Points Data

Points are sets of X-Y-Z coordinates, with or without associated values. In Leapfrog Geo, points are used to define surfaces and for interpolation. You can use the Points folder to:

  • Import points data
  • Extract contact points, intrusion values and interval midpoints from drillhole data
  • Create guide points
  • Create grids of points that can be evaluated against geological and numeric models and exported for use in other modelling

The rest of this topic describes importing and exporting points, setting elevation for points and evaluating points. It is divided into:

Importing Points Data

Leapfrog Geo supports the following file types for points data:

  • CSV files (*.csv)
  • ASCII text files (*.asc)
  • DXF files (*.dxf)
  • Leapfrog Geo 3D Point Data files (*.pl3, *.ara)

Points data can be imported from:

  • Files stored on your computer or a network location. Right-click on the Points folder and select Import Points. You will be prompted to select a file.
  • From any database that runs an ODBC interface. Right-click on the Points folder and select Import Points via ODBC. See Selecting the ODBC Data Source below.

For each of these options, once the data source is selected, the process of importing the data is the same.

When importing a file that has multiple features, you will be prompted to select which ones to import. You can also choose to:

  • Import the features as separate objects. Each feature will appear in the project tree as a separate object.
  • Flatten all features into one object. Leapfrog Geo will treat all features as a single object.

Once imported, the file will be added to the Points folder. If there are errors in the data, the errors can be corrected as described in Correcting Data Errors in Leapfrog Geo.

To view the imported data, double-click on the object that has been added to the Points folder.

Once points data has been imported to the project, it can be modified and evaluated against geological models, numeric models and estimators, as described in Evaluating Points Data.

Selecting the ODBC Data Source

When importing points data from an ODBC database, you will need to specify the ODBC data source. Enter the information supplied by your database administrator and click OK.

Once the data source is selected, the import process is similar to that described above.

Reloading Points Data

Reloading data is necessary when the imported data is modified externally. Points data can be reloaded by right-clicking on the table and selecting Reload Data.

Reloading points data overwrites all data in the existing table. If you have data you wish to add to the project without overwriting existing data, use the Append Data option.

The process is similar to that for importing the original table.

Appending Points Data

If points data is stored in multiple files, you can import these files into the project and add them to existing points data. To do this, right-click on the object you wish to append and select Append Data. You will be prompted to select a file.

Next, the Import Tables For Appending window will be displayed.

Check the data to ensure that the correct information will be imported, then click Finish to add the new file.

Importing a Column

Columns of points data that were not imported when the original data was imported or that are stored in a separate file can be added to the table at any time. To do this, right-click on the points table in the project tree and select Import Column.

The process is similar to importing the original table; select the file and map the columns you wish to import.

Importing ASEG_DFN Points

Leapfrog Geo imports ASEG_DFN points in *.dfn format. To import an ASEG_DFN file, right-click on the Points folder and select Import ASEG_DFN. Leapfrog Geo will ask you to specify the file location. Click Open to import the file. In the window that appears, enter a name for the file, then click OK. Next set the X, Y and Z coordinates and click OK. If you select no column for the Z coordinates, all Z values will be set to zero.

The file will appear in the Points folder.

Setting Elevation for Points

You can set the elevation for points tables by projecting them onto a surface. This overwrites elevation values in the z column of the points table, using the data from the selected surface. If the surface does not intersect vertically with all points, you can choose how the z values for those unprojected points will be handled.

To set the elevation for points from a surface, right-click on the points object in the project tree and select Set Elevation. The Set Elevation window will appear:

Select from the surfaces available in the project.

Next, select how unprojected points should be handled. There are three options:

  • Assign elevation values to sets the z values to a fixed elevation for all unprojected points.
  • Leave elevation values empty clears the z values for all unprojected points.
  • Leave unchanged makes no changes to the z values for unprojected points.

Click OK to set elevation values.

Evaluating Points Data

Once points data has been imported to the project, it can be modified and evaluated against geological models, numeric models and estimators, as described in Points Data.

In the case of geological models, you can also combine two or more models to evaluate the points data and set the priority used for evaluation. To do this, click on the Combined Evaluation button in the Select Models To Evaluate window. In the window that appears, select the evaluations to combined, then set their priority. Click OK to create the combined evaluation, then click OK in the Select Models To Evaluate window. The combined evaluation will be available from the colour list.

To delete a combined evaluation, click on the Delete Combined button in the Select Models To Evaluate window.

Displaying Points

Points data can be displayed using a single flat colour, using a colour gradient (see Visualising Data) or using the points values. You can also import a colourmap, which is described in Visualising Data.

As with drillholes, points data can be displayed as flat points or as spheres. When Make points solid button () is enabled for points data, the data points are displayed as spheres. Here, the values are displayed as flat points:

You can restrict the range of values displayed using the Value filter in the properties panel.

When using the spheres option (), the points can be displayed using the values. To do this, the Radius values list displays the columns available:

Select the column that will be used to determine the point size.

The Point radius control then determines the maximum point size displayed in the scene.

Viewing Points Table Statistics

To view statistics on points data tables, right-click on a points table and select Statistics. The following options are available:

See the Analysing Data topic for more information on each option:

Exporting Points Data

To export points data, right-click on the points data object in the project tree and select Export. For many points objects, you will be prompted to select which rows to include. Points data can be exported in the following formats:

  • CSV Files (*.csv)
  • DXF Files (11/12 [AC1009]) (*.dxf)
  • Drawing Files (2013/LT2013) (*.dwg)
  • Bentley Drawing Files (v8) (*.dgn)

Additional export options are available for some types of points, which are described below.

Once you have selected how you wish to export the data, click Export. You will be prompted for a filename and location.

Exporting Intrusion Values

Intrusion values can be extracted from drillhole data as described in Extracting Intrusion Values from Drillhole Data.

There are two options for exporting intrusion values:

  • Export only the contact points. To do this, right-click on the intrusion values object and select Export. If you choose this option, you can export the points in CSV format (*.csv), DXF format (*.dxf) or DWG format (*.dwg).
  • Export all the points used in creating an intrusion. To do this, right-click on the intrusion values object and select Export Volume Points. If you choose this option, you can only export the points in CSV format (*.csv).

In both cases, you will be prompted for a filename and location.

Exporting Interval Midpoints

Interval midpoints can be extracted from drillhole data, which is described in Extracting Interval Midpoints from Drillhole Data. You can also export midpoints directly from an RBF interpolant, which is described in Exporting Numeric Model Midpoints.

To export interval midpoints, right-click on the points data object in the project tree and select Export. Interval midpoints can be exported in the following formats:

  • CSV text file (*.csv)
  • Snowden Supervisor CSV file (*.csv)
  • Isatis 3D points file (*.asc)

The values exported are the midpoints of each segment, the X-Y-Z values and the hole ID. The Snowden Supervisor and Isatis 3D points formats also include the interval length.

In each case, you will be prompted for a filename and location.

 

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