cursor or erases all marked characters.

DEL	Erases a character to the right of the cursor or erases all highlighted characters.

SHIFT+DEL	Cuts the highlighted text to the Clipboard.

CTRL+INS	Copies the highlighted text to the Clipboard.

SHIFT+INS	Pastes the highlighted text to the Clipboard.

ARROW	Moves in the direction of the arrow.

CTRL+LEFT ARROW	Moves to beginning of previous word.

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW	Moves to beginning of next word.

SHIFT+LEFT ARROW	Highlights the previous character.

SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW	Highlights the next character.

SHIFT+CTRL+LEFT ARROW	Highlights the previous word.

SHIFT+CTRL+RIGHT ARROW	Highlights the next word.

SHIFT+UP ARROW	Highlights a line.

SHIFT+DOWN ARROW	Highlights a line.

HOME	Moves to beginning of line.

CTRL+HOME	Moves to beginning of text block.

SHIFT+CTRL+HOME	Highlights to beginning of text block.

END	Moves to end of  line.

CTRL+END	Moves to end of text block.

SHIFT+CTRL+END	Highlights to end of text block.

CTRL+ENTER	Begins a new line.

See Also:

Draw Text

Math Text Instructions

Object Types

Text Attributes

Text Dialog Box

Toolbar


Draw Polygon

The Polygon command is used to create a closed multi-sided shape.  Polygons can display any fill pattern and line style.  Polygon attributes can be changed by double-clicking on a completed polygon.

When you choose the Polygon command, the cursor changes to indicate you are in the Polygon mode.  Move the cursor to the start of the polygon to create and click to anchor the first vertex.  Keep adding points by clicking the mouse at each position until the polygon is complete.  You can also hold down Button 1 and a nearly continuous stream of vertices is added to the polygon as the pointer is moved across the screen.  Press ENTER and the polygon is automatically closed by connecting the first point and the last point created.

If you hold down the CTRL key the vertex placement is constrained so the line segments produced are limited to 45 degree angle increments.

As you are drawing a polygon, you can click Button 2 to remove the last vertex added, and repeatedly click Button 2 to remove several vertices in reverse order.

Pressing ESC allows you to exit the Polygon mode without completing the current polygon.

If the cursor touches the window border while drawing a polygon, Surfer automatically scrolls the drawing into view.

See Also:

Drawing Objects

Polylines and Polygons

Fill and Line Attributes

Fill Attributes Command

Line Attributes Command

Object Types

Toolbar


Draw Polyline

The Polyline command is used to draw a line at any position on the page.  Lines drawn in this manner can have as many segments as desired.  Polylines can display any line style or color and can include arrowheads at either end of the polyline.  Polyline attributes can be changed by double-clicking on the completed polyline to display the Polyline dialog box.

When you choose the Polyline command, the cursor changes to indicate you are in the Draw Polyline mode.  Move the cursor to the start of the polyline to create and click to anchor the first vertex.  Keep adding points by clicking the mouse at each position until the polyline is complete.  You can also hold down Button 1 and a nearly continuous stream of vertices is added to the polyline as the pointer is moved across the screen.  Press ENTER and the polyline is drawn.

If you hold down the CTRL key the vertex placement is constrained so the line segments produced are limited to 45 degree angle increments.

As you are drawing a polyline, you can click Button 2 to remove the last vertex added, and repeatedly click Button 2 to remove several vertices in reverse order.

Pressing ESC allows you to exit the Draw Polyline mode without completing the current polyline.

If the cursor touches the window border while drawing a polyline, Surfer automatically scrolls the drawing into view.

See Also:

Drawing Objects

Fill and Line Attributes

Line Attributes Command

Object Types

Polyline Dialog Box

Polylines and Polygons

Toolbar


Polyline Dialog Box

When you double-click a polyline, the Polyline dialog box is displayed.  From here you can specify the line attributes to use for the selected polyline, or add arrowheads to the polyline.

The Color palette indicates the line color.  To change the color, you can click the desired color with the mouse, or use the arrow keys to move through the palette.  The name of the selected color appears above the color palette.  Although you can choose any color for lines, dithered colors are displayed as solid colors on most monitors.  Some of the light dithered colors might appear white on the screen.  Also, not all output devices can print dithered patterns, so some dithered colors might be inappropriate for some printers.  You should experiment on your printer to find the most acceptable colors to use.

The Style palette on the right indicates the line style for the selected object, or the default style for objects not yet created.  To change the style, you can click the desired style with the mouse, or use the arrow keys to move through the palette.  As you change your selection, the name of the style appears above the palette.

*	The Edit button below the Style palette displays the Edit Line Style dialog box.  Line styles are defined as a series of dashes and spaces of varying length.

The Dashes and Spaces edit boxes let you change the line style by changing the length values.

The Sample box displays a sample of the selected line style.  As you make changes the line sample is updated to indicate your change.

The Name edit box lets you name the line style you create by typing the name in the edit box.

The Append button places the line style you create at the end of the lines in the Style palette.

  	The Insert button places the created line at the position of the selected line in the Style palette, and preserves the selected line style.

The Replace button replaces the selected line with the created line.  The original line is removed from the palette.

The Delete button deletes the currently selected line style from the Style palette.

The Save button saves the current palette of line styles for use in future sessions of Surfer.

The Sample box displays an example of the currently specified line attributes.

The Width edit box sets the thickness of the line for the selected object.  A width of 0.00 in or cm corresponds to a line width of one pixel.  Lines can be up to 0.50 inches wide.  A line width of 0.00 does not scale when you zoom in.  Lines using this thickness always appear 1 pixel wide on the screen.

In the End Styles group, you can select the type of head and tail to apply to the polyline, and specify the scale for the head and tail.

*	The Start box specifies the End Style to use at the beginning of the polyline (defined as the end where the first vertex was added when creating the polyline).

*	The Scale edit box specifies the relative size for the Start and End styles.  As you increase the value, the End Styles are increased in size.

*	The End box is specifies the End Style to use at the opposite end of the polyline.


Draw Symbol

The Symbol command is used to place a symbol at the specified position on the page.  When you select the Symbol command, or the Symbol tool in the Toolbar, the cursor changes to indicate you are in Draw Symbol mode.  You can then click Button 1 at the position you want the symbol to appear.  The symbol attributes can subsequently be modified by double-clicking on the symbol.

The default symbol can be changed by using the Symbol command when nothing is selected.  Each symbol created after you change the default uses the new symbol.

When you want to indicate several symbols, double-click the Symbol tool from the Toolbar.  After each symbol is drawn, you remain in the symbol mode, allowing you to create as many symbols as you wish without returning to the menu or Toolbar each time.  After you have created the final symbol, you can press ESC to exit the draw symbol mode.

See Also:

Drawing Objects

Object Types

Symbol Attributes Command


Draw Rectangle

The Rectangle command is used to create a filled rectangle or square at the specified position on the page.  When you select the Rectangle command or click the Rectangle tool in the toolbar, the cursor changes to indicate you are in Rectangle mode.  The fill and line style can be changed by double-clicking the completed rectangle.

Drawing a Rectangle

To draw a rectangle, press and hold Button 1 at any corner for the rectangle, and drag the mouse outward to increase the size of the rectangle.  If you hold down the SHIFT key while drawing the rectangle, the initial point becomes the center for the rectangle.  As you drag the mouse, the size of the rectangle appears in the status bar.  Release Button 1 when the rectangle is the size you want.

Drawing a Square

To draw a square, hold down the CTRL key while drawing the rectangle, and a square is drawn with the initial point as a corner anchor point for the square.

See Also:

Drawing Objects

Fill and Line Attributes

Fill Attributes Command

Line Attributes Command

Object Types

Toolbar


Draw Rounded Rect

The Rounded Rect command is used to create a filled rounded rectangle at the specified position on the page.  When you select the Rounded Rect command or click the Rounded Rectangle tool in the toolbar, the cursor changes to indicate you are in Rounded Rectangle mode.  The fill and line style can be changed by double-clicking the completed rounded rectangle or rounded square.

Drawing a Rounded Rectangle

To draw a rounded rectangle, press and hold Button 1 at any corner for the rounded rectangle, and drag the mouse outward to increase the size of the rounded rectangle.  If you hold down the SHIFT key while drawing the rounded rectangle, the initial point becomes the center for the rounded rectangle.  As you drag the mouse, the size of the rounded rectangle appears in the status bar.  Release Button 1 when the rounded rectangle is the size you want.

Drawing a Rounded Square

To draw a rounded square, hold down the CTRL key while drawing the rounded rectangle, and a rounded square is drawn with the initial point as a corner anchor point for the rounded square.

See Also:

Drawing Objects

Fill and Line Attributes

Fill Attributes Command

Line Attributes Command

Object Types

Toolbar


Draw Ellipse

The Ellipse command is used to create a filled ellipse or a filled circle at the specified position on the page.  When you select the Ellipse command or click the Ellipse tool in the toolbar, the cursor changes to indicate you are in Draw Ellipse mode.  The fill and line style can be changed by double-clicking the completed ellipse or circle.

Drawing an Ellipse

To draw an ellipse, press and hold Button 1 at any corner for the ellipse, and drag the mouse outward to increase the size of the ellipse.  If you hold down the SHIFT key while drawing the ellipse, the initial point becomes the center for the ellipse.  As you drag the mouse, the size of the ellipse appears in the status bar.  Release Button 1 when the ellipse is the size you want.

Drawing a Circle

To draw a circle, hold down the CTRL key while drawing the ellipse, and a circle is drawn with the initial point as a corner anchor point for the circle.

See Also:

Drawing Objects

Object Types

Fill and Line Attributes

Fill Command

Line Command

Toolbar


Set Line Attributes
Draw Line Attributes

The Line Attributes command is used to display the Line Attributes dialog box.  This allows you to change the line attributes of selected objects. or to set the default line attributes for all objects that are drawn after the changes are made.

The Line Attributes Dialog Box

You can display the Line Attributes dialog box in a number of different ways.  You can double-click a line sample in several dialog boxes.  For example, the Contour Map dialog box contains a line sample for each of the contour levels for the selected map.  You can double click an object to display the dialog box for that object, and click the Line Attrib button in the dialog box.  You can also choose the Line Attributes command.

To change the line style for more than one object, select the objects and choose the Line Attributes command.  Any changes made to the line attributes are applied to all selected objects.  If no objects are currently selected, any changes made in the Line Attributes dialog box become the default line style for subsequently created objects.

The Color palette indicates the line color.  To change the color, you can click the desired color with the mouse, or use the arrow keys to move through the palette.  The name of the selected color appears above the color palette.

Although you can choose any color for lines, dithered colors are displayed as solid colors on most monitors.  Some of the light dithered colors might appear white on the screen.  Also, not all output devices can print dithered patterns, so some dithered colors might be inappropriate for some printers.  You should experiment on your printer to find the most acceptable colors to use.

The Style palette on the right indicates the line style for the selected object, or the default style for objects not yet created.  To change the style, you can click the desired style with the mouse, or use the arrow keys to move through the palette.  As you change your selection, the name of the style appears above the palette.

*	The Edit button below the Style palette displays the Edit Line Style dialog box.  Line styles are defined as a series of dashes and spaces of varying length.

The Dashes and Spaces edit boxes let you change the line style by changing the length values.

The Sample box displays a sample of the selected line style.  As you make changes the line sample is updated to indicate your change.

The Name edit box lets you name the line style you create by typing the name in the edit box.

The Append button places the line style you create at the end of the lines in the Style palette.

  	The Insert button places the created line at the position of the selected line in the Style palette, and preserves the selected line style.

The Replace button replaces the selected line with the created line.  The original line is removed from the palette.

The Delete button deletes the currently selected line style from the Style palette.

The Save button saves the current palette of line styles for use in future sessions of Surfer.

The Sample box displays an example of the currently specified line attributes.

The Width edit box sets the thickness of the line for the selected object.  A width of 0.00 in or cm corresponds to a line width of one pixel.  Lines can be up to 0.50 inches wide.  A line width of 0.00 does not scale when you zoom in.  Lines using this thickness always appear 1 pixel wide on the screen.

See Also:

Fill and Line Attributes

Object Types

Setting Default Attributes with the Options Command


Set Fill Attributes
Draw Fill Attributes

The Fill Attributes command is used to display the Fill Attributes dialog box.  This allows you to change the fill attributes of selected objects, or to set the default fill attributes for all filled objects that are drawn after the changes are made.

Displaying the Fill Attributes Dialog Box

You can display the Fill Attributes dialog box in a number of different ways.  You can double-click an object to display the dialog box for that object, and click the Fill Attrib button in the dialog box.  You can also choose the Fill Attributes command.

When you want to change the fill pattern or color for more than one object at a time, select the objects and then choose the Fill Attributes command.  Any changes made to the fill attributes are applied to all selected objects.  If no objects are currently selected, any changes made in the Fill Attributes dialog box become the default fill pattern and color for subsequently created objects.

The Color palette indicates the fill color of the selected object, or the default fill color for objects not yet created.  To change the color, you can click the desired color with the mouse, or use the arrow keys to move through the palette.  The Color box allows you to switch between the Foreground and Background colors for the current pattern.

*	The Foreground option button sets the line color in vector hatch patterns, the dots in bitmap patterns, and the solid fill color.

*	The Background option button sets the color of the space between the lines in opaque vector patterns and between the dots in bitmap patterns.

The Pattern palette displays the pattern for the selected object, or the default pattern for objects not yet created.  To change the pattern, click the desired pattern with the mouse, or use the arrow keys to move through the palette.  As you change your selection, the name of the pattern appears above the palette.  There are four types of types of fill patterns.

*	The Edit button displays the Edit Pattern dialog box when a bitmap pattern is selected.  This lets you edit the bitmap pattern by clicking within the pattern box on the left, causing pixel elements to be toggled on and off.  A sample of the repeated pattern is displayed on the right side of the Edit Pattern dialog box.

Clicking on the Append button adds the created pattern to the end of the Pattern palette.

Clicking on the Insert button inserts the created pattern at the current position in the Pattern palette.  All other patterns to the right are shifted in the palette to accommodate the new pattern.

Clicking on the Replace button replaces the highlighted pattern in the Pattern palette with the newly created pattern.

Clicking on the Cancel button cancels the created pattern without adding it to the Pattern palette.

*	The Delete button removes the highlighted pattern from the Pattern palette.  Only bitmap patterns can be deleted from the Pattern palette.

*	Save stores the current set of patterns in the Pattern palette as the default set.  These patterns are available in the current and future sessions of Surfer.

The Sample box displays an example of the currently specified fill attributes.

The Background Mode group sets the mode for vector patterns.  These options are not available for solid or bitmap fills.

*	The Opaque option button applies the Background color specified in the Color group.  Objects underlying an object with an opaque vector pattern do not show through.

*	The Transparent option button allows objects beneath a vector fill pattern to be seen.

See Also:

Fill and Line Attributes

Line Attributes Command

Object Types

Setting Default Attributes with the Options Command

Types of Fill Patterns


Types of Fill Patterns

There are four types of fill patterns.

1.	The "None" fill pattern is transparent and only the lines that define the edge of the object can be seen, allowing underlying objects to show through.

2.	The "Solid" fill pattern fills an object with a single color.  Underlying objects cannot be seen through a solid fill.

3.	A vector pattern consists of a series of lines in different orientations.  Vector patterns can be either Opaque or Transparent, depending on the mode selected in the Background Mode group in the Fill Attributes dialog box.  Opaque vector patterns obscure underlying objects.  Transparent vector patterns allow underlying objects to be seen between the lines of the vector pattern.  You can also set different Foreground (the vector pattern lines) and Background colors (the fill between the vector pattern lines) for vector patterns.  The background color is not used when a Transparent Background Mode is specified.

4.	A bitmap pattern is composed of a series of dots on a solid background, and obscures underlying objects.  You can set different Foreground (the dots) and Background colors (the fill between the dots) for bitmap patterns.  Bitmap patterns can be edited and saved, allowing you to create new patterns and include them in the Pattern palette.

See Also

Draw Fill Attributes

Fill and Line Attributes

Object Types

Setting Default Attributes with the Options Command


Set Text Attributes
Draw Text Attributes

The Text Attributes command displays the Text Attributes dialog box where you can set the typeface, size, style, alignment and color for selected text blocks, or set the default text attributes if no text is selected.  When you select one or more text blocks, the changes you make in the Text Attributes dialog box are applied to the selected text blocks.  If you choose the Text Attributes command when no text blocks are selected, any changes you make in the Text Attributes dialog box become the default text attributes.  Any text you create subsequent to the change uses the new attributes.

The Text Attributes Dialog Box

The Text Attributes dialog box is displayed when you choose the Text Attributes command.  The default text attributes are changed in the Text Attributes dialog box when no objects are selected.  To change the text attributes for several text blocks at the same time, select the text blocks to be changed and choose the Text Attributes command and the Text Attributes dialog box is displayed.  Any changes you make are applied to all selected text blocks.

The Face drop-down list box selects the typeface.  To change the typeface, click the drop-down list box, and a list of available typefaces are given.   Click on the desired face from the list.

The Points edit box sets the point size of the text.  Either type the size in the edit box, or click the up and down arrows to change the point size incrementally.

The Alignment group aligns the text block horizontally and vertically, and justifies the text when more than one line of text is present in the text block.  You can use any combination of horizontal and vertical alignment.

When you initially create a text block, you click in the Plot window at the position you want the text block to appear.  The point at which you click is the reference point for the text, an invisible point placed in the Plot window.  The text block you create is aligned relative to this reference point.  The reference point is moved whenever you subsequently move the text block.

*	The horizontal alignment drop-down list box positions the bounding box relative to the initial reference point for the text block, and also justifies the text within the bounding box.  All lines of text are aligned at either the Left, Center, or Right limits of the bounding box.

*	The vertical alignment drop-down list box moves the text in an up and down sense relative to the reference point.  The text block is aligned vertically at the Top, Baseline, or Bottom of the text block.

The Color palette sets the color for the text.  Click on the color from the palette to select the color, and the selected color becomes highlighted.  You can use the scroll bars to display more colors.  The name of the selected color is also indicated.

Although you can choose any color for text, dithered colors are displayed as solid colors on most monitors.  Some of the light dithered colors might appear white on the screen.  Also, not all output devices can print dithered patterns for text, so some dithered colors might be inappropriate for some printers.

The Style group sets the style of the text.  The style options are Bold, Italic, Strikethrough and Underline.  When the checkboxes are checked, Surfer attempts to create a font with the requested styles.  You can use any combination of the styles, although some styles might not be available for certain fonts.  In this case, the style is not applied.

Sample provides a sample of the text, displaying all the specified attributes.

See also:

Math Text Instructions

Text Command

Setting Default Attributes with the Options Command


Set Symbol Attributes
Draw Symbol Attributes

The Symbol Attributes command is used to display the Symbol Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the symbol to be used to mark points on the page, or to change the symbol for a selected point or group of points on the page.

When you use the Symbol command, you click anywhere in the Plot window to place a symbol at that location.  The symbol that is drawn is specified in the Symbol Attributes dialog box.

Changing the Symbol for Existing Points or Setting the Default Symbol

When you select existing points on the page and choose the Symbol Attributes command, the selected symbol is applied to all the selected points.  When no objects are selected on the page, choosing the Symbol Attributes command allows you to set the default symbol.  Any points placed on the page subsequent to the symbol selection will use the selected symbol.

Displaying the Symbol Attributes Dialog Box

The Symbol Attributes dialog box is displayed when you choose the Symbol Attributes command.  The default symbol attributes are changed in the Symbol Attributes dialog box when no objects are selected.  To change the symbol attributes for several symbols at the same time, select the symbols to be changed and choose the Symbol Attributes command, and the Symbol Attributes dialog box is displayed.  Any changes you make are applied to all selected symbols.

The Symbol Set drop-down list box changes the symbol set displayed in the Symbol palette.  Click on the drop-down list box to display the available symbol sets.   The Default Symbols set contains a number of symmetrical symbols that are drawn much faster than any of the other symbols from other sets.

The Color palette sets the color for the symbol.  When you choose a color, all the symbols displayed in the Symbol palette are displayed with the selected color.

The Size edit box sets the symbol size of the selected symbol.  Click on the up and down scroll arrows, or type the value in the edit box.  Each symbol on a map can be any color and any size between 0.01 and 4.0 inches.

The Symbol palette displays the available symbols in the selected Symbol Set.  To select a symbol, click it in the Symbol palette.  You can use the scroll bars to display additional symbols from the selected set.

See Also:

Object Types

Symbol Command

Toolbar

Setting Default Attributes with the Options Command


Edit Menu Commands
Edit Menu Commands (Plot Window)

Undo	Removes the last change made to the Plot window.  Undo can reverse several levels of changes, allowing you to back up several steps.

Redo	Reverses the last Undo command.  Redo can reverse several Undo commands, allowing you to Redo several steps.

Cut	Removes the selected objects and puts them on the Clipboard.  This command is unavailable if nothing is selected.

Copy	Copies the selected objects to the Clipboard.  This command is unavailable if nothing is selected.

Paste	Places a copy of the Clipboard contents into the active document window.  This command is unavailable if the Clipboard is empty.

Paste Special 	Specifies Clipboard formats to use when pasting objects to the Plot window.

Delete	Deletes the selected objects.

Select All	Selects all objects in the active layer.

Block Select	Selects objects within a specified rectangle.

Flip Selections	Selects non-selected objects, deselects selected objects.

Object ID	Assigns an ID to the selected object.

Reshape	Modify existing polygons or polylines.

Color Palette	Allows you to modify the Surfer color palette.


Edit Undo

The Undo command reverses the last operations that have been applied to the Plot window.  Undo can reverse several changes you have made in the Plot window.  When you want to reverse a change, choose the Undo command and the Plot window is redrawn the way it was before the last change.

You can back through several levels of changes by selecting the Undo command several times.  The Undo command reflects the operation that will be reversed.  Undo can be from 1 to 100 levels deep.  To change the number of Undo levels to use, choose the Options command from the cascading Preferences menu in the Plot window File menu.  In the Preferences dialog box you can specify the number of undo and redo levels from the Number of Undo Levels edit box.  The number must be between 1 and 100, inclusive.

If the last operation cannot be reversed, the Undo command appears as Can't Undo, and is grayed.  After you save a file, the undo operations are cleared, so you cannot undo any operations performed before using the Save command.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+Z

See Also

Setting the Number of Undo Levels


Edit Redo

The Redo command reverses the last Undo command.  After you have used the Undo command, the Redo command indicates the operation that you have undone.

You can redo several levels of Undo commands.  Each time you choose the Edit command, the Redo command reflects the last operation that was undone.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+Y


Edit Cut
Edit Cut (Plot Window)

The Cut command is used to moves the selected objects to the Clipboard.  This deletes the selected objects after copying them to the Clipboard. The contents can later be pasted with the Paste command.

Shortcut: CTRL+X or SHIFT+DELETE

See Also:

Copy

Paste

Selecting Objects

Clipboard Functions and Formats


Edit Copy
Edit Copy (Plot Window)

The Copy command is used to copy the selected objects to the Clipboard.  The original objects remain unaltered.  Use this command to duplicate objects in a different location in the same window, or into a different window or application.

Only one set of data may be placed in the Clipboard at a time.  The next Cut or Copy command replaces the contents of the Clipboard.

Shortcut: CTRL+C or CTRL+INSERT

See Also:

Cut

Paste

Selecting Objects

Clipboard Functions and Formats


Edit Paste
Edit Paste (Plot Window)

The Paste command copies the contents of the Clipboard to the current document window.  The objects to be copied must first be placed in the Clipboard using the Cut or Copy commands of Surfer or some other application.

After selecting the Paste command, the cursor changes to a crosshairs.  Press and hold Button 1 and a rectangle appears that indicates the size of the object to be pasted.  Drag the mouse until the rectangle is in the desired position.  Release the mouse button and the object is drawn in the specified location.  Press ESC at any time before releasing Button 1 to cancel the operation.

Shortcut: CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT

See Also:

Clipboard Functions and Formats

Copy

Cut

Selecting Objects


Edit Delete
Edit Delete (Plot Window)

Deletes the selected objects.  The Delete command removes all selected objects from the Plot window, including any maps, axes, drawings, or text.

The Delete command does not affect the contents of the Clipboard.  Any information in the Clipboard is retained when you choose the delete command.

Shortcut: DELETE

See Also:

Object Types

Selecting Objects


Edit Paste Special

When you paste objects from the Clipboard into a Plot window, you have the option of specifying the format to use when pasting the object into Surfer.  There are four formats available when pasting: GS Surfer, Bitmaps, Picture, or Text.

*	The GS Surfer format is for pasting objects copied from a Surfer Plot window.  The GS Surfer format copies objects in their native format.  For example, if you copy a contour map to the clipboard, and paste it into another Plot window in the GS Surfer format, the pasted contour map can be edited, and is identical to the original in all respects.

*	The Bitmap format stores objects as bitmaps.  Bitmaps are difficult to resize without distortion of the image, and have limited colors available.  This format is relatively common and is supported by most other Windows applications.

*	The Picture format is the Windows metafile format, which stores objects as a series of Windows drawing commands.  Metafiles can be resized without distorting the image.  The Picture format is supported by most Windows applications.

*	The Text format is used to import text.  Imported text can contain any number of lines, and can include math text instructions.  Imported text uses the default text attributes set with the Text Attributes command.  When you have text selected with other types of objects, the Text format is not available.  If you want to paste both text and other types of objects, and want to retain the text, you must copy and paste the text separately from the other objects.

The Clipboard Formats Dialog Box

Choosing the Paste Special command displays the Clipboard Formats dialog box.  Select the formats by clicking with Button 1.

*	The list box specifies the formats Surfer can use when pasting objects.  If you have text in the clipboard, only the Text format is listed.  When you have drawing objects selected, the Clipboard format can be either GS Surfer, Picture or Bitmap.

*	The Break Apart Metafiles checkbox is only available when you use the Picture format.  When you activate this option, the pasted metafile can then be broken into its component objects using the Break Apart command from the Arrange menu.  After you break apart a metafile, you can select and edit the individual objects from the metafile.

See Also:

Cut

Copy

Paste

Selecting Objects

Clipboard Functions and Formats


Edit Select All

This selects all objects on the page of the Plot window.  Selection handles appear around the outside of the group.

This command can be used to reposition or resize an entire page of maps and objects, or to delete all objects in the current Plot window.

Shortcut: F2

See Also:

Selecting Objects

Flip Selections


Edit Block Select

The Block Select command allows you to select all objects contained within a user-defined rectangle.  If the Rectangle must fully surround checkbox is switched on in the Preferences dialog box, then only objects that are completely surrounded are selected.  If the checkbox is switched off, then all objects with any portion of their bounding boxes within the defined block select rectangle are selected.

After choosing this command, the cursor changes to indicate Block Select mode.  Position the cursor at one corner of a rectangle and press Button 1.  Drag the mouse until the dotted rectangle completely surrounds the objects you wish to select.  Release Button 1 to select all objects within the rectangle.  Press ESC to cancel the operation while dragging the rectangle.

Mouse Shortcut:

If you press and hold mouse Button 1, and drag the pointer, a dotted Block Select rectangle is drawn.  This allows you to easily select a group of objects without first choosing the Block Select command

See Also:

Object Types

Selecting Objects


Edit Flip Selections

The Flip Selections command selects all unselected objects and deselects all selected objects.  This command is quite useful for selecting a large number of objects and leaving a few isolated objects unselected.  Select the few isolated objects that you do not want selected and then choose the Flip Selections command.

See Also:

Block Select

Selecting Objects


Edit Object ID

The Object ID command lets you assign a name to any type of object, including maps and map axes.  After selecting a single object, choose the Object ID command to display the Object ID dialog box.  When you type in a name, and click OK, the name appears in the status bar when that object is selected.


Edit Reshape

Reshape moves, adds, and deletes vertices from a single selected polyline or polygon.  Each line segment in a polygon or polyline is defined by two vertices that indicate the endpoints of the line segment.  The Reshape command allows you to modify the shape of polygon or polyline by moving or deleting vertices, and thereby changing the line segments that define the polygon or polyline.

After selecting Reshape, all vertices in the selected polygon or polyline are indicated with hollow squares.  Click Button 1 on a vertex to select it.  The selected vertex is indicated by a solid black square.  The selected vertex may be moved by dragging it with the mouse.  To delete the selected vertex, press the DEL key.

To insert a vertex, press the CTRL key and a circle with a crosshairs appears.  Position the pointer at the location where the vertex is to be inserted and click Button 1 to create a new vertex on the polygon or polyline.

The ENTER key is used to preserve the changes you make to the polygon or polyline, and return you to the select mode.  The ESC key returns you to the select mode without saving the changes you have made.

See Also:

Polygon Command

PolyLine Command


Color Palette Command
Edit Color Palette

The Color Palette command is used to display the Color Palette dialog box, allowing you to modify the color palette used in Surfer.

The Color Palette Dialog Box

To display the Color Palette dialog box, choose the Color Palette command.

The Name text provides a descriptive name for the selected color in the palette.

The Save button saves the current color palette for use in future Surfer sessions.

The Close button closes the Color Palette dialog box.  If you have modified the color palette and have not pressed the Save button, the changes to the color palette are preserved during the current Surfer session, but will not be available in any future sessions.

The Delete button removes the currently selected color from the color palette.

The Mix RGB button displays the Mix RGB Colors dialog box.  Colors used in Surfer are created by mixing different amounts of red, green, and blue.  When you click the Mix RGB button, the relative amounts of color, name, and color sample are displayed for the selected color from the Color Palette dialog box.

*	The Red, Green, and Blue scroll bars add or subtract amounts of each of the colors.  As you change any color amount, the color change is shown in the sample box to the right.  The color values range form 0 to 255.

*	The Name edit box changes the name used for the selected color, or to name any custom colors you create.

*	The Append button adds the created color to the end of the color palette.

*	The Insert button adds the created color to the color palette at the position of the selected color in the palette.

*	The Replace button replaces the selected color in the color palette with the modified color.  You can use this to change the name for any of the colors in the palette, or to replace any colors in the palette.

*	The Cancel button exits the Mix RGB Colors dialog box without saving any of the changes you make.


File Menu Commands
File Menu Commands (Plot Window)

New	Creates a new document window.

Open	Opens an existing document.

Close	Closes the active document window.

Save	Saves the active document.

Save As	Saves the active document with a new name.

Worksheet	Displays a worksheet window.

Import 	Imports boundaries, metafiles and bitmap files.

Export	Export to different file formats.

Print	Prints the active document on the installed printer.

Print Setup 	Displays a list of installed printers and allows printer options to be changed.

Page Layout	Modifies the page format

1,2,3,	Opens the specified file.

Preferences

Options 	Controls the display of features, object selection, and page units.

Default Settings 	Creates set [.SET] files that control default mapping and gridding settings.

Exit	Quits Surfer.  Same as Application Control Close.


File New

The New command creates a new Plot, Worksheet  or Editor window.  Windows are empty when created and are independent of all other windows.

To create a new Plot, Worksheet, or Editor window, choose the New command and the New Window dialog box appears.  Click on the appropriate button.  Click on OK and the new  window is created

To create a new Worksheet window, you can also choose the Worksheet command from the File menu.

To create a Plot window linked to another plot window, choose the New View command from the Window menu.

All commands and status bar information apply to the active document window.  Use the Window New View command to create a linked Plot window.

Shortcut: CTRL + N


File Open
File Open (Plot Window)

The Open command retrieves an existing [.SRF] file and displays it in a new Plot window.  This new window is then made the active window.  If the [.SRF] file contains the name for a data file used to produce a map, the data file is also loaded into the worksheet.

If you try to open a file that is active in another Plot window, a dialog box appears asking if you want to use the file saved on disk.  If you choose OK, you will replace the active map of the same name with the copy saved on disk.  Any changes made to the active Plot window, between the time it was previously opened and when you choose the Open command, will be lost.  The Cancel button is used to cancel the Open command, allowing you to preserve the changes you have made in the current window.

If you want to have two views of the same map, you can choose the New View command from the Window menu, and a second view of the map is presented in a second Plot window.  The Plot windows created in this way are linked so any changes you make to the map in either of the Plot windows are reflected in both Plot windows.

Surfer [.SRF] files do not contain the data to be plotted, but contain the name of the data file to be loaded when creating the map.  If the [.SRF] file was saved containing the name of a data file that no longer exists in the original directory, an Error message box appears asking if you want to use a different data file.  If you click OK, the File Open dialog box is displayed for the directory that contained the missing data file.  If you select a file and click OK, the map is displayed using the parameters of the original map, but displaying the data from the new data file.  If you click Cancel no map is drawn in the plot window.

The File Open Dialog Box

When you choose the Open command the Open Document dialog box appears.

*	The File Name edit box allows you to type in file name for the file to be opened.  By default, only [.SRF] files are listed because this is the only type of file that can be opened using the Open command from the Plot window File menu.  A list of [.SRF] files in the current directory is shown below the edit box.  To select a file in the list, you can double-click the file.  If the file is in a different directory you can type in the path and file name for the desired file, or change the Drive and Directory to get a listing of files in a different location.

*	The Directories list box selects the current directory.  If the file is on the current drive but not in the current directory, double-click the subdirectory.  If the file is on a different drive, select the double-click that drive and then double-click the directory containing the desired file.

*	The Drives drop-down list box allows you to change the current drive.

*	The List Files of Type drop-down list box allows you to specify the type of files that are listed below the File Name edit box.  By default, only [.SRF] files are listed because this is the only type of file that can be opened.  To list all files in the current directory, click the drop-down list and select the All Files (*.*) option.  All files in the current directory are listed.

Shortcut: CTRL + O

See Also:

File Save

File Save As


File Close

The Close command closes the active document window.  If you have not previously saved the map, or have made changes to the map since you last saved it, you are asked whether you want to save the changes.

When you answer yes to save the changes and the file has not been saved before, the Save As dialog box is displayed.  After you save the file the window is closed.  If you have previously saved the file and you answer yes the file is saved an the window is closed.


File Save
File Save (Plot Window)

The Save command is used to save changes made to the current [.SRF] file and leave the saved document displayed on the screen.  When you save using this command, the previous version of a file with the same name is overwritten.  If the map hasn't been previously saved the Save As dialog box appears.

Shortcut: CTRL + S


File Save As
File Save As (Plot Window)

The Save As command displays the Save As dialog box, allowing you to save a new map or a new version of an existing map already saved in a [.SRF] file.  The saved map remains on the screen.

The Save As Dialog Box

When you choose the Save As command the Save As dialog box appears with a proposed filename.

*	The File Name edit box allows you to type in file name for the file to be saved.  By default, only [.SRF] files are listed because this is the only type of file that can be saved using the Save As command from the Plot window File menu.  A list of [.SRF] files in the current directory is shown below the edit box.  To save to a file in the list, you can double-click the file.  If the file is in a different directory you can type in the path and file name for the file to be saved, or change the Drive and Directory to get a listing of files in a different location.

*	The Directories list box selects the current directory.  If you specify a file name but do not type in a path, the file is saved in the current directory.

*	The Drives drop-down list box allows you to change the current drive.

*	The List Files of Type drop-down list box allows you to specify the type of files that are listed below the File Name edit box.  By default, only [.SRF] files are listed because this is the only type of file that can be saved using the Save As command from the Plot window File menu.  To list all files in the current directory, click the drop-down list and select the All Files (*.*) option.  All files in the current directory are listed.

*	The Backup check box automatically creates a backup copy of the map as it existed before the current changes were made, overwriting any older [.BAK] file with the same name.  A backup is made when the check box is switched on.  The backup copy has a [.BAK] extension.

If the file already exists in the current or specified subdirectory when you click OK, a dialog box appears asking if you want to replace that document.  Click on OK to overwrite the existing document, or Cancel to return to the Plot window without saving to the new filename.

Shortcut: CTRL + A

See Also:

File Save


File Worksheet

The Worksheet command opens a new empty Worksheet window.  The worksheet window is used for displaying, entering, or revising data.  The Worksheet command is the same as choosing the New command from the File menu, and choosing the Worksheet option in the New Window dialog box.

If you want to display data from a file, you must first open a Worksheet window.  When the worksheet window is active you can display a data file by choosing the Open Command from the Worksheet File menu.

When you open a Worksheet window a new empty worksheet is displayed even if you have previously opened other worksheets.  If you have subsequently opened other Plot, Worksheet or Editor windows, you can return to a previously opened worksheet window by selecting the appropriate data file or sheet name from the Window menu.  The Window menu contains a list of the windows available during the current session of Surfer.

See Also:

Worksheet Commands

Worksheet Keys

Worksheet Mouse Techniques

Worksheet Error Messages

Worksheet Screen Regions


File Import

The Import command is similar to the Load BaseMap command except that the file is imported as a composite object rather than as a map.  Composite objects are made up of different objects that have been grouped together into a single object.  You can use the Break Apart command to disassociate the composite object into its separate parts.  For example, when you import a file containing several polygons, the file is initially a single object composed of the several polygons.  When you break apart the composite, each polygon becomes a separate entity.  You can then modify each polygon separately.

If the imported file contains a single object, it is not imported as a composite object.  For example, if a [.BMP] file is imported, only a single bitmap is created.  Or if the file contains a single polyline, it is imported as a polyline and not as a composite.

The Import command can import all the same file types used by the Load BaseMap command.

See Also

Boundary Files and File Formats Used by Load BaseMap


File Export

The Export command allows you to export files in formats for use by other programs.  This allows you to create AutoCAD [.DXF], Windows Metafile [.WMF], Windows Clipboard [.CLP], or Computer Graphics Metafile [.CGM] formats, or several bitmap export formats.  You can export the entire contents of the Plot window, or select particular maps or objects to export.

To save a file in a particular format you can type in the extension for the desired format.  If you leave the extension blank, you must specify the correct format in the Save File as Type drop-down list box.

When you choose the Export command, the Export dialog box is displayed.

The File Name edit box allows you to type in the name for the file to be saved.  A list of files in the current directory is also displayed.  If you want to overwrite an existing file you can select the file from the list and click OK.  The old file is replaced with the current contents of the Plot window.  File names without a specified path are saved in the current directory.  If you want to export a file to a directory other than the current directory you can type in the entire path and file name.

The Directories list box allows you to specify the current directory.  The Directories list displays directories on the current drive.  You can change the current directory by specifying the directory from the list.  If the directory you want to specify is on a different drive you can change the current drive from the Drives drop-down list box.

The Drives drop-down list box allows you to specify the current drive.  When you change the current drive, the directories list is automatically updated.

The Save File as Type drop-down list box allows you to specify the format for the exported file.  By default, all possible file extensions are presented.

See also:

AutoCAD DXF Drawing [.DXF] Export

Bitmap Export Files

Creating DXF Files

Creating Encapsulated Postscript Files

Creating HPGL Files

Exporting Graphics Files

Metafile Format Files

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Export

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Export


Metafile Export Files

Surfer can export three metafile format types: Windows Metafile [.WMF], Windows Clipboard [.CLP], and Computer Graphics Metafile [.CGM] files.  Many Windows applications can import these files and place the picture into a document.  Exporting to these file types is useful when a picture must be moved to a computer that does not have Surfer installed.  The exported file can be placed on the other computer and the picture can be imported into another application.

To create a metafile format file:

1.	Create your map and any associated features.  If you want to only export certain objects or maps from the Plot window, select just those objects.

2.	Choose the Export command from the File menu and the Export dialog box is displayed.  If you have selected a limited number of objects from the Plot window, click the Selected objects only checkbox in the Export dialog box.  Otherwise leave this checkbox unchecked.

3.	In the File Name edit box, type the name for the file to be created.  Include the [.WMF], [.CLP] or [.CGM] extension on the file name, depending on the file type you want to create.

4.	Click OK and the Export Status dialog box is displayed while the file is being created.

See Also

AutoCAD DXF Drawing [.DXF] Export

Bitmap Export Files

Creating DXF Files

Creating Encapsulated Postscript Files

Creating HPGL Files

Export Command

Exporting Graphics Files

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Export

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Export


 Bitmap Export Files

Bitmap files consist of raster images that are displayed as an array of dots or pixels.  The bitmap file formats that you can export from Surfer are:

*	Tagged Image (TIFF) [.TIF]

*	Windows Bitmap [.BMP]

*	Targa (TrueVision) [.TGA]

*	PCX (ZSoft/Paintbrush) [.PCX]

*	CompuServe Bitmap [.GIF]

*	WordPerfect Bitmap [.WPG]

*	Windows Metafile Bitmap [.WMF]

*	DCX (Multi-page PCX) [.DCX]

*	Encapsulated PostScript Bitmap [.EPS]

*	JPEG Compressed Bitmap [.JPG]

*	PICT (Macintosh) Bitmap [.PCT]

To create a bitmap format file:

1.	Create your map and any associated features.  If you want to only export certain objects or maps from the Plot window, select just those objects.

2.	Choose the Export command from the File menu and the Export dialog box is displayed.  If you have selected a limited number of objects from the Plot window, click the Selected objects only checkbox in the Export dialog box.  Otherwise leave this checkbox unchecked.

3.	In the File Name edit box, type the name for the file to be created.  Include the extension for the file type you want to create.

4.	Click OK and the Export Status dialog box is displayed while the file is being created.

See Also

AutoCAD DXF Drawing [.DXF] Export

Creating DXF Files

Creating Encapsulated Postscript Files

Creating HPGL Files

Export Command

Exporting Graphics Files

Metafile Format Files

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Export

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Export


File Print

The Print command is used to display the Print dialog box, used to print the Plot window contents on the installed printer and control how the contents are printed.  After the command is selected, the Print dialog box is displayed with the following options:

The Print Dialog Box

The current printer is shown in the top of the Print dialog box.  To change the printer, you can click the Setup button and the Print Setup dialog box is displayed, allowing you to select a different printer and specify the printing parameters.

The Printing Method group controls how the map is printed if it is larger than the paper size specified for the printer or plotter.

*	The Truncate option button prints only the portion of the map which fits on the page. The remainder is cut off.

*	The Fit to Page option button automatically scales the map so that it fits the selected page size.

*	The Tile option button prints the map in panels that can later be spliced together.

The Overlap group specifies the amount of panel overlap that occurs when splicing.

*	The Horizontal edit box specifies the amount of overlap in the horizontal direction.  Type the amount of overlap or click the up and down arrows.

*	The Vertical edit box specifies the amount of overlap in the vertical direction. Type the amount of overlap or click the up and down arrows.

The Scale edit box prints the map at a larger or smaller scale.  Actual size is 100%, twice as large is 200%, and half as large is 50%.  Enter the scale or click the up and down arrows.

The Separate button is used to display the Color Separations dialog box.

*	The Colors list box specifies the colors which will be sent to the output device. Only those colors selected in the colors list box are printed.  When you are using a monochrome device, the color separations are still active, but only the objects that are the selected color are printed.

*	The Print Metafiles checkbox prints metafiles separately or together with the color separations.  Metafiles cannot be color separated.

*	The Print Bitmaps checkbox prints bitmaps separately or together with the color separations.  Bitmaps cannot be color separated.

Shortcut: CTRL + P


File Change Printer
File Print Setup

The Print Setup command displays the list of printers installed using the Windows Control Panel or Windows Setup programs.  The selected printer or plotter is the one that is highlighted in the Print dialog box.  With this command the page size and orientation can also be changed if the options are available for your printer or plotter.

To install a printer or plotter not listed, you must return to the Windows Program Manager, and install the printer through the Windows Control Panel.

The Print Setup Dialog Box

When you choose the Print Setup command the Print Setup dialog box appears with a list of printers previously installed using the Windows Control Panel or Windows Setup programs.

The Printer group allows you to select the printer to use.  Select the printer or plotter by clicking on the name.

*	The Default Printer option lets you use the default printer specified by the Windows Control Panel.

*	The Specific Printer option lets you select a different printer to use.  When you select this option, click the drop-down list box and a list of printers installed from the Windows Control Panel is given.  Choose the desired printer from the list and this is the printer used when printing from Surfer.

The Orientation group specifies the orientation of the page when printing your map.

*	The Portrait option button sets the height greater than the width.  The long axis of the page is vertical.

*	The Landscape option button sets the width greater than the height.  The long axis of the page is horizontal.

The Paper group allows you to specify the paper size and source for the paper used in the selected printer.  This option is not available for all printers.

*	The Size drop-down list allows you to specify the size of the paper you currently have loaded in your printer.

*	The Source drop-down list box allows you to specify the paper tray to use for the installed printer.

The Options button lets you set the specific options to use for the printer you have selected.  This brings up a unique dialog box for each different printer.

See Also:

File Print


File Page Layout

The Page Layout command controls the display of the page on the screen and the orientation of the plot on the page when printing.   This sets the screen page to match the paper size for your installed output device.  If you have the Page checkbox checked on in the Preferences dialog box, the page outlines are displayed on screen.  You can access the Preferences dialog box from the Options command from the cascading Preferences menu in the File menu.

The Page Layout Dialog Box

When you choose the Page Layout command the Page Layout dialog box appears with paper size and orientation choices .

The Paper Size drop-down list box selects the desired paper size by name.  Click on the Paper Size list box to display a list of paper sizes.

Letter	8.50 x 11.00 inches

Legal	8.50 x 14.00

Tabloid	11.00 x 17.00

Ledger	17.00 x 11.00

Executive 	7.50 x 10.00

A3	11.70 x 16.53

A4	8.26 x 11.70

A5	5.83 x 8.26

B4	10.13 x 14.33

B5	7.17 x 10.13

In the Width and Height edit boxes you can type coordinate values or click the scroll arrows to increase and decrease the size in 0.01 increments.

The Orientation group specifies the orientation of the plot.

*	The Portrait option button sets the height greater than the width.  The long axis of the page is vertical.

*	The Landscape option button sets the width greater than the height.  The long axis of the page is horizontal.


File 1,2,3,...
 File 1,2,3, (Plot Window)

Provides a list of the previous four [.SRF] files that were opened in the Plot window.  Click on any of the listed files to automatically open and display the selected file.


File Preferences
File Preferences - Options

The Options command displays the Preferences dialog box that controls the display of features in the Plot window, object selection, the type of units used in the Plot window, and the number of Undo levels.

The Preferences Dialog Box

To display the Preferences dialog box, choose the Options command from cascading Preferences menu in the File menu.  From here you can control the features listed below.

Controlling the Display of Plot Window Features

Controlling Object Selection

Controlling Page Units and the Rulers and Grid

Setting Default Fill, Line, Text, and Symbol Attributes

Setting the Number of Undo Levels


Controlling the Display of Plot Window Features

When you choose the Options command from the Preferences cascading menu of the File menu, the Preferences dialog box is displayed.  From here you can control the display of Plot window features.  The Show group controls the display of Plot window features.

*	The Rulers checkbox switches on the display of Rulers along the top and left side of the Plot window.  The ruler positions can be used as guides for positioning objects in the Plot window or aligning objects on the page.

*	The Grid checkbox switches on the display of Grid markings over the extent of the Plot window.  The grid markings can be used as guides for positioning objects in the Plot window or aligning objects on the page.

*	The Toolbar checkbox switches on the display of the Toolbar along the left side of the Plot window.  The Toolbar contains several drawing, selection and zooming tools.

*	The Scroll Bars checkbox switches on the display of scroll bars along the bottom and right side of the Surfer application window.  Scroll bars change the exposed portion of the current window, so you can see portions of the active screen beyond the limits of the current view.

*	The Page checkbox switches on the display of the page outline in the Plot window.  The page provides you with a guide for positioning maps on the printed page.

*	The Grayed Bitmaps checkbox controls the display of bitmaps in the current Plot window.  When a page contains a bitmap image, screen redraw time is greatly increased because drawing bitmaps takes a considerable amount of time.  When the Grayed Bitmaps checkbox is switched on, bitmaps appear as a gray box.  This greatly reduces screen redraw for pages containing bitmaps.

*	The Status Bar checkbox switches on the display of the status bar along the bottom of the Plot window.  The status bar can provide information about dimensions of objects, the position of objects on the page, and can provide a brief description of a selected menu item.

The Dimensions checkbox activates the display of dimensions on the status bar, This provides information about the size of an object as it is drawn.  The dimensions are presented in page coordinates.

The Coordinates checkbox activates the display of page coordinates on the status bar.  This provides a display of the position of the mouse pointer on the page, or the position of an object as it is moved on the page. The status bar displays page coordinates.

The Help checkbox activates the display of a brief description of menu items as they are highlighted.


Controlling Object Selection

The Selection group of the Preferences dialog box controls the accuracy necessary to select objects in the Plot window.  When you select an object, you must move the mouse pointer over or close to the bounding box for object to be selected, and click Button 1.  Alternatively, you can use the Block Select  command to surround an object or group of objects to be selected.  The degree of accuracy necessary to select objects using either of these methods can be controlled from the selection box.

*	The Rectangle must fully surround checkbox controls the block select tool.  When the checkbox is switched off, if any portion of the bounding box for any object is contained in the block select rectangle, that object will be selected.  If the checkbox is switched on, the object must be completely surrounded by the block select rectangle to be selected.  If only a portion of the object's bounding box is inside the block select rectangle, it will not be selected.

*	The Handle Size edit box controls the width and height of the selection handles that appear around selected objects.

*	The Aperture edit box controls the width of the selection window that surrounds the bounding box for each object.  When the aperture size is zero, the pointer must be directly on the object for it to be selected.  As you increase the aperture, you only need to be close to the object to select it.

See Also

Selecting Objects


Controlling Page Units and the Rulers and Grid

You can control the page units to use in the Plot window, and the rulers and grid from the Preferences dialog box.

The Page Units group changes the page coordinate system between Inches and Centimeters.  This controls the display units on the rulers and grid, coordinates displayed in the status bar, and the units used in the dialog boxes.

The Rulers group controls the display of rulers in the Plot window.  The same information can be controlled from the ruler and grid dialog boxes.  Double-clicking a ruler displays the Ruler and Grid dialog box.  This allows you to independently scale the vertical and horizontal rulers and grid.

*	The Ruler Divisions per In edit box changes the number of minor ticks drawn between each unit on the rulers.  You can specify from 1 to 99 divisions per unit.

*	The Snap to Ruler checkbox forces an object's bounding box to align with ruler divisions as that object is drawn or moved.  When you are moving or resizing objects, the bounding box jumps to the next ruler division, allowing you to easily align objects by moving selected objects to positions based on specific ruler divisions, or resizing objects to specific sizes based on ruler divisions.

*	The Show Position checkbox activates ruler marks that indicate the position of the pointer relative to the horizontal and vertical rulers.  As the pointer moves in the Plot window, the ruler marks move along the rulers to show the position of the pointer.  When moving or sizing objects, the position marks the upper edge of the object's bounding box.


Setting Default Attributes
Setting Default Line, Fill, Text, and Symbol Attributes

The Default Attributes group of the Preferences dialog box allows you to specify the attributes that are used every time you start Surfer.

*	The Line button displays the  Line Attributes dialog box.  Any changes you make in the dialog box become the default line attributes.

*	The Fill button displays the  Fill Attributes dialog box.  Any changes you make in the dialog box become the default fill attributes.

*	The Symbol button displays the  Symbol Attributes dialog box.  Any changes you make in the dialog box become the default symbol attributes.

*	The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box.  Any changes you make in the dialog box become the default text attributes.

See Also:

Attributes - Fill and Line

Block Select Command

Page Layout Command

Preferences Dialog Box

Screen Regions

Scroll Bar

Selecting Objects

Status Bar

Toolbar


Setting the Number of Undo Levels

The Undo command reverses the last operations that have been applied to the Plot window.  You can back through several levels of changes by selecting the Undo command several times.

In the Preferences dialog box, you can specify the number of undo levels by changing the value in the Number of Undo Levels edit box.


File Preferences - Default Settings

The Default Settings command from the cascading Preferences menu in the File menu to displays the Default Settings dialog box.  From here you can load, modify, and save Set [.SET] files.  Surfer gridding and mapping default settings are based on information read from Set [.SET] files.  Set files contain a list of gridding, mapping and general dialog box settings to use during the Surfer session.

You can change the setting parameters in a set file to use your own set of defaults.  Surfer either uses the default Set [.SET] file Surfer.SET, or can use custom set files that contain user-specified settings.

When you start a Surfer session, you can load the Surfer.SET file, or any custom Set [.SET] file you have created.  Or, during a session you can load a custom Set file.  By default, the file Surfer.SET is loaded when you begin a Surfer session.  If you want to begin a session with a different Set file, you can specify the file on the Program Manager command line.  See Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Command Line for more information.

When you choose the Default Settings command from the cascading Preferences menu in the File menu, the Default Settings dialog box is displayed. The Surfer.SET file, or custom set files can be viewed, edited, and saved from the  Default Settings dialog box.  You can type in the Default Settings dialog box as you would in any Windows text editors.  However, when you want to add a new line in the Default Settings dialog box, you must press CTRL+ENTER.

*	The Load button is used to read in an existing Set file.  When you click the Load button, the Open File dialog box is displayed with a listing of [.SET] files.  Double-click the Set file you want to use and the settings are read into Surfer.  These settings are used on any subsequent tasks you perform.

*	The Save button displays the Save As dialog box.  This allows you to save any changes you have made in the Default Settings dialog box to a new Set [.SET] file.  When you create a new custom Set file, before you exit the dialog box, you should save the [.SET] file to a new name.

*	The OK button exits the dialog box.  If you have made any changes to the current Set file, you are prompted to save the changes.  Click Yes to save the changes to the active file, No to not save the changes, and Cancel to return to the Default Settings dialog box.

*	The Cancel button closes the Default Settings dialog box without saving any changes you have made to the current [.SET] file.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Set [.SET] Files

Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line


File Exit

Ends your Surfer session.  You can also choose the Close command from the Application Control menu box.

When you exit Surfer normally, you are asked to save any current changes for each open Plot, Worksheet, Editor or Grid Editor file that you've changed but not saved.

If a Surfer selection is currently residing in the Clipboard, it is converted to one of the standard Windows formats.

Shortcut:  F3, or ALT+F4


Grid Menu Commands

Data 	Produces a grid [.GRD] file from an X,Y,Z data set.

Function 	Produces a grid [.GRD] file based on a user defined function.

Math 	Produces a grid [.GRD] file by performing math operations on existing grid [.GRD] files.

Calculus 	Provides options used to interpret gridded data.

Matrix Smooth 	Smoothes a grid [.GRD] file using a matrix smoothing algorithm.

Spline Smooth 	Smoothes a grid [.GRD] file using a spline smoothing algorithm.

Blank 	Produces a blanked grid [.GRD] file from an existing grid [.GRD] file and a blanking [.BLN] file.

Utility	Displays a cascading menu of grid utilities.

Convert 	Converts grid [.GRD] files between the ASCII and binary formats, and converts grid [.GRD] files to X,Y,Z data [.DAT] files.

Extract  	Creates a grid file that is a subset of an existing grid file.

Transform  	Modifies the XY location of grid node values within the grid file.

Volume 	Performs volume and area calculations between grid [.GRD] files.

Slice 	Produces a profile line from a grid [.GRD] file and a boundary [.BLN] file.

Residuals 	Calculates the difference between grid [.GRD] surface values and original data values.

Grid Node Editor 	Allows you to modify individual grid nodes in a grid [.GRD] file.


Grid Data Command
Grid Data

The Data command creates a grid [.GRD] file from an XYZ data file.  Grid [.GRD] files are required to produce a contour map or surface plot, or to perform any operations requiring a grid file such as grid math , computing volumes and areas, smoothing or calculating residuals.  When you have data collected at irregular X,Y spacing over the extent of the map area, Surfer must interpolate your original irregularly spaced raw data onto a regular rectangular grid in the grid [.GRD] file format.

The Scattered Data Interpolation Dialog Box

When you choose the Data command, the Open Data dialog box is displayed.  Select the data file to be plotted and click OK.  The Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box is displayed.

*	The Data Columns group allows you to specify the columns for the X, Y and Z values in the data file.

The X drop-down list box specifies the column containing the X coordinate in the data file.

The Y drop-down list box specifies the column containing the Y coordinate in the data file.

The Z drop-down list box specifies the column containing the Z values in the data file.

*	The Grid Line Geometry group allows you to specify the Grid Limits and Grid Density for the grid file to be generated.  The X and Y Direction edit boxes allow you to specify different grid limits, and to specify the density of grid lines in both directions.

*	The Gridding Methods group allows you to specify the method to use when interpolating the grid values, and to set the specific parameters to apply to the chosen method.

The drop-down list box provides you with a list of the gridding methods available in Surfer.  To select a method, click the box and click the desired method from the list.

The Options button displays the Options dialog box that allows you to specify Gridding Options to apply to the selected method.  The Options dialog box is different for each of the different gridding methods.  There are two options in the Options dialog box that are common to all methods: Anisotropy and Data Treatment .  For the information on the specific options available for the different gridding methods, refer to the method in question.

The Search button displays the Search Options dialog box used to specify which data points to use when performing a gridding operation.   See Search Options for more information.

*	The Output Grid File group specifies the path and file name for the grid file to be produced.  You can click the Browse button to specify a different location or file name for the grid file to be created.

*	The Data Info button displays a dialog box providing you with statistics for the data to be gridded.  This shows you the count, minimum, maximum, average, variance and standard deviation for the X, Y and Z values from the specified columns in your data file.

*	The Reset button returns the Grid Line Geometry and Gridding Method to the default settings.

See Also

Anisotropy

ASCII Grid File Format

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding a Function

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Number of Original Data Points During Gridding

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Search Ellipse

Search Options

Search Rules

Search Type

Shepard's Method

Smoothing a Grid File

Smoothing During Gridding

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation

Using the Grid Editor


Grid Function Command
Grid Function

The Function command allows you to create a grid [.GRD] file from a user-defined two variable equation of the form Z = f(X,Y).  The density of the generated grid is a function of the Minimum, Maximum and Increment values for both X and Y.

For example, consider the values listed below that would generate a 10 by 10 grid.

Minimum X = 1

Maximum X = 10

X Iterations = 1

Minimum Y = 1

Maximum Y = 10

Y Iterations = 1

These conditions result in 10 rows and 10 columns in the output grid file.  There are a total of 100 grid nodes created when these limits are specified.  The nature of the surface generated is a result of the input function.

The Grid Function Dialog Box

When you choose the Function command from the Grid menu the Grid Function dialog box is displayed.

*	The function edit box allows you to Enter a function of the form Z = f (X,Y).  The function calculation is repeated one time for each Z value to be written to the output grid file.  The number of grid nodes in the output grid, and therefore the number of calculations to be performed is based on the Minimum, Maximum and Increment values specified.

You can use any of the mathematical functions included with Surfer for Windows.

*	The Minimum X and Y edit boxes specify the beginning values used in the specified function.  These values are plugged into the defined function and the first grid node is calculated based on these values.  These values also specify the lower limits for X and Y in the output grid file.

*	The Maximum X and Y edit boxes specify upper values to be applied to the function and the upper X and Y limits for the grid.

*	The Increment edit boxes specify the step between X and Y values for each grid line in the output grid.  The grid node Z values are calculated by successively changing the X or Y values by the increment value and performing the function for all possible values of both X and Y.

*	The Output Grid File group specifies the path and file name for the grid [.GRD] file to be created.  If you want to change the path or file name, click the Browse button and specify the new information.

See Also

ASCII Grid File Format

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding Overview

Mathematical Functions


Grid Math Command
Grid Math

Grid math can be used to mathematically combine grid node values in two grid files that use the same X,Y grid dimensions.  This command creates an output grid file based on a defined mathematical function of the form C = f(A,B), where C is the output grid file, and A and B represent the input grid files.  The defined function is performed on corresponding nodes (grid nodes with the same X,Y coordinates) from the input grid files, and the result of the calculation is placed at the same coordinates in the output grid file.

Grid math can also be performed on a single grid or USGS DEM file.  In this case the same mathematical expression is applied to all grid elements from the input grid.  For example, if you wanted to create an output grid based on the base 10 logarithm of the input grid file, you could use the function C = log10(A).  Grid file C would contain the base 10 logarithm values for each of the grid nodes in Grid A.  You could also perform a simple math operation on an input grid file, to perform an operation such as subtracting a value from all the grid elements in the input grid file.  An example expression might be C = A - 100.  This would result in an output grid file C that is 100 units lower than the input grid file A.

You can use any of the mathematical functions included with Surfer when constructing grid math equations.

The Grid Math Dialog Box

When you choose the Math command, the Grid Math dialog box is displayed.

*	The Input Grid File A group specifies one of the grid files on which you want to perform a grid math operation.  You always need an Input Grid file A, because the parameters of this input file are used when defining the output grid.  The output grid uses the same X and Y limits as the Input Grid File A.

*	The Input Grid File B group specifies the second grid file to be used in the grid math operation.  If you want to perform an operation on grid file A only, you can leave this box blank.  If you want to incorporate a grid file B into the function, click the Browse button and make the desired changes in the File Open dialog box.  This allows you to select the second grid file.  If you are performing grid math on two grid files, the grids must contain the same number of grid rows and columns, and should extend over the same X and Y ranges.

*	The bottom edit box allows you to Enter a function of the form C = (A,B), where C represents the output grid file, and A and B refer to the grid files specified in the respective groups in the dialog box.  If you want to only perform a calculation on grid file A, you can leave any reference to grid file B out of the specified function.

*	The Output Grid File group specifies the path an file name for the grid file to be produced.  You can click the Browse button to specify a different location or file name for the grid file to be created.

See Also

ASCII Grid File Format

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding a Function

Gridding Overview

Mathematical Functions

Smoothing a Grid File

Smoothing During Gridding


Grid Calculus

The Grid Calculus command provides you with tools to interpret your grid files.  Grid calculus can help you define and quantify characteristics in the grid file that might not be obvious by looking at a contour or surface map of the grid.

The Grid Calculus subsystem of Surfer is divided into four sections Directional Derivatives, Terrain Modeling, Differential and Integral Operators, and Fourier and Spectral Analysis.  Each of these methods provides a different analysis of your grid files.  The result of the Grid Calculus command is a grid file of the generated data.  The generated grid files use the same dimensions as the original grid file but might use different ranges of data depending on the type of output.

When a numerical derivative is needed, central difference formulae are used in the Grid Calculus computations in Surfer.  Because a central difference approach is used, values on both sides of the location for which the derivative is computed are required.  This leads to blanking along the edges of the derivative grids (an edge effect).

Using the Grid Calculus Command

1.	Choose the Calculus command from the Grid menu.  The Open Grid dialog box is displayed.

2.	Double-click the grid or DEM file you want to use, and click OK.  The Grid Calculus dialog box is displayed.

*	The Grid-to-Grid Operation group lets you specify the type of operation to perform.  Click on the drop-down list box to select the type of operation you want to perform.  Then click the Options button to specify the operation type you want to use.  Click OK to return to the Grid Calculus dialog box.

*	The Output Grid File group specifies the name for the grid file to be created during the calculus operation.  You can click the Browse button to change the path and file name.

3.	Click OK and the Grid Calculus operation is performed.  The results are written to the grid file specified in the Output Grid File group.

See Also

Directional Derivatives

Terrain Modeling

Differential and Integral Operators

Fourier and Spectral Analysis


Directional Derivatives

Directional Derivatives provide you with information about the slope of your gridded surface along a direction that you specify.  Directional Derivatives give the slope or rate of change of slope.  Because this is the slope or rate of change in slope along a line in a specified direction, it might not be the steepest slope at a given point.  For example, if the specified direction is due East, but the slope is due North, the Directional Derivative slope is zero at that point.  In the specified direction there is no slope at that point, even though there is a slope to the North.

Directional Derivatives are different from the values given in Terrain Modeling where the direction of the slope is defined as the direction of steepest ascent at a given point (i.e., straight uphill at that point).  Considering the example described above, the terrain analysis would report the slope in the north direction at that point.  The two methods would report different values at that particular point on the grid.

There are three Directional Derivative options available: First Derivative, Second Derivative, and Directional Curvature.  You can also choose the direction for the operation.

When you choose Directional Derivatives as the Grid-to-Grid Operation in the Grid Calculus dialog box, click the Options button to display the Directional Derivatives dialog box.  From here you can choose the specific operation you want to perform, and the direction over which you want to perform the operation.

Directional Derivatives are calculated for each grid node from the input grid file, and the results are written to the output grid file at the same grid node location.  The Direction Angle specifies the direction for which the derivative is calculated.

First Derivative

The First Derivative provides you with the slope of the surface along the Direction line.  Grid files of the First Derivative produce contour maps that show isolines of constant slope along lines of fixed direction.  At a particular grid node location, if the slope is uphill, the slope is positive; and if downhill, the slope is negative.  Slope is reported as rise over run and can approach negative or positive infinity as the slope approaches vertical in the down or up direction.

Second Derivative

The Second Derivative provides you with the rate of change of slope along the Direction line.  Grid files of the Second Derivative produce contour maps that show isolines of constant rate of change of slope across the surface.  These are also positive and negative values that measure uphill and downhill changes.  If the slope is uphill, the rate of change is positive.  Gentle uphill rates of change are small positive numbers; steep uphill rates of change are large positive numbers.

Directional Curvature

The Directional Curvature is a measure of the rate of change of the inclination angle of tangential planes on a profile line defined by the surface along the specified Direction line.  Directional Curvature is reported as the absolute value of the rate of change and is, therefore, a positive number.  Directional Curvature is similar to the Second Derivative.

See Also

Grid Calculus

Terrain Modeling

Differential and Integral Operators

Fourier and Spectral Analysis


Terrain Modeling

Terrain Modeling provides another type of analysis of the surface geometry of a grid file. Terrain Modeling results are based on the gradient direction and not a pre-defined direction, as with Directional Derivatives. For each grid node location on a surface, Surfer determines the steepest slope and the direction of steepest slope (the gradient direction) at that point.  Terrain Modeling values are reported in positive and negative degrees from 90 to -90 degrees.  Zero degrees is horizontal, 90 degrees is vertical uphill, and -90 is vertical downhill.  This is also in contrast to Directional Derivatives where the slope is reported as rise over run.

There are five types of Terrain Modeling operations: Terrain Slope, Terrain Aspect, Profile Curvature, Plan Curvature, and Tangential Curvature.

When you choose the Terrain Aspect, Profile Curvature, Plan Curvature, or Tangential Curvature options, you can also specify a Threshold value.  Terrain Modeling operations are based on the gradient direction.  In areas where the steepest slope approaches zero (where the surface is nearly horizontal) the gradient direction is somewhat difficult to ascertain (i.e., the definitions downhill and uphill are rather arbitrary).  In these cases it is preferable to classify the surface as flat.  The Threshold value is the minimum value for the slope for which the Terrain Aspect and Terrain Curvature values are computed.  In locations where the Threshold value is not met, the grid node value in the output grid is blanked.  The Threshold value is, by default, set to a very small value.

Terrain Slope

Terrain Slope provides you with the slope at any grid node on the surface.  Terrain Slope is reported in degrees from -90 (vertical downhill) to 90 (vertical uphill).  For a particular point on the surface, the Terrain Slope is based on the direction of steepest descent or ascent at that point (i.e., straight downhill or straight uphill at that point).  This means that across the surface, the gradient direction can change.  Grid files of the Terrain Slope produce contour maps or surface plots that show isolines of constant steepest slope.  This operation is the same as the First Directional Derivative in the sense that it is used to define the slope at any point on the surface but is more powerful in the respect that it automatically defines the gradient direction at each point on the map.  The gradient direction can be obtained using the Terrain Aspect option.

Terrain Aspect

The Terrain Aspect operation provides you with the direction of the steepest slope at each grid node.  In other words, this operation defines the direction that water would flow over the surface or the angle that is exactly perpendicular to the contour lines on the surface.  Terrain Aspect values are reported in azimuth, where 0 degrees points due North, and 90 degrees points due East.

You can use the Terrain Aspect grid file to create a post map of flow direction.

1.	Perform the Terrain Aspect procedure.

2.	Convert the generated grid file to an XYZ data file.

3.	Open the XYZ data file in the Surfer worksheet, and convert the Z values from azimuth values to Surfer angle values.  Use the formula	d = -c + 360.

4.	Save the data file.

5.	Create a post map with Column D as the angle column.

Profile Curvature

The Profile Curvature option determines the downhill or uphill rate of change in slope in the gradient direction at each grid node.  Grid files of Profile Curvature produce contour maps that show isolines of constant rate of change of steepest slope across the surface.  This operation is comparable to the Second Directional Derivative but is more powerful because it automatically determines the downhill direction at each point on the surface, and then determines the rate of change of slope along that direction at that point.

Plan Curvature

Plan Curvature reflects the rate of change of the Terrain Aspect angle measured in the horizontal plane. Plan Curvature indicates convergence or divergence of water flow over the surface.  In this respect it is a measure of the amount of curvature along contour lines.  Grid files of Plan Curvature create contour maps that show isolines of divergence and convergence.  Divergence is represented by negative values in the grid file, and convergence is represented by positive values.

Tangential Curvature

Tangential Curvature is similar to Plan Curvature in the sense that it measures divergence and convergence.  However, Tangential Curvature is measured in relation to a vertical plane rather than a horizontal plane.  This operation defines convergence or divergence of water flow on the surface and can be thought of as the curvature of the surface along a vertical plane tangential to a contour line.

See Also

Grid Calculus

Directional Derivatives

Differential and Integral Operators

Fourier and Spectral Analysis


Differential and Integral Operators

There are several options available with the Differential and Integral Operators.

Gradient Operator

The Gradient Operator generates a grid of steepest slopes (i.e. the magnitude of the gradient) at any point on the surface.  This is equivalent to the Terrain Slope operation (see Terrain Modeling), but the Gradient Operator is reported as a number (rise over run) rather than in degrees.  The Gradient Operator is zero for a horizontal surface, and approaches infinity as the slope approaches vertical.

Laplacian Operator

The Laplacian Operator provides a measure of discharge or recharge on a surface.  In grid files generated with the Laplacian Operator, recharge areas are positive, and discharge areas are negative.

Groundwater, heat, and electrical charge are three examples of conservative physical quantities whose local flow rate is proportional to the local gradient.  The Laplacian operator quantifies the net flow into (Laplacian > 0, or areas of recharge) or out of (Laplacian < 0, areas of discharge) a local control volume in such physical situations.

Biharmonic Operator

Bending of thin plates and shells, viscous flow in porous media, and stress functions in linear elasticity are three examples of physical quantities that can be mathematically described using the biharmonic operator.  This is equivalent to applying the Laplacian operator twice.

Integrated Volume

The Integrated Volume operation gives the accumulated volume over the grid from the SW to the NE corner, or over a subgrid from SW to NE.  This allows you to get volumes over subgrids of any shape.  As an example consider a Surfer generated contour map showing the thickness of a coal seam in a surface coal mine.  The Integrated Volume map could be used to compute the volume of coal mined in each month.  Another example is rainfall intensity for a thunderstorm.  If you computed the Integrated Volume and then overlaid a watershed boundary map, you could directly compute the quantity of water flowing into each stream.

Consider a surface defined over a rectangular region extending from X min to X max and Y min to Y max.  V(x,y) is then the volume between the plane Z=0 and the surface under the shaded area.  Thus, V(xmin,ymin) = 0, and V(xmax,ymax) equals the volume under the entire rectangular region, which is comparable to the value returned by the GRID/VOLUME command in Surfer.

The value of the Integrated Volume option is that it enables easy computation of volumes under rectangular subgrids.  For example, the volume under the shaded area in the figure at the right is simply V(xr,yr) - V(xl,yr) - V(xr,yl) + V(xl,yl).  When applied to a surface specified by a Surfer grid, the Integrated Volume option generates a dimensionally equivalent grid with the values at grid nodes (xi,yi) equal to V(xi,yi).  You can use the Grid Node Editor to obtain the volume values at different XY locations.  The integration is carried out assuming that the surface follows a bilinear functional form over each grid cell.

See Also

Grid Calculus

Directional Derivatives

Terrain Modeling

Fourier and Spectral Analysis


Fourier and Spectral Analysis

There are two Fourier and Spectral Analysis options available.

Correlogram

The Correlogram is used to assess spatial patterns and spatial correlation.  Correlograms indicate how well grid values correlate across the grid.  In this sense, they indicate underlying trends in the grid and give a measure of the anisotropy of the grid.

Correlograms are symmetric in the sense that the upper right and lower left quadrants are inverted, and although not exactly similar, they are usually very close.  The same is true with the upper left and lower right quadrants.  Correlograms have the same dimensions as the parent grids but are reported in positive and negative units about the origin.

Grid Peridiogram

The peridiogram is a decomposition of the surface into the weighted sum of many two-dimensional sinusoids.  This operation shows hidden symmetry or repeating patterns that might not otherwise be evident from looking at a contour map or surface.  Surfer computes the grid peridiogram for the two-dimensional Fourier frequencies.  In the current implementation of the grid peridiogram there is no smoothing, no tapering and no filtering.

See Also

Grid Calculus

Directional Derivatives

Terrain Modeling

Differential and Integral Operators


Grid Matrix Smooth Command
Grid Matrix Smooth

Matrix smoothing smoothes a grid file or USGS DEM file by calculating new grid node values by either an averaging method or a weighted inverse distance method (see Matrix Methods).  Both methods use those input grid node values nearest to the corresponding grid node in the output grid.  Matrix smoothing eliminates undesired "noise" or small scale variability that might be present in the original grid file.  The smoothed grid file has the same limits and contains the same number of grid nodes as the input grid file (see Matrix Size and Matrix Smooth Dialog Box).

Matrix smoothing creates a grid file with a blanked border.

See Also

ASCII Grid File Format

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Grid Spline Smooth Command

Gridding Overview

Matrix Methods

Matrix Size

Matrix Smooth Dialog Box

Smoothing a Grid File

Smoothing During Gridding

USGS DEM file

Using the Grid Editor


Matrix Size

When using matrix smoothing, you establish the size of the smoothing matrix by setting the Number of Rows on Either Side of Center and Number of Columns on Either Side of Center.  For example if 1 is used for the Number of Rows on Either Side of Center and 2 is used for Number of Columns on Either Side of Center then the smoothing matrix will be three rows by five columns.  The smallest smoothing matrix allowed is a three by three.

See Also

Grid Matrix Smooth

Matrix Methods

Matrix Smooth Dialog Box


Matrix Methods

Matrix smoothing can use either the Average or a Weighted method.   The method determines if each grid element under an "x" will be used in either an averaging method or a weighted (inverse distance) method to calculate a new grid value.

Both the Average and Weighted methods multiply the center point by a factor specified by the Weight of Matrix Center value.  The center value (represented by the o) is given extra weight relative to the surrounding values within the smoothing matrix.  Only the center is multiplied by this value.

With the Average method, all matrix values under the x's have a weight of one and are symbolically multiplied by one.  The center value is multiplied by the Weight of Matrix Center value.

The Weighted method uses an inverse distance averaging technique whereby all the grid nodes surrounding the center are weighted with regard for their distance from the center point.  A point on the outside edge of the matrix is given less influence than a point near the center of the matrix.

The most severe smoothing is accomplished by the Average method with a large smoothing matrix and an unweighted center (that is, the Weight of Matrix Center is set to 1.0).  With severe smoothing, any peaks or deep valleys in the data will be significantly smoothed toward the average.  This means that the plot is not as accurate since only generalized trends will be visible.  Any localized ups or downs will be smoothed out.  The least smoothing is done with the Weighted method and the Distance Weighting Power set to ten.  This means that the weights drop off by the tenth power of their distance away from the point being smoothed.

See Also

Grid Matrix Smooth

Matrix Size

Matrix Smooth Dialog Box


Matrix Smooth Dialog Box
The Matrix Smooth Dialog Box

When you choose the Matrix Smooth command from the Grid menu, the Matrix Smooth dialog box is displayed.

*	The Method group allows you to specify the type of matrix smoothing you want to use.

The Average method uses a simple averaging of all the grid values included in the matrix used for each grid node.  With this method, a grid node on the outside edge of the matrix is given equal weight to a grid node located at the center of the matrix.  All grid nodes in the matrix are given equal weight when determining the smoothed value.

The Weighted method uses a weighting scheme to apply different weights to the matrix grid nodes.  Nodes closer to the center of the grid are given higher weights than nodes around the edges of the grid.

*	The Weight of Matrix Center edit box allows you to assign a special weighting factor to the grid node at the center of the smoothing matrix.  This grid node from the input grid occupies the position currently being calculated for the output grid.  This grid node is given extra weight so the original value is not diluted too much by the surrounding values during the averaging process.

*	The Distance Weighting Power edit box is only active when you are using the Weighted matrix smoothing method.  Weighting values are inversely proportional to the distance that a matrix grid node lies from the center of the matrix.  As the value approaches zero this method approximates the Average method.  As the value increases, less smoothing will take place.

*	The Grid Info button displays information about the grid [.GRD] file to be smoothed.

*	The Number of Rows on Either Side of Center edit box allows you to define the size of the matrix in the Y direction.  This defines how many Y grid lines to use for the smoothing matrix.  The combination of the number of rows value and the number of columns value defines the entire size of the smoothing matrix.

*	The Number of Columns on Either Side of Center edit box allows you to define the size of the matrix in the X direction.  This defines how many X grid lines to use for the smoothing matrix.  The combination of the number of rows value and the number of columns value defines the entire size of the smoothing matrix.

*	The Output Grid File group specifies the path an file name for the grid file to be produced.  You can click the Browse button to specify a different location or file name for the grid file to be created.

 See Also

Grid Matrix Smooth

Matrix Methods

Matrix Size


Grid Spline Smooth Command
Grid Spline Smooth

Spline smoothing uses cubic spline interpolation to compute new grid nodes.  Cubic spline interpolation simulates a drafting technique where a flexible strip (a spline) is used to draw a smooth curve between data points.  The line segments between adjacent data points can be represented by a cubic equation.  When cubic splining is applied during smoothing, the smoothest possible curves are calculated based on the original grid nodes.  The original grid nodes are preserved, and the new grid nodes are defined so the surface is as smooth as possible.

Spline smoothing options are controlled from the Spline Smooth dialog box.

There are two ways you can use spline smoothing: by expanding the grid or recalculating the grid.  When you expand the grid, you insert nodes between existing nodes in the original grid.  The original grid node values are preserved in the smoothed grid, and the new grid nodes are calculated so the smoothest possible contour map or surface plot can be drawn.

When the grid is recalculated, all the grid nodes in the smoothed grid are completely recalculated.  This option can either increase or decrease the number of rows and columns in the smoothed grid relative to the original grid.  The original grid values are lost unless their locations correspond exactly with the grid nodes in the output grid.  The smoothed grid file will still be an accurate representation of the original data.

One of the purposes of  spline smoothing is to fill in a sparse grid.  A contour map or surface plot produced from a sparse grid may have an angular appearance.  For example, spline smoothing can be used to increase a 10 x 10 grid (a sparse grid) to a 50 x 50 grid.  Denser grids produce smoother appearing contour maps and surface plots.

See Also

Matrix Smooth Command

ASCII Grid File Format

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding Overview

Smoothing a Grid File

Smoothing During Gridding

Using the Grid Editor


The Spline Smooth Dialog Box

Before you use the Spline Smooth command you must create a grid file, or you can use a USGS DEM file.  Then when you choose the Spline Smooth command and specify the grid file to be smoothed, the Spline Smooth dialog box is displayed.

*	The Method group allows you to specify the type of spline smoothing to apply to the grid.

The Insert Nodes option button activates the Number of Nodes to Insert group.  This option increases the number of rows and columns in the grid file by inserting rows and columns between existing rows and columns.

The Recalc Grid option button activates the Final Grid Size group.  This option allows you to explicitly define the number of rows and columns to produce in the smoothed grid.  You can use this option to increase the grid to any size or reduce the grid size to any size.

*	The Number of Nodes to Insert group is active when you select the Insert Nodes option.  Because you are inserting rows and columns, this will increase the size of the grid and result in a smoother contour map or surface plot.

The Between Rows edit box allows you to specify the number of rows to insert between the existing rows in the grid file.  Rows correspond to grid nodes of constant Y.

The Between Cols edit box allows you to specify the number of columns to insert between the existing columns in the grid file.  Columns correspond to grid nodes of constant X.

*	The Final Grid Size group allows you to give user specified numbers of rows and columns for the final grid file.  You can increase or decrease the number of rows and columns in the grid file.  You could also increase one dimension while decreasing the other dimension.

The # Rows edit box allows you to specify the number of rows for the smoothed grid file.

The # Cols edit box allows you to specify the number of columns for the smoothed grid file.

*	The Output Grid File group allows you to specify the path and file name for the smoothed grid file.  The default name is OUT.GRD, and this file is written to the current directory.  To change the name or path for the smoothed grid, click the Browse button and specify the changes.

*	The Grid Info button displays information about the grid file to be smoothed.


Grid Blank Command
Grid Blank

The Blank command assigns a blanking code (1.70141e+038) to specified groups of grid nodes in a blanked grid file.  When you display a blanked grid file as a contour map, the blanked regions do not display any contour lines.  When you display a blanked grid file as a surface plot the blanked regions appear as low flat regions at the same level as the minimum Z value in the blanked file.

The Blank command requires a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file, and a Golden Software blanking [.BLN] file to be created prior to performing the blanking operation.  The grid file is produced using the Data command from the Grid menu.  Blanking files can be produced in and saved from the Surfer worksheet.

The blanked region is defined by a blanking [.BLN] file containing X,Y coordinates that define the blanking boundary.  The X,Y coordinates in the blanking file are within the same X,Y range as the grid file to be blanked.

Blanking can be assigned to the region inside or outside the blanking boundary.  Blanked grids contain the same number of elements, the same coordinates and the same grid limits as the original grid file.  The grid elements in the output grid are identical to the values in the input grid except in those locations where the blanking values are placed.

Contours produced from blanked plots are truncated at the edges of any grid cell containing a blanking value at any one of the nodes at the corners of the cell.  Contour lines drawn on a blanked grid might not extend entirely up to the blanking boundary.  This effect is most pronounced when you use coarse grids.

When you choose the Blank command the Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  This allows you to choose the grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file to blank.  Select the file to be blanked and click OK.  Then the Open Document dialog box prompts you for the name of the blanking [.BLN] file that defines the area to be blanked.  Select the blanking file, click OK and the Save Grid dialog box is displayed.  This allows you to specify the path and file name for the blanked grid file to be produced.  Specify the path and file name and click OK and the blanked grid file is created.

To view the blanked grid file you can select the Contour command or the Surface command from the Map menu and specify the blanked file.

See Also

Blanking a Grid File

Masking Contours

ASCII Grid File Format

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid File Formats

Gridding Overview

USGS DEM file

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Utility Convert

The Convert command allows you to convert a binary grid [.GRD] file to an ASCII grid file or vice versa, or convert a USGS DEM file to an ASCII or binary grid file,.  You can also convert a grid file or USGS DEM file to an X,Y,Z data file.  When creating an X,Y,Z data file, all grid nodes are listed in separate rows, with the X coordinate in Column A, the Y coordinate in column B, and the corresponding Z value in Column C.

When you choose the Convert command from the cascading Utility menu in the Grid menu you must specify the grid file or DEM file to convert, the format that you want to convert the file to, and the name for the converted file.

When you choose the Convert command the Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  This allows you to specify the grid [.GRD] file or DEM file to be converted to a different format or to an ASCII data file.  After you specify the file click OK and the Save Grid dialog box is displayed.

The Save Grid Dialog Box

In the Save Grid dialog box, you can specify the format in which you want to save the file that is created.  In the Save File as Type drop-down list box you can select the format for the file.

*	The GS Binary (*.GRD) format allows you to convert an ASCII [.GRD] file to a binary [.GRD] file.   Binary grid files are smaller in size than ASCII grid files and take up less disk space.

*	The GS ASCII (*.GRD) format allows you to convert a binary [.GRD] file to an ASCII [.GRD] file.  ASCII grid files can be modified using the Surfer worksheet or any ASCII editor that will let you handle large files.

*	The ASCII XYZ (*.DAT) format allows you to produce an X,Y,Z data file from a grid [.GRD] file.  The X,Y coordinate and Z value for each grid node from the grid file are placed in a single row in the data file.

