=================================================
Vertical Mapper 3.0 Release Notes  July 31, 2001
=================================================

---------------------
NEW FEATURES
---------------------

1. Data Analysis, a collection of routines for analysing both point and grid data. 
   Semi-Variogram analysis has also been made available here as well. The 
   new features include Grid Correlation, Principal Component Analysis and 
   Predictive Analysis

2. Point Density: two methods to derive point density, either by square area or 
   kernel smoothing (which indicates the probability of an event recurring in an area)

3. Custom Point Estimation: Users can specify the calculation to be executed 
   on a set of points within a specified radius. The user may select from the 
   following types of calculations: Sum of Values, Minimum Value, Maximum Value,
   Average Value, Count of Data Points, 

4. GRC Reclass: GRC Reclass allows users to modify the class structure of a classified
   grid, such as changing class names or merging classes with similar characteristics.

5. Line Info / Line Inspection will provide information about grid cells under a line.

6. Polygon Overlay: perform overlap analysis on two region tables. This process uses
   grid technology rather than the vector routines provided by MapInfo.

---------------
Module Updates:
---------------

1. Export to USGS DEM: Produces a DEM file.

2. The grid colour tool has been updated to provide a list of commonly used profiles
   which the user can add to.

3. The SDTS translator has been updated to accept the new SDTS format.

4. The GRC Filter code has been updated to increase the processing speed.

5. The Coordinate System name recognition has been updated so projections with a custom
   datum of 9999 properly recognize the coordinate system name in the .PRJ file.

6, Updated TIN generator to have a closer tolerance of the maximum triangle side length
   parameter. This affects TIN interpolation, NN Interpolation and Voronoi generation. 
   (Some triangles that slightly exceeded the maximum length were allowed to pass in
    certain circumstances.)

--------------------------------------------------
Vertical Mapper 2.6 Release Notes
April 2000
--------------------------------------------------
This file contains important product information regarding VMSDK compatibility,
new features, and module updates. While Vertical Mapper Version 2.6 is primarily 
a maintenance release, it also contains some new features.

-------------------------------
VMSDK Compatibility
-------------------------------
Developers will find significant changes to the underlying code which may result in an
incompatibility with version 2.6 and any programs they have developed.    Many of the
existing function calls have been modified and new features have been included. Developers
will need VMSDK version 2.6 

-----------------------------
New Features
-----------------------------
1. Cursor Icons: You now get different cursor icons for all Vertical Mapper tools which
   require interaction from a Map window.

2. Grid Info: An arrow will appear on the Grid Info dialogue to indicate whether the
   information is sorted in ascending or descending order.

3. Grid Manager: Grids can be reordered.  This effects the order seen in the Grid Info
   dialogue.

4. Grid Manager Info Tools: Quick Legend now available which also provides access to the
   Colourizer Tool.

5. Viewshed Dialogue: There is now a list box from which to choose the earth curvature
   model (none, normal, 4/3).  This is similar to Point-to-Point.

6. Complex Viewshed:  Grid Info values are not interpolated when selecting cells that
   border between positive and negative values.

7. Grid Import: Now supports CDED grid format.

8. Grid Info:  Cursor location is specified by Map window.  Coordinates in longitude
   and latitude, decimal degrees, or degrees minutes and seconds can be displayed.  
 
9. Unit Type: Vertical Mapper now supports z-unit types used in the telecommunication
   industry.

10. Vertical Mapper now supports the MapInfo coordsys type 27 and 28.

--------------------------------
Module Updates
--------------------------------

1. Cross Section:  Handles null values better.

2. Reclass:  Now allows the Reclass of negative numbers

3. Toolbar : Position is saved on exit.

4. Grid Manager:  When removing the highlighted grid no longer goes back to the first
   listed, it now highlights the grid listed before the one removed.

5. Slope Calculation: Enhanced.

6. Complex Viewshed: Enhanced.

7. Point Density :  Points are read in prior to dialogue so that an appropriate
   Hull Boundary Width is calculated.

8. Kriging Semivariogram: You are now able to manual enter values for the Angle
   setting instead of using the scroll arrows.

9. Kriging Semivariogram: Text has been added to make clear that the cell size and
   the lag distance values are the same.

10. Grid Manager Info Legend: Draws legends for the GRDs in a tree format.

11. Legend text: Profiles no long truncate parts of the title.

12. Kriging: Dialogue now uses the set number of decimals.

13. Relief Shading: You can now shade flat grids and obtain reports out of disk 
    space correctly.

14. Grid Trim/Region Info/Region Inspection:  Problems with specific polygon shapes 
    now corrected.

15. Region Info:  Reports proper minimum and maximum value location in all cases

16. Projections: Improved projection string handling resulting in fewer "unknown" 
    projection names being reported.

17. Variogram Dialogue: Now fits a 640x480 screen.

18. Dialogues:  Consistent use of certain terminology.



=================================================
Vertical Mapper 2.5 Release Notes  June 25, 1999
=================================================
---------------
DOCUMENTATION
---------------

The documentation for Vertical Mapper has been improved for this release.
The tutorial sections have been expanded, and are now provided as a separate
manual.  The user guide has also been expanded, and certain sections have
been re-written.  We hope that these new manuals will provide more information
and help the user overcome any problems that may be encountered.


