Introduction

Surpac Functionality

Drill Hole Visualisation

Sample data management and processing
Geological Design and Modelling
Pit Design and Optimisation
Block Modelling and tonnage/quality reporting
Mine Scheduling including quality targeting
 Function enhancements introduced
since version 4.1
Block Modelling
Unrestricted resolution
Variable subcelling in different directions
Reblocking
Percentage attribute inside a solid
Point cloud display
Metadata internal auditing of block model
 INSTALLATION

with major releases it is recommended to do a full

installation into a new area then modify the
customisable files to match the previous version.

CUSTOMISABLE FILES
Plotting library files, styles files, profiles and logicals
located in the ssi_etc: folder.

 Validating a token number

Enter the token number and choose the Validate button to verify the number.
If the token number is correct, the word `valid' will appear under the token number
and the word `yes' will appear in the enabled column next to the modules that
are licensed to that user.
Choose Apply once you have entered and validated your token number.
After you apply this form, a file called `tokens.ssi' is created in the \share\etc
folder on the drive and under the folder name you used to install Surpac Vision.
Maintenance releases are typically
produced monthly and only need to be
installed if required. These are available
as downloads on our website
www.surpac.com.
 Customising Surpac
To customize the startup directory, exit out of surpac
and right click on the surpac icon, select the
properties tab

Useful things to change are:

The startup directory
C:\ssi_V5.0-i\dem\training\intro
Icon colour
Shortcut key (a shortcut can
be started using the Ctrl + Alt + S
combination)
 More advanced settings
C:\ssi_V5.0-I\nt_i386\bin\surpac2.exe -profile geology1 will
Start Surpac with the geology1 profile
C:\ssi_V5.0-I\nt_i386\bin\surpac2.exe -trans C:\ssi_V4.0-
D\share\etc\translate.ssi will start Surpac with a particular
translation file
C:\ssi_V5.0-I\nt_i386\bin\surpac2.exe -lm **local** will
start Surpac and only search for a local sentinel
C:\ssi_V5.0-I\nt_i386\bin\surpac2.exe -lm **ip address**
will start Surpac and only search for server with that ip address
C:\ssi_V5.0-I\nt_i386\bin\surpac2.exe examplemacro.tcl
arg1 arg2 will start Surpac and run a macro in the startup
directory with two variables
To create a profile
 Aliases
Function short-cuts (Customise default preferences)
 ASSIGNMENT

Create your own user profile

Customise your Surpac Icon to reflect your
startup directory and your own profile.
Graphical
Interface
 Surpac Interface

Surpac has a user friendly interface making

information easy to locate and manipulate
 Menu Bar: drop down menus
Toolbars: icons for short-cuts to functions
Customise these by right clicking in any region with no
menu
Navigator: Exporer-like view of mapped drives
File management within navigator by right-click
Status Bar: live co-ordinate feed back
Message Window: messages which are generated
during information processing
Command Chooser: alternative for invoking
functions
Layer Chooser: displays available layers and shows
the active layer
CURRENT WORKING DIRECTORY

The current working directory

is the directory path set
within surpac to which all
subsequent files are saved.
This directory is displayed in
the uppermost title bar of the
SURPAC Vision window
 FORMS & FORM HELP
right mouse button in the current field
presents a popup menu:
 Last Values
The five values previous entered in the field
are displayed. Selecting one of these values
copies it into the current field.
Following these items is Last value for all
fields. Selecting this
item reverts every field
on the form to its value
the last time the form
was applied
 Cut, Copy and
Paste items (where
appropriate)
Field Help, Form Help Auto Help
Field Help
Selecting this item displays the field help for the current field. The field help
information automatically updates for any later selected fields. When the form
is closed, the help will not re-appear for subsequent forms, unless this menu
option is selected again.
Form Help
Selecting this item displays the form help
for the current form. When the form is
closed, the help will not re-appear for
subsequent forms, unless this menu option
is selected again.
Auto Help
Selecting Auto help makes the form and
field help window appear for every form
until you either select it again, or shut
down the software.
 Last Value if blank
This causes the field to retain the last value entered where the application does
not supply a value. For example, if selected for the Layer field of the Recall a
File form, this option would not alter the field, but if selected for the Location
field of the same form, the last file location would be presented.
Last Value
Selecting this item causes the field to retain the last value regardless of any
other value inserted by the application. For example, if selected for the Layer
field of the Recall a File form, this option would present the name of the layer
the previous application of this form used.
Constant...
Selecting this item allows entry of a
value to use for this field every time the
form is displayed.
Application
Selecting this item causes the field to
behave in the same way that it did in
previous versions of the software,
displaying any value entered in the field by
the application
 Function Keys
Selected keys on the keyboard are defined so that various actions can be performed. These keys are:

Key Physic
Functionality
Name al Key

F2
Enter
Apply Invoke a function entered in the Command Chooser. Complete a form.

On-line help. Press the F3 key or single click the Help button to will invoke the on-line help with the page
Help
being displayed relating to the form that is currently displayed, or the function that is currently executing.
F3

Cancel Esc Cancel the current form. Escape from a selection browser.

Abort the function or macro. Pushing the abort button (on the progress feedback bar) will abort the current
Abort Ctrl-c
function

Tab Tab Advance to the next input field.

BACK_ Shift-
Move to the previous field, or to the previous column on the same row if inside a scrolling region.
TAB tab
 SURPAC CONCEPTS
REVIEW
Installation doing a clean install
Customising Profiles, Aliases, Styles and
startup
Field Help
Function Chooser - aliases
Current Working Directory
SURPAC PRINCIPLES-
STRINGS AND STRING
FILES
 OBJECTIVES

To learn about Surpacs graphical file types

(*.str & *.dtm).
To learn the types of string files Open,
Closed and Spot Heights
To understand the format and structure of a
string file
 String Files
A string file is a sequence of three dimensional coordinates
delineating some physical feature.
A string may be as small as a single point, or consist of as many points
as you wish.
Each point in a string will have a Y, X and Z co-ordinate,
stored in that order. There is no limitation to what these
coordinates represent. Usually they will be northings, eastings
and elevations.
The string number is a numeric identifier of the feature
represented by the string and may be in a range of 1 to 32000.
Most commonly you will number strings so you may easily
identify the purposes of the strings.
Example of a string file
 There are three types of strings (open, closed and spot height) and they can be made
up of any number of segments.

Identifier of spatial feature

String 3, crest of berm
String 4, toe of berm

Segment
unique identifier for a feature
String 4, segment 5

Point
Also known as a marker
3d coord, define position of data in space

Description field
Attribute information
Unique to each point such as hole numbers, assay values
Assigned to an open or closed segment rather than the individual points.

Examples: grade control ore block numbers, area of closed segment. Blast boundaries.
 STRING TYPES
Open String: is a straight or curved line. If more
than one open string exists with the same number,
then these are called open segments of the same
string.

Examples:

Survey: crest and toe pickups of Pit walls.

Floor and Back shoulders.

Geology: base of weathering profiles.

Engineering: Pit design berms, batters and ramps.

 Closed String
May be a circle, square or any irregular polygon.
A closed string has the same first and last coordinates.
Where there are multiple closed strings with the same string number,
these are called closed segments of the string as shown below.

Examples:
Survey: Pillars.
Geology: ore envelopes.
Engineering: vent rise, stope design
rings.
 Spot heights