See Also

ASCII Grid File Format

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Overview

Grid Utility Extract

Grid Utility Limits

Grid Utility Transform


Grid Utility Extract

The Extract command from the cascading Utility menu in the Grid menu allows you to create a subset of an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Grid files consist of rows and columns of Z values corresponding to lines of constant X and Y in the grid file.  When you extract information from a grid file, you can specify the starting and ending rows and columns to extract.  For example, you can create a new grid file that consists of only the center portion of an existing grid by specifying the middle columns and rows from the original grid.  When using a USGS DEM file, the elevation data for the specified portion of the DEM file are extracted and written to a grid file.

Consider a grid file that has 100 rows and 100 columns.  You might want to create a grid that contains the information from row 25 to row 75 and column 25 to column 75.  In this example, the Extract command allows you to specify 25 as the first row and first column to extract, and 75 as the last row and last column to extract.  The grid file you create in this case would consist of 51 rows and columns of data (from 25 to 75 rows and columns, inclusive).

Subsets can also be based on periodic rows or columns read from the input grid file.  In this case, you can tell the Extract command to use a step factor that skips the specified number of rows and columns when reading information from the original grid file.  This is accomplished using the Read Every edit boxes to specify the step factor.  By specifying a step factor, you can reduce the density of a grid.  This can also be accomplished in conjunction with specifying new first and last rows and columns to read from the original grid file.

When you choose the Extract command from the cascading Utility menu in the Grid menu, the Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  Specify the grid file or USGS DEM file from which you want to extract data, and click OK to display the Extract Grid dialog box.

*	The First Row and Last Row edit boxes show the first and last rows from the input grid file.  These correspond to grid lines of constant Y value.  The map coordinates corresponding to the row displayed in the edit box are displayed to the right.  As you change the row values, the Y map coordinates change accordingly.

*	The Read Every _____ Row(s) edit box allows you to specify a skip factor if you want to thin out a grid.  A value of one will read every row within the selected row limit.  By changing the value you can skip the specified number of rows when reading data from the input grid file.  As you change this parameter, the map coordinate value is displayed for the Last Row.  This map coordinate value corresponds to the last row that will be written to the new grid file.

*	The First Column and Last Column edit boxes show the first and last columns from the input grid file.  These correspond to grid lines of constant X value.  The map coordinates corresponding to the column displayed in the edit box are displayed to the right.  As you change the column values, the X coordinates change accordingly.

*	The Read Every _____ Column(s) edit box allows you to specify a skip factor if you want to thin out a grid.  A value of one will read every column within the selected column limit.  By changing this value, you can skip the specified number of columns when reading data from the input grid file.  As you change this parameter, the map coordinate value is displayed for the Last Column.  This map coordinate value corresponds to the last column that will be written to the new grid file.

See Also

ASCII Grid File Format

Grid Utility Convert

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Overview

Grid Utility Limits

Grid Utility Transform

USGS DEM file


Grid Utility Transform

The Transform command from the cascading Utility menu in the Grid menu contains several options that let you modify the XY location of grid node values within a grid [.GRD] file. The Transform command does not alter the Z values contained in the grid file, only the position of the Z values within the grid file.  The Transform commands are used to shift, scale, rotate or mirror grid node values within a grid file.

When you choose the Transform command from the cascading Utility menu in the Grid menu, the Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  Specify the grid file or USGS DEM file from which you want to extract data, and click OK to display the Grid Transform dialog box.

The Operation drop-down list box allows you to choose the method of transform to use.  Click on the box an select the option from the list.

*	The Offset option allows you to add or subtract a specified number of data units along either or both the X and Y dimensions.  When you choose this option the X Offset and Y Offset edit boxes are displayed in the Grid Transform dialog box.  Specify the amount of offset you want to apply, in data units.  You can use positive or negative data units.

*	The Scale option allows you to multiply either or both the X and Y dimensions by a specified amount.  When you choose this option the X Scale and Y Scale edit boxes are displayed in the Grid Transform dialog box, allowing you to specify the scaling factors you want to apply.

*	The Rotate option allows you to rotate a grid by factors of 90 degrees.  When you choose this option, the Angle edit box is displayed in the Grid Transform dialog box.  Type the desired rotation (in factors of 90 degrees) in the edit box.  You can rotate grids 90, 180 or 270 degrees.

*	The Mirror X option creates an X dimension mirror image of a grid file.  With this option, the output grid file uses the same minimum and maximum X and Y coordinates as the input grid file.  Z values are reassigned in the output grid by reversing the order of Z values along each row from the input grid file.  The Y coordinates are unchanged.

*	The Mirror Y option creates a Y dimension mirror image of a grid file.  With this option, the output grid file uses the same minimum and maximum X and Y coordinates as the input grid file.  Z values are reassigned in the output grid by reversing the order of Z values along each column from the input grid file.  The X coordinates are unchanged.

See Also

ASCII Grid File Format

Grid Utility Convert

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Overview

Grid Utility Extract

USGS DEM file


Grid Volume

The Volume command computes net volumes and volumes of cut and fill between two grids or a grid or USGS DEM file and a planar surface.  The command also computes planar areas and surface areas.

Volume calculations become more accurate as the density of the grid is increased.  Also, the smoother the grid (as seen when viewing a surface plot of the grid), the better the volume calculations.  Grids with significant "noise" or with highly irregular surfaces are poor candidates for volume calculations.

Before you calculate the volume you must define the upper and lower surface between which the volumes are calculated.  These surfaces can be either a grid [.GRD] file or a horizontal planar surface.  When you choose grid files for both surfaces, the grids must be the same size (the number of rows and the number of columns must match between the grid files), and use the same X,Y limits.  Surfer compares grid nodes from the two surfaces based on the node position, and not the X,Y coordinate assigned to that node in the grid file.

The Grid Volume Dialog Box

When you choose the Volume command from the Grid menu, and specify the name of a grid file or USGS DEM file in the Open Grid dialog box, the Grid Volume dialog box is displayed.

*	The Upper Surface group allows you to define the top surface.

The Grid File option allows you to specify a grid file to use as the upper surface.  When you click the option you can then click the Browse button and specify the grid [.GRD] file to use as the upper surface.  After you specify the grid file, the name appears in the group.

The Constant option allows you to specify a horizontal plane to use as the top surface.  You can specify the level of the planar surface by typing the value in the Z = edit box.  The value you specify is in Z data units.

*	The Lower Surface group allows you to define the bottom surface.

The Grid File option allows you to specify a grid file to use as the bottom surface.  When you click the option you can then click the Browse button and specify the grid [.GRD] file to use as the bottom surface.  After you specify the grid file, the name appears in the group.

The Constant option allows you to specify a horizontal plane to use as the bottom surface.  You can specify the level of the planar surface by typing the value in the Z = edit box.  The value you specify is in Z data units.

After you have specified the upper and lower surface to use, click the OK button and the volume and areas calculations are performed.  To display the results, an Editor window is automatically opened and the results are displayed.  You can save the results to an ASCII text file, or copy and paste the results from the Editor window to a Plot window.

See Also

Area Calculations

Calculating the Volume Between Two Surfaces

Calculating the Volume of a Lake

Computing Volumes and Areas

Cut and fill Volumes

Methods for Volume Calculations

Volume and Area Calculations

Volume Command


Grid Slice

The Slice command produces profile data that can be plotted using GRAPHER, GRAPHER for Windows, or any XY plotting package  The profile is generated by taking a vertical slice through a surface along a boundary line.  The surface is based on a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file and the boundary line is from a blanking [.BLN] file.

The Slice command produces an ASCII data file or a blanking [.BLN] file containing Z values.

The Grid Slice Dialog Box

When you choose the Slice command from the Grid menu, you must specify the grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file and then the blanking [.BLN] file to use when producing the profile data.  Then the Grid Slice dialog box is displayed.

*	The Output BLN File group allows you to specify the name for a blanking [.BLN] file to produce during the slice operation.  Click on the Browse button and type in the file name for the blanking [.BLN] file to be created.  The name then appears in the Output BLN File group.

*	The Output DAT File group allows you to specify the name for an ASCII data file containing the slice information.  Click on the Browse button and specify the name for the data file to be created.  The name then appears in the Output DAT File group.

The Clip outside grid checkbox limits the output profile line to the limits of the grid file.  If your blanking [.BLN] file line extends beyond the limits of the grid, the points outside the grid are not included in the slice data file when the checkbox is active.

The Clip blanked areas checkbox eliminates data from areas that are blanked in the grid file.  If you have performed the blanking operation on the grid file used for the slice operation, you can eliminate the blanked areas from the output data file when the checkbox is active.

See Also

Creating Profile Lines (Cross Sections)


Grid Residuals

The Residuals command computes the vertical difference between data points and a gridded surface or a USGS DEM file. A residual is the difference between the Z value of a point in a data file and the interpolated Z value at the same (X,Y) location on a gridded surface.  The Residual command can give you a quantitative measure of the agreement between a grid file and the original data, or can be used to determine the Z value at any (X,Y) location from the grid file.

The formula used to compute a residual value is:

Zres = Zdat - Zgrd

where:

Zres is the residual value

Zdat is the Z value in the data file

Zgrd is the Z value of the surface at the X,Y coordinate of the point from the data file.

If the Z value in the data file is greater than the Z value derived from the gridded surface, the residual value is positive.  For example, if the residual is 4.5, the data file Z value is 4.5 units above the gridded surface.

The results of the Residual command are written to a Worksheet window, and can be saved as a data file from the worksheet.  When you perform the residuals operation, a Worksheet window is automatically opened and the data file is written to the worksheet along with the newly generated residual information.  The Worksheet window uses the name of the data file.  This allows you to easily save the residual information in the existing data file, or allows you to save the data and residuals in a new data file.

If you want to obtain statistical information on the calculated residuals, you can use the Statistics command from the Worksheet Compute menu.

The Grid Residuals Dialog Box

When you choose the Residuals command from the Grid menu, you must specify the grid file or USGS DEM file and the data file to be compared, and the Grid Residuals dialog box is displayed.

*	The Data Columns group allows you to specify the columns where your X, Y and Z data reside in the data file.  Select the appropriate columns from the drop-down list boxes.

*	The Store residuals in column edit box allows you to specify the column to contain the residuals values.  When you perform the residuals calculation, a Worksheet window is automatically opened, and the data file and the residual data are placed in the worksheet.  By default Surfer selects the first column to the right that does not contain any data from the data file.

See Also

Calculating the Z Value at a Point on the Surface


Grid Editor
Grid Grid Node Editor

The Grid Node Editor command allows you to change the Z values at individual grid nodes in a grid [.GRD] file.  You can also read in a USGS DEM file, modify individual elevation values, and write the modified data to a grid file.

In the Grid Node Editor window, the position of the grid nodes is indicated with a "+" (a grid node marker). A contour map can also be displayed.  The active node is highlighted, and you can enter a new Z value for the highlighted node.  You can use the arrow keys to move between grid nodes, or click a node to make it the active node.  The active node X,Y coordinates are displayed at the top of the screen, and the Z value is given in the Z edit box.  You can enter a new Z value in the edit box.  To accept the new value press ENTER or an arrow key, or click another node with the mouse.  The contour map is redrawn with your change implemented.  You can save the edited grid file to the same name or to a different name.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Save

Save As

Fit to Window

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Redraw

Show Contours

Contour Levels

Show Nodes

Grid Info

Blank Node

Unblank Node

Grid Editor Overview

Grid Grid Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Help Menu Commands

Contents	Displays the categories of Help topics.

Keyboard	Displays help for all keyboard shortcuts.

Commands	Displays help about each menu command.

Using Help	Displays the introductory topic about how to access and use Help.

About	Displays the Surfer version number and copyright notice.


Help Contents

The Contents command lets you access the Surfer Help Index.  The index contains a list of all Help topics available for Surfer.


Help Keyboard

The Keyboard command in the Help menu provides help on various keyboard shortcuts.

Plot Window Keyboard Shortcuts

Editor Window Keyboard Shortcuts

Worksheet Window Keyboard Shortcuts


Help Commands

Plot Window Commands

Worksheet Window Commands

Editor Window Commands


Help Using Help

The Using Help command provides help on the Windows Help System.  When the Using Help command is chosen, an index appears for the Windows Help System including information on buttons, commands, and keys, and procedures to use while in the Help System.


Help About

The About command provides information on the Surfer version number, and copyright.

See Also:

About the Surfer Help System


Map Menu Commands

Load BaseMap 	Creates a base map from a boundary file, metafile, or bitmap file.

Contour 	Creates a contour map from a grid file or DEM file.

Post	Creates a map showing data point locations.

Classed Post 	Creates a map showing data point locations based on different data ranges.

Image	Creates a raster image map from a grid file or DEM file.

Shaded Relief	Creates a shaded relief map from a grid file or DEM file.

Surface 	Creates a surface plot from a grid file or DEM file.

Axis

Show	Controls the display of axes on the selected map or overlay.

Edit	Controls the axis parameters for the selected axis.

Scale	Controls the scaling for the selected axis

Grid Lines	Controls the display of grid lines across the map.

Scale Bar	Creates a distance scale.

Background	Controls the map background line and fill attributes

Digitize 	Reads map coordinates from a map and writes them to a data file.

3D View	Controls the rotation and tilt of the selected map or overlay.

Scale	Controls the scale for the selected map or overlay

Limits	Defines the extent of the selected map or overlay

Stack Maps	Aligns selected maps on the page.

Overlay Maps	Combines selected maps into a single overlay.

Edit Overlays	Provides you with control over components in an overlay.


Map Load BaseMap

The Load BaseMap command imports a boundary map to use as a base map.  Base maps can be independent of other maps in the Plot window, or can be combined with other maps in a map overlay (using the Overlay Maps command).

When you choose the Load BaseMap command the Import File dialog box is displayed.  By default, all the basemap file types are listed under the File Name edit box.

*	The File Name edit box allows you to type in the path and file name of the basemap file to be imported.  Below the File Name edit box, all the files of the specified format are listed.  You can double-click the desired file to automatically import it into the current Plot window.

*	The Directories list box allows you to specify the directory in which you want to look for the basemap files.  The path to the current directory is shown above the directories list.

*	The Drives drop-down list box allows you to change the current drive.  When you change drives, the Directories list is automatically updated to the active directory on the drive you specify.

*	The List Files of Type drop-down list box allows you to specify the file type that you want to search for in the current directory.  By default, All Recognized Types of files are listed.  If you want to look only for a specific file type, choose that type of file from the list.

File types are initially recognized by the file extensions they use.  For example, a Surfer blanking file normally uses a [.BLN] extension.  If your blanking file has a [.DAT] extension, you can type in filename.DAT in the File Name edit box to import the file.  Because this blanking file does not use the standard [.BLN] extension, Surfer displays the Import File Types dialog box.  This is because Surfer does not recognize [.DAT] as a valid extension for a basemap file, and needs to be told the correct format for the file.  In this case, you would choose the Golden Software Blanking option from the Select a file type list.  Click on OK and your blanking file using a [.DAT] extension is imported.

See Also

Setting Map Limits and Clipping Base Maps

Creating and Modifying Base Maps

Placing Boundaries on a Map

Boundary Files and File Formats Used by Load BaseMap


Map Contour

The Contour command creates a contour map based on a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file. The contour map is a plot based on the X,Y,Z values in a grid file or DEM file.  Contours define lines of constant Z. or in other words, lines of constant elevation or value, across the extent of the map.

Grid files contain a series of Z values located on a regularly spaced array of (X,Y) locations.  When you create a contour map, the grid file is interpreted and a contour map is drawn in the current Plot window. Contour lines are drawn as straight line segments between the grid lines in the grid file.  The point where a contour line intersects a grid line is based on an interpolation between the Z values at the neighboring grid nodes.

To create a contour map of your data you must use a grid file or USGS DEM file.  To create a grid file from your data, choose the Data command from the Grid menu.  After you have completed the gridding procedure, you can then choose the Contour command to create a contour map.

The Contour Map Dialog Box

When you choose the Contour command from the Map menu, first the Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  This allows you to specify the grid file or DEM you use to create the contour map.  You must select a valid grid file to proceed with the Contour command.

After you have selected the grid file or DEM file to use, the Contour Map dialog box is displayed.  After you have created a contour map, you can display the Contour Map dialog box by double-clicking on the contour map.  The Contour Map dialog box allows you to control the display of contour lines and solid fill between the contours.

Contour Map Dialog Box Groups

Filled Contours

Smoothing

Contour Levels

The Grid Info button displays information on the grid file used to produce the contour map.  The information includes the grid size, and the minimum and maximum X, Y and Z values contained in the grid file.

The Change Grid button displays the Open Grid dialog box.  This allows you to open a new grid or DEM file (or an updated version of the grid used to create the contour map) to use with the current contour map parameters.  When you change the grid file, the map limits are reset, but the contour levels are not recalculated.  If the Z range for the new grid is outside the old contour levels, no contour lines will be redrawn until the contour levels are reset to match the new grid.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Blanking Contour Lines

Changing Map Orientation

Changing the Scale of a Map

Combining Maps in Overlays

Contour Line Attributes

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Creating Level Files

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Masking Contours

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Posting Data Points

Scaling a Map

Setting Map Limits

Smoothing Contours

Specifying Contour Levels

Stacking Surfaces


Filled Contours Group

Contour Map Dialog Box

The Filled Contours group of the Contour Map dialog box controls the display of fill between the contour lines.  The fill to use between contours is assigned in the Contour Levels group.

*	Fill Contours checkbox switches on the display of color fill between the contour lines.

*	When the Color Scale checkbox is on, a color scale is automatically created and placed on the map.  Once you have created a color scale, you can remove the scale by clicking on the scale and pressing the DELETE key, or switching off the Color Scale checkbox.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Creating a Contour Map

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Map Contour

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Contour Levels


Smoothing Group

Contour Map Dialog Box

Contour smoothness is controlled by the grid density and the Smoothing group in the Contour Map dialog box.  Coarse grids (grids with few grid lines in the X and Y direction) result in contour maps with very angular contour lines.   The denser the grid, the more smooth the contours will appear.  If you need to increase the grid density of a grid file, you can use the Spline Smooth command or regrid your data using the Data command from the Grid menu.

The Smoothing group allows you to smooth the contours displayed on the map.  For example, you might have a contour map produced from a low density grid (a grid with a small number of X and Y grid lines).  This contour map might show angular contours.  The smoothing options can help to round out the contours.

*	The Smooth Contours checkbox allows you to enable the smoothing option.

*	The Amount drop-down list box specifies the degree of smoothing to apply to the contours.  As a warning, this type of smoothing can result in crossing contours, usually when you choose a High amount of smoothing with closely spaced and convoluted contours.

Smoothing can also be implemented using the Matrix Smooth or Spline Smooth commands from the Grid menu.  Grids that are already smoothed by these methods will probably not have to be smoothed from within the Contour Map dialog box.

See Also

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Map Contour

Smoothing Contours


Contour Levels Group

Contour Map Dialog Box

The Contour Levels group of the Contour Map dialog box allows you to control the display of contours, contour labels, color fill and hachures on the contour map.  The list box of contour levels provides a display of the contour levels to be displayed on the map.  You can double-click any of the elements within the list to change the specific values or attributes.  For example, if you want to change the line attributes for a particular contour line, double-click the line sample in the list box, and the Line Attributes dialog box is displayed, allowing you to change the attributes for the selected contour line.

Contour Levels

Contour levels can be specified on regular or irregular intervals.  To specify contour levels on regular intervals, click the Level button.  To create contours at arbitrary levels, you can use the Add button to add a new contour level, and double-click the Z value to assign any value to the selected level.

*	The Level button displays the Contour Levels dialog box.  This allows you to specify the minimum and maximum contour levels to display on the map, and the contour interval to use between contour levels.  This produces contours on regular intervals.  If you want contours on irregular intervals you can create a level file and use the Load button to load the level file, or manually produce the contour levels by clicking on contour levels from the list and typing in the desired levels in the Z Level dialog box.

*	The Add button (on the right side of the group) adds a contour line midway between the selected contour and the next lower contour.

*	The Delete button (on the right side of the group) removes the selected contour from the list.

Contour Line Attributes

Contour line attributes can be assigned automatically over the entire range of contours by clicking on the Line button.  Alternatively you can assign attributes to individual levels by double-clicking the line style for the desired level.

*	The Line button displays the Line Spectrum dialog box that allows you to specify the Minimum and Maximum line attributes to assign to the contour lines.  When you click the Minimum Line Attributes or Maximum Line Attributes button, the Line Attributes dialog box is displayed.  The minimum line attribute is assigned to the lowest contour level and the maximum line attribute is assigned to the highest contour level.  Surfer automatically assigns gradational line colors or widths between the minimum and maximum levels.

If you choose different line styles for the minimum and maximum contours, there is no gradational change in line styles.  The lower half of the contour lines use the style assigned for the minimum and the upper half of the contour lines use the style assigned for the maximum.

If you do not want to display contour lines for a plot you can assign an invisible line style for both the minimum and maximum lines from the Line Spectrum dialog box.

Fill Between Contours

Contour fill attributes can be assigned automatically over the entire range of contours by clicking on the Fill button.  Alternatively you can assign fill attributes to individual levels by double-clicking the fill sample for the desired level.

*	The Fill button displays the Fill Spectrum dialog box that allows you to specify the Minimum and Maximum fill attributes for the color fill between contours.  When you click the Minimum or Maximum button, the Fill Attributes dialog box is displayed.  The Minimum fill attribute is assigned to the lowest contour level and the Maximum fill attribute is assigned to the highest contour level.

When you use solid colors for the fill, Surfer automatically assigns gradational fill colors between the minimum and maximum levels.  If you choose different fill patterns for the minimum and maximum, there is no gradational change for patterns.  The lower half of the fills use the pattern assigned for the minimum and the upper half of the fills use the pattern assigned for the maximum.

Contour Labels

*	The Label button displays the Contour Labels dialog box.  This provides you with control over the regular placement and appearance of contour labels on the map.  If you want to label contours on an irregular interval, or want to only label selected contours, you can double-click the Yes or No text below the Label button.  This allows you to manually assign labels to selected contour lines.

Hachures

*	The Hach button displays the Hachures dialog box.  This provides you with control over the regular placement and appearance of hachures on the map.  If you want to hach contours on an irregular interval, or want to only hach selected contours, you can double-click the Yes or No text below the Hach button.  This allows you to manually assign hachures to selected contour lines.

Loading and Saving Level Files

*	The Load button displays the Open Document dialog box, providing you a listing of the level files in the current directory.  When you double-click the level file from the list, the level file is loaded and the contour and fill settings assume the parameters specified in the level file.

*	The Save button saves all the current contour settings in a level file.  This level file can then be used in any other contour map or surface plot.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Contour Line Attributes

Creating a Contour Map

Creating Level Files

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Map Contour

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Contour Levels


Map Post

The Post command creates a map with data point locations.  Post maps can overlay contour maps or surface plots, allowing you to plot your original data points on the map, or other point location information.  Posted data points are from a data file containing (X,Y) coordinates defining the point locations.

To Post data points directly on other maps, you must create the Post map, and then use the Overlay Maps command to correctly position the Post map data points.  See the Posting Data Points topic for more information.

To post points on a map, the minimum amount of information you need is the X,Y coordinate.  You can also incorporate other data in the file to be used to control the posting of points on a map.  You can also include data values to control proportional sizing of the symbols, values to specify different symbols for different data points, or label information to place text next to the posted points.

The Post Map Dialog Box

When you choose the Post command, the Open Data dialog box is displayed, allowing you to specify the data file to be posted.  After you have specified the data file to post, the Post Map dialog box is displayed.

Post Map Dialog Box Groups

Worksheet Columns Group

Default Symbol Group

Label Position Group

Symbol Size Group

3D Label Lines Group

*	The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the text attributes to assign to the labels used on the Post map.

*	The Format button displays the Label Format dialog box, allowing you to specify the numeric format to use when displaying values for your posted labels.

*	The Post every edit box specifies a skip factor when reading data points from the worksheet column.  When the Post every value is set at one, all the data points from the worksheet are displayed on the map.  If you set the Post every value at 5 for example, every fifth point is taken from the worksheet and posted on the map.

*	The Change File button allows you to associate a different data file with the post map. After you have created a post map, you can change the data file used for the map.  Changing the file used for the map retains most settings.  However, the column headings for the options in the Worksheet Columns group can change, and the Proportional Scaling is recalculated if the Use Data Limits option is activated in the Proportional Scaling dialog box.

See Also

Changing Map Orientation

Changing the Scale of a Map or Surface Plot

Classed Post Command

Combining Maps

Creating Base Maps

Displaying Several Maps on a Page

Placing Boundaries on a Map

Posting Data Points

Scaling a Map or Surface Plot

Setting Map Limits


Worksheet Columns Group

Post Map Dialog Box

The Worksheet Columns group of the Post Map dialog box specifies the location of data and labels to be posted on the map.  You can also select the columns to use for posting labels, symbol numbers, and symbol angles.

*	The X Coord drop-down list box specifies the location of the X coordinate for the points to be posted.

*	The Y Coord drop-down list box specifies the location of the Y coordinate for the points to be posted.

*	The Label drop-down list box allows you to specify a column containing label information.  You can use this column to place labels next to each of the posted points on the map.  For example, you can post Z data values, well names, residual values, etc.  The labels must be in the same rows as the X and Y coordinates.  Labels can be either numbers or text.

*	The Symbol drop-down list box allows you to specify a column containing font names and numbers representing the positions of symbols in the Symbol palette.  If you leave this column as NONE, then the Default Symbol is used for all posted points.  If you specify a column to use, you need to know the character number corresponding to the character you want to use for each posted point.  The numbers correspond to the position of the desired symbol in the symbol set used for the posting symbols.  For example, if you use the Default Symbols Symbol Set for posting, the first symbol to appear in the symbol set corresponds to symbol "0", the second symbol to symbol "1", and so on.

You can use a combination of symbol numbers and blank rows in the symbol column.  In this case, the specified symbols are used when designated, and the default symbol is used for those symbols where no symbol value is designated.  For example, let's say you used the cross (+) for the default symbol, and have a symbol column in your data file that contains symbol numbers for some data points, and blanks in the symbol column for other data points.  When a blank cell is encountered in the symbol column, the cross (+) is used for the data point.

In addition, post maps allow a symbol set to be specified from the data file.  To specify a symbol set from the data file, the symbol column uses this format:

Symbol set:index

where "Symbol set" indicates the optional symbol set name.  Face names are not case sensitive.  The default symbol set can be restored using "Default Symbols".  The index starts at 0 for default symbols, and is an ASCII code for font symbols (starting at 32).

For example, Arial:65 will use the letter A from the Arial font.  You can use the Character Map from the Windows Program Manager to determine the ASCII code for font symbols.

*	The Angle drop-down list box allows you to specify a column containing angle values.  Positive angle values rotate the symbol counterclockwise the specified number of degrees up to +360.  Negative angle values rotate the symbol clockwise the specified number of degrees down to -360.

See Also

3D Label Lines Group

Classed Post Command

Default Symbol Group

Label Position Group

Map Post

Posting Data Points

Symbol Size Group


Default Symbol Group

Post Map Dialog Box

The Default Symbol group of the Post Map dialog box allows you to select the default symbol attributes and default symbol angle.  These are the parameters used if you do not specify Symbol and Angle columns in the Worksheet Columns group.

*	The Symbol button displays the Symbol Attributes dialog box.  After you select the desired symbol and symbol attributes and click OK, the default symbol is displayed in the symbol button.  If you do not want to display a symbol for your data points, you can select one of the blank symbol positions in the symbol palette.

*	The Angle edit box specifies an angle value between -360 and +360.  Positive angles rotate the symbol in a counterclockwise fashion.

See Also

3D Label Lines Group

Changing Map Orientation

Changing the Scale of a Map or Surface Plot

Classed Post Command

Combining Maps

Creating Base Maps

Default Symbol Group

Displaying Several Maps on a Page

Label Position Group

Map Post

Placing Boundaries on a Map

Posting Data Points

Scaling a Map or Surface Plot

Symbol Size Group

Worksheet Columns Group


Label Position Group

Post Map Dialog Box

The Label Position group of the Post Map dialog box allows you to specify the position of any posted labels relative to the posted points.  The drop-down list box specifies the location of the labels.  All of the posted labels are placed in the same relative position.  If you choose the User Defined option, you can indicate specific X and Y offsets (in inches) for the labels.

*	The X edit box specifies the offset (in inches) in the X direction when you are using a User Defined Label Position.  Positive values shift the label position to the right.

*	The Y edit box specifies the offset (in inches) in the Y direction when you are using a User Defined Label Position.  Positive values shift the label position upward.

*	The Angle edit box specifies the angle at which to draw the labels.


Symbol Size Group

Post Map Dialog Box

The Symbol Size group of the Post Map dialog box controls the size of the symbols posted on the map.  You can have all symbols posted at the same size, or have the symbols proportionally sized based on a worksheet data value.

*	The Fixed Size option button is used when you want all symbols to be plotted at the same size.  When you use the Fixed Size option, you can specify the size in the edit box.  Sizes are specified in inches.

*	The Proportional option button is used when you want the plotted symbols to vary in size relative to a worksheet data value.  When you choose this option, the Scaling button becomes activated.  The Scaling button displays the Proportional Scaling dialog box.  This allows you to specify how the symbols are sized on the map.


3D Label Lines Group

Post Map Dialog Box

The 3D Label Lines group of the Post Map dialog box is only utilized on maps tilted to angles other than 90 degrees, or when you are combining a post map with a surface plot.  3D Label Lines draw a vertical line from the point on the map or surface to the associated label.

*	The Length edit box specifies how far above the map or surface the labels are drawn, and therefore the length of the line between the map and the labels.

*	The Attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the attributes for the 3D Label Lines.


Map Classed Post

The Classed Post command allows you to post points using different symbols based on data ranges for the posted data.  Classed post maps are similar to Post maps because data point locations are represented by symbols on the map.  In Classed Post maps however, all the posted points are assigned to classed based on a data value in the worksheet, and different symbols are assigned for the different ranges of data.  Whereas Post maps require only X,Y coordinates as the minimum amount of information for posting data points, Classed Post maps require some data value in addition to the X,Y coordinates.

The Classed Post Map Dialog Box

When you choose the Classed Post command, the Open Data dialog box is displayed, allowing you to specify the data file to be posted.  After you have specified the data file to post, the Classed Post Map dialog box is displayed.

Classed Post Map Dialog Box Groups

Worksheet Columns Group

Label Position Group

3D Label Lines Group

Class Methods Group and Classes List

*	The Symbol Angle edit box specifies the angle at which all symbols for all classes are oriented on the map.  Positive angles cause a counterclockwise rotation of the symbols the specified number of degrees.

*	The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the text attributes to assign to the labels used on the Post map.

*	The Format button displays the Label Format dialog box, allowing you to specify the numeric format to use when displaying values for your posted labels.

*	The Post every edit box specifies a skip factor when reading data points from the worksheet column.  When the Post every value is set at one, all the data points from the worksheet are displayed on the map.  If you set the Post every value at 5 for example, every fifth point is taken from the worksheet and posted on the map.

*	The Change File button allows you to associate a different data file with the classed post map. After you have created a classed post map, you can change the data file used for the map.  Changing the file used for the map retains most settings.  However, the column headings for the options in the Worksheet Columns group can change, and the Class Limits are recalculated if the Class Method is not User Defined.

*	The Show Legend checkbox activates the display of a legend adjacent to the map when the map is redrawn.  The legend attributes can be set from the Legend dialog box.

See Also

Changing Map Orientation

Changing the Scale of a Map or Surface Plot

Combining Maps

Creating Base Maps

Displaying Several Maps on a Page

Legend Dialog Box

Placing Boundaries on a Map

Posting Data Points

Scaling a Map or Surface Plot

Setting Map Limits


Worksheet Columns Group

Classed Post Map Dialog Box

The Worksheet Columns group specifies the location of data and labels to be posted on the map.  You can also select the columns to use for posting labels, symbol numbers, and symbol angles.

*	The X Coord drop-down list box specifies the location of the X coordinate for the points to be posted.

*	The Y Coord drop-down list box specifies the location of the Y coordinate for the points to be posted.

*	The Z Value drop-down list box specifies the column containing the data value to be used when assigning points to the different classes.

*	The Label drop-down list box allows you to specify a column containing label information.  You can use this column to place labels next to each of the posted points on the map.  For example, you can post Z data values, well names, residual values, etc.  The labels must be in the same rows as the X and Y coordinates.  Labels can be either numbers or text.

See Also

Classed Post Map


Label Position Group

Classed Post Map Dialog Box

The Label Position group allows you to specify the position of any posted labels relative to the posted points.  The drop-down list box specifies the location of the labels.  All of the posted labels are placed in the same relative position.  If you choose the User Defined option, you can indicate specific X and Y offsets (in inches) for the labels.

*	The X edit box specifies the offset (in inches) in the X direction when you are using a User Defined Label Position.  Positive values shift the label position to the right.

*	The Y edit box specifies the offset (in inches) in the Y direction when you are using a User Defined Label Position.  Positive values shift the label position upward.

*	The Angle edit box specifies the angle at which to draw the labels.

See Also

Classed Post Map


3D Label Lines Group

Classed Post Map Dialog Box

The 3D Label Lines group is only utilized when you are combining a post map with a surface plot.  3D Label Lines draw a vertical line from the point on the surface to the associated label.

*	The Length edit box specifies how far above the surface the labels are drawn, and therefore the length of the line between the surface and the labels.

*	The Attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the attributes for the 3D Label Lines.

See Also

Classed Post Map


Class Methods Group and Classes List

Classed Post Map Dialog Box

The Class Methods group assigns the type of classes to apply to the data.

*	The Equal number option assigns the class ranges so that approximately equal numbers of points are included in each class.  In this case, the interval range is usually different for each class.

*	The Equal Intervals option assigns the class ranges so the interval between the >= Minimum value and the <Maximum value is equal for each range.  In this case, different numbers of points might be assigned for each class.

*	The User defined allows you to set the >=Minimum value and the <Maximum value for each class.  This allows you to specify your own ranges for the classes.  Ranges defined in this way do not have to be contiguous.  To change the >=Minimum or <Maximum value, you can double-click the values in the class list and type the values in the Class Limit dialog box.

The Number of classes edit box allows you to set the number of classes to use on the map.  When you change the Number of classes value, the Classes list box is automatically updated to reflect the change.

The Classes list box provides information about the definition for each class and the symbol used for each class.  You can change the >=Minimum and <Maximum values and the Symbol and Size values by double-clicking on the values or symbols in the list.  You cannot edit the % or # values because these are determined by the data and the >=Minimum and <Maximum values.

*	The >= Minimum list specifies the lower limit for each class of data.  You can double-click the number for any of the classes and reset the value in the Class Limit dialog box.

*	The <Maximum list specifies the upper limit for each class of data.  You can double-click the number for any of the classes and reset the value in the Class Limit dialog box.

*	The % list indicates the percent of data points in the particular class.  This value cannot be edited but is determined by the number of points that fall within the specified range compared to the total number of points in the data set.

*	The # list indicates the number of points included in each class.  This value cannot be edited but is determined by the number of points that fall within the specified range.

*	The Symbol list displays the symbol used for each class.   Symbols are assigned automatically to each range.  To change a symbol or symbol attributes used for a particular range, double-click the symbol and make the desired changes in the Symbol Attributes dialog box.

*	The Size list sets the size for the symbol to be plotted for each range.  If you want to change the size of a symbol for a particular class, double-click the number and change the value in the Symbol Attributes dialog box.

See Also

Classed Post Map


Classed Post Map Legend

When you create a classed post map, a legend can be added to the map.  You can activate the Show Legend checkbox in the Classed Post Map dialog box and a legend is placed adjacent to the map when the map is redrawn.

To change the legend attributes, double-click the legend or click the legend with Button 2, and the Legend dialog box is displayed.

The Frame group specifies the attributes to use for the border around the legend.

The Type list box specifies the type of border to use for the legend.  You can select Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, or None for the frame type.

The Margin edit box specifies the distance between the frame and the text or symbols in the legend.  You can type the values or click the up and down arrows to specify the Margin distance.

The Line button displays the Line Attributes dialog box.  From here you can specify the line attributes to use for the legend frame.

The Fill button displays the Fill Attributes dialog box. .  From here you can specify the fill attributes to use for the legend frame.

The Title group allows you to create a title to use on the legend.  You can type the title in the edit box, and can include any math text instructions in the title.  To add new lines in the title, use CTRL+ENTER.

The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box.  From here you can specify the text attributes to use for the title text.

The Class group allows you to specify how the different classes are represented in the legend.  This controls the type of information placed in the legend, and how the information is formatted.

The Template edit box allows you to customize the format of the legend items.  The specified template attributes are applied to each class.  Normal text and math text instructions can be included within the template in addition to the following template directives.

\sym - Places the class symbol in the legend.

\lower - Places the lower class limit in the legend

\upper - Places the upper class limit in the legend

\tab - places a tab in the class text.  Tabstops are defined at every 0.25 inches starting at the frame edge.

The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box.  From here you can specify the text attributes to use for the class text.  The size of the symbol is also controlled by the Text Attributes dialog box.

The Numeric button displays the Label Format dialog box.  From here you can specify the numeric format to use for the class limits.

The Reverse Order checkbox displays the class list in the opposite order.  When the Reverse Order checkbox is activated, the highest class is at the top of the list.  When not activated, the lowest class is at the top of the list.

See Also

Classed Post Map


Map Image

The Image command creates a raster image of a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  When you choose the Image command, the Image Map dialog box is displayed, allowing you to control the appearance of the image map to create.   For more information on creating image maps, see Creating an Image Map.

Image maps use different colors to represent elevations.  Colors on image maps are associated with percentage values. The percentage values are in relation to the minimum and maximum Z values from the grid file.  The color associated with 0 percent corresponds to the minimum Z value from the grid file, and the color associated with 100 percent corresponds to the maximum Z value in the grid or DEM file.  Blanked regions on image maps are assigned the 0 percent color.

Surfer automatically blends colors between percentage values so you end up with a smooth color gradation over the map.  You can add color anchors at any percentage point between 0 and 100.  Each anchor point can be assigned a unique color, and the colors are automatically blended between adjacent anchor points.  This allows you to create color maps using any combination of colors.  For more information, see the Color Spectrum dialog box discussion.

Any color fill you choose for an image map can be used with any other image map, even if the associated grid files cover distinctly different Z ranges.  This is because image map color schemes are defined as percentage values rather than fixed in relation to Z values.  Color schemes can be saved in Color Spectrum [.CLR] files.

Image maps can be created independently of other maps, or can be combined with other maps in map overlays (using the Overlay Maps command).  Image maps can be scaled, resized, limited or moved in the same way as other types of maps.  However, image maps cannot be rotated or tilted and cannot be combined with a surface map in a map overlay.


The Image Map Dialog Box

When you create a new image map, the Image Map dialog box is displayed before the map is drawn.  To change an existing image map, double-click the map and the Image Map dialog box is displayed.  For more information on image maps, see the Image Map command.

*	The Input Grid File group indicates the path and file name for the grid [.GRD] or USGS DEM file used for the map.  If you want to change the file, click the Browse button and choose the new file from the Open Grid dialog box.

If you use the Browse button to select a new file, and you are using automatic scaling on the axes, the new map is redrawn with new axis scaling.  If you are not using automatic scaling on the axes, they are redrawn using the limits and scaling for the previous grid file, and might not be appropriate for the new grid or DEM.  See the Axis Scale command for more information on setting axis scales.

The Interpolate Pixels checkbox activates color smoothing on the map.  When activated, Interpolate Pixels will calculate a unique color for each pixel over the extent of the map.  This provides for smooth color gradations across the map, but can result in longer image map redraw times.  When the Interpolate Pixels checkbox is off, all pixels within a single grid square are assigned the same color.  With dense grids (grids with relatively large numbers of rows and columns) it is sometimes preferable to switch the Interpolate Pixels option off to speed up redraw time.  In these cases, little change is seen between the maps when the option is turned on or off.  With coarse grids (grids with relatively few rows and columns), this can result in very blocky looking image maps.

The Dither Bitmap checkbox is used to enable dithering on 256 color displays.  Dithering provides a smoother image when there are a limited number of colors available.  Dithering can slow down redraw time.  The option is grayed if your display handles more than 256 colors.

*	The Show Color Scale checkbox turns on the display of a color scale adjacent to the map.  The color scale indicates the colors assigned to the Z levels on the map, and the associated Z level values are displayed as labels on the color scale.   Color scales can be modified from the Color Scale dialog box.

*	The Colors button displays the Color Spectrum dialog box.  The Color Spectrum dialog box lets you specify the colors to use on the map.

*	The Grid Info button provides information about the grid file used to produce the Image Map.  This gives you the number of rows and columns in the grid, and the minimum and maximum X, Y and Z values in the grid file.


Map Shaded Relief

The Shaded Relief command creates a shaded relief map from a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  When you choose the Shaded Relief command from the Map menu, the Shaded Relief Map Dialog Box is displayed.  For more information on the procedure for creating a shaded relief map, see Creating a Shaded Relief Map.

Shaded relief maps are raster maps based on grid files or DEM files.  These maps use different colors to indicate surface slope and slope direction relative to a user-defined light source direction. Surfer determines the orientation of each grid cell on the surface, and assigns a unique color to each grid cell. Because colors are assigned to grid cells on a shaded relief map, very coarse grids (grids with relatively few rows and columns) are poor candidates for shaded relief maps.

Colors on shaded relief maps are associated with percentage values.  Percentage values correspond to light striking the surface.  The light source can be thought of as the sun shining on a topographic surface.  The maximum color (at 100 percent) is assigned at points where the rays are perpendicular to the surface (where the slope directly faces the light source).  As slope faces turn away from the light source, lower percentage value colors are assigned intermediate blended colors. Blanked regions are assigned the color associated with zero percent.

Surfer automatically blends colors between percentage values so you end up with a smooth color gradation over the map.  You can add color anchors at any percentage point between 0 and 100.  Each anchor point can be assigned a unique color, and the colors are automatically blended between adjacent anchor points.  This allows you to create color maps using any combination of colors.  See the topic on the Color Spectrum dialog box for more information on controlling the colors on shaded relief maps.

Any color scheme you choose for a shaded relief map can be used with any other shaded relief map, even if the associated grid files cover distinctly different Z ranges.  This is because color schemes are defined as percentage values rather than fixed in relation to Z values. Color schemes can be saved in Color Spectrum [.CLR] files described in the Color Spectrum File section of this chapter.  See the topic on the Color Spectrum dialog box for more information on controlling the colors on shaded relief maps.

Shaded relief maps can be created independently of other maps, or can be combined with other maps in map overlays (using the Overlay Maps command).  Shaded Relief maps can be scaled, resized, limited or moved in the same way as other types of maps.  However, shaded relief maps cannot be rotated or tilted and cannot be combined with a surface map in a map overlay.


 The Shaded Relief Map Dialog Box

When you create a new shaded relief map, the Shaded Relief Map dialog box is displayed before the map is drawn.  To change an existing shaded relief map, double-click the map and the Shaded Relief Map dialog box is displayed.  For more information on shaded relief maps, see the Shaded Relief command.

*	The Input Grid File group indicates the path and file name for the grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file used for the map.  If you want to change the file, click the Browse button and choose the new file from the Open Grid dialog box.

If you use the Browse button to select a new file, and you are using automatic scaling on the axes, the new map is redrawn with new axis scaling.  If you are not using automatic scaling on the axes, they are redrawn using the limits and scaling for the previous grid file, and might not be appropriate for the new grid or DEM.  See the Axis Scale command for more information on setting axis scales.

The Light Position group lets you specify the orientation of the light source.  The light source can be thought of as the sun shining on a topographic surface.

The Horizontal Angle edit box defines the direction for the light source in the horizontal plane.  Zero degrees corresponds to the light source shining from due East.  Positive angles rotate the light source counterclockwise, so, for example, 90 degrees places the light source due North.  The default Horizontal Angle is set at 135 degrees, or NW

The Vertical Angle edit box rotates the light source in the vertical plane.  Zero degrees places the light source at the horizon, and 90 degrees is directly overhead.  You can also specify negative angles, where the light source originates from under the surface.  The default Vertical Angle is 45 degrees.

The Dither Bitmap checkbox is used to enable dithering on 256 color displays.  Dithering provides a smoother image when there are a limited number of colors available.  Dithering can slow down redraw time.

The Gradient Method controls the smoothness of the shaded relief map.

The Central Difference method averages the slope and orientation of the surface across two adjacent grid cells.  This results in a smoother shaded relief surface.  Because two cells are required, this causes the edge cells to be blanked.  Blanked cells are assigned the minimum color value.

The Midpoint Difference method computes the gradient at the center of each grid cell.  This method provides less smoothing, but does not blank the grid cells at the edge of the map.

The Shading Method specifies the algorithm used to compute the reflected light at each grid cell.  The Shading Method determines how the colors are distributed in relation to the slopes and slope directions over the extent of the map.

Simple is the fastest of the shading methods, but produces a rather crude image.  With Simple, the Horizontal Angle and Vertical Angle Light Position values are fixed at 135 and 45 degrees, respectively, and cannot be changed with this method.

Peuckers Approximation uses a piecewise linear approximation.  This method gives somewhat better results than the Simple method, and redraw takes slightly longer.  With Peuckers Approximation, the Horizontal Angle and Vertical Angle Light Position values are fixed at 135 and 45 degrees, respectively, and cannot be changed with this method.

Lambertian Reflection assumes an ideal surface that reflects all the light that strikes it, and the surface appears equally as bright from all viewing directions.  The Horizontal Angle and Vertical Angle Light Position values can be specified with this option.

The Lommel-Seeliger method is based on an analysis of light scattering from a surface.  This method is intermediate between an ideal diffuser and a real surface.  With some surfaces, this may actually give better results than the Lambertian Reflection method.  The Horizontal Angle and Vertical Angle Light Position values can be specified with this option.

*	The Z Scale Factor edit box allows you to specify the Z scale to use for the surface.  As you increase the Z Scale Factor, the surface becomes more exaggerated vertically.  Increasing the factor enhances the shading effect, and can be useful for bringing out more detail, especially on relatively flat surfaces.  The default Z Scale Factor scales the Z coordinates to 1/10th the XY diagonal of the input grid.

*	The Colors button displays the Color Spectrum dialog box.  The Color Spectrum dialog box lets you specify the colors to use on the map.

*	The Grid Info button provides information about the grid file used to produce the shaded relief map.  This gives you the number of rows and columns in the grid, and the minimum and maximum X, Y and Z values in the grid file.


Map Surface

The Surface command produces a surface plot from a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file. Surface plots are three dimensional representations of the grid file or DEM file that can be displayed with any combination of X,Y or Z lines.  When using X,Y lines to represent the surface, the surface appears as a mesh over the top of the surface.  When you use Z lines, a 3D contour map is drawn.

When you produce a surface plot using X or Y lines, the density of the lines is dependent on the number of X and Y lines in the grid file.  X lines correspond to rows in the grid file.  For each row in the grid file, an X line is placed on the surface plot.  For Y lines, each column in the grid file is represented by a line of constant Y on the surface plot.  If you want to produce a surface plot with more or less grid lines, you need to produce a new grid file, either using the Data command from the Grid menu to produce a completely new grid, or use the Spline Smooth command to add or subtract rows and columns from the existing grid file.

The orientation of a surface plot can be changed using the 3D View command from the Map menu.  This allows you to rotate the plot to any angle about the Z axis, and display any tilt angle from zero (no tilt) to 90 degrees (a planar view of the surface).

The scaling of a surface plot can be changes using the Scale command from the Map menu.  This allows you to set independent scaling along the X, Y and Z dimensions.

The Surface Plot Dialog Box

When you choose the Surface command, the Open Grid dialog box is displayed, allowing you to specify the grid file or DEM file to be plotted.  After you specify the file and click OK, the Surface Plot dialog box is displayed.  If you want to modify an existing surface plot, simply double-click the plot to display the Surface Plot dialog box for the selected surface.

Surface Plot Dialog Box Groups

Plot Lines of Constant Group

Color Zones Group

Base Group

*	The Remove Hidden Lines checkbox removes the display of X and Y surface lines that are behind other lines on the surface.  When portions of the surface are obscured by surface features in the foreground, they are not plotted when the Remove Hidden Lines checkbox is activated.  When hidden lines are not removed, the surface takes on a transparent appearance.

*	The Show Upper Surface checkbox causes top portion of the surface to be displayed.  If the Remove Hidden Lines checkbox is activated, only those portions of the upper surface that are not obscured by other portions of the surface are displayed.

*	The Show Lower Surface checkbox allows you to display the bottom of the surface.  If you are using the Remove Hidden Lines option, only the places where the bottom of the surface are not obscured are displayed.  This situation requires that you do not display the base because the base obscures your view of the under side of the surface.  You can show both the upper and lower surfaces on a plot.

*	The Border drop-down list box allows you to display a line representing the intersection of the surface with the faces of the base.  In other words, this represents the 3D border of the surface at the limits of the grid.  You can display the border on the Front Only or on All Sides of the surface.  The border is actually represents the minimum and maximum X and Y gird lines. This option only has an effect when you do not plot lines of constant X and Y.

*	The Grid Info button provides you with information on the grid file used to produce the surface plot.  This gives you the number of rows and columns in the grid file as well as the minimum and maximum X, Y and Z values contained in the files.

See Also

Blanking a Grid File

Calculating the Z Value at a Point on the Surface

Changing Map Orientation

Changing the Scale of a Map or Surface Plot

Combining Maps

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Creating Color Zones on Surface Plots

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Displaying Several Maps on a Page

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Placing Boundaries on a Map

Posting Data Points

Scaling a Map or Surface Plot

Smoothing a Surface

Specifying Line Attributes on Surface Plots

Specifying the Lines to Draw on a Surface Plot

Specifying Z Line Levels and Attributes

Stacking Surfaces

USGS DEM file


Plot Lines of Constant Group

Surface Plot Dialog Box

The Plot Lines of Constant group allows you to specify the lines to be used when displaying the surface plot.  You can display any combination of X,Y and Z lines.

*	The X checkbox turns on the display of X grid lines on the surface plot.  One X line is displayed for each row in the grid file.

*	The Y checkbox turns on the display of Y grid lines on the surface plot.  One Y line is displayed for each column in the grid file.

*	The Z checkbox turns on the display of Z contour lines on the surface plot.  The number of Z contours displayed on the surface is dependent on the values specified in the Z Levels dialog box.  Z contour lines on a surface plot do not display contour labels.

*	The Z Levels button displays the Z Levels dialog box.  This allows you to specify the Z contour levels and the line attributes for the individual Z lines on the surface plot.  The contour levels specified only affect the Z contours on the surface plot.

See Also

Surface Plots


Color Zones Group

Surface Plot Dialog Box

The Color Zones group allows you to specify colors to assign to different levels on a surface plot.  Colors can be displayed for any combination of X, Y and Z lines.  Note that the color zones specified from here are different than any colors defined in the  Z Levels dialog box.  The Color Zones information overrides the Z Levels colors.

*	The Color Levels button displays the Contour Levels dialog box.  This allows you to define the line attributes to assign to the different levels in the surface plot.  The attributes you assign can be applied to any combination of X, Y or Z lines.

*	The Apply zones to lines of constant X, Y or Z checkboxes allow you to apply the colors to the lines you specify.  The display of the lines must be enabled from the Plot Lines of Constant group.

*	The Color Scale checkbox creates a color scale on your surface plot showing the attributes assigned to each level.  To remove the color scale from the surface plot, you can click off the checkbox.

See Also

Creating Color Zones on Surface Plots

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Surface Plots


Base Group

Surface Plot Dialog Box

The Base group controls the display of a base on the surface plot.  The base represents the limits of the grid file used to produce the surface plot.  The base can be drawn at any level relative to the surface.

*	The Show Base checkbox switches on the display of the base.

*	The Show Vertical Lines checkbox switches on the display of vertical lines on the block face between the base and the surface border.  The vertical lines represent the X and Y grid lines extended from the border of the surface to the base.

*	The Elevation edit box allows you to specify the base height.  The value is in Z data units.

*	The Line Attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box, allowing you to set the line attributes for the base lines.

See Also

Surface Plots


Map Axis

Show

Edit

Scale

Grid Lines

The Axis command provides a cascading menu, allowing you to control different aspects of the selected axis, or control the display or hiding of all the axes on the selected map.

The Show command lets you display or hide any of the axes on the selected map.  Provides a list of all existing axes on the selected map, allowing you to select the axes to show and to hide.

The Edit command is the same as double-clicking on an axis and displaying the Edit Axis dialog box.

The Scale command is the same as double-clicking on an axis and clicking on the Scale button in the Edit Axis dialog box.

The Grid Lines command is the same as double-clicking on an axis and clicking on the Grid Lines button in the Edit Axis dialog box.

See Also

Axes

Ticks and Tick Labels


Show Command
Axis Show

The Show command turns on or off the display of axes on the selected map.  When you select a map and choose the Show command, the Show Axes dialog box displays a list of axes for the selected map.  The highlighted axes in the list are displayed on the map.  To turn off the display of an axis, click the axis in the list so that it is not highlighted.  Click on OK and only the axes highlighted in the list are displayed on the map.

See Also

Axes

Ticks and Tick Labels

Edit

Scale

Grid Lines


Edit Command
Axis Edit

The Axis Edit command allows you to set all the parameters for the selected axis.  To use the Edit command, select the axis you want to modify and then choose the Axis Edit command.  In the Axis dialog box you can set all of the axis parameters.  Alternatively you can double-click the axis to bring up the Axis dialog box.

Axis Dialog Box Groups

Title Group

Labels Group

Minor Ticks Group

Major Ticks Group

Axis Plane Group

*	The Scaling button displays the Axis Scaling dialog box that specifies, in data units, the minimum and maximum axis values and the major tick intervals along the axis.  You can also specify the relative placement of the axis relative to the other axes on the plot.

*	The Grid Lines button displays the Grid Lines dialog box that controls the placement of grid lines over the top of the map.  Grid lines are drawn in relation to the major and minor ticks along the axis.

*	The Axis Attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the line attributes to use for the selected axis.  The line attributes are assigned to the axis and the ticks.


Title Group

Axis Dialog Box

The Title group allows you to add an axis title to the selected axis and to control the position of the title.

*	The title text box allows you to type in the axis title.  Titles can be on one or several lines, and can include Math Text Instructions.  When you want to use more than one line of text, press CTRL+ENTER to create a new line.

*	The Offset along axis edit box controls the placement of the title along the axis.  The offset values are in inches.  Positive offset values move the axis title in the positive direction along the axis.

*	The Offset from axis edit box controls the placement of the title towards or away from the axis.  The offset values are in inches.   Positive offset values move the axis title away from the axis.

*	The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box.  This allows you to specify the text attributes to use for the axis title.

*	The Angle edit box controls the angle at which the title is drawn.  Positive axis angles rotate the title in a counterclockwise direction.

See Also

Axis Edit


Labels Group

Axis Dialog Box

The Labels group controls the display of axis tick labels.  By definition, major ticks all are indicated with a label when the display of labels is activated.  Axis tick labels indicate the axis value in data units.

*	The Show checkbox switches on the display of axis tick labels.  When the Show checkbox is activated, all major ticks on the selected axis are displayed with a label.

*	The Angle edit box specifies the angle at which the axis tick labels are drawn.  Positive angles rotate all the axis tick labels in a counterclockwise direction.

*	The Offset edit box controls how far away the tick labels are drawn from the ticks.  This value is in inches.

*	The Label Format button displays the Label Format dialog box, allowing you to specify the numeric format used for the tick labels.

*	The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box.  This allows you to specify the text attributes to use for the axis tick labels.

See Also

Axes

Axis Edit

Axis Plane Group

Major Ticks Group

Scale Axes

Ticks and Tick Labels

Title Group


Minor Ticks Group

Axis Dialog Box

The Minor Ticks group controls the display and length of minor ticks on the selected axis.  The Minor Ticks Per Major edit box controls the number of minor ticks drawn between each major tick on the selected axis.

*	The Minor ticks drop-down list box specifies whether the minor ticks are drawn Inside, Outside or Cross the selected axis.  If you do not want to show minor ticks, select the None option from the list.

*	The Length edit box controls the length of the minor ticks.  The tick lengths are in inches.

*	The Minor Ticks Per Major edit box specifies the number of minor ticks drawn between consecutive major ticks along the selected axis.  This is the actual number of minor ticks that are drawn, and the number should be one less than the number of minor divisions you want to appear between adjacent major ticks.  For example, if you want the minor ticks to indicate divisions of 10, the Minor Ticks Per Major value should be set to nine.

See Also

Axes

Axis Edit

Axis Plane Group

Grid Lines

Major Ticks Group

Scale Axes

Ticks and Tick Labels


Major Ticks Group

Axis Dialog Box

The Major Ticks group controls the display and length of major ticks on the selected axis.  Major ticks are the tick marks that display tick labels along the axis.  The major tick interval is specified from the Axis Scale dialog box.

*	The Major ticks drop-down list box specifies the whether the major ticks are drawn Inside, Outside or Cross the selected axis.  If you do not want to show major ticks, select the None option from the list.

*	The Length edit box controls the length of the major ticks.  The tick lengths are in inches.

*	The Minor Ticks Per Major edit box specifies the number of minor ticks drawn between consecutive major ticks along the selected axis.  This is the actual number of minor ticks that are drawn, and the number should be one less than the number of minor divisions you want to appear between adjacent major ticks.  For example, if you want the minor ticks to indicate divisions of 10, the Minor Ticks Per Major value should be set to nine.

See Also

Axes

Axis Edit

Axis Plane Group

Grid Lines

Labels Group

Minor Ticks Group

Scale Axes

Ticks and Tick Labels


Axis Plane Group

Axis Dialog Box

The Axis Plane group specifies the plane in which the axis tick labels are drawn.  For maps using 90 degree tilts, axis tick labels must appear in the XY plane to be seen.

*	The XY option button draws the tick labels in the plane defined by the X and Y axes.  For planar view maps (the default orientation for base maps, contour maps and post maps, this is the setting you should use.

*	The XZ option button draws the tick labels in the plane defined by the X and Z axes.  This option is only used when the tilt for the map is less than 90 degrees.

*	The YZ option button draws the tick labels in the plane defined by the Y and Z axes.  This option is only used when the tilt for the map is less than 90 degrees.

See Also

Axis Edit

Labels Group

Minor Ticks Group

Major Ticks Group


Scale Command
Axis Scale

The Axis Scale command specifies the axis limits used, the tick spacing along the axis, and the position of the selected axis relative to the other axes on the map or surface plot.

*	The Automatic Scaling checkbox uses the limits of the map as the limits for the axes, and tries to select a reasonable tick mark spacing along the axis.  When you change any parameters in the Axis Scale dialog box the Automatic Scaling checkbox is switched off.  After you make any changes, you can return to the automatic settings by switching on the checkbox.

When you set Map Limits, axes that use Automatic Scaling are rescaled to match the new limits.  When Automatic Scaling is not used, the axes are drawn at the scale and limits used before the Limits command was used.  To set the axes to match the new map limits, select the axis and in the Axis Scaling dialog box, switch on the Automatic Scaling checkbox.

*	The Axis Minimum edit box specifies the minimum limit for the selected axis.  By default this value is the minimum data value as read from the input file.  You can set the axis minimum to be different than the data minimum, but this does not affect the display of the map, only extends the limits of the axis.

*	The Axis Maximum edit box specifies the maximum limit for the selected axis.  By default this value is the maximum data value as read from the input file.  You can set the axis maximum to be different than the data maximum, but this does not affect the display of the map, only extends the limits of the axis.

*	The Major Interval edit box specifies the spacing, in data units, between major ticks on the selected axis.

*	The First Major Tick edit box specifies the data value for the minimum tick displayed on the selected axis.

*	The Last Major Tick edit box specifies the data value for the maximum tick displayed on the selected axis.

*	The Cross Y Axis at edit box is only displayed when you have an X or Z axis selected.  This specifies the position of the X or Z axis relative to the Y axis.  The value is entered in Y data units.

*	The Cross X Axis at edit box is only displayed when you have an Y or Z axis selected.  This specifies the position of the Y or Z axis relative to the X axis.  The value is entered in X data units.

*	The Cross Z Axis at edit box specifies the position of the X or Y axis relative to the Z axis on a surface plot.  The value is entered in Z data units.  By default, X and Y axes are drawn at the elevation of the base defined for the surface plot.  For example, if the base for your surface plot is set to be 25, the X and Y axes cross the Z axis at an elevation of 25.

See Also

Axes

Ticks and Tick Labels

Show Axes

Edit Axes

Grid Lines


Axis Grid Lines

The Grid Lines command allows you to place a mesh over the top of the map.  Grid lines can originate from the major ticks, minor ticks or both along an axis.  The major and minor grid lines can use different line attributes.  When grid lines are added to surface plots, the lines are drawn on the plane defined by the elevation of the base.

Grid lines extend over the extent of the opposing axis on a map.  For example, if you draw grid lines on an X axis, the grid lines are drawn parallel to the Y axis over the extent of the map.  If your X axis is offset from the Y axis, the grid lines are not drawn from the X axis, but begin at the minimum Y value on the map.

You can access the Grid Lines dialog box for an axis in different ways.  You can double-click an axis and click the Grid Lines button in the Axis dialog box, or you can select an axis and choose the Axis Grid Lines command from the Map menu.

*	The Major group specifies the drawing of grid lines in relation to the major tick marks on the selected axis.

The Show checkbox switches on the display of the grid lines on the major tick marks.  If you want to turn off the display of the major grid lines, switch off the checkbox.

The attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the attributes to apply to the major grid lines originating from the selected axis.

*	The Minor group specifies the drawing of grid lines in relation to the minor tick marks on the selected axis.

The Show checkbox switches on the display of the grid lines on the minor tick marks.  If you want to turn off the display of the minor grid lines, switch off the checkbox.

The attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the attributes to apply to the minor grid lines originating from the selected axis.

See Also

Axes

Ticks and Tick Labels

Show Axes

Edit Axes

Scale Axes


Map Scale Bar

The Scale Bar command places a distance scale on your map.  Scale bars are divided into four equally spaced cycles and can be scaled to any user-defined parameters.  Scale bars allow you to create a visual representation of the map scale.

Surfer scale bars consist of four equal cycles.  Each cycle is labeled based on data units.  You have complete flexibility over the spacing of the cycles and the number of data units that the cycles represent on the scale bar.  If you accept the defaults the scale bar is drawn in data units relative to the X axis for your map.

The Scale Bar Dialog Box

To place a scale bar on a map, select the map and choose the Scale Bar command and the Scale Bar dialog box is displayed.

*	The Number of Cycles edit box specifies the number of cycles used on the scale bar.  For example, if you specify a Number of Cycles value of 6, then 6 divisions are used on the scale bar.  You can also specify the Cycle Spacing value which will then control the length of the scale bar in data units.

*	The Cycle Spacing edit box specifies the spacing in data units for the cycles on the scale bar.  For example, if you specify a Cycle Spacing of 5, then each cycle on the scale bar is 5 units long.  If you are using a Number of Cycles value of 4, the scale bar will be a total of 20 units long.  The units are in relation to the axis specified in the Scale Tracks group.

*	The Label Increment edit box specifies how the labels are incremented, regardless of the Cycle Spacing value.  Usually the Label Increment value is equal to the Cycle Spacing value, although you can specify label increments that are different from the Cycle Spacing.  This flexibility is helpful if you are attempting to show a scale bar that is scaled differently than the axes on the map.  For example, your map could use miles for the axis scaling, and the scale bar could be presented in kilometers.

*	The Scale Tracks group specifies the axis on which the scale bar is based.

The X Axis option button scales the scale bar relative to the X axis.

The Y Axis option button scales the scale bar relative to the Y axis.

The Z Axis option button scales the scale bar relative to the Z axis.

*	The Line Attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the attributes to assign to the scale bar.

*	The Labels group gives you control over the appearance of the labels for the cycles.

The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the text attributes for the labels.

The Format button displays the Label Format  dialog box, allowing you to specify the numeric format for the labels.

The Angle edit box specifies the angle at which the labels are drawn.  Positive angles rotate the labels in a counterclockwise direction.


Map Digitize

The Digitize command turns on the display of map coordinates on the status bar, and allows you to write map coordinates to a data file.  As you move the pointer across the selected map, the X and Y map coordinates for the current mouse position are shown in the status bar.  Also, each time you click mouse Button 1, a small red marker is drawn on the map and the map coordinates for the current mouse position are written to the Digitize editor window.  In this way you can digitize boundaries off of maps, and easily create boundary files from the digitized information.

To use the Digitize command, you must have a base map, contour map, post map or classed post map selected, and the map must be tilted at 90 degrees (the default).  When you choose the Digitize command, the pointer changes to a crosshairs.  As you move the pointer over the map, the X,Y coordinates are displayed in the right portion of the Status Bar.

When the Digitize command is active, the Digitize editor window is automatically displayed when you click Button 1 in the Plot window, and the position of the pointer in map units is written to the window.  Each time you click, the map coordinates are added to the Digitize editor window, and a small temporary red marker indicates the digitized point on the map.

The Digitize command remains active until you press ESC, or select another tool.  When this happens, a message box appears prompting you to save the contents of the Digitize window.  If you select Yes, the Save As dialog box is displayed, allowing you to save the contents of the Digitize window.  If you choose No the contents of the window are discarded and the Digitize command is disabled.  Choosing Cancel returns you to the map, and Surfer remains in the digitize mode.

Using the Digitize Command

1.	Create a contour map, base map or post map in the Plot window, and select the map.  This can also be a map overlay, although the overlay cannot contain a surface plot or be tilted at an angle less than 90 degrees.

2.	Choose the Digitize command and the pointer changes to a crosshairs.

3.	As you move the pointer within the Plot window, the map coordinates for the current pointer position are displayed in the status bar.

4.	The first time you click in the Plot window, the Digitize editor window is displayed and the map coordinates for the current pointer position are displayed.  Also, a small temporary red marker is drawn at the clicked position.  Each time you click the current map coordinates are added to the editor window and another marker is drawn.

5.	When you are through using the Digitize command, click any tool or command, or press the ESC key on the keyboard.  You are prompted to save the data. You can select Yes to save the data, No to discard the data, or Cancel to return to the map, and remain in the digitize mode.

See Also

Creating a [.BLN] File with the Digitize Command


The Digitize Editor Window

When the Digitize command is active, the Digitize editor window is automatically displayed when you click Button 1 in the Plot window, and the position of the pointer in map units is written to the window.  Each time you click, the coordinates are added to the Digitize editor window, and a small temporary red marker indicates the digitized point on the map.

The Digitize editor window allows you to edit the displayed data.  Place the pointer in the window and click, and use this window like any other editor window.  You can modify the data by typing or using the Clipboard commands.

The Digitize window File menu contains commands for opening and saving the window contents.

*	The Open command is useful if you want to insert additional data to an existing data file.  Data is added to the file at the position of the cursor in the Digitize window.

*	The Save command saves the data in the window to the name displayed in the title bar.  By default, the name DIGIT.DAT is used for the file.

*	The Save As command allows you to save the contents of the window to a new file name.

The Digitize window Edit menu contains the commands for modifying the window contents.

*	The Undo command can reverse the last action performed in the window.  You can undo typing or clipboard commands performed on the data in the window.

*	The Cut command removes the currently selected data, and makes a copy of the data in the Clipboard.

*	The Copy command copies the currently selected data to the Clipboard, and leaves the contents intact.

*	The Paste command places the clipboard contents in the window at the current cursor position.

*	The Delete command removes the selected information from the window.

*	The Select All command selects all the contents of the window.  This is useful if you want to clear the window of the current contents, or if you want to copy all the information in the window to the clipboard.


Map 3D View

The 3D View command controls the orientation of the map in the plot window.  This command controls surface plots as well as contour, post, classed post and base maps.  You can change the rotation about the Z axis, the tilt, and the perspective view of any type of displayed map.  Base, contour, post and classed post maps use a 90 degree tilt by default.

When you have more than one map on the page, the 3D View command is applied to all selected maps.  For example, the 3D View command is useful if you have a contour map and surface plot based on the same grid [.GRD] file and displayed in the same Plot window.  You can select the contour map and surface plot and choose the 3D View command.  Any values you specify are applied to both maps.  This is useful if you are stacking the contour map over the surface plot.

The View Dialog Box

When you want to change the view of a map, select the map and choose the 3D View command and the View dialog box is displayed.

*	The Eye Dist scroll bar controls the perspective effect when using the Perspective projection option.  As you decrease the Eye Dist percentage, the perspective view becomes more pronounced.  A graphical representation of the view is presented, and dynamically changes as you change the Eye Dist value.  When you are using an Orthographic projection the Eye Dist values have no effect.

*	The Rotation scroll bar controls the rotation of the map about the center.  As you increase the Rotation value, the map rotates in a counterclockwise direction.  The graphical representation is dynamically updated as you change the Rotation value.

*	The Tilt scroll bar controls the angle of the Z axis relative to the plane defined by the X and Y axes.  A 90 degree tilt places the observers viewpoint directly over the top of the surface.  This is the normal tilt for base, contour, post and classed post maps.  When you tilt a surface plot to 90 degrees, the surface relief is no longer seen.

*	The Projection group specifies the type of projection used for the selected maps.

The Perspective option button creates a visual effect whereby the size of the surface varies with the distance from the observer.  When you use a Perspective projection you can change the Eye Dist value to increase or decrease the perspective effect.

The Orthographic option button creates a plot that is a projection of the surface onto a plane oriented perpendicular to the line of sight between the observer and the surface.  On an orthographic projection parallel lines remain parallel.  This is the default for surface plots or other map types.

See Also

Changing Map Orientation


Map Scale

The Scale command specifies how to scale the map units relative to page units in the Plot window.  By default scaling units are set so the longest side of the map, either the X or Y axis, is 6 inches.  The other axis is scaled to use the same number of units per inch, and is therefore scaled to be shorter.  For example, consider a map that extends 600 units along the X axis and 300 units along the Y axis.  By default, the X axis is scaled to 6 inches, or 100 units per inch in the Plot window.  The Y axis is also scaled to use 100 units per inch and is therefore 3 inches in length.

When producing surface plots, the same rules about X and Y axes apply, and the Z axis is scaled to be 1.5 inches long, regardless of the number of units along the Z axis.

The Scale Dialog Box

When you have created a map you can set the scale by selecting the map and choosing the Scale command. This displays the Scale dialog box.

*	The X Scale, Y Scale and Z Scale groups specify the scaling along the specified axes.  You can set different scaling for the three axes.  When the Proportional XY Scaling checkbox is active, any changes you make to the scaling for the X or Y dimensions is reflected in the other dimension.  Z scaling is always independent of the X and Y scaling.

The 1.0 in = Map Units edit box specifies the number of units per inch in the specified dimension.  For example, if you want your map to be drawn at a scale of 1000 units per inch, type the value 1000 in the edit box.  The Length value is automatically updated to reflect the change you make.  For example, if your map is 8000 units in the dimension you are setting, the map is 8 inches long in that dimension.

The Length edit box specifies the length of the map in the specified dimension.  When you change the Length value the 1.0 in. = Map Units edit box is automatically updated to reflect the change you make.

*	The Proportional XY Scaling checkbox assures that the X an Y dimensions are scaled equally.  When the checkbox is activated and you make a change to either the X or Y dimension, the other dimension is scaled the same amount.  The same number of units per inch are applied to both the X and Y axes.  If you want to scale the axes differently, you must switch off the checkbox.

See Also

Scaling a Map or Surface Plot


Map Background

The Map Background command sets the background fill attributes and the border line attributes for a map.  The map background limits are coincident with the axis limits on contour, base and post maps.  On surface plots the map background refers to the bottom plane of the surface base.

To specify background attributes for a map, select the map and choose the Background command.  The Background dialog box provides you with samples of the fill and line attributes for the selected map.  You can specify the Fill Attributes and Line Attributes for the background by clicking on the appropriate buttons in the dialog box and choosing the attributes from the Fill Attributes or Line Attributes dialog boxes.


Map Limits Command
Map Limits

You can use the Limits command to specify the X and Y extents of a map or map overlay.  When a Surfer map is first created, the map limits are set to the minimum and maximum X and Y coordinate values in the grid file, base map, or data file used to create the map.  You can accept these as the limits for your map, or you can specify custom limits using the Limits command.  This is useful when you want to plot only a portion of a map, or clip boundary maps or post maps to fit contour map limits in a map overlay.

In a map overlay the limits used for the overlay are defined by the composite limits of all maps included in the overlay.

Map limits cannot be specified for surface maps and map overlays containing surface maps.  These maps are limited to the extent of the grid file used to create the surface plot.  If you want to change the limits of a grid file to use for a surface plot, you can use the Grid Utility Extract command.  The Extract command allows you to create a subset of a grid file.

When you choose the Limits command from the Map menu, the Map Limits dialog box is displayed.

*	The xMin edit box specifies the minimum limit for the X dimension of the map.

*	The xMax edit box specifies the maximum limit for the X dimension of the map.

*	The yMin edit box specifies the minimum limit for the Y dimension of the map.

*	The yMax edit box specifies the maximum limit for the Y dimension of the map.

*	The Data Limits checkbox returns the minimum and maximum values to the contained in the grid file, base map file, or data file used to create the map.

See Also

Grid Utility Extract

Map Clipping and Map Limits

Setting Map Limits


Stack Maps
Map Stack Maps

The Stack Maps command aligns maps on the page.  This is useful when you want to stack two or more surfaces, or a contour map over a surface.  This command is used when you want to keep the two (or more) maps separated on the page.  If you want the maps to be draped over one another, you should use the Overlay Maps command that allows you to directly overlay two or more maps.

The Stack Maps command aligns maps based on the X and Y data limits used on the maps.  The command determines the minimum X and Y values used on the maps to be stacked, and shifts the position of the maps so the X and Y data units are positioned directly above one another.  When you stack maps, the command aligns the origins for the maps, but only if the same coordinate ranges are used on the maps.

If you want to stack maps they should use the same X and Y limits, they should use the same 3D View, and they should be drawn at the approximate vertical location on the page where you want the maps to appear.  The Stack Maps command only moves maps right or left on the page, not up or down.

Using the same X,Y limits is important when you use the Stack Maps command.  This is because the command aligns maps based on the minimum X and Y values from the grid or data file used to produce the maps.

Using the same 3D View assures that points on the stacked maps are aligned properly.  If you are stacking a contour map over a surface plot, you can select both maps, and choose the 3D View command.  Any parameters you specify are applied to both selected maps.  Then when you use the Stack Maps command the maps are oriented and aligned properly.

Before you use the Stack Maps command you should place the maps to be stacked in the approximate location on the page where you want each to be drawn.  The vertical placement on the page is much more important at this point than the horizontal placement.  When you use the Stack Maps command the maps are aligned in a horizontal sense, and are not moved vertically.

To use the Stack Maps command, create the maps that you want to stack in the same Plot window.  Make sure that the maps follow the rules about X and Y limits, 3D View, and position on the page.  Then select the maps to be stacked and choose the Stack Maps command.  The selected maps are oriented so the X and Y coordinates on the maps are aligned.


Map Overlay Maps

The Overlay Maps command combines two or more maps into a single map enclosed by a single set of X, Y, and Z axes.  Overlays can contain any number of BaseMap, Contour, Post or Classed Post maps, but can contain only one Surface plot.  When you overlay maps, Surfer matches up the points on the maps so the X,Y coordinates on all the maps are matched up exactly.

You can overlay base maps, contour maps and post maps on Image maps or Shaded Relief maps, but image and shaded relief maps cannot be combined with surface maps.

When you overlay maps, the maps should use the same map limits, or cover the same general map area, or extend over adjacent ranges.  Consider a case where you have a contour map and a base map that could draw the outline of a lake on your map.  The limits of the base map would be the X and Y limits of the lake and would most likely not be the same as the contour map limits.  If you create both the base map and the contour map in a single plot window they do not overlay correctly because, by default,  the maps are scaled differently.  Also, each map uses a different set of X and Y axes.  If you select both maps and then choose the Overlay Maps command, the contour map and the base map are rescaled and combined into a single map using a single set of axes.  Also, the position of the lake is correctly placed in relation to the contour map.

When you combine maps, they might use different limits.  In this case, one map might be much larger than the other maps, and the limits of the overlay are based on the larger map.  If you only want to show a portion of the overlay, you can use the Limits command to crop the map at any limits you desire.  This is often the case when users have very large base maps in relation to the contour maps they are combining with the base map.  In this case, the Limits command is quite useful.

When you overlay maps on a surface plot, the maps are draped over the surface.   This command allows you to draw any type of map (except image and relief maps) over a surface plot.  For example, you can create a surface plot and then overlay a basemap, contour map,. post map or classed post map on a surface plot.

To overlay maps, create all the maps to be combined in a single Plot window.  Select all the maps to be combined and choose the Overlay Maps command.  The maps are combined, and use a single set of X,Y and Z axes.

When you want to edit an individual map from the overlay you can click the map and check the Status Bar to see which map is selected.  If the correct map is selected you can double-click and the dialog box for the selected map is displayed.  If the correct map is not selected, hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard and click the map again.  This selects a different map from the overlay.  When you have the correct map selected you can double-click to open the dialog box.  Alternatively you can select the overlay and choose the Edit Overlays command, select the map to be modified and click the Edit button.

When you overlay any type of map on a surface plot, hidden line removal is only applied to lines on the surface plot.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Deleting Maps from an Overlay

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlay Maps

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Boundaries on a Map

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Posting Data Points

Resizing Maps

Stacking Surfaces


Edit Overlays

The Edit Overlays command allows you to easily select any of the objects in an overlay.  If you select the overlay map and choose the Edit Overlays command, the Edit Components dialog box is displayed containing a list of all the objects in the overlay.

*	The Overlays list shows all the objects included in the overlay.  The components are drawn in the order they appear in the list so the component at the top of the list is drawn last and appears over any other components in the overlay.  To edit any of the objects you can double-click the object and the dialog box is displayed.

*	The Move to Front and Move to Back buttons allow you to move objects around in the list.  To move an object, first select it and then click the appropriate button to move the object to the top or bottom of the list.

*	The Edit button displays the dialog box for the selected object in the list.  If you want to edit an object select the component from the list and click the Edit button and the dialog box for the selected object is displayed.

*	The Break Apart button removes the selected map from the overlay.  When a map is removed from the overlay it is redrawn in the Plot window, so you can still use the map in any way.  Surface maps cannot be removed from an overlay.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Deleting Maps from an Overlay

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlay Maps

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Boundaries on a Map

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Posting Data Points

Resizing Maps

Stacking Surfaces


View Menu Commands

Page	Scales the entire page to fit in the Plot Window

Fit to Window	Scales the document to fit within the window

Actual Size	Scales the document to actual size

Full Screen	Restores the screen view to a full screen view

Zoom Commands

Zoom Rectangle	Expand an outlined region to fill the entire window

Zoom In	View map at twice the current scale

Zoom Out	View map at half the current scale

Zoom Selected	Fill entire window with the selected object

Redraw	Redraws the document

Auto Redraw 	Automatically redraws the map each time a change is made


View Fit to Window

The Fit to Window command changes the magnification of all objects in the current Plot window to fit within the boundaries of the window, providing you with the maximum possible zoom level that still allows all objects to be seen in the active Plot window.

See Also:

Actual Size

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Zoom Rectangle

Zoom Selected


View Actual Size

The Actual Size command changes the magnification of the window to show the drawing at approximately true scale.  For example, after you choose this command, one inch on the screen equals one inch on the printed page when printing at 100% scale.

See Also:

Fit To Window

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Zoom Rectangle

Zoom Selected


View Zoom Rectangle

The Zoom Rectangle command magnifies a portion of the Plot window.  This command is useful for performing detailed work on a specific area of the Plot window because you can zoom in on the area and perform the work from the zoomed in view.  The Toolbar counterpart of the Zoom Rectangle command is the Zoom Rectangle tool.

To magnify a portion of the Plot window, click the Zoom Rectangle tool in the Toolbar or choose the Zoom Rectangle command and the Zoom Rectangle icon is attached to the pointer.  Move the pointer to one corner of the region to be magnified.  Press and hold Button 1, and drag the pointer diagonally across the region to be enlarged.  A dotted rectangle follows the pointer, indicating the extent of the region.  Release Button 1 and the region within the zoom rectangle is magnified to fill the entire window.  The window might be filled with additional information if the region to be magnified is not proportional to the Plot window.

See Also:

Actual Size

Fit To Window

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Zoom Selected


View Zoom In

The Zoom In command doubles the magnification of the drawing within the window.  The command also scrolls the window to keep the point of interest centered.  The Toolbar counterpart of the Zoom In command is the Zoom In tool.

To zoom in on a portion of the Plot window, click the Zoom In tool in the Toolbar or choose the Zoom In command from the View menu and the pointer changes to indicate the zoom in mode.  Position the pointer on the area or object to be centered in the window during zooming.  Click Button 1 and the view is magnified by a factor of two, and the point of interest is centered in the window.

See Also:

Actual Size

Fit To Window

Zoom Out

Zoom Rectangle

Zoom Selected

Toolbar


View Zoom Out

The Zoom Out command lets you reduce the magnification of the drawing by one half in the window, and like the Zoom In command it scrolls the plot to keep the point of interest in the center of the window.  The Toolbar counterpart of the Zoom Out command is the Zoom Out tool.

To zoom out on a portion of the Plot window, click the Zoom Out tool in the Toolbar or choose the Zoom Out command from the View menu and the pointer changes to indicate the zoom out mode.  Position the pointer on the area or object to be centered in the window during zooming.  Click Button 1 and the view is reduced by one-half, and the point of interest is centered in the window.

See Also:

Actual Size

Fit To Window

Zoom In

Zoom Rectangle

Zoom Selected

Toolbar


View Zoom Selected

The Zoom Selected command changes the magnification of the entire drawing so the selected objects are the maximum size possible in the Plot window, and are still completely displayed.

See Also:

Actual Size

Fit To Window

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Zoom Rectangle


View Zoom Page
View Page

The Page command magnifies or reduces the view in the Plot window so the entire page is displayed.   For very large page sizes you might need to scroll to see the entire plot.  The page size is set using the Page Layout command from the File menu.  To display the page borders, choose the Options command from the cascading Preferences menu in the File menu and switch on the Page checkbox in the Preferences dialog box.


View Full
View Full Screen

The Full Screen command allows you to view your map without the features of the Plot window so all that is displayed is the map.  When you choose this command, your map and all associated objects are redrawn on the screen, but the Windows features such as the title bar, scroll bars, and menu bars are not drawn.  You cannot do any editing of the map in this mode, but it does provide you with an uncluttered view of your map.  To return to the windows screen, hit any key on the keyboard or click mouse Button 1.


View Redraw

The Redraw command clears the active window and redraws all objects from the back to front.  This is used to remove unwanted leftovers or "dirt" that occasionally result from manipulating objects.  It also allows you to see and locate objects hidden behind other objects as they are drawn.  You can reorder the objects with the Move to Front and Move to Back commands.


View Auto Redraw

The Auto Redraw command is used to automatically redraw the map each time you make a change.  If you want to see the effect of each change to the map when it is made, you should leave this command switched on.  However, there might be times when you might want to turn off this command to save time so the map is not redrawn each time you make a change

When Auto Redraw is disabled, you can use the F5 key or the Redraw command to redraw the map.


Window Menu Commands

New View	Creates a plot window linked to the active plot window.

Tile	Arranges all open windows in a non-overlapping fashion.

Cascade	Offsets each open window over the previous.

Arrange Icons	Arranges iconic document windows along the lower left of the application window.

1,2,3,	Activates the open document shown after the number.


Window Arrange Icons

Places all iconic (minimized) document windows along the lower left edge of the Surfer workspace.

See Also

Control Minimize


Window Cascade

Arranges all open windows in the Surfer workspace in an overlapping pattern starting in the upper left corner of the workspace.  Each document window is offset  a small amount to the lower right from the previous window.  Windows may be further sized by dragging the window borders or using the Control Size command.


Window New View

The New View command creates a new Plot window linked it to the current Plot window.  The drawing and all changes in either window are duplicated in both windows.  You can create as many New View windows as your computers memory permits.  Each of these windows can be scrolled and zoomed independently, making it easy to open up a detailed view of a portion of another window.  You can work in any of the linked windows, and the changes are reflected in all of the others.


