Grondprofiel en Boorgatlog Persoonlike Rekenaarsagteware
vir die Grondingenieur en Siviele Ingenieursgeoloog

Wat is dotPLOT?

Die persoonlike rekenaar program dotPLOT druk geologiese grondprofiele en boorgat logs, met behulp van 'n persoonlike rekenaar met DOS of Windows (insluitend Windows XP, Vista en Windows 7, 8, en 8.1). Uitdruk is direk op 'n Hewlett Packard LaserJet of gelykstaande drukker, of deur Windows PDF lêers te druk (ook handig vir e-pos aan kliënte).

dotPLOT is deur Winston Jones geskryf toe hy senior vennoot by Jones en Wagener Raadgewende Ingenieurs van Rivonia was. Winston het afgetree en het voortgegaan om die program te ondersteun tot sy dood op 9 Augustus 2014. Vanaf Julie 2009 doen Software Africa die bemarking van dotPLOT, die uitreiking van lisensies, die maak van klein veranderinge, en voorlyn ondersteuning.

Nuus!

Die nuutste weergawe, die dot7019 Gedenkuitgawe van 19 Augustus 2014, loop op Windows 8.1, 8, 7, en vroeër, ondersteun 32 en 64-bit rekenaars, en is hier beskikbaar. Dit is 'n gratis opgradering slegs van vorige weergawes in die dot7000 reeks. Vir opgradering van vorige weergawes, sien pryse hieronder.

Kliek hier on te sien Wat Nuut is in dotPLOT en HotPlot (op Engels).

Wat kan dotPLOT doen?

dotPLOT is spesifiek ontwerp vir grondprofiele en boorgatlogs. Dit is 'n baie kompakte program, super-vinnig, met kompakte data lêers (gewoonlik minder as 3 KG per bladsy) en kompak PDF uitsetlêers (ongeveer 20 KG per bladsy). Gebruikers kan leer om dit te gebruik deur net na die voorbeelde te kyk. Opleiding is amper oorbodig. dotPLOT herken outomaties die name van 83 standaard simbole in die teks, wat gekombineer kan word soos nodig: Daar is geen template of esoteriese kode woorde –die woorde "sanderige slik" in die teks sal die simbool vir 'n sanderige slik produseer!

Insette is in die vorm van 'n gewone teks (ASCII) lêer deur 'n woord-verwerker pakket of teksredakteur geskep. 'n Microsoft Word Doc lêer kan ook gebruik word. Die doel van die program is om die stroom van woorde intelligent te interpreteer asof hulle direk uit die veldnotas getik is (moontlik in die vorm van 'n diktafoonopname), outomaties simbole vir grond en gesteentes te kies, toepaslike skale te kies, aantal bladsye en bladsybreke uit te werk, die teks op te maak en die finale bladsye gereed vir binding in 'n verslag of e-pos te produseer, almal met die minimum van redigering deur die ingenieursgeoloog.

Die gedrukte grondprofiel is in die vorm van hoë-gehalte laser grafieka gekombineer met teks in die gebruiker se gekose fonts. Simbole vir byna enige grondbeskrywings en gesteentes kan gekombineer word: So kan die simbool vir SANDERIG met die simbool vir KLEI gekombineer word en dit kan op sy beurt met die simbool vir GRUIS of KLIPPE gekombineer word. Deur slim maskering, kan simbole wat wit spasie bevat (bv. klippe) bo-op ander simbole gestel word. Die program laat die gebruiker 'n kombinasie van tot 12 simbole per laag kies. Drie-en-tagtig standaard simbole word verskaf wat nie deur die gebruiker verander kan word nie. Hulle is ontwerp om die meeste grondtipes en alle klasse van die stollingsgesteentes te dek. Persoonlikebiblioteke kan teen 'n ekstra koste voorsien word, of die gebruiker kan sy eie 'n aparte program skep (ook 'n ekstra koste).

Voorbeeld (kliek vir vergroting)

Boorgatlogs

Die opsionele BOORGAT LOG module kan tot 15 kolomme van rots eienskappe in enige gewenste orde vertoon, getabuleer óf op 'n teenblad óf op dieselfde bladsy as die profiel. Staafgrafieke van die kenmerkwaardes kan met 'n normale of omgekeerde skadu en kleur getrek word. Elke borelog kolom kan onderverdeel en sub-benoem word.