---------------------
NEW FEATURES
---------------------

1. Kriging Interpolation: A new geostatistical interpolator, Kriging has
   been added to the Interpolation wizard.  Kriging considers both the
   distance and degree of variation between known data points when
   calculating grid cells.

2. As part of the Kriging interpolation, a semi-variogram analysis tool
   has been added.  This tool highlights multi-directional trends
   that may occur within a data set.

3. Reclass Tool: Reclassifies numeric grids into ranged classes. Either
   a numeric or a classified grid my be chosen as output types.

4. Cursor Tracking: The Grid Info window will automatically update 
   without requiring a mouse click when this mode is enabled.

5. MIG Import: Turn MapInfo Continuous Thematic layers into Vertical Mapper
   grids.

6. Export to TIFF: Produces a TIFF image of a grid.

7. Meta Data Editor: Add, modify or delete meta data from Vertical Mapper grids.

8. Cross Section X Axis: Units used on the X-Axis can now be modified using the 
   preferences dialogue.

9. Relief Shading: Relief shading parameters are now stored correctly for each grid.


---------------------
VMSDK COMPATIBILITY
---------------------
This version of Vertical Mapper retains its compatibility with the Vertical
Mapper Software Developer Kit with one exception.  The vmViewshed function has
had the order of its last two parameters reversed, for example:

vmViewshed (..., psZUnitDescription, wEarthCorrection, ProgressUpdate). 


---------------
Module Updates:
---------------

1. Gridview: Enhancements include rendering multiple grids and transparent
   layers; scenes can be saved in workspaces; more viewing controls.

2. Graph Tool: A new interface provides greater ease of use in
   customizing the graph for the Histogram, Point-to-Point and 
   Cross Section tools.

3. Cross Section: The tool has been re-worked so that the distance from the
   start of the line is displayed along the X-Axis regardless of the grid's
   projection. The distance units used on the X-Axis may be changed in the
   preferences dialogue.  The whole tool has also been fine tuned.

4. Grid Import: This tool has been given a new interface providing more 
   information about the grids to be processed.  All user defined parameters
   are now set from this dialogue and can be applied to multiple grids.

5. Grid Splicer: This tool has been given a new interface.  Stamping and Merging
   are now two separate operations.

6. Voronoi: Improvements have been made when solving to a user defined boundary.

7. Natural Neighbour Interpolation: Improvements have been made when solving to a 
   user defined boundary.

9. Polyline Contour: Polyline contours now end when they reach a null region preventing
   lines from being drawn along the edge of these areas.

10. Complex Viewshed: Now reports appropriate values for visible areas of the grid.

11. Trim Grid: No longer occasionally drops columns from the edges of the trimmed grid.

12. IDW Interpolation: Properly interpolates when all values are identical

13. Voronoi Diagrams: Transparent patterns are now properly supported.

14. Location Profiler: Now reports an error when all points have been given a weight of 0.


=================================================
Vertical Mapper 2.1.1 Release Notes  February 4, 1999
=================================================

This file contains important product information regarding new features, 
module updates, and corrections to product documentation. Primarily a 
maintenance release, Vertical Mapper Version 2.1.1 also contains some new 
features.

---------------------
VMSDK COMPATIBILITY
---------------------
This version of Vertical Mapper is being released concurrently with the 
initial release of the Vertical Mapper Software Developer Kit.  Certain 
functions described in the VMSDK are not present or substantially 
different in earlier versions of Vertical Mapper.

---------------------
NEW FEATURES
---------------------

1. Grid Manager: The size of the fonts used can be changed from 6 pt to 24pt.  
   This modification is made through the Preferences dialogue. 

2. Contour Legends: A contour legend can be created without actually creating 
   the contour file.  This is initiated by a check box on the Contour dialogue.

3. Exporting Graph Information: When exporting the overland distance information 
   the Z value at each sample location can now be saved.  This is accessed by 
   selecting the right mouse button while the cursor is on top of the data 
   displayed on the bottom of the graph window, and choosing the Save As option.

4. Grid Information Dialogue: This dialogue will now sort the grid information 
   in ascending or descending order by grid name, or by grid value, or by units, 
   or by description.  This is done by selecting the button with the Grid, Value, 
   Unit, Data description headings.


---------------
Module Updates:
---------------



1. SDTS Translator: Now handles grid units properly.

2. Universal Translator: Now functions properly with Vertical Mapper.

3. Contouring: Now able to create a single contour region.

4. Cross Section: Now correctly operates on Slope and Aspect grids.
 
5. Picking a Projection:  The CANCEL button now properly cancels the projection 
   selection (for Vertical Mapper dialogues only).