Window Tile

Arranges all document windows in the Surfer workspace so they do not overlap and at the same time occupy the maximum amount of space.  Windows can be further sized by dragging the window borders or using the Control Size command.


Titles of Windows
Window 1,2,3,

When the Window menu is chosen, the titles of all windows in the current Surfer session are listed below the menu commands.  Choosing any of these titles restores the associated window, and makes it the active window.


Application Control Menu Commands

These commands affect the application window.  To display the application Control menu, click the application Control menu box

Restore	Returns the active application window to its previous size.

Move	Displays a four-headed arrow you can use with the direction keys to reposition the active application window.

Size	Displays a four-headed arrow you can use with the arrow keys to change the size of the active application window.

Minimize	Shrinks the active application window to an icon.

Maximize	Expands the active application window to the full size of the screen.

Close	Closes the active application window.

Switch To 	Provides a list of active applications.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+SPACEBAR


Application Control Close

Closes the active application window.  Closing the application window is the same as choosing File Exit.  To choose this command, double-click the application Control menu box or choose the Close command from the application Control menu box.

Keyboard shortcut: ALT+F4 or ALT+SPACEBAR+C


Application Control Maximize

Expands the active application window to the full size of the screen.  To restore a maximized window to its former size, use the Application Control Restore command.

To choose this command you can click the Maximize box or choose the Maximize command from the application Control menu box.

Keyboard shortcut: ALT+SPACEBAR+X


Application Control Minimize

Reduces the application window to an icon at the bottom of the screen.  Minimizing is useful when you are temporarily running another application.  To restore the window to its previous size, use the Application Control Restore command.

To choose this command, do one of the following click the Minimize box or choose the Minimize command from the application Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+SPACEBAR+N


Application Control Move

Displays a four-headed arrow that you can use with the direction keys to reposition an application window.  When the window is in the desired position, press ENTER to anchor the window.  If you hold down the CTRL key while using the direction keys, the window moves more slowly.  This command is unavailable if the window is expanded to maximum size.

When using a mouse, you can move the active window or dialog box by dragging the title bar.

To choose this command, choose the Move command from the application Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+SPACEBAR+M


Application Control Restore

Restores the active application window to the size and location it had before you used the Control Maximize or the Control Minimize command.  This command does not affect changes made by moving or resizing the window.

To choose this command, click the Restore box or choose the Restore command from the Application Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+SPACEBAR+R


Application Control Size

Changes the size of the active application window.  Press the arrow keys after choosing command, and press ENTER when the window is the size you want it.  if you hold down the CTRL key while you use the direction keys, the window changes size more slowly.

When using a mouse, you can resize the active window by dragging the gray window border.

To choose this command, choose the Size command from the application Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+SPACEBAR+S


Application Control Switch To

Provides a list of active applications in the current Windows session.  You can move to another application by selecting the application from the list.

Keyboard Shortcut: CTRL+ESC


Document Control Menu Commands

These commands affect the active document window.  To display the document Control menu,  click the document Control-menu box

Restore	Returns the active document window to its previous size.

Move	Displays a four-headed arrow you can use with the arrow keys to reposition the active document window.

Size	Displays a four-headed arrow you can use with the direction keys to change the size of the active document window.

Minimize	Shrinks the active document window to an icon.

Maximize	Expands the active document window to the full size of the application window.

Close	Closes the active document window.

Next	Activates the next document window

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+HYPHEN


Document Control Close

Closes the active document window.

To choose this command, double-click the document Control-menu box, or choose the Close command from the document Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: CTRL+F4 or ALT+HYPHEN+C


Document Control Maximize

Expands the active document window to the full size of the application window.  To restore a maximized window to its former size, use the Document Control Restore command.

To choose this command, click the document window's Maximize box, or choose the Maximize command from the document Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+HYPHEN+X


Document Control Minimize

Reduces the document window to an icon at the bottom of the application window.  Minimizing is useful when you are temporarily using another document.  To restore the window to its previous size, use the Document Control Restore command or double-click the icon.

To choose this command, click the document window's Minimize box, or choose the Minimize command from the document Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+HYPHEN+N


Document Control Move

Displays a four-headed arrow that you can use with the direction keys to reposition the document window.  You can press ENTER to anchor the window in its new position.  If you hold down the CTRL key while using the direction keys, the window moves more slowly.  This command is unavailable if the window is expanded to maximum size.

When using a mouse, you can move the active window or dialog box by dragging the title bar.

To choose this command, choose the Move command from the document Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+HYPHEN+M


Document Control Next

Activates the next document window and brings it to the top of all other document windows.

To choose this command, choose the Next command from the document Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: CTRL+F6 or ALT+HYPHEN+T


Document Control Restore

Restores the active document window to the size and location it had before you used the Control Maximize or the Control Minimize command.  This command does not affect changes made by moving or resizing the window.

To choose this command, click the document window's Restore box or choose the Restore command from the Document Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+HYPHEN+R


Document Control Size

Changes the size of the active document window.  This command is unavailable if the document window is enlarged to maximum size.  After choosing this command, press the arrow keys to size the window, and press ENTER when the window is the correct size.  If you hold down the CTRL key while you use the direction keys, the window changes size more slowly.

When using the mouse, you can resize the active window by dragging the gray window border.

To choose this command, choose the Size command from the document Control menu box.

Keyboard Shortcut: ALT+HYPHEN+S

See Also:

Window Borders


Plot Window Overview
Plot Windows

Plot windows are the workspace for producing grid files and maps.  When you first start Surfer you are presented with an empty Plot window.

Plot Window Commands provide you with specific discussions on the Plot window menus and commands.

Mapping and Gridding Procedures contains information on how to perform gridding and mapping operations.

Mapping and Gridding Topics contains information describing gridding and mapping subjects.

Opening and Closing Plot Windows describes the process of opening new Plot windows and closing existing Plot windows.

Plot Window Keys provides you with information on the keyboard shortcuts you can use in a Plot window.

Plot Window Mouse Techniques describe how to use the mouse in a Plot window.

Plot Window Screen Regions describe the different parts of a Plot window.

The Grid Node Editor Window allows you to edit individual grid nodes in a grid file.

See Also:

Controlling Page Units and the Rulers and Grid

Controlling the Display of Plot Window Features

Maximize Icon

Minimize Icon

Page Layout

Plot Window Commands

Restore Icon

Screen Regions

Scroll Bar

Status Bar

Title Bar

Toolbar

Window Sizing Border

Workspace


Opening and Closing Plot Windows

A Plot window contains the workspace for performing all gridding and mapping operations.  When you first start Surfer, you are presented with a new empty Plot window.

Opening a Plot Window

During a Surfer session, you can open Plot windows by

*	Choosing the New command from the File menu, click on the Plot option in the New Window dialog box and click on OK.  A new empty Plot window is opened.

*	Choosing the Open command from the Plot window File menu and opening a Surfer [.SRF] file.  This automatically opens a new plot window and displays the file contents for the opened file.

Once you have opened a Plot window, you can return to that window at any time by choosing the desired Plot window from the List in the Window menu.

Closing a Plot Window

To close a Plot window you can choose the Close command from the File menu.  If you have not saved the Plot window contents you are prompted to save the contents to a file, abandon the changes, or cancel the close operation.


Anisotropy

Anisotropy during gridding implies a preferred direction, or direction of higher or lower continuity between data points.  Anisotropy is applied by specifying an anisotropy ratio which states: "Give more weighting to points located along one axis versus points located along another axis."  Alternatively you can say that points that lie farther away along one axis are given equivalent weights to points that lie closer along the other axis.  The relative weighting is defined by the anisotropy ratio.

Under most circumstances, you do not need to employ anisotropy during gridding because most maps use X and Y coordinates that are plotted on the same scale.  In this case it can be stated that 1 X unit equals 1 Y unit.  In this case, anisotropy ratios are not appropriate and do not have to be applied.  There are cases where it is not desirable to assign the same scale to X and Y units when you are creating a grid [.GRD] file.

Anisotropy refers to different properties in different directions.  During gridding anisotropy implies that different weighting factors are applied in different directions.  Anisotropy is applied by specifying an anisotropy ratio which states: "Give more weighting to points located along one axis versus points located along another axis."  Alternatively you can say that points that lie further away along one axis are given equivalent weights as points that lie closer along the other axis.  The relative weighting is defined by the anisotropy ratio.

Using Anisotropy

For each different gridding method, anisotropy might be specified in a slightly different manner.  When you create a grid, the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box is displayed.  To assign anisotropy:

1.	In the Gridding Method group, select the gridding method from the drop-down list box.

2.	Click the Options button and the Options dialog box for the selected gridding method is displayed.

3.	In the Anisotropy group, specify the anisotropy parameters.  In the Kriging Options dialog box, click the Anisotropy button to display the Variogram Anisotropy dialog box. For different methods, the anisotropy parameters might be somewhat different.  As you define the anisotropy parameters, the graphic image in the group indicates the orientation and relative ratios.

*	Ratio values are defined for Inverse Distance, Kriging, Minimum Curvature, Radial Basis Functions, and Triangulation.  A Ratio of one is the default setting, and makes the gridding isotropic.  To apply anisotropy, either increase or decrease the Ratio value.

*	For Shepard's Method, you specify Range values that are used to apply higher or lower relative weighting along the specified axis.  Range values are expressed in data units.  To apply higher relative weighting along a particular axis you can increase the Range value for that axis, or you can decrease the Range value for the opposing axis.

4.	The Angle edit box defines the orientation of the anisotropy axes.  Angle is available for all methods except Minimum Curvature.

5.	When the options are defined, click OK to return to the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Search Ellipse

Search Options

Shepard's Method


Arranging Windows

You can control the arrangement of document windows within the Surfer application window, giving you control over the views of the different Plot and Worksheet windows that are present during a single Surfer session.  Arranging windows permits you to do such things as view a map and the worksheet data at the same time using the Tile command.  You can also display two views of the same map using the New View command, allowing you to display different zoom levels of the same map for instance.

See also

Arrange Icons

Cascade

Maximize

Minimize

Creating New Windows -  The New Command

Window Sizing Border


Attributes - Fill and Line

Fill and line attributes can be assigned for most objects.  Line attributes include color, thickness and line style, and are applied to any line objects such as axes or to the borders around objects such as polygons, rectangles, rounded rectangles, and ellipses.  Fill attributes include fill patterns and colors, and can be applied to objects such as rectangles, ellipses and polygons.

Displaying Attribute Dialog Boxes

*	Select and double-click on an object, and click on the Fill Attrib or Line Attrib button in the object dialog box.

*	You can double-click on the fill sample or line sample for contour intervals in the Contour Map dialog box.

*	Choose the Fill Attributes command or Line Attributes command from the Draw menu.

Setting Attributes for a Single Object

To set the attributes for a single object, select that object and double-click the mouse button to display the object dialog box.  Click on the Line Attrib or Fill Attrib buttons to display the Line Attributes or Fill Attributes dialog boxes.  Make the changes and click on OK and OK in the object dialog box and the changes are made to the single object.

Setting Attributes for Several Selected Objects

To set the attributes for several objects at the same time, you must first select all the objects to be changed.  With all objects selected, choose the command from the Draw menu, and make the changes in the attribute dialog box.  Click on OK and the changes are made to all selected objects.

Setting Default Attributes

With no objects selected, choose the Fill Attributes command or Line Attributes command from the Draw menu and make the changes in the chosen attribute dialog box.  Click OK and the default settings are changed.  Any objects you subsequently create are applied to the objects.

You can also use the Options command from the cascading Preferences menu in the File menu to set default attributes.  In this case the default attributes are retained for the current and subsequent sessions of Surfer.

See Also:

Creating Custom Colors

Creating Custom Bitmap Patterns

Drawing Objects

Setting Default Attributes with the Options Command


Axes

Each map created in Surfer has four axes automatically created as part of the map.  The axes are named by their relative position on the map and are called the Left, Right, Top and Bottom axes.  The Left and Right axes are Y axes, and the Top and Bottom axes are X axes.  You can rename any of the axes using the Object ID command.  Surface plots and overlays containing a surface plot also have a single Z axis.

An axis is part of the map on which it is placed.  Each map must have four axes, although you do not need to display all the axes.  You cannot move individual axes with the mouse, but you can redefine axis positions using the Axis Scale command from the Map menu.

By default the axis scaling is based on the limits of the map file.  The minimum and maximum limits of the axes match the minimum and maximum values of the input map, whether it is a base map, post map, or a map generated from a grid file.  The default tick mark spacing is chosen by Surfer to be reasonable intervals over the extent of the axis.  You can change any of the axis scaling parameters.

See Also

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Changing the Position of an Axis

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Display of Axes

Creating an Axis Title

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Controlling the Display of Axes

To turn off the display of any or all of the axes on a map:

1.	Select the map using the axes that you want to control.  Choose the Axis Show command from the Map menu.

2.	In the Show dialog box only the highlighted axes are displayed on the map.  To turn off the display of an axis, click on the axis name so it is not highlighted.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Changing the Position of an Axis

Controlling Axis Scaling

Creating an Axis Title

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Selecting an Axis

Click an axis to select it.  You can place the pointer on the tick marks or tick labels when you click it.

Hollow square handles appear at each end of the axis when it is selected.  Because the axes are part of the map on which they are drawn, the eight solid handles appear around the entire map.  In addition, the name of the axis is displayed on the left side of the Status Bar.  For example, if you select the bottom axis of a contour map, the text in the Status Bar might appear as "Map: Bottom Axis".

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Changing the Position of an Axis

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Display of Axes

Creating an Axis Title

Grid Lines

Ticks and Tick Labels


Controlling Axis Scaling

Axis scaling is used to control the axis range, the positioning of major ticks along the axis, and the position of the axis relative to the other axes.  To set axis scaling click on the axis you want to modify and choose the Axis Scale command from the Map menu.  Alternatively you can double-click on the axis and click on the Scaling button in the Edit Axis dialog box.

Setting Axis Limits

Axis limits are specified in map coordinates and not page units.  Axis limits do not need to coincide with map limits.

To set axis limits:

1.	Double-click the axis, and click the Scaling button, or select the axis and choose the Axis Scale Command from the Map menu.  The Axis Scaling dialog box is displayed.

2.	You can set any of the parameters listed below.

*	The Automatic Scaling checkbox uses the limits of the map as the limits for the axes, and uses a reasonable tick mark spacing along the axis.  When you change any parameters in the Axis Scale dialog box the Automatic Scaling checkbox is switched off.  After you make any changes, you can return to the automatic settings by clicking on the Automatic Scaling checkbox.

*	The Axis Minimum edit box specifies the minimum axis limit.

*	The Axis Maximum edit box specifies the maximum axis limit.  By default this value is the same as the maximum extent of the map.

*	The Major Interval edit box specifies the spacing, in data units, between major ticks on the selected axis.  Type in the desired spacing to use between major ticks on the axis.

3.	Click OK to redraw the axis with the new settings.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Changing the Position of an Axis

Controlling the Display of Axes

Creating an Axis Title

Grid Lines

Map Limits

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Changing the Position of an Axis

Axes are a part of the map on which they are placed, and by default are drawn at the edge of a map or surface.  Map axes are placed in relation to the other axes on the map or surface, and use the data coordinates from the opposing axes for placement relative to the map.

For example, a contour map can have two Y axes, the Left and Right axes.  The placement of the axes is in relation to the data units along the X axes (the Top and Bottom axes) on the plot.  The Left Y axis crosses the X axes at the minimum X axis value by default.  On a contour map the Y axes can be moved in a direction parallel to the X axes.  Similarly, X axes can be moved in a direction parallel to the Y axes.

1.	To change the position of an axis, double-click on the axis and the Edit Axis dialog box is displayed.

2.	Click on the Scaling button and the Axis Scaling dialog box is displayed.

3.	Type the desired value in the Crosses Axis at edit boxes.  Click on OK and OK in the Axis dialog box and the axes are redrawn in the specified positions relative to the other axes.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Display of Axes

Creating an Axis Title

Grid Lines

Map Limits

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Creating an Axis Title

Axis titles can use any text attributes including math text instructions.

To place a title on an axis:

1.	Double-click the axis to display the Axis Edit dialog box.

2.	Type the axis title in the title text box of the Title group.  Titles can contain multiple lines and can include math text instructions.  To create a new line, press CTRL+ENTER.

3.	Specify either of the offset values.

*	The Offset along axis edit box controls the placement of the title along the axis.  Positive offset values move the axis title in the positive direction along the axis.

*	The Offset from axis edit box controls the placement of the title towards or away from the axis.  Positive offset values move the axis title away from the axis.  The offset values are in page units.

4.	Click the Font button to specify the text attributes for the axis title.  The Angle edit box controls the angle at which the title is drawn.  Positive axis angles rotate the title in a counterclockwise direction.

5.	Click OK in the Axis dialog box and the map is redrawn with the title on the selected axis.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Changing the Position of an Axis

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Display of Axes

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Changing Axis Line Attributes

You can set the line attributes for each axis.  The line attributes are assigned to the axis line and the tick marks.

1.	Double-click the axis and the Axis dialog box is displayed.  Alternatively you can select the axis and choose the Axis Edit command from the Map menu.

2.	Click the Axis Attributes button to display the Line Attributes dialog box in which you specify the line attributes to use for the selected axis.

3.	The axis and axis ticks are drawn with the assigned line attributes.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing the Position of an Axis

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Display of Axes

Creating an Axis Title

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Clipboard Functions and Formats
Copying and Pasting Maps and Surface Plots

The Windows Clipboard allows you to copy information from one location to another within Windows.  This can be useful within Surfer, for performing operations such as copying data between cells in the worksheet, copying text between locations in the editor window, or copying drawings between Plot windows.  When you copy and paste objects within the same Plot window, or between Plot windows, the objects are preserved in their native format.  These copied objects can be modified in the same way as the original.

You can also use the clipboard to copy a map from Surfer into a word processor for inclusion in a document, or to copy data from another application into the Surfer worksheet.

Copying Maps to Another Windows Application

You can copy an entire drawing, including a map and any associated objects,  for use in another application such as a Windows word processor.  When you make a copy using the clipboard, only the drawing commands are sent to the clipboard, so you have no way to modify the drawing in the accepting application.

To copy the drawing, use the Block Select command to select limited portions of the drawing, or use the Select All command to select all the objects on the page.  Choose the Copy command from the Edit menu, and a copy of all selected objects are sent to the clipboard.  You can then paste the clipboard image into another Windows application

Pasting Information from Other Applications

You can copy information from other applications into the Plot window, Worksheet window or Editor windows.  The Plot window can accept metafiles, bitmaps, or text, and the Worksheet and Editor windows can only accept text information.

When information resides in the clipboard, choose the Paste command or Paste Special command from the Edit menu.  In the Plot window, a crosshairs appears allowing you to indicate the position on the page that you want to paste the incoming information.  Press and hold button one and a sizing rectangle appears, indicating the size for the object to be pasted.  Move the crosshairs to the desired position and release Button 1 and the information is pasted to the window.

In the Worksheet window, the pasted information appears at the location of the active cell.  If you copy several cells of information from another spreadsheet,  pasting places each cell of information in the correct relative location, and might overwrite any information residing in the worksheet when you paste in the new data.  In the Editor window, the text appears at the position of the cursor.

See Also:

Cut Command


Drawing Objects

The drawing tools provide you with a way to embellish a map, or to emphasize some map feature.  Drawing tools are available through the Draw menu or the Toolbar.  You can add a rectangle behind a map to provide a background fill, or use the polyline tool to draw an arrow to point out an area of interest on the map.

Text can be added to a Plot window using the Text command.

Polygons or other shapes can also be used to blank out portions of a map.  If you want to add a title box within a map displaying grid lines, you can add a rectangle with a solid fill that matches the background, and draw text on top of the rectangle.  The grid lines appear to be erased in this region.

With the Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, or Ellipse tools or commands, you can use the CTRL and SHIFT keys to control the drawing procedure.  You can use the CTRL and SHIFT keys in combination if desired.

*	The CTRL key constrains the drawing to equal dimensions, allowing you to create squares and circles using the drawing tools.

*	The SHIFT key causes the shape to be drawn outward from the center rather than a corner of the object.

The Polygon and Polyline tools or commands allow you to create freeform objects.  The Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Symbol and Ellipse tools or commands allow you to produce specific shapes of a specified size.

When an object is drawn on the map, it uses the default fill and line attributes when it is first drawn.  Any object you draw on the map can later be resized, moved, rotated, or you can change the fill or line attributes.

See Also:

Objects

Polygons and Polylines

Reshaping Polygons and Polylines

Rotating Objects by Typing in the Value

Rotating Objects Using the Mouse

Setting Default Attributes


Files

Plot window files are created from the Plot window or are used with the commands from the Plot window.  There are several types of files for input and output from Plot windows. Surfer [.SRF] Files contain the information necessary to draw a complete map in the plot window.  These [.SRF] files contain all the parameters to reproduce all the objects contained in a plot window, including a complete map with all associated text and objects.

Grid [.GRD] Files contain the information necessary to create a contour map or surface plot.

Set [.SET] Files contain default settings to use in Surfer.

USGS DEM Files contain information that can be used to create a contour map or surface plot.

AutoCAD [.DXF] Files (Export) can be exported from Surfer and are used to import Surfer images into CAD packages.

HPGL Files are HP Graphic Language files that many programs can accept for graphics input.  You can use HPGL files to export Surfer images for use in other programs.

Surfer [.SRF] Files are complete drawing files created from the Surfer for Windows Plot window.  Surfer [.SRF] files contain all the information necessary to create a complete Surfer for Windows drawing containing any combination of contour maps, surface plots, boundary or post maps, text and any other objects.

XYZ Data Files contain the raw data interpreted by Surfer when producing a Grid [.GRD] File.  XYZ data files can also be used in Post maps.

Boundary Files are used by the Load BaseMap command to draw objects on a map.  Boundaries are drawn as polygons or polylines on a map, as metafiles, or as bitmaps, depending on the file format used for the boundary.

Boundary files containing vector information:

*	Atlas Boundary [.BNA] are boundary files used to place points, polylines and polygons on a map.  BNA files are ASCII files that can be created outside Surfer or in the Surfer worksheet.

*	AutoCAD DXF Drawing [.DXF] (Import) are boundary files used to draw points, polylines and polygons on a map.

*	Golden Software Blanking [.BLN] can be used to eliminate grid data from a grid file, with the Slice command, or to place boundaries on a map.

*	Golden Software Boundary [.GSB] files are boundary files created in Golden Software's MapViewer package.

*	Golden Software PlotCall [.PLT] files are Golden Software PLOTCALL files created by Surfer and Surfer for DOS.

*	USGS Digital Line Graph [.LGO] files contain digitized base map data in "line graph" form. These files are at 1:2,000,000 scale

Base map files using the Metafile format:

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Import

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Import

Base map files using a Bitmap format:

Compuserve Bitmap [.GIF]

DCX (Multi-page PCX) [.DCX]

Encapsulated Postscript Bitmap [.EPS]

JPEG Compressed Bitmap [.JPG]

PCX (ZSoft/Paintbrush) [.PCX]

PICT (Macintosh) Bitmap [.PCT]

Tagged Image (TIFF) [.TIF]

Targa (TrueVision) [.TGA]

Windows Bitmap [.BMP]

WordPerfect Bitmap [.WPG]

The file types that can be exported from Surfer are:

AutoCAD [.DXF] Files (Export)

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Export

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Export

Worksheet window files are files containing data in row and column format.  Surfer can import files in different formats including ASCII [.DAT] Files, SYLK [.SLK] Files, Lotus [.WK1], and Excel [.XLS].  Maps can be produced from data contained in any of these formats.  Surfer allows you to save worksheet files in either an ASCII or SYLK format.

Editor window files are ASCII [.TXT] files, containing any type of text information.

See Also:

Boundary Files

Color Spectrum Files

Data File Formats

Level Files

Opening [.SRF] Files

Opening Worksheet Files

Saving [.SRF] Files

Saving Worksheet Files

Surfer [.SRF] Files


Data File Formats

The Surfer worksheet can open data files of several formats including ASCII [.DAT] Files, SYLK [.SLK] Files, Lotus [.WK1], and Excel [.XLS].  Surfer can save files in either ASCII or SYLK format.

An X,Y,Z data file is required to produce a grid [.GRD] file in Surfer.  XYZ data files can be in any of the data file formats.

The Number of Digits are Limited in Each Cell Entry.

One very important characteristic of the Surfer worksheet that must be pointed out is that values in the worksheet are limited to 6 or 7 significant digits of precision, including before and after the decimal point.  If you load a data file with values containing more than 6 or 7 digits, the worksheet will randomly round off the values.  If you then save the file, you could loose the precision in your original data set.  For example:

*	A value such as 1234.56789 is interpreted by the Surfer worksheet as 1234.56xxx, where xxx can potentially appear as any three digits.

*	A value such as 1234.56 will be interpreted correctly by the Surfer worksheet.

*	A value such as 1234.56e+09 will be interpreted correctly by the Surfer worksheet because there is still a limit of only 6 total digits in this number.

See Also:

Opening Worksheet Files

Saving Worksheet Files


ASCII [.DAT] Files

ASCII files are generic format files that can be read or produced by most applications.  These files can be easily interpreted by DOS so they can be viewed on the screen from DOS and can be printed directly from DOS.  In Surfer these types of files can be created saved and opened in a Worksheet window.  These files can also be imported into most applications, including word processors and ASCII editors (such as the Editor window included with Surfer or Notepad included with Windows).

The XYZ data files used by Surfer to produce grid [.GRD] files are the most common type of data file used by Surfer.  All of the discussion of data files included here is applicable to XYZ data files as well.

ASCII files do not contain any worksheet formatting information.  When ASCII files are loaded into the Surfer worksheet, the default column formatting parameters are applied to the data.  This does not result in any change to data, but might result in rounding of values in the data display.

There are some distinctions in formatting of ASCII files.  When you save worksheet files in the ASCII [.DAT] format, you can choose from three options.

*	Separating Variables - The entries corresponding to cells in the worksheet can be separated by spaces, tabs, or commas in the ASCII file that is used by Surfer.  Comma delimited ASCII files often have the extension [.CSV] for comma separated variable.   When you save files using the Save As command, the file can use either spaces or commas to delimit the cells.

*	Placing Quotes around Text - There are two types of entries that you can have in an ASCII file, values and text.  Values are actual numbers, while text can be any type of character, including numbers and text characters.  You can place double quotes around text strings, and if you want a number to be interpreted as text, you must surround it with double quotes.

*	Using both Commas and Quotes - Although the double quotes are not required around text strings, they are useful when you are creating a space delimited file that contains text.  Often there are text strings that contain spaces, as in a date containing month name, day and year, and with space delimited files this single entry could actually be interpreted as more than one cell when loading this file into the worksheet.   The safest way to eliminate this problem is to place double quotes around all text strings and use comma delimiting between variables.

See also:

Data File Formats

Opening Worksheet Files

Saving Worksheet Files

SYLK [.SLK] Files

XLS and WK1 Files


Grid [.GRD] Files

Surfer is a grid based contouring and surface plot program.  All contour maps and surface plots are drawn from a regular rectangular array of grid values contained in a grid [.GRD] file, and not from your original raw data.  Surfer must interpolate your original irregularly spaced raw data onto a regular rectangular grid in the grid [.GRD] file format.  For more information, see Creating a Grid File.

A grid is a rectangular array of Z data values organized in rows and columns, similar in concept to a block of cells in a worksheet.  The rows correspond to data values of equal Y, and the columns correspond to data points of equal X.  The intersection of each row and column in a grid file defines a grid node.  A grid node contains the interpolated Z value for that X,Y location in the grid.  The Data command from the Grid menu interpolates a Z value at each grid node.  When you have data collected at irregular X,Y spacings over the extent of the map area, the Data command produces a grid file containing Z values in a regularly spaced array, effectively filling in the holes where no data exists.

Grid [.GRD] files can be in Binary or ASCII Grid File Format.  There are different advantages to the two types of formats.  Although ASCII and Binary [.GRD] files contain the same information, Binary grid [.GRD] files are smaller than ASCII grid files and so occupy less disk space.  Binary grid files cannot be edited.

See Also

Anisotropy

ASCII Grid File Format

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Grid Density

Grid Convert Command

Grid Density

Grid Extract Command

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Grid Transform Command

Gridding a Function

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Number of Original Data Points During Gridding

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Search Ellipse

Search Options

Search Rules

Search Type

Shepard's Method

Smoothing a Grid File

Smoothing During Gridding

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation

USGS DEM Files

Using the Grid Editor


ASCII Grid File Format

ASCII grid files, although they occupy more disk space, can be modified using an ASCII editor and can be read by the Surfer worksheet.  You can also create ASCII grid [.GRD] files from your Z data if you have a complete array of grid values.  When you have a complete array of XYZ data (or a nearly complete set of data with only a few holes), you can use the Nearest Neighbor gridding method to convert your data directly to a grid file.  The Nearest Neighbor method does not interpolate data but merely picks up the closest datum point and assigns that value to the grid.

ASCII grid files contain five lines of header information that provide information about the size and limits of the grid, followed by a listing of Z values organized in row order.   The general format is:

id	For ASCII grid files use DSAA. This identifies the file as an ASCII grid file.

nx  ny	nx (integer) is the number of grid lines along the X axis (columns)

ny (integer) is the number of grid lines along the Y axis (rows)

xlo  xhi	xlo is the minimum X value of the grid

xhi is the maximum X value of the grid

ylo  yhi	ylo is the minimum Y value of the grid

yhi is the maximum Y value of the grid

zlo  zhi 	zlo is the minimum Z value of the grid

zhi is the maximum Z value of the grid

grid row 1

grid row 2

grid row 3	these are the rows of Z values of the grid organized in row order.  Each row has a constant Y coordinate.  The first row corresponds to ylo and the last row corresponds to yhi.  Within each row the Z values are arranged from xlo to xhi.

The following is an ASCII grid [.GRD] file. This file has ten grid lines in both the X and Y directions.  X ranges from 0 to 9, Y ranges from 0 to 7, and Z ranges from 25 to 100.93.  Only the first six Z values are shown here, and correspond to the first six Z values in the row corresponding to ylo.  In other words, the first value shown corresponds to the lower left corner of the map and the following values correspond to the increasing x positions along the bottom row of the grid file.   This file actually has a total of 100 Z values.

DSAA
10	10
0	9
0	7
25.001	104.046
91.0332	77.2183	60.5564	46.6741	52.738	64.0584	41.1949	54.9969	44.3015	25.001
96.0438	81.1097	62.3825	48.7458	57.5041	63.2702	48.6737	60.8197	51.7899	33.6313
102.103	85.055	65.0994	53.0198	64.447	65.6478	52.5324	66.5481	59.2918	41.3364
104.046	85.6319	65.5602	55.3287	73.1899	70.8847	55.3537	76.2784	67.205	45.7845
97.1906	82.0096	64.2161	61.9796	82.9958	80.3444	58.554	86.2882	75.0285	48.7599
91.3619	78.7348	64.0504	65.6033	82.5843	81.3767	61.1656	89.0913	81.3675	54.8735
86.3155	77.5869	67.7148	68.5065	73.3762	74.8451	65.358	95.5524	85.9236	55.7649
80.8848	75.5625	74.3572	72.4719	66.9336	75.4953	86.3953	102.1	84.4173	55.0074
74.7787	66.0286	70.2908	75.1627	60.5651	65.5632	85.0747	89.8195	74.5343	51.6958
70.0023	54.1935	62.2703	74.5108	55.9563	55.4276	71.2118	74.6326	63.1407	44.9988

See Also

Data

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

Nearest Neighbor

Smoothing a Grid File


Boundary Files

Base maps can be either vector files, Windows metafiles, or bitmap files.  Base maps can be in any of several formats, and are used to place boundary information on a map.

Vector files consist of points, polygons and polylines and are used to draw objects at precise X,Y locations on a map.  You can use base maps to plot objects such as boundary outlines (such as a state or county outline), streams, water bodies, roads, buildings or any other type of object on a map.  Although point locations are usually represented on a map by using the Post or Classed Post commands, some boundary files such as [.GSB] or [.BNA] files can contain point information as well as polygons or polylines.  The vector file types that you can load as basemaps are:

Atlas Boundary [.BNA]

AutoCAD DXF Drawing [.DXF] (Import)

Golden Software Blanking [.BLN]

Golden Software Boundary [.GSB]

Golden Software PlotCall [.PLT]

USGS Digital Line Graph [.LGO]

Windows metafiles contain line drawing information for reproducing vector drawings.  Metafiles can be stretched and scaled without any loss of resolution, but cannot be edited in Surfer.  The metafile formats Surfer can load as base maps are:

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP]

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF]

Bitmap files consist of raster images that cannot be edited in Surfer but can produce effective background images for other maps.  Raster images are displayed as an array of dots or pixels on the screen.  After a bitmap file is loaded as a basemap you can stretch and scale the bitmap, but you cannot edit the individual elements of the bitmap.  The bitmap file formats that you can import into Surfer are:

Compuserve Bitmap [.GIF]

DCX (Multi-page PCX) [.DCX]

Encapulated Postscript Bitmap [.EPS]

JPEG Compressed Bitmap [.JPG]

PCX (ZSoft/Paintbrush) [.PCX]

PICT (Macintosh) Bitmap [.PCT]

Tagged Image (TIFF) [.TIF]

Targa (TrueVision) [.TGA]

Windows Bitmap [.BMP]

WordPerfect Bitmap [.WPG]

See Also

Creating a [.BLN] File with the Digitize Command

Creating Base Maps

Load BaseMap

Placing Boundaries on a Map


AutoCAD [.DXF] Files

AutoCAD [.DXF] files can be imported as basemap files using the Load BaseMap command from the Map menu.  You can produce [.DXF] files from Surfer using the Export command from the File menu.

When you load a [.DXF] file as a basemap, the DXF Import Options dialog box is displayed.

The NUMBER and COLOR list box allows you to assign colors to apply to the different numbers in the [.DXF] file.  You can double-click on the color samples to display the Change Color dialog box.  You can then select the desired color for the selected number.

The Default button returns all the colors to the default colors chosen by Surfer.

The File Info button displays the File Info dialog box, providing you with information about the [.DXF] file.

*	The Image Extents group box provides you with information about the data limits in the [.DXF] file.  These are the minimum and maximum X and Y data units read from the file.

*	The Colors Used group box indicates the color numbers specified in the file.  These color numbers correspond to the number values displayed in the NUMBER and COLOR list box.  Only those colors specified in the [.DXF] file are listed.

*	The Layers Used group box indicates the layers in the [.DXF] file.

See Also:

Creating DXF Files


HPGL Files

HPGL files are Hewlett Packard Graphics Language files.  This is a fairly common file format that is recognized by many software packages that accept graphic file import.  Using HPGL files is especially important for users that want to export Surfer maps to non-windows applications.  These files make it possible to incorporate your Surfer maps in non-windows word processors or other non-Windows applications.

See Also:

Creating HPGL files


Blanking [.BLN] Files

Blanking [.BLN] files can perform two functions in Surfer: They can be used to remove contours from a region of the map or can be used to place boundaries on a map.

Blanking files used to remove contours from a map can contain one or more polygons.  The blanking operation in Surfer uses the boundaries defined in the blanking file to assign a blanking value to grid nodes in a grid [.GRD] file.  When you produce a contour map from a blanked grid file, no contours are drawn in the blanked areas on the map.

Blanking files used to draw boundaries on a map can contain any number of polylines or polygons.  Each polyline or polygon is defined by a header line and a series of coordinate pairs.

When a polygon is defined in a [.BLN] file, the first and last coordinate pair must be identical so the polygon is a closed object.

Blanking [.BLN] File Format

Blanking files are ASCII files that can be created in the Surfer for Windows worksheet or any ASCII editor.  Blanking files contain coordinates defining vectors used to draw polylines or polygons.

npoints,flag	npoints defines the number of X,Y coordinate pairs used to define this boundary

flag defines the type of blanking and is 0 or 1.  0 is used to blank outside the defined boundary and 1 is used to blank inside the defined boundary

x1,y1	first coordinate pair of boundary

x2,y2	second coordinate pair

x3,y3

...

xn,yn	last coordinate pair of boundary.  For a polygon, this point should be identical to the first point

npoints,flag	the header line for a second boundary in the blanking file.  You can have any number of polygons (or polylines for use as boundaries only)

x1,y1 etc.

The following is an example of a [.BLN] file that defines two rectangular polygons.  If you used this file for blanking, the grid nodes within these polygons would be assigned the blanking value.

5,1

3.0,4.5

0.5,4.5

0.5,6.5

3.0,6.5

3.0,4.5

5,1

4.5,0.0

8.5,0.0

8.5,1.5

4.5,1.5

4.5,0.0

When you import a [.BLN] file as a basemap, the GS Import Blanking Options dialog box is displayed.

The Areas to Curves checkbox allows you to convert any areas in the file to curves during the import operation.  Areas are closed polygons that can be assigned a fill pattern and color.  Curves are a series of connected line segments (polylines) that can be assigned line attributes.  Sometimes areas in [.BLN] files have too many points defining the polygon, and they must be converted to curves to be imported as basemaps.

See Also

Creating a [.BLN] File with the Digitize Command


Atlas [.BNA] Files

Atlas [.BNA] files are ASCII files used that store boundary information including polygons, polylines and points.  The general format of the file is:

"Pname 1", "Sname 1", type/length

x1,y1

x2,y2

x3,y3

...

xn,yn

"Pname 2", "Sname 2", type/length

x1,y1

x2,y2

...

xn,yn

An alternate format for a boundary [.BNA] file is:

"Pname 1", "Sname 1", type/length, x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3, ... xn, yn

"Pname 2", "Sname 2", type/length, x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3, ... xn, yn

Pname is the name of the Primary ID, and Sname is the name of the Secondary ID.   Primary and Secondary IDs have no function in Surfer.

The type/length value is a single integer that indicates the type of object and the number of actual X,Y coordinate pairs that make up the object.  The format for the type/length value is defined below.

A positive integer greater than 3 indicates a polygon.  The actual integer defines the number of coordinate pairs to follow.

A negative integer less than -1 indicates a polyline  The absolute value defines the number of coordinate pairs to follow.

The integer 1 indicates a point.

The coordinate pairs (indicated as xn,yn above) can be either integers or real numbers.

Examples of the format for different objects are provided below:

This is an example of a polygon.  The polygon has both a Primary and Secondary ID, but Surfer does not make use of either.  "Colorado" is the secondary ID of "CO".

"CO","Colorado",7

-102.073,37.0033

-103.015,37.01

-103.106,37.01

-109.064,37.0033

-109.08,41.0091

-102.081,41.0157

-102.073,37.0033

This is an example of a curve.  In this example, this curve does not have a Primary or Secondary ID, although they can be assigned for curves by typing the information in the [.BNA] file.

"","",-10

535.954,1681.83

541.209,1241.31

1166.1,1466.83

672.581,1723.87

604.268,1351.66

1260.25,1089.36

1260.25,1571.92

535.954,1792.18

132.202,1262.33

1260.25,837.565

This is an example of a point.  The point has both a Primary and Secondary ID, but Surfer does not make use of either.

"Well HA-11"," Hansford Field",1

-104.351,37.847

When you import a [.BNA] file as a basemap, the Atlas Boundary Import Options dialog box is displayed.

The Areas to Curves checkbox allows you to convert any areas in the file to curves during the import operation.  Areas are closed polygons that can be assigned a fill pattern and color.  Curves are a series of connected line segments (polylines) that can be assigned line attributes.  Sometimes areas in [.BNA] files have too many points defining the polygon, and they must be converted to curves to be imported as basemaps.


MapViewer [.GSB] Files

Golden Software Boundary Files [.GSB] are files created by Golden Software's MapViewer package.  These files can be used in Surfer to import boundary data.  [.GSB] files can contain polygons or polylines.  [.GSB] files use a binary format, and the file content can only be modified from within MapViewer.

When you import a [.GSB] file as a basemap in Surfer, the GS Boundary Import Options dialog box is displayed.  This allows you to convert any areas in the file to curves during the import operation.  Areas are closed polygons that can be assigned a fill pattern and color.  Curves are a series of connected line segments (polylines) that can be assigned line attributes.  Sometimes areas in [.GSB] files have too many points defining the polygon, and they must be converted to curves to be imported as basemaps.


Level Files

Level files contain information about contour levels, contour line attributes, fill between contours, contour labels and hachures.  The minimum amount of information a level [.LVL] file can contain is the contour levels.

Level files are created from either the Contour Map dialog box or the Surface Plot dialog box.

Level files created from the Contour Map dialog box contain all the information that is displayed in the Contour Levels group box.  This includes the actual contour levels, the line attributes for the different levels, the color fill to apply between contour levels (on a contour map), and the contour lines to label and which contours on which to place hachures.

Level files created from the Surface Plot dialog box contain information for the contour levels and the line attributes for the different contours.

You can use a level [.LVL] file created from the Contour Map dialog box on a Surface Plot and visa versa.  The information that is not used is ignored.  For example, if you have a level [.LVL] file created from the Contour Map dialog box, there is information about color fill between contours; information that is not utilized in surface plots.  This information is simply ignored when creating the surface plot.  If you modify the level information in the Surface Plot dialog box and then save the [.LVL] file, the new level and line attribute information is written to the file, and the color fill, contour label and hachure information is preserved in the file.

If you create a level [.LVL] file from the Surface Plot dialog box, there is no color fill information, or contour label or hachure information written to the file.  You can use this level [.LVL] file in the Contour Map dialog box, and no color fill is assigned, no contours are labeled, and no hachures are used.  You can add these features if desired and save the file without affecting the files use for a surface plot.

Level files are ASCII data files.  The simplest level files can contain a list of the contour levels to display on a map.  For example, if you want to create a contour map with logarithmic intervals between the contours, you could produce a level file such as:

0.01

0.1

1

10

100

1000

10000

This level file would produce contour lines at logarithmic intervals from 0.01 to 10,000.  You can create and save level files in the Surfer worksheet.  Save the file as an ASCII [.DAT] file, but be sure to type in an [.LVL] extension for the File Name in the Worksheet Save As dialog box.

See Also

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Contour Map

Surface Plot


Color Map Files
Color Spectrum Files

When you have created custom color bar settings for image maps or shaded relief maps, you can save the color bar settings, and recall them for use with any grid file.  Color bar information is saved in color spectrum [.CLR] files that are ASCII text files. Color spectrum [.CLR] files can be saved from the Color Spectrum dialog box, or can be created with any text editor.

The format for the [.CLR] files is:

ColorMap   Version   InterpMethod

Position   Red   Green   Blue

Position   Red   Green   Blue

...

Where:

ColorMap is used as a file identifier (case sensitive)

Version is the file format version (must be 1)

InterpMethod is the interpolation type (must be 1)

Position is the floating point percentage value (from 0.0 to 100.0) The positions must be specified in increasing order from 0 to 100 percent, and the 0 and 100 percent positions must be in the file.

Red, Green, and Blue are the color components and can be from 0 to 255

The following is an example of an actual [.CLR] file.  In this example, the anchor points are at 0, 50, and 100.  The zero position is Blue, the 50 percent anchor is green, and the 100 percent position is yellow.

ColorMap  1  1

0      0     0      255

50    0     255  0

100  255 255  0


PLOTCALL [.PLT] Files

PLOTCALL [.PLT] files contain drawing information produced by the Golden Software PLOTCALL program, included with both Surfer for DOS and Grapher for DOS.  PLOTCALL files contain line drawing information.

When you choose the Load BaseMap command from the Map menu and specify a [.PLT] file the PlotCall Import Options dialog box is displayed.

The WIDTH and STYLE list box provides a list of pens 1 through 16, the width to assign to each pen, and the line attributes to assign to each pen.  You can change any pen width by clicking on the Pen number and typing in the width value in the Pen Width dialog box.  You can assign any pen attributes to the different pen numbers by clicking on the line sample and making the desired changes in the Line Attributes dialog box.

The File Info button displays the File Info dialog box, providing you with information about the [.DXF] file.

*	The Image Extents group box provides you with information about the data limits in the [.DXF] file.  These are the minimum and maximum X and Y data units read from the file.

*	The Pens Used group box indicates the pen numbers used in the file.  These pen numbers correspond to the pen numbers values displayed in the WIDTH and STYLE list box.

The Default Pens button returns all the pen attributes to the Surfer default settings.


Default Setting - Set [.SET] Files
Default Setting Files - Set [.SET] Files

Surfer default settings are based on information read from set [.SET] files.  Set files contain a list of gridding, mapping and general dialog box settings.  When you start Surfer, the set file Surfer.SET is used by default.  You can, however, create your own set files, and use any [.SET] file at program start-up.  You also call any [.SET] file during a Surfer session.  When you do this, the defaults are not applied to existing objects in the Plot window but are applied to any subsequent operations.

Set [.SET] files contain a list of dialog box settings, and the parameters to use for each.  When a parameter is not specified in the [.SET] file, Surfer uses an internal set of defaults.  When you want to automatically use default dialog box settings different from the internal set, you can specify these parameters in either the Surfer.SET file, or in a custom [.SET] file that you create.

The Surfer.SET file, or custom set files can be viewed, edited, and saved from the  Default Settings dialog box.  You can choose the Preferences/Default Settings command from the File menu to display the Default Settings dialog box.  From here you can load, modify, and save set files.  You can type in the Default Settings dialog box as you would in any Windows text editors.  However, when you want to add a new line in the Default Settings dialog box, you must press CTRL+ENTER.

Set files are called in three different ways in Surfer.

By default, Surfer uses the Surfer.SET file.  When you do not otherwise specify a set file to use, Surfer uses Surfer.SET.

You can open the Default Settings dialog box, and click the Load button to load any set file at any time during a Surfer session.

You can include a set [.SET] file name on the Program Manager command line.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

File Preferences - Default Settings

Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line

Set [.SET] File Format

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Fill Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters


Set [.SET] File Format

Set [.SET] files are text files that can be modified in Surfer from the Default Settings dialog box, or from any text editor.  You can type parameters into a [.SET] file, or you can use special save settings flags that permit Surfer to write the dialog box settings to the file automatically.  Some parameters are more complex than others, and in these cases it may be preferable to let Surfer automatically add the parameters to the [.SET] file.  In this way you are assured that the parameters are entered properly, and the parameter syntax is correct.

Set [.SET] file settings are listed in the general form

setting = parameter  ;comment,

where setting corresponds to the dialog box or command setting, and parameter corresponds to the value or text applied to the setting.  Setting names and parameters are not case sensitive.  The comment provides information describing the setting, and is ignored by Surfer.

Surfer.SET contains a complete list of the settings for which you can specify default parameters.  However, a custom set [.SET] file does not need to contain all the settings contained in the Surfer.SET file.  When you create a custom set file you can strip out any settings you dont need.  When a setting is missing from the set [.SET] file, Surfer will use the internal defaults for that setting.  This allows you to create simpler set files containing only the information you are interested in.

Set files are organized by Surfer commands.  For example, if you want to see or modify the settings pertaining to contour maps, you can go to the Map Contour section of the [.SET] file.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Fill Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters

Set [.SET] File Format


Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters

There are several types of settings that are used throughout the [.SET] files.  These settings pertain to objects that use the same attributes.  There are five types of settings that are described here: fill, line, symbol and text attributes, and numeric formats.

When parameters are entered for a particular setting, you must include all the parameters for that particular setting.  For parameters that must be enclosed in double quotes, you can use two double quotes when you do not want to specify this parameter.  Consider the example shown here.  The xFont setting requires four parameters, in the format

xFont = "Face" "Color" Style Point ;Comment

The Face and Color parameters must be enclosed in double quotes.  If you only wanted to specify the point size for the font, the setting and parameters could appear as this in the [.SET] file.

cFont = "" "" 0 6 ;Font attributes

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Set [.SET] File Format

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Fill Attributes Format


Set File Fill Attributes Format

Example:

cMinFill* = "Red" "Desert Blue" "Backward slash" 2 ;Minimum contour fill attributes

General Format:

xFill = "Foreground Color" "Background Color" "Fill Pattern Background Mode ;Comment

*	Both the Foreground Color and Background Color can be specified as the color name as it appears in the color palette.  When you want to use custom colors, you can specify them as RGB colors using the form Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx.  In this format, R is the red component, G is the green component, and B is the blue component.  The values for the components can range from 0 to 255.  Color names or color components must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Fill Pattern is the pattern name as it appears in the pattern palette.  The fill pattern name must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Background Mode specifies whether vector fills should be opaque (1) or transparent (2).  The background mode is specified as the value, and is not enclosed in quotes.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Set [.SET] File Format

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters


Set File Line Attributes Format

Example:

cMinLine = "R0 G255 B50" ".1 in. Dash" 10 ;Line Attributes

General Format:

xLine = "Color" "Line Style"  Width ;Comment

*	The Color can be specified as the color name as is appears in the color palette.  When you want to use custom colors, you can specify them as RGB colors using the form Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx.  In this format, R is the red component, G is the green component, and B is the blue component.  The values for the components can range from 0 to 255.  Color names or color components must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Line Style is the line name as it appears in the line palette.  The line style name must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Width is specified in thousands of an inch.  This is not enclosed in double quotes.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Set [.SET] File Format

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Fill Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters


Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Example:

pSym* = "Default Symbols" "Purple" 12 440 ;Symbol attributes

General Format:

xSym* = "Symbol Set" "Color"  Position  Size ;Comment

*	The Symbol Set is the font set name as it appears in the Symbol Attributes dialog box.  The symbol set name must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Color can be specified as the color name as it appears in the color palette.  When you want to use custom colors, you can specify them as RGB colors using the form Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx.  In this format, R is the red component, G is the green component, and B is the blue component.  The values for the components can range from 0 to 255.  Color names or color components must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Position is the number for the symbol to use from the Symbol palette.  This value cooresponds to the position in the Symbol palette.  Symbol position numbers begin with 0 in the upper left-hand position of the palette, and increase from left to right.  This is entered as a number, and does not use double quotes.

*	The Size is specified in thousands of an inch.  This is not enclosed in double quotes.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Set [.SET] File Format

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Fill Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters


Set File Text Attributes Format

Example:

cFont = "Braggadocio" "Black" 0 6 ;Font attributes

General Format:

xFont = "Face" "Color" Style Point ;Comment

*	The Face is the font set as it appears in the Text Attributes dialog box.  The typeface name must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Color can be specified as the color name as it appears in the color palette.  When you want to use custom colors, you can specify them as RGB colors using the form Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx.  In this format, R is the red component, G is the green component, and B is the blue component.  The values for the components can range from 0 to 255.  Color names or color components must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Style is the text format.  This is entered as a number, and is not enclosed in double quotes.  You can add the following to get what you want.

None = 0

Bold = 16

Italics = 32

Strikethrough = 64

Underline = 128

*	The Point is the size for the text in points. .  This is entered as a number, and is not enclosed in double quotes.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Set [.SET] File Format

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Fill Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters


Set File Numeric Format Format

Example:

cLabFmt = 0 8 2 "Pre" "Post" ;Label format attributes

General Format:

xLabFmt = Type Style Digits "Prefix text" "Suffix text" ;Comment

*	The Type is the numeric format, based on the following codes.  This is entered as a number, and is not enclosed in double quotes.

0 = Fixed

1 = General

2 = Exponential

*	The Style is for thousands, or to display the absolue value.  This is entered as a number, and is not enclosed in double quotes.

0 = None

1 = Thousands

2 = Absolute Value

3 = Both

*	The Digits specify the number of decimal digits after the decimal place in the label.  This value can range from 0 to 9.  This is entered as a number, and is not enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Prefix text is text that appears at the beginning of every label.  This must be enclosed in double quotes.

*	The Suffix text is text that appears at the end of every label.  This must be enclosed in double quotes.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Set [.SET] File Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Fill Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters


SURFER [.SRF] Files
Surfer for Windows [.SRF] Files

Surfer [.SRF] files contain all the information necessary to reproduce a complete map in the Plot window.  It contains all the information in the Plot window at the time you saved the [.SRF] file.

Surfer [SRF] files contain a complete map, and can contain contour and surface maps, post maps, base maps, text, and any associated objects that you have drawn on the map.  When you have completed a map, you can save it as a [.SRF] file.  When you open this file at a later date it is recalled in exactly the same way as you saved it.

When you create a contour map or surface plot, the grid [.GRD] file is only read the first time the map or surface is created.  If you save the map in a [.SRF] file and subsequently change the grid file used to produce the map or surface, the changes are not reflected the next time you open the [.SRF] file.  You can even delete the grid file and the [.SRF] file can reproduce the contour map or surface plot created from the deleted grid file.


USGS DEM Files

The USGS produces two distinct DEM file types: the 7.5 minute DEM data and the 1:250,000-scale DEM data.

*	The 7.5 minute DEMs correspond to the standard 1:24,000 scale quadrangles.  Elevation points are provided along north-south profile lines, and use a 30 meter spacing between adjacent data points and adjacent profile lines.  Point locations are referenced to the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) coordinate system.  The 7.5 minute quadrangles are usually not oriented exactly north-south.  The DEM polygon contained within a 7.5 minute quadrangle consists of profiles that do not always have the same number of data points because of the variable angle between the UTM coordinate system and true north.  This results in the potential for a regular, stair-stepped arrangement of the data points along the edges of the map which can translate to blanked grid nodes along the edges of grid files produced in Surfer.  This can lead to discontinuous contour lines along the edges of contour maps, or blanked edges on surface plots.

*	The 1:250,000 DEMs cover a 1 degree by 1 degree block representing one-half of a 1 degree by 2 degree 1:250,000-scale map.  Point locations are based on the latitude/longitude coordinate system.  Elevation points are provided along north-south profile lines, and use a 3 arc-second spacing between each data point and between profile lines.  Three arc seconds correspond to approximately 90 meters in the north-south direction and variable spacing in the east-west direction due to convergence of meridians as latitude increases (approximately 90 meters at the equator and approximately 60 meters at 50 degrees latitude).


USGS DLG Files
USGS Digital Line Graph [.LGO]

These files contain 1:2,000,000 scale digitized base map data for the entire U.S.  The [.LGO] format is the optional Digital Line Graph format.  [.LGO] files can contain areas, curves or points representing several different types of boundaries.

When you import [.LGO] files, the DLG Import Options dialog box is displayed providing you with several options controlling the import of the [.LGO] boundary data.

See Also

USGS Digital Line Graph [.LGO] File Description


XYZ Data Files

XYZ data files contain the raw data interpreted by Surfer when producing a grid [.GRD] file.  Before you create a grid [.GRD] file in Surfer, you must create an XYZ data file.  XYZ data files are organized in Column and Row format.  By default Surfer expects the X data to be contained in column A, the Y data in Column B, and the Z data in Column C.  If your data is in different columns than these you can still use the data file but you will need to tell Surfer the location of the data before you proceed with the gridding operation.

A portion of two sample data files are shown below.  Notice that the order of data points in the file is not important, only that the X,Y, and Z data are placed in columns.  These examples contain a row of descriptive information in Row 1 of each column.  This information is helpful but unnecessary when you are creating your data files.

*	Column A	Column B	Column C
Row 1	X Data	Y Data	Z Data
Row 2	0.1	0	90
Row 3	9	3	48
Row 4	1.3	7	52
Row 5	4.7	1	66
Row 6	1.7	5.6	75
Row 7	6	1	50
Row 8	2.5	3.6	60
*	Column A	Column B	Column C
Row 1	Longitude	Latitude	Elevation
Row 2	-109	39.205	1464
Row 3	-108.965	39.337	1524
Row 4	-108.93	39.389	1385
Row 5	-108.895	39.526	1583
Row 6	-108.86	39.588	1445
Row 7	-108.825	39.795	1371
Row 8	-108.79	40.003	1371


SYLK [.SLK] Files

SYLK files are special ASCII files that contain worksheet formatting information along with the data.  When you import these files to the Surfer worksheet, the data is formatted in the columns based on the information in the file.  For example, if you are using fixed formatting with 4 decimal digits, the data is displayed in this manner when you load the [.SLK] file into the worksheet.  This formatting can be saved in the file and used in your next session of Surfer, or can be used by applications that accept the [.SLK] file format (such as Excel).

If you create a SYLK file from another application and load the file into the Surfer worksheet, there might be special formatting information in the file that Surfer cannot use.  In these cases, the data file is loaded without a problem, but if you save the file in a SYLK format from Surfer, the special formatting information is lost.  Either use another filename, or overwrite the existing file if you don't care to save the special information.

See also:

ASCII [.DAT] Files

Data File Formats

Opening Worksheet Files

Saving Worksheet Files

XLS and WK1 Files


[.XLS] and [.WK1] Files

Excel [.XLS] Files

These are Microsoft Excel files.  Surfer can import these files, but cannot save in an [.XLS] format.

*	Only that information specifying worksheet cell data and some column formatting is honored.  Other types of information, such as formulas, are ignored.

*	The default file extension is [.XLS].

Lotus [.WK1] Files

These are binary files produced from Lotus 1-2-3.  Surfer can import these files, but cannot save in an [.WK1] format.

*	Only that information specifying worksheet cell data and some column formatting is honored.  Other types of information, such as formulas, are ignored.

*	The default file extension is [.WK1], but the older [.WKS] files may also be read.

See also:

ASCII [.DAT] Files

Data File Formats

Opening Worksheet Files

Saving Worksheet Files

SYLK [.SLK] Files


Gridding Overview

Gridding produces a regularly spaced array of Z values from irregularly spaced XYZ data.  Contour maps and Surface plots require the regular distribution of data points in grid [.GRD] files.  The term "irregularly spaced" implies that the points are randomly distributed over the extent of the map area meaning that the distance between data points is not consistent over the map.  When the XYZ data is randomly spaced over the map area, there are many "holes" in the distribution of data points.  Gridding fills in the holes by extrapolating or interpolating Z values in those locations where no data exists.

Surfer provides you with several gridding methods.  Each method calculates grid node values using a different algorithm, and can result in a somewhat different interpretation of your data.

When you create a grid file, there are several options to consider.  These are:

*	Gridding Methods determine how the original data is interpreted when creating the grid file.

*	Gridding Options control the Anisotropy and Data Treatment during gridding.

*	Grid File Formats are the file formats for grid files.

*	Grid Line Geometry controls the Grid Limits and Grid Density used for the grid file.

*	Search Options control the Search Type, Search Rules and Search Ellipse parameters.

See Also

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding a Function

Gridding Overview

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Smoothing a Grid File

Using the Grid Editor


Gridding Options

Each gridding method has its own set of gridding options.  Some of the options are the same or similar for the different gridding methods, while other options are specific to the gridding method in question.  When available for a particular method, the concept and implementation of Data Treatment and Anisotropy are similar for the various methods.  When variations exist, the differences are pointed out so there is no confusion.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid File Formats

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding Methods

Gridding Overview

Options dialog box

Search Options


Data Treatment

Data treatment specifies how to manage duplicate data points (two or more points having identical XY coordinates and possibly different Z values).  When you create a grid, the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box is displayed.  To specify data treatment:

1.	In the Gridding Method group, specify the gridding method to use and click the Options button to display Options dialog box for the selected gridding method.

2.	In the Data Treatment group, click the Duplicates drop-down list box, and a list of data treatment options is presented.

*	Average replaces the coincident data points with a single value equal to the average of the Z values.

*	Delete keeps the first of the coincident data points encountered in the data file, and deletes the rest of the coincident points from consideration.

*	Sum replaces the coincident data points with a single value equal to the sum of all the Z data values.

*	Ignore treats all data points the same, regardless of whether or not they are coincident.  Ignore is not available for Kriging, Radial Basis Functions or Triangulation.

3.	If you click the Ignore Data Outside Grid checkbox, data points outside the grid limits are not considered during gridding.  Usually if you have data beyond the limits of the grid it is preferable to include those points so the edges of the grid are as accurate as possible.

4.	Specify any other grid method options and click OK to return to the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Limits

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview


Grid File Formats

Grid [.GRD] files can be created in either a Binary or ASCII format.  Each type has its advantages.  ASCII and Binary [.GRD] files contain the same information.  Binary grid [.GRD] files are smaller than ASCII grid files and so occupy less disk space, and binary grid files are saved and read more quickly.  ASCII grid files, although they occupy more disk space, can be created and modified using an ASCII editor and can be read by the Surfer worksheet.

The Convert command allows you to convert a binary grid [.GRD] file to an ASCII grid file, or vice versa.  You can also convert a grid file to an XYZ data file.  When creating an XYZ data file, all grid nodes are listed in separate rows, with the X coordinate in Column A, the Y coordinate in column B, and the corresponding Z value in Column C.

Converting between Grid File Formats

1.	Choose the Convert command from the Grid menu and the Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  Specify the grid [.GRD] file to be converted to a different format.

2.	Click OK and the Save Grid dialog box is displayed.  In the Save File as Type drop-down list box, select the format in which you want to save the file.  The options are: GS Binary (*.GRD) format, GS ASCII (*.GRD) format, and ASCII XYZ (*.DAT) format.

3.	Specify the path and file name for the file to be created and click OK.  The grid or data file is created.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding a Function

Gridding Overview


Grid Line Geometry

The grid line geometry is set in the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box.  Grid line geometry defines the grid limits and grid density.  Grid limits are the minimum and maximum X and Y coordinates for the grid.  Grid density is usually defined by the number of columns and rows in the grid.  The # of Lines in the X Direction is the number of grid columns, and the # of Lines in the Y Direction is the number of grid rows.  By defining the grid limits and the number of rows and columns, the Spacing values are automatically determined as the distance in data units between adjacent rows and adjacent columns.

Surfer computes the minimum and maximum X and Y values from the XYZ data file.  These values are used as the default minimum and maximum coordinates for the grid.  The direction that covers the greater extent (the greater number of data units) is assigned 50 grid lines by default.  The number of grid lines in the other direction is computed so that the grid line spacing in the X and Y directions are as close to one another as possible.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid Limits

Gridding a Function

Gridding Overview

Smoothing a Grid File


Specifying Grid Limits

Grid limits define the extents of contour maps and surface plots created from the grid file.  When you create a grid file, you should set the grid limits to be the limits you want to use for the contour map or surface plot.  Once a grid file is created you cannot produce a contour map or surface plot larger than the extent of the grid file.

If you want to create a grid file that is a subset of an existing grid you can use the Extract command.  This lets you specify a limited number of rows and columns to read from the original grid file, and write this limited information to a new grid file.

When you create a grid, the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box is displayed.

To specify the grid limits to use:

1.	Examine the values in the Grid Line Geometry group.  The Minimum and Maximum edit boxes for both the X Direction and the Y Direction show the data limits for the file to be gridded.

2.	You can set different limits by typing the values in the edit boxes.  For example, if your XYZ data set ranges from 1 to 9 in the X Direction, the default limits in the X Direction are set at 1 for the Minimum and 9 for the Maximum.  If you want the grid file to range from 0 to 10 you must set these limits by specifying the Minimum and Maximum values to use in the X Direction.  The same applies for the Y Direction

3.	Specify any other gridding parameters, click OK, and the grid file is created with the limits you specify.

See Also

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding a Function

Gridding Overview


Grid Density
Specifying Grid Density

Grid density refers to the number of rows and columns in a grid file, and is a measure of the number of grid nodes in the grid.  Higher grid densities increase the smoothness of the contour maps and surface plots, but there is also a drawback.  An increase in the number of grid nodes proportionally increases the gridding time, drawing time (for contour maps and surface plots), and the grid file size.

Grid density provides a degree of smoothness to contour maps or surface plots.  Contour lines and XY lines defining a surface plot are actually a series of straight line segments.  More X and Y lines in a grid file result in shorter line segments for contours or surface plots.  This provides a smoother appearance to contour lines on a contour map or smoother appearing surface plots.

Although highly dense grid files can be created, there is a practical limit to the number of grid nodes you can create in a grid file.  Grid density limit is based on the amount of available RAM on your computer and the size of the data file used to create the grid.  Limited RAM, very large data files, very dense grids, or any combination of these factors can greatly increase gridding time.  When gridding begins, the grid status dialog box provides you with information about the estimated gridding time to complete the task.  If gridding time is excessive, you can cancel gridding and:

*	Begin gridding again, using a lower grid density.

*	Close other Windows applications to free up available RAM

*	Reduce the number of data points in the data file

You can increase or decrease the grid density for a grid after it is created using the Spline Smooth command from the Grid menu.

When you create a grid, the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box is displayed.  To specify the grid density:

1.	You can specify Spacing values or # of Line values for both the X Direction and Y Direction in the Grid Line Geometry group   These values, in conjunction with the grid extents, control the grid density in the grid file.

*	The Spacing edit boxes specify the number of data units between grid lines.  This value is a function of the Minimum and Maximum values and the # of Lines values. When you change these values, the # of Lines values are automatically recalculated to reflect the change.  If the Spacing value you specify results in a fractional number for the # of Lines value, Surfer automatically adjusts the Spacing value slightly to generate a whole number for the # of Lines value.

*	The # of Lines edit boxes specify the number of lines in the X and Y directions.  This is the number of rows (Y) and columns (X) generated in the grid, and must be a whole number.  If you change the # of Lines values, the Spacing values automatically change to reflect the new values.

2.	Specify any other gridding parameters, click OK and the grid file is created with the limits you specify.

See Also

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Limits

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding a Function

Gridding Overview

Smoothing a Grid File


Search Options

Search options control which data points the gridding operation considers when interpolating grid nodes.  The available search options are Search Type, Search Rules and Search Ellipse.  Clicking on the Search button in the Gridding Method group of the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box displays the Search Options dialog box.

Search options are not available for Polynomial Regression, Minimum Curvature or Triangulation with Linear Interpolation.  These Gridding Methods require that you use all the data points from the data file when calculating the grid.  The Search button is grayed when any of these gridding methods are selected.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Overview

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Search Ellipse

Search Rules

Search Type


Search Type

Search type refers to how Surfer attempts to find data points during the calculation of grid node values.  There are four Search Types to choose from: All Data, Simple, Quadrant and Octant.  As you switch between the different search types, the values in the Search Rules group are updated so the same number of points are used for each grid node calculation.  For example, if a Simple search is specified with 24 data points per sector and you switch to a Quadrant search, the Data Per Sector value changes to 6.  This preserves an overall search intensity of 24 data points (6 per quadrant).

*	For small data sets (up to 250 points) the All Data search type is usually the most appropriate.  This type of search increases gridding speed.  All Data uses all data points in the calculation of every grid node.  The distance weighting factors are still applied in the same way.  So, although a data point far removed from the grid node is still used when calculating the grid node value,  it will carry relatively little weight compared to data points that are close to the grid node.

*	Simple uses the data points nearest to the grid node.  The number of data points used in a Simple search is defined by the Data Per Sector value.  In this instance Surfer searches through the entire data set to determine the data points that are closest to the grid node.   Only points within the limits of the Search ellipse are considered in a Simple search.

*	Quadrant divides the map area into four sectors around a grid node, and finds the closest data points in each of the four sectors during interpolation.  When you use this option, Surfer analyses each quadrant separately.  Data points beyond the nearest points in a quadrant are ignored even if the data points in another quadrant are farther from the grid node being calculated.

*	Octant divides the map area into eight sectors around a grid node, and finds the closest data points in each of the eight sectors during interpolation.  The Octant search is a little slower than the Quadrant search, but it generates a smoother grid than the Quadrant search type.

When data points are evenly distributed over the map area, either the All Data or Simple search types is adequate.  When using more than 250 points, the All Data search is not appropriate for Kriging and Radial Basis Functions.  In these cases, the Quadrant search is recommended.

When observations are heavily clustered within the map area, the Quadrant or Octant searches are recommended.  These types of searches are also appropriate when you have data collected on widely spaced traverses.   A Simple search might attempt to estimate grid nodes using data points from a single direction.  This might generate unrealistic slopes between traverses, and unrealistic polygonal shaped plateaus across the map area.  Quadrant or Octant searches should eliminate or reduce this effect.

See Also

Data Command

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Overview

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Search Ellipse

Search Options

Search Rules


Search Rules

Search rules define the number of points included as each grid node value is generated and are employed when you choose the Simple, Quadrant or Octant search types.  Search rules effectively limit the number of data points to include in the interpolation at each grid node.  Search rules work in concert with the Search Ellipse.  The Search Ellipse specifies the size of the local neighborhood in which to look for data points, and the Search Rules specify the number of points to actually consider within the neighborhood.

If the number of data points defined by the Minimum Total Data is not found within the Search Ellipse distance, the blanking value (1.70141e+038) is assigned at the grid node.  Blanking values indicate that insufficient data existed to satisfy the search criteria at that particular location.  Blanked grid nodes truncate contour lines on contour maps, and produce low flat regions on surface plots.

*	The Data Per Sector value specifies the number of data points to be used from each sector: one sector in a Simple Search, four sectors in a Quadrant Search and eight sectors in an Octant Search.

*	The Minimum Total Data value assures that the specified number of data points are encountered when interpolating a grid node.  If the minimum number of points is not found, the blanking value is assigned at the grid node.

*	Max Empty Sectors assures that not more than the specified number of sectors can be empty when interpolating a grid node.  If more than the Max Empty Sectors value is encountered, the blanking value is assigned at the grid node.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Overview

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Search Ellipse

Search Options

Search Type


Search Ellipse

The Search Ellipse defines the local neighborhood of points to consider when interpolating each grid node when using Simple, Quadrant or Octant searches.  This defines the distance in data units from the grid node that Surfer looks to find data points when calculating grid nodes.  Data points outside the search ellipse are not considered during grid node interpolation.

Elliptical searches do not impart extra weight to data points in the various directions, but do search farther along one ellipse axis.  The default Search Ellipse is circular meaning that Surfer looks the same distance in all directions.

Search ellipses are specified by defining the ellipse radii and the angle for the ellipse.

*	Radius 1 and Radius 2 are positive values indicating the distance in data units.

*	Angle is the inclination between the positive X-axis and Radius 1.  This can be any value between -360 and +360.

Blanking values indicate that insufficient data existed to generate a grid node value at that particular location, based on the search rules you specified.  For example, if you inadvertently set your search ellipse size to be smaller than half the distance between your data points, there is a chance that a significant number of grid nodes will be blanked in the grid file.  Blanked grid nodes cause truncation of contour lines within contour maps, and flat regions on surface plots.

Although it is not required, in most cases it works well to have the search ellipse ratio and direction coincide with the anisotropy ratio and direction.

To specify the search options from the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box:

1.	Click the Search button in the Gridding Method group, and Search Options dialog box is displayed.

2.	Choose either the All Data, Simple, Quadrant or Octant search types.

3.	For search types other than All Data, specify the Search Rules by typing the values in the edit boxes.

4.	If you use a Search Ellipse, you can specify a Simple, Quadrant or Octant search.  Create the search ellipse by defining the radius and angle values.  The Search Options dialog box presents a sketch of the ellipse as specified.

5.	Specify the Search Rules so the desired number of points are considered during interpolation at each grid node.  This is only available for Simple, Quadrant or Octant searches.

6.	Click OK to return to the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Overview

Search Options

Search Rules

Search Type


Gridding Methods

Surfer is a grid based contour program.  Gridding is the process of using original data points (observations) in an XYZ data file to generate calculated data points on a regularly spaced grid (a grid [.GRD] file).  Interpolation schemes estimate the value of the surface at locations where no original data exists, based on the known data values (observations).  Surfer then uses the grid to generate the contour map or surface plot.

The advantages of a grid based approach outweigh the disadvantages.  Tasks such as drawing contour lines, volumetric calculations of map modifications are much faster with a grid based approach.  Under most circumstances, there are few problems when using a grid file to produce a contour map versus using the original raw data to produce the contour map.

One potential disadvantage to gridding is possibility that your original data points might not be honored in the grid file.  Contour maps are drawn from the interpolated grid rather than the original input data points.  There is no guarantee that your original data is honored in the

Most of the gridding methods in Surfer use a weighted average interpolation algorithm.  This means that, with all other factors being equal, the closer a data point is to a grid node, the more weight it carries in determining the Z value at a particular grid node.  For more information on selecting a method see Choosing a Gridding Method.

Sometimes the Z grid limits are beyond the limits of the original data points.  This can happen in areas on the map that are not supported by data such as along the edge of a map or in large holes that contain no original data.  This effect is also a function of the gridding method used.  Inverse distance cannot generate values outside the limits of the original data.  Other methods try to define trends in the data.  When trends are not negated by the original data, such as in areas along the edge of the map, the trends might result in Z values beyond the limits of the original data.  If this occurs, you can try a different gridding method, or use the Grid Math command to truncate the grid values at some user-defined limit.

Exact and Smoothing Interpolators

The gridding methods included with Surfer can be divided into  two general categories: Exact Interpolators and Smoothing Interpolators.  Actually some of the methods can fall under either category depending on the options specified for the individual method.  Because Surfer contour maps are created from gridded data and not the original raw data, the original data points might not be honored exactly by the grid file.  For example, if you post the original data points over the top of a contour map. some of the original data points might be plotted on the "wrong" side of a contour.  This happens because the averaging of data values might increase or decrease grid node values in the location of an original data point.  The grid points are honored exactly, but the input data points might not be honored exactly.

Exact interpolators can honor data points exactly only when the data point falls directly on a grid node being interpolated.  With weighted average interpolators this means that the coincident data point carries a weight of essentially 1.0 and all other data points carry a weight of essentially zero.  Data points are applied directly only when the data point and the grid node are exactly coincident.  Even when using exact interpolators it is possible that the data is not honored exactly by the grid file.

To reduce the possibility of not honoring original data points, you can increase the number of grid lines in the X and Y direction.  This increases the likelihood that the grid nodes directly overlie your data points, thereby increasing the likelihood that the data points are applied directly to the grid file.

Smoothing interpolators or smoothing factors can be employed during gridding when you do not have strict confidence in your data measurements.  Smoothing interpolators do not assign weights of 1.0 to any single data point, even when the data is exactly coincident with the grid node.  This doesn't mean that the contour maps are not accurate representations of the data, only that    Smoothing interpolators modify the weighting factors in such a way so the surface is smoother; in other words, the weighting factors are spread out more evenly among the data points.  In the most extreme case, all data points are given equal weight and the surface assumes the level corresponding to the average for all data in the data file.

See also:

Data Command

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Inverse Distance to a Power

The Inverse Distance to a Power gridding method is a weighted average interpolator, and can be either an exact or a smoothing interpolator.  The Power parameter controls how the weighting factors drop off as distance from a grid node increases.  For a larger power, closer data points are given a higher fraction of the overall weight; for a smaller power, the weights are more evenly distributed among the data points.

The weight given to a particular data point when calculating a grid node is proportional to the inverse of the distance to the specified power of the observation from the grid node.  When calculating a grid node, the assigned weights are fractions, and the sum of all the weights is equal to 1.0.  When an observation is coincident with a grid node, the observation is given a weight of essentially 1.0, and all other observations are given a weight of almost 0.0.  In other words, the grid node is assigned the value of the coincident observation.  This is an exact interpolator.

One of the characteristics of inverse distance is the generation of "bull's-eyes" surrounding the position of observations within the gridded area.  You can assign a smoothing parameter during inverse distance gridding.  A smoothing parameter greater than zero assures that no one observation is given all the weight at a particular grid node, even if the observation is coincident with the grid node.  The smoothing parameter reduces the "bull's-eye" effect by smoothing the interpolated grid.

Inverse distance is a very fast method for gridding.  With less than 500 data points, you can use the All Data search type and gridding will proceed rapidly.

When you select Inverse Distance to a Power and click on the Options button, the Inverse Distance Options dialog box is displayed.

*	The Parameters group box allows you to specify the Power and Smoothing factors to apply during the gridding operation.

The Power parameter determines how quickly weights fall off with distance from the grid node.  As the power parameter approaches zero, the generated surface approaches a horizontal planar surface through the average of all observations from the data file.  As the power parameter increases, the generated surface is a "nearest neighbor" interpolator and the resultant surface becomes polygonal.  The polygons represent the nearest observation to the interpolated grid node.

The Smoothing parameter allows you to incorporate an "uncertainty" factor associated with your input data.  The larger the smoothing parameter, the less overwhelming influence any particular observation has in predicting a neighboring grid node.

*	The Anisotropy group box introduces different weighting factors along different anisotropy axes.  See Anisotropy for more information.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls the data to be included in the gridding operation.  See Data Treatment for more information.

*	The Reset button returns the parameters to the default values used for the data set to be gridded.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Kriging

Kriging is a geostatistical gridding method that has proven useful and popular in many fields.  This method produces visually appealling contour and surface plots from irregularly spaced data.  Kriging attempts to express trends that are suggested in your data, so that, for example, high points might be connected along a ridge, rather than isolated by bull's-eye type contours.

Kriging is a very flexible gridding method.  It can be custom fit to a data set by specifying the appropriate variogram model.  Within Surfer, Kriging can be either an exact interpolator or a smoothing interpolator depending on the user specified parameters.  It incorporates anisotropy and underlying trends in an efficient and natural manner.

There are three factors that are uniquely incorporated in the Kriging method: Variogram Model, the Drift Type and the Nugget Effect.  These factors can all be controlled from the Kriging Options dialog box.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Data Treatment

Drift Type

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging Options

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Nugget Effect

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation

Variogram Model


Variogram Model

The variogram model mathematically specifies the spatial variability of the data set and the resulting grid.  The interpolation weights, which are applied to data points during the grid node calculations, are direct functions of the variogram model.

Surfer allows for a general nested variogram model incorporating three components.   Because of this there are more than five hundred possible combinations of variogram models. Each of the three components can be selected from seven common variogram functions: Spherical, Exponential, Linear, Gaussian, Hole-Effect, Quadratic, and Rational Quadratic.  Each of the components allow for independent specification of the anisotropy.

Computing an experimental variogram from your data is the only certain way to determine which variogram model you should use.  A detailed variogram analysis can offer insights into the data that would not otherwise be available, and it allows for an objective assessment of the variogram scale and anisotropy.   There are lengthy chapters in many geostatistics textbooks discussing the tools and techniques necessary to generate a variogram (e.g. Isaaks and Srivastava, 1989).

When in doubt, you should use the Linear variogram model with the default Scale (C) and Length (A) parameters.

With the exception of the Linear variogram model (which does not have a sill), the Scale parameters (denoted by C in the variogram equations) define the sill for the variogram components you select.  Thus, the sill of the variogram model equals the Nugget Effect plus the sum of the components Scale (C) parameters.  In most situations, the variogram model sill is approximately equal to the variance of the observed data.

The Length (A) parameters define how rapidly the variogram components change with increasing separation distance. The Length (A) parameter for a variogram component is used to scale the physical separation distance.  For the Spherical and Quadratic variogram functions, the Length (A) parameter is also known as the variogram range.

With a Linear variogram model, the slope is given by the Scale/Radius.  By allowing an anisotropic radius, it is possible to specify an anisotropic linear variogram slope.

See Also

Anisotropy

Drift Type

Kriging

Kriging Options

Nugget Effect


Drift Type

When the data points are evenly dispersed within the area of interest, the Drift Type option has little effect on the generated grid.  The Drift Type option will have a significant effect during gridding when interpolating across large holes in the data distribution pattern, and when extrapolating beyond the limits of the data.

Three drift options are available in Surfer: No Drift, Linear Drift, and Quadratic Drift.  When in doubt, it is best to use the No Drift option, meaning that the interpolation uses "Ordinary Kriging".  No Drift is appropriate when your data is evenly dispersed.

The Linear Drift and Quadratic Drift options are used to implement "Universal Kriging".  The use of linear or quadratic drift should be based upon knowledge of an underlying trend of the data.  If the data tends to vary around a linear trend, then the Linear Drift option is most appropriate.  If the data tends to vary around a quadratic trend (e.g. a parabolic bowl), then the Quadratic Drift option is most appropriate.

See Also

Kriging

Kriging Options

Nugget Effect

Variogram Model


Nugget Effect

The Nugget Effect group is used when there are potential errors in the collection of your data.  The nugget effect is implied from the variogram you generate of your data.  Specifying a nugget effect causes Kriging to become more of a smoothing interpolator, implying less confidence in individual data points versus the overall trend of the data.  The higher the Nugget Effect, the smoother the resulting grid.  The units of the nugget effect are the units of the observations squared.

The nugget effect is made up of two components:

Nugget Effect  =  Error Variance + Micro Variance.

The Error Variance edit box allows you to specify the variance of the measurement errors.  This value is a quantification of the repeatability of the data measurements.  The Micro Variance edit box allows you to specify the variance of the small scale structure.

When the Error Variance equals 0, a non-zero nugget effect has a general smoothing effect but the generated grid still honors every observation (it behaves as an exact interpolator).  A non-zero Error Variance allows the grid to deviate from the observed values (it is a smoothing interpolator).

See Also

Drift Type

Kriging

Kriging Options

Variogram Model


Kriging Options

When you select Kriging as the Gridding Method and click on the Options button, the Kriging Options dialog box is displayed.

*	In the Variogram Model group you can specify up to three nested variograms, and the Scale (C) and Length (A) parameters to use for each.  If you do not know which variogram type to select, Linear works well in most cases.  If you want to be more precise with the variogram type you should generate a variogram based on your data and compare the generated variogram with models of the different type

The Scale (C) parameter controls the vertical scale for the variogram.  The variogram sill is defined as the Scale plus the Nugget Effect.  You can refer to the Surfer Users Guide for more information.

You can also define anisotropy for each variogram you specify.  Click the Anisotropy button and the Variogram Anisotropy dialog box is displayed.  Specify the Ratio and Angle values, and the graphic image indicates the anisotopy ellipse to be applied.  Click OK to return to the Kriging Options dialog box.

*	The Drift Type group box allows you to select the type of drift model to apply during the Kriging operation.  You can select from three models.

The No Drift selection invokes Ordinary Kriging and is appropriate for Kriging of data sets with a uniformly dense distribution.

The Linear Drift and Quadratic Drift selections are most effective on data sets where large holes exist between data points, or where you are extrapolating beyond the limits of your input data.

*	The Nugget Effect group box is used when there are potential errors in the collection of your data, or when the sample sizes for your data are too small to provide statistical significance.  The nugget effect is implied from the semivariogram you generate of your data.  Specifying a nugget effect causes Kriging to become more of a smoothing interpolator, implying less confidence in individual data points versus the overall trend of the data.  As you increase the nugget effect, data points are not honored as closely.

The Error Variance edit box allows you to specify the variance of the measurement errors.  This value is a quantification of the repeatability of the data measurements.

The Micro Variance edit box allows you to specify the variance of the small scale structure.

*	See Anisotropy for more information.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls the data to be included in the gridding operation.  See Data Treatment for more information.

*	The Reset button returns the parameters to the default values used for the data set to be gridded.

See Also

Anisotropy

Data Treatment

Drift Type

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Kriging

Nugget Effect

Variogram Model


Minimum Curvature

Minimum Curvature is widely used in the earth sciences.  The interpolated surface generated by Minimum Curvature is analogous to a thin, linearly-elastic plate passing through each of the data values with a minimum amount of bending.  Minimum Curvature generates the smoothest possible surface while attempting to honor your data as closely as possible.  Minimum Curvature is not an exact interpolator however.  This means that your data is not always honored exactly.

When you select Minimum Curvature as the Gridding Method and click on the Options button, the Minimum Curvature Options dialog box is displayed.

*	The Parameters group box allows you to control the convergence criteria for Minimum Curvature.

The Max Residuals parameter has the same units as the data, and an appropriate value is approximately 10% of the data precision.  If data values are measured to the nearest 1.0 units, the

Max Residuals value should be set at 0.1.  The Iterations continue until the maximum grid node correction for the entire iteration is less than the Max Residuals value.

The Max Iterations parameter should be reasonably set at one to two times the number of grid nodes generated in the grid file.  For example, when generating a 50 by 50 grid using Minimum Curvature, the Max Iterations value should be set between 2,500 and 5,000.

*	The Anisotropy group box introduces different weighting factors along different anisotropy axes.  See Anisotropy for more information.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls the data to be included in the gridding operation.  See Data Treatment for more information.

*	The Reset button returns the parameters to the default values used for the data set to be gridded.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Nearest Neighbor

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Nearest Neighbor

The Nearest Neighbor gridding method assigns the value of the nearest datum point to each grid node.  This method is useful when data is already on a grid, but needs to be converted to a Surfer grid file.  Or, in cases where the data is nearly on a grid with only a few missing values, this method is effective for filling in the holes in the data.

