Version 1.7.1.2 is a large update with many additions and improvements. The most noticeable improvements are Marker/Mapping data that now loads 5-7 times faster than before, fitting of mathematical surfaces through data points, colouring meshes on the shortest distance to other meshes, picking individual vertices in large data sets, and the automatic display of statistics for Marker/Mapping data next to the charts.
I also started with the drillhole support which is long overdue, and collars can already be loaded and the rest will follow shortly. Many thanks to RT, ZT, GS, KdP, EH, MD, RS, AJ, KB, GK, MC, CS, NB, JD, DR and PV for your feedback, questions and inputs.
New functionality
Data now loads 5-7 times faster than before, thus 1 minute of loading becomes 10 seconds with large Marker/Mapping files. This is the change in this version that I find most beneficial.
Select "Ribbon => Marker => Actions => Surface" for a drop-down with options for mathematical surface fits through Marker data points. Nothing to it, just load Marker data, filter out the relevant data points, and select your fit from the drop-down list. See discussion below for details.
"Ribbon => File => Save DXF => Other => Wireframes" save actors as wireframes (polygon edges as lines).
I started with drill holes support, and collars are already supported with the rest to follow soon - see "Ribbon => Drillhole".
Colour a mesh on the shortest distance to another mesh with "Top toolbar => Brown colour palette icon => Colour on distance from mesh" and pick the mesh that should be coloured. See discussion below for details.
"Top toolbar => Blue colour toolbox icon => Extract mesh boundary and edges" will extract the boundary and edges from a mesh - great for building Map3D models. See discussion below for details.
Right click in the Marker/Mapping grids and select "Add blank grid columns" or "Add blank grid rows" to add columns and rows to the data grid. Useful to fill in additional data on the fly without requiring Excel.
Right click in the Marker/Mapping grids and select "Change column name" to change column names. Select a cell in the appropriate column before right clicking in the grid to activate the drop-down context menu.
Individual vertices can now be picked in the scene when the "Top toolbar => "i" toggle" is pressed (first button from the left). The associated data row will also be highlighted and shown. Previously, the Markers/Mapping data first had to be changed to individual objects (spheres etc.) before individual picking could be done. This is a major improvement and allows picking of very large data sets.
When loaded and filtering Marker/Mapping data, the following stats are automatically shown in the textbox next to the charts at the bottom - Count, Minimum, Maximum, Average, Median, StDev, Percile25, Percile50, Percile75 and Percile95. I found it usefull to have the mean, median and percentiles simultaneously available as I filter data (without requiring Excel).
Changes
When draping a surface over meshes/lines/vertices with "Top toolbar => Brown toolbox => Create a surface (Delaunay2D)", the draping occurs from a direction perpendicular to a best fit plane and thus now works from any direction. Previously, draping could only be done from above (along the Z-axis).
When extruding "Top toolbar => Blue toolbox => Extrude lines or a mesh surface", the extrusion now occurs perpendicular to a best fit plane through the visible vertices.
I added a second colour pallette and toolbox to the top toolbar.
Changes were made to the layout of the pop-up context menu strip for Objects. This pop-up context menu activates when right clicking in the objects/layers listbox .
Bug fixes
The histogram charts did not always show the correct range - fixed.
The Marker and Mapping count was occasionally incorrect in the Status bar- fixed.
Many small bugs were fixed with filtering, selections and picking - fixed.
The left and bottom docking tab heading text now update as the selections change - fixed.
Colour a mesh on the shortest distance to other meshes
Meshes can be coloured on the shortest distance from other meshes. This is useful when comparing actual outcomes against design for UG or OP, determining shotcrete thickness, compare deformation between detail scans etc.
Load the meshes of interest and hide any meshes that should not be used. Select "Top toolbar => Brown colour palette icon => Colour on distance from mesh" and pick the mesh to colour with the left mouse button. This mesh will be coloured based on the shortest distance to any other visible meshes.
Create mathematical surfaces through data points
Creating surfaces through data points do not require any knowledge as all is done internally. Load the data as Markers with "Ribbon => Marker => Add => Text (CSV)". Now select the appropriate surface from the drop-down list in "Ribbon => Marker => Actions => Surface", and a mathematical surfaces is created using a least squares fit.
Play with different surfaces until you get the surface that makes most sense for your circumstance, and save the surface as a DXF-file with "Ribbon => Marker => Actions => Surface => Save surface (DXF)". Many improvements to this functionality will follow in the future.
Extract mesh boundaries and surfaces
Extract a mesh boundary and internal edges with "Top toolbar => Blue colour toolbox icon => Extract mesh boundary and edges". The mesh boundary and internal edges are extracted as two separate objects, and anyone can be selected individually.
The boundary edge can then be extruded with "Top toolbar => Blue colour toolbox icon => Extract mesh boundary and edges". This extruded surface can be used as a cookie cutter for other meshes by using "Top toolbar => Crossed swords icon => Split meshes on picked mesh". Then pick the extruded mesh with the left mouse button, which will then Boolean cut all other visible meshes.
