It’s Tip Tuesday! Today’s post comes from Martina Barnett, our Technical Customer Support Manager
GEOVIA GEMS™ is our software application designed for use by both open pit and underground mining professionals, and can be used in exploration, resource modeling, mine design, long-term planning and production scheduling. As with most software packages, GEMS also has a few little known tricks that can make your life a little easier when digitizing lines and selecting TINs or lines to use in other functions.
Tracing existing lines
When digitizing lines, you may often wish to trace either a portion or the full length of an existing line. To do so, start digitizing a new line (Line > Create) and select the most appropriate line type for what you’re doing. When you get to the portion of the line that you want to trace, click on the first vertex along the line to anchor the beginning of the trace. This will make vertex that fall directly onto the vertex of the existing line.
Now digitize the next point of your new line slightly ahead of the first digitized point, making sure to click on the existing line, but not on the next vertex. As you do this, you will hear a sound that is different from the digitizing sound that occurs when you click on a vertex. This will not make another vertex yet.
Now you may click on the last vertex you want to include in the trace anywhere along the existing line (even the last vertex of the line) and the line will be traced to that location. Make sure that the existing line is unbroken between the first (anchor) and last vertex and that there are no portions of the line that share vertexes with another existing line, otherwise GEMS will not be able to determine which path to trace.
When you’re done with your new line, you can right click to finish digitizing. If you’d like to continue with your new line, simply carry on digitizing when the tracing is completed. Note: This works for polygons as well.
Selecting TINs
When you are prompted to select a TIN for use in a clipping or intersection function etc., you can click the space bar on your keyboard to bring up the list of TINs currently displayed on the screen. Simply select the TIN(s) you’re looking for from the list using your mouse. If you want to select multiple objects at the same time, use the Ctrl key on your keyboard.
When the TINs you want are selected, simply click the OK button and continue with the function.
Selecting lines
When using the mouse to select lines for further processing (grooming, expansion, etc.) and there is more than one line found in the snapping box of your cursor, you are presented with a list of those lines on the screen.
To select a line further down on the list, simply click your right mouse button. This will highlight the name of the line next on the list AND shift the line highlight on the screen (in yellow) to the next line on the list. When the line you want is highlighted, simply click the left mouse button to select it. Note: You are not required to move the mouse during this process.
This method also works when moving line vertexes, and is very useful if you don’t want to ‘lose your place’ by moving your mouse to make the line selection.
That’s it! Hope these tricks and shortcuts help in your day-to-day use of GEMS.
Looking for more posts from Martina? Check out her previous blog on Using GEOVIA’s Community Forum and the Extended Technical Support.
Be sure to check back next Tuesday for more Product Tips & Tricks.
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