Sometimes with nearly complete grids of data there are areas of missing data that you want to exclude from the grid file.  In this case you can set the Search Ellipse to a small value so the areas of no data are assigned the blanking value in the grid file.  By setting the search ellipse radii to values less than the distance between data values in your file, the blanking value will be assigned at all grid nodes where no datum values exist.

When you want to use the Nearest Neighbor method to convert regularly spaced XYZ data to a grid file, you can set the grid spacing equal to the spacing between data points in the file.

When you select Nearest Neighbor as the Gridding Method and click on the Options button, the Nearest Neighbor Options dialog box is displayed.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls the data to be included in the gridding operation.  See Data Treatment for more information.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Polynomial Regression

Polynomial Regression is used to define large scale trends and patterns in your data.  There are several options you can use to define the type of trend surface you want.  Polynomial Regression is not really an interpolator because it does not attempt to predict unknown Z values.

When you select Polynomial Regression as the Gridding Method and click on the Options button, the Polynomial Regression Options dialog box is displayed.

*	The Surface Definition group box allows you to select the type of polynomial regression you want to apply to your data.  As you select the different types of polynomials, a generic polynomial form of the equation is presented in the group box, and the values in the Parameters group box change to reflect your selection.  The available choices are:

Simple planar surface

Bi-linear saddle

Quadratic surface

Cubic surface

The User defined polynomial allows you to define polynomial equations by utilizing the Parameters options.

*	The Parameters group box allows you to specify the maximum powers for the X and Y component in the polynomial equation.  As you change the Parameters values, the options are changed in the Surface Definition group box to reflect the parameters you define.

The Max X Order specifies the maximum power for the X component in the polynomial equation.

The Max Y Order specifies the maximum power for the Y component in the polynomial equation.

The Max Total Order specifies the maximum sum of the Max X Order and Max Y Order powers.  All of the combinations of the X and Y components are included in the polynomial equation as long as the sum of the two powers does not exceed the Max Total Order value.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls the data to be included in the gridding operation.  See Data Treatment for more information.

*	The Copy the regression coefficients to the clipboard checkbox sends a copy of the coefficients in the Windows Clipboard.  When you grid the file, the coefficients are calculated and used in the calculation of the surface, and are written to the clipboard.

*	The Reset button returns the parameters to the default values used for the data set to be gridded.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Radial Basis Functions

Radial Basis Functions are a diverse group of data interpolation methods.  In terms of the ability to fit your data and to produce a smooth surface, the Multiquadric method is considered by many to be the best method.  All of the Radial Basis Function methods are exact interpolators so they make an attempt to honor your data.  You can introduce a smoothing factor to all the methods in an attempt to produce a smoother surface.  The functions you can specify are analogous to variograms in Kriging.  The functions define the optimal set of weights to apply to the data points when interpolating a grid node.

When you select Radial Basis Functions as the Gridding Method and click on the Options button, the Radial Basis Function Options dialog box is displayed.

*	The Basis Function group box allows you to specify the function parameters for the gridding operation

The Type drop-down list box assigns function to use during gridding.  These define the optimal weights applied to the data points during the interpolation.  The basis functions are analogous to variograms in Kriging.  Under most circumstances, the Multiquadric function is the most desirable.

The R2 parameter is a shaping or smoothing parameter.  The larger the R2 parameter, the rounder the mountain tops and the smoother the contour lines.  There is no universally accepted method for computing an optimal value for this parameter.  A reasonable trial value for R2 is between the average sample spacing and one-half the average sample spacing.

*	The Anisotropy group box introduces different weighting factors along different anisotropy axes.  See Anisotropy for more information.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls the data to be included in the gridding operation.  See Data Treatment for more information.

*	The Reset button returns the parameters to the default values used for the data set to be gridded.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Polynomial Regression

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Shepard's Method

Shepard's Method uses an inverse distance weighted least squares method.  As such it is similar to the Inverse Distance to a Power interpolator but the use of local least squares eliminates or reduces the "bull's eye" appearance of the generated contours.  Shepard's Method can be either an exact or a smoothing interpolator.

When you select Shepard's Method as the Gridding Method and click on the Options button, the Modified Shepard's Method dialog box is displayed.

*	The Parameter group box assigns a smoothing parameter to the gridding operation.  The Smoothing parameter allows Shepard's Method to operate as a smoothing interpolator.  As you increase the value of the smoothing parameter, the greater the effect of smoothing.  In general, values between zero and one are most reasonable.

*	The Anisotropy group box introduces different weighting factors along different anisotropy axes.  See Anisotropy for more information.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls the data to be included in the gridding operation.  See Data Treatment for more information.

*	The Reset button returns the parameters to the default values used for the data set to be gridded.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation

The Triangulation interpolator is an exact interpolator.  The method works by creating triangles by drawing lines between data points.  The original data points are connected in such a way that no triangle edges are intersected by other triangles.  The result is a patchwork of triangular faces over the extent of the grid.

Each triangle defines a plane over the grid nodes lying within the triangle, with the tilt and elevation of the triangle determined by the three original data points defining the triangle.  All grid nodes within a given triangle are defined by the triangular surface.  Because the original data points are used to define the triangles, your data is honored very closely.

Triangulation works best when your data points are evenly distributed over the grid area. Data sets that contain sparse areas result in distinct triangular facets on a surface plot or contour map.

Triangulation is very effective at preserving break lines.

When you select Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation as the Gridding Method and click on the Options button, the Triangulation Options dialog box is displayed.

*	The Anisotropy group box introduces different weighting factors along different anisotropy axes.  See Anisotropy for more information.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls the data to be included in the gridding operation.  See Data Treatment for more information.

*	The Reset button returns the parameters to the default values used for the data set to be gridded.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method


Map Clipping and Map Limits

Map limits are defined by the file used to create the map.  After a map is created you can clip the map to any limits.  In the case of a contour map, base map or post map, setting map limits allows you to specify a subset of a map, so only the portion of the map you want to show is displayed on the screen and on the printed map.  On a map overlay, this allows you to clip the limits of base maps or post maps to the limits of a contour map.

Map limits and clipping cannot be applied to surface plots or overlays containing surface plots.  However, when base maps or post maps are overlaid on surface plots, the boundaries or points are automatically clipped to the limit of the surface.  In other words, boundaries and points are automatically clipped to the limits of the grid file used to create the surface plot in the overlay.

When setting map limits on post maps or overlays containing post maps, the symbol and entire label are clipped from posted data points that lie outside the map limits.  When a posted point is at or inside the map limits, the entire symbol and posted label are printed, even if they extend beyond the limits of the map.

When map limits are set for base maps or overlays containing base maps, base map boundary lines are drawn to the limit of the map and not beyond.  In the case of base maps overlaid on contour maps, setting map limits allows you to clip the boundary line limits to the limits of the contour map.  In this case, select the overlay and set the map limits to match the limits of the contour map.  This clips the boundaries at the contour map limits.

When you change map limits, axes that use automatic scaling are also redefined to fit the new limits of the map.   If you do not use automatic scaling for the axes, they are drawn over the same range as the original map and will not match the map using the new limits.  Automatic scaling can be set by selecting the axis and choosing the Axis Scale command from the Map menu.

When you change map settings, the scale information is picked up from the original map.  This can result in a map drawn at a much smaller size than the original.  For example, if you set the map limits to show only the lower left quarter of the map, the clipped map is drawn at one quarter the size of the original.  You can use the Scale command from the Map menu to rescale the map on the page, so it can be drawn at any size in the Plot window.

See Also

Setting Map Limits

Map Limits Command


Math Text Instruction Overview

Math text instructions control the appearance of text in the Surfer Plot window.  The incorporation of math text instructions within a text string changes text string attributes, such as the typeface, size, color, weight, and style (italic, strikethrough and underlined), within a single text block.  You can include such things as Greek characters, superscript and subscript characters, italic or bold text, the current date or time, and different colored text within a single text block.

When you create text blocks the text automatically uses the default text attributes specified in the Text dialog box.  Math text instructions cause deviations from the default character set.  These deviations can extend from the point of the instruction to the end of the line of the text, or can be isolated to a few select characters within the line of text.  Each new line of text in a text block begins with the default text characteristics.

Any text except automatic tick labels can utilize math text instructions.

Text placed on the map can come from different locations, all of which allow you to add math text instructions.  When you create a new text block or axis title, you type the text in the edit boxes within the appropriate dialog boxes, and can incorporate the math text instructions directly in the text as you type.  The instructions appear in the dialog box, but are not included when the text is drawn in the Plot window.   If you paste clipboard text into the Plot window, you can double-click on the text and add math text instructions to the text in the Text dialog box.  Any text you derive from the worksheet can also incorporate math text instructions, allowing you to type the text and math text instructions directly in the worksheet cells.  Worksheet text can be incorporated on a map on Post maps or Classed Post maps.

See Also:

Math Text Instruction Syntax

Math Text Instructions


Math Text Instruction Syntax

Each line in a text block starts out with the default text attributes such as typeface, size, color, weight, and style.  A line of text within the text block uses these attributes until any math text instructions are encountered.  Unless otherwise indicated, all math text instructions begin with a backslash ("\"), and end with a single space.  All characters from the backslash through the ending single space are interpreted as instructions by the math text system, and are not output to the Plot window or the printed page.  All the text following the instruction is modified according to the instruction.  For example, if you change the typeface in the middle of a text string, that typeface is used for all text following the instruction until the end of the line of text is reached, or another instruction affecting the typeface is encountered.

Instructions based on a percentage, such as font size, are additive, meaning that a second percentage change within a text block is interpreted as a percentage of the first percentage change.  For example, if you scaled the font by 50%, and later in the same text block scaled the font by 50% again, the font size after the second percentage would be 25% of the original font size.

You can also encapsulate math text instructions so they are not carried out over an entire line.  A left curly brace ("{") instructs the math text system to remember all of the text attributes in effect at that point.  A right curly brace ("}") restores the attributes to what they were at the matching left curly brace.  This allows you to insert special text in the middle of an otherwise uniform text block.  For example, you can include bold colored text using a different typeface in the center of a text block, and return to the original text after the closing right curly brace ("}").  The only instructions this does not apply to are text baseline instructions (\dnX and \upX), and the position instructions (\rpX and \spX).  You can even nest groups of curly braces.

If you want to incorporate a backslash, right curly brace or left curly brace as a text character in a text block, you must precede them with a backslash when you type them as part of the text string.  For example, "\\" produces "\", and "\{" produces "{".

Math text instructions are case insensitive except for typeface names.  You can have any combination of capitals and small letters in math text instructions without affecting the operation.  Typeface names must appear exactly as they are named, including capitalization.


Math Text Instructions

Instructions that change text typeface, size and style:

\b	All text after the \b command is bolded.

\f"X"	Change to the typeface named X.  These are the names listed in the Face drop-down list box in the Text dialog box.  Typeface names are not case sensitive.  Also, you must enclose the face name in double quotes.  If the typeface you type in is not found, Surfer uses a generic stick typeface in place of the unfound typeface.

\fsX	Change the font size to X% of the current font size.  For example, a value of 200 for X increases the font size by two, and a value of 50 for X decreases the font size by one-half.

\i	All text after the \i instruction is italicized.

\plain	This sets the text to normal weight, with no italics, no underlining, and no strikethrough.

\strike	Strikethrough the text.

\ul	All text after the \ul instruction is underlined.

Instructions that change text color:

\black	Sets the text color to black.

\blue	Sets the text color to blue.

\green	Sets the text color to green.

\cyan	Sets the text color to cyan.

\red	Sets the text color to red.

\magenta	Sets the text color to magenta.

\yellow	Sets the text color to yellow.

\white	Sets the text color to white.

\gray	Sets the text color to gray.

\rgbbX	Sets the amount of blue in an RGB text color (X = 0 to 255).

\rgbgX	Sets the amount of green in an RGB text color (X= 0 to 255).

\rgbrX	Sets the amount of red in an RGB text color (X= 0 to 255).

Instructions that change the text position:

\dnX	Moves the text baseline down X% of the current font size.  This instruction produces subscripts or returns the baseline to the original position following a \upX instruction.  If you have incorporated a font size (\fsX) instruction following the \dnX instruction, any subsequent \dnX or \upX instructions are relative to the changed font size.

\rpX	Restores the current position to position #X (X = 1 to 20).  This instruction is used in conjunction with the \spX instruction.  Any text following this instruction begins at the position defined with the \spX instruction.  If you use the \rpX instruction without first setting a position with the \spX instruction, the position for the text is returned to starting position for the text block.

\spX	Saves the current position as position #X (X = 1 to 20).  The position is in both the up and down and left and right sense within the text block.  When you use the \spX instruction, the current location within the text block is assigned a position number.  You can return to this position using the \rpX instruction, and specifying the position number assigned with the \spX instruction.  These instructions are most useful when placing both super- and subscripts after the same character.

\upX	Moves the text baseline up X% of the current font size.  This instruction is used to produce superscripts or to return the baseline to the original position following a \dnX instruction.  If you have incorporated a font size (\fsX) instruction following the \spX instruction, any subsequent \upX  or \dnX instructions are relative to the changed font size.

Instructions used to insert special characters or the date or time:

\aX	Inserts an ANSI character with the code give by X.  Generally, you only need this instruction for characters with ANSI numbers beyond the normal limit of the keyboard.  For example, you might want to include an integral sign in a text string.  By determining the character set that includes this symbol, and the ANSI code for the symbol, you can include it in the text block.  You would use the \f"X" instruction to change to the correct symbol set, followed by the \aX command to specify the correct character number.  For example, for an integral sign located at ANSI position 242 in a symbol set called Symbol, you would type \f"Symbol" \a242 for the integral sign to appear in the text block.

In Windows 3.1 you can use the Character Map program to display each of the available character sets, and obtain the ANSI code (displayed in the right half of the Character Map Status Bar) when you click on the character from the map.

\date	Inserts the date at the time the text is output.  Be sure to follow this instruction with a space, even if you do not have any other text following the date.

\time	Inserts the time at the moment the text is output, so the time text is updated whenever the text is redrawn or the map is printed.  Be sure to follow this instruction with a space, even if you do not have any other text following the time.


Moving Objects

You can move objects graphically with the mouse or keyboard.  When you select an object, selection handles appear at the corners and on the sides of the bounding box for the object.

Certain objects cannot be moved independently in Surfer, such as axes or individual contours.  Axes are positioned relative to the map and the other axes on the map.  If you want to move an axis, refer to Moving Axes.

To drag a selected object with the mouse, move the pointer over the object, press and hold mouse Button 1, and move the pointer to a new position.  Release Button 1 and the object is redrawn in the new position.

To drag a selected object with the keyboard, move the pointer over the object, press and hold the spacebar, and use the arrow keys to move the pointer to a new position.  Release the spacebar and the object is redrawn in the new position.

See Also:

Rotating Objects

Selecting Objects

Moving Axes


Numeric Format

Numeric formats can be applied to tick labels on a map, or to numeric data in the worksheet.  To set the numeric format:

*	Select the axis containing the tick labels to be changed and click the Label Format button.  The Label Format dialog box is displayed.  You can set the numeric format by selecting the desired options in the Numeric Format group box.

*	For worksheet columns, select the column or columns by clicking on the column letter, or select cells in the columns to be formatted.  Then choose the Numeric Formats command from the Options menu and the Numeric Formats dialog box appears.

The numeric format options are:

The General option button displays numbers in either Fixed or Exponential format, whichever is shorter.

The Fixed option button displays numbers as dd.dd where dd represents 1 or more digits.

The Exponential option button displays numbers as d.ddEddd where d is a single digit, dd can be one or more digits, and ddd is a sign and either 1 or 2 digits.

The Currency option button displays numbers the same as Fixed with a dollar sign.

The Thousands checkbox displays numbers with a comma between every 3 digits to the left of the decimal point.  This format can be used in all types except Exponential.

The Absolute Value checkbox displays the absolute value of all values.  For negative numbers, no negative sign will be displayed when this checkbox is activated.

The Decimal Digits edit box specifies the number of digits to the right of the decimal point, or in the case of the General format, the total number of digits.  Type in the number or click on the up and down arrows.  The maximum number of decimal digits is 9.


Object Types

All Surfer drawings can contain the following objects.  The objects listed here can all be selected and manipulated independently.

Axes - Axes can display tick marks, tick labels, and a title, and you can control the line style, thickness and color.  Axes are part of a map and are not independent objects.  You can turn off the display of axes on a map or surface plot but you cannot remove the axes without removing the entire map.

BaseMap  - A base map contains polylines and polygons used to define map features such as streams, roads, lakes, boundaries, buildings or other map features.  You can assign different line and fill attributes to base map features to emphasize different types of features.  Base maps can be created separately from contour maps or surfaces, or can be overlain on top of these types of maps.

Bitmap - A rectangular collection of dots.  Bitmaps may be resized but not without some distortion.

Circle - Circles are special ellipses drawn using the Ellipse command.  If you hold down the CTRL key while drawing an ellipse, a circle is drawn.  Circles can be moved or resized, and can contain fill and line attributes.

Classed Post Map  - A Classed Post map is a map that displays symbols at X,Y coordinates defined in a data file.  Symbols on a Classed Post map different for different Z ranges.  Surfer creates class groups based on the Z data values in a data file, and assigns a different symbol for each range.  The assigned symbols are drawn at the map data location defined by the X,Y coordinates in the data file.

Color Scale - Color Scales are used to show the color zones assigned to contour intervals on contour maps  or surface plots.

Composite Objects - Composite objects are created by combining two or more objects using the Combine command.  Composite objects can be moved and resized as a single object, and can be broken apart using the Break Apart command.

Contour Map  - A contour map displays lines of constant Z values across the extent of the map.  Contour maps can be used to show any type of information that might vary across the map area.  Contour maps in Surfer are created from grid [.GRD] files that contain a regularly spaced array of Z values.

Scale Bar - Scale Bars are used to show the map scale. Scale Bars are added to a map using the Scale Bar command.

Ellipse - Ellipses are shape objects drawn with the Ellipse command or tool.  Ellipses can be moved or resized, and can contain fill and line attributes.

Metafile - A collection of Windows drawing commands imported from another application.  Metafiles can be moved and resized without distortion, but as a single unit only.  The individual objects making up a metafile cannot be broken apart.

Overlays - Overlays are two or more maps combined into a single map by the Overlay Maps command.

Polygon -  Polygons are closed, multisided objects that can be any shape.  Polygons can be moved or resized, and can contain fill and line attributes.  Polygons can also be referred to as areas.

Polyline - Polylines consist of a series of connected line segments.  Polyline line attributes and endstyles can be modified from the Polyline dialog box.  This allows you to set the color, width and style of the line.  You can also add arrowheads to polylines.  Polylines are also referred to as curves.

Post Map - A post map displays point locations as defined in a data file.  The point locations are represented by a symbol that can be unique for each point, and can be proportionally scaled so each symbol size is in proportion to a data value contained in the data file.

Rectangle - Rectangles are shape objects that have user defined dimensions, and can also be used to create squares.  Rectangles can be moved or resized, and can contain fill and line attributes.

Rounded Rectangle - A rectangle with rounded corners.  The radius of rounding cannot be changed.  Rounded Rectangles can be moved or resized, and can contain fill and line attributes.

Rounded Square - Rounded squares are special rounded rectangles drawn using the Rounded Rect command or tool.  If you hold down the CTRL key while drawing a rounded rectangle, a rounded square is drawn.  Rounded squares can be moved or resized, and can contain fill and line attributes.

Scale Bar - A scale bar is used to show the relative distance in data units on a map.  The divisions on a distance scale are scaled to a particular number of data units so you have a visual representation of the number of data units for a particular length along the map.

Surface Plot - A surface plot is a three dimensional representation of a grid [.GRD] file sometimes referred to as "fish net" plots.  The appearance of a surface plot is like a net lies across the surface.  Surface plots are most commonly represented by lines of constant X and constant Y across the map area.    However, surface plots can be represented by any combination of lines of constant X,Y or Z.  The spacing of the X and Y lines on surface plots is a function of the spacing of the lines in the grid [.GRD] file.

Square - Squares are special rectangles drawn using the Rectangle command or tool.  If you hold down the CTRL key while drawing an rectangle, a square is drawn.  Squares can be moved or resized, and can contain fill and line attributes.

Symbol - Symbols are locations on the map that are indicated by markers.  The location of the symbol is user-defined, so you can place points at any location.  The symbol used can be specified in the Symbol Attributes dialog box, which also allows you to set the color and size for symbols

Text - One or more lines of text placed at any position using the Text command or tool.  Text can be resized or rotated, and the font and color can be changed.  Text can math text instructions, letting you modify text attributes within a single text block.


Polylines and Polygons
Polylines (Curves) and Polygons (Areas)

Polylines, sometimes referred to as curves, are lines consisting of one or more straight line segments drawn between vertices that define the endpoint of each line segment.  Drawing polylines is accomplished using Polyline tool, or the Polyline command from the Draw menu.  Polylines are generated by clicking the mouse button (or pressing the spacebar) at the position for each of the vertices.  If you hold down Button 1, a nearly continuous stream of vertices is added as you move the pointer on the screen.  After entering the last vertex, you can complete the polyline by pressing the ENTER key.  The polyline is drawn using the default line attributes specified in the Line Attributes dialog box.

Polygons, sometimes referred to as areas, are closed geometric shapes consisting of three or more straight line segments drawn between vertices that define the endpoint of each line segment.  Drawing polygons is accomplished using the Polygon tool, or the Polygon command from the Draw menu.  Polygons are generated by clicking the mouse button (or pressing the spacebar) at the position for each of the vertices. If you hold down Button 1, a nearly continuous stream of vertices is added as you move the pointer on the screen.  After entering the last vertex, you can complete the polygon by pressing the ENTER key, and the first and last points entered are automatically connected, thereby closing the polygon.  The polygon is drawn using the default line attributes specified in the Line Attributes dialog box, and the default fill attributes defined in the Fill Attributes dialog box.

If you hold down the CTRL key while drawing polygons or polylines, the lines that are drawn are constrained to 45 degree angles.

If yu press the ESC key, the polyline or polygon is aborted.

You can remove vertices in reverse order by clicking Button 2 during the drawing procedure.

See Also:

Line and Fill Attributes

Polyline Dialog Box

Reshape Command

Toolbar


Choosing a Gridding Method
Recommandations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Surfer provides you with a large list of gridding methods and options.  Different gridding methods can have different results when interpreting your data.  The guidelines presented here should be used as a first approach to deciding which gridding method is best to use with your data.  These are only general recommendations, and ultimately you should use the gridding method that produces the map that best represents your data.

With most data sets the default gridding method, Kriging with a linear variogram is quite effective.  In general this is the method that we would most often recommend.  A very close second is Radial Basis Multiquadrics.  Either of these methods is likely to produce a reasonable representation of your data.

The following list gives you a quick overview of each gridding method and some advantages and disadvantages to selecting one method over another.

*	Inverse Distance is fast but has the tendency to generate "bull's-eye" patterns of concentric contours around the data points.

*	Kriging is one of the more flexible methods and is useful for gridding almost any type of data set.  With most data sets, Kriging with a linear variogram is quite effective.  In general this is the method that we would most often recommend.  Kriging is the default gridding method because it generates the best overall interpretation of most data sets.  For larger data sets, however, Kriging can be rather slow.

*	Minimum Curvature generates smooth surfaces and is fast for most data sets.

*	Nearest Neighbor is useful for converting regularly spaced XYZ data files to Surfer grid files.  Or when your data is a nearly complete grid with only some missing holes, this method is useful for filling in the holes, or creating a grid file with the blanking value assigned to those locations where no data is present.

*	Polynomial Regression processes the data so that underlying large scale trends and patterns are shown.  This is used for trend surface analysis.  Polynomial Regression is very fast for any amount of data, but local details in the data are lost in the generated grid.

*	Radial Basis Functions is quite flexible, and like Kriging, generates among the best overall interpretations of most data sets.  This method produces results that are quite similar to Kriging.

*	Shepard's Method is similar to Inverse Distance but does not tend to generate "bull's eye" patterns, especially when a Smoothing factor is used.

*	Triangulation with Linear Interpolation is fast with all data sets.  When you use small data sets Triangulation generates distinct triangular facets between data points.  One advantage of triangulation is that, with enough data, triangulation can preserve break lines defined in a data file.  For example, if a fault is delimited by enough data points on both sides of the fault line, the grid generated by triangulation will show the discontinuity.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Data Command

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Number of Original Data Points During Gridding

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Shepard's Method

Smoothing During Gridding

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Number of Original Data Points
Number of Original Data Points During Gridding

The size of your input data set should be considered when selecting a gridding method.  For example, some gridding methods interpret small data sets more effectively than other methods do.

*	When you have less than 10 data points, you should consider what you expect the gridding process to do with your data.  Ten or fewer points are not enough to define more than a general trend in your data.  Triangulation with Linear Interpolation is not effective with this few points.  As with most data sets, experience suggests that Kriging and Radial Basis Functions methods will produce the best representation of your data in this situation.  If you only want to define the trend of the data you can use Polynomial Regression.  With 10 or fewer points, gridding is extremely fast, so you might want to try the different methods to determine the most effective method for your data.

*	With small data sets (<250 observations), Kriging with a linear variogram, Radial Basis Functions with the Multiquadrics function both produce good representations of most data sets.

*	With moderate sized data sets (from 250 to 1000 observations) Triangulation with Linear Interpolation is fast and creates a good representation of your data.  Although Kriging or Radial Basis Functions generate the grids more slowly, they also produce good data representations.

*	For large data sets (>1000 observations) both Minimum Curvature and Triangulation with Linear Interpolation are quite fast and produce good representations of this size data set.  As with most other data sets, Kriging or Radial Basis Functions probably produce the best maps but are quite a bit slower.

One thing to note about Kriging and Radial Basis Functions with large data sets is that gridding times do not increase significantly between large data sets.  For example, if your data file contains 3,000 or 30,000 data points, the gridding time is not significantly different.  Either data set might take a considerable amount of time to grid, but will take approximately the same amount of time.

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Gridding Methods

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method


Honoring Original Data During Gridding
Honoring Original Data During Gridding - Exact Interpolators

Honoring data during gridding implies that the original data points are incorporated directly into the grid file.  The gridding process does not guarantee that data points are honored exactly.  Generally, the gridding methods so a good job when interpreting data sets, but there are some steps you can take to improve the correspondence between the original data and the grid file.

The gridding methods included with Surfer can be divided into two general categories: exact interpolators and smoothing interpolators.  Some exact interpolators can incorporate a smoothing factor that causes them to become smoothing interpolators.

Exact interpolators honor data points exactly when the data point coincides with the grid node being interpolated. Even when using exact interpolators it is possible that the data is not honored exactly by the grid file if the data points do not coincide with the grid nodes.  To increase the likelihood of your data points being honored, you can increase the number of grid lines in the X and Y direction.  This increases the chances that grid nodes coincide with your data points, thereby increasing the chance that the data point values are applied directly to the grid file.

The following methods are exact interpolators:

*	Inverse Distance when you do not specify a smoothing factor

*	Kriging when you do not specify a nugget effect

*	Nearest Neighbor, under all circumstances

*	Radial Basis Functions when you do not specify an R2 value

*	Shepard's Method when you do not specify a smoothing factor

*	Triangulation with Linear Interpolation

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Number of Original Data Points During Gridding

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Smoothing a Grid File

Smoothing During Gridding

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Smoothing During Gridding
Smoothing During Gridding - Smoothing Interpolators

The gridding methods included with Surfer can be divided into two general categories: exact interpolators and smoothing interpolators.  Some exact interpolators can incorporate a smoothing factor that causes them to become smoothing interpolators.

Smoothing interpolators or smoothing factors can be employed during gridding when you do not have strict confidence in your data measurements.  This type of interpolation reduces the effects of small scale variability between neighboring data points.  Smoothing interpolators do not assign weights of 1.0 to any single data point, even when a data point is exactly coincident with the grid node.  When smoothing is used, weighting factors are assigned so the contour map or surface plot is smoother.  In the extreme case, all data points are given equal weight and the surface becomes a horizontal plane at the average for all data in the data file.

The following methods are smoothing interpolators:

*	Inverse Distance when you specify a smoothing factor

*	Kriging when you specify a nugget effect

*	Minimum Curvature

*	Polynomial Regression

*	Radial Basis Functions when you specify an R2 value

*	Shepard's Method when you specify a smoothing factor

See Also

Creating a Grid File

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Density

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Number of Original Data Points During Gridding

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Shepard's Method

Smoothing a Grid File

Smoothing During Gridding

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation


Resizing Objects

You can resize objects graphically with the mouse or keyboard.  When you select an object, selection handles appear at the corners and on the sides of the bounding box for the object.  When you move the pointer over one of the selection handles, the pointer changes to a two-headed arrow, indicating that you can drag the handle to a new position.  You can resize a single selected object or several selected objects using these methods.

The size of a selected object can be displayed in the status bar.  From the Preferences dialog box, the Dimensions box can be switched on for the status bar,  and the bounding box size for the selected object is displayed giving you a guide as you resize an object.

To drag a handle with the mouse, move the pointer over the handle, press and hold mouse Button 1, and move the pointer to a new position.  Release Button 1 and the object is redrawn.

To drag a handle with the keyboard, move the pointer over the handle, press and hold the spacebar, and use the arrow keys to move the pointer to a new position.  Release the spacebar and the object is redrawn.

When you drag one of the four corner handles, the object is resized proportionally meaning the object gets larger or smaller but retains it's original shape.

When you drag one of the side handles, the object is stretched or compressed in one dimension only, so the object is distorted from it's original shape.

See Also:

Selecting Objects


Rotating Objects

Certain objects can be rotated to any angle.  You can either use the Free Rotate command to rotate an object on the screen, or use the Rotate command to type in a rotation value.  Examples of objects that can be rotated are polygons, polylines, rectangles, rounded rectangles, symbols, ellipses, and text.

You can use the Rotate command to rotate base, contour and post maps.  Also, you can use the  3D View command from the Map menu to rotate and tilt a map.

See Also:

Selecting Objects


Selecting Objects

There are several methods you can use to select objects including both mouse and keyboard techniques.  To perform any operation on an object you must first select that object.  Object selection allows you to display the dialog box for that object, and to modify, move, resize or delete an object.

When an object is selected, selection handles appear around the object.

Maps or surface plots containing axes are actually composed of more than one object: the actual contour map, and the four axes.  When you select one of these types of maps, two types of selection handles appear on the object.  The solid selection handles appear encompassing the entire map, and a set of hollow handles also appear indicating the object within the map that is selected.  For example, when you click in the center of a contour map, solid handles appear outside the limits of the axes and axis labels.  Also four hollow handles appear at the corners of the contour map indicating that the actual map is selected.  If you click on one of the axes, the solid handles remain in place, but the hollow handles are drawn at the ends of the selected axis.

The Status Bar provides you with information about the selected object.  For example, when you click on a contour map, the words "Map:Contour Map" appear on the left end of the status bar.  When you click on the bottom axis of the contour map, the words "Map:Bottom Axis" appear in the Status Bar.

Under most circumstances, an operation is applied to selected objects only and does not affect objects that are not selected.  Not all operations can be performed on all objects because some operations are inappropriate for certain objects.

How to Select Objects

*	To select a single object, you can move the pointer over the object using the mouse or the arrow keys on the keyboard.  When the pointer is over the desired object, click mouse Button 1, or press the spacebar on the keyboard.  Selection handles appear indicating that the object is selected.  Any objects that were previously selected become unselected.

*	You can select two or more individual objects using the SHIFT key while making your selections.  This retains previously selected objects and includes the newly selected objects.  You can hold down both the CTRL and SHIFT keys to select several overlapping objects.

*	The Block Select mouse procedure allows you to select one or more objects contained in a user-defined rectangle. Press and hold Button 1 and drag the mouse to form a rectangle around the group of objects you wish to select.  If the Rectangle must fully surround checkbox is switched on in the Preferences dialog box, then only objects that are completely surrounded are selected.  If the checkbox is switched off, then all objects with any portion of their bounding boxes within the defined block select rectangle are selected.  Any previously selected objects remain selected.

*	The Block Select command allows you to select one or more objects that can be contained in a rectangle.  This command operates the same as the procedure above.

*	The Select All command is used to select all the objects on the page.  You can alternatively press the F2 key.

Selection based on Object's Bounding Box

*	Object selection is based on the bounding box for an object, and not necessarily on the proximity to the desired object.  When you select an object, it is not necessary for the position of the pointer to be directly on top of object to select it, only within the object's bounding box.

*	When the pointer position is in a screen region occupied by two or more bounding boxes, the object drawn last is the object that is selected.  You can change the order in which objects are drawn using the Move to Front or Move to Back commands, giving you some control in object selection.  You can also use the CTRL key to aid in object selection.

*	Using the CTRL Key - When the bounding boxes  for two or more objects occupy the same position, you can step through the list of objects by holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard and repeatedly clicking the mouse (or pressing the spacebar) until the desired object is selected.  Information about the type of selected object appears in the status bar, providing you with help in selecting the desired object.

Deselecting Objects

To deselect an object you can:

*	Click in any empty space in the Plot window, and the currently selected objects become deselected.

*	Select any other object using the mouse or keyboard, and the currently selected objects become deselected.

*	To deselect a single object from a group of selected objects you can hold down the SHIFT key and click the object to be deselected.

See Also:

Flip Selections Command

Moving Objects

Object ID

Resizing Objects

Rotating Objects

Selection Handles

Controlling Object Selection


Selection Handles

There are two types of selection handles that might appear when an object is selected.

*	Solid Handles - If you can independently move or resize the selected object, eight solid black square handles are drawn at the corners and on the sides of the bounding box for that object.

*	Hollow Handles - When you select maps or surface plots, hollow handles also appear indicating the part of the map that is selected.  For example, if you select an axis on a surface plot, solid handles appear surrounding the entire surface plot, and hollow handles appear at the ends of the selected axis.  Objects with hollow handles cannot be moved or resized independently of the parent object.

The size of the selection handles can be controlled through the Preferences dialog box.

See Also

Controlling Object Selection


Shape Dialog Boxes

Shapes include rectangles, rounded rectangles, ellipses, squares, and circles.

When you double click on any of these shapes, the shape dialog box appears allowing you to change the fill and line attributes for the selected object.

The Fill Attributes button displays the Fill Attributes dialog box.  You can choose any fill attributes and click on OK to return to the shape dialog box.  The specified fill attributes are displayed in the Fill Attributes button.  Click on OK and the attributes are assigned to the selected object.

The Line Attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box.  You can choose any line attributes and click on OK to return to the shape dialog box.  The specified line attributes are displayed in the Line Attributes button.  Click on OK and the attributes are assigned to the selected object.


Ticks and Tick Labels

Any map axis can display both major or minor ticks.  Major ticks are defined as the ticks that can display tick labels.  Minor ticks are displayed at regular intervals between major ticks, and minor ticks do not have associated tick labels.  When you display tick labels, all major ticks along the axis are represented with a label.  The display of tick marks is controlled in Major Ticks and Minor Ticks group boxes in the Axis dialog box.  The spacing of the major ticks along the axis is controlled from the Axis Scaling dialog box.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Axis Tick Label Format

Controlling the Display of Axes

Controlling the Display of Tick Labels

Controlling the Display of Tick Marks

Controlling the Spacing of Major Tick Marks

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis


Controlling the Display of Tick Marks

When a map is created, the display of major ticks is on by default.  You can control the display of major ticks, and the position and length of major ticks.  Major ticks are the tick marks that display tick labels along the axis.

Minor ticks on an axis are not represented with a tick label, and are not drawn on an axis by default.  Minor ticks are specified as the number of minor ticks to be drawn between adjacent major ticks.

To change the way tick marks are displayed on an axis:

1.	Double-click the axis and the Axis dialog box is displayed.  Alternatively you can select the axis and choose the Axis Edit command from the Map menu.

2.	In the Axis dialog box, the Major Ticks group allows you to control the display and length of major ticks.

*	The Major ticks drop-down list box specifies whether the major ticks are drawn Inside, Outside or Cross the selected axis.  If you do not want to show major ticks, select the None option from the list.

*	The Length edit box controls the length of the major ticks.  The tick lengths are in page coordinates.

3.	In the Axis dialog box, the Minor Ticks group box allows you to control the display and length of minor ticks.

*	The Minor ticks drop-down list box specifies whether the minor ticks are drawn Inside, Outside or Cross the selected axis.  If you do not want to show minor ticks, select the None option from the list.

*	The Length edit box controls the length of the minor ticks.  The tick lengths are in page coordinates.

4.	To specify the number of minor ticks to draw between adjacent major ticks, specify the number in the Minor Ticks Per Major edit box.  This is the actual number of minor ticks that are drawn, and the number should be one fewer than the number of minor divisions you want to appear between adjacent major ticks.  For example, if you want the minor ticks to indicate divisions of 10, the Minor Ticks Per Major value should be set to nine.

5.	Specify the parameters and click OK.  The map is redrawn with the specified tick parameters.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Axis Tick Label Format

Controlling the Display of Axes

Controlling the Display of Tick Labels

Controlling the Spacing of Major Tick Marks

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Controlling the Spacing of Major Tick Marks

Major Tick mark spacing is controlled in the Axis Scaling dialog box.  You can display the Axis Scaling dialog box by selecting the desired axis and choosing the Axis Scale command from the Map menu, or by double-clicking on the axis and clicking on the Scaling button in the  Axis dialog box.  In the Axis Scaling dialog box there are three edit boxes that control the spacing of major ticks along the selected axis.

To control the spacing of major ticks on an axis:

1.	Double-click the axis, and click the Scaling button in the Edit Axis dialog box, or select the axis and choose the Axis Scale command from the Map menu.  The Axis Scaling dialog box is displayed.

2.	You can specify the position for the first and last major ticks, and the spacing in data units between each major tick along the axis.

*	The First Major Tick edit box specifies the position along the axis where the minimum major tick is placed.  This value is expressed in data units and does not have to be the same as the axis minimum.

*	The Last Major Tick edit box specifies the position along the axis where the maximum major tick is placed.  This value is expressed in data units and does not have to be the same as the axis maximum.

*	The Major Interval edit box controls the spacing in data units between major ticks along the selected axis.

3.	Specify the parameters and click OK.  The map is redrawn with the specified tick parameters.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Axis Tick Label Format

Controlling the Display of Axes

Controlling the Display of Tick Labels

Controlling the Display of Tick Marks

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Controlling the Display of Tick Labels

Tick labels, the numbers or text that appear at major tick mark locations, can be controlled from the Axis dialog box.  Tick labels are only displayed on major tick marks.  Axis tick labels indicate the axis value in data units.

1.	Double-click the axis and the Axis dialog box is displayed.  Alternatively you can select the axis and choose the Axis Edit command from the Map menu.

2.	In the Axis dialog box, the Labels group controls the display of axis tick labels.  You can control these parameters:

*	The Show checkbox controls the display of axis tick labels.  When the Show checkbox is activated, all major ticks on the selected axis are displayed with a label.

*	The Angle edit box specifies the angle at which the axis tick labels are drawn.  Positive angles rotate each axis tick label in a counterclockwise direction.

*	The Offset edit box controls how far away the tick labels are drawn from the ticks.  This value is in page units.

*	The Label Format button displays the Label Format dialog box, in which you specify the numeric format used for the tick labels.

*	The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box in which you specify the text attributes to use for the axis tick labels.

3.	The Axis Plane group specifies the plane in which the axis tick labels are drawn.  For maps with a 90 degree tilt, axis tick labels must appear in the XY plane to be seen.

*	The XY option button draws the tick labels in the plane defined by the X and Y axes.  For planar view maps (the default orientation for base maps, contour maps and post maps), this is the setting you should use.

*	The XZ option button draws the tick labels in the plane defined by the X and Z axes.  This option is used only when the tilt for the map is less than 90 degrees.

*	The YZ option button draws the tick labels in the plane defined by the Y and Z axes.  This option is used only when the tilt for the map is less than 90 degrees.

4.	Click OK and the map is redrawn with the changes you specified for the axis tick labels.

See Also

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Axis Tick Label Format

Controlling the Display of Axes

Controlling the Display of Tick Marks

Controlling the Spacing of Major Tick Marks

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Controlling the Axis Tick Label Format

The Label Format dialog box allows you to specify the numeric format to use for the axis tick labels.  For example, you might want to change the number of digits after the decimal point on the tick labels.  By default, Surfer places two digits after the decimal.  The Label Format dialog box allows you to change this parameter, as well as others controlling the label format.

To change the axis tick label format:

1.	Double-click the axis and the Axis dialog box is displayed.  Alternatively you can select the axis and choose the Axis Edit command from the Map menu.

2.	In the Axis dialog box, click the Label Format button in the Labels group box and the Label Format dialog box is displayed.  Here you can specify the numeric format to use.   As you change the parameters for the labels, a sample of the label appears in the lower left corner of the dialog box.

*	The Fixed option displays numbers as dd.dd where dd represents one or more digits.

*	The Exponential option displays numbers as d.ddE+dd where d is a single digit, dd can be one or more digits, and +dd is a sign and one or two digits.

*	The General option displays the labels in either fixed or exponential fashion, whichever requires fewer digits.

*	The Decimal Digits edit box specifies the number of digits to the right of the decimal point (except in General format which specifies the total number of digits).

*	The Thousands checkbox displays numbers with a comma between every three digits to the left of the decimal point.

*	The Absolute Value checkbox displays the absolute value of all values.  For negative numbers, no negative sign will be displayed when this checkbox is activated.

3.	If you want to add a prefix or suffix to all the tick labels on the axis, type the text in the Prefix or Postfix edit boxes.

4.	Click OK to return to the Axis dialog box.  Click OK and the map is redrawn with the specified label changes.

See Also:

Axes

Axis Command

Axis Edit Command

Axis Grid Lines Command

Axis Scale Command

Axis Show Command

Changing Axis Line Attributes

Controlling Axis Scaling

Controlling the Display of Axes

Controlling the Display of Tick Labels

Controlling the Display of Tick Marks

Controlling the Spacing of Major Tick Marks

Grid Lines

Selecting an Axis

Ticks and Tick Labels


Viewing Graphs and Pages
Viewing Maps and Pages

You can control the scale at which the map or page is displayed in the Plot window.  For example, when you are working on a particular map on a page containing several maps, you might want to zoom in on that map so you can see particular details of that map.  You then might want to zoom out to provide a view of the entire page to help in page layout for the numerous maps.

See Also:

Actual Size	Scales the document to actual size.

Auto Redraw	Automatically redraws the map each time a change is made.

Options	Controls the display of various screen features.

Fit to Window	Scales the all objects on the map to fit within the window.

Full Screen	Restores the screen view to a full screen view.

Redraw	Redraws the document.

Zoom In	View map at twice the current scale.

Zoom Out	View map at half the current scale.

Zoom Page	Scales the entire page to fit in the Plot Window.

Zoom Rectangle	Scales a specified region to fill the entire window.

Zoom Selected	Scales the selected object to fill the entire window.


Volume and Area Calculations

The Volume command from the Grid menu computes net volumes and cut and fill volumes, and computes planar areas and surface areas.  The results are written to a Surfer Editor window.  The Editor window allows you to copy the results to the Clipboard, or save the results in an ASCII [.TXT] text file.

Volume calculations are performed on a solid defined by upper and lower surfaces.  Either of these surfaces can be a gridded surface or a plane defined by a constant Z level.  Before you perform the volume calculation you must define the upper and lower surface between which the volumes are calculated.  When you specify grid files for both surfaces, the grids must be the same size (use the same number of rows and columns), and use the same X,Y limits.  The upper surface does not have to be above the lower surface everywhere.

Volume calculations are reported as Volumes, as Positive Volume (Cuts) and as Negative Volume (Fills).  Also included in the volume calculations is information on the planar and surface areas.

*	Volumes are calculated using three methods and are reported in the VOLUME section of the VOLUME COMPUTATIONS report.  The reported volume (also called the "net volume") is the sum of the positive (cuts) and negative (fills) volumes.

*	Positive Volumes (Cuts) are the volume of material in those places where the upper surface is above the lower surface.

*	Negative Volumes (Fills) are the volume of material in those places where the lower surface is above the upper surface.

*	Planar area is reported as Positive Planar Area, Negative Planar Area, and Blanked Planar Area.  Planar area is defined as the area of the projection of the surface onto a horizontal plane.  Positive Planar Area represents the planar area where the upper surface is above the lower surface.  Negative Planar Area represents the planar area where the lower surface is above the upper surface.  The Blanked Planar Area is the sum of the areas over the blanked regions on both the upper or lower surfaces.  Total Planar Area represents the planar area for the entire grid.  Where the two surfaces coincide exactly, the area of coincidence is reported as part of the Positive Planar Area.

*	Surface area is reported as Positive Surface Area and Negative Surface Area.  Positive Surface Area represents the area of the surface where the upper surface is above the lower surface.  The Negative Surface Area represents the area of the surface where the lower surface is above the upper surface.

When you are using blanked grid files, the blanked portion of the grid is ignored in any volume calculations.  The planar area for blanked regions is also calculated and displayed in the volume report.

See Also

Area Calculations

Calculating the Volume Between Two Surfaces

Calculating the Volume of a Lake

Computing Volumes and Areas

Cut and Fill Volumes

Methods for Volume Calculations

Volume Command


Methods for Volume Calculations

The three methods used to determine volumes are: Trapezoidal Rule, Simpson's Rule and Simpson's 3/8 Rule.  The difference in the volume calculations by the three different methods also gives you a qualitative measure of the accuracy of the volume calculations.   If the three volume calculations are reasonably close together the true volume is close to these values.  If the three values differ somewhat, you should probably produce a new denser grid file and perform the volume calculations again.  The net volume can be reported as the average of the three values.

The relative error for the volume results can be estimated by comparing the results of the three methods.  Then the relative error can be given as a percentage of the average volume.  The relative error can be estimated using the following formula:

RE = (LR - SR) * 100 / AVER. where

RE is the relative error

LR is the largest result from the three methods

SR is the smallest result from the three methods

AVER is the average of the three methods

For example, consider these results:

Approximated Volume by

Trapezoidal Rule:	4412.75

Simpson's Rule:	4413.45

Simpson's 3/8 Rule:	4413.44

These values would give a relative error of:

RE = (4413.45 - 4412.75) * 100 / 4413.21 =  0.016%

The Net Volume for this example can be reported as 4413.21  0.016%

See Also

Area Calculations

Calculating the Volume Between Two Surfaces

Calculating the Volume of a Lake

Computing Volumes and Areas

Cut and Fill Volumes

Volume and Area Calculations

Volume Command


Cut and Fill Volumes

When you need to determine just the positive volume (cuts) or negative volume (fills), you can obtain this information from the Cut and Fill report from the Volume calculation.  Cuts represent the volume of material between the  upper and lower surface when the upper surface is above the lower surface.  Fills represent the volume of material between the upper and lower surfaces when the upper surface is below the lower surface.  For example, you could use the cut and fill report to determine the volume of a pond for which you have generated a grid file.  You can use the grid file of the pond as the upper surface, and use a plane as the lower surface.  The level of the lower surface can be set at the level of the surface of the pond.  The volume of the pond is the fills volume in the cut and fill report.

See Also

Area Calculations

Calculating the Volume Between Two Surfaces

Calculating the Volume of a Lake

Computing Volumes and Areas

Methods for Volume Calculations

Volume and Area Calculations

Volume Command


Area Calculations

Volume calculations provide you with information on the planar and surface areas for the upper surface.

Planar area is computed by projecting cut and fill portions of the surface on to a plane and calculating the area of the projection.  Positive planar area represents the projection of the cuts (map areas where the upper surface is above the lower surface) onto a horizontal plane.   Negative planar areas represents the projection of the fills (the map area where the upper surface is below the lower surface) onto a horizontal plane.  The Volume calculations provide you with both the positive and negative planar areas.

The Volume calculations also provide you with both the positive and negative surface areas.  This is the actual area of the surface.  Positive surface areas correspond to the area of the surface where the upper surface is above the lower surface.  Negative surface areas correspond to the area of the surface where the upper surface is below the lower surface.

See Also

Calculating the Volume Between Two Surfaces

Calculating the Volume of a Lake

Computing Volumes and Areas

Cut and Fill Volumes

Methods for Volume Calculations

Volume and Area Calculations

Volume Command


Window Types

Surfer has three different document window types, each designed to perform a different type of task.  When you start Surfer, a blank Plot window is displayed.

*	Plot Windows contain the workspace and menu items used to draw a complete map.

*	Worksheet Windows contain the workspace and menu items necessary to manipulate the data to be plotted on the map.

*	Editor Windows contain the workspace and menu items used to create and edit ASCII text files.  This is the window used to create and modify Macro script files.

*	Grid Editor Windowscontain an editor that allows you to modify the grid nodes in a grid file.

To open a new Plot window, a Worksheet window, or an Editor window, choose the New command from the File menu, and choose the desired type from the New Window dialog box.  For a Worksheet window,  you can also choose the Worksheet command from the File menu and a new Worksheet window is displayed.


About the Surfer Help System

The Surfer for Windows Help System was written by Doug Keckler.

Any problems with the Help System should be directed to Golden Software at:

Golden Software, Inc.

809 14th Street

Golden, CO  80401-1866

U.S.A.

Voice:	(303) 279-1021

FAX:	(303) 279-0909

E-mail: info@golden.com


Golden Software Technical Support

Golden Software provides free technical support to registered users of Surfer.  If you cannot find the answers to your questions in the User manual or the Help System, you can contact the technical support staff at:

Golden Software, Inc.

809 14th Street

Golden, CO  80401-1866

U.S.A.

Voice:	(303) 279-1021

FAX:	(303) 279-0909

Have your serial number ready when you call, or include your serial number when contacting us by mail or FAX.  You must have a valid serial number to obtain support.

Also as a service to our users, Golden Software has a Bulletin Board.  For more information on the Golden Software Bulletin Board, call or write to the locations above, or contact SYSOP at:

Bulletin Board: (303) 279-0910

You must provide us with a valid serial number to obtain Bulletin Board privileges.

You can also contact us through our Internet address.

E-mail: info@golden.com


Overview of Mapping and Gridding Procedures

Most of the procedures in Surfer require either an XYZ data [.DAT] file, a grid [.GRD] file  or a USGS DEM file before you perform the desired operation.  In the list below the commands are grouped by the type of files that are required when you perform that operation.

Contour maps and surface plots require that your data is in a grid [.GRD] or USGS DEM file format.  To produce a grid file you must first create an XYZ data file.  A grid [.GRD] file can then be produced using the Data command from the Grid menu.  Once you have created your grid file you can then perform many of the Surfer operations.  These include smoothing, blanking, volume calculations, creating cross sections, and creating contour maps and surface plots.

Commands Requiring XYZ Data Files

*	The Data command creates a grid [.GRD] file from your XYZ data [.DAT] file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a Grid File.

*	The Post command creates a map with a symbol placed at each data point location.  Also see the procedure for Posting Data Points.

*	The Classed Post command creates a post map with different symbols used for each user-defined data range.  Classes of data ranges are represented by different symbols.  Also see the procedure for Posting Data Points.

*	The Residuals command calculates the difference between the gridded surface and the original data points.  This provides a measure of the agreement between your original data and the gridded surface.  Also see the procedure for Calculating Residuals.

Commands Requiring Boundary Files

*	The Load BaseMap command creates a base map in the plot window.  Also see the procedures for Creating Base Maps and Placing Boundaries on a Map.

*	The Blank command requires a Golden Software Blanking [.BLN] file and is used to produce contour maps where contours are not drawn over the blanked region.  This command also requires a grid [.GRD] file.  Also see the procedure for Blanking a Grid File.

*	The Slice command requires a Golden Software Blanking [.BLN] file and produces a data file containing Z profile information for a user-defined profile line.  This command also requires a grid [.GRD] file.  Also see the procedure for Creating Profile Lines.

Commands Requiring Grid [.GRD] or USGS DEM Files

*	The Math command creates a grid [.GRD] file by combining elements from two [.GRD] files.  You can also perform math operation on a single grid file or USGS DEM file.  See also the procedure for Combining Grid Files with Grid Math.

*	The Matrix Smooth command creates a smoother version of an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file by averaging grid node values within a user-defined smoothing matrix.   Also see the procedure for Smoothing a Grid File.

*	The Spline Smooth command creates a smoother version of an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  This can either increase or decrease the number of grid nodes in the output grid relative to the input grid or DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Smoothing a Grid File.

*	The Blank command requires a Golden Software Blanking [*.BLN] file and is used to produce contour maps where the contours are not drawn over the blanked region.  This command also requires a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Blanking a Grid File.

*	The Grid Utility commands allow you to modify existing grid files.

The Convert command converts between ASCII and binary grid [.GRD] file formats, or converts a USGS DEM file to a grid file.  The Cionvert command can also produce an XYZ data file from a grid file or DEM file.

The Extract command creates a grid file that is a subset of an existing grid file or USGS DEM file.

The Transform command modifies the XY location of grid node values within a grid [.GRD] file using shifting, scaling, rotating or mirroring.  This command also operates on DEM files.

*	The Volume command calculates volumes and areas of existing grid files or USGS DEM files.  Also see the procedure for Computing Volumes and Areas.

*	The Slice command produces a data file containing Z profile information for a user-defined profile line.  Also see the procedure for Creating Profile Lines.

*	The Residuals command calculates the difference between the gridded surface or USGS DEM file and data points contained in an XYZ data file.  This provides a measure of the agreement between your original data and the gridded surface.  Also see the procedure for Calculating Residuals.

*	The Contour command creates a contour map based on an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a Contour Map.

*	The Image command creates a raster image map map based on an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Creating an Image Map.

*	The Shaded Relief command creates a raster shaded relief map based on an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a Shaded Relief Map.

*	The Surface command creates a surface plot based on an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a Surface plot.

General Procedures

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

Creating DXF Files

Creating Encapsulated Postscript Files

Creating HPGL files

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

Displaying Several Maps on a Page

Moving Plots into Other Applications

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Saving Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Specifying [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line

Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line


Gridding and Mapping Commands

If you want specific information on the command and dialog box options, click the command name in the list below.  If you want step-by-step instructions, click the procedural topic.

The Grid menu contains commands for creating, modifying and analyzing grid [.GRD] files.

*	The Data command creates a grid [.GRD] file from your XYZ data [.DAT] file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a Grid File.

*	The Function command creates a grid [.GRD] file from a user-defined mathematical equation.  Also see the procedure for Gridding a Function.

*	The Math command creates a grid [.GRD] file by combining elements from two [.GRD] files. You can also perform math operation on a single grid file or USGS DEM file.

*	The Matrix Smooth command creates a smoother version of an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file by averaging grid node values within a user-defined smoothing matrix.   Also see the procedure for Smoothing a Grid File.

*	The Spline Smooth command creates a new version of an existing grid [.GRD] file OR USGS DEM file by adding or subtracting the number of grid nodes in the output grid.  Also see the procedure for Smoothing a Grid File.

*	The Blank command requires a Golden Software Blanking [*.BLN] file and is used to produce contour maps where the contours are not drawn over the blanked region.  This command also requires a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Blanking a Grid File.

*	The Grid Utility commands allow you to modify existing grid files.

The Convert command converts between ASCII and binary grid [.GRD] file formats, or converts a USGS DEM file to a grid file.  The Cionvert command can also produce an XYZ data file from a grid file or DEM file.

The Extract command creates a grid file that is a subset of an existing grid file or USGS DEM file.

The Transform command modifies the XY location of grid node values within a grid [.GRD] file using shifting, scaling, rotating or mirroring.  This command also operates on DEM files.

*	The Volume command calculates volumes and areas of existing grid files or USGS DEM files.  Also see the procedure for Computing Volumes and Areas.

*	The Slice command produces a data file containing Z profile information for a user-defined profile line.  Also see the procedure for Creating Profile Lines.

*	The Residuals command calculates the difference between the gridded surface and the original data points.  This provides a measure of the agreement between your original data and the gridded surface.  Also see the procedure for Calculating Residuals.

*	The Grid Node Editor command opens the grid editor window allowing you to modify individual grid node values for an existing grid file.

The Map menu contains commands for creating and modifying base maps, contour maps and surface plots.

*	The Load BaseMap command creates a base map in the plot window.  Also see the procedures for Creating Base Maps and Placing Boundaries on a Map.

*	The Contour command creates a contour map based on an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a Contour Map.

*	The Post command creates a map based on an XYZ data [.DAT] file, by placing a symbol at each data point location.  Also see the procedure for Posting Data Points.

*	The Classed Post command creates a post map with different symbols used for each user-defined data range.  Classes of data ranges are represented by different symbols.  Also see the procedure for Posting Data Points.

*	The Image command creates a raster image map map based on an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Creating an Image Map.

*	The Shaded Relief command creates a raster shaded relief map based on an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a Shaded Relief Map.

*	The Surface command creates a surface plot based on an existing grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a Surface plot.

*	The Axis command modifies an existing axis, and controls the display of axes on the map.  The Axis command is a cascading menu that provides the following commands.

The Show command controls the display of map axes.

The Edit command allows you to modify the axis parameters of the selected axis.

The Scale command controls the limits, tick spacing and positioning of a selected axis.

The Grid Lines command controls the display of grid lines drawn from the selected axis.

*	The Scale Bar command creates a distance scale for your map.

*	The Background command modifies the attributes for the map background.

*	The Digitize command turns on the display of map coordinates on the status bar, and allows you to write map coordinates to a data file.  Also see the procedure for Creating a [.BLN] File with the Digitize Command.

*	The 3D View command controls the orientation and tilt of maps in the Plot window.  Also see the procedure for Changing Map Orientation.

*	The Scale command controls the scaling of the map in the plot window.  This includes the size of the map and then number of units per inch or centimeter on the page.  Also see the procedure for Changing Map Scales.

*	The Limits command sets the extents of the selected map.  You can use the limits command to display a subset of a map, or clip boundaries or posted data points to contour map limits in an overlay.  Also see the procedure for Setting Map Limits.

*	The Stack Maps command aligns selected maps on the page.  This allows you to stack any combination of surface plots, contour maps and base or post maps.

*	The Overlay Maps command combines maps into a single overlay.  The combined maps are positioned relative to the other maps based on map coordinates.  Also see the procedure for Combining Maps and Creating Overlays.

*	The Edit Overlays command provides a list of objects in an overlay.  From the list you can select the object you want to edit or delete from the overlay.


Blanking Grid Files
Blanking a Grid File

Blanking provides you with a way to erase contour lines from a portion of your contour maps.  Blanking can be performed by masking contours or using the Blank command.  Masking can only be used to blank contours inside a boundary.  The Blank command can blank contours inside or outside of a defined boundary.

Using the Blank Command

The Blank command creates a grid [.GRD] file containing a special blanking value that is assigned to each grid node in the region to be blanked.  The output grid [.GRD] file from the blanking command does not display contours in the blanked region on a contour map, or draws a low flat area in the blanked region of a surface plot.  The Blank command requires a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file, and a Golden Software blanking [.BLN] file that defines the boundary to be blanked.

When you use the Blank command you can either blank inside or outside the defined boundary.  The blanking procedure modifies a grid by placing a special "blanking" value at each grid node that lies within the area to be blanked.  When a blanked contour map is displayed, the contour lines are truncated at the blanking boundary.  If you display a surface plot of a blanked [.GRD] file, the blanked regions are shown as a low flat region on the surface.

Blanked grid [.GRD] files can be used with the Volume command.  Blanked regions are not included in volume calculations and the planar area of the blanked region is provided.

Blanking a Grid File

1.	Create a grid [.GRD] file from your original XYZ data [.DAT] file.

2.	Create a blanking [.BLN] file that defines the blanking boundary.  You can blank either inside or outside the defined boundary.

3.	Choose the Blank command from the Grid menu and specify the grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file to be blanked, the name of the [.BLN] blanking file, and the name of the output grid [.GRD] file.  The output grid file contains the blanking information and must use a different name than the input grid file.

4.	If you want to view a contour map of the blanked grid file, choose the Contour command from the Map menu and specify the name of the blanked grid file to display a contour map with the blanked boundaries.  You can display the blanking boundary on the map by choosing the Load BaseMap command from the Map menu and choosing the [.BLN] file as the base map.

Using the Grid Editor to Blank Cells

The Grid Editor from the Grid menu displays the Grid Editor window.  This displays the layout of the grid file, and a contour map representation of the grid file.  You can easily blank specific grid nodes by moving among the grid nodes and typing in the value you want to appear at each location.  You can blank a specific grid node by typing a CTRL+B at the node.  In this way you can easily blank specific grid nodes and immediately see the results.

1.	Choose the Grid Editor command from the Grid menu and the Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  Specify the name of the grid file or DEM file to be edited.

2.	Click OK and the Grid Editor window is displayed.  Your grid file is represented by a contour map and the location of each of the grid nodes in the file is marked with a "+".

3.	To modify the value of a grid node, use the mouse to click the node to be modified, or use the arrow keys to move amongst the grid nodes.

4.	When a grid node is highlighted, the XY coordinates for the node are shown, and the Z value at the point is shown in the edit box below the title bar. To blank a node, type CTRL+B.  If you make a mistake while typing, press the ESC key to return to the original value.

5.	When you are done editing the grid, choose the Save As command from the File menu and specify the name for the grid file to be saved.  If you want to save the file to the same name, you can choose the Save command.

6.	To close the Grid Editor window, choose the Close command from the File menu.  To move to another window and leave the Grid Editor window open, choose the window from the Window menu.

See Also

Masking Contours

Golden Software blanking [.BLN] File

Blank Command


Masking Contours

When you want to mask contours from a map you have different options available.  Masking contours can be used when you want to remove contours from within a user-defined boundary.  Masking does not remove contours from a map, only covers the contours by drawing an object on top of the map.  When masking you can:

Draw an Object on Top of the Map

1.	Draw an object over the map covering the area where you want to mask the contours.  You could use the rectangle, ellipse or polygon tools to draw the objects.  The Polygon tool lets you draw a free hand object with an irregular shape.  The Rectangle and Ellipse tools draw symmetrical shapes.

2.	Double-click the object and from the object dialog box click the Fill Attributes button.  The Fill Attributes dialog box is displayed.

3.	Choose the desired fill attribute from the Pattern palette.  You can assign a solid, vector or bitmap fill to the object.  If you choose a vector pattern, the Background Mode should be Opaque or the contours will show through.  Click OK and OK in the object dialog box, and the fill is assigned to the selected object.

Import a Boundary on Top of the Map

1.	Create a boundary file containing the coordinates to define the area to be blanked.  This boundary should be a closed polygon, meaning that the first and last coordinates in the file should be identical.  Any of the boundary file types that Surfer accepts can be used.

2.	Choose the Load BaseMap command from the Map menu and double-click the boundary file containing the boundary to use for blanking.

3.	After the boundary is drawn on the map, double-click the polygon and from the polygon dialog box click the Fill Attributes button.  The Fill Attributes dialog box is displayed.

4.	Choose the desired fill attribute from the Pattern palette.  You can assign a solid, vector or bitmap fill to the object.  If you choose a vector pattern, the Background Mode should be Opaque or the contours will show through.  Click OK and OK in the Polygon dialog box, and the fill is assigned to the selected polygon.

See Also

Creating a Contour Map

Load BaseMap


Combining Grid Files with Grid Math
Combining Grid Files using Grid Math

Grid math can be used to mathematically combine grid node values from two grid files that use the same X,Y grid dimensions.  This command creates an output grid file based on a defined mathematical function of the form C = f(A,B), where C is the output grid file, and A and B represent the input grid files.  The defined function is performed on corresponding nodes (grid nodes with the same X,Y coordinates) from the input grid files, and the result of the calculation is placed at the same coordinates in the output grid file.

Grid math can also be performed on a single grid or USGS DEM file.  In this case the same mathematical expression is applied to all grid elements from the input grid or DEM file.  For example, if you wanted to create an output grid based on the base 10 logarithm of the input grid file, you could use the function C = log10(A).  Grid file C would contain the base 10 logarithmic values for each of the grid nodes in Grid A.  You could also perform a simple math operation on an input grid file such as subtracting a value from all the grid elements in the input grid file.  An example expression might be C = A - 100.  This would result in an output grid file C that is 100 units lower than the input grid file A.

Using the Grid Math Command

1.	Choose the Math command from the Grid menu.  The Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  Specify one of the grid files on which you want to perform a grid math operation.

2.	Click OK and the Grid Math dialog box is displayed.  The Input Grid File A group displays the grid file you specified.  You always need an Input Grid File A, because the parameters of this input file are used when defining the output grid.  The output grid uses the same X and Y limits as the Input Grid File A.

3.	In the Input Grid File B group, click the Browse button to specify a second grid file to be used in the grid math operation.  If you are performing grid math on two grid files, the grids must contain the same number of grid rows and columns, and should extend over the same X and Y ranges.  To perform an operation on grid file A only, you can leave this set to None.

4.	In the Enter a function of the form C = f(A,B) edit box, enter a function where C represents the grid file to be created by the math operation, and A and B refer to the grid files specified in the respective group boxes in the dialog box. To perform a calculation on grid file A only, you can leave any reference to grid file B out of the specified function.

5.	In the Output Grid File group click the Browse button to specify a different path or file name for the grid file to be created.

6.	Click OK and the new grid file is created.


Calculating Residuals
Calculating the Z Value at a Point on the Surface

Calculating Residuals

The Residuals command from the Grid menu lets you determine the vertical difference between a Z value of a point in an XYZ data [.DAT] file and the interpolated Z value at the same point in a gridded surface or USGS DEM file.  The formula used in the residuals calculation is:

Zres = Zdat - Zgrd

where Zres is the residual value, Zdat is the Z value in the data file, and Zgrd is the interpolated value from the grid file.  Positive residual values are generated when the data point in the file is above the gridded surface.  Negative values occur when the data point in the file lies below the gridded surface.

Residuals can be used to give you a quantitative measure of the agreement of your data with the interpolated values in the grid file.  When the residuals data is written to the worksheet, you can use the Statistics command from the worksheet Compute menu to generate the mean and standard deviation for all the residual values.

You can also use the Residuals command to determine the Z values at specific X,Y locations of a grid file.  If you create an XYZ data file containing a Z value of zero at each X,Y location in the data file, the Residuals command returns the interpolated Z value at each X,Y location in the residuals report.  The residual values are negative for Zgrd values above zero, and positive for Zgrd values below zero.

Calculating Residuals

1.	Create an XYZ data [.DAT] file containing the points where you want to determine residuals.  This can be your original XYZ data file used to generate the grid file, or can be a data file containing data points for which you want to determine residuals.

2.	Choose the Residuals command from the Grid menu and specify the name of the grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file and the XYZ data file.  Specify the location of the X,Y and Z data in the data file.  Also specify the column to receive the residual data when the information is written to the worksheet.

3.	Click OK and the residuals are calculated for all the X,Y points specified in the data file.  A worksheet window is automatically opened containing the residuals data.  The worksheet contains the XYZ data, from the data file and the residual values in the column you specified.

4.	If you want to preserve the residual data in a file, choose the Save As command from the worksheet File menu, name the residuals file, and click OK.


Changing Map Orientation

Base maps, post maps, contour maps and surface plots can be displayed at any orientation using the 3D View command.  You can modify the tilt, rotation, and perspective of a map.  When you select several maps at the same time, the orientation parameters are applied to all of the selected maps.

Axes in Surfer are named in relation to their map position when the map is in a normal orientation.  The Bottom axis is the X axis that lies at the minimum Y value and corresponds to the south side of a map.  The Left axis is a Y axis that lies at the minimum X value, and corresponds to the west side of a map.  When you change the orientation of the map the Right axis might be drawn on the left side of the map even thought it is still called the Right axis.  Similarly, when you change the orientation of the map the Bottom axis might be drawn at the top of the map.

Tilt refers to the orientation of the Z axis in the map display.  A zero degree tilt means the Z axis is vertical.  As you increase the tilt, the Z axis is tilted toward you.  The default tilt is 30 degrees for surface plots.  The default tilt is 90 degrees for basemaps, contour maps and post maps.   Maps with a 90 degree tilt are drawn in plan view; so you are looking directly down the Z axis.

Using the 3D View Command

1.	Select the map that you want to view at a different orientation.

2.	Choose the 3D View command from the Map menu.

3.	In the View dialog box you can change the rotation, tilt and projection type.  As you make the changes the graphic in the dialog box changes dynamically to indicate the orientation.

4.	Click OK and the map is drawn with the orientation parameters you specified.


Changing Map Scale
Changing the Scale of a Map or Surface Plot

Scaling a map controls the size of the map on the page, and sets the number of units per inch on the map.  Scaling information can be set independently for the X, Y and Z dimensions on a plot.  When you set map scales, the axis length is automatically adjusted.

You can set the number of units per inch used to scale the map on the page.  Maps are automatically scaled so the longer of the X or Y axis is six inches.  The shorter axis is scaled in proportion to the longer axis so both the X and Y axes use the same scaling.  Consider a map extending 60 units in the X direction and 40 units in the Y direction.  Since the X axis is the longest it is six inches and is scaled to 10 units per inch.  The Y axis is also scaled to 10 units per inch so the Y axis is drawn 4 inches in length.

Under some conditions you might have different units for X and Y.  This factor can have implications in both the gridding operation and the map scaling operation.  As an example, you might consider a contour plot of soil temperature as a function of depth and time.  If depth is measured in feet, and time is measured in days, clearly 1 day is not equivalent to 1 foot.  The two axes must be scaled differently because the two scales are not equivalent.  You might have depth data collected every half foot from 0 to 4 feet in depth, and have data collected every day over a 30 day period.  The time axis extends 30 units, while the depth axis extends 4 units.  Normal map scaling would produce a plot 6 inches long by 0.8 inches high.  You can specify the map scaling so 30 units in one dimension is equal to 4 units in the other direction.  In other words, 1 Y unit might be equivalent to 7.5 X units so the map is plotted at 6 inches by 6 inches.

Setting Map Scales

1.	Create a map.  This can be a single contour map, base map, post map or surface plot.  You can also combine maps using the Overlay Maps command from the Map menu.

2.	Click the map so it is selected, and choose the Scale command from the Map menu.  The Scale dialog box is displayed with information about the map scaling for the selected map.

3.	Change any of the scale parameters by typing the new values in the appropriate edit boxes.  If you change the map limits or the actual scaling information for any or all of the edit boxes.

4.	Click OK and the map is redrawn using the new map scale parameters you specified.

See Also

Setting Map Limits


Computing Volumes and Areas

The Volume command from the Grid menu computes net volumes and cut and fill volumes, and computes planar areas and surface areas.  The results are written to a Surfer Editor window.  The Editor window allows you to copy the results to the Clipboard, or save the results in an ASCII [.TXT] text file.

Volume calculations are performed on a solid defined by upper and lower surfaces.  Either of these surfaces can be a gridded surface, a USGS DEM file or a plane defined by a constant Z level.  Before you perform the volume calculation you must define the upper and lower surface between which the volumes are calculated.  When you specify grid files for both surfaces, the grids must be the same size (use the same number of rows and columns), and use the same X,Y limits.  The upper surface does not have to be above the lower surface everywhere.

When you are using blanked grid files, the blanked portion of the grid is ignored in any volume calculations.  The planar area for blanked regions is also calculated and displayed in the volume report.

Calculating Volumes and Areas

1.	Choose the Volume command from the Grid menu.  The Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  Specify the name of the grid file or USGS DEM file to use in the volume and area calculations.  This can be the grid file for either the upper or lower surface.

2.	Click OK and the Grid Volume dialog box is displayed.  The grid file you specified is shown for both the upper and lower surface.

3.	Specify the Upper Surface and Lower Surface parameters.

*	The Grid File option allows you to specify a grid file to use as the upper or lower surface.  To use the grid file displayed, click the Grid File option.  If you want to change the grid file for either the upper or lower surface, click the Grid File option, and then click the Browse button.  After you specify the grid file, the name appears in the dialog box.

*	The Constant option allows you to specify a horizontal plane to use as the upper or lower surface.  You can specify the level of the planar surface by typing the value in the Z = edit box.  The value you specify is in Z data units.

4.	When you have completed specifying the upper and lower surface, click OK and a Status dialog box is displayed as the volumes and areas are calculated.  The results are then displayed in a VOLUME COMPUTATIONS report displayed in an Editor window.

5.	You can save the report in an ASCII text file using the Save As command from the Editor window File menu, or you can copy the information to the Clipboard, then paste the selected text to a Plot window or another application.

See Also

Area Calculations

Cut and fill Volumes

Methods for Volume Calculations

Volume and Area Calculations

Calculating the Volume of a Lake

Calculating the Volume Between Two Surfaces

Volume Command


Calculating the Volume Between Two Surfaces

A common problem solved with a volume calculation is determining the volume of material between two grid files.  For example, you might have drill hole data that provides the elevation of the top and bottom of a coal seam, and you want to determine the volume of coal.  The elevation of the top and bottom of the coal seam can define the upper and lower surfaces, respectively.  In this case, the lower surface would be entirely below the upper surface.

1.	Create grid files of the upper and lower surfaces.  In the example here, the grid files would define the elevation of the top and bottom of the coal seam.  Both grids must use the same dimensions, and same number of rows and columns.

2.	Choose the Volume command from the Grid menu.  Specify the grid file for the upper surface in the Open Grid dialog box and click OK.  The Grid Volume dialog box is displayed.

3.	In the Upper Surface group box, click the Grid File option button.

4.	In the Lower Surface group box, click the Grid File option button and then click the Browse button.  In the Open Grid dialog box, select the grid file for the lower surface and click OK.

5.	In the Grid Volume dialog box, verify that the correct grid files are specified for the upper and lower surfaces and click OK.  An Editor window is automatically opened and the volume and area calculations are reported.  The volume between the surfaces is reported as the Positive Volume (Cuts), which in this case is the same as the Volume calculation.

6.	To save the information in a text file, click the Save As command from the Editor window File menu, specify the name to use as the text [.TXT] file, and click OK.  The VOLUME COMPUTATIONS log is saved in the text file.

See Also

Area Calculations

Computing Volumes and Areas

Cut and fill Volumes

Methods for Volume Calculations

Volume and Area Calculations

Calculating the Volume of a Lake

Volume Command


Calculating the Volume of a Lake

You might have a grid file that defines the bottom of a lake, and you want to determine the volume of water in the lake.  In this case, you can use the lake grid file and a horizontal planar surface to determine the volume of water in the lake.

1.	Create the grid file for the lake.  If you have the lake bottom defined as depth of water, you should use negative Z values so the lake appears as a basin rather than a hill.  It is also recommended that you add data points beyond the limits of the lake shore, so the surface is above the level of the lake in these areas.

2.	Choose the Volume command from the Grid menu.  Specify the grid file for the lake in the Open Grid dialog box, and the Grid Volume dialog box is displayed.

3.	In the Lower Surface group box, click the Grid File option button.

4.	In the Upper Surface group box, click the Constant option button.  Type the value for the lake surface in the Z = edit box.  For example, if you are using depth, the Z = value should be zero.

5.	Click OK and an Editor window is automatically opened and the volume and area calculations are reported.  The volume of the lake is reported as the Positive Volume in the Volume report.

6.	To save the information in an ASCII text file, click the Save As command from the Editor window File menu, specify the name to use for the text [.TXT] file, and click OK.  The VOLUME COMPUTATIONS log is saved in the text file.

See Also

Area Calculations

Calculating the Volume Between Two Surfaces

Calculating the Volume of a Lake

Computing Volumes and Areas

Cut and fill Volumes

Methods for Volume Calculations

Volume and Area Calculations

Volume Command


Creating a Surface Plot

Surface plots are created from grid [.GRD] files.  To create a surface plot of your data you must first create a grid [.GRD] file from your XYZ data [.DAT] file.  Alternatively, you can use a USGS DEM file to create a surface plot.  Surface plots can be represented by any combination of lines of constant X,Y or Z.  The "wire mesh" plots are created using lines of constant X and Y, giving the appearance of a net laid over the surface.  Lines of constant Z on a surface plot provide you with a 3D contour map.

Making a Surface Plot

1.	Create a grid [.GRD] file from your XYZ data [.DAT] file.  The number of lines in the grid file determine the number of X and Y lines that are used on the surface plot.  Higher numbers of grid lines in the grid file result in a smoother surface and finer resolution in the surface plot.

2.	Choose the Surface command from the Map menu, specify the grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file to use for the surface plot, and the Surface Plot dialog box is displayed.

3.	Specify any of the desired parameters and click OK and a surface plot is created from your grid file.

See Also

Creating a Grid [.GRD] File

Creating Color Zones on Surface Plots

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Line Attributes on Surface Plots

Specifying the Lines to Draw on a Surface Plot

Specifying Z Line Levels and Attributes

Surface Command


Specifying the Lines to Draw on a Surface Plot

Surface plots can be displayed with any combination of X, Y or Z lines.  When using X,Y lines to represent the surface, a mesh appears on top of the surface.  When you use Z lines, a 3D contour map is drawn.  You can also remove hidden lines, show the upper or lower side of the surface, or display a border around the sides of the base.

To specify which lines to draw on the surface plot:

1.	Double-click the surface plot to display the Surface Plot dialog box.

2.	In the Plot Lines of Constant group, click the appropriate checkboxes to specify the lines to be used when displaying the surface plot.  You can display any combination of X,Y and Z lines.

When displaying Z lines on a surface plot, by clicking the Z Levels button you can control which levels of Z lines to display on a surface plot.  The Z Levels dialog box allows you to specify the Z contour levels and the line attributes for the individual Z lines.  Z lines on a surface plot do not display contour labels or hachures.  The contour levels specified only affect the Z contours on the surface plot.

Note:  If you want to display contour labels on a surface plot, you must create a contour map with contour labels, and overlay the contour map on the surface plot.

3.	Click the Remove Hidden Lines checkbox to control the removal of lines behind other lines on the surface.  When hidden lines are not removed, the surface takes on a transparent appearance.

4.	Click the Show Upper Surface checkbox to display only the top portion of the surface.  If the Remove Hidden Lines checkbox is activated, only those portions of the upper surface not obscured by other portions of the surface are seen.  The Show Lower Surface checkbox displays only the bottom of the surface.  If you are using the Remove Hidden Lines option, only the places where the bottom of the surface are not obscured are displayed.

5.	The Border drop-down list box displays a line representing the intersection of the surface with the faces of the base.  The border line is not visible on surfaces displaying both X and Y lines.  You can display the border on the Front Only or on All Sides of the surface.

6.	Click OK and the surface plot is displayed with the line types you have chosen.

See Also

Creating  a Surface Plot

Creating a Grid [.GRD] File

Creating Color Zones on Surface Plots

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Line Attributes on Surface Plots

Specifying Z Line Levels and Attributes

Surface Command


Specifying Line Attributes on Surface Plots

Line attributes for surface plots are controlled from the Surface Plot dialog box.  The default condition is to use the line attributes specified in the Plot Lines of Constant group.  The X and Y line attributes specified in this way are applied over the entire surface without regard to the relative level of the surface.  From here you can also apply specific line attributes to Z lines.  These line attributes can vary gradually over the Z extent of the plot, or can be assigned independently for the Z levels.

When you want the X and Y line attributes to change over the vertical range of the surface, you must specify the attributes from the Color Zones group.  Color zone line attributes vary based on Z level.

There is an order of precedence used when assigning line attributes.

*	Attributes assigned by clicking the line attributes buttons in the Plot Lines of Constant group have the lowest precedence.

*	For lines of constant Z, attributes can also be applied using the Z Levels button in the Plot Lines of Constant group.  Line attributes assigned from the Z Levels dialog box take precedence over the Z line attributes assigned with the Z line attributes button.

*	The highest precedence is applied to line attributes assigned in the Color Zones group.  When you activate the Apply zones to lines of constant checkboxes, the attributes applied from here take precedence over any other assigned line attributes, and these are the lines that will be displayed on the surface plot.

See Also

Creating  a Surface Plot

Creating a Grid [.GRD] File

Creating Color Zones on Surface Plots

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying the Lines to Draw on a Surface Plot

Specifying Z Line Levels and Attributes

Surface Command


Creating a [.BLN] Boundary Map with the Digitize Command
Creating a [.BLN] File with the Digitize Command

One of the uses of the Digitize command is to create a [.BLN] boundary line file.

1.	Create a contour map, base map or post map in the Plot window, and select the map.  This can also be a map overlay, although the overlay cannot contain a surface plot or be tilted at any angle other than 90 degrees.

2.	Choose the Digitize command and the pointer changes to a crosshairs.

3.	Move the pointer to the beginning point for the boundary line, and click Button 1.  The Digitize editor window is displayed and the map coordinates for the current pointer position are displayed.  Also, a temporary small red marker is drawn at the clicked position.  Continue moving the pointer across the map along the line of the boundary you want to create.  Each time you click the current map coordinates are added to the editor window and a marker is drawn.

4.	When you are through defining the line, click in the Digitize editor window.  Move to the top of the file and add a header line of data consisting of the number of coordinate pairs in the editor window, and either the value 0 or 1, separated by a comma.  For example, the first line in the file should look like

14,1

In this case, the 14 refers to the number of coordinates written to the file, and the number 1 is a flag used by the Blank command.  Do not include this line if you do not know the number of coordinate pairs you included in the file.

5.	Choose the Save As command from the editor window File menu, and save the file using a [.BLN] extension.  Then press the ESC key on the keyboard or choose any tool and you are returned to the select mode.  You can then use this file from the Load BaseMap command if you want to draw the boundary line on the map, or the Blank command if you want to use the file to blank out a portion of a grid file.

Note: If you create a boundary line with a large number of digitized points, you might not know the number of coordinate pairs you included in the file.  In this case, save the file without including the header line.  Then you can open the file in the Surfer worksheet.  With the file displayed, press the END key to move to the bottom of the file.  Read the Row number of the last line of the file, and this gives you the number of coordinate pairs in the file.  Then press the home key to move to the top of the file.  Insert a blank line at the top of the file and add the number of coordinate pairs in Column A, and the header flag in Column B.  Then save the file from the worksheet, using the (*.DAT) format, but use a [.BLN] extension on the file.

See Also

Golden Software [.BLN] boundary line file

Blank Command

Digitize Command

Load BaseMap Command


Creating Color Zones on Surface Plots

Color zones refer to the colors assigned to the different Z levels on a surface plot.  Color zones can be applied to any combination of X, Y and Z lines.  Color zones can be assigned automatically to the different levels, providing a spectrum from minimum to maximum, or can be assigned specifically to any level on the plot.

When you want the X and Y line attributes to change over the vertical range of the surface, specify the attributes from the Color Zones group.  Color zone line attributes vary based on Z level.  Color zone colors and line widths can be applied as a spectrum by specifying the color and/or line width for the minimum and maximum levels.  The spectrum is generated as the gradual change from the minimum color or line width to the maximum color or line width.  Alternatively, you can assign any line attribute to any level without a gradual change in attributes.

You are not limited to differences in color for color zones.  The line width and style can also be applied in this way.  When you assign lines in a spectrum, you can use gradational line widths from the minimum to the maximum.

When you apply color zones to a surface plot, you can either apply the attributes to the different zones manually, or use an automatic line spectrum.  Not all video cards and monitors are capable of reproducing enough colors to produce a smooth gradation of line colors.  In this case it may work better to assign the colors manually.

Assigning Color Zones Based on a Line Spectrum

1.	Double-click the surface plot to display the Surface Plot dialog box.  In the Plot Lines of Constant group, activate the checkboxes for the lines you want to display on the surface plot.  Color zones are applied only to these lines.

2.	In the Color Zones group box, click the Color Levels button and the Color Levels dialog box is displayed.  If necessary, define the Z levels by clicking on the Level button and specifying the Minimum, Maximum and Interval values in the Contour Levels dialog box.

3.	Click the Line button and the Line Spectrum dialog box is displayed.

4.	Click the Minimum and Maximum Line Attributes buttons to specify the line color to assign to the minimum and maximum Z levels on the surface plot.  Click OK and the Color Levels dialog box is updated to reflect the change.

5.	Click OK in the Color Levels dialog box to return to the Surface Plot dialog box.  Click the Apply zones to lines of constant X, Y or Z checkboxes to specify which lines will display the color zones.  Click OK and the color zones are displayed on the surface plot.