A spot height is a series of random points

linked together by a string number, but
outlining no particular feature.
These may generally represent a drillhole or
survey elevation.
 Use of String Kinds
In survey applications it is more common to deal with
open strings which define discontinuous features, as
are found in open pits, with closed strings being used
as boundary strings to constrain a volume
computation.
Engineers and geologists tend to be more involved
with closed strings, such as bench crests and toes, ore
outlines etc. Such closed strings may be assigned a
thickness and can therefore be used in calculation of
both areas and volumes.
 String Descriptions
Assign other `non-coordinate' information to each point in a
string.
This data is called the point description.
In surveying, this is usually exactly what it is, e.g. a description or
name of a control station. When dealing with closed strings, it is more
usual that the point description will contain attributes of the feature
enclosed by the string, e.g. the concentration and total salinity of a
water sample.
The point description may contain sub-fields, which can be
used to address individually for various purposes. These may
include:
storing assays for multiple elements, e.g. total contaminant calculations
plotting various description sub-fields for a point at different locations
about the point.
 The description sub-fields are referred to as D1, D2,
D3 up to a maximum of D100. They may be
generally referred to as D fields.
The D fields are delimited by commas. In the
following example
DESCRIPTION = ``TREE, 1.54, HOUSE''
The sub-fields have the values:
D1 = ``TREE''D2 = ``1.54''D3 = ``HOUSE''
The total length of the description field may not
exceed 512 characters regardless of the number of
sub-fields.
 String Directions
The order of the points in a string will give closed strings either a
clockwise, or an anti-clockwise direction.
This direction is very important when calculating areas and volumes.

If a closed string is clockwise, it represents a positive area, which is an area

of inclusion.

If a closed string is anti-clockwise, it represents a negative area, which is an

area of exclusion.

If an anticlockwise closed segment of a

string is contained within a clockwise
closed segment, the combination of the
two is the area between the two
segments.
 String file Structure
ASCII files with .str extension
File name may have an ID or number identifier ie. Ore450.str
Each line in a string file is called a record.
The first two records are called the header record and axis record respectively.
The header record contains data relating to the whole string file such as the location code, date
formed and the purpose.

The axis record contains two sets of co-ordinates identified as string number zero,
defining a 3-dimensional axis, which is used when taking sections. If no axis has been
defined, this record will hold zeros.

The rest of the records in a string file contain points on the strings, with each record
having the following structure.
string number Y X Z point descriptions

Each field is delimited by a comma.

Records containing zeros in all of the first four fields indicate the end of a segment or
string.
The final record in the string file is a line with a string number of zero and END in the
descriptor field.
 EXAMPLE
this file contains the definitions of three pumping wells,
including five description fields, (D1 - D5): borename, Time
pump on (days), Time pump off (days), Pumping rate (kl/d)
and Pumping bore radius.

pump ,26-Mar-92,pumping wells ,

0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000
100, 28.275, -47.079, 0.000, recover1 ,0,10000000,500,0.15
100, 117.516, -93.714, 0.000, recover2 ,0,10000000,700,0.2
100, 108.160, -26.973, 0.000, recover3 ,0,10000000,500,0.15
0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000,
0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, END
 STRING RANGES

When selecting files you can specify a group

or range of files

These can be a single file ie.

Location = GEO
Range = 200
Or it can be a group of files ie.
Location = GEO
Range = 175,200,5
 For ranges you specify the start (175) and the end
(200) and the increment (5) seperated by a comma
You can also specify non-uniform ranges using a
semi-colon
Location = GEO
ID Range = 175;180,200,10
Files GEO175, GEO180, GEO190, GEO200
You can also use a negative increment
Location = GEO
ID Range = 200,185,-5
 REVIEW OF STRING FILE
STRUCTURE
comma delimited files store spatial data such as:
survey pickup, engineering design, grade control ore
blocks
all surpac string files have the extention .str and may
be stored in Binary or ASCII format
Line 1: Header line: this can be user defined and gives
information about the files.
Line 2: Axis line, this may be used to store an axis for
sectioning files
Line 3 onwards: contains the spatial data, which are the
points within the strings.
 String number: any number between 1 32000
Y X Z Spatial planar coordinate, double precision
( typically Northing, Easting and Elevation)
D1, D2,etc - Description fields
store attribute information, eg: comment, assay value, hole
depth
maximum of 100 descriptions fields
total of 512 characters including the commas
0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, -
Denotes the end of a segment.
Note Always use Surpacs
Editing tools to modify data
when modifying segments.
 ASSIGNMENT

