.. include:: ../macros.hrst .. include:: ../abbreviations.hrst .. _chapter:IntroAvail: Introduction and Availability ############################# Introduction ============ |ATGV| is an open-source visualizer for geodata, with some data editing and manipulation features. The focus is on block models and sampling sets, which can be complemented by background topography or any geometric shapes like buildings, geological units, faults, limits, boundaries, points with markers, and much more. .. admonition:: **Did you know?** :class: tip |ATGV| is built on top of |ParaView| which is an open-source scientific data analysis and visualization tool. All of it's functionality is available also in |ATGV|, and also the user interface and logic are the same. Finally, |ATGV| is also the base for |ATGB|, which extends the abilities of the first with functions that are specifically interesting for the production of cement raw material. This is a commercially licensed tool. In this Guide ------------- This user's manual is designed as a guide for using the |ATGV| application, dealing with the specific data set types, their visualization and some manipulation options. .. admonition:: **Did You Know?** :class: tip In this guide, we will periodically use these **Did you know?** boxes to provide additional information related to the topic at hand. .. admonition:: **Common Errors** :class: error **Common Errors** blocks are used to highlight some of the common problems or complications you may run into when dealing with the topic of discussion. For an introduction to basics of user interface, working pipeline, loading and saving data etc., please refer to the documentations for |ParaView| which are referenced in :ref:`chapter:FirstSteps`. This includes also advanced options such as the Python integration that are available in |ATGV| in exactly the same way as in |ParaView|. This current guide can be split into two volumes. :ref:`chapter:IntroAvail` to :ref:`chapter:SurfacesLines` will introduce the basic concepts of the different |ATGV| specific data set types like *block models* and *sampling sets*, together with the various *attribute naming conventions*. More generic VTK data types like surfaces, lines, points and tabular data are discussed in the context of geodata processing. In :ref:`chapter:BlockModelAdvanced` some advanced block model related subjects are handled, basically the interactive manipulation of attribute data. The remaining chapters, from :ref:`chapter:DisplayBlockModel` to :ref:`chapter:Animations`, are about the different ways to visualize and analyze geodata sets like block models and sampling sets with |ATGV|. Please remember that this can only cover some examples because with the means of the underlying |ParaView|, plenty of additional possibilities are available. |ATGV| is a Custom Software Derived from |ParaView| =================================================== |ParaView| is an open source, 3D data visualization and analysis software with a special focus on processing huge data sets, including the ability to process the data on several different server and client computers, running a variety of operating systems. For more information, examples, software download etc., please refer to the |ParaView| website: https://paraview.org Thanks to the fact that |ParaView| is open source, it is possible to download the sources, modify and/or extend the code and in this way derive an own custom software from it. |ATGV| is exactly such a customized and extended variant of |ParaView|. As a consequence, many features in |ATGV| are identical to how they exist also in |ParaView|, like: - The user interface (GUI) - The concept of the processing pipeline with *Sources*, *Filters*, *Readers*, *Writers*, *Views* and *Representations* - Many of the specific *Filters* etc. in |ParaView|, with exceptions that do not seem so relevant for the purposes of |ATGV| - The **Python** interface - The ability to export views as *images* or generate *animations* The big advantage of this setup is the fact that all these powerful features did not have to be rewritten for |ATGV|. For certain desirable functionality this can of course also be a limitation. An example would be functions for the interactive manipulation of data as described in :ref:`chapter:BlockModelAdvanced`. Certain things that are available in |ParaView| are not or not fully made available in |ATGV| so far, mostly because it was considered of less importance for geodata processing, like: - So far, only a binary version with installation packages for **Windows** is available, while |ParaView| supports also **Linux** and **Mac** computers with binary packages. - During the development of extensions, no effort was done to allow for distributed computing on several computers, because block model or sampling set data are normally not as large as some other data sets that are processed with |ParaView| in other fields. - Some *filters* are not included because they are considered less important for geodata. Availability of |ATGV| ====================== Binaries -------- Binaries of |ATGV| can be downloaded from |cobo|. The only requirement is a free registration. Binaries are only available for Windows so far. Sources ------- Sources of |ATGV| are available through GitLab here: https://gitlab.com/cobo-gmbh/athosgeo-view Detailed instructions for building the software are still missing. So far it has been successfully done for both Windows and Linux. .. admonition:: **Did you know?** :class: tip |ATGV| does not come with an automatic update mechanism for new versions and releases: It is up to the user to check whether there is something new available. **And more:** There is not even an update installation available: Installing a new version or release will be like installing a new software on a computer. This means that in order to do a full update, two steps are required: 1) Download and **install** the new version or release. 2) **Uninstall** the old version or release. **Is this a bug or a feature?** It is actually a behaviour that is inherited from |ParaView|, and it is considered as a feature for users who want to have the full control of their tools: "Do I need that new release?" - "Just install and try!" - "And if I find that I do not want it?" - "No problem, you still have the old software, and you only remove it if you know what you really want!"