6. Region Info: Now correctly reports the Zunit description.

7. Natural Neighbour Advanced Interpolator:  No longer displays an unused edit box.

8. Splicer: Now ignores bounds clause of coordsys string.

9. Grid View Drape:  Now uses more precision in .DRP file to prevent "this drape 
   does not overlay the grid file" conflicts.

10. Grid Calculator: It now prevents two identical alias.

11. Grid Query: Now properly handles creation of grids where results are a grid with 
    a single value.

12. Viewshed: Inconsistencies with the Point to Point tool have been corrected.

13. Internal check for free disk space will now work on drives with greater than 
    4 Gig. of free space.

14. Grid Manager: Now displays certain custom projects properly.

15. Properly handles errors cause by extremely small cell sizes

16. Cosmetic Objects: Now properly handles objects selected from the Cosmetic Layer 
    eliminating "file #0 not open" error.

17. GRC Contouring: Fixed bug that was preventing contouring GRC's where a resulting
    region would have more than 32767 nodes. 

18. ASCII Grid Import: Updated file parser so that header section key words are not 
    case sensitive and unix format text files are handled.

=================================================
Vertical Mapper 2.1 Release Notes  Nov 9, 1998
=================================================

This file contains important product information regarding new features, 
module updates, and corrections to product documentation. Primarily a 
maintenance release, Vertical Mapper Version 2.1 also contains some new 
features.


---------------------
NEW FEATURES
---------------------

1. ViewShed calculations are now 5 - 10 times faster.

2. Grid Import now supports SDTS (Spatial Data Transfer Standard) grid data.
   The filter expects the data to be "gzip tar archives" (filename.tar.gz),
   as found on the USGS ftp site (ftp:edcftp.cr.usgs.gov).

3. Grid Import now supports an ASCII Classified Grid format. 
   
4. The Cross Section tool can now calculate overland distance.

5. There is a new Grid Tool to modify grid units and description fields.

6. Grid Export now supports ASCII Grid Format.

7. Using Grid Export to export to BMP format will now create a MapInfo .tab 
   file that geo-references the raster image.  The output TAB file will be 
   named outfile_BMP.tab. 

8. Grid Math operations are now much faster. 

9. Grid Query has a checkbox for "Trim Null Regions".  If you uncheck this, 
   null rows/columns at the edges of the output grid will not be trimmed.

10. There is a new menu command to Show/Hide Grid Manager.

11. There is now a checkbox under Preferences to dock the toolbar on startup.


---------------
Module Updates:
---------------

1. International systems using a comma (",") as a decimal separator will not 
   have to change to a period (".").

2. Grid Info now reports the Z Unit description in addition to the X/Y Unit 
   description.

3. Grid Trim has been updated to eliminate errors "1820" and "1821". 
   Registration problems that occurred when the trim region extended both 
   above and below the grid extents have also been fixed. 

4. Create Drape File has been updated so that the drape file will overlay 
   the grid properly.

5. Grid Info Capture has been updated to support a grid name with spaces 
   and/or non-valid MapInfo column name characters.

6. Region to Grid has been updated to eliminate "Out of Memory" errors.

7. Grid Query has been updated to reduce the occurrence of "1807" errors.

8. Convert 1.x to 2.0 now works even if the user is hiding the extensions  
   of known file types.

9. Grid Import (ASCII) grid has been updated to remove the 
   upside-down/backwards problem.

10. Custom 9999 datums are now handled properly when the user is prompted 
    to pick a projection.

11. Vertical Mapper supports ODBC tables and tables based on Excel/DBase/TXT 
    files.

12. Region & Polyline Contour module has been updated.

13. The Cross Section module now has 'over-land' distance information and 
    corrected Axis labels.

14. Grid Splicer has been updated.

15. All interpolators have been improved to reduce errors related to a specific 
    data set.

16. The Voronoi Function has been updated to eliminate problems encountered 
    when solving to a boundary.


---------------------
DOCUMENTATION ERRORS:
---------------------

Page 53
  Section B & C, describing how to set the colour gradient and single colour 
  are no longer applicable.  You can only change the grid colours from the
  Grid Manager's Colour button.
Page 237
  Creating Grids from Regions does not use the thematic shading colours, the 
  colour information is inherited from the original region colour.

Page 241
  Mona is a COMMA delimited format.




===============================================
Vertical Mapper 2.0 Release Notes  Mar. 30 1998
===============================================
- The World Elevation sample data is now being included as one large grid 
  file instead of being split into 24 tiles as described in the manual.    

- Check our web site regularly for product updates, usage tips and other 
  related news and information at www.northwoodgeo.com.

- If you have comments or there is a feature you would like to see in the 
  next release of this product please send email to info@northwoodgeo.com.