1.Within the navigator, right click and edit a text

file to determine its structure
Graphics
Concepts
OBJECTIVES
To become familiar with Surpac Vision and some of
its fundamental functionality including layers
To become familiar with Surpac Visions graphical
interface.
To learn to import/export data to and from AutoCAD.
To use Surpac Visions editing tools to manipulate
string data.
To use Surpac Visions viewing tools to manipulate
views of data
 Overview
The GRAPHICS module provides easy to use graphical edit and design
tools which allow you to perform the following tasks:
view any string or surfaces (DTM) data in a variety of styles
edit and subsequently save to the same or new file any string or surfaces
(DTM) data
design pits and spoil dumps using interactive graphical editing tools
design layouts of surface and underground excavations
enter new data from a digitising tablet
merge multiple files together to create a new file of composite data

Data may be displayed in many different styles some of which are:

simple lines for each of the strings
coloured polygons for closed coplanar strings
coloured triangular faces for surfaces (DTMs)

You can use multiple light sources and hidden line removal (if required)
when polygons (colour filled strings) and surfaces (DTMs) are displayed.
 IMPORTANT NOTE

When a file has been loaded into GRAPHICS

you are working on a ``copy'' of that file. Any
changes you make to the data displayed on the
screen do not become permanent until you
explicitly save the data to a disk file.
 Important Surpac Vision Concepts

Layers
Appending and replacing files
active layer
editing and deleting layers
Point Selection
Point Modes
 Layers
Graphics has the ability to recall files into a
layer which is identified by a user specified
name. This provides a facility similar to
transparent overlays when doing drafting. The
data from various layers can be seen together
but only the data on the top layer - the active
layer can be changed. The active layer can be
changed and data can be copied from any layer
into the active layer.
 Working with Layers

While many files can be recalled in to

Graphics Layers, only one Layer is editable at
a time. The layer shown in the Layer Manager
pick box is the editable layer and is called the
Active Layer.
 Layer Management
The Layer Properties allows you to control
the properties of all Graphics layers.

or use the icon

The layer manager allows you to makes certain layers
visible or unselctable and alter your active layer
 To recall multiple files into graphics
utilising layers:
Append selected file(s) into current layer
Hold down while dragging file into Graphics
Replace data in current layer with selected file(s)
Hold + down while dragging file into Graphics
No Zoom All when dragging and dropping a file.
Hold down while dragging file into Graphics

Use combinations of these keys when recalling a file

into Graphics.
 Point Selection

When selecting a point in graphics, the selection method is

based on:
proximity to the piece of geometry, and
proximity to the point within the selected geometry.

The term geometry refers to something which has been drawn

on the screen and is selectable, this includes:
Lines, polygons, triangles, markers

To select lines, polygons and markers, position the pointer near

to the line so that it is closer to the point of interest than to any
other point.
Special event handling during point select,
point digitise and triangle select operations.
ASSIST events.
The ASSIST event is generated by pressing the ASSIST
button, generally F1, which permits you to modify the view
by windowing in or out or rotating the view, to return to
your operation, select the escape key.

Viewport Manager events.

Each Viewport has a number of active icons to permit the
viewport to be modified in some way.
 Point Modes
Many of the GRAPHICS functions have three
possible results determined by the current point
mode.
The point may be one of:
New points are added to the end of the last segment of the DESIGN String. The DESIGN String is the current
MODE Add
string being used in the design process. MODE Add is the default mode.

MODE Change The selected point or segment is changed to a new location.

MODE Insert The new point or segment is inserted into the selected string at the point indicated by the user.

The point mode is selected by choosing Add, Change or Insert from the
file chooser. The point mode invoked is the current point mode until
another point mode is selected. The default mode is MODE Add.
 Undo
To prevent excessive memory being used for saving
undo versions, the number of operations is limited
and is set by the user default "maximum undo
operations" (in the defaults.ssi file)
This can be modified by Undo Setup.
To further reduce memory when using Recall File, all
undo information except for the immediately
preceeding version, is destroyed.
The user default ``clear undo on recall file'' may be
set to ``off'' to ensure that edit operations before the
recall file operation can be undone.
 Surpac Vision Concepts Review

Layers
Appending and replacing files
active layer
editing and deleting layers
Point Selection proximity of point
Point Modes snap on/off
Suspending functions to rotate view
 ASSIGNMENT