Assigning Colors to Individual Contour Levels

1.	Double-click the surface plot to display the Surface Plot dialog box.

2.	In the Color Zones group box, click the Color Levels button and the Color Levels dialog box is displayed.

3.	To assign a specific color to a specific contour level, double-click the line sample displayed for that level and select the attributes from the Line Attributes dialog box.  You can assign colors in this way for any of the levels.

4.	Click OK and the Color Levels dialog box is updated to reflect the change.  If necessary you can also define Z levels by clicking on the Level button and specifying the Minimum, Maximum and Interval values in the Contour Levels dialog box.

Specifying Color Levels

1.	Double-click the surface to display the Surface Plot dialog box.  Click the Color Levels button to display the Color Levels dialog box.

2.	To assign evenly spaced Z levels, click the Level button in the Levels group and the Contour Levels dialog box is displayed.

3.	Type the values for the Minimum and Maximum contours, and the Interval value that defines the spacing in Z units between adjacent contour lines.

4.	Click the OK button and the Levels list is updated in the Z Levels or Color Levels dialog box.

Adding and Deleting Color Levels

1.	Double-click the surface to display the Surface Plot dialog box.  Click the Color Levels button to display the Color Levels dialog box.

2.  	You can use the Add and Delete buttons to create additional contour levels or remove existing levels.  When you click the Add button a contour level is added midway between the selected level and the next lower level.  If you click the Delete button the selected level is removed from the list.

3.	When you are through adding or deleting levels, double-click the level value for the contour levels in the list, and enter a new value for the contour level in the Z Level dialog box.  Click OK and the Levels list is updated to reflect the change.

See Also

Creating  a Surface Plot

Creating a Grid [.GRD] File

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Line Attributes on Surface Plots

Specifying the Lines to Draw on a Surface Plot

Specifying Z Line Levels and Attributes

Surface Command


Specifying Z Line Levels and Attributes

Z line levels are controlled by clicking the Z Levels button in the Surface Plot dialog box.  This displays the Z Levels dialog box.

The Z Levels dialog box controls the Z line contour levels and intervals.   You can specify contour lines individually or on regular intervals.

The attributes you assign from here are only applied to Z lines, and only if the Apply zones to lines of constant Z checkbox in the Color Zones group is not activated.

If you activate the Apply zones to lines of constant Z checkbox in the Color Zones group, the line attributes in the Color Level dialog box take precedence over the attributes specified in the Z Levels dialog box.  As an example, consider a surface plot with Z values ranging from 0 to 100 feet.  In the Z Levels dialog box, the contour lines are specified to be displayed every 2 feet.  You might want to display four color zones every 25 feet. In the Color Levels dialog box you can specify the line attributes so they change every 25 feet.  When the surface is drawn, Z lines are drawn every 2 feet, and the attributes change every 25 feet.  This provides a way to assign specific color zones to Z lines.

Specifying Evenly Spaced Z Levels

1.	Double-click the surface to display the Surface Plot dialog box.  Click the Z Levels button  to display the Z Levels dialog box.

2.	To assign evenly spaced Z levels, click the Level button in the Levels group and the Contour Levels dialog box is displayed.

3.	Type in the values for the Minimum and Maximum contours, and the Interval value that defines the spacing in Z units between adjacent contour lines.

4.	Click the OK button and the Levels list is updated in the Z Levels dialog box.

Specifying Individual Z Level Values

1.	Double-click the surface to display the Surface Plot dialog box.  Click the Z Levels button to display the Z Levels dialog box.

2.  	You can use the Add and Delete buttons to create additional contour levels or remove existing levels.  When you click the Add button a contour level is added midway between the selected level and the next lower level.  If you click the Delete button the selected level is removed from the list.

3.	When you are through adding or deleting levels, you can double-click the level value for the contour levels in the list, and enter a new value for the contour level in the Z Level dialog box.  Click OK and the Levels list is updated to reflect the change.

Assigning Z Line Attributes Based on a Line Spectrum

1.	Double-click the surface to display the Surface Plot dialog box.  Click the Z Levels button  to display the Z Levels dialog box.

2.	Click the Line button and the Line Spectrum dialog box is displayed.

3.	Click the Minimum and Maximum Line Attributes buttons to specify the line color to assign to the minimum and maximum Z level on the surface plot.  Click OK and the Z Levels dialog box is updated to reflect the change.

Assigning Attributes to Individual Z Levels

1.	Double-click the surface to display the Surface Plot dialog box.  Click the Z Levels button  to display the Z Levels dialog box.

2.	To assign a specific color to a specific contour level, double-click the line sample displayed for that level and select the attributes from the Line Attributes dialog box.  You can assign colors in this way for any of the levels.

3.	Click OK and the Z Levels dialog box is updated to reflect the change.

See Also

Creating  a Surface Plot

Creating a Grid [.GRD] File

Creating Color Zones on Surface Plots

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Line Attributes on Surface Plots

Specifying the Lines to Draw on a Surface Plot

Surface Command


Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

You can create a surface plot and a filled contour map of the same grid file and overlay the contour map on the surface plot using the Overlay Maps command from the Map menu.

To overlay a filled contour map on a surface plot:

1.	Create a surface plot based on the grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Set the orientation and scaling parameters for the surface plot if necessary.

2.	Create a contour map based on the same grid [.GRD] or DEM file, and add the color fill between contours to create the filled contour map.  You might want to turn off the display of contour lines so there are not too many lines displayed on the overlay.

3.	Select both the surface plot and the filled contour map.  Choose the Overlay Maps command from the Map menu, and the filled contour map is automatically overlain on the surface plot.  Note that hidden line removal is not performed on contour maps included in overlays.

4.	If you want to modify either the surface plot or the contour map, click the overlay and choose the Edit Overlays command from the Map menu.  Select the map to be edited from the list in the Edit Components dialog box and click the Edit button.  The dialog box for the selected map is displayed.  Make any changes and click OK, and the overlay is updated to reflect the change.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Changing Map Orientation

Contour Line Attributes

Creating  a Surface Plot

Creating a Grid [.GRD] File

Creating Color Zones on Surface Plots

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Scaling a Map or Surface Plot

Specifying Contour Levels

Specifying Line Attributes on Surface Plots

Specifying the Lines to Draw on a Surface Plot

Specifying Z Line Levels and Attributes

Surface Command


Creating a Contour Map

A contour map is a two dimensional representation of three dimensional data.  Contour maps are produced from grid [.GRD] files or USGS DEM files.  Grid files contain a regularly spaced array of XYZ data points interpolated from your original data.  To create a contour map you must first create a grid [.GRD] file from your XYZ data [.DAT] file.  After you have a grid file you can then create the contour map.  Alternatively, Surfer will automatically convert a DEM file to the grid file format necessary to create a contour map.

The smoothness of contours on a Surfer contour map is partially a function of the number of X and Y lines in the grid [.GRD] file.  When you create a grid file, reducing the number of lines in the X and Y directions can result in more angular contours on your contour map.

Surfer allows you to add color fill between contours.  Color fill can be applied to each contour interval manually or you can create a Fill Spectrum by specifying the colors to assign to the Minimum and Maximum contour intervals.

Creating a Contour Map

1.	Create a grid [.GRD] file of your data using the Data command from the Grid menu.  Grid files can also be produced from the Function and Math commands.

2.	Choose the Contour command from the Map menu and the Open Grid dialog box is displayed prompting you for the name of the grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file.  Specify the name of the file and click OK.  The Contour Map dialog box is displayed.

3.	Specify any parameters in the Contour Map dialog box and click OK.  A contour map is created from your grid or DEM file.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Contour Command

Contour Line Attributes

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Contour Levels


Specifying Contour Levels

Contour levels are represented as lines of constant Z value on a contour map.  When you display the Contour Map dialog box, the contour levels for the map are listed in the Contour Levels group.  You can specify the contour levels to use on a map in several ways.

You can automatically assign regularly-spaced contour levels using regular intervals by typing the smallest and largest Z values and the contour interval between adjacent contours.  For example, the smallest Z value (the minimum contour level) could be defined as 50, the largest Z value (the maximum contour level) could be 100, and the interval between contours could be 10.  In this case contour lines are drawn at Z levels of 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100.  If the range of Z values goes beyond the minimum and maximum values you define, the contours outside the range are ignored.

You can assign contour levels by double-clicking the contour value in the Contour Map dialog box and typing the value for the contour level.

To create contour levels at regular intervals:

1.	To create the contour levels, double-click the map and the Contour Map dialog box is displayed.

2.	To assign evenly spaced contour levels, click the Level button in the Contour Levels group and the Contour Levels dialog box is displayed.

3.	Type in the values for the Minimum and Maximum contours, and the Interval value that defines the spacing in Z units between adjacent contour lines.

4.	Click the OK button and the Contour Levels list is updated in the Contour Map dialog box.  Click OK and the map is displayed with the new levels you specified.

To create contour levels at any user-specified Z value:

1.	Double-click the map and the Contour Map dialog box is displayed.  In the Contour Levels group, all the contour levels are displayed.

2.  	Click the Add button to add a contour level midway between the selected level and the next lower level.  Clicking the Delete button removes the selected level from the list.

3.	When you are through adding or deleting levels, you can double-click the level value for the contour levels in the list, and Enter a new value for the contour level in the Z Level dialog box.  Click OK and the Contour Levels list reflects the change.

4.	When you are finished defining the contour levels, click OK and the map is displayed with your changes.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Contour Command

Contour Line Attributes

Creating a Contour Map

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot


Contour Line Attributes

Each contour level can be assigned individual line attributes.  You can assign contour line attributes so there is a gradational change (of color, width, or both) from the minimum to maximum contours, or you can assign specific line attributes to individual contour levels.

Gradational colors or widths are assigned by specifying the color or width in the Line Spectrum dialog box.  This dialog box allows you to set the attributes for the minimum and maximum contour level.  This creates a gradation of colors or widths from the minimum contour line to the maximum.  For example, you can assign the color red to the minimum level, and the color blue to the maximum level.  The assigned contour line colors gradate from red to blue.  If you do not want to display contour lines for a plot you can assign the "invisible" line style to both the minimum and maximum contour levels.

In contrast to contour line color and width, there is no gradational change between line styles (dashed, dotted, etc.) when different styles are assigned to the minimum and maximum contour levels in the Line Spectrum dialog box.  In this case, the lower half of the contour lines use the style assigned to the minimum contour level, and the upper half of the contours use the style assigned for the maximum contour level.

You can also assign attributes to individual contour levels by double-clicking the line sample in the Levels group.  When you  assign line colors manually, you specify the attributes for each individual contour level.

Assigning Line Attributes using a Color Spectrum or Gradational Widths

1.	Double-click the map to display the Contour Map dialog box.  Click the Line button in the Contour Levels group and the Line Spectrum dialog box is displayed.

2.	Click the Minimum button and the Line Attributes dialog box is displayed.  Select the color and/or width you want to assign to the minimum contour level on the map.

3.	Click OK in the Line Attributes dialog box and repeat the procedure for the Maximum contour line.

4.	Click OK in the Line Spectrum dialog box and you are returned to the Contour Map dialog box.  The line colors and widths you specified are shown for the minimum and maximum contour lines, and the intermediate contour lines display gradational colors from the minimum to the maximum.  Be aware that some video cards and monitors are not capable of generating smooth gradations from one color to another, so the line spectrum might consist of ranges of one color, resulting in "color zones" rather than a smooth line color spectrum.

5.	Click OK in the Contour Map dialog box and the contour map is drawn with a color and/or width spectrum from the minimum to the maximum contour lines.

Assigning Line Attributes to Specific Contour Lines

1.	Double-click the contour map to display the Contour Map dialog box.

2.	Double-click the line sample for the contour line you want to modify, and select the line attributes from the Line Attributes dialog box.

3.	Click OK in the Line Attributes dialog box and repeat the procedure for all the contour lines you want to change.   When you are done, click OK and the map is drawn with the attributes you specified.

Assigning the Same Line Attributes to all Contour Levels

1.	From the Contour Map dialog box, click the Line button in the Color Levels group and the Line Spectrum dialog box is displayed.

2.	Click the Minimum Line Attributes button and specify the line attributes you want to use for all the contour lines on the map.  Repeat the procedure for the Maximum Line Attributes, specifying the same attributes for the maximum contour lines.

3.	Return to the Contour Map dialog box and click OK.  The contour map is displayed with the same contour line attributes for all contours on the map.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Contour Command

Creating a Contour Map

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Line Attributes

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Contour Levels


Adding Color Fill Between Contours

You can produce filled contour maps that fill the area between contour levels.  Each contour level on a map can be assigned fill attributes that are the same or different from the other contour levels on the map.  You can assign fill attributes so there is a gradational change of color from the minimum to maximum contours, or you can individually assign specific fill attributes to specific contour levels.

Gradational fills are assigned by specifying the colors in the Fill Spectrum dialog box.  This allows you to set the fill attributes for the minimum and maximum contour level.  This creates a gradation of colors from the minimum to the maximum contour level.  For example, you can define black as the color to assign to the minimum level, and white to assign to the maximum level.  The assigned contour fill colors are gradational from black to white.  To display the filled contours, activate the Fill Contours checkbox in the Contour Map dialog box.

You can assign different fill patterns for the minimum and maximum contour levels, but there is not a gradational change between patterns.  In this case, the lower half of the contour levels use the pattern assigned to the minimum level, and the upper half of the contours use the pattern assigned for the maximum level.

When you produce a filled contour maps from a large grid, drawing the map might take a considerable amount of time.  When you use filled contours and click OK in the Contour Map dialog box, the Status Bar reports that Surfer is "Building the Contour Tree".  Be patient during this process.

Assigning Color Fill Based on a Fill Spectrum

1.	Double-click the contour map to display the Contour Map dialog box.  Make sure the contour levels are set the way you want them to appear because adding or deleting a level after assigning a fill spectrum will alter the spectrum.

2.	Click the Fill button in the Contour Levels group and the Fill Spectrum dialog box is displayed.

3.	Click the Minimum button to display the Fill Attributes dialog box.  Select the fill attributes for the minimum contour level on the map.

4.	Click OK in the Fill Attributes dialog box and repeat the procedure for the maximum contour level.

5.	Click OK in the Fill Spectrum dialog box and the Contour Map dialog box appears.  The fill attributes you specified are shown for the minimum and maximum contour levels, and the contour levels in between display gradational colors from the minimum to the maximum.

6.	Activate the Fill Contours checkbox in the Filled Contours group and click OK.  The contour map is drawn with colors filling the areas between the contour lines.

Assigning Color Fill to Specific Contour Levels

1.	Double-click the contour map to display the Contour Map dialog box. Double-click the fill pattern for the contour level you want to modify, and select the fill attributes from the Fill Attributes dialog box.

2.	Click OK in the Fill Attributes dialog box and repeat the procedure for all the contour levels you want to change.

4.	Activate the Fill Contours checkbox in the Filled Contours group and click OK.  The contour map is drawn with colors filling the areas between the contour lines.

See Also

Contour Command

Contour Line Attributes

Creating a Contour Map

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Fill Attributes

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Contour Levels


Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

You can make a filled contour map without contour lines.  To do this you set the contour line attributes to "invisible".  In the Line Attributes dialog box, the invisible line style is represented by the blank box in the Style palette.

1.	Double-click the filled contour map so the Contour Map dialog box is displayed.

2.	Click the Line button in the Color Levels group and the Line Spectrum dialog box is displayed.

3.	Click the Minimum Line Attributes button and specify the "invisible" line style.  Specify the same attributes for the Maximum Line Attributes.

4.	Click OK and OK in the Contour Map dialog box and the filled contour map is displayed without contour lines.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Contour Command

Contour Line Attributes

Creating a Contour Map

Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Contour Levels


Creating an Image Map

Image maps are created from grid [.GRD] files or USGS DEM file. The grid file is read only once when you create an image map.  If you change the grid file used to produce the image map , the grid file changes are not reflected on the image map.  You can use the Browse button in the Image Map dialog box to reload the modified grid.  You can even delete the grid file and the image map is still drawn as before.

To produce an image map from a grid file or DEM file:

1.	Choose the Image command from the Map menu.  The Open Grid dialog box is displayed prompting you for the name of the grid [.GRD] or DEM file to use.

2.	Specify the file to use for the image map.  Click OK and the Image Map dialog box is displayed.  Click OK to create an image map using the Surfer defaults.  Otherwise you can specify any of the parameters and then click OK to produce the image map.

3.	To modify the image map, you can double-click on the map, or press Button 2 over the map, and the Image Map dialog box is displayed, allowing you to make any changes.

Modifying an Image Map

Once you have created an image map, you can change the map features.  The procedure for changing image map features depends on what element of the image map you want to change.  Image map specific parameters are changed from the Image Map dialog box, while elements common to all maps (such as scaling or axis parameters) are changed from the Map menu.

When you double-click an image map, or press Button 2 while over the image map, the Image Map dialog box is displayed.  From here you can change the grid or DEM file displayed, and control the display of colors on the map.


Creating a Shaded Relief Map

Shaded relief maps are created from grid [.GRD] files or USGS DEM files. The grid file is read only once when you create a shaded relief map.  If you change the grid file used to produce the shaded relief map , the grid file changes are not reflected on the map. You can use the Browse button in the the Shaded Relief Map dialog box to reload the modified grid.  You can even delete the grid file and the map is still drawn as before.

To produce an shaded relief map from a grid file or DEM file:

1.	Choose the Shaded Relief command from the Map menu.  The Open Grid dialog box is displayed prompting you for the name of the grid [.GRD] or DEM file to use.

2.	Specify the file to use for the shaded relief map.  Click OK and the Shaded Relief Map dialog box is displayed.  Click OK to create a shaded relief map using the Surfer defaults.  Otherwise you can specify any of the parameters and then click OK to produce the map.

3.	To modify the shaded relief map, you can double-click on the map, or press Button 2 over the map, and the Shaded Relief Map dialog box is displayed, allowing you to make any changes.

Modifying a Shaded Relief Map

Once you have created a shaded relief map, you can change the map features.  The procedure for changing shaded relief map features depends on what element of the shaded relief map you want to change.  Shaded relief map specific parameters are changed from the Shaded Relief Map dialog box, while elements common to all maps (such as scaling or axis parameters) are changed from the Map menu.

When you double-click a shaded relief map, or press Button 2 while over shaded relief map, the Shaded Relief Map dialog box is displayed.  From here you can change the grid or DEM file displayed, and control the display of colors on the map.


Creating a Grid File

A grid file is required if you want to produce a contour map or a surface plot.  To produce a grid [.GRD] file, you must first create an XYZ data [.DAT] file, and save the file on disk.  You can also create a grid using the Function command from the Grid menu.

You can also produce grid files directly from an evenly spaced array of Z values.  When your Z values are organized correctly in an ASCII file, you can use the Surfer worksheet to open the file, add some header information identifying the data as a grid [.GRD] file and the limits of the data, and then save the file.  You can use this file to draw a contour map or surface plot.

When you are creating a grid file you can usually accept all the gridding defaults and generate an acceptable grid file that is useful for producing a contour map or surface plot.  There are several parameters you can change that can affect your grid file.  These can be categorized as grid geometry parameters and grid method parameters.

Grid line geometry parameters include the grid limits and the grid density.  Grid limits specify the X and Y minimum and maximum limits for the grid file that is created.  By default Surfer chooses grid limits identical to the limits of the minimum and maximum X and Y values in the XYZ data file.  The limits of the grid file determine the limits for contour maps or surface plots produced from the grid file.  Grid density refers to the number of grid lines in the X and Y direction, otherwise referred to as the columns and rows in the grid file.  By default Surfer determines the longer of the X and Y dimensions, and assigns 50 grid lines in that dimension.  The other dimension is assigned proportionally less grid lines so the spacing between grid lines is the same for the two dimensions.  You can change spacing values or the number of lines in either dimension if desired.

Grid Method parameters control the interpolation procedures and are discussed in several areas within the help system.  Refer to Choosing a Gridding Method for information on gridding methods and gridding parameters.

Producing a Grid [.GRD] File

1.	Create an XYZ data [.DAT] file from your data.  Save the file on disk.

2.	Choose the Data command from the Grid menu and the Open Data dialog box is displayed.  This is prompting you for the name of the data file to be gridded.  Specify the name of the XYZ data file, click OK and the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box is displayed.

3.	In the Scattered Data Interpolation dialog box, specify the parameters you want for the type of grid file you wish to produce.  The final contour map or surface plot is a result of the parameters and gridding method you use.  For more information on gridding refer to the Data command or Gridding Methods.

4.	When the desired parameters are specified, click OK and the Save Grid dialog box is displayed, prompting you for the name of the grid file to be created.  Type in a name including the drive and path information, click OK, and the grid [.GRD] file is created.

5.	If you want to create a contour map or surface plot of the grid file you created, choose the Contour or Surface command from the Map menu and specify the name of the [.GRD] file.

See Also

Anisotropy

Creating a Contour Map

Creating a Grid File

Creating a Surface Plot

Data Treatment

Grid [.GRD] Files

Grid Convert Command

Grid Density

Grid Extract Command

Grid File Formats

Grid Limits

Grid Transform Command

Grid Line Geometry

Gridding a Function

Gridding Methods

Gridding Options

Gridding Overview

Honoring Original Data During Gridding

Inverse Distance to a Power

Kriging

Minimum Curvature

Nearest Neighbor

Number of Original Data Points During Gridding

Polynomial Regression

Radial Basis Functions

Recommendations for Choosing a Gridding Method

Search Ellipse

Search Options

Search Rules

Search Type

Shepard's Method

Smoothing a Grid File

Smoothing During Gridding

Triangulation w/ Linear Interpolation

Using the Grid Editor


Creating Base Maps
Creating and Modifying Base Maps

Base maps can be used to show geographic information on a map.  Base maps can also be combined with other maps in overlays (using the Overlay Maps command).

To load a base map file:

1.	Choose the Load BaseMap command from the Map menu.  The Import File dialog box is displayed with a listing of files in all the format types you can import.  If you want to only see a particular type of file from the current directory, click that file type from the List Files of Type drop-down list box.

2.	Double-click the boundary file from the list, or type the name (including the file extension) in the File Name edit box and click OK.  The import options dialog box for the file type you specified is displayed.  Make any changes to the import options.  For metafiles and most bitmaps there are no import options.

3.	Click OK and the boundary map is imported into the current Plot window.

Changing Object Line, Fill or Symbol Attributes in a Base Map

When you create a base map containing polyline, polygon or symbol objects, you can select the base map and assign line and fill attributes to the base map objects.  Any attributes you assign are applied to all the objects in the base map.  This procedure does not work for bitmap files.

To change the attributes of the polylines or polygons in a base map:

1.	Double-click the base map.  The Base Map dialog box is displayed.

2.	Click the button for the type of attributes you want to set.  You can set the Line Attributes, Fill Attributes, Text Attributes or Symbol Attributes

3.	Click OK in the attribute dialog box, and OK in the Base Map dialog box and the base map is redrawn.  The attributes you specified are applied to all the polyline, polygon, text or point symbol objects in the base map.

Assigning Coordinates on Bitmap Boundaries

When you import bitmap files to use as base maps, the files use coordinate systems that are unlikely to fit with other types of maps.  You can assign coordinates to bitmaps, and then use the bitmap images in overlays with other maps.

To assign new coordinates to a bitmap basemap:

1.	Double-click the base map, or click with Button 2.  The Base Map dialog box is displayed.

2.	In the Image Coordinates group, type the minimum and maximum X and Y coordinates to define the map limits.

3.	Click OK, and the map is redrawn using the new coordinates.  You can overlay this map on contour, post or other base maps.

See Also

Boundary Files and File Formats Used by Load BaseMap

Creating a [.BLN] File with the Digitize Command

Digitize

Placing Boundaries on a Map


Exporting Graphics Files

You can export files from Surfer using the Export command from the File menu.  This allows you to create AutoCAD [.DXF] files, metafile [.WMF], [.CLP], or [.CGM] formats, or several bitmap formats.

To export your Surfer map, use the Export command from the File menu.  You can export the entire contents of the Plot window, or select particular maps or objects to export. If you have several maps or objects in the Plot window, you can select specific objects to export.  When you choose the Export command, the Export dialog box is displayed.  At the bottom of the dialog box you can activate the Selected objects only checkbox, and only the selected objects are written to the exported file.

When you are exporting a map, you must specify the export file format before the file is created.  You can do this in two ways.

*	You can type the appropriate extension on the File Name in the Export dialog box.  When you type in one of the three accepted extensions, the file is written to the associated format automatically.  For example, if you type the file name "ROOST.DXF", the file is automatically saved in the AutoCAD [.DXF] format.

*	You can type any name with any extension in the File Name edit box in the Export dialog box.  When you click OK you are prompted to specify the format of the file in the Export File Types dialog box.  Click the desired format and the file is created.

To export a file:

1.	Create your map and any associated features.  If you want to only export certain objects or maps from the Plot window, select just those objects.

2.	Choose the Export command from the File menu and the Export dialog box is displayed.  If you have selected a limited number of objects from the Plot window, click the Selected objects only checkbox in the Export dialog box.  Otherwise leave this checkbox unchecked.

3.	In the File Name edit box, type the name for the file to be created.  Include the extension on the file name, depending on the file type you want to create.

4.	Click OK and the Export Status dialog box is displayed while the file is being created.

See Also

AutoCAD DXF Drawing [.DXF] Export

Bitmap Export Files

Creating DXF Files

Creating Encapsulated Postscript Files

Creating HPGL Files

Export Command

Metafile Format Files

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Export

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Export


Creating [.DXF] Files

AutoCAD [.DXF] Files are created using the Export command from the File menu.

Maps and drawings in a Plot window can be exported to the AutoCAD Drawing Exchange Format [.DXF].  Many programs, including AutoDesk Inc.'s AutoCAD (Computer Aided Design) program can import [.DXF] files, allowing you to display and/or further manipulate the images.  You create AutoCAD [.DXF] files using the Export command from the File menu.  AutoCAD [.DXF] files allow you to overlay the maps on your CAD base maps or site drawings.

To export a map as an AutoCAD [.DXF] file:

1.	Create your map and any associated features.  If you want to only export certain objects or maps from the Plot window, select just those objects.

2.	Choose the Export command from the File menu and the Export dialog box is displayed.  If you have selected a limited number of objects from the Plot window, click the Selected objects only checkbox in the Export dialog box.  Otherwise leave this box unchecked.

3.	In the File Name edit box, type the name for the file to be created.  Include the [.DXF] extension so the created file uses the AutoCAD [.DXF] format.

4.	Click OK and the AutoCAD DXF Export dialog box is displayed.  Specify any options for the [.DXF] file by clicking on the option buttons or checkboxes.  See AutoCAD [.DXF] Files files for more information.

5.	Specify the scaling information to use by typing the values in the Page Rectangle and DXF Rectangle edit boxes.  Refer to AutoCAD [.DXF] Files files for more information on scaling [.DXF] files.

6.	Click OK and the [.DXF] file is created.

See Also

AutoCAD [.DXF] Files

Export Command


[.DXF] Scaling

Exported maps can use either page coordinates or map coordinates in the exported [.DXF] file.  Page coordinates specify the position of the objects in relation to the Plot window rulers.  Map coordinates are the XY coordinates used by the map as read from the grid [.GRD] file, data file, or boundary file used to produce the map.  By default, Surfer transforms page coordinates into map coordinates when exporting a single map.  This assures that your map coordinates are used in the [.DXF] file.  When you export drawings not based on maps, the [DXF] file uses page coordinates.

When a map is drawn in the Plot window, the map coordinate system (map units) is translated to the Plot window coordinate system (page units) so the map can be drawn in the Plot window.  When you export a map to a [.DXF] file, you might want to translate the page coordinates for the map back into the original map coordinates.  [.DXF] file export can automatically translate between page coordinates and map coordinates.

In the AutoCAD File Export dialog box, page coordinates are specified in the Page Rectangle edit boxes.  Map coordinates are specified in the DXF Rectangle edit boxes.  The coordinate system defined by the DXF Rectangle is the one used in the [.DXF] file.  When the dialog box is opened, the edit boxes are automatically displayed with Page Rectangle and DXF Rectangle coordinates that reflect the current page and map coordinate systems.  If you change any of the values you can reset them to the original settings using the Default button.

You can define the Lower left and Upper right X and Y coordinates for both the Page Rectangle and the DXF Rectangle.  For example, consider the dialog box displayed below for a map using Latitude/Longitude coordinates.  In this example, the Lower left corner of the map is positioned at the XY page coordinates of (1.25,3.1).  The Longitude/Latitude coordinates for this corner of the map are (-105.25,39.7).  The Upper left coordinates for the Page Rectangle and DXF Rectangle are (7.25,7.9) and (-105.12,39.8), respectively.  By defining the DXF Rectangle coordinates relative to the Page Rectangle coordinates, the page coordinates can be transformed into the corresponding map coordinates, and the map coordinates can be written to the file.

When the exported map is rotated or tilted other than 90 degrees, or other types of objects (such as rectangles or polygons) are included during export, the Page Rectangle and DXF Rectangle coordinates are the same by default.  For example, consider the dialog box shown below where the Page Rectangle and DXF Rectangle coordinates are identical.  This is because there is no underlying map coordinate system different from the page coordinate system.

Coordinates used in the [.DXF] file can be offset and/or scaled relative to the default values by entering the new values in the edit boxes so you can scale the drawing to fit into the AutoCAD bounding rectangle at the same time you export it.

Scaling information can be specified in three ways.

*	You can click the Application option button in the Scaling source group box.  This option automatically determines the page coordinates for the corners of the map, and determines the coincident map coordinates and loads this scaling information into the appropriate edit boxes.  If a map is the only object being exported, and is an unrotated base, contour, post or surface map viewed from directly overhead (using a 3D View Tilt value of 90 degrees), the (X,Y) data extents are read from the map and are used for the DXF Rectangle.  Under all other circumstances Surfer sets the scaling rectangles so the DXF Rectangle uses the same units and scaling as the Page Rectangle.

*	You can click the Saved option in the Scaling source group box to reload previously saved scaling values.  When the Save scaling info checkbox is active, the current Page Rectangle and DXF Rectangle coordinates are saved.  The Saved option loads those coordinates the next time you use the [.DXF] export option.

*	You can type any values in the Page Rectangle and DXF Rectangle edit boxes.


Creating HPGL Files

You can create Hewlett Packard Graphics Language files of your Surfer maps.  When you install an HP Plotter under the Windows Control Panel, you can redirect the output to go to a file rather than to a plotter.  Even if you do not have an HP Plotter attached to your computer you can install one of the plotters and direct the output to a file.  The file created is an HP Graphics Language file.  To create the file from Surfer, you simply print the map using the Print command from the File menu.

1.	From the Windows Program Manager, double-click the Control Panel icon and double click the Printers icon.

2.	Add any HP Plotter to the list of Installed Printers and highlight the plotter in the list.

3.	Click the Connect button, and choose the FILE option in the list of ports.

4.	Click OK and the installed HP Plotter appears in the Installed Printers list as HP Plotter on FILE.  Click Close to save the plotter in the current list.

5.	To create an HPGL file from Surfer, choose the Print Setup command from the File menu and select the HP Plotter on File from the list.

6.	Choose Print from the File menu and specify any printing options you prefer.  Click OK and the Print to File dialog box is displayed.  Type in the name to use for the HPGL file.  Click OK and the plotter information is written to the HPGL file.


Creating EPS Files
Creating Encapsulated PostScript Files

You can create encapsulated postscript files of your Surfer maps.  When you install a Postscript printer under the Windows Control Panel, you can redirect the output to go to a file rather than to a printer.  Even if you do not have a postscript printer attached to your computer you can install one of the printers and direct the output to a file.  The file created is an [.EPS] file.  To create the file from Surfer, you simply print the map using the Print command from the File menu.

1.	From the Windows Program Manager, double-click the Control Panel icon and double click the Printers icon.

2.	Add any Postscript Printer to the list of Installed Printers and highlight the printer in the list.

3.	Click the Setup button, and if necessary the Options button in the printer dialog box.

4.	In the Print To group box, click Encapsulated PostScript File option.  Click OK and the installed PostScript printer appears in the Installed Printers list.  Click Close to save the printer in the current list.

5.	To create an EPS file from Surfer, choose the Print Setup command from the File menu and select the Postscript printer from the list.

6.	Choose Print from the File menu and specify any printing options you prefer.  Click OK and the Print to File dialog box is displayed.  Type in the name to use for the EPS file.  Click OK and the printer information is written to the EPS file.


Creating Level Files and Color Zones

Level [.LVL] files contain information specifying what contour levels to apply to a map, and the line attributes to use for each of the contour levels.  When you have defined custom contour levels and colors on a map, you can save the level and color information in an [.LVL] file.  This [.LVL] file can be recalled for any other contour map or surface plot.

The minimum amount of information a level [.LVL] file can contain is the elevation data telling Surfer which contour lines to place on a contour map or surface plot displaying Z lines (a stacked contour plot).  In addition however, level files can contain information about the line attributes to assign to each contour line on a contour map or surface plot.  If you are using the level file for a contour map, the level file can also contain fill attributes (for fill between contours), contour label attributes, and hachure information.

The easiest way to create a level file containing all possible level information is from the Contour Map dialog box (see the Contour command for more information).  You can specify all the information including levels, line attributes, color fill attributes, contour label, and hachure information from here.  When you click the Save button the Save As dialog box is displayed.  Type in the file name for the level file and click OK.  The level file is saved, and can be used for either contour maps or surface plots.

When you want to save a new level file from the Surface Plot dialog box, click the Z Levels or Color Levels buttons and click the Save button in the displayed dialog box.  The only information written to the file is the levels and line attribute information.  If you have loaded a level file originally created from the Contour Map dialog box, the fill attribute, contour label and hachure information is not changed if you subsequently save the level file from the Surface Plot dialog box.  Even though this type of information is not written from  the Surface Plot dialog box, it is preserved in the file.

Creating a Level File

1.	Open a Contour Map dialog box by choosing the Contour command from the Map menu or by double-clicking on an existing contour map.

2.	In the Contour Map dialog box, change any of the contour parameters.

3.	When you have the settings you want, click the Save button in the Contour Levels group box.

4.	In the Save As dialog box, type in the file name for the level file and click OK.  The level file is saved.

5.	To use this file In any Contour Map dialog box, click the Load button to load this file.  For a surface plot, click the Z Levels or Color Levels buttons and click the Load button in the displayed dialog box.

See Also

Adding Color Fill Between Contours

Contour Command

Contour Line Attributes

Creating a Contour Map

Displaying a Filled Contour Map without Contour Lines

Overlaying a Filled Contour Map on a Surface Plot

Specifying Contour Levels


Creating Profile Lines
Creating Profile Lines (Cross Sections)

Profile lines represent a slice taken through the surface of a grid [.GRD] file.  The profile line is defined in a blanking [.BLN] file line that traverses the grid file.  The Slice command produces profile data that can be plotted using GRAPHER or GRAPHER for Windows.  The profile is generated by taking a vertical slice through a surface along a boundary line.  The surface is based on a grid [.GRD] file or USGS DEM file and the boundary line is from a Golden Software Blanking [.BLN].

The Slice command produces an ASCII data file or a blanking [.BLN] file containing Z values.

The ASCII data file consists of five columns of data.  When profile data is written to the ASCII file, a new row of data is generated for each point where the boundary line intersects the grid lines (the rows or columns) in the data file.  The columns in the data file are arranged as follows:

Column 1:  X coordinate of the boundary line and grid line (row or column) intersection

Column 2:  Y coordinate of the boundary line and grid line (row or column) intersection

Column 3:  Z value at the boundary line and grid line (row or column) intersection

Column 4:  Accumulated horizontal distance along the boundary line

Column 5:  Boundary number, used when more than one boundary line is contained in the file.

To produce a profile from the data file generated in slice, you can use this file in GRAPHER or GRAPHER for Windows.  When you plot the data, Column 3 (the Z value) is plotted as the Y coordinate.  You can plot the Z value versus either Column 1, Column 2 or Column 4.

Using Column 1 as the X coordinate in GRAPHER produces a profile line projected onto the X-Z plane in Surfer.

Using Column 2 as the X coordinate in GRAPHER produces a profile line as it would project on the Y-Z plane in Surfer.

Using Column 4 as the X coordinate in GRAPHER produces a profile line that shows the true accumulated distance along the boundary line.

Creating Cross Section Data

To create a data file containing cross section data:

1.	Choose the Slice command from the Grid menu.  In the Open Grid dialog box, specify the grid [.GRD] file or DEM file to use, and click OK.

2.	In the Open File dialog box, specify the blanking [.BLN] file to use when producing the profile data.  Click OK and the Grid Slice dialog box is displayed.

3.	If you want to produce a [.BLN] file, click the Browse button in the Output BLN File group.  Specify the name for a blanking [.BLN] file to produce during the slice operation.  The name then appears in the Output BLN File group box.

4.	Click the Browse button in the Output DAT File group box and specify the name for an ASCII data file where you want to write the cross section data.  The name then appears in the Output DAT File group box.

*	The Clip outside grid checkbox limits the output profile line to the limits of the grid file.  If your blanking [.BLN] file line extends beyond the limits of the grid, the points outside the grid are not included in the slice data file when the checkbox is active.

*	The Clip blanked areas checkbox eliminates data from areas that are blanked in the grid file.  If blanked nodes exist in the grid file used for the slice operation, you can eliminate the blanked areas from the output data file when the checkbox is active.

5.	Click OK and a data file (and [.BLN] file if specified) is created containing the cross section data.  If you want to produce a cross section or profile line,  you can use Golden Software's GRAPHER or GRAPHER for Windows programs to produce the XY plots of your data.


Displaying Several Maps
Displaying Several Maps on a Page

There are different ways you can display two or more maps on a page.  You can display several different maps, you can stack maps of related information, or you can overlay maps of related information.

When you have related maps that you want to associate on the page, you have two options available.

The Stack Maps command allows you to align maps on the page.  This is useful for placing a contour map or surface plot over another surface plot.  When you use the Stack Maps command the surfaces or contour map and surface should use the same grid limits and be oriented with the same 3D View parameters.

The Overlay Maps command directly overlays contour maps, post maps or surface plots.  When you overlay maps Surfer determines the map limits for all the maps and correctly superimposes them by overlaying points with the same X,Y coordinates.  This allows you to perform such tasks as overlay a filled contour map on a surface plot, or superimpose a basemap over a contour map, as just two examples.

When you overlay maps containing surface plots, all maps are automatically clipped to the limits of the surface map.  For example, you might have a base map that has larger extents than a surface map.  If you combine the base map and the surface map in an overlay, the base map is automatically clipped to the limit of the surface plot.

When you overlay maps, the map limits are set to the limits of the composite map.  Consider a case where a base map is combined in an overlay with a contour map.  The base map might have greater extents than the contour map, and the limits for the overlay are set to the limits of the base map.  The contour map is drawn in the middle of the base map, and might be much smaller.  In this case, you can set the map limits (see Setting Map Limits) of the overlay to match the limits of the contour map, thereby clipping the boundaries to the contour map limits.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Setting Map Limits

Resizing Maps


Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

There are two ways to place several maps in the same Plot window.  One way is to create all the maps in the same Plot window.  Alternatively, when you have completed several maps in separate Plot windows and saved them as Surfer [.SRF] Files, you can open each map and use the Clipboard to copy the maps and paste them into a single Plot window.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Resizing Maps


Combining Maps
Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Overlaying maps lets you combine several maps of related data.  You can overlay any combination of base maps, contour maps or post maps, but overlays can only contain a single surface map.  For example, you can overlay any number of boundary maps on a contour map.  You could have several different boundary maps that you overlay on a single contour map.  Each of the boundary maps could display different line or fill attributes for the objects so you could easily distinguish different boundaries on your contour map.

When you overlay maps, the overlays use a single set of map axes, and the maps are positioned according to the coordinates for the maps.  If two or more maps use the same coordinate limits they will overlay directly on top of one another.  If you have several maps that cover adjacent areas, overlaying maps places them in the correct position relative to one another and create a single set of axes encompassing the entire group.  Map overlays can be moved as a single object on the page.

When you overlay contour, post or base maps on a surface plot, the maps are draped over the surface.  The surface map is drawn in the usual fashion but the base or contour maps are "molded" over the top of the surface.  Image maps or shaded relief maps cannot be overlaid on surface maps.

Combining Two or More Maps

1.	Create all of the maps in a single plot window by choosing the appropriate commands from the Map menu.  When maps are first drawn in the Plot window, they might or might not overlay directly, and each map is an independent object in the Plot window.

2.	Select all of the maps you want to combine in the overlay.  When selecting multiple objects you can:

a.	Hold down the SHIFT key and click each map to be combined.

b.	Press the F2 key if you want all the maps in the Plot window to be combined.

c.	Use the Block Select command to surround the maps to be combined.

3.	Choose the Overlay Maps command from the Map menu to combine all the maps.  All of the maps are combined in the correct position based on their coordinates and limits.

When you want to edit individual maps in a map overlay, you can:

*	Hold down the CTRL and click in the center of the map area.  Each time you click a different map is selected.  You can use the Status Bar to determine the map that is selected.  When you have the desired map, double-click and the dialog box for the selected map is displayed.

*	Select the overlay and choose the Edit Overlays command from the Map menu.  The Edit Components dialog box is displayed.  You can select the map or object from the list and click the Edit button, and the dialog box for the selected object is displayed.

When you want to delete a map from an overlay:

After you have combined maps in an overlay, you might realize you want to eliminate one of the maps from the overlay.  This can be accomplished with the Edit Overlays command.

1.	Click on the overlay, and choose the Edit Overlays command from the Map menu.  The Edit Components dialog box is displayed.

2.	Select the map you want to remove from the overlay, and click the Break Apart button.  The map you selected is removed from the overlay and redrawn in the Plot window.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Deleting Maps from an Overlay

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Resizing Maps


Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

When you have several completed Surfer [.SRF] maps, you can combine the maps into a single Plot window using the Windows Clipboard.  When you copy a Surfer map to the Clipboard and paste the map into a Surfer Plot window, the map remains as a complete map.  You can modify the map in any way.

1.	If you have already created and saved the maps you want to display together, open each map using the Open command from the File menu.  This automatically opens a new Plot window for each map.

2.	Choose the New command from the File menu and create a new empty Plot window.  This is the window where you will place all the maps to be displayed.

3.	For each map, open the appropriate window by choosing the name for the map from the Window menu.

4.	Select the map and choose the Copy command from the Edit menu.  This makes a copy of the map in the Clipboard.

5.	Move to the window to receive all the maps and choose the Paste command from the Edit menu and the map is pasted into the Plot window.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Resizing Maps


Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

When you create several maps in the same Plot window, the default sizes for the maps often result in overlap of the maps even after they are carefully placed on the page. Experience has shown that using the mouse is the quickest way to resize several maps on the page.  If you select all the maps (by pressing F2), you can resize all the maps simultaneously.  If precise scaling is important, you can use the Scale command for each map.  This must be done for each map, one at a time.

To create several maps in the same Plot window:

1.	In an empty Plot window, create each map.

2.	If you want to use independent scaling for each map, select each map and apply the scaling to one map at a time.  If you want to resize all the maps at the same time, press F2 and Drag one of the corner handles.

3.	Select each map and move it to the position on the page where you want it to appear.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Resizing Maps


Overlaying Two or More Maps

You can overlay any combination of contour, post, classed post, or base maps.  When you overlay maps, you can only include one surface plot in the overlay.  Also, you can overlay image maps and shaded relief maps on contour, post or base maps, but not on surface maps.

1.	Create the maps in a single plot window by choosing the appropriate commands from the Map menu.  When maps are first drawn in the Plot window, they might or might not overlay directly, and each map is an independent object with its own set of axes.

2.	Select the maps you want to combine in the overlay.  When selecting multiple objects you can:

a.	Hold down the SHIFT key and click each map to be combined.

b.	Press the F2 key if you want all the maps in the Plot window to be combined.

c.	Use the Block Select command to surround the maps to be combined.

3.	Choose the Overlay Maps command from the Map menu to combine all the maps.  The maps are combined in the correct position based on their coordinates and limits.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Deleting Maps from an Overlay

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Resizing Maps


Editing Maps in an Overlay

To edit individual maps in a map overlay, you can:

1.	Select the map from the overlay.  This is accomplished by:

a.	Holding down the CTRL key and clicking in the center of the map area.  A different map is selected each time you click when the CTRL key is depressed.  The Object ID for the selected map is displayed in the Status Bar, helping you to determine which map is selected.  When you have the map you want, double-click to display the dialog box for the selected map.

b.	Selecting the overlay and choosing the Edit Overlays command from the Map menu.  The Edit Components dialog box is displayed.  You can select the map or object from the list and click the Edit button, to display the dialog box for the selected object.

2.	Make the changes in the dialog box for the selected object.  Click OK and the overlay is redrawn with the changes you specified.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Deleting Maps from an Overlay

Displaying Several Maps

Moving Maps

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Resizing Maps


Deleting Maps from an Overlay

Deleting Maps from an Overlay

After you have combined maps in an overlay, you might realize you want to eliminate one of the maps from the overlay.  This can be accomplished with the Edit Overlays command.

1.	Click on the overlay, and choose the Edit Overlays command from the Map menu.  The Edit Components dialog box is displayed.

2.	Select the map you want to remove from the overlay, and click the Break Apart button.  The map you selected is removed from the overlay and redrawn in the Plot window.


Moving Maps

When you want to move a map on the page:

1.	Select the map and the selection handles appear around the map.

2.	Move the pointer within the limits indicated by the selection handles.

3.	Drag the map to any position on the page.  The size of the map is indicated with a dashed rectangle.

4.	When the map is positioned, release Button 1 and the map is drawn in the new position.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Resizing Maps


Resizing Maps

There are two different ways you can resize a map: using the Scale command and using the mouse.

Using the Scale Command to Resize a Map

The Scale command is the preferred method if you want to scale the map differently in the X and Y dimensions, or if you do not want to distort (by stretching or compressing) or change the size of associated map features such as text or posted symbols.  This method also allows you to precisely define the size of the map.

When you resize a map using this method, the map is rescaled but the text associated with the map is not rescaled.  Also, if your axes are set to use automatic scaling, the tick spacing along the axis is likely to change when you rescale the map in this way.

1.	Select the map you want to resize.

2.	Choose the Scale command from the Map menu, and the Scale dialog box is displayed.

3.	Type the values for the size of the map in the Length edit boxes.  You can also specify the scale by typing the number of units per page unit.  In this way you can specify the scaling, and the size of the map is automatically defined.

4.	Click OK and the map is redrawn at the new size you specified.

Using the Mouse to Resize the Map

Using the mouse has the advantage of being quicker, and this method preserves the relative sizes of all the map features (such as axis tick labels and scaling, axis titles, and associated text blocks).  Generally you should only use the corner handles to resize a map using the mouse, otherwise the associated map features such as text and posted symbols might become stretched.

To use the mouse to resize a map:

1.	Select the map you want to rescale and eight selection handles appear surrounding the map.

2.	Drag the selection handles to resize the map.  If you want to resize the map and preserve the relative X and Y (and Z for surface plots) dimensions, drag any corner handle.

Note: One disadvantage of using the mouse to rescale a map is that the map scaling information is not transferred to the Scale command.  For example, suppose a map with X coordinates from 0 to 60 is automatically scaled to 1 inch = 10 units so the X dimension is six inches in length.  If you click the map and drag one of the corner handles inward so the X dimension is 3 inches long, the map is drawn at the scale 1 inch = 20 units.  If you choose the Scale command from the Map menu, the Scale dialog box will still report that the map is at 1 inch = 10 units.

See Also

Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window


Aligning Several Maps on the Same Page

When you have several maps on the same page, you probably want to align the maps.  Surfer provides you with several ways to align the maps.  You can:

Use the Stack Maps command to line up maps that are placed one above the other on the page.  This lines up maps based on the map coordinate systems, and can be useful for aligning the origins of the maps.  Select the maps to be stacked, and choose the Stack Maps command and the maps are moved horizontally on the page so their coordinate systems are lined up.

Use the Align Objects command from the Arrange menu.  Map alignment done in this way is based on the maps bounding box and not on the coordinate system for the maps.  The bounding box for a map is indicated by the selection handles.  In some cases this might be an acceptable method for aligning maps both horizontally and vertically on the page.

Use the Snap to Ruler option discussed in the Controlling Page Units and the Rulers and Grid topic.  When this option is active, the position of maps is based on the bounding box for the map and the position is restricted to ruler divisions.

Use the mouse to move the maps on the page.  This method is rather imprecise, but gives you complete control over the map position.  Also, while the mouse button is depressed you can use the arrow keys to move the objects 1 pixel at a time.

See Also

Combining Maps and Creating Overlays

Creating Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Displaying Several Maps

Editing Maps in an Overlay

Moving Maps

Overlaying Two or More Maps

Placing Several Completed Maps in the Same Plot Window

Placing Several Maps in the Same Plot Window

Resizing Maps

Stack Maps


Gridding a Function

The Function command from the Grid menu allows you to generate a grid from any two-variable function of the form Z=f(X,Y).  The function can use any of the Surfer math functions.  The grid file created can then be displayed as a contour map or a surface plot.

1.	Choose the Function command from the Grid menu and the Function dialog box is displayed.

2.	Type in the desired function, the minimum and maximum X and Y values and the increment between calculations.  Click OK and specify the name for the output file.  A [.GRD] file is written based on your function.

3.	To display the file, choose the Contour command or Surface command from the Map menu and specify the [.GRD] file of your function.


Moving Maps to Other Applications
Moving Maps into Other Applications

There are many procedures that you can use to move your maps into other applications.  If you want to place the maps into other Windows applications, you can use the Windows Clipboard to easily copy and paste your maps between applications.  If you want to produce output files from Surfer and use these in your Windows applications you can follow the procedures for producing these types of files.

Using the Windows Clipboard to Copy a Map to a Windows Application

1.	Display the map that you want to copy to another application.

2.	Select the objects in the Plot window that you want to copy.  You can press the F2 key to select all objects in the Plot window.

3.	Choose the Copy command from the Edit menu, or press CTRL+C to copy the map to the clipboard.

4.	Switch to the application to receive the map.  Choose the Paste command from the Edit menu and the map is pasted into the new application.

If you want to copy your map to a non-Windows application, there are a few different options available.  You can produce different output files from Surfer.  You should check with the application to receive the files before you can determine the best type of file to produce.  From Surfer you can produce [.EPS] files, HPGL files, [.DXF] files, [.WMF] and [.CLP] files, and printer files for any printer supported by Windows.

Using the Export Command

The Export command from the File menu creates an AutoCAD [.DXF] File, Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] files, or a Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] files.  When using the Export command you can export the entire contents of the Plot window, or only include the currently selected objects.

When you export to one of the file formats, you specify the format to use by typing the appropriate extension on for the file name.  For example, if you want to create a Windows [.WMF] file, you include the .WMF extension on the end of the file name.  This tells Surfer to create a Windows [.WMF] metafile format file.

To export a map:

1.	Create your map and any associated features.  If you want to only export certain objects or maps from the Plot window, select just those objects.

2.	Choose the Export command from the File menu and the Export dialog box is displayed.  If you have selected a limited number of objects from the Plot window, click the Selected objects only checkbox in the Export dialog box.  Otherwise leave this checkbox unchecked.

3.	In the File Name edit box, type the name for the file to be created.  Include the appropriate extension for the File Name.

4.	Click OK and the Export Status dialog box is displayed while the file is being created.

See Also

AutoCAD [.DXF] Files

Creating DXF Files

Creating Encapsulated Postscript [.EPS] Files

Creating HPGL Files

Export Command

Windows Metafile (Clipboard) [.CLP] Export

Windows Metafile (Picture) [.WMF] Export


Placing Boundaries on a Map

You can place boundary information on a map by choosing the Load BaseMap command from the Map menu.  Boundary information can be in several formats.  Base maps can be used to place boundary features on contour maps or surface maps, or can be used as stand-alone maps.  There are three general types of boundary information that can be added to a map: Boundary files, Windows metafiles, and bitmap files.

When you overlay maps containing surface plots, all maps are automatically clipped to the limits of the surface map.  For example, you might have a base map that has larger extents than a surface map.  If you combine the base map and the surface map in an overlay, the base map is automatically clipped to the limit of the surface plot.

When you overlay maps, the map limits are set to the limits of the composite map.  Consider a case where a base map is combined in an overlay with a contour map.  The base map might have greater extents than the contour map, and the limits for the overlay are set to the limits of the base map.  The contour map is drawn in the middle of the base map, and might be much smaller.  In this case, you can set the map limits (see Setting Map Limits) of the overlay to match the limits of the contour map, thereby clipping the boundaries to the contour map limits.

Placing Boundaries on a Contour Map or Surface Plot

1.	Create a contour map or surface plot from a grid file.  The grid file should use limits that cover the same general XY extents as the boundary map.

2.	Choose the Load BaseMap command from the Map menu and specify the boundary file containing the boundaries you want to include on the map.  Click OK and the boundary map is drawn over the top of the contour map or surface plot.  Each map has it's own set of axes, and might be scaled somewhat differently.

3.	Select the boundary map and the contour map or surface plot.  If these are the only two maps in the Plot window, press the F2 key to select both maps.

4.	Choose the Overlay Maps command from the Map menu.  The maps are combined into a single overlay.

See Also

Creating Base Maps

Boundary Files and File Formats Used by Load BaseMap


Posting Data Points

You can place data point locations on any map by using the Post command or the Classed Post command from the Map menu.

Post maps place a symbol at the X,Y location specified in a data file.  Data point locations can be represented by any symbol, and can be at any orientation.  By using the size options you can scale the symbols proportionally.

Classed Post maps use different symbols to represent different ranges of data.  Each range is assigned a different symbol.  Each range can be represented by symbols with varying attributes.  This command allows you to display subsets of data based on user-defined or automatic ranges.

Data points can be posted over existing contour or base maps, or surface plots.

Posting Data Points on a Contour Map or Surface Plot

When you want to post data points on a contour map or surface plot, the map must first be displayed in the Plot window.  The data file to use for posting must contain data points in the same X,Y range as the grid file used to produce the contour map or surface plot.

1.	Create a contour map or surface plot, or open an existing Surfer [.SRF] file containing these types of maps.

2.	Choose the Post command or the Classed Post command from the Map menu, and make the desired changes in the dialog box.  Click OK and the post map is drawn over the top of the contour map or surface plot.

3.	Select the contour map or surface plot and the post map.  You can hold down the SHIFT key to select more than one object in the Plot window.  Alternatively, if you only have the two maps you can press the F2 Select All key, and both maps are selected.

4.	Choose the Overlay Maps command from the Map menu and the two maps are automatically combined.  The map overlays use one set of X and Y axes, and all the points are posted in the correct X,Y position on the map.


Setting Map Limits
Setting Map Limits and Map Clipping

Setting map limits allows you to only display and print a portion of a completed map.  For example, after you have completed a contour map, you might want to focus on only a portion of the map.  By setting the map limits, you can display only the portion of the map you are interested in.

In the case of map overlays, setting map limits allows you to clip contours, boundaries or posted points to the limits of the other maps in the overlay.  For example, you might have a base map with boundaries that extend beyond the limit of a contour map in an overlay.  If you set the map limits of the overlay to match the limits of the contour map, the boundary lines are clipped to the contour map limits.

When you change map limits, axes that use automatic scaling (the default) are also redefined to fit the new limits of the map.  If you do not use automatic scaling for the axes, the axes are drawn over the same range as the original map, and will not match the map using the new limits.  Automatic scaling can be set by selecting the axis and choosing the Axis Scale command from the Map menu.

When you change map settings, the scale information is picked up from the original map.  This can result in a map drawn at a much smaller size than the original.  For example, if you set the map limits to only show the lower left quarter of the map, the clipped map is drawn at one quarter the size of the original.  You can use the Scale command from the Map menu to rescale the map on the page, so it can be drawn at any size in the Plot window.

Setting Map Limits

1.	Create a map or map overlay.  This should not be a surface map or an overlay containing a surface map.

2.	Select the map or overlay, and choose the Limits command from the Map menu.  The Map Limits dialog box is displayed.

3.	Specify the X and Y minimum and maximum values to use for the map by typing the values in the xMin, xMax, yMin and yMax edit boxes.  The Data Limits checkbox resets the map limits to the limits of the grid file, base map or posting data file limits.

4.	Click OK and the map is redrawn with the new limits.  When the map is redrawn, Surfer repositions the map so the center is approximately in the center of the page.

See Also

Map Limits Command

Map Clipping and Map Limits


Saving Settings in Set [.SET] Files
Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

You can modify Surfer.SET to use any number of defaults different from the Surfer internal defaults.  This provides you with a way to fine tune Surfer to use the particular settings you prefer.

1.	In a Surfer Plot window, choose the Default Settings command from the File menu Preferences cascading menu.  The Default Settings dialog box is displayed.  The Surfer.SET name should appear in the Title bar.  If not, click the Load button and specify the Surfer.SET file.

2.	Use the scroll bar to move through the file to find the setting you want to modify.

3.	Type in the new value or text for the setting.  Alternatively, you can add or remove the save flags for the setting.

4.	Click OK and you are prompted to save the changes to Surfer.SET.  Click Yes and Surfer.SET is written to disk with the changes you specified.

You can also use Surfer.SET as a template to create custom Set [.SET] files containing settings different from Surfer.SET.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

File Preferences - Default Settings

Set [.SET] File Format

Set [.SET] Files Overview

Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line


Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

You can create any number of different set files for use with Surfer.  Each of these files can use a different set of defaults, and can be called when you start Surfer, or any time during a Surfer session.

You can use Surfer.SET as a template to create custom [.SET] files containing settings different from Surfer.SET.  Because Surfer.SET contains all the gridding and mapping parameters for which you can set defaults, it gives you the complete list from which to build your custom [.SET] files.

Set files do not need to contain all the settings contained in Surfer.SET.  You can remove any number of settings from your custom [.SET] files.  When settings are removed, Surfer uses the internal defaults for those particular settings.  Only the settings specified in the [.SET] file are reset in Surfer.

Creating Custom Set Files

1.	In a Surfer Plot window, choose the Default Settings command from the File menu Preferences cascading menu.  The Default Settings dialog box is displayed.

2.	Use the scroll bar to move through the file to find the setting you want to modify.

3.	Type in the new value or text for the setting.  Alternatively, you can add or remove the save flags for the setting.

4.	Click Save to save the [.SET] file to a new name.  Type the name in the Save As dialog box and click OK, and the file is saved with the name you specified.  If the file you are modifying is an existing custom set file, and you want to save the changes to the same file, you can click OK and you are prompted to save the changes to that file name.  Click Yes and the set file is written to disk with the changes you specified.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

File Preferences - Default Settings

Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Set [.SET] File Format

Set [.SET] File Overview

Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line


Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

You can modify any setting in the [.SET] file to use parameters different from the internal Surfer defaults.  As an example, you might want contour maps to always be filled.  By adding the appropriate information to the set file, you can change the default setting so new contour maps are filled by default.  In this case, you can open the Default Settings dialog box, and type the information on the cFill = line in the Map Contour section of the set file.  The contour fill setting appears as

cFill =           ;Fill contours (Y,N)

in the [.SET] file.  Adding a Y after the = tells Surfer to always switch on the Filled Contours checkbox in the Contour Map dialog box.  The line would then appear as

cFill = Y          ;Fill contours (Y,N).

If you enter a parameter with incorrect syntax, you will receive an error message when you invoke the command or call the dialog box that uses the particular setting.  Surfer will then use the internal default specified for that setting.

For more complex settings that use multiple parameters, it may be preferable to let Surfer automatically write the parameters to the set file.  This is accomplished by entering a save setting flag to the particular setting.  When a save setting flag is used, the changes you make to the appropriate dialog box setting are recorded by Surfer.  These saved settings can be saved for use only during the current session, or can automatically be written to the [.SET] file for use in the current and future sessions of Surfer.

There are two save setting flags.

*	The + option saves the dialog box settings you specify during the current session, but does not write them to the set file.  They are used only during the current session and are not retained for future Surfer sessions.

*	The * option saves the dialog box settings you specify during the current session, and writes the parameters to the set file when you make the changes in the dialog box.  These parameters are made available to future sessions of Surfer.

Save setting flags are added to the set file after the setting name and before the equals sign and the setting parameter.  The general form is

setting*  =  parameter    ;comment

In this example, any changes you made to the corresponding dialog box setting would be used during the current session and in future sessions of Surfer.  For example, if you wanted to save Left Axis tick label formatting information.  The set file would contain the line

lxLabFmt*  =        ;Left Axis label format attributes

After you made changes to the Left Axis tick labels in the Label Format dialog box for the Left Axis, the line might appear as

lxLabFmt*  = 0 3 2 "" "" ;Left Axis label format attributes

When the parameter is set the way you want it to be, you should then eliminate the save settings flag from setting line in the file.  In this way the changes are preserved, and are not inadvertantly modified at a later time.

See Also

Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

File Preferences - Default Settings

Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Set [.SET] File Format

Set [.SET] Files Overview

Set File Fill Attributes Format

Set File Formats for Attribute Parameters

Set File Line Attributes Format

Set File Numeric Format Format

Set File Symbol Attributes Format

Set File Text Attributes Format

Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line


Specifying Custom Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line
Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line

You can create custom set files to use for specific projects, and rather than using Surfer.SET you can use these custom files when you start Surfer.  You accomplish this by adding the name of your custom set file to the command line under the Windows Program Manager, so the [.SET] file is associated with a specific Surfer icon.  In fact, you can create any number of Surfer icons, each calling a different [.SET] file in the Golden Software Group under the Program Manager.  Each icon can call a different set file, so each icon can represent a different project.

To specify a set file from the Program Manager command line:

1.	From the Windows Program Manager, go the Golden Software Group, and click on the Surfer for Windows icon.  Do not start Surfer for Windows by double-clicking.

2.	Press ALT+ENTER, or you can choose the Properties command from the File menu.  The Program Item Properties dialog box is displayed for Surfer.

3.	Click in the Command Line edit box, and press the END key on the keyboard.

4.	At the end of the command line, type a space, and then /SET=filename.SET, where filename is the name of the set file you want to use.  The entire line would read something like:

C:\Surfer6\Surfer.EXE   /SET=filename.SET

5.	Click OK and the set file you specified is used when you double-click on the Surfer icon.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

File Preferences - Default Settings

Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Set [.SET] File Format

Set [.SET] Files Overview


Creating Several Surfer Icons for Different Projects

When you create different [.SET] files for different projects, you can have several Surfer icons, one for each [.SET] file.  Each icon can have a distinctive name, and can look for files in a different directory.  This allows you to easily keep track of the project icons, and keep your project files in different directories.

To create several Surfer for Windows icons:

1.	At the Windows Program Manager, go the Golden Software Group.

2.	With the mouse pointer on the Surfer icon, press and hold the Ctrl key on the keyboard.  Press and hold Button 1, and drag the Surfer icon to a new location in the Golden Software Group.  Release Button 1 and the Ctrl key, and the Surfer icon is duplicated.  Repeat this procedure for each new Surfer icon you want to create.

3.	Follow the directions to associate a set file with each icon.

4.	While in the Program Items dialog box, you can type a project name in the Description edit box.  This is the name that appears below the icon in the Golden Software Group.  If you keep your project files in different directories, you can also type the path to each project directory in the Working Directory edit box.  The Working Directory is where Surfer will automatically look for files, including the [.SET] file.

See Also

Changing Set [.SET] File Parameters

Creating Custom Set [.SET] Files

File Preferences - Default Settings

Saving Default Settings in Set [.SET] Files

Set [.SET] File Format

Set [.SET] Files Overview

Specifying Set [.SET] Files from the Program Manager Command Line


Smoothing a Grid File

The smoothing commands operate on grid files.  Smoothing operations are used to even out angular contours and blocky surfaces, or to eliminate noise in a contour map or surface.

Spline Smoothing is most effective for eliminating angular contours or surfaces by filling in a sparse grid.  For example, a 10x10 grid might result in very angular contours on a contour map produced from the grid.  By increasing the grid density using the spline smoothing command, the 10x10 grid can result in a 50x50 grid.  The 50x50 grid would produce a much smoother appearing contour map than the 10x10 grid.

Matrix Smoothing is most effective for removing noise or variability between grid nodes that are close together.  The general trends in the surface are retained, but spikes tend to be eliminated.  Matrix smoothing results in an output grid with the same dimensions as the input grid.  Matrix smoothing generates a blanked border around the outside of the grid.


Stacking Surfaces

The Stack Maps command aligns individual map coordinate systems horizontally on the page.  The Stack Maps command was designed to stack maps using compatible coordinate systems.  This command is used when you want to keep the two (or more) maps separated on the page.  The vertical position of individual maps on the page is not changed by this command.

If you want to stack maps they should use the same 3D View.  Using the same 3D View assures that points on the stacked maps are aligned properly.  If you are stacking a contour map over a surface plot, you can select both maps, and choose the 3D View command.  Any 3D View parameters you specify are applied to both selected maps.

The relative vertical placement of maps on the page defines how far apart the maps will be after they are stacked.  Before you use the Stack Maps command, position the maps in the approximate location on the page where you want each to be drawn.  The Stack Maps command only moves maps horizontally on the page, not up or down.

Stacking a Surface Plot over a Surface Plot

1.	For each surface to be stacked, choose the Surface command from the Map menu and specify the grid file or DEM file to use and the desired parameters in the Surface dialog box.

2.	For each surface, select it and drag it to the position on the page where you want it to appear.  For example, if you have two surfaces, move one to the top half of the page and the other to the bottom half of the page so they are not overlapping.

3.	If you want to rescale the surfaces, select each surface, one at a time and choose the Scale command from the Map menu and specify the scaling for the surface.

4.	If you want to change the orientation of the surfaces, select both surfaces (hold down the SHIFT key and click each surface to select it) and click the 3D View command from the Map menu.  Any changes you make are applied to both surfaces.

5.	Choose the Stack Maps command from the Map menu and the two surfaces are aligned on the page.

Stacking a Contour Map over a Surface Plot

1.	For the surface to be stacked, choose the Surface command from the Map menu and specify the grid file to use and the desired parameters in the Surface dialog box.  For the contour map to be used, choose the Contour command from the Map menu and specify the grid file to use and the desired parameters in the Contour Map dialog box.

2.	For the surface and for the contour map, select each one and drag it to the position on the page where you want it to appear.  For example, move one to the top half of the page and the other to the bottom half of the page so they are not overlapping.

3.	If you want to rescale the surface and the contour map, select them, one at a time and choose the Scale command from the Map menu and specify the scaling for the surface.

4.	If you want to change the orientation of the surface and the contour map, select both surfaces (hold down the SHIFT key and click each surface to select it) and click the 3D View command from the Map menu.  Any changes you make are applied to both the surface and the contour map.

5.	Choose the Stack Maps command from the Map menu and the surface and the contour map are aligned on the page.


Using the Grid Node Editor

The Grid Node Editor allows you to modify individual grid nodes in a file by entering a new Z value for any nodes.

To use the Grid Node Editor:

1.	Choose the Grid Editor command from the Grid menu and the Open Grid dialog box is displayed.  Specify the name of the grid file or USGS DEM file to be edited

2.	Click OK and the Grid Node Editor window is displayed.  Your grid file is represented by a contour map and the location of each of the grid nodes in the file is marked with a "+".

3.	To modify the value of a grid node, use the mouse to click the node to be modified, or use the arrow keys to move amongst the grid nodes.

4.	When a grid node is highlighted, the XY coordinates for the node are shown, and the Z value at the point is shown in the edit box below the title bar.  To enter a new value, type in the value.  If you want to blank a node, type CTRL+B (or use the Blank Node command.  If you make a mistake while typing, press the ESC key to return to the original value.

5.	When you are done editing the grid, choose the Save As command from the File menu and specify the name for the grid file to be saved.  If you want to save the file to the same name, you can choose the Save command.

6.	To close the Grid Node Editor window, choose the Close command from the File menu.  To move to another window and leave the Grid Editor window open, choose the window from the Window menu.


Glossary

Active Cell

Active Window

Application

Application Window

ASCII

Base Map

Bitmap

Blanking

Block

Bounding Box

Cell

Checkbox

Click

Clipboard

Column Heading

Command Button

Contour Map

Control Menu

Control Menu Box

Coordinate

Data File

Dialog Box

Document Window

Double Click

Drag

Driver

Ellipse

File Format

Fill Pattern

Filled Contour Map

Font

Grid

Grid Node

Gridding

Handles

Highlight

Hourglass Cursor

Icon

Image Map

Interpolation

List Box

Maximize Icon

Message

Metafile

Minimize Icon

Multiple Selection

Object

Option Button

Point Size

Polygon

Polyline

Post Map

Residual

Resize

Restore Icon

Row Heading

Scroll Bar

Select

Shaded Relief Map

Shortcut Key

Spooling

Status Bar

Surface Plot

Title Bar

Toolbar

Variable

Vector Font

Vector Pattern

Vertex

Worksheet

Worksheet Window

Workspace

X-Y Coordinates

XYZ Data File

Zoom


 Base Map

A base map is used to draw geographic features such as roads, boundaries, rivers, and other features on a map.


Blanking

Blanking is the process of removing grid node data from a grid file.  Blanking assigns a special blanking code (1.70141e38) to grid nodes to be blanked.  Blanked regions of a grid file do not display contour lines on a contour map.  On a surface plot, blanked regions are represented by low flat regions.


Contour Map

A contour map is a plot of three values.  The first two dimensions are the X,Y coordinates, and the third (Z) is represented by lines of equal value (the contour lines on the map).  The shape of the surface is shown by the contour lines.


Filled Contour Map

A contour map with color or pattern fill between the contour lines.


Grid Node

A grid is a rectangular region comprised of rows and columns.  A grid node is the intersection of a row and column in the grid file.  Each grid node is represented by a Z value that indicates the height of the grid at that point.


Gridding

Gridding is the process of producing a regularly spaced array of Z values from irregularly spaced XYZ data.


Interpolation

Interpolation is the process of estmating the height of a surface in areas where no original data points exist.


Image Map

Image maps use different colors to represent elevations.  Colors on image maps are associated with percentage values. The percentage values are in relation to the minimum and maximum Z values from the grid file.


Post Map

A post map shows data point locations on a map.  Post maps are often used to place original data points on a contour map.  Post maps can display different point symbols at each location, and can display text at each location.


Residual

A residual in Surfer is the vertical difference between the Z value in a data file and the interpolated Z value on a gridded surface.


Shaded Relief Map

Shaded relief maps are raster maps based on grid files or DEM files.  These maps use different colors to indicate surface slope and slope direction relative to a user-defined light source direction. Surfer determines the orientation of each grid cell on the surface, and assigns a unique color to each grid cell.


Surface Plot

Surface plots are three dimensional representations of a grid file.  The surface is created by connecting Z values along lines of constant X and Y.  At each XY intersection (grid node), the height of the surface is proportional to the Z value at that point.


XYZ Data File

A data file containing three columns of data.  The first two columns contain X and Y coordinates, and the third column contains the associated Z value at that XY point.


Active Cell

The worksheet cell displayed with a heavy, dotted border. Any data you type is entered into this cell.  If you select more than one cell, the first cell selected is displayed as the active cell; the other cells are displayed in reverse-video.


Active Window

The window in which you are working is the active window.  The active window receives the next action.


Application

A program used for a particular kind of work, such as word processing or database management.


Application Window

The screen area which displays the menus and provides the workspace for any document used within an application.  The application window shares its borders and title bar with document windows that are maximized.


ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange.  A standard code for representing characters as numbers used in most microcomputers, computer terminals, and printers.  It not only includes printable characters, but also control codes to indicate carriage return, backspace, and so forth.


Bitmap

A screen image displayed as an array of dots or "bits."  Generally, software generates either bit-mapped (raster) or object-oriented (vectored) files, or sometimes a combination of the two.


Block

A range of cells surrounded by blank cells.


Bounding Box

The smallest rectangle with vertical and horizontal sides that completely surrounds an object.  All portions of the object lie within the bounding box.  Bounding boxes are invisible except for selected objects that cannot be moved (such as curves, bar charts, fits, etc.).


Cell

The basic unit of a worksheet in which you can enter and store data.  The intersection of every row and every column on a worksheet forms one cell.


Checkbox

A small square box that appears in a dialog box and that can be turned on or off.  Checkboxes generally represent multiple options that you can set.


Ellipse

Defined by its center coordinates and 2 radii.  In Surfer, a circle is created as an ellipse with equal dimensions.


Click

To press and release a mouse button quickly.  When you click the mouse button, you should hear and feel a faint click.  The keyboard equivalent is to quickly press and release (tap) the spacebar.


Clipboard

A data exchange storage area for information that is cut or copied from an application.


Column Heading

A heading that identifies a column of a worksheet.  Column headings are at the top of each column and are labeled A,B,...Z; AA, AB...


Control Menu

A menu common to all windows.  You use the Control menu to resize, move, minimize, maximize, and close the window.


Control-Menu Box

The small square, on the left of a window or dialog box's title bar, that contains the Control menu.


Coordinate

A pair of numeric values used to locate a point. In Surfer these are referred to as the X and Y coordinates that are used to position a point on the map, or indicate the location for a particular observation.


Polyline

A line consisting of one or more line segments joined end to end.  Polylines, unlike polygons, are not necessarily closed.


Data File

A file containing a set of data variables organized by columns.  Data files usually contain both X and Y data.


Dialog Box

In Windows format, a box that allows you to type in additional information.  It may include areas in which you enter text or numbers and view or change settings for options related to the command.


Document Window

The window which holds a single document.  The document window may contain a graph or worksheet document.  When a document window is maximized, it shares the application window's borders and title bar.


Driver

A general term used to describe software that enables a program to run a particular peripheral device.  In most cases, each separate device requires a driver.


Double-Click

To press and release Button 1 twice rapidly without moving the mouse.  The maximum time interval between the two clicks may be set with the Control Panel.


Drag

Press and hold Button 1 and move the mouse so that the selected object moves across the screen.


File Format

A collection of data organized in a specific way.   Surfer can read several file formats including [.SLK], [.XLS], [.WK1], and [.DAT].


Fill Pattern

These are user-defined vector patterns, bitmap patterns, or colors that may be assigned to any shape, bar, or polygon.


Font

The characteristics assigned to text.  These include typeface, point size, style, and color.


Grid

A series of horizontal and vertical lines.  In Surfer, a grid is a rectangular array of Z values used to generate a contour map or surface plot.


Handles

Two types of handles appear in Surfer.  When an object can be moved or resized, solid rectangular boxes appear on the corners and sides of an object.  When an object cannot be moved or resized hollow handles appear around the selected object.


Vector Pattern

A pattern consisting of different combinations of horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines.


Highlight

To use the pointer to select a cell.  The selected cell appears in reverse video (light on a dark background or dark on a light background) or in a separate color.


Hourglass Cursor

The pointer changes to an hourglass symbol as the program performs an operation such as loading a boundary file.  When the cursor returns to a pointer, you can continue.


Icon

A graphic representation of an object, concept, or message.  Minimized windows and tools in the toolbox are represented by icons.


List Box

A part of a dialog box containing a list of possible selections.


Maximize Icon

A symbol used for enlarging a window to fill the available workspace; this icon appears only on windows that can be maximized.


Message

Informs you of a problem or asks for more information.  Messages appear in the status bar or in a message box.


Metafile

A metafile is a collection of Windows graphic commands that create text and images.  Metafiles are usually transferred through the clipboard or by file.


Minimize Icon

A symbol used for shrinking an application window to its smallest form, called an application icon.  This icon appears only on windows that can be minimized.


Multiple Selection

A technique to select more than one object at a time.  Multiple objects are selected by holding down the SHIFT key while clicking on additional objects.


Object

A single entity that cannot be broken down further.  Surfer draws and manipulates graphs as a series of objects.  Objects include axes, any graph type, polygons, polylines, rectangles, circles, text blocks, etc.


Polygon

A closed two-dimensional figure consisting of three or more straight line segments that define the boundary of the polygon.


Point Size

A measurement used for character size.  There are 72 points per inch.


Command Button

A rectangular button used in dialog boxes to initiate an action.  The type of action is indicated by text within the button.


Option Button

A round button in a dialog box that sets an option and can be toggled on and off.  Within a group, you can select only one option at a time.


Resize

To change the size of an object.  Dragging a corner handle changes the size proportionally, while dragging a side handle changes the size non-proportionally.  Dragging a handle into the selected object reduces the size of the object.  Dragging a handle away from an object makes it larger.


Restore Icon

A symbol used to return a window to its previous size and state before you last shrank or enlarged it.


Row Heading

A heading that identifies a row on a worksheet.  Row headings are at the left of each row.


Scroll Bar

Bars along the right and bottom side of your worksheet that allow you to scroll vertically and horizontally using a mouse.  Click on an arrow to move one column or row at a time.  Click on shaded area to move one screenful at a time.


Select

Specifies one or more objects for subsequent actions.  Selection is usually done by clicking on the object.  Selected objects are indicated by selection handles.


Shortcut Key

A special key or key sequence available for some commands that you can press to execute the command without first selecting a menu.


Snap

The attraction of the cursor to a ruler division.  When creating new objects or moving or sizing existing objects, snap will lock the cursor to the nearest ruler division.


Spooling

To send a page to a file before printing.  When spooling is complete, the page begins to print and you may work in the graph area again or select another print operation.


Status Bar

An area at the bottom of the window which displays information about the currently selected command or the active dialog box.


Title Bar

A space at the top of a window that identifies the name of the application and/or the name of the file that is open.


Toolbar

A series of icons representing different commands and drawing tools.  The toolbar is positioned along the top of the active window.


Variable

A column of data in the worksheet.  The first row of the worksheet can contain the variable name, and subsequent rows contain the actual data.


Vector Font

A font drawn as a series of connected line segments.  Vector fonts can be resized and rotated with a minimum of distortion, but don't look as good as raster fonts at small sizes and take longer to draw.


Vertex

A single X,Y coordinate.  Polygons and polylines are made of a series of vertices.


Worksheet

A type of document that allows you to enter data in columns and rows.


Worksheet Window

The window in which the worksheet is displayed.  Data can be viewed, modified, and saved from this window.


Workspace

The background of the Surfer application window.  The workspace contains the document windows and icons.


XY Coordinates

Two dimensional coordinates.  Also called planar or Cartesian coordinates.


Zoom

The process of magnifying a portion of a graph with a zoom window (Zoom In), or reducing a portion of a graph (Zoom Out).


Keyboard Commands

KEY	COMMAND

ALT+F4	Close Application Window

ALT+HYPHEN	Activates the Document Control Window

ALT+PRINTSCREEN	Copies an image of the active window to the clipboard

ALT+SPACEBAR	Activates the Application Control Menu

ALT+TAB	Switch to Another Application

Arrow keys	Moves the cursor in the Plot window

CTRL+A	Save As

CTRL+C	Copy selection to clipboard

CTRL+ESC	Switch To

CTRL+F4	Close Document Window

CTRL+F6	Next Document Window

CTRL+N	Opens a new Document Window

CTRL+O	Open a Map document [.SRF] file

CTRL+P	Print

CTRL+S	Save

CTRL+SHIFT+F6	Previous Document Window

CTRL+V	Paste clipboard contents

CTRL+X	Cut selection to clipboard

CTRL+Y	Redo

CTRL+Z	Undo

DEL	Deletes selected text or objects

F1	Help

F10 or ALT	Activate Menu Bar

F2	Select All

F3	Exit Surfer

F5	Redraw

PRINTSCREEN	Copies an image of the screen contents to the clipboard

SHIFT+F1	Help (Context Sensitive)

SPACEBAR	Simulates mouse click


Dialog Box Keys

KEY	COMMAND

ALT+Down Arrow	Opens a drop-down listbox

ALT+letter	Moves to the option or the group with the underlined letter you type.

ALT+Up or Down Arrow	Selects an item in a drop-down list box.

Arrow Keys	Moves the selection cursor from option to option within a group of options.  Also moves the cursor left, right, up, or down within a list or edit box.

CTRL+Backslash(\)	Cancels all selections except the current selection.

CTRL+Slash(/)	Selects all the items in a multi-selection list box.

CTRL+ENTER 	Start a new line of text (Text dialog only)

CTRL+TAB	Insert a tab in a line of text (Text dialog only)

END	Moves to the last item or character in a list or edit box.

ENTER	Executes a command button, or chooses the selected item in a list box and executes the command.

ESC or ALT+F4	Closes a dialog box without completing the command (same as the Cancel button).

F1	Displays context sensitive help for the dialog box.

HOME	Moves to the first item or character in a list or edit box.

PgUp or PgDn	Scrolls up or down in a list box, one window at a time.

SHIFT+arrow key	Extends the selection in an edit box.

SHIFT+END	Extends the selection to the last character in an edit box.

SHIFT+HOME	Extends the selection to the first character in an edit box.

SHIFT+TAB	Moves from option to option in reverse order.

SPACEBAR	Selects or cancels a selection in a list box.  Also selects or clears a check box.

TAB	Moves from option to option (left to right and top to bottom).


Plot Window Screen Regions
Screen Regions

Help is available for the following screen regions:

Controlling Page Units and the Rulers and Grid

Controlling the Display of Plot Window Features

Maximize Icon

Minimize Icon

Restore Icon

Scroll Bar

Status Bar

Title Bar

Toolbar

Window Sizing Border

Workspace


Ruler Button

This is the little square thing you clicked.  It doesnt do anything.  The programmers thought it would be nice to let you know that it has no function.


Maximize Icon

Enlarges the active window to fill the available space.  For mouse users, clicking the Maximize icon is the same as choosing Control Maximize.

  *	Expands the Surfer window to fill the entire screen.

  *	Expands a document window to fill the entire Surfer workspace.

  *	To restore a maximized window to its former size, use the Control menu Restore command.

Shortcuts:

CTRL+F10 to maximize the document window

ALT+F10 to maximize the application window


Minimize Icon

Reduces the window to a small icon at the bottom of the screen.  For mouse users, clicking the Minimize icon is the same as choosing Control Minimize.

  *	Minimizing is useful when you are temporarily running another application.

  *	Reduces a document window to a small icon at the bottom of Surfer's workspace.

  *	To restore the window to its previous size, use the Control menu Restore command.

Shortcuts:

CTRL+F9 to minimize a document window

ALT+F9 to minimize the application window


Restore Icon

Restores the active window to the size and location it had before you used the Maximize or the Minimize command.

  *	Does not affect changes made by moving or resizing the window.


Scroll Bar

If you have a mouse, you can use the scroll bars to move through a large document.

  *	The position of the scroll box in the scroll bar indicates the part of the document currently displayed in the window. To scroll quickly to another part of the document, drag the box.

  *	To scroll one tenth of the window in a given direction, click the arrow at that end of the bar.

  *	To scroll one windowful in a given direction, click in the bar on that side of the scroll box.


Status Bar

The Status Bar lies along the bottom of the Surfer document windows.  The Status Bar is used to display information about the current activity, and provides information that can aid in making a graph.  The display of the Status Bar is controlled through the Preferences command under the File menu, allowing you to display all or any part of the Status Bar, or turn off the Status Bar completely.

There are three basic parts to the Status Bar.

*	The Help section lies at the left end of the Status Bar, and displays information about the currently selected object or command.  When you choose a menu command, a brief description of the command is presented.   When you select a single object, the type of object selected is indicated in the Status Bar help section.  If more than one object is selected, the total number of objects is displayed.

*	The Page Position section is just to the right of the help section and displays the page coordinates for the position of the pointer as it moves across the page.  The page coordinates are relative to the lower left corner of the page, whether the page is displayed in the window or not.

*	The Dimensions section is just to the right of the Page Position section, and is used to display the width and height of object bounding boxes as they are selected, drawn, or resized.  Only the dimensions of objects that can be resized are displayed.  If you do resize an object or group of selected objects, the dimensions change as the object is resized.  Also displays the angle of objects as they are rotated and the distance the object is moved.

When you use the Digitize command, the map coordinate position of the pointer is displayed in the Dimensions section.


Title Bar

The title bar contains the name of the window or application.

  *	You can move the active window by dragging the title bar.  If a dialog box has a title bar, it can also be moved.