Nog Funksies

Op die stadium het ons moeg geraak!  Lees asb verder op Engels of help ons met die vertaling asb.

dotPLOT can output to PDF and DXF files for ease of printing and to e-mail to customers.

dotPLOT recognises notes on water tables (permanent or perched), water-seepage or water-strikes, weathering horizons, rockheads, samples (undisturbed, disturbed or chemical) and locates symbols for these alongside the profile. Reduction of levels is automatic and a correction is applied for slope.

A legend summarising all the particular symbols used on a job can be printed at the end of a run.

The user may download his own Logos to the LaserJet as macros which the program can automatically locate and print on each page. Optionally a PCL raster or PDF logo can be inserted in the print file. Alternatively space can be left for the logo on pre-printed sheets.

The program offers extensive support for different languages: English, Afrikaans, Portuguese, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Slovenian are available at present.  Others could be added.  All aspects of the program can easily be customised by the user to work in the user’s choice of languages or dialects. This includes keywords in the input text file, prompts by the programs, and printed output. Existing symbols may be assigned different names or synonyms in any number of languages.

A useful set of format controls is supported. The general page layout is customisable to a limited extent. Any bitmapped or scalable soft font on the user’s hard disk may be used provided the files follow the HP protocol. Cartridge and Internal printer fonts may be used.

For PDF output only the useful 12 standard Adobe fonts are supported namely COURIER, HELVETICA and TIMES ROMAN, each with upright, italic, bold and bold oblique variations.

Because of the numerous variables involved and the variety of personal choices that are possible in arranging the layout, the program has been arranged to read a SETUP FILE which stores all the values required. A routine is provided which enables the user to easily make changes to the setup, to store those changes, and to recall or switch between them by name at any later time. Thus a single work station can keep track of up to 19 different setups: for example there may be one for profiles, one for boreholes, one for percussion logs and further variations to suit individuals using a pool work station.

Although the program allows for considerable customisation, it is supplied “ready to run” with normal English input and prompts, using a standard HP LaserJet printer and internal fonts, or PDF output.

The program may be used without the borehole log option.

The major advance in the dot6000 series was plain text descriptions, also called "tilde-free text": If the ~ and ` special characters are omitted from a layer description, the program will automatically find all keywords in that layer except those explicitly excluded using a new special character, the bar ( | ).  You need to license the new features for them to work fully, but you can view them in DEMO mode.

The latest series of dotPLOT is dot7000.  This runs on 64-bit PCs, as well as 32-bit machines.  dot6000 and earlier ran only on 32-bit.

Requirements

dotPLOT runs under DOS, and Windows 3.1, 95, 98, 2000, NT XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1.  Windows Professional Edition is recommended: On the "Home" Edition you may require the dot7000 series in order to correctly read the licence.

512 KB RAM memory is sufficient.

The input data file can be prepared with any file editor (Notepad, E.COM, EDIT.COM) or as a .DOC file using MS Word or as a TEXT file using Word Perfect, Lotus Word Pro, etc.

While a Hewlett Packard LaserJet printer is recommended for PCL output, other makes of printer may work if they support page composing, HP-PCL (Hewlett Packard Printer Control Language) and 300 dots-per-inch graphics.

PDF output can be printed via Windows to any installed printer.  This requires an additional module.

The dot6000-series dotPLOT runs on 32-bit machines.  The dot7000-series supports 64-bit, and was released end July 2011.

Demo Version and Licensing

dotPLOT can be installed and run on any PC that meets the above specifications. It will run as a fully-functional Demo program.  The only restrictions are that your company name will not appear on the output, and a watermark of "DEMO" will appear on the output, gradually darkening with each printout.

dotPLOT is licensed in three ways:

1. For installation on the C: drive of one machine.  It will then run on that PC only.
2. By means of a security file loaded on a USB flash drive.  Input and testing can be done on any PC, but the the flash drive must be inserted to do final output.
3. By means of a security file loaded on a network drive.  Several licenses can be loaded: They are allocated on a "first-come-first-served" basis: Any extras will run in Demo mode.