1. Recall the files

map1.str
ore105.str
pit1.str
Into graphics into separate layers

2. Recall the same files into graphics, appending them

into one layer and save the file as site1.str
Graphics
Viewing and
Manipulating Data
 File Menu
The File menu contains functions for loading
and saving string files and DTM files,
including the conversion of other file types
you can also capture screen images using the
Postscript and GIF or PNG Dump functions.
 Viewing Data opening a file
Data is viewed in graphics either by
FILE | OPEN | STRING/DTM FILE or
BY DRAGGING AND DROPPING INTO GRAPHICS
Once a file has been loaded into graphics, it creates a new
graphics layer. This file is a copy of the file recalled into
graphics therefore any changes made must be saved.
Once the file is in graphics, it can be manipulated using the:
Left mouse button to orbit
Right mouse button to roll
Centre mouse button or both to pan
 Opening or Recalling a File

Select FILE | OPEN | STRING/DTM FILE

The file is a site plan with features
represented by strings. A string is a
sequence of 3d coordinates showing
some physical feature.
 Recall the file ore105.str and pit1.str into graphics
utilising layers:
Append selected file(s) into current layer
Hold down while dragging file into Graphics
Replace data in current layer with selected file(s)
Hold + down while dragging file into Graphics
No Zoom All when dragging and dropping a file.
Hold down while dragging file into Graphics

To clear all data from graphics use the Reset

Graphics icon.
 Importing Data Formats

Surpac has its own file formats, however support is

offered for files from other software packages.
There are two methods for reading or writing these files

1. Using the importing/exporting tools

2. Using the data plugins module

 Importing and Exporting
Files can be imported into a Surpac format via
functionality through the menus. The files are
physically converted into the Surpac format.
Supported Formats are:
Autocad DXF/DWG files
ArcView / ArcInfo files
Datamine files
Moss Genio files
Microlynx files
Likewise, Surpac files can be exported into the
above formats
 Data Plugins
Data from other packages can be used in
Surpac through the enabling of the Data
Plugins module. This allows drag and drop
capability and conversion of the following file
types.
ArcInfo shape files (.shp)
Autocad files (.dxf, .dwg)
Datamine files (.dm, .asc, .ddf, .dat)
Gemcom files (.3dr, .bt2, .tie, .abp, .stl)
Vulcan files (.dgd, .00t)
Microstation files (.dgn)
Minesight files (.msr)
Mapinfo files (.tab, .mif)
 Functionality of Data Plugins

Data is dragged and dropped into the Surpac

workspace
Data remains in its native format when manipulated
Data can be saved in any of the other formats
Data can be converted into any of the other formats
without opening the file
Plugins are constantly maintained as other software
companies update their own format
 Importing Data via Plugins
Data can be brought into Surpac simply by dragging
and dropping one of the recognised file types.
 Graphics Display Menu
The Display menu allows you to nominate how to display your
data on screen
Use the toolbar.

or the Pull down menu to Display and Hide

Strings and DTM data in Graphics
 Remember: Hiding or Erasing data is not
editing. If Data is not displayed, it can still be
saved to a file.
When using Autoplot, Erased strings will not
be plotted.
Display Styles Continued
Styles can be assigned to 3D surfaces to
allow clearer display of data.
 Styles Files
Styles files are used to tell Surpac how to display String and DTM data and can be changed to
suit your needs. The default styles file is called styles.ssi. Styles files let the user specify the
following attributes:

a label for the style for legend purposes

drawing method - i.e. lines, markers, attribute values, etc.
line colour
line thickness
line pattern
face colour
specular reflectance colour - the colour of the shiny spots
transmission colour for transparency effects
gloss effects - the size of the shiny spots
face pattern
edge colour
edge thickness
edge pattern
text colour
marker symbol
marker size
text characteristics, font, size, slant and path

Every time a String file is saved the current styles file is associated with it so that every time its opened it
uses that styles file automatically. If that styles file is not found it uses the default styles.ssi.
 Data Display Characteristics
The properties, or styles, of information can be changed
interactively to distinguish between different types of information.
 You can change the styles file within
display | display properties | strings and points
 Graphics Inquire Menu
You can quickly and easily find information about the data
displayed on screen with the results displayed in the message
window. .

