Vulcan - Snap Modes

Vulcan snap modes are a powerful tool that allows the user to snap to the exact point
specified. Using snap modes is an important part of creating drafting objects that are precise
and accurate.

Whether you know it or not, if you have been digitizing objects in Vulcan, you have been
using snap modes. The default snap mode is called 'Indicate.' This mode allows the user to
specify a point anywhere on screen. This point will have the easting and northing coordinates
of the point that was clicked, but what about the elevation? If the point was digitized in plan
view (click the 'Reset' icon a few times) the point will be at the elevation specified in the 'z'
field of the 'Status' toolbar. If the point was digitized while in a rotated view the elevation of
the point (and possibly the easting and northing coordinates) will be at a seemingly random
location defined by the Vulcan software. This tendency for randomness is a big reason that
the other snap modes exist.

Just below the primary window and on the left (if you haven't changed the Vulcan layout)
you will find the 'Digitise' toolbar (Australian spelling by design). The first five icons from
the left are the snap modes. The first one is the 'Indicate' snap mode and should be
depressed. The next icon over is called the 'Object' snap mode. This mode will snap the
digitized point to the nearest point or line object. The elevation coordinate (and northing and
easting coordinates in rotated view) is controlled by this intersection with the existing
object. While using the 'Object' snap mode, if you click a point too far away from any object,
no point will be created and a warning sound will be played. This is not a problem, just click
the next point closer to an existing object.

The next snap mode, 'Point' snap, is similar to the 'Object' snap mode except that it will only
snap to the nearest point or end of line segment. Again, if a point is clicked too far away
from an existing object a warning sound will be heard and no point will be created.

When working with the 'Point' snap mode sometimes the digitized point will snap to the other
end of an indicated line segment even though the cursor is almost exactly above the desired
point. When this occurs, the easiest solution is to click on the line segment about a quarter of
the entire segment length away from the desired point. This will still snap to the desired
location and avoid the random snap to the other endpoint. I don't know why this happens but
I think it has to do with the graphics driver.

The fourth snap mode is the 'Smart' snap. The 'Smart' snap mode will snap to specific object
locations (endpoint, midpoint, intersection, etc...) much like AutoCAD. This is very useful to
people with a background in drafting. Right click on the icon to view the snap
properties. This snap mode does not work with all Vulcan digitizing tools. It is being added
on a discretionary basis as needed. Right now I do know that it definitely works with
digitizing points, lines and polygons.

The last mode is the snap to 'Grid' mode. In order to use this mode you must first turn on a
Vulcan grid. On the 'Graphics' toolbar click the 'Toggle Grid Display' icon. The snap to
'Grid' mode will snap points to the intersection of grid coordinates. Right click on the
'Toggle Grid Display' icon to view more options for displaying the grid.
 Now that you are familiar with the various Vulcan snap modes, digitizing data will be faster
and more efficient as well as more accurate.

Vulcan - Lines and Polygons

Many of the CAD functions in Vulcan are created in the same manner and share common
properties. Lines and polygons are two objects that differ in fundamental ways. These
differences are not detrimental to the user in either case but you should know what the
differences are so that you are not surprised when they show up in the normal course of
work.
In some other drafting programs (AutoCAD) the difference between a line and a polygon is
simply the fact that the first and last points share the same coordinates. This seems
intuitive enough as you are digitizing data but when you stop to think about it, there are
really more points on the line than are needed. A square with four corners would, in this
method, need five points (the first and last being the same).
There is also the problem of the point snap. Im sure that all of you are conscientious
digitizers and always use the snap to points mode when creating a closed polygon, but what
about your co-workers? When working with a polygon digitized by someone else, how do
you know that it is actually closed?