  *	You can also move a window by choosing the Control menu Move command.


Toolbar

The Toolbar contains several commonly used commands represented by icons.  To select a tool, click on the icon with Button 1.  If you double-click on the drawing tools, they remain active until you press ESC or select a new tool.  Most of the tools have an equivalent command in the menus.

The Toolbar changes depending upon which type of window is currently active.  The list below contains a brief discussion of each of the tool types.

The Options command from the cascading Preferences menu in the File menu can be used to turn on or off the toolbar display.

 File Tools

 Edit Tools

 Drawing Tools

 Viewing Tools

 Mapping Tools

The Help tool at the right end of the toolbar displays the Surfer Help Contents window, and provides you with access to the on-line Surfer Help system.


File Tools

The New Window tool is used to create a new empty Plot, Worksheet or Editor window.  This is the same as the New command.

The File Open tool is used to open the appropriate type of file into the current window.  In a Plot window, this is the same as the Open command and opens an existing Surfer [.SRF] File.  In a Worksheet window this is the same as the Open command used to open a data file, and in an Editor window the Open tool opens a text file.

The Save tool is used to save the current document.  In a Plot window, the drawing is saved as a Surfer [.SRF] File.  If you are working in the Grid Node Editor window, the file will be saved as a grid [.GRD] file.  In a Worksheet window the file, the Save tool is the same as the Worksheet Save command, and in the Editor window the is saved as a text file.

If the file has not been previously saved, the appropriate Save As dialog box is displayed, allowing you to name the document before saving it.

The Worksheet tool is only displayed in the a Plot window, and opens a new empty Worksheet window.  This is the same as the Worksheet command from Plot window File menu.

The Print tool is only displayed in a Plot window, and is used to print the current drawing in the Plot window.  The Print tool is the same as the Print command.


Edit Tools

The Cut tool is the same as the Cut command.  This makes a copy of the currently selected objects to the Windows Clipboard, and removes the selected objects from the window.  The Cut objects can be pasted into Surfer or any other application that accepts the type of information that has been cut from the window.

The Copy tool is the same as the Copy command.  This makes a copy of the currently selected objects to the Windows Clipboard, and leaves the selected objects in the window. The copied objects can be pasted into Surfer or any other application that accepts the type of information that has been copied from the window.

For example, if you copy a contour map from a Plot window, you can paste the map into another Plot window within Surfer, or you can paste the map into any other application that accepts graphics images.  For example, this is useful if you want to paste a copy of a map into a word processing document.

The Paste tool places a copy of the Clipboard contents in the current window.  If you are in a Plot window, the pasted object can be a metafile, bitmap, or text.  The Worksheet and Editor windows only accept text information.


Drawing Tools

The following tools are only active in a Plot window.

The Select tool is used to select objects for editing.

The Text tool is used to enter new text into the drawing.  After you select the Text tool, click at the position for the upper left corner of the text block, and the Text dialog box appears allowing you to enter the desired text and specify the font to be used.  The normal editing keys can be used.  Press ENTER to add a new line.  Press OK to print the text on the graph, or Cancel to not print the text.

The Polygon tool is used to draw a new closed polygon.  To draw a polygon, click button 1 repeatedly as you move the pointer across the screen to add a series of vertices  marking the endpoints of the line segments used to define the polygon.  If you hold down Button 1 while drawing, a nearly continuous stream of vertices is drawn as you move the pointer, allowing you to create freehand polygons.  If you hold down the CTRL key while drawing, the lines are drawn at 45 degree angles.  Press ENTER to close the polygon and exit, or press ESC to cancel.

The Polyline tool creates a polyline or series of connected points.  To draw a polyline, click button 1 repeatedly as you move the pointer across the screen to add a series of vertices marking the endpoints of the line segments used to define the polyline.  If you hold down Button 1 while drawing, a nearly continuous stream of vertices is drawn as you move the pointer, allowing you to create freehand polylines.  if you hold down the CTRL key while drawing, the lines are drawn at 45 degree angles.  Press ENTER to save the polyline, or ESC to cancel.

The Symbol tool is used to add a symbol to the graph.  Click on the Symbol tool, and click Button 1 when the pointer is at the desired position on the graph.  The default symbol can be set with the Symbol Attributes command.

The Rectangle tool is used to draw a rectangle or square.  Click on the Rectangle tool, and move the pointer to one corner for the rectangle.  Press Button 1 and drag the mouse from one corner point to the opposite corner point, release Button 1 and the rectangle is drawn.  Press ESC while dragging to cancel.  If you hold down the CTRL key while drawing the rectangle, a square is drawn.

The Rounded Rectangle tool is used to draw a rectangle with rounded corners, or a square with rounded corners.  Click on the Rounded Rectangle tool, and move the pointer to one corner for the rectangle.  Press Button 1 and drag the mouse from one corner point to the opposite corner point, release Button 1 and the rounded rectangle is drawn.  Press ESC while dragging to cancel.  If you hold down the CTRL key while drawing the rounded rectangle, a rounded square is drawn.

The Ellipse tool is used to draw an ellipse or circle.  Click on the Ellipse tool, and move the pointer to one corner for the bounding box of the ellipse to be drawn.  Press Button 1 and drag the mouse from one corner point to the opposite corner point, release Button 1 and the ellipse is drawn.  Press ESC while dragging to cancel.  If you hold down the CTRL key while drawing an ellipse, a circle is created.


Viewing Tools

The Zoom Rectangle tool allows you to zoom in on a portion of the drawing that you define by dragging a dotted rectangle around a portion of the drawing you wish to zoom.  When you release button 1, the portion of the drawing within the rectangle is magnified to fill the entire window.

The Zoom In tool magnifies the drawing by a factor of 2.  When you select the Zoom In tool, you can move the pointer to the region that you want to zoom in on, and click Button 1.  The position of the graph is adjusted to occupy the center of the window if possible.

The Zoom Out tool magnifies the drawing by a factor of one-half.  When you select the Zoom Out tool, you can move the pointer to the region that you want to zoom out from, and click Button 1.  The position of the graph is adjusted to occupy the center of the window if possible.


Mapping Tools

The following tools are only active in a Plot window.

The Load BaseMap tool is used to add a base map to the current Plot window.  This is the same as the Load BaseMap command from the Plot window Map menu.

The Contour tool is used to create a contour map in the current Plot window.  This is the same as the Contour command from the Plot window Map menu.

The Post Map tool is used to create a post map in the current Plot window.  This is the same as the Post command from the Plot window Map menu.

The Surface tool is used to create a surface plot in the current Plot window.  This is the same as the Surface command from the Plot window Map menu.


Window Sizing Border

Drag the border to make a window larger or smaller.

  *	Drag the top, bottom, or side border to size in one direction only.

  *	Drag a corner of the border to size in two directions at once.

  *	You can also size a window by choosing the Control menu Size command.


Workspace

The workspace is the background behind the document windows.  Document windows may be positioned and sized within the workspace.


Contour Levels Dialog Box

The Contour Levels dialog box allows you to specify the minimum and maximum contour levels to display on the map, and the contour interval to use between contour levels.  After you make your changes and click on OK, the Contour Levels list box in the Contour Map dialog box is updated to reflect the changes you specified.  This produces contours on regular intervals.

The Minimum edit box specifies the minimum contour to be displayed on the map.

The Maximum edit box specifies the maximum contour to be displayed on the map.

The Interval edit box specifes the spacing in Z data units between subsequent contours.

If you want contours on irregular intervals, you have two options available.

*	You can create a level file and use the Load button to load in the level file.  Level files can contain contours at any level and any intervals between contours.

*	You can manually specify contour levels by double-clicking on the specific contour level from the Contour Levels list in the Contour Map dialog box.  This displays the Z Level dialog box where you can type in the level value for the selected contour.


Contour Labels Dialog Box

The Contour Labels dialog box controls the placement and of contour labels on specified contour lines.  Contour labels indicate the contour level (the Z value) for the contour line.

The Orient Labels Uphill checkbox displays the labels so they are always oriented uphill.  When you are reading labels right-side up, the contours above the label are always a higher level.

The First Labeled Contour Line edit box allows you to define the first contour line to label.  The number you enter corresponds to the number of the lines in the list, not the actual contour level. For example, Level 0 is the first contour line.

The Labeled Line Frequency edit box specifies how many of the contour lines are labeled.  For example, a Labeled Line Frequency of 5 means that every fifth contour line is displayed with a label, assuming that the contour line meets the labeling criteria.

The Label Spacing group box controls the placement of contours along the individual contour lines.

*	The Curve Tolerance edit box specifies the amount of curvature allowed for labels to be drawn on a contour line.  The curve tolerance is calculated by dividing the distance along the contour line by the straight line distance.  As you increase the value, contour labels can be drawn on more curved contours.  As the value approaches one, the contour line segments must be only slightly curved before a contour label can be placed on the line.   The default value of 1.015 is acceptable in most instances.

*	The Label to Label Distance edit box controls how closely (in page units) labels are spaced along an individual contour line.  As the Label to Label Distance is decreased, more labels can appear along a contour line.  The Label to Label Distance is the minimum distance between labels along a contour line.  After a label is placed on a contour, the next label is not written until the minimum distance is reached and the curve tolerance criterion is met.

*	The Label to Edge Distance edit box controls how closely contour labels can be placed to the edge of a map, in page units.  This value can be used to assure that contour labels do not overwrite the map borders.

The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the attributes to use for the contour labels.

The Format button displays the Label Format dialog box, allowing you to specify the numeric format to use for the contour labels.


Hachures Dialog Box

The Hachures dialog box controls the placement of hachures on contour lines.  This provides you with control over the placement of hachures on contours at regular intervals.  You can specify the first contour line to receive hachures, and the number of contour lines between each hachured contour.  If you want to place hachures on contour lines on irregular intervals, or only want to assign the hachures to selected contours, double-click on the Yes or No text below the Hach button in the Contour Levels group box.  This allows you to only place hachures on selected contours.

The Hachures group box controls the length and direction of the hachures.

*	The Length edit box specifies the length of the hachures in page units.

*	The Direction edit box controls whether hachures point in a positive or negative direction.  For example, If you want the hachures to point towards contours of lower value, choose the Downhill option.

The Hachure closed contours only checkbox assures that only contour lines that are to receive hachures and are completely closed are indicated with hachures.  If a contour line intersects the border of the map, that contour line will not be displayed with hachures even if they are turned on for that contour.

*	The First hached contour line edit box controls the minimum contour to be displayed with hachures.  The number you specify refers to the number in the list of contours, and not to the contour level.  If you want hachures to begin at the first contour in the list, specify a First hached contour line value of zero.

*	The Hached line frequency edit box specifies the number of contours between hached contours.  A value of zero turns off all hachures.


Label Format Dialog Box

The Label Format dialog box allows you to specify the numeric format to use for any numeric labels.  As you change the parameters for the labels, a sample of the label appears in the lower left corner of the dialog box.

The Fixed option displays numbers as dd.dd where dd represents one or more digits.

The Exponential option displays numbers as d.ddE+dd where d is a single digit, dd can be one or more digits, and +dd is a sign and one or two digits.

The General option displays the labels in either fixed or exponential fashoin, whichever requires less digits.

The Decimal Digits edit box specifies the number of digits to the right of the decimal point (except in General format which specifes the total number of digits).

The Thousands checkbox displays numbers with a comma between every three digits to the left of the decimal point.

The Absolute Value checkbox displays the absolute value of all values.  For negative numbers, no negative sign will be displayed when this checkbox is activated.

The Prefix edit box allows you to type in a text string that appears before each label.

The Suffix edit box allows you to type in a text string that appears after each label.


Open Data Dialog Box

The Open Data dialog box allows you to specify the data file to use in one of several operations in Surfer.  When the Open Data dialog box is displayed, you can specify the file to be used in the particular operation.

The File Name edit box allows you to type in file name for the data file to be opened.  By default, all data file type extensions are listed in the edit box.  A list of the specified files in the current directory is shown below the edit box.  To select a file in the list, you can double-click on the file.  If the file is in a different directory you can type in the path and file name for the desired file, or change the Drive and Directory to get a listing of files in a different location.

The Directories list allows you to change the current directory on the current drive.

The Drives drop-down list box allows you to change the current drive.

The List Files of Type drop-down list box allows you to specify the type of files that are listed below the File Name edit box.  By default, All Recognized Types of files are listed.  To list files of a specific type, click on the drop-down list and select the desired file type.  The extension for the file type you select is placed in the File Name edit box, and only files of that type are listed.


Proportional Scaling Dialog Box

The Proportional Scaling dialog box allows you to specify the data column to use when determining the proportionality, and how to scale the symbols when creating a Post map.

The Scaling Method group box specifies the type of scaling to use.

*	The Linear option button applys a linear scaling to the proportionality.  Linear scaling is applied in both dimensions.  Linear scaling provides a better visual representation when you are using symbols such as arrows that, for the most part are only scaled in one dimension.

*	The Square Root option button applies a better visual representation to scaled symbols that have some area, such as circles or squares.

The Worksheet Column Containing Height drop-down list box specifes the worksheet column containing the values you want to use for scaling the symbols.

The Use Data Limits checkbox controls the at Data Value edit boxes.  When the box is checked, the data minimum and maximum values are automatically read from the Worksheet Column Containing Height, and placed in the at Data Value edit boxes.

The Symbol Height at Data Value edit boxes specify the symbol sizes to assign to the specified data values.  All symbols for data values between the limits specified are sized proportionally to the specified numbers.  Symbol Height values are in page units.  If any data values lie outside the limits specified, those symbols can be scaled either larger or smaller than the limits you specify.  For example, you can specify a minimum Symbol Height of 0.1 at Data Value 25.  If you have a data value of less than 25 for a posted symbol, the symbol is drawn would be smaller than 0.1.


Z Levels Dialog Box

The Z Levels dialog box allows you to specify the Z contour lines to place on a surface plot.  When you click on the Z Levels button in the Surface Plot dialog box, the Z Levels dialog box is displayed.  You can double-click on the level value or the line sample for any Z level to change the specific value or attribute.  For example, if you want to change the line attributes for a particular contour line, double-click on the line sample in the list box, and the Line Attributes dialog box is displayed, allowing you to change the attributes for the selected contour line.

*	The Level button displays the Contour Levels dialog box.  This allows you to specify the minimum and maximum contour levels to display on the map, and the contour interval to use between contour levels.  This produces contours on regular intervals.  If you want contours on irregular intervals you can create a level file and use the Load button to load the level file, or manually produce the contour levels by clicking on contour levels from the list and typing in the desired levels in the Z Level dialog box.

*	The Line button displays the Line Spectrum dialog box that allows you to specify the Minimum and Maximum line attributes to assign to the contour lines.  When you click on the Minimum Line Attributes or Maximum Line Attributes button, the Line Attributes dialog box is displayed.  The minimum line attribute is assigned to the lowest contour level and the maximum line attribute is assigned to the highest contour level.  Surfer automatically assigns gradational line colors or widths between the minimum and maximum levels.

If you choose different line styles for the minimum and maximum contours, there is no gradational change in line styles.  The lower half of the contour lines use the style assigned for the minimum and the upper half of the contour lines use the style assigned for the maximum.

*	The Add button adds a contour line midway between the selected contour and the next lower contour.

*	The Delete button removes the selected contour from the list.

*	The Load button displays the Open Document dialog box, providing you a listing of the level files in the current directory.  When you double-click on the level file from the list, the level file is loaded and the contour and fill settings assume the parameters specified in the level file.

*	The Save button saves all the current contour settings in a level file.  This level file can then be used in any other contour map or surface plot.

The Grid Info button displays information on the current grid file, including the minimum and maximum X,Y and Z values in the grid, and the grid size.


Open Grid Dialog
Open Grid Dialog Box

In the Open Grid dialog box, you can specify the grid file or USGS DEM file to be opened.

*	The File Name edit box allows you to type in file name for the file to be opened.  By default, only [.GRD] files are listed because this is the only type of file that can be opened from here.  A list of [.GRD] files in the current directory is shown below the edit box.  To open to a file in the list, you can double-click on the file.  If the file is in a different directory you can type in the path and file name for the file to be opened, or change the Drive and Directory to get a listing of files in a different location.

*	The Directories list box selects the current directory.  If you specify a file name but do not type in a path, the file is saved in the current directory.

*	The Drives drop-down list box allows you to change the current drive.

*	The Info button diplays information about the file to be opened.

An example of the information obtained for a GRD file is:

Name:	D.GRD

Size:	48 rows x 50 columns

xMin:	451.86	xMax:	742.81

yMin:	27.2	yMax:	307.88

zMin:	0.643835	zMax:	0.990947

An example of the information obtained for a DEM file is:

Name: 	MORRISON COLORADO  CO-105  7 30  39 37 30  450  450GPMII/2   09/1978

Size:	464 rows x 358 columns

Spacing:	X=30 meters,   Y=30 meters,   Z=1 meters

Projection:	UTM

xMin:	478560	xMax:	489270

yMin:	4.38594E+006	yMax:	4.39983E+006

zMin:	1667	zMax:	2392


Save Grid Dialog Box

In the Save Grid dialog box you can specify the path, file name and format for the grid file to be saved.

*	The File Name edit box allows you to type in file name for the file to be saved.  By default, only [.GRD] files are listed because this is the only type of file that can be saved from here.  A list of [.GRD] files in the current directory is shown below the edit box.  To save to a file in the list, you can double-click on the file.  If the file is in a different directory you can type in the path and file name for the file to be saved, or change the Drive and Directory to get a listing of files in a different location.

*	The Directories list box selects the current directory.  If you specify a file name but do not type in a path, the file is saved in the current directory.

*	The Drives drop-down list box allows you to change the current drive.

*	The available formats are presented in the Save File as Type drop-down list box.

The GS Binary (*.GRD) option saves the file in the Golden Software binary grid file format.  These files are smaller than the equivalent GS ASCII (*.GRD) files.

The GS ASCII (*.GRD) option saves the file in the Golden Software ASCII grid [.GRD] file format.  These files are larger than the equivalent GS Binary (*.GRD) file, but they can be editted with an ASCII editor.

The ASCII XYZ (*.DAT) option saves the file in an X,Y,Z data file format.


Options Dialog Box

The Options dialog box allows you to specify the gridding parameters to apply to the selected gridding method.  The Options dialog box is different for each of the different gridding methods.  There are two options in the Options dialog box that are common to all methods: Anisotropy and Data Treatment.  For the information on the specific options available for the different gridding methods, refer to the method in question.

*	The Anisotropy group box (not available for Polynomial Regression) allows you to specify different scaling or weights along user-defined axes.   You can set ratios for the different axes, and set an angle for the orientation of the axes.  As you change the values the graphic representation of the specified parameters is shown.  This allows you to fully control the anisotropic ratio for most gridding methods.  Refer to the Anisotropy topic for more information on anisotropic ratios.  Under most circumstances, you do not need to set anisotropic ratios.

*	The Data Treatment group box controls how the gridding method treats your raw data when there are data values that have identical X,Y coordinates, and when there are data values outside the specified grid limits.

The Duplicates drop-down list box specifies how data points with identical X,Y coordinates are treated.

Ignore disregards the fact that two or more data points have identical X,Y coordinates and treats the points as separate data points.

The Average option calculates the average of coincident data points, and treat the average as a single data point.

The Delete option keeps only the first incident of the duplicate values and eliminates any other coincident points from consideration during the gridding operation.

The Add option sums the Z values from the coincident data points, and treats the sum as a single data point.

The Ignore Data Outside Grid check box tells Surfer to not use any data points beyond the X and Y Grid Limits when generating grid file Z values.  Any data points with X or Y coordinates outside the specified grid limits are not considered when calculating Z grid node values.


Search Options Dialog Box

The Search Options dialog box used to specify which data points to use when performing a gridding operation.

*	The Search Type drop-down list box specifies the search method used when looking for the nearest points to use in the calculation of a grid value.  There are four search options available: All  Data, Simple, Quadrant and Octant.

When you select All Data all of the data points are used to interpolate at every grid node.  This option is only available with the Kriging and Radial Basis Function interpolators if there are fewer than 250 observations.  When All Data is selected, the remainder of the Search Options dialog box is unavailable, as these other options do not apply.

The Simple search method conducts either a circular or elliptical search for the nearest data points.

The Simple, Quadrant and Octant search types are used to specify a fixed number of data points to interpolate at each grid node.  The Simple search uses only one sector, the Quadrant search uses four sectors, and the Octant search uses eight sectors.  In general, a Quadrant search is most appropriate because it is more robust than a Simple search, and is a little faster than an Octant search.

As you change the search type, the search rules parameters automatically change so the same overall number of data points are evaluated at each grid node.  For example, if you specify a simple search with 24 data per sector, and then change the search type to a quadrant search, the data per sector is automatically changed to 6 maintaining an overall number of 24 data points.

*	The Search Rules group is not active if the All Data search is selected.  There are three search rule parameters: Data Per Sector, Minimum Total Data and Max Empty Sectors.

The Data Per Sector value specifies the maximum number of observations to be used from each sector, and is a positive integer.  For example, when interpolating a value for a particular grid node,  with the Data Per Sector parameter set equal to 5 a Simple search would look for and use the 5 data points closest to grid node, while a Quadrant search would look for and use the closest 5 data points in each quadrant (for a total of 20 observations).  Similarly, an Octant search would look for and use the closest 5 data points in each of the eight octants (for a total of 40 observations).

The Minimum Total Data value eliminates the contamination of a map by specious interpolation and is a positive integer.  If there are fewer than this specified number of observations that satisfy the search rules at a particular grid node, then the grid node is blanked.

The Max Empty Sectors eliminates the contamination of a map by specious interpolation;  this is a non-negative integer less than or equal to the number of sectors specified by the search type.  If there are more than the specified number of empty sectors in a search at a particular grid node, then a value for this particular grid node is not interpolated.  The grid node is marked as a blank node.

*	The Search Ellipse defines the local neighborhood of a grid node: only data captured by a search ellipse centered on a grid node are used in the interpolation for that grid node. This ellipse is specified by the length of the two radii and the orientation of Radius 1.

Radius 1 and Radius 2 are positive floating point values.  The Angle is the inclination between the positive X-axis and Radius 1, expressed in degrees;  this is a floating point value between -360 and +360.  The Search Options dialog box presents a sketch of the ellipse as specified.  The search ellipse specifies the search anisotropy.  Although it is not required, in the majority of the cases it is best to have the search anisotropy ratio and direction coincide with the general coordinate transformation used in the interpolation algorithm.

*	The Reset button resets all of the parameters back to their default values.  The current default values for the search parameters are as follows

If the number of data are less than 250 the search type is All Data.

The target number of data are 24 total, so the default Data Per Sector are  24 for Simple, 6 for Quadrant, and 3 Octant.

The default Minimum Total Data is 5.

The default Max Empty Sectors is all of them;  that is, 1 for Simple, 4 for Quadrant, and 8 Octant.

By default the search ellipse is circular;  thus, there is one radius and the default angle is 0.  The method for determining the default search ellipse radius is slightly complicated.  First, the average spatial data density is computed as the areal extent of the data divided by the number of observations.  Then the default radius is chosen such that, on the average, twice the target number of data (by default 48) are contained within the default search ellipse.


Shapes Dialog Boxes

When you double-click on a shape such as a rectangle, rounded rectangle, ellipse or polygon, the dialog box for that object is displayed.  Choosing the Map Background command displays the same type of dialog box.

The dialog box displays two buttons that allow you to set the attributes for the selected object.

*	The Fill Attributes button displays the Fill Attributes dialog box allowing you to set the fill for the selected object.

*	The Line Attributes dialog box displays the Line Attributes dialog box allowing you to set the line style, color and width for the outline of the selected object.


Floating Point Dialog

Enter a floating point number.


Change Color Dialog Box

During {.DXF] file import, you can specify the color to use for any of the lines.  Select the color from the dialog box.


Color Scale Dialog Box
Color Scale Dialog Box - Contour and Surface Maps

The Color Scale dialog box is displayed when you double-click on a color scale for contour maps and surface plots.  Color scales present a legend showing the colors assigned to each contour interval or Z level on a map.

*	The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the attributes for the text labeling the intervals on the color scale.

*	The Format button displays the Label Format dialog box, allowing you to specify the numeric format for the interval labels on the color scale.

*	The First Label edit box specifes the first color interval on the color scale that is labeled.  The numbers you use correspond to the position in the color scale, and not the actual contour values.  The first interval corresponds to zero for the minimum color interval.

*	The Label Angle edit box specifies the angle at which the labels are drawn on the color scale.  Positive angle values rotate the labels in a counter-clockwise direction.

*	The Label Frequency edit box specifies the interval between labeled intervals.  The value corresponds to the position in the color scale and not the contour values.

*	The Automatic checkbox returns all the settings to the default values for the color scale.

*	The Line Attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box, allowing you to specify the line style, width and color to use for the lines on the color scale.


Color Map Dialog Box
The Color Spectrum Dialog Box

The Colors button in both the Image Map dialog box and the Shaded Relief Map dialog box displays the Color Spectrum dialog box.  The Color Spectrum dialog box lets you specify the colors to use on the map.  Colors are selected by creating anchor points at user-defined percentage points along a color bar, and assigning colors to the anchor points.  Adjacent anchor points define color pairs.  Colors are automatically blended between adjacent anchors.

Initially the 0 percent and 100 percent anchor point colors are defined as black and white, respectively.  You can change either of the colors by clicking on the slider below the percentage value.  The value becomes highlighted, and you can then click any color in the color palette.  The color bar is automatically updated to show the change.

Anchor points are represented by a slider with the percentage value displayed above the slider.  You can add additional anchor points at any position along the color bar.  To create a new anchor point, click above the color bar, and a new anchor is created. The new anchor is automatically assigned the selected color in the color palette.  To position the anchor, move the mouse pointer over the slider and press and hold Button 1.  Drag the slider to the desired position and release Button 1.  As you move the slider, the percentage value is indicated above the slider.  To select a color to associate with the anchor point, click on the slider, and then click on the desired color from the color palette.  The color bar is updated to indicate the change.  You can add as many sliders as you want, up to the limit of one per each percentage value.  This lets you blend colors in many different ways on the color bar.

You can delete anchor points from the color bar by highlighting the anchor and pressing DELETE on the keyboard, or by dragging the unwanted anchor beyond either end of the color bar.  To remove an anchor by dragging it, place the pointer on the anchor, press and hold Button 1, and move the mouse so the pointer moves beyond the end of the color bar.  Release Button 1 and the anchor is eliminated.

*	The Load button opens an existing color spectrum [.CLR] file.  When you click the Load button, the File Open dialog box is displayed with a list of [.CLR] files.  Double-click the file you want to use with the current grid file, and the color bar is updated to show the loaded settings.

*	The Save button creates a color spectrum [.CLR] file based on the current color bar settings.  When you click the Save button, the Save As dialog box is displayed.  Type the filename for the [.CLR] file and click OK.  The file is saved for use with other grid files.


Color Scale Dialog Box
Color Scale Dialog Box - Image Maps

In the Image Map dialog box, the Show Color Scale checkbox turns on the display of a color scale adjacent to the map.  On image maps, the color scale indicates the colors assigned to the Z levels, and the associated Z level values are displayed as labels on the color scale.

When the color scale is selected, it can be moved and resized.  You can delete the color scale by clicking on it and pressing the DELETE key on the keyboard, or by switching off the Show Color Scale checkbox in the Image Map dialog box.

If you want to modify the labels or the line style used for the scale, you can double-click the color scale, and the Color Scale dialog box is displayed.

*	The Minimum and Maximum edit boxes let you specify the minimum and maximum labels to place on the color scale.

*	The Interval edit box lets you specify the spacing, in data units, between the labels.

*	The Angle edit box controls the angle at which the labels are drawn.

*	The Automatic Scaling checkbox returns the Minimum, Maximum and Interval values to the defaults used when you create the color scale.  When you change the Minimum, Maximum and Interval values, the Automatic Scaling checkbox is automatically switched off.  After you have made changes, you can click the checkbox to automatically return the default values.

*	The Line Attributes button displays the Line Attributes dialog box.  From here you can select the attributes to use for the outline and tick marks on the scale.

*	The Font button displays the Text Attributes dialog box.  This sets the tick label attributes.

*	The Format button displays the Label Format dialog box.  This sets the numeric format to use for the color scale.


Grid Node Editor Overview

The Grid Node Editor command allows you to change the Z values at individual grid nodes in a grid [.GRD] file.  In the Grid Node Editor window, the position of the grid nodes is indicated with a "+" (a grid node marker). A contour map can also be displayed.  The active node is highlighted, and you can enter a new Z value for the highlighted node.  You can use the arrow keys to move between grid nodes, or click a node to make it the active node.  The active node X,Y coordinates are displayed at the top of the screen, and the Z value is given in the Z edit box.  You can enter a new Z value in the edit box.  To accept the new value press ENTER or an arrow key, or click another node with the mouse.  The contour map is redrawn with your change implemented.  You can save the edited grid file to the same name or to a different name.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor Commands

File Menu

Save

Save As

View Menu

Fit to Window

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Redraw

Options Menu

Show Contours

Contour Levels

Show Nodes

Grid Info

Blank Node

Unblank Node

See Also

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor File Save

The Save command saves the grid file to the current path and file name.  If you have made changes to the grid file, the changes are written to the grid file and the original copy is not retained.  If you want to save the original copy of the grid file you need to use the Save As command that lets you specify a new path and file name.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor File Save As

The Save As command saves the grid file to a new path and file name.  The Save Grid dialog box is displayed when you choose this command.

In the Save Grid dialog box you can specify the path, file name and format for the grid file to be saved.

The available formats are presented in the Save File as Type drop-down list box.

*	The GS Binary (*.GRD) option saves the file in the Golden Software binary grid file format.  These files are smaller than the equivalent GS ASCII (*.GRD) files.

*	The GS ASCII (*.GRD) option saves the file in the Golden Software ASCII grid [.GRD] file format.  These files are larger than the equivalent GS Binary (*.GRD) file, but they can be edited with an ASCII editor.

*	The ASCII XYZ (*.DAT) option saves the file in an X,Y,Z data file format.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor View Fit to Window

The Fit to Window command changes the magnification of the grid file in the window to fit within the boundaries of the window, providing you with the maximum possible zoom level that still allows the entire grid file to be seen.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor View Zoom In

The Zoom In command doubles the magnification of the drawing within the window.  The command also scrolls the window to keep the active grid node centered.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor View Zoom Out

The Zoom Out command reduces the magnification of the grid file by one half in the window, and scrolls the plot to keep the active grid node in the center of the window.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor View Redraw

The Redraw command redraws the contour map.  This might be necessary after making changes to the grid file if dirt or remnants remain after making the changes.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor Options Show Contours

The Show Contours command controls the display of contour lines in the Grid Node Editor window.  When the command is checked, contour lines are displayed.  As you modify individual grid nodes, the contours are redrawn to reflect the change.

The contour levels shown on the map are controlled from the Contour Levels command.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor Options Contour Levels

The Contour Levels command lets you specify the contour levels to display for the grid file.

The Contour Levels dialog box is displayed when you choose the Contour Levels command, and allows you to control the display of contours on the contour map.  The list box of contour levels provides a display of the contour levels to be displayed on the map.  You can double-click on any of the elements within the list to change the specific values or attributes.

*	The Levels group allows you to specify the contour levels and colors of contour lines used in the Grid Node Editor window.

*	The Levels button allows you to specify the minimum, maximum contour level and the contour interval to use between contours. This produces contours on regular intervals.

*	The Line button displays the Line Spectrum dialog box that allows you to assign colors for the minimum and maximum contour lines.  Surfer automatically produces a gradational spectrum of colors between the minimum and maximum colors, and assigns the generated colors to the contour lines.

*	The Add button adds a contour line halfway between the selected contour and the next lower contour.

*	The Delete button removes the selected contour from the list of contours.  The deleted contour is no longer displayed on the map.

*	The Load button displays the Open Document dialog box, providing you a listing of the level [.LVL] files in the current directory.  When you double-click on the level file from the list, the level file is loaded and the contour settings assume the parameters specified in the level file.

*	The Save button allows you to save the current contour level and attributes information to a level [.LVL] file.  This level file can then be used in any other contour map or surface plot.

*	The Grid Info button provides information about the current grid file.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor Options Show Nodes

The Show Nodes command turns on the display of grid node markers on the map.  When the command is checked, a "+" appears at the location of each grid node.  When the command is not checked, the +'s are not shown but you can still edit the grid in the same way.

Some node markers might "drop out" if the zoom or density is such that they are too close.  Even though not all of the markers are shown, the active node still "snaps" to each grid node as the arrow keys are used.  When the grid density is high (a large number of grid nodes), you can use the Zoom In command to magnify the view of the grid file, and more grid nodes are displayed.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor Options Grid Info

The Grid Info command displays the Grid Info dialog box.  This provides you with information about the grid file displayed in the Grid Node Editor window.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor Options Blank Node

The Blank Node command assigns the blanking code to the active grid node.  The blanking code (1.70141e38) is a special code used by Surfer that results in contour lines not being drawn through the blanked areas of a grid.  If you blank a node and want to unblank the node, you can choose the Unblank Node command during the current session, and the grid node is returned to the value before the node was blanked.

See Also

Blanking a Grid File

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Grid Node Editor Options Unblank Node

The Unblank Node command is grayed unless a grid node blanked during the current Grid Node Editor session is selected.  During the session, if a grid node is blanked (by  typing CTRL+B  or using the Blank Node command), the original Z value for that node is preserved in memory.  This allows you to unblank the node and return the grid node to its pre-blanked value.

If the grid file you are editing was blanked before you opened the Grid Node Editor window, you cannot unblank the node with this command.  To change a blanked node, you must type in the desired value.

See Also

Grid Node Editor Commands

Grid Node Editor Overview

Grid Grid Node Editor Command

Using the Grid Node Editor


Editor Window Overview
Editor Windows

Editor windows contain the workspace for creating or modifying an ASCII text file.  When an Editor window is active, you have all the menus available to produce an ASCII text file.

Text created in the Editor window can be copied and pasted into the Plot window.  This allows you to create text blocks that can be saved in an ASCII text file and used on different maps.  Rather than recreating the text each time, you can type the text in the Editor window, and save the file on disk.  To use this text in a Plot window, you can open the text file in the Editor window, copy the text to the Clipboard, and paste the text into the Plot window.

Another use for the Editor window is to receive the volume calculations from the Volume dialog box.  When you perform a volume calculation, a new Editor window is created containing the results of the volume calculations.   This allows you to have access to the volume calculation results so you can copy then to a Plot window or save them in an ASCII text file.

To open an Editor window, choose the New command from the File menu, and the New Window dialog box is displayed.  Click on the Editor option button, click on OK, and a new empty Editor window is displayed.

See also:

Editor Window Commands

Editor Window Keyboard Shortcuts


Editor Window Commands

When an Editor window is active, the Editor window menu bar is activated.  The menu items available in the Editor window are:

File 	Contains commands that open a new window, open and save files, and exit Surfer.

Edit 	Contains Clipboard commands and commands to select or delete text.

Window 	Contains commands controlling the display of windows.

Help 	Gives you access to the Surfer Help system.


Editor Window File Menu Commands
The File Menu

New	Opens a new empty Plot, Worksheet, or Editor window.

Open	Opens an ASCII text file.  The default extension is [.TXT].

Save 	Saves the text in the Editor window to an ASCII text file.  The default extension applied to an Editor window file is [.TXT]

Save As	Saves a new text file, or to save a modified file to a new name.

Exit	Exits Surfer.  If you have not yet saved any active Plot, Worksheet or Editor window files, you are prompted to save them or lose any changes.


Editor Window File Open

The Open command opens a text file into the Editor window.  The Open File dialog box is displayed when you choose the Open command.  This allows you to specify the path and file name for a text file.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+O


Editor Window File Save Command

The Save command saves the text file to the current path and file name.  If the text file has not previously been saved, the Save As dialog box is displayed.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+S


Editor Window File Save As

The Save As command allows you to save the text file to a new path and file name, or allows you to save a new text file.  The Save As dialog box is displayed when you choose this command.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+A


Editor Window Edit Menu Commands
The Edit Menu

Undo	Used to undo the last command or instruction applied to the text in the Editor window.

Cut	Cuts the selected text to the Clipboard.

Copy	Copies the selected text to the Clipboard.

Paste	Pastes the Clipboard contents into the Editor window at the current position of the cursor.

Delete	Removes the selected text from the Editor window.

Select All	Selects all of the text in the Editor window.


Editor Window Edit Undo

The Undo command undoes the last operation.  If the last operation cannot be undone, the command is grayed.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+Z


Editor Window Edit Cut

The Cut command places a copy of the currently selected text in the clipboard.  The selected text is removed from the Editor Window.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+X or SHIFT+DELETE


Editor Window Edit Copy

The Copy command places a copy of the currently selected text in the clipboard.  The selected text is retained in the Editor Window.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+C or CTRL+INSERT


Editor Window Edit Paste

The Paste command makes a copy of the clipboard contents in the Editor window at the insertion point.  Only text can be pasted into the Editor window.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT


Editor Window Edit Delete

The Delete command removes the selected text from the Editor Window.

Keyboard Shortcut

DELETE


Editor Window Edit Select All

The Select All command selects all the text in the Editor Window.


Editor Window Window Menu Commands
The Window Menu

New View	Not active in the Worksheet or Editor windows.

Tile	Tiles all the windows in the current Surfer session.  This includes all Plot, Worksheet, and Editor windows.

Cascade	Arranges all the windows in the current Surfer session in a cascading fashion.

Arrange Icons	Aligns all the icons for minimized windows along the bottom of the Surfer workspace.

1,2,3,...	Activates any of the windows in the current Surfer session.


Editor Window Help Menu Commands
The Help Menu

Contents	Displays the Surfer help index.

Keyboard	Displays a listing of the Surfer keyboard shortcuts

Commands	Displays a listing of the Surfer commands.

Using Help	Provides information about using the help system.

About	Displays information about the copyright date and version number.


Editor Window Keyboard Shortcuts

The following keystrokes can be used when entering text in the Editor window:

ARROW	Moves in the direction of the arrow.

BACKSPACE	Erases a character to the left of the cursor or erases all marked characters.

CTRL+END	Moves to end of text block.

CTRL+HOME	Moves to beginning of text block.

CTRL+C	Copies the highlighted text to the Clipboard.

CTRL+LEFT ARROW	Moves to beginning of previous word.

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW	Moves to beginning of next word.

DEL	Erases a character to the right of the cursor or erases all highlighted characters.

END	Moves to end of  line.

HOME	Moves to beginning of line.

SHIFT+CTRL+END	Highlights to end of text block.

SHIFT+CTRL+HOME	Highlights to beginning of text block.

SHIFT+CTRL+LEFT ARROW	Highlights the previous word.

SHIFT+CTRL+RIGHT ARROW	Highlights the next word.

CTRL+X	Cuts the highlighted text to the Clipboard.

SHIFT+DOWN ARROW	Marks a line for deletion.

CTRL+V	Pastes the highlighted text to the Clipboard.

SHIFT+LEFT ARROW	Highlights the previous character.

SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW	Highlights the next character.

SHIFT+UP ARROW	Marks a line for deletion.

CTRL+Z	Undo


Equations

*	A formula may be up to 127 characters.

*	Spaces may be used in the equation.

*	After a formula has been entered it may be edited by clicking within the formula and positioning the edit bar with the left and right arrow keys or the HOME and END keys and then using the DEL key or the back arrow key to delete characters.  The INSERT key may be used to insert characters.

Errors

*	If one or more variables are missing, the formula is not calculated for that row and the destination cell is left unchanged.  For example, if cell A:1 has the text string 'ONE', then the formula C = A * B will not be calculated for row 1 and cell C:1 will be unchanged.  Numeric text cannot be used in calculations.

*	If a formula is undefined for a row, the text string 'Error' will be placed in the destination cell.  For example, the formula C = B/A is undefined when A=0.  A 'Divide by 0' error occurs.

*	If a formula leads to an overflow condition, the text string 'Overflow' will be placed in the destination cell.  For example, the formula C = A * B with A and B both equal to 1.0E+38 (a one followed by 20 zeros) results in 1.0E+40, which is too large to be stored in a worksheet cell.

*	Errors generated by mathematical functions cause the text string 'Error' to be placed in the destination cell.

*	'Domain' errors occur when an argument of the function is outside the domain of the function.  For example, ASIN(2).  The domain of ASIN is from -1 to 1 and does not include 2.

*	'Singularity' errors occur when an argument of the function has an illegal value.  For example, LOG(0).

*	There are also errors resulting in a partial or total loss of significance, overflow, and underflow.

Formula Calculation

*	Formulas are specified using standard infix notation and precedence rules.

*	Operators in order of decreasing precedence are:

-	unary minus

* /	multiplication and division

+ -	addition and subtraction

*	Operators of equal precedence are evaluated from left to right.

*	Parentheses may be used to override precedence, or for clarity.


Mathematical Functions

The following built-in functions are supported.

Trigonometric Functions

sin(x)	sine

cos(x)	cosine

tan(x)	tangent

The value of x must not be an odd multiple of pi/2.

asin(x)	arc sine

Values are in the range -pi/2 to pi/2.

The value of x must be between -1 and 1.

acos(x)	arc cosine

Values are in the range 0 to pi.

The value of x must be between -1 and 1.

atan(x)	arc tangent

Values are in the range -pi/2 to pi/2.

atan2(y,x)	arc tangent

The values of x and y must not both be zero.

Values are in the range -pi to pi.

Bessel Functions

j0(x)	Bessel functions of the first kind at x

j1(x)	of orders 0, 1, and n, respectively.

jn(n,x)

y0(x)	Return the Bessel functions of the second kind

y1(x)	at x, of orders 0, 1, and n, respectively.

yn(n,x)	For y0, y1, and yn, the value of x must not be negative.

Exponential Functions

exp(x)	exponential function of x (e to the x)

sinh(x)	hyperbolic sine of x.

cosh(x)	hyperbolic cosine of x.

tanh(x)	hyperbolic tangent of x.

log(x)	natural logarithm of x.

The value of x must be positive.

log10(x)	base 10 logarithm of x.

The value of x must be positive.

pow(x,y)	x raised to the y-th power.

Error conditions result if:

x is zero and y is negative or zero,

x is negative and y is not an integer, or,

an overflow results.

Miscellaneous Functions

min(x,y)	smaller of x and y.

max(x,y)	larger of x and y.

randn(x,y)	an approximately normally (Gaussian) distributed real random number with mean x and standard deviation y.

randu(x)	a uniformly distributed real random number from the interval [0,x].

row()	row number.

ceil(x)	smallest integer that is greater than or equal to x.

floor(x)	largest integer less than or equal to x.

sqrt(x)	square root of x.

The value of x must not be negative.

fabs(x)	absolute value of x.

fmod(x,y)	floating point remainder of x/y.

If y is zero, fmod returns zero.

d2r(x)	convert argument in degrees to radians.

r2d(x)	convert argument in radians to degrees.

Example:  sin(d2r(30)) computes the sine of 30 degrees.  sin(30) computes the sine of 30 radians.

Statistical Functions of an interval of columns

sum(a..z)	sum

avg(a..z)	average

std(a..z)	standard deviation

min(a..z)	minimum value

max(a..z)	maximum value

*	These functions operate row-wise on an interval of columns.

*	For example, SUM(A..Z) computes the sum of the twenty-six columns A, B, C, ..., Z.  It does this for each row separately.

*	You may replace 'a..z' by any valid interval of columns, such as 'C..H' or 'W..AC'.  There must be exactly two periods between the column labels.  Columns may be given in reverse order, such as SUM(Z..A).


Worksheet Commands

File	Opens and saves files, new document windows.

Edit	Contains Undo, Clipboard commands, and miscellaneous editing commands.

Options	Set column widths, numeric formats and text alignment; sort worksheet data.

Compute	Compute statistics for selected cells, perform mathematical transformations.

Window 	Controls multiple document windows.

Help 	Provides access to help topics.

The Application Control menu commands control the size and position of the application window.

The Document Control menu commands control the size and position of the document window.


Worksheet File Menu Commands

New	Creates a new document window.

Open	Opens an existing worksheet document.  Clears the contents of the worksheet first.

Merge	Opens and merges an existing worksheet document into the worksheet at the active cell location.

Save	Saves the active worksheet document under its current name.

Save As	Saves the active worksheet document with a new name.  Can specify the output format.

Exit	Quits the application.  Same as Application Control Close.


File Merge

The Merge command loads the entire contents of a data file into the existing worksheet.  The upper left corner of the incoming data file is placed in the active cell.  Any cells in the existing worksheet that lie to the right of and below the active cell might be overwritten with the contents of the merging file.

When you choose the Merge command the Worksheet File Open dialog box appears.  Choose the format of the data file to be opened.  A default extension appears in the File Name edit box.  Type in the filename and press the ENTER key, or double click on the filename in the Files list box.  The contents of the new file are merged into the worksheet at the specified location.

If changes have been made to the worksheet before the Merge command is chosen, Surfer prompts you to save the changes with the Save Changes dialog box.  Choose Yes to save the changes to the current filename, No to proceed without saving the changes or Cancel to return to the worksheet without merging.


File New - Worksheet
File New

The New command creates a new Plot , Worksheet  or Editor window.

To create a new Plot or Editor window, choose the New command and the New Window dialog box appears.  Click on either the Plot or Editor button.  Click on OK and the new Plot or Editor window is created

To create a Plot window linked to another plot window, choose the New View command from the Window menu.

All commands and status bar information apply to the active document window.  A worksheet window may also be created with the Worksheet command.  Use the Window New View command to create a linked Plot window.

Shortcut: CTRL + N


File Open - Worksheet
File Open (Worksheet Window)

The Open command loads a data file into the current worksheet and clears any existing data in the worksheet.  You can open a file from one of several file formats.

If the active Worksheet window contains data, and you have made changes to the data before the Open command is chosen, a dialog box appears asking if you want to save the changes that you have made.  Choose Yes to save the changes to the current filename, No to proceed without saving the changes or Cancel to return to the worksheet.

The File Open Dialog Box

If the active Worksheet window does not contain any data, the File Open dialog box is displayed when you choose the Open command.

The File Name edit box displays the name of the selected file, or allows you to type in the path and file name of the file that you want to retrieve.

The Files list box displays the files using the extension specified in the File Name edit box.  You can open a file by double-clicking on the name in the list.  The extension is based on the format specified in the Format group box.

The Directories text indicates the current directory.  The files listed are contained in this directory.

The Directories list box selects the current directory.  If the file is on the current drive but not in the current directory, double-click on the subdirectory.

The Drives list box selects the current drive.  If the file is on a different drive, click on the Drives list box and then double-click on the drive containing the desired file.

The List Files of Type drop-down list box specifies the format of the file to be opened.  Normally the list box shows the All Recognized Types option, so all possible data file formats are listed in the files list.  If you want to only display a particular format, choose the appropriate format from the list.

*	The Golden Software Data [.DAT] format specifies an ASCII file format, and uses the default extension of [.DAT].  These files can use either spaces or commas to separate the variables in the file.

*	The Comma Separated Variables [.CSV]  format is the same as the Golden Software Data [.DAT] file format, but uses commas to separate the individual entries on a single row.  This file type commonly uses a [.CSV] extension.

*	The Microsoft SYLK format specifies a SYLK file format, and uses the default extension [.SLK].

*	The ASCII Data [.TXT] format specifies an ASCII text format.

*	The Lotus 1-2-3 [.WK1] and Lotus Symphony [.WKS] formats specify Lotus 123 [.WK1] file formats.

*	The Excel Spreadsheet [.XLS] format specifies an Excel [.XLS] file format.

*	The Atlas Boundary [.BNA] format specifies a boundary file in the Atlas [.BNA] format.

*	The All Types [*.*] option lists all files in the current directory, regardless of the file type extension.

Shortcut key: CTRL+O


File Save - Worksheet
File Save (Worksheet Window)

The Save command writes the worksheet data to the current file name and directory.  The file is saved in either the SYLK [.SLK] file  or ASCII [.DAT] file format, depending on the format specified when the file was last saved.

If a [.SLK] file is imported from another application and modified in Surfer, a dialog box appears when choosing the Save command, indicating that special formatting information may not be preserved.  By clicking on OK, the original file is overwritten.  Clicking on Cancel returns you to the worksheet without saving the file.  You can use the Save As command to specify a different filename so that the original file is not overwritten and all the special formatting which might not be supported by Surfer is preserved in the original version.

If the file has not been named when the Save command is chosen, or was imported from another program using a non-Surfer format (such as [.XLS] and [.WK1] files), the File Save dialog box appears with the default filename of SHEETx.SLK (where x is a digit).  You can click on OK to accept the default filename, or type in a new filename and click on OK.  Click on Cancel to return to the worksheet without saving the file.

 Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+S


File Save As - Worksheet
File Save As (Worksheet Window)

The Save As Command saves a new worksheet or saves a modified worksheet with a new filename.  The Save As command saves files in a SYLK [.SLK] or ASCII [.DAT] format.

The Save As Dialog Box

When you choose the Save As command the File Save dialog box appears.  If the worksheet is new and has not been named, a default name such as SHEET1.DAT appears in the File Name edit box.  If the worksheet contains an existing data file, the edit box contains the name of that data file.

The File Name edit box specifies the name for the file to be saved.  You can type in a new path and file name or accept the default path and file name.

The Directories text indicates the current directory.  The files listed are contained in this directory.

The Directories list box selects the current directory.

The Drives list box selects the current drive.  If you want to save the file to a different directory, you can click on the drive name in the list.

The Backup File checkbox saves the prior version of the worksheet to "filename.BAK" each time the file is saved with the original name.  This provides a safeguard so that the prior version is saved as a backup.  Click on the Backup checkbox to create a backup each time the file is saved.

The Save Files As Type drop-down list box saves the data in the specified format.

*	The SYLK format saves files in the SYLK [.SLK] file format, containing data along with column widths and numeric formatting information.

*	The ASCII format saves files in an ASCII [.DAT] file format.  When you specify the ASCII format you specify the format by making your selections in the Options group box.  The Comma delimit or Space delimit  specify how cell entries in the ASCII file are separated.  You can place quotes around any text by switching on the Quote text strings checkbox.

Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+A


Edit Menu Commands

Undo	Reverses the last action if possible.  Undo becomes Can't Undo if the last action cannot be reversed.

Cut	Removes the marked worksheet cells and puts them on the Clipboard.

Copy	Copies the marked worksheet cells to the Clipboard.

Paste	Places a copy of the Clipboard contents into the worksheet at the active cell location.  This command is unavailable if the Clipboard is empty.

Clear	Deletes the marked worksheet cells.

Delete	Deletes the marked worksheet cells and moves remaining cells either up or to the left to fill in the gap.

Insert	Inserts a block of empty worksheet cells equal in size to the marked block.  Moves cells down or to the right to make room.


Edit Clear - Worksheet
Edit Clear

Removes data from marked worksheet cells.  This command is used to remove data from the marked cells, and leave the cells empty when the data is removed.  If you want to shift data from unmarked cells into the marked cell locations, you should use the Delete command.

Shortcut: DEL


Edit Copy - Worksheet
Edit Copy (Worksheet Window)

Copies the marked worksheet cells to the Clipboard.  The original cells remain unaltered.  The contents of the Clipboard can later be pasted with the Paste command.  Use when you want to copy cells to a different location in the worksheet or to another application.  Only one set of data may be placed in the Clipboard at a time.  The next Cut or Copy command will replace the contents of the Clipboard.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Insert


Edit Cut - Worksheet
Edit Cut (Worksheet Window)

Moves the marked worksheet cells to the Clipboard.  The contents can later be pasted with the Paste command.  Use when you want to move cells to a different location in the worksheet or to another application.  This deletes the marked cells after copying them to the Clipboard.  Only one set of data may be placed in the Clipboard at a time.  The next Cut or Copy command will replace the contents of the Clipboard.

Shortcut: Shift+Delete


Edit Delete

Deletes the marked worksheet cells and moves the cells to the right or below to fill in the gap.  This command is used to both remove the data from the marked cells and to eliminate the gaps generated when the cell contents are removed.  If you want to leave the marked cells empty when you remove the data, you should use the Clear command, press the DEL key, or use the Cut command.

The Delete Dialog Box

When you choose the Delete command, the Delete dialog box is displayed.  Click on either the Shift cells up or Shift cells left option button and then on OK.  The selected cells are deleted and the contents of cells below or to the right are moved to fill the deleted block.


Edit Insert

The Insert command inserts a single blank cell or a single block of blank cells in the worksheet.  The selected single cell or block of cells marks the position for the blank cells.  The Insert command shifts the contents of the selected cells and the surrounding cells to make room for the new cells.

The Insert Dialog Box

When you choose the Insert command and the Insert dialog box appears.  You can click on either the Shift cells down or Shift cells right option button and then click on OK.  The blank cells are inserted and the original contents of those cells are moved accordingly to make room for the new empty cells.


Edit Paste - Worksheet
Edit Paste

The Paste command copies the Clipboard contents at the position of the active cell, while leaving the contents in the Clipboard.  Several copies of the Clipboard information can be pasted into the worksheet at various locations.

The upper left corner of the pasted data is placed in the active cell.  Any cells in the existing worksheet that lie to the right of and below the active cell might be overwritten with the contents of the pasted data.

If the information to be pasted is in SYLK  format, the columns receiving the data are reformatted with the information contained in the Clipboard.  Any numeric data contained in the column where the data is to be pasted is reformatted according to the numeric format of the pasted data.  Column widths might also change.

Keyboard shortcut: Shift+Insert or CTRL+V


Edit Undo - Worksheet
Edit Undo, Redo, Can't Undo

The Undo and Redo commands indicate the last type of operation that was performed.  The Can't Undo command is displayed if an operation has not been performed on the worksheet, or if the last operation cannot be reversed.

The Undo command reverses the last change made to the worksheet.  The Undo command changes to indicate the last operation that can be undone.  For example, if an individual cell is changed, the previous contents can be recalled by using the Undo Edit Cell command.

The Undo command requires memory to save a copy of cells that are moved or deleted.  If there isn't enough memory, an Insufficient memory - Undo disabled! message is displayed and the Undo feature is disabled.  The chosen operation is performed but cannot be reversed.

After using the Undo command, the command changes to Redo indicating that an operation has been undone.  For example, if a cell is edited and you choose the Undo Edit Cell command, the Redo Edit Cell command appears when you choose the Edit menu again.

Keyboard shortcut: CTRL+Z


Options Menu Commands

Column Widths	Set column widths or hide or unhide columns.

Numeric Formats	Set the numeric format.

Text Alignment	Set the text alignment to left, right, or centered.

Sort	Sort all or part of the worksheet.


Options Column Widths

The Column Width command sets the column width and hides or unhides one or more columns.  You can also use the mouse to drag the edge of a column in the column header to change the column width.  The SYLK [.SLK] file format must be used if you want to save the column width and numeric format information with the file.

The Column Width Dialog Box

To set column widths or to hide columns, select either the entire column or individual cells within the columns for setting the width.  Then choose the Column Width command the Column Width edit box appears.

The Column Width edit box specifies the width, in characters, of the selected columns.  Columns can be from 1 to 120 characters wide.  Enter the column width or click on the up and down arrows.

The Set Column Widths option button activates the Column Width edit box.

The Hide Columns option button hides the selected columns.

The Unhide Columns option button unhides all hidden columns among the selected columns.  To unhide a column or columns, select adjoining columns or adjoining cells in the columns on both sides of the column to be unhidden.  For example, if column B is hidden, select columns A and C.

Changing Column Widths with the Mouse

You can also change the column width or hide a column using the mouse.  When you move the cursor to the Column Heading Row and then to the line that defines the right boundary of the column to be resized the cursor changes to a line with two arrows.  Press and hold Button 1, move the cursor to the left or right to change the width of the column, and the column width changes accordingly.  A column can be hidden by moving the cursor to the left until you reach the next dividing line.  To unhide columns, press and hold Button 1 at the right edge of the hidden column and move the cursor to the right to widen the column.


Options Numeric Format

The Numeric Format command changes the way that numeric data is displayed in the worksheet.  The Numeric Format command has no effect on a numeric text string.  For example, an ASCII data file might contain the numbers "8123" (numbers surrounded by quotes) which are read as text and not as a value.

The worksheet stores numbers with seven significant digits.  The display of more than seven digits, whether before or after the decimal point, does not imply any significance in the extra digits.  The following numbers all have seven significant digits:

1,234,567.000001234567

1.234567E+10

The Numeric Format Dialog Box

To set the numeric format, select the column or columns by clicking on the column letter, or select cells in the columns to be formatted.  When you choose the Numeric Format command and the Numeric Format dialog box appears.

The General option button displays numbers in either Fixed or Exponential format, whichever is shorter.

The Fixed option button displays numbers as dd.dd where dd represents 1 or more digits.

The Exponential option button displays numbers as d.ddEddd where d is a single digit, dd can be one or more digits, and ddd is a sign and either 1 or 2 digits.

The Currency option button displays numbers the same as Fixed with a dollar sign.

The Thousands checkbox displays numbers with a comma between every 3 digits to the left of the decimal point.  This format can be used in all types except Exponential.

The Decimal Digits edit box specifies the number of digits to the right of the decimal point, or in the case of the General format, the total number of digits.  Type in the number or click on the up and down arrows.  The maximum number of decimal digits is 9.


Options Text Alignment

Text can be aligned with the left or right edges of the cell, or centered within the cell.  By default, text is left aligned in a cell, and numbers are always right aligned.  It is possible to enter a number as a text string in the worksheet by typing a single quote followed by the number, and the numeric text is then aligned according to the Text Alignment format specified for the column.  Surfer recognizes this as a text string and not as a value, and commands that operate on values will not affect text strings.

The Text Alignment Dialog Box

To align text in worksheet cells, you must first select the cells or columns in which you want to align the text.  Choose the Text Alignment command and the Text Alignment dialog box appears.  Click on the Left, Right or Center option buttons, click on OK, and the text in the selected columns is displayed with the chosen alignment.


Options Sort

The Sort command arranges the entire data set according to rank in user-specified sort columns.  Sorting is based on numbers, ASCII characters, and punctuation so numeric data, text, or mixed columns can be sorted.

The Primary Sort Column contains the data on which the rows are sorted.  The positions of the rows to be sorted are rearranged and placed in the worksheet according to rank in the Primary Sort Column.  When two or more rows have identical entries in the Primary Sort Column, the Secondary Sort Column can further organize the data set.  Duplicates in the Primary Sort Column are sorted according to the rank in the Secondary Sort Column.

The sort order in an ascending sort (the default) is based on the ASCII table.  Numeric values are placed first, followed in order by cells starting with a space, common punctuation, numeric text (numbers entered as text), uppercase letters, less common punctuation, lower case letters, uncommon punctuation, and blank cells.  When identical entries exist in the Primary Sort Column, the entries are not organized in any specific manner unless a Secondary Sort Column is specified.  Descending order is the opposite of ascending order although blank cells are still listed last.

If the data set contains text identifying the data in the column (header information), you might not want to include Row 1 as a row to be sorted.  If it is included, the row containing the identifying text might be moved to any position, depending on where the text occurs in the sort order.

The Sort Dialog Box

When you choose the Sort command the Sort dialog box appears.  If any cells are selected in the worksheet, the Sort is grayed and can not be chosen.

The First Row and Last Row edit boxes specify the top and bottom rows included in the sort operation.  Any rows outside these limits are not included in the sort and remain in their positions prior to the sort operation.  Only include those rows you want sorted.  For example, if you have identifying text in Row 1, you might want to specify Row 2 as the First Row.

The Primary Sort Column group box specifies the column on which you want to base the sorting operation.  You can type the column letter in the edit box or click on the up and down arrows to select the column.  The Ascending or Descending option buttons specify the an increasing or decreasing sort order.

The Secondary Sort Column group box can be used if duplicate data entries exist in the Primary Sort Column.  When you Enable the Secondary Sort Column, the data is first sorted on the primary column.  Then where identical values occur in two or more rows in the Primary Sort Column, the data is sorted on the secondary column.  The Enable checkbox activates the Secondary Sort Column group box.  You can type the column letter in the edit box or click on the up and down arrows to select the column.  The Ascending or Descending option buttons specify the an increasing or decreasing sort order.


Compute Menu Commands

Statistics	Compute statistics for marked cells.

Transform	Compute values for a destination column based on values in existing columns.  (May overwrite an existing column.)  Computation is done for each row within a specified range.


Compute Statistics

The Statistics command calculates statistical values for a group of selected numeric cells.  The selected cells can be any combination of cells, rows or columns.  The statistics include:

the total number of numeric cells.

the sum of the values in the selected cells.

the average of the values in the selected cells.

the standard deviation for the selected cells.

the minimum value in the group of selected cells.

the maximum value in the group of selected cells.

Any non-numeric cells in the selected range are ignored.  The calculated results can be copied to the Clipboard and pasted to the worksheet.

The Statistics Dialog Box

To calculate the statistics for any combination of cells, rows or columns, first select the cells on which the statistical functions are to be performed.  When you choose the Statistics command from the Compute menu the Statistics dialog box appears.

The Results group box displays the calculated values for the selected cells.  The checkboxes specify the statistical values to be copied to the Clipboard.

The Copy labels to Clipboard checkbox makes a copy of the labels for each of the statistical values that are copied to the Clipboard.

When you want to paste the results into the worksheet, highlight the top left cell for the block of cells to receive statistical results (and the labels if also copied).  If data exists in the selected column or the next column to the right, that data might be overwritten with the statistical results.  Choose the Paste command from the Worksheet Edit menu (or press SHIFT+INS or CTRL+V) to paste the values into the worksheet.


Compute Transform

The Transform command performs mathematical calculations on specified rows of worksheet data and places the results in a specified column.

An example of a formula is C = A + B.  With the Transformation Rows set from 1 to 25, the formula places the sum of the cells in columns A and B in column C for each row from 1 through 25.  Only numeric cells are used for calculations.

If any cell that is used in the formula contains text or is empty, the formula is not calculated for that row.Valid math operators include addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), and division (/) as well as a large library of built-in mathematical functions.

Equations are specified using standard notation and precedence rules.  Parentheses should be used to override precedence or for clarification.

If the calculation results in an error (such as divide by zero), a dialog box appears indicating the type of error, and the position of the error in the worksheet.  ERROR is printed in the destination cell.  If the resultant value is too large or too small (exponents greater than +36 or smaller than -36) to be contained in a worksheet cell, OVERFLOW is printed in the destination cell.  If the error occurs because of an invalid expression, or illegal characters in the transformation formula, this is also indicated.

The Transform Dialog Box

When you choose the Transform command the Transform dialog box is displayed.

The Transformation Formula edit box allows you to type in a formula.  Formulas consist of a destination column on the left hand side and a mathematical manipulation on the right side of the equation.

*	Here are some examples.

E = 2*A + B + C + 3*D

C = SQRT(A*A + B*B)

D = SIN(A + 2*B)

Z = AVG(B..Y)

The Transform Rows edit boxes specify the range over which the calculations occur.


GS Scripter Overview

The GS Scripter program is a BASIC-like interpreter that loads and executes scripts (also called macros).  GS Scripter is automatically installed when you run the Golden Software Setup program, and a GS Scripter icon is placed in the Golden Software group.

GS Scripter consists of two windows.  The GS Scripter Edit window is a standard Windows ASCII text editor that allows you to open, create, edit and save ASCII text files.  Scripts are executed from the GS Scripter Edit window.  The Output window displays the output from any PRINT commands specified in the macro file.  The Output window is not visible until a PRINT statement is executed in a script.

Scripts are text files created within GS Scripter, an Editor window, Windows Notepad, or any ASCII editor of your choice.  When a script file is displayed in the GS Scripter Edit window, you can run the script.  The operations specified in the script will be carried out.  Scripts executed from the GS Scripter Edit window can contain commands necessary to automatically run any OLE 2.0 compliant program.

For a complete list of Surfer specific commands, see Surfer Macro Commands.

For a general discussion of macro scripts, see Macro Script Overview

For a complete list of GS Scripter Functions, see Functions and Statements - Alphabetic List.

See Also

Defining Surfer as an Object Variable

Functions and Statements - Alphabetic List

GS Scripter Commands

GS Scripter Language Syntax Topics

Keystrokes Utilized by GS Scripter

Macro Script Overview

Modes for Running Scripts

OLE 2.0 Automation

Opening a Script File

Running a Script

Sample Surfer Script Files

Saving Script Files

Surfer Macro Commands

Using GS Scripter to Write a Macro

What are Macro Script Files?


Defining Surfer as an Object Variable

OLE 2.0 compliant programs (such as Surfer and Microsoft Excel) supply programmable objects to GS Scripter.  An object is a programmable entity that can be manipulated with a pre-defined set of available commands.  For example, when Surfer is defined as an object, the Surfer program and the Surfer specific macro commands are made available to GS Scripter.

Before you can call Surfer from GS Scripter, you must define the Surfer program as an object variable.  In this way, GS Scripter creates the Surfer "object".  To define Surfer as an object variable, you would begin your script with the line:

SET srf = CreateObject("Surfer.App")

In this case, "srf" is defined as the object "Surfer.App" (Surfer.App is the name that the setup program registered with Windows registry database). The variable "srf" can now call all the Surfer commands.  Then when your script specifies "srf" followed by a command, OLE calls Surfer and executes the specified command.  With each command you can also send command arguments corresponding to the command parameters.  For example, if you define "srf" as the Surfer object, and your script contains the line

srf.GridData("data1.dat",GridMethod = 0)

Surfer is started automatically, and a grid file is created based on "data1.dat".  The command name in this case is "GridData" and the arguments for that command are contained in the parentheses.  The arguments define which parameters to use when gridding the data file.

See Also

GS Scripter Overview

Surfer Macro Commands


Sample Script Files

There are sample script files included with Surfer.  The sample scripts demonstrate a few examples of how to set up a script and some of the capabilities.  You can use GS Scripter to run these sample files.

The sample script files are:

SAMPLE1.BAS

SAMPLE2.BAS

SAMPLE3.BAS

See Also

GS Scripter Overview

Keystrokes Utilized by GS Scripter

Macro Overview

Modes for Running Scripts

Opening a Script File

Running a Script

Sample Surfer Script Files

Saving Script Files

Using GS Scripter to Write a Macro

What are Macro Script Files?


Using the Sample Macro Files Included with Surfer

Several sample scripts are included with Surfer.  These are designed to show you the capabilities of the macro system.  Each line of the script is documented so you can open these files into the GS Scripter Edit window and study each line.  This will help you to understand how scripts are used to perform tasks in Surfer.

1.	Double-click the GS Scripter icon to display the GS Scripter Edit window.

2.	Choose the Open command from the File menu and a list of [.BAS] files is displayed in the Open Document dialog box.  If necessary, switch to the directory containing Surfer so the sample macro files are displayed.

3.	Double-click SAMPLEx.BAS (where "x" is a single digit) and the file you selected is displayed in the GS Scripter Edit window.

4.	At the top of each file, a description of the script is included, and each line in the script is described.  Take some time to look over each of the steps to become familiar with the macro language.

5.	To run the script, choose the Start command from the Run menu and the macro is executed.

6.	When the macro is completed you are returned to the GS Scripter Edit window and you can open another sample macro file, or create your own script.

See Also

SAMPLE1.BAS

SAMPLE2.BAS

SAMPLE3.BAS

GS Scripter Overview

Keystrokes Utilized by GS Scripter

Macro Script Overview

Modes for Running Scripts

Opening a Script File

Running a Script

Sample Surfer Script Files

Saving Script Files

Using GS Scripter to Write a Macro

What are Macro Script Files?


SAMPLE1.BAS

This script demonstrates the following:

For each grid method:

Grid a sample data file

Create a contour map

Print the page.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Create the surfer object.

Set Surf = CreateObject("Surfer.App")

' Loop for each grid method

for Method = 0 to 6

   'Open a new drawing document

   Surf.FileNew()

   ' Grid the data file using the current method

   if Surf.GridData("DEMOGRID.DAT", GridMethod=Method, OutGrid="SAMPLE") = 0 then end

   ' Create a contour map from the grid

   if Surf.MapContour("SAMPLE") = 0 then end

   ' Uncomment the following line to print the current page

   'Surf.FilePrint()

next

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See Also

SAMPLE2.BAS

SAMPLE3.BAS

GS Scripter Overview

Macro Script Overview

Modes for Running Scripts

Opening a Script File

Running a Script

Sample Surfer Script Files

Saving Script Files

Using GS Scripter to Write a Macro

What are Macro Script Files?


SAMPLE2.BAS

This demonstrates a rudimentary template script.  A data file is '  specified at the start of the script.  A contour map and surface plot is then generated.  This can be applied to any data file by changing the value of File$ appropriately.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Specify the input data file and the output grid file

InFile$  = "DEMOGRID.DAT"

OutFile$ = "SAMPLE"

' Create the surfer object.

Set Surf = CreateObject("Surfer.App")

' Create a new plot window

Surf.FileNew()

' Grid the data file

if Surf.GridData(InFile$, GridMethod=1, SearchRad1=4.53, SearchRad2=4.53, OutGrid=OutFile$) = 0 then end

' Create a filled contour map

if Surf.MapContour(OutFile$, Flags=1, ID="Contour #1") = 0 then end

' Select the contour map

Surf.Select("Contour #1")

' Move and size the current selection.

Surf.TransformSel(Left=1, Bottom=0, Width=7, Height=5)

' Create a surface plot.

if Surf.MapSurface(OutFile$, xLineColor="Blue", yLineColor="Blue", ID="Surface #1") = 0 then end

' Select the contour map

Surf.Deselect()

Surf.Select(ID="Surface #1")

' Move and size the current selection.

Surf.TransformSel(Left=1, Bottom=6, Width=7, Height=5)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See Also

SAMPLE1.BAS

SAMPLE3.BAS

GS Scripter Overview

Macro Overview

Modes for Running Scripts

Opening a Script File

Running a Script

Sample Surfer Script Files

Saving Script Files

Using GS Scripter to Write a Macro

What are Macro Script Files?


SAMPLE3.BAS

This script creates several maps from a single data file.  The data file is organized with columns corresponding to X, Y, Z1, Z2, etc.  A contour map is created for each set of data: X,Y,Z1, X,Y,Z2, etc.

The first row of the data file contains column headings.  This is extracted and used to title the corresponding map.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Specify the input data file

File$ = "SAMPLE3"

' Create the surfer object.

Set Surf = CreateObject("Surfer.App")

' Load the data file into a worksheet window

hWnd = Surf.FileOpen(File$+".DAT",1)

if hWnd = 0 then end

' Create a new plot window

Surf.FileNew()

' Turn off redraw so things go faster

Surf.ViewAutoRedraw(0)

' Loop for each Z column...

for iMap=0 to 5

   ' Form the map title by concatenating the column

   ' titles in the first row of the worksheet

   Title$ = Surf.GetWksCell(hWnd,0,0) +    \

            Surf.GetWksCell(hWnd,0,1) +    \

            Surf.GetWksCell(hWnd,0,iMap+2)

   ' Grid the current X,Y,Z data

   if Surf.GridData(File$+".DAT", xCol=0, yCol=1, zCol=iMap+2) = 0 then end

   ' Create a contour map

   if Surf.MapContour(File$, ID=Title$) = 0 then end

   ' Select the map just created

   Surf.Deselect()

   Surf.Select(Title$)

   ' Calculate the map position on the page

   Width  = 3

   Height = 3

   Left   = 0.5 + int(iMap/3) * (Width+1)

   Bottom = 0.5 + (iMap mod 3) * (Height+.5)

   'Position the map on the page

   Surf.TransformSel(Left,Bottom,Width,Height)

   ' Label the map

   Surf.DrawText(Left+Width/2-.5, Bottom-.1, "Plot of " + Title$)

next

' Turn auto redraw back on and refresh the window

Surf.ViewAutoRedraw(1)

Surf.ViewRedraw()

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See Also

SAMPLE1.BAS

SAMPLE2.BAS

GS Scripter Overview

Macro Script Overview

Modes for Running Scripts

Opening a Script File

Running a Script

Sample Surfer Script Files

Saving Script Files

Using GS Scripter to Write a Macro

What are Macro Script Files?


FileNew()

Description

Creates a new Plot, Worksheet or Editor window.

Syntax

object.FileNew(Type)

Elements

[Optional] Type	0 = Draw document (default)

1 = Wks document

2 = Edit document

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

New

Surfer Macro Commands


FileOpen()

Description

Opens a [.SRF], [.TXT] or [.DAT] file.

Syntax

object.FileOpen(File, Type)

Elements

[Required] File	The path and name of the file to open, in quotation marks.

[Optional] Type	0 = Draw document (default)

1 = Wks document

2 = Edit document

Return Value

Returns the document window handle, or 0 if error.

See Also

Open

Surfer Macro Commands


FileClose()

Description

Closes the current document window.  You can automatically save the contents of the window, can prompt to save the contents, or close the window without saving the contents.

Syntax

object.FileClose(Save)

Elements

[Optional] Save	0 = Prompts to save if plot window contents have been changed since last saved (default)

1 = Automatically saves Plot window contents

2 = Document is not saved

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Close

Surfer Macro Commands


FileSave()

Description

Saves the contents of the current window.

Syntax

object.FileSave(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Save

Surfer Macro Commands


FileSaveAs()

Description

Saves the contents of the current Plot window to the specified path and file name.  You can optionally create a backup of the file.

Syntax

object.FileSaveAs(File, Backup)

Elements

[Required] File	The path and name of the file to save, in quotation marks.

[Optional] Backup	0 = to not backup

non-zero = to backup

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Save As

Surfer Macro Commands


FileExport()

Description

Exports the contents of the Plot window to the specified path and file name.  The extension of the file specifies the file format to use when exporting the file.  Files can be exported as AutoCAD [.DXF] files, Windows [.WMF] files, or Windows Clipboard [.CLP] files.

To save to the contents as a [.DXF] file, you would use file name such as:

filename.dxf

Syntax

object.FileExport(File, Selected, Backup, Options)

Elements

[Required] File	The path and name of the file to save, in quotation marks.

[Optional] Selected	1 = export selected objects only

0 = export all

[Optional] Backup	0 = to not backup

non-zero = to backup

[Optional] Options	Export specific options.  See the export filter help for details

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Export

Surfer Macro Commands


FilePrint()

Description

Prints the contents of the current Plot window to the installed printer.

Syntax

object.FilePrint(Method, xOverlap, yOverlap, Scale)

Elements

[Optional] Method	0 = Truncate

1 = Fit to window

2 = Tile

[Optional] xOverlap	Amount of horizontal overlap for tiles (in page units)

[Optional] yOverlap	Amount of vertical overlap for tiles (in page units)

[Optional] Scale	Scale as a % (100 = no scale)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Print

Surfer Macro Commands


FilePageLayout()

Description

Specifies the orientation and paper size to use for the page outline displayed in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.FilePageLayout(Orientation, Width, Height)

Elements

[Optional] Orientation	0 = Portrait

1 = Landscape

[Optional] Width	width of page in page units

[Optional] Height	height of page in page units

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Page Layout

Surfer Macro Commands


FileExit()

Description

Exits Surfer.  You can prompt to save the contents of any active document or exit without saving any documents.

Syntax

object.FileExit(Save)

Elements

[Optional] Save	0 = Prompts for each document that has not been saved since the last change (default if omitted)

1 = Automatically saves each document that has not been saved since the last change

2 = No documents are saved

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Exit

Surfer Macro Commands


EditCut()

Description

Cuts the selected objects to the Clipboard, and removes them from the Plot window.

Syntax

object.EditCut(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Cut

Surfer Macro Commands


EditCopy()

Description

Copies the selected objects to the Clipboard and leaves them in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.EditCopy(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Copy

Surfer Macro Commands


EditPaste()

Description

Pastes the contents of the Clipboard into the current Plot window.  You can optionally specify the format to use when pasting the objects, and can break apart a metafile when it is pasted.

Syntax

object.EditPaste(Format, BreakMeta)

Elements

[Optional] Format	If a Plot window is active, this is the name of the input format to use.  This may currently be GS Surfer, "Text", "Picture", or "Bitmap".

[Optional] BreakMeta	When the Picture format is used, this argument breaks apart the pasted metafile.  Any non-zero integer will break apart the metafile.  If BreakMeta is zero, the metafile is not broken apart.

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Paste

Surfer Macro Commands


EditDelete()

Description

Removes the selected objects from the Plot window.

Syntax

object.EditDelete(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Delete

Surfer Macro Commands


EditBlockSelect()

Description

Selects the objects that lie within the rectangle defined by the Top, Bottom, Left and Right limits of the block select rectangle.

Syntax

object.EditBlockSelect(Left, Top, Right, Bottom)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units.

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were selected.

See Also

Block Select

Surfer Macro Commands


EditColorScale()

Description

Modifies the color scale parameters.

Syntax

object.EditColorScale(ScaleID, AutoLabel, FirstLab, LabFreq, LabMin, LabMax, LabInt, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, LabFace, LabFontSize, LabHorzAlign, LabVertAlign, LabFontStyle, LabFontColor, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, LabAngle)

Elements

 [Required] ScaleID	The ID of the color scale to be edited

 [Optional] AutoLabel	For automatic scaling.  0 turns off automatic scaling

 [Optional] FirstLab	Minimum tick label location (contour maps)

 [Optional] LabFreq	Step factor between labeled ticks (contour Maps)

 [Optional] LabMin	Minimum tick label (image maps)

 [Optional] LabMax	Maximum tick label (image maps)

 [Optional] LabInt	Step factor between labeled ticks (image maps)

 [Optional] LineColor 	Line color to use on the color scale. The color name or a string of the 	form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx 	is the amount of red, green and 	blue (0 to 255)

 [Optional] LineStyle	Line style to use on the color scale.  Use the name from the Line 	Attributes dialog box

 [Optional] LineWidth	The line width for the lines on the color scale

 [Optional] LabFace	The face name string, in quotation marks.

 [Optional] LabFontSize	The point size for the labels

 [Optional] LabHorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

 [Optional] LabVertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

 [Optional] LabFontStyle	1= Bold; Use the sum of the values listed to get multiple attributes.

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

 [Optional] LabFontColor	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx 	is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

 [Optional] LabType	Numeric format for the contour labels.

0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

 [Optional] LabnDig 	Number of decimal digits to use.

 [Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

 [Optional] LabPrefix 	Prefix text string to appear on every label

 [Optional] LabPostfix 	Suffix text string to appear on every label

 [Optional] LabAngle	The angle for the labels

See Also

Color Scale Dialog Box - Contour Maps

Color Scale Dialog Box - Image Maps

Surfer Macro Commands


EditFlipSelection()

Description

Selects all objects that are currently not selected, and deselects all the currently selected objects.

object

Syntax

object.EditFlipSelection(void)

Return Value

Returns the number of objects whose selection status was changed.

See Also

Flip Selections

Surfer Macro Commands


EditLegend()

Description

Edits the legend associated with a classed post map.

Syntax

object.EditLegend(LegendID, FrameType, Margin, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, FillForeColor, FillBackColor, FillPattern, FillMode, Title, TitleFace, TitleFontSize, TitleFontStyle, TitleFontColor, Template, TextFace, TextFontSize, TextFontStyle, TextFontColor, NumericType, NumericNDig, NumericFlags, NumericPrefix, NumericPostfix, Reverse)

Elements

[Required] LegendID

[Optional] FrameType	The type of border to use:

0 = None

1 = Rectangle

2 = Round rectangle

[Optional] Margin	The distance between the frame and the legend text

[Optional] LineColor	Color for 3D Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	In page units

[Optional] FillForeColor	Color for the foreground fill. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] FillBackColor	Color for the background fill. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] FillPattern 	The pattern to use for the fill

[Optional] FillMode 	1 = TRANSPARENT

2 = OPAQUE

[Optional] Title	The legend title, in quotes

[Optional] TitleFace	The typeface to use for the legend title

[Optional] TitleFontSize	The font size to use for the title

[Optional] TitleFontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] TitleFontColor 	Color for the title text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] Template	The format of the text to use for the classes, in quotes

[Optional] TextFace	The typeface to use for the legend class text

[Optional] TextFontSize	The font size to use for the legend class text

[Optional] TextFontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] TextFontColor	Color for the title text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] NumericType 	Numeric format for the class labels.

0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] NumericNDig	Number of decimal digits to use on class labels

[Optional] NumericFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

2 = Absolute value

[Optional] NumericPrefix	Prefix text string to appear on every class label

[Optional] NumericPostfix	Suffix text string to appear on every class label

[Optional] Reverse	Any non-zero reverses the legend item order

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Classed Post Legend Dialog Box

Surfer Macro Commands


EditSetObjectID()

Description

Assigns an Object ID to the selected object.

object.EditSetObjectID(ID)

Elements

[Required] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

For example, object.EditSetObjectID( Golden )

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were changed.

See Also

Object ID

Surfer Macro Commands


ViewPage()

Description

Magnifies or reduces the view of the Plot window so the entire page is seen.  The page size is set using the FilePageLayout command.

Syntax

object.ViewPage(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Page

Surfer Macro Commands


ViewFitToWindow()

Description

Changes the magnification of the Plot window so all objects in the window can be seen.

Syntax

object.ViewFitToWindow(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Fit to Window

Surfer Macro Commands


ViewActualSize()

Description

Changes the magnification of the Plot window so objects are displayed at true scale.

Syntax

object.ViewActualSize(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Actual Size

Surfer Macro Commands


ViewZoomIn()

Description

Doubles the magnification of the Plot window.  If optional X,Y page coordinates are specified, the window may scroll to center the point of interest.

Syntax

object.ViewZoomIn(x, y)

Elements

[Optional] x	Coordinates are in page units.

[Optional] y	An attempt is made to center this point in the window after the zoom.  If either coordinate is omitted, the center of the window will be used.

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Zoom In

Surfer Macro Commands


ViewZoomOut()

Description

Reduces the magnification of the Plot window by one half.  If optional X,Y page coordinates are specified, the window may scroll to center the point of interest.

Syntax

object.ViewZoomOut(x, y)

Elements

[Optional] x	Coordinates are in page units.

[Optional] y	An attempt is made to center this point in the window after the zoom.  If either coordinate is omitted, the center of the window will be used.

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Zoom Out

Surfer Macro Commands


ViewZoomRectangle()

Description

Magnifies the portion of the Plot window specified by the defined rectangle.  Page units are used to define the Left, Right, Top and Bottom of the Zoom Rectangle.

Syntax

object.ViewZoomRectangle(Left, Top, Right, Bottom)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units.

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Zoom Rectangle

Surfer Macro Commands


ViewZoomSelected()

Description

Changes the magnification of the drawing so the selected objects are drawn at the maximum possible size and still fit in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.ViewZoomSelected(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands

Zoom Selected


ViewRedraw()

Description

Clears the Plot window and then redraws all objects.

Syntax

object.ViewRedraw(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Redraw

Surfer Macro Commands


ViewAutoRedraw()

Description

Automatically redraws the Plot window each time a change is made to any object.  By disabling Auto Redraw, you can greatly decrease macro running time.

Syntax

object.ViewAutoRedraw(Enable)

Elements

[Required] Enable	1 = to enable auto redraw

0 = to disable.

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Auto Redraw

Surfer Macro Commands


DrawText()

Description

Places the specified text in the Plot window at the specified page location.  The text uses the default text attributes, and can contain Math Text Instructions used to modify the text attributes within the text block.

Syntax

object.DrawText(x, y, Text, ID)

Elements

[Required] x	The X position in page units of alignment point

[Required] y 	The Y position in page units of alignment point

[Required] Text 	The text string in quotation marks.

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands

Text


DrawMarker()

Description

Draws a point symbol at the specified page location.  The symbol uses the current default symbol attributes.

Syntax

object.DrawMarker(x, y, ID)

Elements

[Required] x	The X position in page units.

[Required] y 	The Y position in page units

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands

Symbol


DrawRectangle()

Description

Draws a rectangle at the specified size and location in the Plot window.  The rectangle uses the current default fill and line attributes.

Syntax

object.DrawRectangle(Left, Top, Right, Bottom, ID)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units.

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

[Optional] ID	The Object ID to assign, in quotation marks.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Rectangle

Surfer Macro Commands


DrawRoundRect()

Description

Draws a rounded rectangle at the specified size and location in the Plot window.  The rounded rectangle uses the current default fill and line attributes.