Use the toolbar

Or the Pull Down Menu

 Point properties returns point attribute information, string,
segment and point number, y,x,z coord, description fields

Segment properties returns segment information, open

or closed, area, length properties

Bearing and distance Gradient reported controlled by

design gradient method. Change to report angle, ratio or
percentage.

Report Layer Extents returns the min and max values of the
layer
 Graphics Edit Menu

Use the Toolbar

or the Pull Down Menu

 The editing menu provides many tools for making permanent changes to
your data. You would edit string files for many reasons including
To modify string files to suit your needs
To modify survey pick ups
To create new string files

The Edit menu has four distinct parts.

Layer Editing
All data within the active layer is affected.
String Editing
All points on all segments of the selected string(s) are affected by the function
chosen.
Segment Editing
All points on a selected segment will be affected by the function chosen.
Point Editing
Only the selected point is affected by the function chosen.
Manual Data Editing
Segment Break After Point
Manual Data Editing
Segment Editing
 Edit Layers
The Edit | Layers menu allow you to use and manipulate data in multiple
layers.
By making use of layers you may view the files together but still keep them
separate.
To delete a layer in graphics, use the edit | layer | delete function. This
allows you to delete a specified layer and all data in that layer from
memory. If the data in the layer has been modified you will be warned and
given the opportunity to cancel the function or to continue with the
deletion.
Note that the active layer in graphics cannot
be deleted, to delete all layers, use the
edit | layer | delete all function. This
function will delete all layers removing all
data and layer settings. A new main graphics layer
with default values is created. This new layer will
be active in all viewports.
 Automatic Data Checking
Data can be automatically scanned and areas of
erroneous data can be automatically dealt with. This is
known as data cleaning.
 ASSIGNMENT
1. Different ways to open data in graphics
2. How to use the navigator right click popup menu and its functions
3. Save Files Demonstrate the two commands for saving files save
file and save file as
4. Using the plug-ins, drag and drop the topo1.dxf file into graphics
5. Import the AutoCAD file topo1.dxf to a string file.
6. Using the convert function, convert the file topo1.str to a autocad
.dwg file
7. Learn the different range of functions available from the inquire
menu
8. Fix the file lev100.str by editing all errors in the string data. The
things you should look for are:
Discontinuous segments along the outside wall.
Direction or sense of all segments.
Closure of all segments.
Use the String, Segment, & Point editing functions to modify all
errors in the string file.
Graphics
Advanced Editing
 Create - Digitising
A common way of inputing data into Surpac is to
digitize.. By using the Create Digitise menu

or the toolbar
 DIGITISING OPTIONS
Properties enter string attributes
New point at mouse location
New point by selection
New Midpoint
By following a segment

The elevation of any current digitizing may be

defined in CREATE, DIGITIZE, PROPERTIES
Any digitizing you do can always be edited using
the Editing functions
 Editing Conventions
Only points in the Active layer can be edited.
Join: Joins the end of the first selected
segment to the start of the second selected
segment. (Display strings with string numbers,
Surpac always displays the string number at
the start of each segment.)
Close: Joins the end of the segments back to
its start.
Break after a point: The selected segment is
broken into two segments.
 When clicking on a line between two points to
break, Surpac snaps to the nearest point in the line
and breaks after that point.
If the mouse snaps to point 26, the segment will break
between points 26 and 27.
If the mouse snaps to point 27, the segment will break
between points 27 and 28.
 ASSIGNMENT
1. Use the digitizing functions to finish the topography in
the file contours2.str. There are several contours missing
from the 219 elevation to the 243 elevation every 3m.
The completed file should look similar to the following
diagram.
 Use the function to digitize several contour
lines in the Northwest corner of the topography.
You may use the function to select the
appropriate elevation of the digitized segments.
Save & submit this file.
2.For the file topo1.str, modify the styles file so
that the lines and the elevation are displayed every
200m.
3.For the file topo1.str, modify the styles file so
that the data are displayed as markers (points).
 Plotting - Autoplot
Autoplot can be used to quickly generate plots from block
models, databases and string data sections
 Plotting
Plotting allows the user to set up plotting entities to
create consistent high quality maps from string files.