In Vulcan the difference between lines and polygons is that the polygon has a flag that says
the first point and the last point should be connected. This removes the ambiguity of having
to snap to the first point (or not) and gives the user an attribute that can be queried to find
out if the object is closed.
For two objects that are so similar, the dissimilarity of what is created is really surprising. To
illustrate, this lets create some lines and polygons.
Lines:
1) Design > Create > Line
2) If no layer is current you will be prompted to create a layer
a. Enter a name in the Layer field
b. Enter a description in the Description field
c. Click OK
3) The Vulcan prompt (top middle and bottom left of the screen) instructs you to Indicate
first point. Click a point on the screen.
4) After the first point has been indicated the prompt will change to Indicate next point.
5) Notice the rubber band line between the cursor and the first point. When you indicate
the next point this line will become the new segment of your line.
6) Click two more points.
7) Right click to cancel out of indicating points on this line.
8) Notice that you have not canceled out of the option completely and that the prompt has
changed to Indicate continuing point
9) Indicate a point in the primary window.
10) The prompt has changed back to Indicate next point.
11) Click two more points.
12) Right click twice to completely cancel out of the create line option.
Before we look too closely at the lines that we have created, lets create some polygons.
Polygons:
1) Design > Create > Polygon
2) The Vulcan prompt (top middle and bottom left of the screen) instructs you to Indicate
first point. Click a point on the screen.
3) After the first point has been indicated the prompt will change to Indicate next point.
4) Notice the rubber band line between the cursor and the first point. When you indicate
the next point this line will become the new segment of your line.
5) Click two more points.
6) Right click to cancel out of indicating points on this line.
7) At this point you will see that a segment has been added between the first and last points
of the polygon. It is now closed.
8) Notice that you have not canceled out of the option completely and that the prompt has
changed to Indicate first point
9) Indicate a point in the primary window.
10) The prompt has changed back to Indicate next point.
11) Click two more points.
12) Right click twice to completely cancel out of the create polygon option.
The creation method for lines and polygons is almost exactly the same. If you play around
with these options for a while you will notice that the create polygon option requires you to
digitize at least three points for each polygon while the create line option will allow for a
single point per line. The big difference between the two objects becomes apparent when
we select them.
Click on one of the lines we digitized. What happens? Both of the lines highlight in Vulcan.
The two lines are the same object.
Now, click on one of the polygons. What happens? Only one object is highlighted. The
polygons are two separate objects.
I dont know why these seemingly similar objects behave so differently in Vulcan. I do know
that it can be frustrating, later on, to have objects that you thought were separate turn out
to really be the same. Just remember that if you want to digitize lines that are separate
objects you mush right click twice and re-select the create line option between each line.
Now that the objects have been created it is tempting to use the Design > Object Edit >
Explode option to break the lines into separate objects. DO NOT DO THIS! The explode
option goes way beyond breaking the lines into different objects and makes each segment a
new object. Instead, use the Design > Object Edit > Split option. This option has a nice little
sub-function called Split where disconnection exists that will do what you are thinking of. I
will explain both the explode and split options in a later post.
Creating lines and polygons is a powerful tool in creating a mine design, just dont be fooled
into believing that the objects created are equal.

Vulcan - Layers and Points

The basic organizational tool for Computer Assisted Drafting (CAD) data within the Design Graphics
Database (DGD) is the Layer. Layers can have names of up to 40 characters and a description of up
to 80 characters. Layers contain point, line and object data representing, in 3D space, real world
locations.

I was helping a co-worker with Vulcan the other day and was surprised when he asked me what a
layer was. I was shocked. It has been a long time since I talked to someone who didn't know what a
layer was in the CAD sense. In mining and geology, almost everyone has some exposure to AutoCAD
or other drafting software, but that shouldn't be a pre-requisite to using Vulcan. Think of Vulcan
layers as drawings on a Mylar sheet. A single sheet/layer might contain property boundaries or
topography lines and we can stack as many on top of each other as we want. No matter how many
sets of building outlines or lakes and rivers we stack on top of each other we can still remove them
individually and store them away for future use. Layers are not the only method of grouping data
but they are the most basic and they are a very powerful tool.

To create a layer, use the menu option Design > Create > Layer. You will be prompted for the
following information:

1. Layer: Name of the layer you wish to create. This can be up to 40 characters long and can
include periods, underscores and dashes. Spaces are not allowed and, in fact, cannot be
typed in this field.
2. Description: A normal text explanation of the data contained in this layer. Descriptions can
be up to 80 characters and may contain spaces. Basically, this is a sentence or two that tells
you in more detail what is in the layer.

This is a good time to introduce you to the first rule of Vulcan, and it is this:

Always, Always, Always use a description!

It is easy to think as you are creating the layer, "I know what I am putting in this layer. I don't need a
silly 'description' field to tell me what I already know."

The problem with this mind set is that tomorrow or the day after or next week you are going to
come back to this layer and not remember what you put in it. I still do this frequently and every
time I do I think to myself, "Why didn't I follow my own advice and just add a description when I
created this layer."
The problem gets bigger if you work with a cross shift or are a part of a team that is working on a
project. Other people can't be expected to read your mind or just know what you meant to put in a
layer. Do everyone a favor and use a description.