Syntax

object.DrawRoundRect(Left, Top, Right, Bottom, ID)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

[Optional] ID	The Object ID to assign, in quotation marks.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Rounded Rect

Surfer Macro Commands


DrawEllipse()

Description

Draws an ellipse at the specified size and location in the Plot window.  The ellipse uses the current default fill and line attributes.

Syntax

object.DrawEllipse(Left, Top, Right, Bottom, ID)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

[Optional] ID	The Object ID to assign, in quotation marks.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Ellipse

Surfer Macro Commands


DrawLineAttributes()

Description

Specifies the default line color, style and width if no objects are selected, or specifies the line attributes for all selected objects.

Syntax

object.DrawLineAttributes(Color, Style, Width)

Elements

[Optional] Color	The line color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] Style	The line style name (same as in the dialog)

[Optional] Width	Width of line in page units

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Line Attributes

Surfer Macro Commands


DrawFillAttributes()

Description

Specifies the default foreground and background color, the fill pattern, and the fill mode if no objects are currently selected, or specifies the fill attributes for all selected objects.

Syntax

object.DrawFillAttributes(ForeColor, BackColor, Pattern, Mode)

Elements

[Optional] ForeColor	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] BackColor	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] Pattern	The pattern name as it appears in the dialog.

[Optional] Mode	1 = TRANSPARENT

2 = OPAQUE

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Fill Attributes

Surfer Macro Commands


DrawTextAttributes()

Description

Specifies the default text attributes if no text objects are selected, or specifies the text attributes for all selected text blocks.

Syntax

object.DrawTextAttributes(Face, Size, HorzAlign, VertAlign, Style, Color)

Elements

[Optional] Face	The face name string, in quotation marks.

[Optional] Size	In points

[Optional] HorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] VertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] Style	1= Bold; Use the sum of the values listed to get multiple attributes.

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] Color	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands

Text Attributes


DrawSymbolAttributes()

Description

Specifies the default symbol character set, symbol size, the symbol to use and the color for the symbol when no objects are selected, or specifies the symbol attributes for all selected symbols.

Syntax

object.DrawSymbolAttributes(Face, Size, Symbol, Color)

Elements

[Optional] Face	The  face name string. Default Symbols can be used to specify the default symbol set.

[Optional] Size	In page units

[Optional] Symbol	Index of the symbol to use (0 based)

[Optional] Color	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands

Symbol Attributes


ArrangeMoveToFront()

Description

Moves all the currently selected objects on top of all other objects in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.ArrangeMoveToFront(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Move to Front

Surfer Macro Commands


ArrangeMoveToBack()

Description

Moves all currently selected objects behind all other objects in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.ArrangeMoveToBack(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Move to Back

Surfer Macro Commands


ArrangeCombine()

Description

Combines all currently selected objects into a single composite object.

Syntax

object.ArrangeCombine(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Combine

Surfer Macro Commands


ArrangeBreakApart()

Description

Breaks apart a composite object into its original components.

Syntax

object.ArrangeBreakApart(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Break Apart

Surfer Macro Commands


ArrangeRotate()

Description

Rotates the selected object or objects by the specified number of degrees.  Objects are rotated about the center of the bounding box for the single object or about the bounding box defined by the group of selected objects.

Syntax

object.ArrangeRotate(Angle)

Elements

[Required] Angle	In degrees (+ angles rotate CCW)

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were changed.

See Also

Rotate

Surfer Macro Commands


ArrangeAlign()

Description

Aligns the selected objects relative to the bounding box defined by the selected objects.  You can align objects both horizontally and vertically.

Syntax

object.ArrangeAlign(HorzAlign, VertAlign)

Elements

[Optional] HorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] VertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Center

2 = Bottom

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were changed.

See Also

Align Objects

Surfer Macro Commands


GridData()

Description

Creates a grid [.GRD] file from an XYZ data file.

Syntax

object.GridData(DataFile, xCol, yCol, zCol, xMin, xMax, yMin, yMax, xSize, ySize, nRow, nCol, GridMethod, OutGrid, OutFmt, SearchMethod, SearchRad1, SearchRad2, SearchAngle, MinData, DataPerSect, MaxEmpty, DupMethod, IgnoreOutside, AnisotropyRatio, AnisotropyAngle, InvDistPower, Smooth, VarioType1, VarioScale1, VarioLength1, VarioRatio1, VarioAngle1, VarioType2, VarioScale2, VarioLength2, VarioRatio2, VarioAngle2, VarioType3, VarioScale3, VarioLength3, VarioRatio3, VarioAngle3, ErrorVariance, MicroVariance, VarioDrift, Range1, Range2, MinCurveMaxError, MinCurveMaxIter, MaxXOrder, MaxYOrder, TotalOrder, CopyCoef, BasisType, Rsquared)

Elements

[Required] DataFile	The path and name of the input XYZ data file, in quotation marks.

[optional] xCol	Wks column (0-255)

[optional] yCol	Wks column (0-255)

[optional] zCol	Wks column (0-255)

[optional] xMin	Grid limits in data units

[optional] xMax

[optional] yMin

[optional] yMax

[optional] xSize	Spacing between grid lines in X data units.

[optional] ySize 	Spacing between grid lines in Y data units.

[optional] nRow	Number of rows/cols in grid

[optional] nCol

[optional] GridMethod	0 = Inverse distance

1 = Kriging

2 = Minimum curvature

3 = Polynomial regression

4 = Radial basis function

5 = Shepard

6 = Triangulation

7 = Nearest Neighbor

[optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file

[optional] OutFmt	1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

[optional] SearchMethod	0 = None

1 = Simple

2 = Quadrant

3 = Octant

[optional] SearchRad1 	Search ellipse radius 1, in data units

[optional] SearchRad2 	Search ellipse radius 2, in data units

[optional] SearchAngle 	Search ellipse orientation.  Positive angles rotate CCW.

[optional] MinData 	The minimum number of data points allowed within the search radius.  Otherwise assign the blanking value.

[optional] DataPerSect 	The number of data points read from each sector.

[optional] MaxEmpty 	The maximum number of empty sectors allowed.  Otherwise assign the blanking value.

[optional] DupMethod	How to treat duplicate points in the input data set:

0 = ignore

1 = average

2 = delete

3 = sum

[optional] IgnoreOutside	Whether or not to consider data points outside the specified grid limits.

0 = no

non-zero = yes

[optional] AnisotropyRatio 	The relative axis lengths for the anisotropy axes.

[optional] AnisotropyAngle 	The orientation for the anisotropy axes.  Positive angles rotate the axes CCW.

[optional] InvDistPower 	The weighting power to apply during inverse distance gridding.

[optional] Smooth 	The smoothing factor to apply during inverse distance gridding.

[optional] VarioType1	The variogram type to used when Kriging is the gridding method

0 = None

1 = Exponential

2 = Gaussian

3 = Hole effect

4 = Linear

5 = Quadratic

6 = Rational quadratic

7 = Spherical

[optional] VarioScale1 	Defines the sill for the selected variogram model (Kriging).

[optional] VarioLength1

[optional] VarioRatio1

[optional] VarioAngle1

[optional] VarioType2	The variogram type to used when Kriging is the gridding method used.

0 = None

1 = Exponential

2 = Gaussian

3 = Hole effect

4 = Linear

5 = Quadratic

6 = Rational quadratic

7 = Spherical

[optional] VarioScale2 	Defines the sill for the selected variogram model (Kriging).

[optional] VarioLength2

[optional] VarioRatio2

[optional] VarioAngle2

[optional] VarioType3	The variogram type to used when Kriging is the gridding method used.

0 = None

1 = Exponential

2 = Gaussian

3 = Hole effect

4 = Linear

5 = Quadratic

6 = Rational quadratic

7 = Spherical

[optional] VarioScale3 	Defines the sill for the selected variogram model (Kriging).

[optional] VarioLength3

[optional] VarioRatio3

[optional] VarioAngle3

[optional] ErrorVariance 	Specifies the variance of the measurement errors (Kriging).

[optional] MicroVariance 	Specifies the variance of the small scale structure (Kriging).

[optional] VarioDrift	Order of the polynomial drift 0, 1, 2 (Kriging)

[optional] Range1 	Radius 1 value to apply for Kriging and Shepards Method when applying an anisotropy ratio.

[optional] Range2 	Radius 2 value to apply for Kriging and Shepards Method when applying an anisotropy ratio.

[optional] MinCurveMaxError	The maximum residuals value to use during Minimum Curvature gridding.

[optional] MinCurveMaxIter 	The maximum iterations parameter to use during Minimum Curvature gridding.

 [optional] MaxXOrder 	Specifies the maximum power for the X component in the polynomial equation.

[optional] MaxYOrder 	Specifies the maximum power for the Y component in the polynomial equation.

[optional] TotalOrder 	Specifies the maximum sum of the MaxXOrder and MaxYOrder powers.

[optional] CopyCoef	0 = do not copy coefficients

1 = to copy coefficients to clipboard

[optional] BasisType	0 = Inverse multiquadric

1 = Multilog

2 = Multiquadric

3 = Natural cubic_spline

4 = Thin plate spline

[optional] RSquared 	Specifies the R2 smoothing parameter when using Radial Basis Functions gridding.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Data

Surfer Macro Commands


GridExtract()

Description

Extracts a subset of the input grid or DEM file.

Syntax

object.GridExtract(InGrid, r1, c1, r2, c2, rFreq, cFreq, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	The path and file name for the input grid or DEM file.

[Optional] r1	First row to extract

[Optional] c1	First column to extract

[Optional] r2	Last row to extract

[Optional] c2	Last column to extract

[Optional] rFreq	Step factor between rows

[Optional] cFreq	Step factor between columns

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Extract Command

Surfer Macro Commands


GridFunction()

Description

Creates a grid [.GRD] file from a user-defined function of the form Z = f(X,Y).

Syntax

object.GridFunction(Function, xMin, xMax, xInc, yMin, yMax, yInc, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Optional] Function	The equation as a string, ie "Z=X+Y"

[Optional] xMin	Specifies the beginning X value used in the function.

[Optional] xMax 	Specifies the ending X value used in the function.

[Optional] xInc 	Specifies the step value between grid lines in the X direction

[Optional] yMin 	Specifies the beginning Y value used in the function.

[Optional] yMax 	Specifies the ending Y value used in the function.

[Optional] yInc 	Specifies the step value between grid lines in the Y direction.

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Function

Surfer Macro Commands


GridMath()

Description

Creates a grid [.GRD] file by:

1.	Mathmatically combining corresponding grid nodes of two other grids according to a user-specified function.

2.	Applying the same mathematical expression to all grid nodes in a single grid.

Syntax

object.GridMath(InGridA, InGridB, OutGridC, OutFmt, Function)

Elements

[Required] InGridA	Input grid or DEM file A path and file name, in quotation marks.

[Optional] InGridB	Input grid or DEM file B path and file name

[Optional] OutGridC	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	Specifies the output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

[Optional] Function	The equation as a string, ie "C=A+B"

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Math

Surfer Macro Commands


GridMatrixSmooth()

Description

Creates a new, smoothed version of a grid [.GRD] file using a either an averaging or weighted inverse distance matrix smoothing algorithm.

Syntax

object.GridMatrixSmooth(InGrid, Method, CenterWeight, Power, nRow, nCol, OutGrid,  OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name

[Optional] Method	0 = Average

1 = Weighted

[Optional] CenterWeight 	Specifies the weighting factor to apply to the matrix center.

[Optional] Power 	Specifies the distance weighting power value.

[Optional] nRow	Specifes the number of rows and columns on either side of the matrix center.

[Optional] nCol

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks

[Optional] OutFmt	The ouput grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Matrix Smooth

Surfer Macro Commands


GridSplineSmooth()

Description

Creates a new, smoothed version of a grid [.GRD] file using cubic spline interpolation to compute new grid node values.  You can either recalculate or expand the number of grid nodes in the created grid file relative to the original grid file.

Syntax

object.GridSplineSmooth(InGrid, nInsertRow, nInsertCol, nRow, nCol, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name, in quotation marks

[Optional] nInsertRow	The number of rows and columns to insert between grid lines when expanding a grid.

[Optional] nInsertCol

[Optional] nRow	The grid size for the output grid file when recalculating a grid.

[Optional] nCol

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	The output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Spline Smooth

Surfer Macro Commands


GridTransform()

Description

Performs a two dimensional transform on the X and Y coordinates of the input grid or DEM file.

Syntax

object. GridTransform(InGrid	, Operation, xOffset, yOffset, xScale, yScale, Rotation, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name, in quotation marks

[Optional] Operation	0 = Offset

1 = Scale

2 = Rotate

3 = Mirror X

4 = Mirror Y

[Optional] xOffset	X offset, in data units

[Optional] yOffset	Y offset, in data units

[Optional] xScale	Scale factor in the X dimension

[Optional] yScale	Scale factor in the Y dimension

[Optional] Rotation	Rotation angle, in factors of 90 degrees

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	The output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Grid Transform

Surfer Macro Commands


GridBlank()

Description

Blanks portions of a grid file by assigning a special blanking code to grid nodes lying either inside or outside a user-defined blanking [.BLN] file boundary.  Blanked grid files do not display contour lines in the blanked regions, and surface plots display low flat areas over the blanked regions.

Syntax

object.GridBlank(InGrid, BlankFile, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name

[Required] BlankFile	The blanking [.BLN] file path and file name, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	The output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Blank

Surfer Macro Commands


GridCalculus()

Description

Creates an output grid based on calculus operations on the input grid or DEM file.

Syntax

object.GridCalculus(InGrid, Operation, Derivative, Angle, Terrain, Gradient, DiffInteg, Fourier, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name

[Optional] Operation	0 = Directional derivative,

1 = Terrain modeling,

2 = Diff & Integral operator,

3 = Fourier spectral analysis

[Optional] Derivative	0 = First derivative

1 = Second derivative

2 = Curvature

[Optional] Angle	The angle for the directional derivative

[Optional] Terrain	0 = Slope

1 = Aspect

2 = Profile curvature

3 = Plan curvature

4 = Tangential curvature

[Optional] Gradient	Threshold value defining the slope to be assumed horizontal

[Optional] DiffInteg	0 = Gradient operator

1 = Laplacian operator

2 = Biharmonic operator

3 = Integrated volume

[Optional] Fourier	0 = Correlogra

1 = Periodogra

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	The output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Calculus Command

Surfer Macro Commands


GridConvert()

Description

Converts between ASCII and binary grid file formats, or converts a grid file to an XYZ data file.

Syntax

object.GridConvert(InGrid, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file

[Optional] OutFmt	Output grid file format

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Convert

Surfer Macro Commands


GridVolume()

Description

Performs volume, cuts and fills, planar area and surface area calculations between two surfaces or a surface and a horizontal plane.

Syntax

object.GridVolume(UpGrid, UpConstant, LowGrid, LowConstant)

Elements

[Optional] UpGrid	Upper surface grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] UpConstant	Upper surface Z level

[Optional] LowGrid 	Lower surface grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] LowConstant 	Lower surface Z level

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands

Volume Command


Import()

Description

Imports files as composite objects that can be broken apart into individual objects.

Syntax

object.Import(File, Options, ID)

Elements

[Required] File	The name of the file to import (needs extension to determine the type)

[Optional] Options	A filter specific options string.  See the filter specific help for details.

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands


GridSlice()

Description

Creates cross section data from a grid file and a blanking [.BLN] file.

Syntax

object.GridSlice(InGrid, BlankFile, OutBlankFile, OutDataFile, ClipFlags)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file, in quotation marks

[Required] BlankFile 	Specifies the blanking [.BLN] file defining the cross section line

[Optional] OutBlankFile	The output blanking file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutDataFile

[Optional] ClipFlags	Add the following to get what you want:

1 = Clip Outside grid

2 = Clip over blanked areas

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Slice

Surfer Macro Commands


GridResiduals()

Description

Computes the difference in Z value between XYZ data points in a data file and a gridded surface.

Syntax

object.GridResiduals(InGrid, DataFile, xCol, yCol, zCol, ResidCol)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file

[Optional] DataFile

[Optional] xCol	Worksheet column containing the X coordinate (0-255)

[Optional] yCol	Worksheet column containing the Y coordinate (0-255)

[Optional] zCol	Worksheet column containing the Z coordinate (0-255)

[Optional] ResidCol	Worksheet column to receive the residuals data (0-255)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Residuals

Surfer Macro Commands


MapLoadBaseMap()

Description

Imports a base map into the the current Plot window.  Base maps can be in one of several file formats.  File formats are specified by the file name extension.  See Load BaseMap for a list of base map file formats and the extensions.

Syntax

object.MapLoadBaseMap(File, Options, ID)

Elements

[Required] File	The name of the file to import (needs extension to determine the type)

[Optional] Options	A filter specific options string.  See the filter specific help for details.

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Load BaseMap

Surfer Macro Commands


MapContour()

Description

Creates a contour map from a grid [.GRD] file.

Syntax

object.MapContour(InGrid, Flags, Minimum, Maximum, Interval, LevelFile, LabType, LabnDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, SmoothAmount, iLabBeg, iLabFreq, Lab2LabDist, Lab2EdgeDist, LabTolerance, iHachBeg, iHachFreq, HachLen, ID, ScaleID)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file

[Optional] Flags	Add the following to get what you want:

1 - Fill contours

2 - Smooth contours

4 - Hachures point uphill

64 - Add a color scale object

128 - Orient in-line labels uphill

256 - Hachure both closed & open contours

[Optional] Minimum	Minimum contour level

[Optional] Maximum 	Maximum contour level

[Optional] Interval 	Contour interval

[Optional] LevelFile 	Path and file name for level file to use, in quotation marks

[Optional] LabType	Numeric format for the contour labels.

0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabnDig 	Number of decimal digits to use on contour labels.

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	Prefix text string to appear on every contour label

[Optional] LabPostfix 	Suffix text string to appear on every contour label

[Optional] SmoothAmount	Relative amount of smoothing to apply to contour lines

0 = Low

1 = Medium

2 = High

[Optional] iLabBeg 	First contour line on which to place labels.  This is the number in the list and not the actual Z level value.

[Optional] iLabFreq 	Frequency of labeled contour levels

[Optional] Lab2LabDist	Distance between labels in page units

[Optional] Lab2EdgeDist	Label distance to the map border in page units

[Optional] LabTolerance 	Curve tolerance for labels to be drawn

[Optional] iHachBeg 	First contour line on which to place hachures

[Optional] iHachFreq 	Frequency of hachured contours

[Optional] HachLen	Length of hachures in page units

[Optional] ID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

[Optional] ScaleID	Assigns an ID to the associated color scale

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Contour

Surfer Macro Commands


MapPost()

Description

Creates a post map from a data file containing X,Y coordinates and optional infomation for post labels, symbol type, size and orientation.

Syntax

object.MapPost(DataFile, xCol, yCol, LabCol, SymCol, AngleCol, SymFace, SymSize, Symbol, SymColor, SymAngle, SymSizeMethod, HeightCol, MinHt, MinDat, MaxHt, MaxDat, LabLineLen, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, LabPosType, xOff, yOff, LabAngle, Face, FontSize, HorzAlign, VertAlign, FontStyle, FontColor, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, PostFreq, ID)

Elements

[Required] DataFile	Input data file

[Optional] xCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] yCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] LabCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] SymCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] AngleCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] SymFace 	The typeface to use for the symbols, in quotation marks

[Optional] SymSize	In page units

[Optional] Symbol	Index of symbol (starts at 0)

[Optional] SymColor 	Color for the symbols.  The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] SymAngle	In degrees (+angles rotate the symbols CCW)

[Optional] SymSizeMethod	0 = Fixed

1 = Linear

2 = SquareRoot

[Optional] HeightCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] MinHt	Height of symbol in page units

[Optional] MinDat	Data units

[Optional] MaxHt	Height of symbol in page units

[Optional] MaxDat	Data units

[Optional] LabLineLen	In page units

[Optional] LineColor 	Color for 3D Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	In page units

[Optional] LabPosType	0=Center

1 = Left

2 = Right

3 = Above

4 = Below

5 = User defined

[Optional] xOff	in page units

[Optional] yOff	in page units

[Optional] LabAngle	degrees

[Optional] Face 	The typeface, in quotation marks, to use for the posting labels

[Optional] FontSize	in points

[Optional] HorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] VertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] FontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] FontColor 	Color for the label text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LabType	0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabNDig 	Number of decimal digits to use on the label.

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	The prefix, in quotes, to use on each label

[Optional] LabPostfix 	The suffix , in quotes, to use on each label

[Optional] PostFreq 	The frequency of points read from the worksheet

[Optional] ID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Post

Surfer Macro Commands


MapClassedPost()

Description

Creates a classed post map from a data file containing X,Y,Z coordinates and optional infomation for post labels.

Syntax

object.MapClassedPost(DataFile, xCol, yCol, zCol, LabCol, LabPosType, xOff, yOff, LabAngle, LabLineLen, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, SymAngle, PostFreq, ClassMethod, NumClasses, Face, FontSize, HorzAlign, VertAlign, FontStyle, FontColor, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, ID, Legend, LegendID)

Elements

[Required] DataFile	Input data file

[Optional] xCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] yCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] zCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] LabCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] LabPosType	0 = Center

1 = Left

2 = Right

3 = Above

4 = Below

5 = User defined

[Optional] xOff	in page units

[Optional] yOff	in page units

[Optional] LabAngle	in degrees

[Optional] LabLineLen	in page units

[Optional] LineColor 	Color for 3D Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	in page units

[Optional] SymAngle 	The angle at which to draw the point symbols

[Optional] PostFreq 	The frequency with which data points are read from the worksheet

[Optional] ClassMethod	0 = Equal

1 = Interval

 [Optional] NumClasses 	The number of classes to define.  This value must be a positive integer

[Optional] Face 	The symbol set to use for the symbols

[Optional] FontSize	The font size, in points

[Optional] HorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] VertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] FontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] FontColor 	Color for label text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LabType	0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabNDig 	The number of decimal digits to use on the labels

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	The prefix to place on all labels, in quotation marks

[Optional] LabPostfix 	The suffix to place on all labels, in quoation marks

[Optional] ID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID

[Optional] Legend 	0 = no legend, non-zero = draw legend

[Optional] LegendID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the legend  ID

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Classed Post

Surfer Macro Commands


ImageMap()

Description

Creates an image map from a grid file or DEM file.

Syntax

object.ImageMap(InGrid, Flags, ColorFile, ID, ScaleID)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file or DEM file

[Optional] Flags	Add the following to get what you want

1 = Interpolate Colors

2 = Display linked color scale

4 = Dither the bitmap on the display, if possible

[Optional] ColorFile	The color [.CLR] file to use

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

[Optional] ScaleID	Assigns an ID to the associated color scale

See Also

Image Map Command

Surfer Macro Commands


ReliefMap()

Description

Creates a shaded relief map from a grid file or DEM file.

Syntax

object.ReliefMap(InGrid, Flags, ColorFile, GradientMethod, ShadeMethod, Azimuth, Zenith, Zscale, ID)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file

[Optional] Flags	Add the following to get what you want

1 = Dither the bitmap on the display, if possible

[Optional] ColorFile	The color [.CLR] file to use

[Optional] GradientMethod	Can be one of:

1 = Central Difference

2 = Midpoint Difference

[Optional] ShadeMethod	Can be one of:

0 = Simple

1 = Peuckers piecewise linear approximation

2 = Labertian Reflection

3 = Lommel-Seeliger Law

[Optional] Azimuth	Degrees from 0 to 360.  0 is due East and values increase CCW

[Optional] Zenith	Degrees from horizontal.  Can be between -360 and 360.

[Optional] Zscale	The Z Scale to use.

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

See Also

Shaded Relief Command

Surfer Macro Commands


MapSurface()

Description

Creates a surface plot from a grid [.GRD] file.

Syntax

object.MapSurface(InGrid, LineDir, xLineColor, xLineStyle, xLineWidth, yLineColor, yLineStyle, yLineWidth, zLineColor, zLineStyle, zLineWidth, zLevelFile, VisOptions, Border, ColorFile, ColorDir, ShowColorScale, BaseOptions, BaseHt, BaseLineColor, BaseLineStyle, BaseLineWidth, ID, ScaleID)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file

[Optional] LineDir	Add the following to get what you want:

1 plot lines of constant X

2 plot lines of constant Y

4 plot lines of constant Z

[Optional] xLineColor 	Color for x Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] xLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] xLineWidth	in page units

[Optional] yLineColor 	Color for y Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] yLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] yLineWidth	in page units

[Optional] zLineColor 	Color for z Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] zLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] zLineWidth	in page units

[Optional] zLevelFile 	The path and file name for the level file defining the level files to use

[Optional] VisOptions	Add the following to get what you want:

1 Remove hidden lines

2 Show upper surface

4 Show lower surface

[Optional] Border	0 = None

1 = All Sides

2 = Front only

[Optional] ColorFile

[Optional] ColorDir	Add the following to get what you want:

1 = color lines of constant X

2 = color lines of constant Y

4 = color lines of constant Z

[Optional] ShowColorScale	1 = show

0 = don't

[Optional] BaseOptions	Add the following to get what you want:

1 = Show base

2 = Show vertical lines

[Optional] BaseHt 	The elevation for the base, in data units

[Optional] BaseLineColor 	Color for base lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] BaseLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] BaseLineWidth	The base line width, in page units

[Optional] ID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

[Optional] ScaleID	Assigns an ID to the associated color scale

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Surface

Surfer Macro Commands


MapShowAxis()

Description

Controls the display of axes on the selected map, surface plot or overlay.

Syntax

object.MapShowAxis(AxisName, Show)

Elements

[Required] AxisName	Name of Axis to modify, ie Left Axis

[Optional]  Show	1=show axis, 0=do not show axis

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Show

Surfer Macro Commands


MapEditAxis()

Description

Specifies the parameters to apply to the specified axis.  You must indicate the axis to which the parameters will be applied.

Syntax

object.MapEditAxis(AxisName, Title, TitleOff1, TitleOff2, TitleAngle, AxisPlane, TitleFace, TitleFontSize, TitleHorzAlign, TitleVertAlign, TitleFontStyle, TitleFontColor, AxisLineColor, AxisLineStyle, AxisLineWidth, ShowLabel, LabAngle, LabOff, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, LabFace, LabFontSize, LabHorzAlign, LabVertAlign, LabFontStyle, LabFontColor, MinTicType, MinTicLen, MajTicType, MajTicLen, MinTicPerMaj)

Elements

[Required] AxisName	Name of axis to modify, ie Left Axis

[Optional] Title 	The title string, in quotation marks, to use for the axis

[Optional] TitleOff1	The title offset, in X page units

[Optional] TitleOff2	The title offset, in Y page units

[Optional] TitleAngle 	The angle for the title.  Positive angles rotate CCW.

[Optional] AxisPlane	0=XY, 1=XZ, 2=YZ

[Optional] TitleFace 	The typeface to use for the axis title

[Optional] TitleFontSize	The font size in points

[Optional] TitleHorzAlign	Horizontal alignment for the Title

0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] TitleVertAlign	Vertical alignment for the title

0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] TitleFontStyle	Title font style

1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] TitleFontColor 	Color for the title text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] AxisLineColor  	Color for axis lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] AxisLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] AxisLineWidth	in page units

[Optional] ShowLabel	1 = show

0 = don't

[Optional] LabAngle 	Angle for the labels.  Positive angles rotate CCW.

[Optional] LabOff	distance from axis in page units

[Optional] LabType	The tick label numeric format

0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabNDig	number of digits after decimal point

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	The prefix to use for each tick label

[Optional] LabPostfix 	The suffix to use for each tick label

[Optional] LabFace 	The typeface to use for the tick labels

[Optional] LabFontSize	in points

[Optional] LabHorzAlign	The horizontal alignment for the tick labels

0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] LabVertAlign	The vertical alignment

0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] LabFontStyle	The Label font style

1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] LabFontColor 	Color for label font. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] MinTicType	The minor tick type

0 = None

1 = Out

2 = In

3 = Cross

[Optional] MinTicLen	The minor tick length in page units

[Optional] MajTicType 	The major tick type

0 = None

1 = Out

2 = In

3 = Cross

[Optional] MajTicLen	The major tick length in page units

[Optional] MinTicPerMaj 	The number of minor ticks per major tick

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Edit

Surfer Macro Commands


MapAxisScale()

Description

Sets the scaling for the specified axis. You must indicate the axis to which the scaling will be applied.

Syntax

object.MapAxisScale(AxisName, Auto, Minimum, Maximum, Interval, FirstMajTic, LastMajTic, Cross1, Cross2)

Elements

[Required] AxisName	Name of axis to modify, ie Left Axis

[Optional] Auto	1 = auto

0 = not

[Optional] Minimum 	The minimum extent of the axis in data units

[Optional] Maximum 	The maximum extent of the axis in data units

[Optional] Interval 	The interval between major tick marks in data units

[Optional] FirstMajTic 	The position of the first major tick, in data units

[Optional] LastMajTic 	The position of the last major tick, in data units

[Optional] Cross1 	The value the axis crosses the X axis for Y and Z axes, and the Y axis for X axes.

[Optional] Cross2 	The value the axis crosses the Z axis for X and Y axes, Y axis for Z axes.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Scale

Surfer Macro Commands


MapAxisGridLines()

Description

Controls the display of grid lines on the specified axis. You must indicate the axis on which the grid lines scaling will be based.

Syntax

object.MapAxisGridLines(AxisName, ShowMajor, MajLineColor, MajLineStyle, MajLineWidth,  ShowMinor, MinLineColor, MinLineStyle, MinLineWidth)

Elements

[Required] AxisName	Name of axis to modify, ie Left Axis

[Optional] ShowMajor	Show the grid lines based on major ticks

1 = show

0 = don't

[Optional] MajLineColor	Color for major grid lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] MajLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] MajLineWidth	The width for the major grid lines, in page units

[Optional] ShowMinor	Show value for grid lines based on minor ticks

1 = show

0 = don't

[Optional] MinLineColor 	Color for minor grid lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] MinLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] MinLineWidth	in page units

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Grid Lines

Surfer Macro Commands


MapScaleBar()

Description

Draws a distance scale for the selected map.  If you dont specify an axis, the scale bar tracks the X axis.

Syntax

object.MapScaleBar(CycleSpacing, LabelInc, TrackAxis, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, LabFace, LabFontSize, LabHorzAlign, LabVertAlign, LabFontStyle, LabFontColor, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, LabAngle)

Elements

[Optional] CycleSpacing 	The cycle spacing, in data units

[Optional] LabelInc     	The increment for each cycle

[Optional] TrackAxis	Which axis to base the cycle spacing on.

0 = X

1 = Y

2 = Z

[Optional] LineColor 	Color for the scale bar. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	in page units

[Optional] LabFace 	The type face for the cycle labels

[Optional] LabFontSize	The label font size, in points

[Optional] LabHorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] LabVertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] LabFontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] LabFontColor 	Color for the labels. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LabType	0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabNDig 	Number of decimal digits

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	The prefix to place on each label

[Optional] LabPostfix 	The suffix to place on each label

[Optional] LabAngle 	The angle for the labels.  Positive angles rotate CCW

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Scale Bar

Surfer Macro Commands


MapBackground()

Description

Draws a background behind the selected map.  This can be both the fill attributes for the background, and the line attributes for the outline of the map.

Syntax

object.MapBackground(LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, FillForeColor, FillBackColor, FillPattern, FillMode)

Elements

[Optional] LineColor 	Color for the outline. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	The line width in page units

[Optional] FillForeColor 	Color for the foreground fill. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] FillBackColor	Color for the background fill. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] FillPattern 	The pattern to use for the fill

[Optional] FillMode 	1 = TRANSPARENT

2 = OPAQUE

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Background

Surfer Macro Commands


Map3DView()

Description

Sets the tilt, rotation and projection type for the selected map or maps.

Syntax

object.Map3DView(Rotation, Tilt, Distance, Projection)

Elements

[Optional] Rotation 	Rotation angle in degrees.  Positive angles rotate CCW

[Optional] Tilt 	Tilt angle in degrees between 0 and 90

[Optional] Distance	Eye distance as a percentage from 0 to 100

[Optional] Projection	The projection type

0 = Perspective

1 = Orthographic

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

3D View

Surfer Macro Commands


MapScale()

Description

Sets the scale for the selected map.

Syntax

object.MapScale(xLength, yLength, zLength, xMapPerPU, yMapPerPU, zMapPerPU)

Elements

[Optional] xLength	The X length in page units

[Optional] yLength 	The Y length in page units

[Optional] zLength 	The Z length in page units

[Optional] xMapPerPU	The X scale as data units per page unit

[Optional] yMapPerPU 	The Y scale as data units per page unit

[Optional] zMapPerPU 	The Z scale as data units per page unit

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Scale

Surfer Macro Commands


MapOverlayMaps()

Description

Creates a single overlay from all selected maps.  You can combine any number of base maps, contour maps and post maps, but only a single surface plot can be used in an overlay.

Syntax

object.MapOverlayMaps(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Overlay Maps

Surfer Macro Commands


MapEditOverlays()

Description

Moves the specified object to the front or back of other objects in the overlay.

Syntax

object.MapEditOverlays(SubObj, ToFront)

Elements

[Optional] SubObj	name of the subobject (as appears in dialog)

[Optional] ToFront	1 = move to front

0 = move to back

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Edit Overlays

Surfer Macro Commands


WindowNewView()

Description

Creates a new Plot window linked to the current Plot window.

Syntax

object.WindowNewView(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

New View

Surfer Macro Commands


WindowTile()

Description

Tiles all the document windows in the Surfer application window.

Syntax

object.WindowTile(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands

Tile


WindowCascade()

Description

Cascades all the document windows in the Surfer application window.

Syntax

object.WindowCascade(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Cascade

Surfer Macro Commands


WindowArrangeIcons()

Description

Arranges the icons of the minimized document windows at the bottom of the Surfer application window.

Syntax

object.WindowArrangeIcons(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Arrange Icons

Surfer Macro Commands


DocActivate()

Description

Makes the specified document window the active document window.

Syntax

object.DocActivate(DocName)

Elements

[Required] DocName	Name of document window (as appears in caption)

Return Value

No return value


DocRestore()

Description

Restores a maximized document window.

Syntax

object.DocRestore(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Restore

Surfer Macro Commands


DocMove()

Description

Moves the active document window within the Surfer application window.

Syntax

object.DocMove(x, y)

Elements

[Required] x	The coordinates of the top left corner of the window in device units (pixels)

[Required] y

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Move

Surfer Macro Commands


DocSize()

Description

Resizes the active document window.

Syntax

object.DocSize(Width, Height)

Elements

[Required] Width	New width in pixels

[Required] Height	New height in pixels

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Size

Surfer Macro Commands


DocMaximize()

Description

Maximizes the active document window.

Syntax

object.DocMaximize(void)

Return Value

No return value

See Also

Maximize

Surfer Macro Commands


DocClose()

Description

Closes the current document window.  You can automatically save the contents of the window, can prompt to save the contents, or close the window without saving the contents.

Syntax

object.DocClose(Save)

Elements

[optional] Save	0 = Prompts to save if doc is dirty (default)

1 = Automatically saves dirty doc

2 = Document is not saved

Return Value

No return value


Select()

Description

Selects all objects in the Plot window, or selects only the specified objects.

Syntax

object.Select(ID)

Elements

[optional] ID	ID of object to select.  If omitted, selects all.  Sub-objects within a map object can be selected by using the colon as a separator as in:

"Map:Left Axis"

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were selected.

See Also

Select All

Surfer Macro Commands


StartupPath()

Description

Returns a string that contains Surfers startup path, as in c:\surfer6.  There is no trailing backslash.

Syntax

object.StartupPath(void)

Return Value

Returns the string of Surfers startup path.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands


Deselect()

Description

Deselects all the selected objects in the Plot window, or deselects the specified objects.

Syntax

object.Deselect(ID)

Elements

[optional] ID	ID of object to deselect

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were deselected.

See Also

Select All

Surfer Macro Commands


TransformSel()

Description

Moves or resizes the selected objects.  You can specify the Left and Bottom coordinates to move the selected objects, and can specify the width and height values (in page units) to resize the selected objects.

Syntax

object.TransformSel(Left, Bottom, Width, Height)

Elements

[optional] Left	in page units

[optional] Bottom

[optional] Width

[optional] Height

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.


MapStackMaps()

Description

Aligns the selected maps based on the map coordinate systems.  This only moves maps horizontally on the page.

Syntax

object.MapStackMaps(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

See Also

Stack Maps

Surfer Macro Commands


GetWksCell()

Description

Retrieves the contents of the specified cell from the specified worksheet.  The cell contents are returned as a string.

Syntax

object.GetWksCell(hWks, Row, Col)

Elements

[Required] hWks	Handle to worksheet window (returned from FileOpen())

[Required] Row	The row and column to access

[Required] Col

Return Value

Returns the contents of the cell as a string.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands


Surfer Macro Commands

GS Scripter Overview

Macro Overview

Printing All Surfer Macro Commands

List of Surfer Macro Commands

ArrangeAlign()

ArrangeBreakApart()

ArrangeCombine()

ArrangeMoveToBack()

ArrangeMoveToFront()

ArrangeRotate()

Deselect()

DocActivate()

DocClose()

DocMaximize()

DocMove()

DocRestore()

DocSize()

DrawEllipse()

DrawFillAttributes()

DrawLineAttributes()

DrawMarker()

DrawRectangle()

DrawRoundRect()

DrawSymbolAttributes()

DrawText()

DrawTextAttributes()

EditBlockSelect()

EditColorScale()

EditCopy()

EditCut()

EditDelete()

EditFlipSelection()

EditLegend()

EditPaste()

EditSetObjectID()

FileClose()

FileExit()

FileExport()

FileNew()

FileOpen()

FilePageLayout()

FilePrint()

FileSave()

FileSaveAs()

GetWksCell()

GridBlank()

GridCalculus()

GridConvert()

GridData()

GridExtract()

GridFunction()

GridMath()

GridMatrixSmooth()

GridResiduals()

GridSlice()

GridSplineSmooth()

GridTransform()

GridVolume()

ImageMap()

Import()

Map3DView()

MapAxisGridLines()

MapAxisScale()

MapBackground()

MapClassedPost()

MapContour()

MapEditAxis()

MapEditOverlays()

MapLoadBaseMap()

MapOverlayMaps()

MapPost()

MapScale()

MapScaleBar()

MapShowAxis()

MapStackMaps()

MapSurface()

ReliefMap()

Select()

StartupPath()

TransformSel()

ViewActualSize()

ViewAutoRedraw()

ViewFitToWindow()

ViewPage()

ViewRedraw()

ViewZoomIn()

ViewZoomOut()

ViewZoomRectangle()

ViewZoomSelected()

WindowArrangeIcons()

WindowCascade()

WindowNewView()

WindowTile()


Macro Command Overview

Surfer macro commands are the specific functions that call Surfer Plot or Worksheet window commands.  For example, this might be the Data command from the Grid menu.  The Data command is referred to by the "griddata" macro command.  Whenever the "griddata" command is encountered in a script, Surfer executes the Data command from the Grid menu.

An argument is a parameter for a particular command.  An argument usually specifies a particular dialog box or command setting.  Arguments are placed within parentheses following the command.  For example, if you are using the "griddata" macro command, you can pass an argument that tells Surfer which gridding method to use.  This script line would appear as:

srf.griddata("animals.dat",gridmethod=3)

The arguments in this example are "animals.dat" and "gridmethod=3", which tell Surfer to use grid method "3" (Polynomial Regression) when gridding the data file "animals.dat".

Arguments are contained in parentheses following the command name.  Some arguments are required for a particular command, while other arguments are optional.  In the example above, the data file name is mandatory.  The command cannot be carried out if the data file name is not specified.  Optional arguments are indicated with a specific name.  In the "griddata" example, "gridmethod" is an optional argument.  Optional arguments are followed by the equals sign and the parameter to be used for the argument.  When optional arguments are not included, Surfer uses the default parameter for that particular argument.

See Also

Surfer Macro Commands


Printing the Entire List of Surfer Macro Commands

This is an alphabetic list of all Surfer macro commands.  The list is presented so you can print out the entire list from the help system.  The list is approximately 40 pages long.

If you only need information on a single command, you can get information on the command from the Surfer Macro Commands list.

To Print out the entire list:

1.	Choose the Print Topic command from the Help File menu.

2.	The entire list is printed to the installed printer.

***************************************************************************************

ArrangeAlign()

Description

Aligns the selected objects relative to the bounding box defined by the selected objects.  You can align objects both horizontally and vertically.

Syntax

object.ArrangeAlign(HorzAlign, VertAlign)

Elements

[Optional] HorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] VertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Center

2 = Bottom

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were changed.

***************************************************************************************

ArrangeBreakApart()

Description

Breaks apart a composite object into its original components.

Syntax

object.ArrangeBreakApart(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

ArrangeCombine()

Description

Combines all currently selected objects into a single composite object.

Syntax

object.ArrangeCombine(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

ArrangeMoveToBack()

Description

Moves all currently selected objects behind all other objects in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.ArrangeMoveToBack(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

ArrangeMoveToFront()

Description

Moves all the currently selected objects on top of all other objects in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.ArrangeMoveToFront(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

ArrangeRotate()

Description

Rotates the selected object or objects by the specified number of degrees.  Objects are rotated about the center of the bounding box for the single object or about the bounding box defined by the group of selected objects.

Syntax

object.ArrangeRotate(Angle)

Elements

[Required] Angle	In degrees (+ angles rotate CCW)

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were changed.

**************************************************************************************

Deselect()

Description

Deselects all the selected objects in the Plot window, or deselects the specified objects.

Syntax

object.Deselect(ID)

Elements

[optional] ID	ID of object to deselect

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were deselected.

**************************************************************************************

DocActivate()

Description

Makes the specified document window the active document window.

Syntax

object.DocActivate(DocName)

Elements

[Required] DocName	Name of document window (as appears in caption)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

DocClose()

Description

Closes the current document window.  You can automatically save the contents of the window, can prompt to save the contents, or close the window without saving the contents.

Syntax

object.DocClose(Save)

Elements

[optional] Save	0 = Prompts to save if doc is dirty (default)

1 = Automatically saves dirty doc

2 = Document is not saved

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

DocMaximize()

Description

Maximizes the active document window.

Syntax

object.DocMaximize(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

DocMove()

Description

Moves the active document window within the Surfer application window.

Syntax

object.DocMove(x, y)

Elements

[Required] x	The coordinates of the top left corner of the window in device units (pixels)

[Required] y

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

DocRestore()

Description

Restores a maximized document window.

Syntax

object.DocRestore(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

DocSize()

Description

Resizes the active document window.

Syntax

object.DocSize(Width, Height)

Elements

[Required] Width	New width in pixels

[Required] Height	New height in pixels

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

DrawEllipse()

Description

Draws an ellipse at the specified size and location in the Plot window.  The ellipse uses the current default fill and line attributes.

Syntax

object.DrawEllipse(Left, Top, Right, Bottom, ID)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

[Optional] ID	The Object ID to assign, in quotation marks.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

DrawFillAttributes()

Description

Specifies the default foreground and background color, the fill pattern, and the fill mode if no objects are currently selected, or specifies the fill attributes for all selected objects.

Syntax

object.DrawFillAttributes(ForeColor, BackColor, Pattern, Mode)

Elements

[Optional] ForeColor	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] BackColor	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] Pattern	The pattern name as it appears in the dialog.

[Optional] Mode	1 = TRANSPARENT

2 = OPAQUE

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

DrawLineAttributes()

Description

Specifies the default line color, style and width if no objects are selected, or specifies the line attributes for all selected objects.

Syntax

object.DrawLineAttributes(Color, Style, Width)

Elements

[Optional] Color	The line color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] Style	The line style name (same as in the dialog)

[Optional] Width	Width of line in page units

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

DrawMarker()

Description

Draws a point symbol at the specified page location.  The symbol uses the current default symbol attributes.

Syntax

object.DrawMarker(x, y, ID)

Elements

[Required] x	The X position in page units.

[Required] y 	The Y position in page units

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

DrawRectangle()

Description

Draws a rectangle at the specified size and location in the Plot window.  The rectangle uses the current default fill and line attributes.

Syntax

object.DrawRectangle(Left, Top, Right, Bottom, ID)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units.

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

[Optional] ID	The Object ID to assign, in quotation marks.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

DrawRoundRect()

Description

Draws a rounded rectangle at the specified size and location in the Plot window.  The rounded rectangle uses the current default fill and line attributes.

Syntax

object.DrawRoundRect(Left, Top, Right, Bottom, ID)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

[Optional] ID	The Object ID to assign, in quotation marks.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

DrawSymbolAttributes()

Description

Specifies the default symbol character set, symbol size, the symbol to use and the color for the symbol when no objects are selected, or specifies the symbol attributes for all selected symbols.

Syntax

object.DrawSymbolAttributes(Face, Size, Symbol, Color)

Elements

[Optional] Face	The  face name string. Default Symbols can be used to specify the default symbol set.

[Optional] Size	In page units

[Optional] Symbol	Index of the symbol to use (0 based)

[Optional] Color	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

DrawText()

Description

Places the specified text in the Plot window at the specified page location.  The text uses the default text attributes, and can contain Math Text Instructions used to modify the text attributes within the text block.

Syntax

object.DrawText(x, y, Text, ID)

Elements

[Required] x	The X position in page units of alignment point

[Required] y 	The Y position in page units of alignment point

[Required] Text 	The text string in quotation marks.

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

DrawTextAttributes()

Description

Specifies the default text attributes if no text objects are selected, or specifies the text attributes for all selected text blocks.

Syntax

object.DrawTextAttributes(Face, Size, HorzAlign, VertAlign, Style, Color)

Elements

[Optional] Face	The face name string, in quotation marks.

[Optional] Size	In points

[Optional] HorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] VertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] Style	1= Bold; Use the sum of the values listed to get multiple attributes.

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] Color	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

EditBlockSelect()

Description

Selects the objects that lie within the rectangle defined by the Top, Bottom, Left and Right limits of the block select rectangle.

Syntax

object.EditBlockSelect(Left, Top, Right, Bottom)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units.

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were selected.

**************************************************************************************

EditColorScale()

Description

Modifies the color scale parameters.

Syntax

object.EditColorScale(ScaleID, AutoLabel, FirstLab, LabFreq, LabMin, LabMax, LabInt, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, LabFace, LabFontSize, LabHorzAlign, LabVertAlign, LabFontStyle, LabFontColor, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, LabAngle)

Elements

 [Required] ScaleID	The ID of the color scale to be edited

 [Optional] AutoLabel	For automatic scaling.  0 turns off automatic scaling

 [Optional] FirstLab	Minimum tick label location (contour maps)

 [Optional] LabFreq	Step factor between labeled ticks (contour Maps)

 [Optional] LabMin	Minimum tick label (image maps)

 [Optional] LabMax	Maximum tick label (image maps)

 [Optional] LabInt	Step factor between labeled ticks (image maps)

 [Optional] LineColor 	Line color to use on the color scale. The color name or a string of the 	form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx 	is the amount of red, green and 	blue (0 to 255)

 [Optional] LineStyle	Line style to use on the color scale.  Use the name from the Line 	Attributes dialog box

 [Optional] LineWidth	The line width for the lines on the color scale

 [Optional] LabFace	The face name string, in quotation marks.

 [Optional] LabFontSize	The point size for the labels

 [Optional] LabHorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

 [Optional] LabVertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

 [Optional] LabFontStyle	1= Bold; Use the sum of the values listed to get multiple attributes.

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

 [Optional] LabFontColor	The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx 	is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

 [Optional] LabType	Numeric format for the contour labels.

0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

 [Optional] LabnDig 	Number of decimal digits to use.

 [Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

 [Optional] LabPrefix 	Prefix text string to appear on every label

 [Optional] LabPostfix 	Suffix text string to appear on every label

 [Optional] LabAngle	The angle for the labels

**************************************************************************************

EditCopy()

Description

Copies the selected objects to the Clipboard and leaves them in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.EditCopy(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

EditCut()

Description

Cuts the selected objects to the Clipboard, and removes them from the Plot window.

Syntax

object.EditCut(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

EditDelete()

Description

Removes the selected objects from the Plot window.

Syntax

object.EditDelete(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

EditFlipSelection()

Description

Selects all objects that are currently not selected, and deselects all the currently selected objects.

object

Syntax

object.EditFlipSelection(void)

Return Value

Returns the number of objects whose selection status was changed.

**************************************************************************************

EditLegend()

Description

Edits the legend associated with a classed post map.

Syntax

object.EditLegend(LegendID, FrameType, Margin, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, FillForeColor, FillBackColor, FillPattern, FillMode, Title, TitleFace, TitleFontSize, TitleFontStyle, TitleFontColor, Template, TextFace, TextFontSize, TextFontStyle, TextFontColor, NumericType, NumericNDig, NumericFlags, NumericPrefix, NumericPostfix, Reverse)

Elements

[Required] LegendID

[Optional] FrameType	The type of border to use:

0 = None

1 = Rectangle

2 = Round rectangle

[Optional] Margin	The distance between the frame and the legend text

[Optional] LineColor	Color for 3D Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	In page units

[Optional] FillForeColor	Color for the foreground fill. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] FillBackColor	Color for the background fill. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] FillPattern 	The pattern to use for the fill

[Optional] FillMode 	1 = TRANSPARENT

2 = OPAQUE

[Optional] Title	The legend title, in quotes

[Optional] TitleFace	The typeface to use for the legend title

[Optional] TitleFontSize	The font size to use for the title

[Optional] TitleFontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] TitleFontColor 	Color for the title text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] Template	The format of the text to use for the classes, in quotes

[Optional] TextFace	The typeface to use for the legend class text

[Optional] TextFontSize	The font size to use for the legend class text

[Optional] TextFontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] TextFontColor	Color for the title text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] NumericType 	Numeric format for the class labels.

0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] NumericNDig	Number of decimal digits to use on class labels

[Optional] NumericFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

2 = Absolute value

[Optional] NumericPrefix	Prefix text string to appear on every class label

[Optional] NumericPostfix	Suffix text string to appear on every class label

[Optional] Reverse	Any non-zero reverses the legend item order

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

EditPaste()

Description

Pastes the contents of the Clipboard into the current Plot window.  You can optionally specify the format to use when pasting the objects, and can break apart a metafile when it is pasted.

Syntax

object.EditPaste(Format, BreakMeta)

Elements

[Optional] Format	If a Plot window is active, this is the name of the input format to use.  This may currently be GS Surfer, "Text", "Picture", or "Bitmap".

[Optional] BreakMeta	When the Picture format is used, this argument breaks apart the pasted metafile.  Any non-zero integer will break apart the metafile.  If BreakMeta is zero, the metafile is not broken apart.

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

EditSetObjectID()

Description

Assigns an Object ID to the selected object.

object.EditSetObjectID(ID)

Elements

[Required] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

For example, object.EditSetObjectID( Golden )

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were changed.

**************************************************************************************

FileClose()

Description

Closes the current document window.  You can automatically save the contents of the window, can prompt to save the contents, or close the window without saving the contents.

Syntax

object.FileClose(Save)

Elements

[Optional] Save	0 = Prompts to save if plot window contents have been changed since last saved (default)

1 = Automatically saves Plot window contents

2 = Document is not saved

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

FileExit()

Description

Exits Surfer.  You can prompt to save the contents of any active document or exit without saving any documents.

Syntax

object.FileExit(Save)

Elements

[Optional] Save	0 = Prompts for each document that has not been saved since the last change (default if omitted)

1 = Automatically saves each document that has not been saved since the last change

2 = No documents are saved

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

FileExport()

Description

Exports the contents of the Plot window to the specified path and file name.  The extension of the file specifies the file format to use when exporting the file.  Files can be exported as AutoCAD [.DXF] files, Windows [.WMF] files, or Windows Clipboard [.CLP] files.

To save to the contents as a [.DXF] file, you would use file name such as:

filename.dxf

Syntax

object.FileExport(File, Selected, Backup, Options)

Elements

[Required] File	The path and name of the file to save, in quotation marks.

[Optional] Selected	1 = export selected objects only

0 = export all

[Optional] Backup	0 = to not backup

non-zero = to backup

[Optional] Options	Export specific options.  See the export filter help for details

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

FileNew()

Description

Creates a new Plot, Worksheet or Editor window.

Syntax

object.FileNew(Type)

Elements

[Optional] Type	0 = Draw document (default)

1 = Wks document

2 = Edit document

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

FileOpen()

Description

Opens a [.SRF], [.TXT] or [.DAT] file.

Syntax

object.FileOpen(File, Type)

Elements

[Required] File	The path and name of the file to open, in quotation marks.

[Optional] Type	0 = Draw document (default)

1 = Wks document

2 = Edit document

Return Value

Returns the document window handle, or 0 if error.

**************************************************************************************

FilePageLayout()

Description

Specifies the orientation and paper size to use for the page outline displayed in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.FilePageLayout(Orientation, Width, Height)

Elements

[Optional] Orientation	0 = Portrait

1 = Landscape

[Optional] Width	width of page in page units

[Optional] Height	height of page in page units

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

FilePrint()

Description

Prints the contents of the current Plot window to the installed printer.

Syntax

object.FilePrint(Method, xOverlap, yOverlap, Scale)

Elements

[Optional] Method	0 = Truncate

1 = Fit to window

2 = Tile

[Optional] xOverlap	Amount of horizontal overlap for tiles (in page units)

[Optional] yOverlap	Amount of vertical overlap for tiles (in page units)

[Optional] Scale	Scale as a % (100 = no scale)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

FileSave()

Description

Saves the contents of the current window.

Syntax

object.FileSave(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

FileSaveAs()

Description

Saves the contents of the current Plot window to the specified path and file name.  You can optionally create a backup of the file.

Syntax

object.FileSaveAs(File, Backup)

Elements

[Required] File	The path and name of the file to save, in quotation marks.

[Optional] Backup	0 = to not backup

non-zero = to backup

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GetWksCell()

Description

Retrieves the contents of the specified cell from the specified worksheet.  The cell contents are returned as a string.

Syntax

object.GetWksCell(hWks, Row, Col)

Elements

[Required] hWks	Handle to worksheet window (returned from FileOpen())

[Required] Row	The row and column to access

[Required] Col

Return Value

Returns the contents of the cell as a string.

**************************************************************************************

GridBlank()

Description

Blanks portions of a grid file by assigning a special blanking code to grid nodes lying either inside or outside a user-defined blanking [.BLN] file boundary.  Blanked grid files do not display contour lines in the blanked regions, and surface plots display low flat areas over the blanked regions.

Syntax

object.GridBlank(InGrid, BlankFile, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name

[Required] BlankFile	The blanking [.BLN] file path and file name, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	The output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridCalculus()

Description

Creates an output grid based on calculus operations on the input grid or DEM file.

Syntax

object.GridCalculus(InGrid, Operation, Derivative, Angle, Terrain, Gradient, DiffInteg, Fourier, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name

[Optional] Operation	0 = Directional derivative,

1 = Terrain modeling,

2 = Diff & Integral operator,

3 = Fourier spectral analysis

[Optional] Derivative	0 = First derivative

1 = Second derivative

2 = Curvature

[Optional] Angle	The angle for the directional derivative

[Optional] Terrain	0 = Slope

1 = Aspect

2 = Profile curvature

3 = Plan curvature

4 = Tangential curvature

[Optional] Gradient	Threshold value defining the slope to be assumed horizontal

[Optional] DiffInteg	0 = Gradient operator

1 = Laplacian operator

2 = Biharmonic operator

3 = Integrated volume

[Optional] Fourier	0 = Correlogra

1 = Periodogra

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	The output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridConvert()

Description

Converts between ASCII and binary grid file formats, or converts a grid file to an XYZ data file.

Syntax

object.GridConvert(InGrid, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file

[Optional] OutFmt	Output grid file format

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridData()

Description

Creates a grid [.GRD] file from an XYZ data file.

Syntax

object.GridData(DataFile, xCol, yCol, zCol, xMin, xMax, yMin, yMax, xSize, ySize, nRow, nCol, GridMethod, OutGrid, OutFmt, SearchMethod, SearchRad1, SearchRad2, SearchAngle, MinData, DataPerSect, MaxEmpty, DupMethod, IgnoreOutside, AnisotropyRatio, AnisotropyAngle, InvDistPower, Smooth, VarioType1, VarioScale1, VarioLength1, VarioRatio1, VarioAngle1, VarioType2, VarioScale2, VarioLength2, VarioRatio2, VarioAngle2, VarioType3, VarioScale3, VarioLength3, VarioRatio3, VarioAngle3, ErrorVariance, MicroVariance, VarioDrift, Range1, Range2, MinCurveMaxError, MinCurveMaxIter, MaxXOrder, MaxYOrder, TotalOrder, CopyCoef, BasisType, Rsquared)

Elements

[Required] DataFile	The path and name of the input XYZ data file, in quotation marks.

[optional] xCol	Wks column (0-255)

[optional] yCol	Wks column (0-255)

[optional] zCol	Wks column (0-255)

[optional] xMin	Grid limits in data units

[optional] xMax

[optional] yMin

[optional] yMax

[optional] xSize	Spacing between grid lines in X data units.

[optional] ySize 	Spacing between grid lines in Y data units.

[optional] nRow	Number of rows/cols in grid

[optional] nCol

[optional] GridMethod	0 = Inverse distance

1 = Kriging

2 = Minimum curvature

3 = Polynomial regression

4 = Radial basis function

5 = Shepard

6 = Triangulation

7 = Nearest Neighbor

[optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file

[optional] OutFmt	1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

[optional] SearchMethod	0 = None

1 = Simple

2 = Quadrant

3 = Octant

[optional] SearchRad1 	Search ellipse radius 1, in data units

[optional] SearchRad2 	Search ellipse radius 2, in data units

[optional] SearchAngle 	Search ellipse orientation.  Positive angles rotate CCW.

[optional] MinData 	The minimum number of data points allowed within the search radius.  Otherwise assign the blanking value.

[optional] DataPerSect 	The number of data points read from each sector.

[optional] MaxEmpty 	The maximum number of empty sectors allowed.  Otherwise assign the blanking value.

[optional] DupMethod	How to treat duplicate points in the input data set:

0 = ignore

1 = average

2 = delete

3 = sum

[optional] IgnoreOutside	Whether or not to consider data points outside the specified grid limits.

0 = no

non-zero = yes

[optional] AnisotropyRatio 	The relative axis lengths for the anisotropy axes.

[optional] AnisotropyAngle 	The orientation for the anisotropy axes.  Positive angles rotate the axes CCW.

[optional] InvDistPower 	The weighting power to apply during inverse distance gridding.

[optional] Smooth 	The smoothing factor to apply during inverse distance gridding.

[optional] VarioType1	The variogram type to used when Kriging is the gridding method

0 = None

1 = Exponential

2 = Gaussian

3 = Hole effect

4 = Linear

5 = Quadratic

6 = Rational quadratic

7 = Spherical

[optional] VarioScale1 	Defines the sill for the selected variogram model (Kriging).

[optional] VarioLength1

[optional] VarioRatio1

[optional] VarioAngle1

[optional] VarioType2	The variogram type to used when Kriging is the gridding method used.

0 = None

1 = Exponential

2 = Gaussian

3 = Hole effect

4 = Linear

5 = Quadratic

6 = Rational quadratic

7 = Spherical

[optional] VarioScale2 	Defines the sill for the selected variogram model (Kriging).

[optional] VarioLength2

[optional] VarioRatio2

[optional] VarioAngle2

[optional] VarioType3	The variogram type to used when Kriging is the gridding method used.

0 = None

1 = Exponential

2 = Gaussian

3 = Hole effect

4 = Linear

5 = Quadratic

6 = Rational quadratic

7 = Spherical

[optional] VarioScale3 	Defines the sill for the selected variogram model (Kriging).

[optional] VarioLength3

[optional] VarioRatio3

[optional] VarioAngle3

[optional] ErrorVariance 	Specifies the variance of the measurement errors (Kriging).

[optional] MicroVariance 	Specifies the variance of the small scale structure (Kriging).

[optional] VarioDrift	Order of the polynomial drift 0, 1, 2 (Kriging)

[optional] Range1 	Radius 1 value to apply for Kriging and Shepards Method when applying an anisotropy ratio.

[optional] Range2 	Radius 2 value to apply for Kriging and Shepards Method when applying an anisotropy ratio.

[optional] MinCurveMaxError	The maximum residuals value to use during Minimum Curvature gridding.

[optional] MinCurveMaxIter 	The maximum iterations parameter to use during Minimum Curvature gridding.

[optional] MaxXOrder 	Specifies the maximum power for the X component in the polynomial equation.

[optional] MaxYOrder 	Specifies the maximum power for the Y component in the polynomial equation.

[optional] TotalOrder 	Specifies the maximum sum of the MaxXOrder and MaxYOrder powers.

[optional] CopyCoef	0 = do not copy coefficients

1 = to copy coefficients to clipboard

[optional] BasisType	0 = Inverse multiquadric

1 = Multilog

2 = Multiquadric

3 = Natural cubic_spline

4 = Thin plate spline

[optional] RSquared 	Specifies the R2 smoothing parameter when using Radial Basis Functions gridding.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridExtract()

Description

Extracts a subset of the input grid or DEM file.

Syntax

object.GridExtract(InGrid, r1, c1, r2, c2, rFreq, cFreq, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	The path and file name for the input grid or DEM file.

[Optional] r1	First row to extract

[Optional] c1	First column to extract

[Optional] r2	Last row to extract

[Optional] c2	Last column to extract

[Optional] rFreq	Step factor between rows

[Optional] cFreq	Step factor between columns

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridFunction()

Description

Creates a grid [.GRD] file from a user-defined function of the form Z = f(X,Y).

Syntax

object.GridFunction(Function, xMin, xMax, xInc, yMin, yMax, yInc, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Optional] Function	The equation as a string, ie "Z=X+Y"

[Optional] xMin	Specifies the beginning X value used in the function.

[Optional] xMax 	Specifies the ending X value used in the function.

[Optional] xInc 	Specifies the step value between grid lines in the X direction

[Optional] yMin 	Specifies the beginning Y value used in the function.

[Optional] yMax 	Specifies the ending Y value used in the function.

[Optional] yInc 	Specifies the step value between grid lines in the Y direction.

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridMath()

Description

Creates a grid [.GRD] file by:

1.	Mathmatically combining corresponding grid nodes of two other grids according to a user-specified function.

2.	Applying the same mathematical expression to all grid nodes in a single grid.

Syntax

object.GridMath(InGridA, InGridB, OutGridC, OutFmt, Function)

Elements

[Required] InGridA	Input grid or DEM file A path and file name, in quotation marks.

[Optional] InGridB	Input grid or DEM file B path and file name

[Optional] OutGridC	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	Specifies the output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

[Optional] Function	The equation as a string, ie "C=A+B"

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridMatrixSmooth()

Description

Creates a new, smoothed version of a grid [.GRD] file using a either an averaging or weighted inverse distance matrix smoothing algorithm.

Syntax

object.GridMatrixSmooth(InGrid, Method, CenterWeight, Power, nRow, nCol, OutGrid,  OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name

[Optional] Method	0 = Average

1 = Weighted

[Optional] CenterWeight 	Specifies the weighting factor to apply to the matrix center.

[Optional] Power 	Specifies the distance weighting power value.

[Optional] nRow	Specifes the number of rows and columns on either side of the matrix center.

[Optional] nCol

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks

[Optional] OutFmt	The ouput grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridResiduals()

Description

Computes the difference in Z value between XYZ data points in a data file and a gridded surface.

Syntax

object.GridResiduals(InGrid, DataFile, xCol, yCol, zCol, ResidCol)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file

[Optional] DataFile

[Optional] xCol	Worksheet column containing the X coordinate (0-255)

[Optional] yCol	Worksheet column containing the Y coordinate (0-255)

[Optional] zCol	Worksheet column containing the Z coordinate (0-255)

[Optional] ResidCol	Worksheet column to receive the residuals data (0-255)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridSlice()

Description

Creates cross section data from a grid file and a blanking [.BLN] file.

Syntax

object.GridSlice(InGrid, BlankFile, OutBlankFile, OutDataFile, ClipFlags)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file, in quotation marks

[Required] BlankFile 	Specifies the blanking [.BLN] file defining the cross section line

[Optional] OutBlankFile	The output blanking file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutDataFile

[Optional] ClipFlags	Add the following to get what you want:

1 = Clip Outside grid

2 = Clip over blanked areas

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridSplineSmooth()

Description

Creates a new, smoothed version of a grid [.GRD] file using cubic spline interpolation to compute new grid node values.  You can either recalculate or expand the number of grid nodes in the created grid file relative to the original grid file.

Syntax

object.GridSplineSmooth(InGrid, nInsertRow, nInsertCol, nRow, nCol, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name, in quotation marks

[Optional] nInsertRow	The number of rows and columns to insert between grid lines when expanding a grid.

[Optional] nInsertCol

[Optional] nRow	The grid size for the output grid file when recalculating a grid.

[Optional] nCol

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	The output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridTransform()

Description

Performs a two dimensional transform on the X and Y coordinates of the input grid or DEM file.

Syntax

object. GridTransform(InGrid	, Operation, xOffset, yOffset, xScale, yScale, Rotation, OutGrid, OutFmt)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file path and file name, in quotation marks

[Optional] Operation	0 = Offset

1 = Scale

2 = Rotate

3 = Mirror X

4 = Mirror Y

[Optional] xOffset	X offset, in data units

[Optional] yOffset	Y offset, in data units

[Optional] xScale	Scale factor in the X dimension

[Optional] yScale	Scale factor in the Y dimension

[Optional] Rotation	Rotation angle, in factors of 90 degrees

[Optional] OutGrid	Name of output grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] OutFmt	The output grid file format.

1 = Binary

2 = ASCII

3 = XYZ

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

GridVolume()

Description

Performs volume, cuts and fills, planar area and surface area calculations between two surfaces or a surface and a horizontal plane.

Syntax

object.GridVolume(UpGrid, UpConstant, LowGrid, LowConstant)

Elements

[Optional] UpGrid	Upper surface grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] UpConstant	Upper surface Z level

[Optional] LowGrid 	Lower surface grid file, in quotation marks.

[Optional] LowConstant 	Lower surface Z level

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

ImageMap()

Description

Creates an image map from a grid file or DEM file.

Syntax

object.ImageMap(InGrid, Flags, ColorFile, ID, ScaleID)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file or DEM file

[Optional] Flags	Add the following to get what you want

1 = Interpolate Colors

2 = Display linked color scale

4 = Dither the bitmap on the display, if possible

[Optional] ColorFile	The color [.CLR] file to use

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

[Optional] ScaleID	Assigns an ID to the associated color scale

**************************************************************************************

Import()

Description

Imports files as composite objects that can be broken apart into individual objects.

Syntax

object.Import(File, Options, ID)

Elements

[Required] File	The name of the file to import (needs extension to determine the type)

[Optional] Options	A filter specific options string.  See the filter specific help for details.

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

Map3DView()

Description

Sets the tilt, rotation and projection type for the selected map or maps.

Syntax

object.Map3DView(Rotation, Tilt, Distance, Projection)

Elements

[Optional] Rotation 	Rotation angle in degrees.  Positive angles rotate CCW

[Optional] Tilt 	Tilt angle in degrees between 0 and 90

[Optional] Distance	Eye distance as a percentage from 0 to 100

[Optional] Projection	The projection type

0 = Perspective

1 = Orthographic

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapAxisScale()

Description

Sets the scaling for the specified axis. You must indicate the axis to which the scaling will be applied.

Syntax

object.MapAxisScale(AxisName, Auto, Minimum, Maximum, Interval, FirstMajTic, LastMajTic, Cross1, Cross2)

Elements

[Required] AxisName	Name of axis to modify, ie Left Axis

[Optional] Auto	1 = auto

0 = not

[Optional] Minimum 	The minimum extent of the axis in data units

[Optional] Maximum 	The maximum extent of the axis in data units

[Optional] Interval 	The interval between major tick marks in data units

[Optional] FirstMajTic 	The position of the first major tick, in data units

[Optional] LastMajTic 	The position of the last major tick, in data units

[Optional] Cross1 	The value the axis crosses the X axis for Y and Z axes, and the Y axis for X axes.

[Optional] Cross2 	The value the axis crosses the Z axis for X and Y axes, Y axis for Z axes.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapAxisGridLines()

Description

Controls the display of grid lines on the specified axis. You must indicate the axis on which the grid lines scaling will be based.

Syntax

object.MapAxisGridLines(AxisName, ShowMajor, MajLineColor, MajLineStyle, MajLineWidth,  ShowMinor, MinLineColor, MinLineStyle, MinLineWidth)

Elements

[Required] AxisName	Name of axis to modify, ie Left Axis

[Optional] ShowMajor	Show the grid lines based on major ticks

1 = show

0 = don't

[Optional] MajLineColor	Color for major grid lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] MajLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] MajLineWidth	The width for the major grid lines, in page units

[Optional] ShowMinor	Show value for grid lines based on minor ticks

1 = show

0 = don't

[Optional] MinLineColor 	Color for minor grid lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] MinLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] MinLineWidth	in page units

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapBackground()

Description

Draws a background behind the selected map.  This can be both the fill attributes for the background, and the line attributes for the outline of the map.

Syntax

object.MapBackground(LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, FillForeColor, FillBackColor, FillPattern, FillMode)

Elements

[Optional] LineColor 	Color for the outline. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	The line width in page units

[Optional] FillForeColor 	Color for the foreground fill. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] FillBackColor	Color for the background fill. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] FillPattern 	The pattern to use for the fill

[Optional] FillMode 	1 = TRANSPARENT

2 = OPAQUE

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapClassedPost()

Description

Creates a classed post map from a data file containing X,Y,Z coordinates and optional infomation for post labels.

Syntax

object.MapClassedPost(DataFile, xCol, yCol, zCol, LabCol, LabPosType, xOff, yOff, LabAngle, LabLineLen, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, SymAngle, PostFreq, ClassMethod, NumClasses, Face, FontSize, HorzAlign, VertAlign, FontStyle, FontColor, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, ID, Legend, LegendID)

Elements

[Required] DataFile	Input data file

[Optional] xCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] yCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] zCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] LabCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] LabPosType	0 = Center

1 = Left

2 = Right

3 = Above

4 = Below

5 = User defined

[Optional] xOff	in page units

[Optional] yOff	in page units

[Optional] LabAngle	in degrees

[Optional] LabLineLen	in page units

[Optional] LineColor 	Color for 3D Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	in page units

[Optional] SymAngle 	The angle at which to draw the point symbols

[Optional] PostFreq 	The frequency with which data points are read from the worksheet

[Optional] ClassMethod	0 = Equal

1 = Interval

 [Optional] NumClasses 	The number of classes to define.  This value must be a positive integer

[Optional] Face 	The symbol set to use for the symbols

[Optional] FontSize	The font size, in points

[Optional] HorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] VertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] FontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] FontColor 	Color for label text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LabType	0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabNDig 	The number of decimal digits to use on the labels

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	The prefix to place on all labels, in quotation marks

[Optional] LabPostfix 	The suffix to place on all labels, in quoation marks

[Optional] ID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID

[Optional] Legend 	0 = no legend, non-zero = draw legend

[Optional] LegendID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the legend  ID

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapContour()

Description

Creates a contour map from a grid [.GRD] file.

Syntax

object.MapContour(InGrid, Flags, Minimum, Maximum, Interval, LevelFile, LabType, LabnDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, SmoothAmount, iLabBeg, iLabFreq, Lab2LabDist, Lab2EdgeDist, LabTolerance, iHachBeg, iHachFreq, HachLen, ID, ScaleID)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file

[Optional] Flags	Add the following to get what you want:

1 - Fill contours

2 - Smooth contours

4 - Hachures point uphill

64 - Add a color scale object

128 - Orient in-line labels uphill

256 - Hachure both closed & open contours

[Optional] Minimum	Minimum contour level

[Optional] Maximum 	Maximum contour level

[Optional] Interval 	Contour interval

[Optional] LevelFile 	Path and file name for level file to use, in quotation marks

[Optional] LabType	Numeric format for the contour labels.

0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabnDig 	Number of decimal digits to use on contour labels.

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	Prefix text string to appear on every contour label

[Optional] LabPostfix 	Suffix text string to appear on every contour label

[Optional] SmoothAmount	Relative amount of smoothing to apply to contour lines

0 = Low

1 = Medium

2 = High

[Optional] iLabBeg 	First contour line on which to place labels.  This is the number in the list and not the actual Z level value.

[Optional] iLabFreq 	Frequency of labeled contour levels

[Optional] Lab2LabDist	Distance between labels in page units

[Optional] Lab2EdgeDist	Label distance to the map border in page units

[Optional] LabTolerance 	Curve tolerance for labels to be drawn

[Optional] iHachBeg 	First contour line on which to place hachures

[Optional] iHachFreq 	Frequency of hachured contours

[Optional] HachLen	Length of hachures in page units

[Optional] ID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

[Optional] ScaleID	Assigns an ID to the associated color scale

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapEditAxis()

Description

Specifies the parameters to apply to the specified axis.  You must indicate the axis to which the parameters will be applied.

Syntax

object.MapEditAxis(AxisName, Title, TitleOff1, TitleOff2, TitleAngle, AxisPlane, TitleFace, TitleFontSize, TitleHorzAlign, TitleVertAlign, TitleFontStyle, TitleFontColor, AxisLineColor, AxisLineStyle, AxisLineWidth, ShowLabel, LabAngle, LabOff, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, LabFace, LabFontSize, LabHorzAlign, LabVertAlign, LabFontStyle, LabFontColor, MinTicType, MinTicLen, MajTicType, MajTicLen, MinTicPerMaj)

Elements

[Required] AxisName	Name of axis to modify, ie Left Axis

[Optional] Title 	The title string, in quotation marks, to use for the axis

[Optional] TitleOff1	The title offset, in X page units

[Optional] TitleOff2	The title offset, in Y page units

[Optional] TitleAngle 	The angle for the title.  Positive angles rotate CCW.

[Optional] AxisPlane	0=XY, 1=XZ, 2=YZ

[Optional] TitleFace 	The typeface to use for the axis title

[Optional] TitleFontSize	The font size in points

[Optional] TitleHorzAlign	Horizontal alignment for the Title

0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] TitleVertAlign	Vertical alignment for the title

0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] TitleFontStyle	Title font style

1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] TitleFontColor 	Color for the title text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] AxisLineColor  	Color for axis lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] AxisLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] AxisLineWidth	in page units

[Optional] ShowLabel	1 = show

0 = don't

[Optional] LabAngle 	Angle for the labels.  Positive angles rotate CCW.

[Optional] LabOff	distance from axis in page units

[Optional] LabType	The tick label numeric format

0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabNDig	number of digits after decimal point

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	The prefix to use for each tick label

[Optional] LabPostfix 	The suffix to use for each tick label

[Optional] LabFace 	The typeface to use for the tick labels

[Optional] LabFontSize	in points

[Optional] LabHorzAlign	The horizontal alignment for the tick labels

0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] LabVertAlign	The vertical alignment

0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] LabFontStyle	The Label font style

1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] LabFontColor 	Color for label font. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] MinTicType	The minor tick type

0 = None

1 = Out

2 = In

3 = Cross

[Optional] MinTicLen	The minor tick length in page units

[Optional] MajTicType 	The major tick type

0 = None

1 = Out

2 = In

3 = Cross

[Optional] MajTicLen	The major tick length in page units

[Optional] MinTicPerMaj 	The number of minor ticks per major tick

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapEditOverlays()

Description

Moves the specified object to the front or back of other objects in the overlay.

Syntax

object.MapEditOverlays(SubObj, ToFront)

Elements

[Optional] SubObj	name of the subobject (as appears in dialog)

[Optional] ToFront	1 = move to front

0 = move to back

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapLoadBaseMap()

Description

Imports a base map into the the current Plot window.  Base maps can be in one of several file formats.  File formats are specified by the file name extension.

Syntax

object.MapLoadBaseMap(File, Options, ID)

Elements

[Required] File	The name of the file to import (needs extension to determine the type)

[Optional] Options	A filter specific options string.  See the filter specific help for details.

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapOverlayMaps()

Description

Creates a single overlay from all selected maps.  You can combine any number of base maps, contour maps and post maps, but only a single surface plot can be used in an overlay.

Syntax

object.MapOverlayMaps(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapPost()

Description

Creates a post map from a data file containing X,Y coordinates and optional infomation for post labels, symbol type, size and orientation.

Syntax

object.MapPost(DataFile, xCol, yCol, LabCol, SymCol, AngleCol, SymFace, SymSize, Symbol, SymColor, SymAngle, SymSizeMethod, HeightCol, MinHt, MinDat, MaxHt, MaxDat, LabLineLen, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, LabPosType, xOff, yOff, LabAngle, Face, FontSize, HorzAlign, VertAlign, FontStyle, FontColor, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, PostFreq, ID)

Elements

[Required] DataFile	Input data file

[Optional] xCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] yCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] LabCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] SymCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] AngleCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] SymFace 	The typeface to use for the symbols, in quotation marks

[Optional] SymSize	In page units

[Optional] Symbol	Index of symbol (starts at 0)

[Optional] SymColor 	Color for the symbols.  The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] SymAngle	In degrees (+angles rotate the symbols CCW)

[Optional] SymSizeMethod	0 = Fixed

1 = Linear

2 = SquareRoot

[Optional] HeightCol	Wks column (0-255)

[Optional] MinHt	Height of symbol in page units

[Optional] MinDat	Data units

[Optional] MaxHt	Height of symbol in page units

[Optional] MaxDat	Data units

[Optional] LabLineLen	In page units

[Optional] LineColor 	Color for 3D Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	In page units

[Optional] LabPosType	0=Center

1 = Left

2 = Right

3 = Above

4 = Below

5 = User defined

[Optional] xOff	in page units

[Optional] yOff	in page units

[Optional] LabAngle	degrees

[Optional] Face 	The typeface, in quotation marks, to use for the posting labels

[Optional] FontSize	in points

[Optional] HorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] VertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] FontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] FontColor 	Color for the label text. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LabType	0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabNDig 	Number of decimal digits to use on the label.

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	The prefix, in quotes, to use on each label

[Optional] LabPostfix 	The suffix , in quotes, to use on each label

[Optional] PostFreq 	The frequency of points read from the worksheet

[Optional] ID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapScale()

Description

Sets the scale for the selected map.

Syntax

object.MapScale(xLength, yLength, zLength, xMapPerPU, yMapPerPU, zMapPerPU)

Elements

[Optional] xLength	The X length in page units

[Optional] yLength 	The Y length in page units

[Optional] zLength 	The Z length in page units

[Optional] xMapPerPU	The X scale as data units per page unit

[Optional] yMapPerPU 	The Y scale as data units per page unit

[Optional] zMapPerPU 	The Z scale as data units per page unit

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapScaleBar()

Description

Draws a distance scale for the selected map.  If you dont specify an axis, the scale bar tracks the X axis.

Syntax

object.MapScaleBar(CycleSpacing, LabelInc, TrackAxis, LineColor, LineStyle, LineWidth, LabFace, LabFontSize, LabHorzAlign, LabVertAlign, LabFontStyle, LabFontColor, LabType, LabNDig, LabFlags, LabPrefix, LabPostfix, LabAngle)

Elements

[Optional] CycleSpacing 	The cycle spacing, in data units

[Optional] LabelInc     	The increment for each cycle

[Optional] TrackAxis	Which axis to base the cycle spacing on.

0 = X

1 = Y

2 = Z

[Optional] LineColor 	Color for the scale bar. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] LineWidth	in page units

[Optional] LabFace 	The type face for the cycle labels

[Optional] LabFontSize	The label font size, in points

[Optional] LabHorzAlign	0 = Left

1 = Center

2 = Right

[Optional] LabVertAlign	0 = Top

1 = Baseline

2 = Bottom

[Optional] LabFontStyle	1 = Bold

2 = Italic

4 = Strikethrough

8 = Underline

[Optional] LabFontColor 	Color for the labels. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] LabType	0 = Fixed

1 = Exponential

2 = General

3 = Char

[Optional] LabNDig 	Number of decimal digits

[Optional] LabFlags	1 = Thousandths (Insert a comma every 3 digits)

[Optional] LabPrefix 	The prefix to place on each label

[Optional] LabPostfix 	The suffix to place on each label

[Optional] LabAngle 	The angle for the labels.  Positive angles rotate CCW

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapShowAxis()

Description

Controls the display of axes on the selected map, surface plot or overlay.

Syntax

object.MapShowAxis(AxisName, Show)

Elements

[Required] AxisName	Name of Axis to modify, ie Left Axis

[Optional]  Show	1=show axis, 0=do not show axis

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapStackMaps()

Description

Aligns the selected maps based on the map coordinate systems.  This only moves maps horizontally on the page.

Syntax

object.MapStackMaps(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

MapSurface()

Description

Creates a surface plot from a grid [.GRD] file.

Syntax

object.MapSurface(InGrid, LineDir, xLineColor, xLineStyle, xLineWidth, yLineColor, yLineStyle, yLineWidth, zLineColor, zLineStyle, zLineWidth, zLevelFile, VisOptions, Border, ColorFile, ColorDir, ShowColorScale, BaseOptions, BaseHt, BaseLineColor, BaseLineStyle, BaseLineWidth, ID, ScaleID)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file

[Optional] LineDir	Add the following to get what you want:

1 plot lines of constant X

2 plot lines of constant Y

4 plot lines of constant Z

[Optional] xLineColor 	Color for x Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] xLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] xLineWidth	in page units

[Optional] yLineColor 	Color for y Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] yLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] yLineWidth	in page units

[Optional] zLineColor 	Color for z Lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] zLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] zLineWidth	in page units

[Optional] zLevelFile 	The path and file name for the level file defining the level files to use

[Optional] VisOptions	Add the following to get what you want:

1 Remove hidden lines

2 Show upper surface

4 Show lower surface

[Optional] Border	0 = None

1 = All Sides

2 = Front only

[Optional] ColorFile

[Optional] ColorDir	Add the following to get what you want:

1 = color lines of constant X

2 = color lines of constant Y

4 = color lines of constant Z

[Optional] ShowColorScale	1 = show

0 = don't

[Optional] BaseOptions	Add the following to get what you want:

1 = Show base

2 = Show vertical lines

[Optional] BaseHt 	The elevation for the base, in data units

[Optional] BaseLineColor 	Color for base lines. The color name or a string of the form "Rxxx Gxxx Bxxx" where xxx is the amount of red, green and blue (0 to 255)

[Optional] BaseLineStyle	Style name as appears in line dialog

[Optional] BaseLineWidth	The base line width, in page units

[Optional] ID 	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

[Optional] ScaleID	Assigns an ID to the associated color scale

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

ReliefMap()

Description

Creates a shaded relief map from a grid file or DEM file.

Syntax

object.ReliefMap(InGrid, Flags, ColorFile, GradientMethod, ShadeMethod, Azimuth, Zenith, Zscale, ID)

Elements

[Required] InGrid	Input grid or DEM file

[Optional] Flags	Add the following to get what you want

1 = Dither the bitmap on the display, if possible

[Optional] ColorFile	The color [.CLR] file to use

[Optional] GradientMethod	Can be one of:

1 = Central Difference

2 = Midpoint Difference

[Optional] ShadeMethod	Can be one of:

0 = Simple

1 = Peuckers piecewise linear approximation

2 = Labertian Reflection

3 = Lommel-Seeliger Law

[Optional] Azimuth	Degrees from 0 to 360.  0 is due East and values increase CCW

[Optional] Zenith	Degrees from horizontal.  Can be between -360 and 360.

[Optional] Zscale	The Z Scale to use.

[Optional] ID	The text string, in quotation marks, to be used as the ID.

**************************************************************************************

Select()

Description

Selects all objects in the Plot window, or selects only the specified objects.

Syntax

object.Select(ID)

Elements

[optional] ID	ID of object to select.  If omitted, selects all.  Sub-objects within a map object can be selected by using the colon as a separator as in:

"Map:Left Axis"

Return Value

Returns the number of objects that were selected.