In all cases a key file is supplied by e-mail that is valid for that drive only.  If the hard drive or USB drive crashes, is stolen, or obsoleted, another copy of the program must be purchased.  Your company name appears on all output.  The program is therefore worthless to a thief, but should be insured anyway.  A consequence is that if the company name changes, the program must be re-licensed (for which there is a nominal charge).

The HotPlot Add-On for Windows

dotPLOT runs on DOS (or a DOS window in Windows):  Users who are more familiar with Windows may find the DOS interface primitive, so Software Africa has developed a Windows front-end for dotPLOT, known as HotPlot.  This program provides you with a Windows interface that runs dotPLOT for you, for a more friendly visual user experience.  It also has a text file editor with spelling checker, a SET file editor, and easy installation of the combined dotPLOT/HotPlot package.

The program produces output in any of several file formats.  In the case of PDF output, it lets you preview or print the file immediately via the Adobe Reader (if installed). HotPlot  includes a text file editor specially designed for dotPLOT, supporting the special symbols that dotPLOT uses.

HotPlot allows access to all the main features of dotPLOT, including editing SET files.  It also includes a HTML Help file with all the information you need to get productive on dotPLOT.  HotPlot is supplied in a combined package with dotPLOT and will install dotPLOT for you.

For more information on HotPlot, click here (new page).

More Information

If you would like us to contact you about dotPLOT, please click here, add your contact details, and send the resulting email.
Alternatively telephone Software Africa from South Africa on 011 802-2685 / 6440, or dial internationally: +27 11 802-2685.

Downloads

Except for the HotPlot Help File, these are all PDF files: You need Adobe Reader to be able to read or print them.
All but the Tutor form part of the install package.  To download, click on the hyperlink and then choose "Save" in the pop-up window:

• dotPLOT Examples (426 KB): 14 pages of examples of dotPLOT output.
• dotPLOT Tutor (4 MB): 47-page Tutorial with extensive examples and exercises, not updated for dot6000 features yet.
• dotPLOT Symbols (198 KB): Chapter 8 Examples from the User Manual (soil and rock symbols).  This file is included in the dotPLOT install package.
• dotPLOT User Manual (697 KB): Detailed 78-page User Manual for dot6008, dot7003 and HotPlot 3.4.0 with extensive Index.  Also included in the dotPLOT install packages.
• HotPlot Help File (1150 KB) in case you want to get an overview of HotPlot without installing it.

To download the latest version of dotPLOT (it will run as a Demo until licensed) click here (new page)

Dealers who give us a lead (which we then close, bill, and are paid for) can get a referral commission of 10% of the above retail price.  Dealers who resell (a completed sale, which they have closed and bill to the customer) can get a discount of 20% of the retail price, provided they are not quoting in competition with Software Africa and the customer is still being charged full retail price.

Government and para-statal organisations and others wanting payment terms, BEE Certificates, bank-certified bank statements, and similar nonsense will be referred to an authorised reseller where they will be charged a 10% premium on the above prices.

An Educational License for dotPLOT is available free of charge to registered educational institutions only.  The banner "DEMO" appears across the printout, but unlike the regular Demo version it does not darken with age.  If you want a license, Contact us.

Prices in South African Rand (ZAR) are valid for Africa only.  Elsewhere, US$ prices apply.
South African purchasers: Please add 14% VAT.
Purchasers in the rest of the world: Please make sure that you have covered all bank charges.
Downloads are free and generally all you need.  (Optional) deliveries of dongles and software are subject to courier charges.

Prices are subject to change without notice. E&OE.

For a list of the latest changes to both programs, click here to see What's New in dotPLOT and HotPlot.

Internationale Notas

HotPlot (the Windows interface) is currently available in English.  The dotPLOT program can produce profiles and logs, accept input, and communicate with the user in eight languages: English, Afrikaans, Portuguese, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Slovenian.  Other languages and symbol sets can be added with the assistance of the user.

This makes it suitable for Albania, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and probably elsewhere.

You can buy or license all kinds of personal computer programs directly from Software Africa.  Click here for a list of programs available, or e-mail us your questions. If none of this software suits your needs, look at our References and the Free Stuff.  We can write similar bespoke programs for you!

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