Click 'OK' to complete the creation of the new layer and notice that the new layer name appears in
the 'Layer' field of the 'Status' toolbar at the top of your screen. All newly digitized data will be
placed in the layer listed in the 'Layer' field.

Now that we have a layer to work with let's create some data to put in it. The basic unit of drafting
data is the point. To create points use the menu Design > Create > Point. The first thing you should
notice is that there is a prompt at the top center of the primary window. Any time Vulcan is waiting
for input from you, the user, it will list a prompt in the primary window and in the very bottom left
of the Vulcan Workbench. If no input is required, the prompt in the Workbench will be 'Select menu
option.'

Follow the Vulcan prompt and digitize some points by clicking on the primary window. Each point
will be displayed as a point with a tie line to the current location of the cursor until a new point is
selected. After digitizing a few points click the right mouse button once and digitize a few more
points. Then, right click twice (once to cancel out of digitizing this group of points and once to cancel
out of the create points option completely). Many of the options in Vulcan behave this way. They
continue prompting you to digitize more objects, and will continue doing so until they have been
canceled twice.

Now that we have some data in the layer we have created, let's take a look at the Vulcan Explorer
and see what has changed. You should see that the DGD name has turned red but if you click on the
plus next to it to expand it there is nothing that changes. Red names for DGD's and Layers in the
Vulcan Explorer that have been modified but not yet saved. Save the Design Database by selecting
File > Save. Notice that the DGD name has turned black and that if you click the plus to expand it the
new layer will be listed. Only DGD's and Layers are listed in the Vulcan Explorer. Points, lines and
objects are not listed.

You now know how to create a Vulcan layer and what kind of data may be saved in it. You have also
learned how to create and save points in this layer. Many Vulcan objects are created using the same
functionality as the points option.
SAHDF36U9V3H

Vulcan - Workbench Layout

Understanding the layout of the Vulcan workbench can do a lot to increase utilization of the
software. The default layout gives the user a great amount of information, but a custom
layout can give the user power and confidence when using Vulcan. The naming convention
of the different sections is also important. With a basic nomenclature everyone can discuss
what is happening in Vulcan using the same words. I always prefer to talk about the Vulcan
Explorer rather than the white section to the right of the screen.
When you first start Vulcan the screen that presents itself is very similar to other windows
applications. The most dominant section of the screen, the big black rectangle, is the Primary
Window. This window will display CAD data and triangulations in 3D. This is where the
magic happens. Keep the primary window maximized to see your data better.
Just to the left of the Primary Window is the Vulcan Explorer. This is a list of virtual folders
that organize your data. Vulcan creates a large number of files as part of its general
procedure. The Vulcan Explorer organizes these files into easy to find virtual folders like
Block Models and Design Databases. The folder structure is virtual, meaning that if you
look in the folder where your data is, you wont see any of the subfolders listed in the Vulcan
Explorer. This lack of folder structure prevents you from having to follow a strict hierarchy
of folders and sub-folders.

Right below the Primary Window is the Report Window. This is where all the output from
Vulcan goes. Reports about data and objects are printed here as well as any error messages.
In the bottom right of the screen is the Vulcan Start icon. This is where you can access the
other modules of the Vulcan software. Most of the time you will be working in Workbench
(the background where all your windows are located) but occasionally you will need to
access another module. If you need to open a different Vulcan module, like Isis, just click on
the Start icon and select the module.

The most universal, and perhaps the most useful section of the screen layout, is the menu bar.
Located at the top of the screen, the menu bar shows the containers for the tools that you will
use in Vulcan. Some of these menus have the same names as other windows applications
while others are specific to Vulcan. Not all Vulcan licenses have the same menus available.
Just to get you started, here are a few that you might see and a short description of whats in
them.

1. File: Just like all the other windows applications you use this menu contains the
standard items (Open, Save, Exit). The most specific Vulcan options in the menu are
the Import and Export options. These options can be used to import or export cad data
in dxf files or drillhole data in a csv file.
2. Design: Computer Assisted Drafting (CAD) tools can be found here. To create points,
lines and other design objects look in the Create menu.
3. View: Controls the visibility of objects and triangulations as well as the creation of
section views (cross section, plan section, etc).
4. Analyze: This menu holds tools to get information about objects on the screen. It is
also where the legend tools are found.
5. Model: Many of the tools for creating and manipulation triangulation models are
located in the model menu. If you are looking for grid models or block models youre
in the wrong place.
6. Grid Calc: This is the menu for grid modeling tools. You can create, access or edit
them from here.
7. Block: Block model creation and manipulation. Grade estimation and reserves
reporting are also in this menu.
8. Geology: This menu contains tools for displaying drillhole or composite database
information.
9. Tools: Save the layout or size of Vulcan (Tools > Layout > Save) or change your
preferences with the Tools menu.
10. Window: Similar to other Windows applications, the Window menu allows you to
switch between windows or to choose how to arrange open windows.
 11. Help: Use this menu to tell you about Vulcan or to access the Help functionality.