**************************************************************************************

StartupPath()

Description

Returns a string that contains Surfers startup path, as in c:\surfer6.  There is no trailing backslash.

Syntax

object.StartupPath(void)

Return Value

Returns the string of Surfers startup path.

**************************************************************************************

TransformSel()

Description

Moves or resizes the selected objects.  You can specify the Left and Bottom coordinates to move the selected objects, and can specify the width and height values (in page units) to resize the selected objects.

Syntax

object.TransformSel(Left, Bottom, Width, Height)

Elements

[optional] Left	in page units

[optional] Bottom

[optional] Width

[optional] Height

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

ViewActualSize()

Description

Changes the magnification of the Plot window so objects are displayed at true scale.

Syntax

object.ViewActualSize(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

ViewAutoRedraw()

Description

Automatically redraws the Plot window each time a change is made to any object.  By disabling Auto Redraw, you can greatly decrease macro running time.

Syntax

object.ViewAutoRedraw(Enable)

Elements

[Required] Enable	1 = to enable auto redraw

0 = to disable.

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

ViewFitToWindow()

Description

Changes the magnification of the Plot window so all objects in the window can be seen.

Syntax

object.ViewFitToWindow(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

ViewPage()

Description

Magnifies or reduces the view of the Plot window so the entire page is seen.  The page size is set using the FilePageLayout command.

Syntax

object.ViewPage(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

ViewRedraw()

Description

Clears the Plot window and then redraws all objects.

Syntax

object.ViewRedraw(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

ViewZoomIn()

Description

Doubles the magnification of the Plot window.  If optional X,Y page coordinates are specified, the window may scroll to center the point of interest.

Syntax

object.ViewZoomIn(x, y)

Elements

[Optional] x	Coordinates are in page units.

[Optional] y	An attempt is made to center this point in the window after the zoom.  If either coordinate is omitted, the center of the window will be used.

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

ViewZoomOut()

Description

Reduces the magnification of the Plot window by one half.  If optional X,Y page coordinates are specified, the window may scroll to center the point of interest.

Syntax

object.ViewZoomOut(x, y)

Elements

[Optional] x	Coordinates are in page units.

[Optional] y	An attempt is made to center this point in the window after the zoom.  If either coordinate is omitted, the center of the window will be used.

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

ViewZoomRectangle()

Description

Magnifies the portion of the Plot window specified by the defined rectangle.  Page units are used to define the Left, Right, Top and Bottom of the Zoom Rectangle.

Syntax

object.ViewZoomRectangle(Left, Top, Right, Bottom)

Elements

[Required] Left	The coordinates are in page units.

[Required] Top

[Required] Right

[Required] Bottom

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

ViewZoomSelected()

Description

Changes the magnification of the drawing so the selected objects are drawn at the maximum possible size and still fit in the Plot window.

Syntax

object.ViewZoomSelected(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

WindowArrangeIcons()

Description

Arranges the icons of the minimized document windows at the bottom of the Surfer application window.

Syntax

object.WindowArrangeIcons(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

WindowCascade()

Description

Cascades all the document windows in the Surfer application window.

Syntax

object.WindowCascade(void)

Return Value

No return value

**************************************************************************************

WindowNewView()

Description

Creates a new Plot window linked to the current Plot window.

Syntax

object.WindowNewView(void)

Return Value

Returns TRUE (1) if the command succeeds and FALSE (0) if not.

**************************************************************************************

WindowTile()

Description

Tiles all the document windows in the Surfer application window.

Syntax

object.WindowTile(void)

Return Value

No return value


Worksheet Help Index

This Index contains a list of all Help topics available for the Worksheet.  You can use the scroll bar to see the entries that are not currently visible in the Help window.

For information on how to use Help, press F1 or choose Using Help from the Help menu.

Commands

Screen Regions

Mouse

Keyboard


Worksheet Keyboard Commands

KEY	COMMAND

ALT+BACKSPACE	Undo

ALT+F4	Close Surfer

ALT+HYPHEN	Control Window (Document)

ALT+SPACEBAR	Control Window (Application)

Arrow keys	Move to Adjacent Cell

CTRL+A	SaveAs

CTRL+C or CTRL+INSERT	Copy

CTRL+ESC	Switch To

CTRL+F4	Close Document Window

CTRL+F6	Next Document Window

CTRL+O	Open

CTRL+S	Save

CTRL+SHIFT+F6	Previous Document Window

CTRL+TAB	Switch to Another Application

CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT	Paste

CTRL+X or SHIFT+DEL	Cut

DEL	Clears the Contents of the Marked Cells

END	Go To Last Row Containing Data

ENTER	Preserve the Typed Contents in the Cell

F1	Help

F10 or ALT	Activate Menu Bar

F2	Edit Active Cell

F3	Exit	Surfer

HOME	Go To Top of Worksheet

PAGE UP	Scroll the Worksheet Up One Screen

PAGE DOWN	Scroll the Worksheet Down One Screen

SHIFT+F1	Help (Context Sensitive)


Mouse Techniques

Help is available for the following mouse techniques:

Grabbing a Column Dividing Line

Hiding Columns

Marking Cells

Setting Column Widths

Unhiding Columns


Grabbing a Column Dividing Line

The column dividing line, or vertical dividing line, is the vertical line dividing two columns in the worksheet.  By grabbing it you may change a column width or hide or unhide columns.  The  Column Width command from the Options menu can also be used to hide or unhide columns or to set column widths.

To grab the vertical dividing line, move the cursor to the column label bar and near the vertical dividing line until the cursor changes to a double arrow.  The cursor must be within about a character's width of the vertical dividing line, and it must be on the column label bar.  Then, click and hold the left mouse button and drag the vertical dividing line as described for hiding or unhiding columns or for setting column widths.  You must hold down the left mouse button until the operation is complete.  If some columns are hidden, you may have to grab the vertical dividing line by placing the cursor just to the left or right of the line, as appropriate.


Hiding Columns

The mouse may be used to hide columns.  To hide a column, you must first grab the vertical dividing line at the right of the column.  To hide the column, drag the vertical dividing line to the left as far as it will go.  Then release the mouse button.  If the column to the right of this column is hidden, then you must grab the vertical dividing line at its left side.  Otherwise, you will grab the vertical dividing line for a hidden column.


Marking Cells

The keyboard and the mouse may be used to mark (select) cells.  Marked cells are indicated by reverse video.

Marked columns which are then hidden are not indicated.  Hidden cells are marked if their columns are within a marked block of cells.

Cells may be marked in order to

*	perform editing and clipboard functions,

*	compute statistics for marked cells,

*	set column attributes for several columns via the options menu, such as column width, numeric format, and text alignment.

You can mark

*	Single cells

*	A rectangular block of cells

*	One or more rows

*	One or more columns

*	The entire worksheet

*	In general, the CTRL key is used to mark additional blocks and the SHIFT key is used to resize the last marked block.  Details (and exceptions) are given in separate help sections for marking with the mouse and marking with the keyboard.

*	In general, clicking, holding and dragging the mouse in the worksheet will mark a block.  Similarly, using the SHIFT key plus the arrow keys marks a block.  There are special procedures for marking entire rows, entire columns, and the entire worksheet.

*	The arrow keys are used with SHIFT for marking cells are the arrow keys, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, HOME and END.  TAB and SHIFT+TAB (backTAB) cannot be used.

*	While holding down the CTRL key, the active cell may be repositioned for marking a new block.

*	While holding down the SHIFT key, the last marked block may be resized.  Either use the SHIFT key and the mouse or the SHIFT key and arror keys.

*	In general, the active cell is at one corner (or edge) of a marked block and must first be positioned before the marking.

*	The last block cannot be resized if the active cell has been moved.

*	To unmark all marked cells, click the left mouse button anywhere within the worksheet, press the ESC key, or move the active cell with an arrow key or other movement key.

*	Once marked, cells cannot be unmarked unless all cells are unmarked.

*	If an operation, such as statistics, takes a great deal of time, try to use as few marked blocks as possible.  For example, instead of marking columns A, B and C separately in three different blocks, mark them as one block of three contiguous columns.

Tips

*	To rapidly mark a large block, first mark one corner of the block, then use the scroll bars to scroll to the opposite corner.  Hold down the SHIFT key and click on the cell at the opposite corner.  This resizes the block.  The page up, page down, HOME and END keys may also be used, but the SHIFT key must be held down while these keys are pressed.  The SHIFT key is not needed while using the scroll bars.

*	The mouse and the keyboard can each be used to mark the same blocks.  Use whichever you find most comforTABle.

See Also

Marking cells with the keyboard

Marking cells with the mouse


Marking Cells with the Keyboard

The keyboard may be used to mark cells.  Marked cells are indicated by reverse video.

To mark:

Single cells	Position the active cell to the cell to be marked.  While holding down the SHIFT key, press an arrow key followed by its opposite.  (For example, press the right arrow key followed by the left arrow key.)  The cell changes to reverse video.

A rectangular block of cells 	Move the active cell to one corner of the block.  While holding down the SHIFT key, use movement keys to position the opposite corner of the block.  These include the arrow keys, page up, page down, HOME and END, but not TAB and SHIFT+TAB (backtab).  When the block has been sized, release the SHIFT key.  To resize the block, see the instructions below.

A row of cells 	Position the active cell in the desired row.  While holding down the SHIFT key, press the space bar.

Several adjacent rows 	Mark the first or last row desired.  Then, while holding down the SHIFT key, use the vertical movement keys.  These include up arrow, down arrow, page up, page down, HOME and END.

A column of cells 	Position the active cell in the desired column.  While holding down the CTRL key, press the space bar.

Several adjacent columns 	Mark the first or last column desired.  Then, while holding down the SHIFT key, use the right and left arrow keys.

The entire worksheet 	While holding down both the CTRL and SHIFT keys, press the space bar.

To mark additional blocks, hold down the CTRL key to reposition the active cell (this prevents the previously marked blocks from becoming unmarked).  Then repeat any of the above markings.  To resize the last marked block, hold down the SHIFT key while using the movement keys (as appropriate to the type of block).  The last block cannot be resized if the active cell has been moved.  To unmark all marked cells, click the left mouse button anywhere within the worksheet, press the ESC key, or move the active cell with an arrow key or other movement key.


Marking Cells with the Mouse

The mouse may be used to mark cells.  Marked cells are indicated by reverse video.

You can mark:

Single cells	Click and hold the left mouse button on the cell until the cell is marked (changes to reverse video).

A rectangular block of cells	Move the active cell to one corner of the block.  Click and hold the left mouse button, and drag it to the opposite corner of the block.  Then release the mouse button.

An entire row	Click the mouse on the row label.

Several adjacent rows	Click and hold the mouse on the first row label and drag it to the last row.

An entire column	Click the mouse on the column label.  Make sure the cursor is a normal arrow cursor (not the double arrow cursor used for grabbing column dividing lines).

Several adjacent columns	Click and hold the mouse on the first column label and drag it to the last column.

The entire worksheet	Click the mouse on the asterisk in the upper left corner of the worksheet.

The worksheet will scroll automatically if the mouse is dragged past the visible limits of the worksheet.  To mark additional blocks, hold down the CTRL key while beginning any of the above markings.  To resize the last marked block, hold down the SHIFT key while clicking and holding the left mouse button.  You may then drag the edge of the last marked block to the new position.  The last block cannot be resized if the active cell has been moved.  To unmark all marked cells, click the left mouse button anywhere within the worksheet, press the ESC key, or move the active cell with an arrow key or other movement key.


Setting Column Widths

The mouse may be used to set column widths.  To set a column width, first grab the vertical dividing line which is at the right of the column.  Then, drag the vertical dividing line to the new position.  If there are hidden columns to the right of this column, then grab the vertical dividing at its left side.  Otherwise, you will grab the vertical dividing line for a hidden column.


Unhiding Columns

The mouse may be used to unhide columns.  To unhide a column, first grab the vertical dividing line at the right of the hidden column, then drag the vertical dividing line to the new position.  If several adjacent columns are hidden, only the rightmost column is unhidden each time.  Make sure the cursor is to the right of the dividing line when you grab it.  If the cursor is to the left of the vertical dividing line when the line is grabbed, then the vertical dividing line will be for the visible column to the left, and not for the hidden column.

For example, if columns B, C and D are hidden and columns A and E are visible, then there appears one vertical dividing line between columns A and E.  Grab that vertical dividing line with the cursor slightly to the right of the dividing line.  This will grab the line for column D.  (If the cursor is to the left of the dividing line, then the dividing line for column A will be grabbed.)  Drag the vertical dividing line to the right to unhid column D.  Repeat for columns C and B.


Worksheet Screen Regions

Help is available for the following worksheet screen regions:

Active Cell

Active Cell Location Box

Asterisk

Cell Edit Box

Column Labels

Desktop

Maximize Icon

Minimize Icon

Restore Icon

Row Labels

Scroll Bar

Status Bar

Title Bar

Window Sizing Border

Worksheet Scroll Bars

Worksheet Windows


Worksheet
Worksheet Windows

Worksheet windows are used to display, edit, enter and save data.

Data can be placed in the worksheet in several ways. When you create a Worksheet window, you can then read data files into the worksheet using the Open command from the Worksheet File menu, type your data directly into the worksheet, or use the windows Clipboard to copy data from another application and paste it into the worksheet.

Worksheet Commands provide you with specific discussions on the Worksheet window menus and commands.

Worksheet Window Procedures and Topics contains information on how to perform worksheet operations.

Working with Worksheet Data describes the basic procedures for placing and modifying data in the worksheet.

Opening a Worksheet Window describes the procedures for creating new Worksheet windows.

Worksheet Keys provides you with information on the keyboard shortcuts you can use in a Worksheet window.

Worksheet Mouse Techniques describe how to use the mouse in a Worksheet window.

Worksheet Screen Regions describe the different parts of a Worksheet window.


Working with Worksheet Data

Data can be placed in the worksheet in several ways. When you create a Worksheet window, you can then read data files into the worksheet using the Open command from the Worksheet File menu, type your data directly into the worksheet, or use the windows Clipboard to copy data from another application and paste it into the worksheet.

Data appears in worksheet cells according to the current column formats.  You can set the column widths, numeric formats and text alignment through the options menu.

You can scroll through the worksheet by using the worksheet scroll bars.  The Active Cell Location Box gives the location of the active cell.  You can also use the keyboard to scroll the worksheet.

The active cell is positioned by clicking on a cell with the mouse, or by using the arrow keys, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, TAB and SHIFT+TAB (backtab).  The contents of the active cell appear in the cell edit box.  This is useful for examining worksheet cells in narrow columns.

You can edit the contents of a cell by making it the active cell and pressing F2.  The Left and Right arrow keys, HOME, END, BACKSPACE and DEL keys can be used for editing.

To enter new data and delete the old, position the active cell and begin typing.  Edit mode is entered automatically and the old data is deleted.  The HOME, END, BACKSPACE and DEL keys may be used.  To also use the Left and Right arrow keys, press F2 any time after the first entry.  Pressing ESC while editing a cell cancels the changes and restores the original data.

Pressing ENTER, Up or Down arrow, TAB, SHIFT+TAB (Backtab), PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN keys causes the edit changes to be recorded permanently in the cell.  The Left and Right arrow keys can also be used if the F2 key has not been pressed.

You can mark cells for editing or for computing statistics.

See Also

ASCII [.DAT] Files

Clearing Data and Leaving Cells Empty

Copying Data

Cutting Data

Data File Formats

Deleting Cells, Columns or Rows

Deleting Data and Shifting Data to Fill the Empty Cells

Editing Data

Entering Data

File Formats

Inserting Cells, Columns or Rows

Marking Cells

Marking Cells with the Keyboard

Marking Cells with the Mouse

Merging Files

Scroll Bar

Selecting Worksheet Cells

Sorting Data

SYLK [.SLK] Files

Transforming Data

Undo Command

Worksheet Keys

Worksheet Mouse Techniques

XLS and WK1 Files


Opening a Worksheet Window

A Worksheet window allows you to view, enter or modify data by typing the values into the worksheet cells.  You can open a Worksheet window in one of two ways.  You can:

*	Choose the New command from the File menu, click on the Worksheet option in the New Window dialog box and click on OK.  A new empty Worksheet window is opened.

*	Click the Worksheet tool in the Toolbar.

*	When you are in a Plot Window, you can choose the Worksheet command from the File menu and a new empty Worksheet window is displayed.

Once you have opened a Worksheet window, you do not have to use the Worksheet command each time you want to display the data.  You can return to the worksheet at any time by choosing the desired Worksheet window from the Window menu.


Active Cell

The active cell is the worksheet cell displayed with a heavy border.  The contents of this cell are displayed in the Cell Edit Box.  The active cell may be used to edit or enter data.  To edit existing data, activate the desired cell and press the F2 key.  To enter new data (and overwrite any existing data), merely begin typing.

To cancel cell editing, use the ESC key.

To enter the contents of the cell edit box in the active cell, either press the Enter key, or, move to a new cell by using the mouse or the Up or Down arrow keys, TAB, SHIFT+TAB (Backtab), PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN.  If the F2 key has not been pressed, the Left and Right arrow keys can also be used.

To position the active cell with the keyboard, use the Up or Down arrow keys, TAB, SHIFT+TAB (Backtab), PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN.  The Right and Left arrow keys can not  be used when not editing a cell using the F2 key.

To select a new active cell with the mouse, use the scroll bars to position the worksheet and then click on the desired cell.

To mark a single cell, click and hold on that cell.  The cell is now displayed in reverse-video.

If you mark a block of cells, the first cell selected is displayed as the active cell; all marked cells are displayed in reverse-video.

To enter a number as text, precede the number with a either a single or double quote.


Asterisk

The asterisk in the small box above the row labels and to the left of the column label bar has one function.  Clicking on the asterisk marks the entire worksheet.  You can mark the entire worksheet to change the column widths, numeric format or text alignment for all worksheet columns.  You may mark the entire worksheet for statistics.  If the entire worksheet is selected, the only columns affected are within the actual limits of the worksheet, or the minimum worksheet size, whichever is greater.  If you later add data in more columns, you may find some columns which have not been affected.


Cell Edit Box

The cell edit box shows the contents of the active cell and is used for editing cells.  You can use the cell edit box to see the contents of a worksheet cell when the column is too narrow.

Press the F2 key to begin editing.  If you wish to overwrite the current contents, begin typing without pressing F2.

To terminate cell editing, either click the mouse on a different cell, or, use one of these keys:  ENTER, Up or Down arrow, PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN, TAB or SHIFT+TAB (Backtab).  The Left and Right arrow keys may be used if the F2 key has not been pressed.  Press the ESC key to cancel editing.

If the mouse is clicked on a new cell, then the contents of the cell edit box are stored in the previous active cell, and the new cell becomes the active cell.

The following keys have special functions when in edit mode:

ESC	cancel edit mode and restore the original contents of the active cell.

ENTER	store the contents of the cell edit box in the active cell.

Left & Right Arrows 	If the F2 key has been pressed, move within the cell's text.  Otherwise, store the contents of the cell edit box in the active cell and move to the cell to the left or right.

DEL	delete text to the right.

BACKSPACE 	delete text to the left.

Up & Down Arrows 	store the contents of the cell edit box in the active cell and move to the cell above or below.

PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN 	store the contents of the cell edit box in the active cell and move one page up or down.

TAB and SHIFT+TAB	store the contents of the cell edit box in the active cell and move to the cell to the right or left.


Column Label Bar

The column label bar gives the column labels, which are one or two letters.  The column label bar has two functions.  You may use the mouse to mark columns or to change the width of or hide or unhide columns.

Changing column widths or hiding or unhiding columns

*	To change a column width or hide or unhide columns, you must first grab the vertical dividing line at the right of the column.  Move the cursor to the column label bar and close to a vertical dividing line (the vertical line dividing two columns) until the cursor changes to a double arrow.  Then click and hold the left mouse button and drag the vertical dividing line as described below.

*	To change a column width, drag the vertical dividing line to the new position.

*	To hide a column, drag the vertical dividing line to the left as far as it will go.

*	To unhide a column, drag the vertical dividing line to the right to the new position.  Note that if several adjacent columns are hidden, only the rightmost column will be unhidden each time.  Also, in grabbing the vertical dividing line for a hidden column, the mouse button must be clicked while the double arrow cursor is to the right of the vertical dividing line.  Otherwise it will grab the line for the visible column to the left.

Marking columns

*	To mark columns, the cursor must be positioned on the column label bar and must be a normal arrow cursor, not the double arrow cursor described above.

*	Clicking on a column label will mark that column.

*	Clicking and holding on a column label and then dragging the mouse will mark more columns.

*	If, while columns are being marked, the mouse is dragged beyond the visible worksheet limits, the worksheet is automatically scrolled.


Row&Column Box
Active Cell Location Box

The Active Cell Location Box gives the location of the Active Cell in the worksheet.  The letter or letters designate the column and the number designates the row.


Row Labels

The row label column gives the numbers of the rows.  The row label column is used to mark rows.  Clicking on a row label marks that row.  Clicking and holding on a row label, and then dragging the mouse, marks more rows.  If while marking rows, the mouse is dragged below the last row or above the top row, the worksheet is automatically scrolled.


Status Bar

The status bar at the bottom of the screen displays information about the current activity or mode of the application.  The following information is displayed in the status bar.

Help - When a command is selected, the status bar briefly describes the selected command.


Worksheet Scroll Bars

When using the mouse, you can use the scroll bars to move through the worksheet.  The position of the scroll box in the scroll bar indicates the part of the worksheet currently displayed in the window. To scroll quickly to another part of the worksheet, drag the box.  To scroll one row or column in a given direction, click the arrow at that end of the bar.  To scroll one windowful in a given direction, click in the bar on that side of the scroll box.  The scroll bar ranges are set to the actual worksheet limits or to the minimum worksheet size, whichever is greater.


Error Messages

Aborting read operation ...!

Aborting Sort ...!

Aborting Transform ...!

Bad or missing sort column!

Bad or missing sort row!

Cannot do that with multiple blocks!

Cannot read Excel 3.0 or 4.0 file format!

Clipboard data has disappeared!

Close paren expected ...

Copy failed - worksheet may contain errors!

Data in clipboard clipped to limits of worksheet!

Data in file clipped to limits of worksheet!

Divide by 0!

Equation too complex ...

Expected variable name. ...

Failed to destroy worksheet document!

Illegal expression ...

Incompatible clipboard format!

Incorrect variable interval ...

Insufficient memory ...

Insufficient memory:  Undo disabled!  ...

Internal Error!  File ..., Line ...

Internal Error!  ...

Invalid column variable ...

Invalid column variable or function name! ...

Invalid destination!

Invalid number ...

Invalid SYLK file ...

Invalid WK1 file ...

Invalid XLS file ...

Mark only one block!

MATH ERROR:  function(argument) error-type

MATH ERROR:  function(arg1,arg2) error-type

Missing equation!

Missing function argument ...

No worksheet data in WK1 file ...

Nothing to do!

Nothing to Sort!

Nothing to Undo!

Number is too large!

Number of Digits must be 0 to 9!

Number of Digits must be 1 to 9!

Original file was from another application...

Outstanding worksheets not freed

Overflow!  Numbers in file too large...

Overflow! ...

Row number error!

Row number too large!

Sort column is empty!

Summary of math errors ...

Too many marks!

Too many worksheet documents!

Too many worksheet windows!

Unable to create backup file!

Unable to delete multiple blocks!

Unable to delete previous backup file!

Unable to insert multiple blocks!

Unable to find file ...

Unable to find path:  ...

Unable to find DIMENSIONS record in WK1 file ...

Unable to open ...

Unable to open clipboard!

Unable to read encrypted file ...

Unable to rename backup file! ...

Variable not defined. ...

Width must be from 1 to 120!

Worksheet incompatible with caller


Aborting read operation!

Partial results stored in worksheet

You cancelled an open file or merge file operation which was in progress.  Some of the results are stored in the worksheet.  This is a warning that the entire file was not read!

The application may not be able to correctly use the partial file.


Aborting Sort!

Worksheet is partially sorted

The worksheet has been partially sorted.


Aborting Transform!

Partial results stored in worksheet

There was not enough memory to save all of the transform results.  Some of the results may have been computed.  You should check to see how much of the destination column has been modified.  The destination column is the column given on the left hand side of the transform equation.

Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the transform again on the remaining rows.

However, if the destination column is also found on the right hand side of the equation, you must NOT re-apply the transform to those rows which have already been modified!  Otherwise, the results on those rows may be incorrect.


Bad or missing sort column!

The sort column must be a one or two letter column label.


Bad or missing sort row!

The sort row must be a valid worksheet row number.


 Cannot do that with multiple blocks!

Some operations, such as cut, copy, insert and delete are not allowed with multiple blocks.  Perform the operation on one marked block at a time.


Cannot read Excel 3.0 or 4.0  file format!

The worksheet cannot process Excel 3.0 ".XLS" files.  You can still use the worksheet with Excel 3.0 or 4.0 in any of the following ways:

Have Excel save the spreadsheet in "Excel 2.1", SYLK or CSV format.  Choose Save As from Excel's File menu, then click Options.  The File Format combo box can be used to choose the format.

As described in the user manual, you can open Excel and a worksheet at the same time and use standard Copy/Paste actions to transfer data from Excel's spreadsheet into the worksheet (or vice-versa).


Clipboard data has disappeared!

The data that existed in the clipboard is no longer available.  This error may occur when another application places the promise of data in the clipboard and then is not able to supply the data when requested by this application.  Try pasting the data into the clipboard in a different format.


Close paren expected ...

Inspect the transform equation for paired parentheses.


Copy failed - worksheet may contain errors!

The clipboard data, when pasted to the worksheet, would have extended beyond the worksheet limits.  It has been clipped to fit, so some rows and/or columns of data in the clipboard have been lost.


Data in clipboard clipped to limits of worksheet!

The clipboard data, when pasted to the worksheet, would have extended beyond the worksheet limits.  It has been clipped to fit, so some rows and/or columns of data in the clipboard have been lost.


Data in file clipped to limits of worksheet!

The file contains more rows or columns of data than the worksheet can hold.  The excess rows or columns have not been entered into the worksheet.  This occurs more often during a File Merge operation, when the Active Cell is near the bottom row or far right column of the worksheet.


Divide by 0!

During the transform, a division by zero occurred.  The string 'ERROR' is placed in the result destination cell.


Equation too complex ...

The transform equation is too complex for the worksheet to handle.  Try performing the transform in two or more steps.

Here is a very simple example.   If the original equation is E = A*B + C*D, then do three transforms:  F = A*B, G = C*D, and E = F+G.  Each of the three transforms is simpler than the original.

Any complicated equation can similarly be broken down into several steps.  The intermediate results may then be deleted or overwritten.

If the equation includes a function with a long variable interval, such as SUM, replace by several transforms, each with part of the interval.  For example, A = SUM(B..BZ) may be replaced by A=SUM(B..Z), A=A+SUM(AA..AZ), and A=A+SUM(BA..BZ).


Expected variable name. ...

A variable name was expected, but the expression to the right of the indicated position is incorrect.


Failed to destroy worksheet document!

The memory routine for freeing unneeded memory failed to work.  The worksheet contents were no longer needed so this memory routine was called, but it returned an error code.

Consider closing this application and Windows and starting again.


Illegal expression ...

The expression on the right hand side of the transform equation is incorrect.  The error is usually at or near the indicated position.  Check function names and variable names (the same as the one or two letter column labels).


Incompatible clipboard format!

The contents of the clipboard are in a format incompatible with worksheet data.  The worksheet accepts clipboard data in SYLK and TEXT formats.


Incorrect variable interval ...

Certain functions accept a 'variable interval' as an argument.  An example is SUM(B..AC).  The SUM function will compute for each row the sum of the data in columns B through AC, i.e. columns B, C, D, ..., Z, AA, AB, and AC.

The two variables (same as column labels) must be in order and must be separated by exactly 2 periods.  They must not exceed the maximum column allowed in the worksheet.


Insufficient memory ...

There was insufficient memory to perform the operation.  In some cases a partial operation may have been performed.  For example, on reading a file, part of the file may have been stored in the worksheet.  You should check to see if a partial operation has been performed and if it is safe to retry the operation.

Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again on the remaining rows.

The routine given after 'Insufficient memory' may be used in consulting with Technical Support, should the problem persist.


Insufficient memory:  Undo disabled!

Continue with operation?

There was insufficient memory to save the current state of the worksheet.  If the operation is continued, it cannot be Undone (via Edit Undo).  By cancelling the operation now, the previous state of the worksheet can be restored.

In most cases, the operation is too large to be Undone.  However, in some cases, you may try closing all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try performing the operation again.

Or, try performing the operation on a smaller section of the worksheet.  For example, a transform on rows 1 to 10000 may be divided into two transforms, one on rows 1 to 5000, the other on rows 5001 to 10000.


Internal Error!  File ..., Line ...

A serious error has been detected.  These errors reflect a bug and should be reported to Technical Support to be fixed.  Please include the File and Line information when reporting this error.


Internal Error!  ...

A serious error has been detected.  These errors reflect a bug and should be reported to Technical Support to be fixed.  Please include the text of the error message when reporting this error.


Invalid column variable ...

A column variable was expected, but the expression to the right of the indicated position is incorrect.  Column variables are the same as the one or two letter column labels.

Either the column variable is too large for the worksheet, or, a function name was misspelled (Check function names).


Invalid column variable or function name! ...

      A variable name or function name was expected.  Check to be

      sure the variable or function name is correctly spelled.


Invalid destination!

The left hand side of the transform equation is incorrect.  Use the destination column label.

For example,  C = A + B  and  AC = SUM(A..AB)  will place results in columns C and AC, respectively.


Invalid number ...

Check the number for correctness.  Numbers may be in either fixed or exponential format.  Here are some examples.

2567

25.67

.002567

25.67E12

25.67E-12

Do not include formatting characters such as currency symbols, percent, or commas (for delimiting thousands).  Here are some invalid 'numbers'.

$25,678.56

27.5%


Invalid SYLK file ...

The specified file did not contain a valid SYLK header.  Either the file is corrupted, or the specified file was not a SYLK (.SLK) file.


Invalid WK1 file ...

The specified file did not contain a valid WK1 or WKS header.  Either the file is corrupted, or the specified file was not a .WK1 or .WKS file.


Invalid XLS file ...

The specified file did not contain a valid XLS header.  Either the file is corrupted, or the specified file was not a .XLS file.


Mark only one block!

The transform dialog box will use the range of rows in one marked block for the rows on which to perform the transform operation.  Only one marked block is allowed.

Note that transform will also work if no blocks are marked, but then you need to enter the beginning and ending rows for the transform.


MATH ERROR:  function(argument) error-type

MATH ERROR:  function(arg1,arg2) error-type

An error was generated by the mathematical function.

Domain error

An argument of the function is outside the domain of the function.  For example, ASIN(2).  The domain of ASIN is from -1 to 1 and does not include 2.

Singularity error

An argument of the function has an illegal value.  For example, LOG(0).

Loss of significance errors

A partial or total loss of significance occurred.

Overflow and Underflow errors

The result is too large or too small to be represented.

See Also:

Mathematical Functions


Missing equation!

The right hand side of the transform equation is missing.

See Also:

Equations


Missing function argument ...

The given function is missing an argument.

See Also:

Mathematical Functions


No worksheet data in WK1 file ...

The DIMENSIONS record of the WK1 or WKS file indicated that the file contained no worksheet data.


Nothing to do!

There is nothing to do.

The operation would have taken place outside of the currently used worksheet limits.


Nothing to Sort!

There is nothing to Sort.

The worksheet is either empty or has only one row.


Nothing to Undo!

There is nothing to Undo.

The previous operation could not be undone, or, there was insufficient memory for the Undo.


Number is too large!

The number as entered is too large for the worksheet cell.  The worksheet uses single precision (32 bit IEEE floating point) numbers.  The largest number allowed in the worksheet is approximately 3.4E+38.

If your numbers are larger than this, consider scaling them down before entering them into the worksheet.


Number of Digits must be 0 to 9!

Number of Digits must be 1 to 9!

The number of digits after the decimal point must be from zero to nine for fixed, currency and exponential formats.

The total number of digits must be from one to nine for the general format.

Note that the single precision (32 bit IEEE floating point) numbers used in the worksheet store about six or seven decimal digits (including both before and after the decimal point).  If you print out, for example, fifteen digits for each number, such as 123456789.123456, then over half of these digits are meaningless.  For this example, the number of digits after the decimal point would be better set to zero when using fixed format.


Original file was from another application.

Information will be lost if saved under the same file name.

This warning indicates that the input file may have information which will not be saved in the output file.  This is often true of spreadsheet formulas and linkages, cell formats, and other formatting information.


Outstanding worksheets not freed

Some worksheet memory could not be freed.  In normal operation, this message will not occur.  If repeatable, please report to Golden Software.


Overflow!

Numbers in file too large for worksheet

The file contained numbers too large to be stored in the worksheet.

The worksheet uses single precision (32 bit IEEE floating point) numbers.  The largest number allowed in the worksheet is approximately 3.4E+38.


Overflow!

The computation resulted in a number too large to be stored in the worksheet.

The worksheet uses single precision (32 bit IEEE floating point) numbers.  The largest number allowed in the worksheet is approximately 3.4E+38.  (The number may be either positive or negative.)


Row number error!

One of the row numbers is invalid, being either negative or zero.


Row number too large!

One of the row numbers is larger than the maximum allowed for the worksheet.


Sort column is empty!

The sort column is empty.  Choose a different column on which to sort.


Summary of math errors ...

One or more math errors has occurred.  This message gives summary statistics of math errors.  Check the transform equation and the rows for correctness.


Too many marks!

The number of marked blocks is limited to twenty.  Perform the desired operation on the first twenty blocks and repeat for the rest of the blocks.


Too many worksheet documents!

The maximum number of worksheet documents is limited to twenty.


Too many worksheet windows!

The maximum number of worksheet windows is limited to twenty.


Unable to create backup file!

The backup file could not be created.  This is probably because of insufficient disk space or because an existing backup file has been marked as read only and could not be removed.


Unable to delete multiple blocks!

Only one marked block may be deleted at a time.


Unable to delete previous backup file!

The existing backup file is likely marked as read only and could not be removed.


Unable to insert multiple blocks!

Only one marked block may be inserted at a time.


Unable to find file ...

The file could not be found under the given path, file name, and extension.  (If the extension is not given, the default extension for the file format is used.  If the path is not given, the current path is used as given in the dialog box.)

Check the path, file name, and extension.


Unable to find path:  ...

The new path could not be found.  Check the path, file name, and extension.


Unable to find DIMENSIONS record in WK1 file ...

The file did not have a DIMENSIONS record, which gives the active area of the worksheet stored in a WK1 or WKS file.


Unable to open ...

The specified file could not be found.  Either the file is not present, the wrong directory or disk was specified, or you have made a simple spelling error.  Be sure to check where the application is looking for the file.  Often it is just looking in the wrong directory.


Unable to open clipboard!

Possible causes:

*	Another application may be using the clipboard when this application tried to initialize it.  Try performing the current operation again.

*	Another application used the clipboard but did not close it properly.  This prevents other applications from using the clipboard.  Exit the application and Windows and try again.

*	There may not be enough memory to use the clipboard.  Try closing documents and other applications (such as Help) and try again.


Unable to read encrypted file ...

The file is encrypted.  This program can't read encrypted files.


Variable not defined ...

The variable name is incorrect or is not allowed.  Check the expression to see that a correct variable name is used.


Width must be from 1 to 120!

Column widths must be from 1 to 120 characters.


Worksheet incompatible with caller

The worksheet component (GSWKS.DLL) is not compatible with the application.  This can occur if you have two or more Windows programs from Golden Software and one is older than the other.  Usually, the newer worksheet component (GSWKS.DLL) will work with the older program, as we try to maintain backwards compatibility as long as possible.  Try using the newer GSWKS.DLL first.  You may have to change some path settings, or make a copy of GSWKS.DLL in the older application's directory.  Or, contact Golden Software to obtain the current version of the older application.


Internal Error
"Internal Error"

An error has occurred while attempting to complete the last operation.  Save your work to a new file name, and exit both Surfer and Windows.  Restart Windows and Surfer, and determine if the error occurs again.  If this problem persists, record the File and Line reported in the error message, record the steps necessary to recreate the problem, and contact Golden Software for further instructions.


Out of local memory
"Out of local memory"

The program cannot continue unless additional local memory is made available.  The program may run out of local memory even though sufficient physical memory is available.  Local memory refers to a special block of data limited to 64K.  This block is used for temporary purposes and may become depleted under special circumstances.  Try closing all unused documents and try the operation again.  The File and Line information are for diagnostic purposes when reporting problems to Golden Software.


Out of global memory
"Out of global memory"

The program cannot continue unless additional memory is made available. Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.  The File and Line information are for diagnostic purposes when reporting problems to Golden Software.


Warning: Stack used ...
"Warning: Stack used ..."

An internal storage area came dangerously close to overflowing.  This should not happen under ordinary circumstances and should be reported to Golden Software.  Possible causes include a bug in the program or excessive stack use by an interrupt service routine or other program.


Not Implemented"
"Not Implemented"

An unimplemented feature was accessed.  These errors reflect a bug or unexpected condition in the program and should be reported to Golden Software.  Please include the File and Line information when reporting this error.


Unable to open ...
"Unable to open ..."

The specified file could not be opened.  Possible causes:

*	The file is not present.

*	The wrong directory or disk was specified.

*	The file name was misspelled.

*	The file is to be opened for writing, but an existing file with the same name is marked as read-only.

*	The file is to be opened for writing on a write-protected disk.


Unable to read ...
"Unable to read ..."

The program could not read the specified file.  The file may be invalid or corrupted.


Unable to write ...
"Unable to write ..."

An error occurred while writing the specified file.  Possible causes:

*	The disk is full.  Specify a different disk or remove unneeded files and try again.

*	A file of the same name already exists and is marked as read-only.  Use the DOS Attrib command to remove the read-only attribute and try again.

*	The destination disk was a write protected floppy disk.  Remove the write protection and try again.


Unable to find ...
"Unable to find ..."

The specified file could not be located.  Make sure the correct drive, path and filename were specified and try again.  Note that sometimes a default extension is added to the filename if one was not specified.


Unable to load ..."
"Unable to load ..."

The specified DLL could not be loaded.  This may happen if the DLL is corrupt, there is insufficient memory or system resources, or the DLL could not be found.


File is corrupted"
"File is corrupted"

The file being read was determined to be invalid.  This may be caused by faulty media or a corrupt disk.   t can also be caused when an errant program overwrites portions of the file on disk.


Value must be between ... and ...
"Value must be between ... and ..."

Enter an integer number between the two specified limits and try again.


Value must be between ... and ...
"Value must be between ... and ..."

Enter a number between the two specified limits and try again.


Invalid numeric value
"Invalid numeric value"

This error can occur if an entered  number is too long or is badly formed, possibly with leading non-numeric characters.  Do not include characters such as currency symbols, percent signs, or commas.


Value must be > ...
"Value must be > ..."

Enter a number greater than the specified limit and try again.


Value must be >= ..."
"Value must be >= ..."

Enter a number greater than or equal to the specified limit and try again.


Value must be < ..."
"Value must be < ..."

Enter a number less than the specified limit and try again.


Value must be <= ...
"Value must be <= ..."

Enter a number less than or equal to the specified limit and try again.


Value must be > ... and < ...
"Value must be > ... and < ..."

Enter a number greater than the first limit and less than the second limit, and try again.


Value must be > ... and <= ...
"Value must be > ... and <= ..."

Enter a number greater than the first limit and less than or equal to the second limit, and try again.


Value must be >= ... and < ...
"Value must be >= ... and < ..."

Enter a number greater than or equal to the first limit and less than the second limit, and try again.


Value must be >= ... and <= ...
"Value must be >= ... and <= ..."

Enter a number greater than or equal to the first limit and less than or equal to the second limit, and try again.


Unable to initialize ...
"Unable to initialize ..."

The specified DLL could not be initialized.  This message is usually issued after the error that caused the DLL to fail.  The previous message should be used to diagnose the problem if it was available.  Possible causes for this message include a corrupt DLL, an out of date DLL, or insufficient memory. Another possible cause may be a DLL installed by another program with the same name.


Incompatible version of ...
"Incompatible version of ..."

The specified dynamic link library is out of date.  This may be caused when an old version of a program is installed over a newer version.  Try to find a newer version of the specified DLL on the most recent installation disks. This may also happen when an old application has loaded an old DLL into memory.  When a newer application is subsequently loaded it will attempt to use the older DLL in memory.  Try starting the newer application first, then start the old application.


Unable to initialize ToolBox
"Unable to initialize toolbox"

There is insufficient memory or system resources to create the toolbox.  The amount of system resources can be checked by selecting the Help-About command in Program Manager.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Unable to create status bar
"Unable to create status bar"

There is insufficient memory or system resources to create the status bar. The amount of system resources can be checked by selecting the Help-About command in Program Manager.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


This object cannot be reshaped
"This object cannot be reshaped"

An attempt was made to reshape an object that does not support it.  Currently, only polylines and polygons may be reshaped.  If the polyline or polygon is contained in a file that was imported with the File Import command, you can select the imported file, and choose the Break Apart command from the Arrange menu.  Then you can reshape the polygon or polyline.


This object cannot be edited
"This object cannot be edited"

An attempt was made to edit an object that does not have any attributes that can be changed.  This message usually appears when the object is double-clicked. If the object is contained in a file that was imported with the File Import command, you can select the imported file, and choose the Break Apart command from the Arrange menu.  Then you can edit the object.


Select a single object
"Select a single object"

An operation was attempted that required a single object to be selected. Deselect one or more objects until a single object is selected and try the operation again.


Unable to create window
"Unable to create window"

There is insufficient memory or system resources to create a required window. The amount of system resources can be checked by selecting the Help-About command in Program Manager.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Unable to delete old backup file
"Unable to delete old backup file"

The most likely cause of this is a write-protected floppy or a backup file which has been marked as read only.  Use the DOS ATTRIB command to remove the read-only attribute.


Unable to create backup file
"Unable to create backup file"

The backup file could not be created.  This is probably because of insufficient disk space or because an existing backup file has been marked as read only and could not be removed.  Use the DOS ATTRIB command to remove the read-only attribute.


'FILENAME' is not a valid TYPE file
"'FILENAME' is not a valid TYPE file"

FILENAME does not appear to be in the correct format for the specified TYPE of file.  This is usually caused when the wrong filename or path is specified. Other causes include a corrupted file, or the file uses a newer format that cannot be handled by this version of the program.


Unable to save to an open document
"Unable to save to an open document"

There is already an open document with the same name you specified.  Choose a different name for the file to save or close the open document window before you save.


Unable to copy metafile
"Unable to copy metafile"

There is insufficient memory to create a copy of the metafile.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Unable to open clipboard
"Unable to open clipboard"

Possible causes:

*	Another application may be using the clipboard when this program tried to initialize it.  Try performing the current operation again.

*	Another application used the clipboard but did not close it properly.  This prevents other applications from using the clipboard.  Exit Windows and try again.

*	There may not be enough memory to use the clipboard.  Try closing documents and other applications (such as Help) and try again.


No data in clipboard
"No data in clipboard"

The data that existed in the clipboard is no longer available.  This error may occur when an application places the promise of data in the clipboard and then is not able to supply the data when requested by this program.  Try pasting the data into the clipboard in a different format.


Unknown mapmode in metafile
"Unknown mapmode in metafile"

Metafiles are scaled based on the map mode.  Since metafiles must be scaleable in the X and Y directions independently, the only map mode supported is MM_ANISOTROPIC.  Any other map mode will abort the paste and display this  message.


No aspect ratio for metafile
"No aspect ratio for metafile"

An attempt was made to paste a non-standard metafile into the program.  The application that placed the metafile in the clipboard did not specify an aspect ratio - a value which is required by this program.


Unable to create metafile
"Unable to create metafile"

There is insufficient memory to create the metafile.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Unable to create bitmap
"Unable to create bitmap"

There is insufficient memory to create the bitmap.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Scaling Overflow
"Scaling Overflow"

This message may be issued if an attempt is made to print a document at too large a scale.  Reduce the scale in the Print dialog box and try again.


Unable to start print job
"Unable to start print job"

This message may occur if insufficient memory is available or if an invalid port is specified in the WIN.INI file.


Unable to find printer driver
"Unable to find printer driver"

The printer driver needed to print your document can't be loaded into memory.

Possible problems:

*	Not enough memory.  Try closing other documents and applications (such as Help) and try again.

*	There may be some problem with the printer driver.  Try installing it again with the Control Panel.


Insufficient disk space for spooler
"Insufficient disk space for spooler"

The spooler was unable to allocate sufficient disk space for temporary files. Delete some files from the disk used by the print spooler and try again. Turning off the "Use Print Manager" option from the Control Panel may also help.


Insufficient memory for spooler
"Insufficient memory for spooler"

The print spooler cannot continue unless you free up some memory.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the print operation again.  Turning off the "Use Print Manager" option from the Control Panel may also help.


Print aborted Code=...
"Print aborted Code=..."

The print job was aborted by the spooler.  This may be due to insufficient disk space or memory, or because the print job was canceled through the print manager.


Unable to create rulers
"Unable to create rulers"

There is insufficient memory or system resources to create the ruler window(s).  The amount of system resources can be checked by selecting the Help-About command in Program Manager.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Unable to register class ...
"Unable to register class ..."

There is insufficient memory or system resources to register the specified window class.  The amount of system resources can be checked by selecting the Help-About command in Program Manager.  Close all unused applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Missing filename in command line
"Missing filename in command line"

A filename was expected in the command line when the program was invoked. This may happen when the -P switch is used to print a file and no filename was specified.


Unrecognized switch in command line: ...
"Unrecognized switch in command line: ..."

An invalid switch was specified on the command line when the program was started.  Make sure the switch was specified correctly with a leading '-' or '/'.


Too many points
"Too many points"

There are too many vertices to allow completion of the current operation. Reduce the complexity of the object and try the command again.  Vertices may be removed from polylines and polygons by using the Reshape command.


Unable to save to ...  File is read-only
"Unable to save to ...  File is read-only"

The specified file could not be written because an existing file with the same name already exists and is marked as read-only.  Use the DOS ATTRIB command to remove the read-only attribute from the existing file and try again.


Floating point error: ...
"Floating point error: ..."

An error has occurred while attempting to complete the last operation.  Save your work to a new file name, and exit both Surfer and Windows.  Restart Windows and Surfer, and determine if the error occurs again.  If this problem persists, record the File and Line reported in the error message, record the steps necessary to recreate the problem, and contact Golden Software for further instructions.  If this error is displayed over and over, it may be disabled by using the "Suppress until end of operation" command in the system menu of the error dialog.


Insufficient data in worksheet
"Insufficient data in worksheet"

This message may be issued by the post map command if there are less than 2 columns of data in the specified data file.  At least two columns of data are required - one for the X and one for the Y coordinates.

This message may also be issued by the Grid Data command if there are less than 3 columns or rows of data in the specified data file.  At least 3 data points are required with a column for the X, Y, and Z coordinates.


Grid dimensions must be 2 to ...
"Grid dimensions must be 2 to ..."

An attempt was made to read or create a grid with too few or many nodes.  The number of grid nodes on a side is limited to the indicated range.


Entire grid was blanked - Not saving
"Entire grid was blanked - Not saving"

Every grid node in the output grid was set to the blank value.  Some possible causes:

*	The search parameters were such that an insufficient number of data points were located to compute a grid node.  Increase the search radius, decrease the Minimum Total Data, or decrease the Max Empty Sectors.

*	The gridding parameters in the Gridding Method Options dialog were such that the grid nodes could not be calculated due to a singular matrix.  The R Squared parameter in the Radial Basis Functions Options dialog is particularly sensitive, and can cause this.


Total order must be >= X Order and Y Order
"Total order must be >= X Order and Y Order"

Either increase the Total Order parameter, or decrease the X or Y order.


Regression failed.  Data is probably collinear
"Regression failed.  Data is probably collinear"

A singular matrix prevented the regression from being calculated.  This is usually caused by collinear data (that is, data all in a line).  Add some additional data points off the existing line of points, or choose a different method.


Gridding operation aborted due to singular matrix
"Gridding operation aborted due to singular matrix"

A mathematic singularity prevented the gridding operation from proceeding, usually caused by roundoff in the calculations.  It can sometimes be avoided by adjusting the gridding and search parameters.  Some methods are less sensitive to this than others.  Radial Basis seems to be the most sensitive, while Triangulation will never cause it.


Iterative algorithm did not converge
"Minimum Curvature algorithm did not converge"

The Minimum Curvature gridding algorithm could not converge with the specified accuracy.  This is usually due to overly tight constraints in the Minimum Curvature Options dialog.  In particular, try increasing the Max Residual and Max Iteration parameters.

This condition can also result when neighboring data values are extremely different (i.e. orders of magnitude different).  This situation is quite rare.  Nonetheless, if the Minimum Curvature gridding algorithm does not converge, even after increasing the Max Residual and Max Iteration parameters by a factor of 10 above their default values, then check your data set for extreme differences.  If extreme differences exist, and are correct, then you should consider a different gridding algorithm for this data set.


Grid size must be at least 4 for Minimum Curvature
"Grid size must be at least 4 for Minimum Curvature"

The Minimum Curvature gridding method requires a grid size of at least 4 by 4.  Either increase the grid size, or choose a different gridding method.


Too many data points for the All Data search option
"Too many data points for the All Data search option"

The All Data search option can greatly increase the gridding speed for some grid methods.  However, it  greatly increases the required amount of memory  n proportion to the number of data points.  Either reduce the number of data  points or select a different search type.


Axis minimum must be < maximum
"Axis minimum must be < maximum"

The axis minimum must be numerically less than the maximum.


Minimum tick must be >= axis minimum
"Minimum tick must be >= axis minimum"

The minimum tick position (the first tick) must be numerically greater than or equal to the axis minimum value.


Maximum tick must be <= axis maximum
"Maximum tick must be <= axis maximum"

The maximum tick position (the last tick) must be numerically less than or equal to the axis maximum value.


Minimum tick must be < maximum tick
"Minimum tick must be < maximum tick"

The minimum tick position (the first tick) must be numerically less than the maximum tick position (the last tick).


Major interval must be <= tick range
"Major interval must be <= tick range"

The interval between major ticks is greater than the distance between the first and last tick.  Increase the size of the tick interval, decrease the minimum tick, or increase the maximum tick.


Insufficient memory for smoothing... Disabling
"Insufficient memory for smoothing... Disabling"

There was not enough memory available to smooth a contour line.  This message may also be issued if a contour line is too complex - that is, it has too many vertices.  Reduce the grid density or turn off the contour smoothing option.


... is linear. Cannot contour
"... is linear. Cannot contour"

The specified grid contains less than 2 rows or columns.  This is not a valid grid file and cannot be contoured since it contains no width or height. If the file was generated by Surfer, please report this as a bug to Golden Software.


... is horizontal-planar. Cannot contour
"... is horizontal-planar. Cannot contour"

The specified grid file is a horizontal plane.  All the grid nodes have the same value.  Since there is no gradient or relief, it cannot be contoured.


Minimum contour > maximum contour
"Minimum contour > maximum contour"

The minimum contour level is numerically greater than the maximum.  Either decrease the minimum, or increase the maximum.


Too many levels, maximum is %d
"Too many levels, maximum is %d"

There are too many contour levels.  Either increase the minimum contour level, decrease the maximum contour level, or increase the contour interval.  This is usually caused by an overly small contour interval.


Missing upper grid
"Missing upper grid"

The upper surface in a volumetrics calculation was specified as a grid file, but no grid filename was specified.  Either use a constant upper surface, or specify the name of the file.


Missing lower grid
"Missing lower grid"

The lower surface in a volumetrics calculation was specified as a grid file, but no grid filename was specified.  Either use a constant lower surface, or specify the name of the file.


Grids must be the same size
"Grids must be the same size"

A grid to grid operation was specified (such as grid math or grid volumetrics) with different sized grids.  For these operations, the number of grid nodes in the X and Y directions must be equal.  This can be achieved by regridding one or both of the grid files, or by reading in a subset of the larger grid. To read a grid subset, use the Options button in the Open Grid dialog.


Min grid limit >= max
"Min grid limit >= max"

Either the minimum X is greater then the maximum X, or the minimum Y is greater than the maximum Y.  Either decrease the minimum value or increase the maximum value.


Current data columns do not contain 3 or more distinct XYZ points
"Current data columns do not contain 3 or more distinct XYZ points"

The gridding operation could not be completed due to lack of data or data in the incorrect format.  There must be at least three unique XYZ data points arranged with the X coordinates in one column, the Y coordinates in a second column, and the Z coordinates in a third column.  Note that duplicate points may be removed depending on the "Duplicates" setting in the grid method options dialog.


Evaluated expression caused an overflow
"Evaluated expression caused an overflow"

A user specified equation resulted in a value too large or small to be represented by a single precision floating point number.  Single precision numbers must be in the range -3.402823466e+38 to 3.402823466e+38.  Note that any grid node greater than or equal to the blanking value (1.70141e38) will be blanked.


Problem with X min,max, or increment
"Problem with X min, max, or increment"

This is a generic error indicating a problem with the X parameters in the Grid Function command.  Either one of the numbers was badly formed (contains non-numeric characters), or the minimum was greater than or equal to the  maximum.


Problem with Y min,max, or increment
"Problem with Y min, max, or increment"

This is a generic error indicating a problem with the Y parameters in the Grid Function command.  Either one of the numbers was badly formed (contains non-numeric characters), or the minimum was greater than or equal to the  maximum.


Subset excludes entire grid
"Subset excludes entire grid"

A grid subset was specified that excludes too many grid nodes.  Grids must contain at least 2 rows and 2 columns.  Either decrease the first row or column, or increase the last row or column.  This error may also be issued if the first specified row or column is greater than the total number of rows or columns in the grid.


Must specify an output file
"Must specify an output file"

Neither the output blanking file or the output data file was specified in the Grid Slice command.  In the dialog, this can be done using the Change... buttons.


Input and output files cannot be the same
"Input and output files cannot be the same"

The output file from the Grid Math or Grid Slice has the same name as one of  the input files.  If this operation were allowed to continue it would destroy the input file.  Use the Change... button to assign a new name to the output file.


... is not a valid grid file
"... is not a valid grid file"

The specified file did not contain a valid grid file header.  Make sure you specified the correct file.  Other possible causes include a corrupted file, or a newer file format that this version of the program does not recognize.


Map exceeds ... inches
"Map exceeds ... inches"

The current scale will cause the map to exceed the coordinate space used by the program.  Reduce the size of the map to the size specified in the error message or smaller.


Cannot combine 2 surface plots
"Cannot combine 2 surface plots"

An attempt was made to combine two surface plots.  Surfer cannot combine two surface plots in any meaningful way.  Use the Map - Stack Maps command to align two or more surface plots above each other.


Residual column cannot equal x,y,z column
"Residual column cannot equal x,y,z column"

The worksheet column specified to store the residuals in equals one of the input X, Y, or Z columns.  Specify an unused column in the worksheet to store the residuals in.


Unable to save Residual in worksheet
"Unable to save Residual in worksheet"

One or more of the residuals could not be stored in the worksheet.  The only known reason this could ever happen would be if there were insufficient memory available.   Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Matrix is too big
"Matrix is too big"

The specified smoothing matrix had too many elements.  Reduce the number of rows or columns in the smoothing matrix.  A reasonable size is 2 to 5 rows and columns on either side of the center.


Invalid Contour Minimum, Maximum or Interval
"Invalid Contour Minimum, Maximum or Interval"

One of the specified numbers was too long or badly formed (contains non-numeric characters).  Correct the number(s) and try again.


Grid ranges may be incompatible
"Grid ranges may be incompatible"

This is issued by the Grid Volume command when two grid files are specified with the same number of grid nodes, but with different X,Y limits.  Normally, volumetric calculations aren't meaningful when the upper and lower surfaces cover different areal extents.  On the other hand, the difference may be due to roundoff, in which case the warning can be ignored.


Width or height will be less than ... inches at this scale.  Continue?
"Width or height will be less than ... inches at this scale.  Continue?"

The current map scale will result in a very small map.  This is just a warning in case a bad scale was mistakenly entered.  If you mean to create a map of the specified size, this warning can be ignored.


Unable to initialize Import system, Disabling...
"Unable to initialize Import system, Disabling..."

An error occurred while initializing the import system.  The cause of the error should have been displayed in a previous error message.  Surfer will continue to run, but any option requiring the import system will be disabled.


No data in ... column
"No data in ... column"

There was no numeric data in the specified worksheet column.  If the column appears to have numbers, make sure there is no leading blanks that cause the worksheet to think the data is a string.


This field cannot be edited
"This field cannot be edited"

The field you double-clicked on is for informational purposes only, and cannot be edited.


... does not appear to be in the correct format
"... does not appear to be in the correct format"

The specified file does not have the correct header or ID.  Make sure you specified the correct filename and type if appropriate.  Other causes include a corrupted file or an unrecognized version of the file.


Bad format in line ... of file ...
"Bad format in line ... of file ..."

The specified line number in the specified file was not formatted as expected.  Use an ASCII editor to make sure there are no extra delimiters such as spaces and commas on the indicated line.  It may also be possible that there are hidden control characters on the line in question.  If you know the format, make sure the line in question corresponds to the published specification.


Too many polygons in a single area
"Too many polygons in a single area"

An attempt was made to import a single area with more than 32767 polygons. Surfer cannot handle areas this complex.  This is an incredible number of polygons - unless you know the file is this complicated, chances are it has been corrupted.


Object conversion error!
"Object conversion error!"

An error occurred while converting a non-native graphic object such as an arc, chord, or pie to a polyline or polygon.  This would most likely be caused when an imported file specified these objects in an unexpected or invalid way.


...: xMin >= xMax
"...: xMin >= xMax"

The specified grid file contains an invalid header.  In particular, the X limits of the grid were such that the minimum X was greater or equal to the maximum X coordinate.  If the grid file was created by Surfer please report this as a bug to Golden Software.


...: yMin >= yMax
"...: yMin >= yMax"

The specified grid file contains an invalid header.  In particular, the Y limits of the grid were such that the minimum Y was greater or equal to the maximum Y coordinate.  If the grid file was created by Surfer please report this as a bug to Golden Software.


...: zMin >= zMax
"...: zMin >= zMax"

The specified grid file contains an invalid header.  In particular, the Z limits of the grid were such that the minimum Z was greater or equal to the maximum Z coordinate.  If the grid file was created by Surfer please report this as a bug to Golden Software.

Note that some third party programs created invalid grid files that did not initialize the Z limits correctly.  Even though these files worked with Surfer 4.0, they are incorrect and will not work with Surfer 5.0 or above.


Unknown setting in .INI file: ...
"Unknown setting in .SET file: ..."

An unrecognized entry in the specified .SET file was detected. This is most likely a typing error.


Invalid format for .INI setting %s
"Invalid format for .SET setting %s"

The value portion of the specified setting was incorrect.  The .SET settings are stored in the Surfer.SET.  The value portion is the part after the equal sign.


No levels in file
"No levels in file"

The specified level file did not contain any levels.  Make sure the correct filename and path were specified.


File contains no known objects
"File contains no known objects"

This will be issued if an imported file was recognized by the import system as a valid file, but it did not contain any objects supported by Surfer. It may be possible to convert the file using a third party utility to another format that can be imported into Surfer.


Map has no width or height
"Map has no width or height"

Surfer was unable to extract width and height information from an imported file.  There are no known causes for this error -  please report this to Golden Software.


Surface plots cannot be rotated
"This object cannot be rotated"

This version of Surfer cannot rotate surface plots in 2D.  This should be corrected in the next version.


Too many map scales
"Too many map scales"

The current version of Surfer allows only 3 map scales.


Too many records - can't undo
"Too many records - can't undo"

An attempt was made to store an extremely large amount of undo information that exceeded internal limits.  The undo information will NOT be saved, and the operation will not be undoable.


Contour level is too complex
"Contour level is too complex"

A single contour level contains too many complex contour lines.  This is usually caused by a very dense grid with meandering contours.  The best way to eliminate this message is to regrid the data on a less dense grid, contour a subset of the grid, or smooth the grid so some of the highs and lows are eliminated.


Contour is too complex to fill
"Contour is too complex to fill"

A single contour level contained too many separate polygons and exceeded internal storage limits.  This is usually caused by a very dense grid with lots of small peaks and depressions.  To eliminate the error, try regridding the data on a less dense grid, contour just a subset of the grid, or smooth the grid to reduce the number of highs and lows.


Too many contour points
"Too many contour points"

A very long and complicated contour line exceeded internal storage limits. This is usually caused by a very dense grid with meandering contours.  The best way to eliminate the message is to regrid the data on a less dense grid, or contour a subset of the grid.


Too many contour lines
"Too many contour lines"

The number of individual contour lines has exceeded internal storage limits. This is usually caused by a very dense grid with lots of small peaks and depressions.  To eliminate the error, try regridding the data on a less dense grid, contour just a subset of the grid, or smooth the grid to reduce the number of highs and lows.


This option requires the size field of the status bar.  See File-Preferences
"This option requires the size field of the status bar.  See File-Preferences"

The attempted operation requires the status bar to display results, but the status bar has been disabled.  The status bar can be turned back on using the File-Preferences command.


Unable to compute inverse transform
"Unable to compute inverse transform"

The inverse transform to convert from screen units back to map units could not be computed.  This is most likely related to the current 3D view settings. Try adjusting the 3D View - in particular, use the Orthographic projection. If this does not solve the problem, contact Golden Software technical support.


Insufficient memory for contour labels
"Insufficient memory for contour labels"

There was insufficient memory to compute contour label positions.  The  contour map will still be drawn, but the labels will be disabled.  Close all unused documents and applications (such as Help) and try the operation again.


Contour level overflow
"Contour level overflow"

A contour level was specified that was greater than or equal to BLANKVAL (1.70141e38).  All contour levels must be less than this value.


DupMethod incompatible with GridMethod
"DupMethod incompatible with GridMethod"

The Ignore Duplicates option cannot be used with the Kriging or Radial Basis gridding methods.  Either change the gridding method, or change the duplicate point handling method.


Function requires Grid B
"Function requires Grid B"

The equation specified in a Grid Math command referenced Grid B, but Grid B was not specified.  Either specify a grid file for Grid B, or change the equation so grid B is not required.


Minimum data value cannot equal maximum
"Minimum data value cannot equal maximum"

Proportional scaling was specified for a post map, but the specified minimum and maximum data values are equal in the Proportional Scaling dialog.  When you answer OK to the error message, Surfer will automatically display the Proportional Scaling dialog.  Make sure the "Worksheet Column Containing Height" is correct.  Also, make sure the "at Data Value" numbers are not equal.  If you decide you don't want Proportional Scaling after all, Cancel the Proportional Scaling dialog and select "Fixed Size in the main Post Map dialog.


Select a Map object first
"Select a Map object first"

The specified operation requires a map object to be selected first.  This usually occurs when a macro script is running.  Use the Select() macro command to select an existing map object before attempting this operation.


... does not exist
"... does not exist"

The specified object could not be found.  This usually happens when an ID is misspelled in a macro command.  It is also possible that the object was deleted or renamed by a previous macro command.


Invalid Axis Plane
"Invalid Axis Plane"

Left or right axes cannot be placed in the XZ plane.  Similarly, top or bottom axes cannot be placed in the YZ plane, and Z axes cannot be placed in the XY plane.  Make sure you specified the correct axis and plane.


Axis exceeds coordinate space
"Axis exceeds coordinate space"

The current scale will cause the axis to exceed the coordinate space used by the program.  Reduce the size of the axis.


Too many concurrent grids
"Too many concurrent grids"

There are too many grids being created at once.  Wait until one or more have finished before starting another grid operation.


Clipboard metafile size exceeded.  Resetting to max
"Clipboard metafile size exceeded.  Resetting to max"

The maximum metafile size is limited to 12.9 inches.  This is a 16 bit Windows limitation.  Surfer will make the metafile as large as possible and place it in the clipboard.  Depending on the receiving application, you may be able to rescale the metafile after it is pasted.


No active document windows
"No active document windows"

A macro command was attempted with no active document windows.  Use the FileNew() macro command to create a document window of the appropriate type first.


Parameter ...: Color ... not in palette
"Parameter ...: Color ... not in palette"

The specified color was not in the color palette.  Use Edit-Color Palette to make sure the color name you specified is in the palette.


Parameter ...: Line ... not in palette
"Parameter ...: Line ... not in palette"

The specified line was not in the line palette.  Use Draw-Line Attributes to make sure the line name you specified is in the palette.


Parameter ...: Pattern ... not in palette
"Parameter ...: Pattern ... not in palette"

The specified pattern was not in the pattern palette.  Use Draw-Fill Attributes to make sure the pattern name you specified is in the palette.


Cannot reshape complex polygons
"Cannot reshape complex polygons"

This version of Surfer cannot reshape complex polygons - that is, polygons with "islands" and "holes".  There should be no way to create complex polygons in this version of Surfer, so please report this as a bug to Golden Software.


Entire grid is blanked.  Cannot plot
"Entire grid is blanked.  Cannot plot"

Every grid node in the grid file was set to the blank value.  Because there is no relief in the grid, Surfer cannot plot it.


Could not register class factory
"Could not register class factory"

There is a problem with the OLE libraries.  Possible causes:

*	OLE 2.01 (or above) has not been correctly installed

*	The registration database is not correct

*	Another app has installed an older version of an OLE library

*	Out of memory

Rerun Surfer setup.  This will ensure the correct OLE libraries get installed and the registration database is up to date.


Share not loaded.  Disabling OLE Automation
"Share not loaded.  Disabling OLE Automation"

The SHARE program must be loaded to use OLE Automation.  Exit Windows and run SHARE from the DOS prompt using the following command:

SHARE /l:500 /f:5100

This is normally placed in the AUTOEXEC.BAT to automatically run whenever the computer is restarted.


Error loading ... (...)
"Error loading ... (...)"

There is a problem with the OLE libraries or SURFTYPE.OLB.  Possible causes:

*	SURFTYPE.OLB is missing, or not in the Surfer directory.

*	OLE 2.01 (or above) has not been correctly installed

*	The registration database is not correct

*	Another app has installed an older version of an OLE library

*	Out of memory

Rerun Surfer setup.  This will ensure the correct OLE libraries get installed and the registration database is up to date.  If this does not work, be sure to provide the error number in the error message to Golden Software tech support.


Error accessing TypeInfo
"Error accessing TypeInfo"

There is a problem with the OLE libraries or SURFTYPE.OLB.  Possible causes:

*	SURFTYPE.OLB is missing, or not in the Surfer directory.

*	OLE 2.01 (or above) has not been correctly installed

*	The registration database is not correct

*	Another app has installed an older version of an OLE library

*	Out of memory

Rerun Surfer setup.  This will ensure the correct OLE libraries get installed and the registration database is up to date.


Parameter ... must be > ...
"Parameter ... must be > ..."

The specified argument was out of range.  Enter a number greater than the specified limit and try again.  Note that arguments are numbered in the same order as they appear in the documentation - not as they appear in the caller's argument list.


Parameter ... must be >= ...
"Parameter ... must be >= ..."

The specified argument was out of range.  Enter a number greater than or equal to the specified limit and try again.  Note that arguments are numbered in the same order as they appear in the documentation - not as they appear in the caller's argument list.


Parameter ... must be < ..."
"Parameter ... must be < ..."

The specified argument was out of range.  Enter a number less than the specified limit and try again.  Note that arguments are numbered in the same order as they appear in the documentation - not as they appear in

the caller's argument list.


Parameter ... must be <= ...
"Parameter ... must be <= ..."

The specified argument was out of range.  Enter a number less than or equal to the specified limit and try again.  Note that arguments are numbered in the same order as they appear in the documentation - not as they appear in the caller's argument list.


Parameter ... must be > ... and < ...
"Parameter ... must be > ... and < ..."

The specified argument was out of range.  Enter a number greater than the first limit and less than the second limit, and try again.  Note that arguments are numbered in the same order as they appear in the documentation - not as they appear in the caller's argument list.


Parameter ... must be > ... and <= ...
"Parameter ... must be > ... and <= ..."

The specified argument was out of range.  Enter a number greater than the first limit and less than or equal to the second limit, and try again. Note that arguments are numbered in the same order as they appear in the documentation - not as they appear  in the caller's argument list.


Parameter ... must be >= ... and < ...
"Parameter ... must be >= ... and < ..."

The specified argument was out of range.  Enter a number greater than or equal to the first limit and less than the second limit, and try again. Note that arguments are numbered in the same order as they appear in the documentation - not as they appear in the caller's argument list.


Parameter ... must be >= ... and <= ...
"Parameter ... must be >= ... and <= ..."

The specified argument was out of range.  Enter a number greater than or equal to the first limit and less than or equal to the second limit, and try again.  Note that arguments are numbered in the same order as they appear in the documentation - not as they appear in the caller's argument list.


Invalid command for current document
"Invalid command for current document"

The attempted macro command is not appropriate for the current document type. Make sure the correct document is active before using the command.  For example, the MapContour() command requires a plot document window to be active.  Document windows can be created with FileNew(), and activated with the DocActivate() command.


Nothing to export
"Nothing to export"

Either there are no objects in the document, or "Selected objects only" was checked in the File Export dialog and there were no selected objects.  In the latter case, either uncheck "Selected objects only", or select some objects.


Option disabled in Demo version
"Option disabled in Demo version"

The feature you tried to access has been disabled for the demo version.  It will be fully functional in the retail product.


At least one surface must be a grid
"At least one surface must be a grid"

Grid volumetrics require at least one of the surfaces to be a grid in order to determine the areal extent of the data.  Enter a grid filename for either the upper surface, the lower surface, or both.


Missing required parameter
"Missing required parameter"

One or more required arguments were missing in the argument list.  Consult the macro command documentation, and make sure all required parameters were specified.


... is too large for this editor
"... is too large for this editor"

The specified file is larger than the built-in editor can handle.  You will have to use another editor such as Notepad or DOS Edit to edit the file.


Incompatible OLE2 libraries
"Incompatible OLE2 libraries"

There is a problem with the OLE libraries.  Possible causes:

*	OLE 2.01 (or above) has not been correctly installed

*	The registration database is not correct

*	Another app has installed an older version of an OLE library

*	A new version of OLE has been released that is incompatible with Surfer

Rerun Surfer setup.  This will ensure the correct OLE libraries get installed and the registration database is up to date.  If you still have problems, contact Golden Software tech support.


Bad OLE registration entry.  Disabling OLE
"Bad OLE registration entry.  Disabling OLE"

The registration database did not contain the necessary information to support OLE.  This may happen if Windows is re-installed, or if Surfer was manually installed without updating the registration database.

To fix this, first try to merge Surfer.REG in the Surfer directory into the registration database.  This can be done by double clicking on Surfer.REG from the File Manager.  If this does not fix the problem, rerun the Surfer Setup program.


...
"..."

This is a generic error from the expression parser.  Here are some of the more common messages:

Argument domain 	An argument is outside the domain of the function.

For example, this error will be generated for asin(2) since the domain of asin() is -1 to 1.

Argument singularity	An argument of the function has an illegal value.  For example log(0)

Overflow	A result was too large to be represented

Underflow	A result was too small to be represented

Divide by 0	An attempt was made to divide by 0.

Negative sq root	The operand in a square root operation was negative as in sqrt(-1)

The following errors may occur if another program has reprogrammed the floating point processor.  They may also indicate a bug in the software and should be reported to Golden Software.

Denormalized Number

Invalid Number

Unknown

Unemulated

Inexact

Total loss of precision

Partial loss of precision

Stack underflow

Stack overflow

Raise SIGFPE


Cannot digitize tilted maps
"Cannot digitize tilted maps"

Surfer cannot compute the original map coordinates from a screen position when the map is tilted.  Use the Map View 3D command to change the tilt to 90 degrees and try again.


Insufficient data for specified fit
"Insufficient data for specified fit"

The degrees of freedom in the specified regression equation is greater than the number of data points will allow.  Either reduce the order of the regression equations, or add additional unique data points to the data file.


Bad format in .INI setting ...
"Bad format in .SET setting ..."

The value portion of the specified setting was incorrect.  The .SET settings are stored in Surfer.SET.  The value portion is the part after the equal sign.


Too many line styles
"Too many line styles"

The current version of Surfer supports a maximum of 50 separate line styles.


Not a valid worksheet window
"Not a valid worksheet window"

The worksheet handle passed in a macro command is not valid.  Perhaps the worksheet has been deleted by a previous macro command.


Bad character in name: ':'
"Bad character in name: ':'"

ID names cannot contain the colon character ':'.  This is used internally as a separator.


Incorrect path for LocalServer.  Ok to correct?
"Incorrect path for LocalServer.  OK to correct?"

Surfer's "LocalServer" registration key was pointing to a directory other than the directory from which Surfer was started from.  This is usually caused when Surfer is manually moved to a new location without running Surfer Setup.  Answer OK to have Surfer adjust the registration key to point to the new directory.  If you answer no, OLE will be disabled and you will get this error every time you start Surfer until it is corrected.


%ld bytes not freed
"... bytes not freed"

This indicates that not all memory was freed back to Windows when Surfer was shut down.  Please report this as a bug to Golden Software tech support at 303-279-1021 so it can be fixed.


Unknown import error: ...
"Unknown import error: ..."

The import system returned an unrecognized error code.  The import system should have issued a previous message describing what the actual problem was.


No data in Z column
"No data in Z column"

The worksheet column specified for the "Z Value" in the Classed Post Map dialog did not contain any numeric values.  Select a different column, or edit the data file.


Class ranges overlap.  Continue?
"Class ranges overlap.  Continue?"

Usually it is desirable for class ranges to be disjoint.  Surfer detected one or more classes whose ranges overlap - i.e., the maximum of one class is greater than the minimum of the next class.  If this is your intention, click OK and Surfer will create the specified map.


Insufficient data after filtering
Insufficient data after filtering"

There were not enough data points after duplicates were filtered out to be gridded with the specified method.  Choose a different gridding method, a different duplicate handling method, or add additional data points to the data file.


Invalid worksheet column
"Invalid worksheet column"

The column label was not correctly formatted.  It should be identical to the column labels in the worksheet - i.e., 'A', 'B', 'AB', etc.


"Map extent's exceed surface - Cannot overlay"

An attempt was made to overlay a 2D map with a surface plot.  The current version of Surfer cannot perform this operation when the 2D map's X,Y extents are greater than the area defined by the surface plot.  Either regrid the surface and specify larger grid limits, or reduce the XY extents of the 2D map.


Error reading ..., Field: ...

There was a problem reading the specified field from the named file.  Either the file is corrupted or it was written using an unrecognized format.


"Unable to render GS_Surfer format"

An error occurred while writing the Surfer format to the clipboard.  A more specific message should have been issued before this.  The most likely cause is a lack of memory.  Even though the Surfer format was not placed in the clipboard, chances are still good that a different format such as bitmap or metafile was.


"Can't save linked object by itself.  Unable to render GS_Surfer format"

An attempt was made to copy a linked object (like a color scale or legend) to the clipboard without the object it was linked to.  Either select both objects, or remove the linked object from the selection using shift click.


"Unable to read newer file format"

An attempt was made to read a file that was created by a newer version of Surfer.  A Surfer upgrade will have to be obtained before the file can be read.


"Error pasting GS_Surfer format"

An error occurred while reading the Surfer format from the clipboard.  A more specific message should have been issued before this.  The most likely cause is a lack of memory or resources.  Try using Paste Special to read a different format from the clipboard.


"No installed printers"

The system was unable to initialize the print system.  The most likely cause is that no printers have been installed via the control panel.  Other causes include insufficient memory, a missing or corrupted printer driver, and a corrupt WIN.INI file or registry.


"Integer overflow"

An attempt was made to store a number too small or large to be represented.  A possible cause of this is reading a 32 bit SRF file into the 16 bit Surfer.


"Unable to create GDC"

An internal structure used in drawing the output could not be created.  The most likely cause is insufficient memory or resources.  Other causes include missing or corrupt output dynamic link libraries (DLL's).


"Line ... is out of order"

Color files require the anchor point values to be sorted in increasing order from 0% to 100%.  Edit the CLR file and try again.


"Missing 0% or 100% anchor"

Color files require a 0% anchor at the start and a 100% anchor at the end of the file.  Edit the .CLR file and try again.


"Unable to create palette"

Surfer was unable to create a color palette.  This is probably caused by low memory or system resources.  Terminate unneeded applications and try again.


"Unable to delete ..."

The specified file could not be deleted.  This may be because the file is on a write protected disk, or another application has locked the file.  Remove the write protect tab or shut down the other application.


"Unable to rename temp file"

This may be because the file is on a write protected disk, or another application has locked the file.  Remove the write protect tab or shut down the other application.


"Unsupported output format, resetting to binary"

An attempt was made to save a grid file in an unsupported format.  The format was changed to Golden Software binary format.


"Minimum limit must be < maximum"

Edit the minimum or maximum fields such that the minimum value is less than the maximum and try again.


"Grid XY coordinate magnitude too large"

Grid files store the XY coordinates as double precision numbers, but Surfer is currently limited to single precision.  This error will be issued if the X or Y coordinates in the grid file exceed +- 3.402823466e+38.  To allow the grid to be used within Surfer, use the Grid Utility Transform command to offset and scale the XY coordinates to fit within the allowed range.


"Grid XY coordinates exceed available precision"

Grid files store the XY coordinates as double precision numbers, but Surfer is currently limited to single precision.  This error will be issued if the X or Y coordinate range is less than 6 or 7 significant digits.  To allow the grid to be used within Surfer, use the Grid Utility Transform command to offset and scale the XY coordinates to fit within the allowed range.


"Invalid default clip limits"

The default clip limits were such that the minimum was less than the maximum.  Edit the SURFER.SET file and set the clip limits to a valid range.


"Cannot combine surface plots and raster maps"

The current version of Surfer cannot combine a raster map and a surface plot.  Raster maps include Image maps and Shaded Relief maps.


"No submaps to break apart"

There must be at least two submaps in order to break apart a map overlay.  The current overlay contains just one.


"Cannot break apart axes"

An attempt was made to break apart an axis from a map overlay.  Only submaps can br broken apart.


"Cannot break apart surface plots"

An attempt was made to break apart a surface plot from a map overlay.  Currently only 2D maps can be broken out.


"Access violation"

A serious error has occurred within Surfer.  Please report this and the procedure to reproduce it to Golden Software so the problem can be fixed.  If you have unsaved data, save it to a NEW file and exit Surfer.


"Integer divide by 0"

A serious error has occurred within Surfer.  Please report this and the procedure to reproduce it to Golden Software so the problem can be fixed.  If you have unsaved data, save it to a NEW file and exit Surfer.


"Unknown exception: Code=..., Address=..."

A serious error has occurred within Surfer.  Please report this and the procedure to reproduce it to Golden Software so the problem can be fixed.  If you have unsaved data, save it to a NEW file and exit Surfer.


"Input grid must be at least 3 rows x 3 cols"

The grid calculus options require the input grid to contain at least 3 rows and 3 columns.  Create a new grid with a higher density and try again.


"Too many labels (>100)"

The maximum number of labels allowed for color scales is currently limited to 100.  Change the maximum, minimum, or interval values such that (maximum-minimum)/interval is less than 100.


"Page size exceeds coordinate space"

The SRF file contains a page size larger than the current Surfer can accomodate.  Currently, large page sizes (greater than 32.7 inches) can only be created under NT using the 32 bit version of Surfer.  The only solution is to edit the SRF file under the original operating system and reduce the page size to 32.7 inches or less.


"Rotations must be a multiple of 90 degrees"

Grids can only be rotated by 90 degree multiples (90, 180, 270).


"The variogram sill must be a postive number"

The sill is defined as Cme + Cms + Scale1 + Scale2 + Scale3, where:

Cme = Error variance

Cms = Micro variance

Scale 1,2,3 = the variogram Scale (C)


"All variograms are set to None"

At least one variogram must be set to something other than None for the Kriging gridding method.  If this was issued during a macro script, make sure VarioType1, VarioType2, and VarioType3 aren't all set to 0.


"Kriging interpolation aborted due to singular matrix"

The system of kriging equations is numerically unsolvable.  The kriging matrix is numerically singular and, furthermore, would not allow an approximate solution using a generalized inverse.

The most common cause of this condition is extreme differences between closely-neighboring data values.  When this condition occurs, and your data set contains such extreme data pairs, consider increasing the Error Variance component of the Nugget Effect.

The second most common cause of this condition is geometric peculiarities in your data layout.  For example, if all of your data lie along a single line this condition will occur (and kriging will not be able to generate a reasonable grid).  More complex geometric layouts can also cause this condition when Linear Drift or Quadratic Drift are selected.  If this condition occurs, consider reducing the order of the drift:  from Quadratic Drift to Linear Drift, or from Linear Drift to No Drift.

The third most common cause of this condition are extreme values for one or more of the parameters in the Kriging Options dialog box.  For example, an extreme value for the variogram anisotropy ratio can cause the data to effectively lie along a line.  If this condition occurs, carefully reconsider each of the parameter values in the Kriging Options Dialog box.


Radial Basis interpolation aborted due to singular matrix
"Radial Basis interpolation aborted due to singular matrix"

The system of interpolation equations is numerically unsolvable.  The defining matrix is numerically singular and, furthermore, would not allow an approximate solution using a generalized inverse.

The most common cause of this condition is extreme differences between closely-neighboring data values.  When this condition occurs, and your data set contains such extreme data pairs, consider increasing the R-squared parameter.

The second most common cause of this condition is geometric peculiarities in your data layout. For example, if all of your data lie along a single line this condition will occur (and radial basis interpolation will not be able to generate a reasonable grid).

The third most common cause of this condition are extreme values for one or more of the parameters in the Radial Basis Function Options dialog box.  For example, an extreme value for the anisotropy ratio can cause the data to effectively lie along a line.  Another possibility is that the R-squared value is too large.  If this condition occurs, carefully reconsider each of the parameter values in the Radial Basis Function Options Dialog box.


"Polynomial Regression aborted due to singular matrix"

The system of regression equations is numerically unsolvable.  That is, the defining matrix is numerically singular.

The most common cause of this condition is geometric peculiarities in your data layout.  For example, if all of your data lie along a single line this condition will occur (and regression will not be able to generate a reasonable grid).  More complex geometric layouts can also cause this condition when higher order regressions are attempted.  If this condition occurs, consider reducing the order of the regression.


"Default setting '...' must be > ..."

The specified default setting is out of range.  Edit the setting in the current .SET file (usually SURFER.SET) so it is greater than the indicated limit and try again.


"Default setting '...' must be >= ..."

The specified default setting is out of range.  Edit the setting in the current .SET file (usually SURFER.SET) so it is greater than or equal to the specified limit and try again.


"Default setting '...' must be < ..."

The specified default setting is out of range.  Edit the setting in the current .SET file (usually SURFER.SET) so it is less than the specified limit and try again.


"Default setting '...' must be <= ..."

The specified default setting is out of range.  Edit the setting in the current .SET file (usually SURFER.SET) so it is less than or equal to the specified limit and try again.


"Default setting '...' must be > ... and < ..."

The specified default setting is out of range.  Edit the setting in the current .SET file (usually SURFER.SET) so it is greater than the first limit and less than the second limit, and try again.


"Default setting '...' must be > ... and <= ..."

The specified default setting is out of range.  Edit the setting in the current .SET file (usually SURFER.SET) so it is greater than the first limit and less than or equal to the second limit, and try again.


"Default setting '...' must be >= ... and < ..."

The specified default setting is out of range.  Edit the setting in the current .SET file (usually SURFER.SET) so it is greater than or equal to the first limit and less than the second limit, and try again.


"Default setting '...' must be >= ... and <= ..."

The specified default setting is out of range.  Edit the setting in the current .SET file (usually SURFER.SET) so it is greater than or equal to the first limit and less than or equal to the second limit, and try again.


"Grid parameter error"

An invalid parameter was passed to the gridding routines.  This may happen if an invalid gridding parameter was specified in the gridding dialogs, the current .SET file, or in the OLE Automation interface. Try setting the grid related default settings to blank values to allow the internal defaults to be used.