This basic overview of the Vulcan layout has given you a good understanding of where the
tools you will be using are located. It has also given us a universal naming convention so that
we can discuss the procedures covered in the following workshops.

Vulcan Envisage Resources

Vulcan software uses Environment Variables to specify the line styles, symbols libraries and plot
templates that are used by the program. This allows everyone on site to use the same base
templates, but if youve never worked with Environment Variables before they can be confusing.

The plot templates, symbols libraries and line styles in Vulcan are stored in a folder called
Resources. This folder is installed to the program files folder when Vulcan is installed and allows all
users to access the default templates. If you work at a large site that has many Vulcan users who all
need access to the same Resources folder then a version on the network is perfect for you. A
simple Environment Variable points to the location of the folder and Vulcan will do the rest.

If your site doesnt already have a Resources folder you can copy the default one to the network
and start customizing templates. If your company already has a folder set up, heres how you access
it in Windows 7:

1) Go to the start icon, right-click on Computer and select Properties.

2) Select Advanced system settings.

3) In the Advanced tab select the Environment Variables button.

4) The Environment Variables panel has two parts. The top part is for User Variables and the
bottom half is for System Variables. In the User Variables section click the New button.

5) In the New User Variable panel set the variable name and value:

a. Variable name: ENVIS_RESO

b. Variable value: path to the Resources folder i.e. E:\vulcan\resources
6) The variable name and value are case sensitive, please type carefully.

7) Exit the New User Variable panel by clicking OK.

8) Exit the Environment Variables panel by clicking OK.

9) Exit the System Properties panel by clicking OK.

10) Clicking Cancel on any of these panels may not save the changes and you will get to do them all
over again.

11) If Vulcan is open, restart Vulcan. Environment Variables are read at startup.

Now that everyone is using the same Resources folder all plot templates and symbols libraries will
be the same for everyone. Just be careful not to delete the plot templates that everyone else is
using.
Vulcan - Remove Internal Walls

Maptek sent out their newsletter 'Tech Source' yesterday. The current edition advertises the new
menu option 'Delete Internal Walls.' This is an option that I have been wanting for a long time
now. In Vulcan, it has always been easy to cut a triangulation into smaller pieces, but to put them
back together again is a complex procedure that is often not worth the effort. The idea behind the
'Delete Internal Walls' option would greatly simplify the task of combining triangulations that share a
side but which need to be valid in order to calculate volumes or reserves.

There are three reasons that I typically want to 'Delete Internal Walls' and they all have to do with
triangulations that have been split and then appended together again. The first scenario involves
simply cutting a triangulation (Model > Triangle Utility > Cut). For whatever reason, I have both
parts of the triangulations but not the original and want to combine the parts into a complete
whole. Removing the internal walls in this simple situation can be done using a tool that Vulcan has
had for a long time, Model > Triangle Solid > Delete Triangle > Internal Wall Delete. The new option
also does a good job in this situation but I don't really need it, there is something very similar in my
tool set.

The second situation where walls might need to be deleted is when a triangulation has been split
into many parts using the Model > Triangle Solid > Shells option. I frequently use this option to split
a pit solid into bench triangulations. When many triangulations have been appended together the
old 'Internal Wall Delete' option would technically work, but it would be labor intensive and might
never make a valid triangulation.

I had great hopes for the new option in this situation. Unfortunately, when running tests on my
triangulations I ran into some old Vulcan problems. In one test the triangulation closed to a small
portion of the original volume and in another test the internal walls were still present. Either way I
don't have a valid triangulation that I can use for volume or mass calculations.

Finally, the ability to append touching triangulations would be very useful in order to combine
pushbacks in a given pit. These pushbacks are, by definition, sharing triangle facets. The appended
solid triangulation is extremely complex, requiring an automated method of repair. When I tested
this option, it ran for several minutes and then crashed Vulcan.

The idea behind the 'Delete Internal Walls' option is terrific, but the result fell short. I can't help but
wonder why the existing option wasn't improved and expanded, instead of creating a new option
that does almost the same thing. Perhaps in future versions this option can be enhanced to be more
robust at fixing triangulations