The new features of LYNX Version 4.8 are summarized below. The new version also includes problem fixes and enhancements resulting from user feedback on earlier releases of LYNX 4. For reference purposes, the features of LYNX Version 4.6 release are also included at the end of this document.
Don't worry if you didn't receive a copy of LYNX Version 4.7 - Version 4.7 was not made available for general release.
The most significant changes are:
LYNX Version 4.8 replaces all previous versions of LYNX.
All major applications now have a Save Parameters pushbutton to allow you to save the current form's parameters. These parameters are automatically loaded the next time the form is opened.
All major applications are now run as a background process - freeing-up the main interface so that you can continue with other work. Any form that has the Save Parameters pushbutton will run as a background process when you click OK. Any application that is executed as a background process can also be run as a Batch Process so you can schedule several applications to run at once.
The generic graphics function menu now includes a viewplane pan function for interactive XY shift of the viewplane.
Escape can now be used with the graphics functions Zoom Fix, Zoom Free, Pan, X-Section, Y-Section, T-Section and Vector. Escape can be used to exit the function at any time.
New functionality is added to the Background: Volume Data Display function to allow Color Map fill display of intersected components. Fill color is dependent on the value of estimated variable values associated with the selected volume data.
More flexibility in map data display. You can now select different display parameters for each map to be displayed, or choose to view the same map in different formats.
Project Create has been enhanced to allow you to create a new project based on the project definition of an existing project. This saves you having to retype lengthy project definitions.
A new project copy application has been added to allow you to copy an entire project.
Batch Processing, accessible under the File Manager, allows you to sequence a set of previously saved parameter files and execute them in background. This allows you to execute a sequence of repetitive tasks, such as importing hole data and re-running 3D grid estimates, as a single background process.
Enhancements to the Feature Attributes Table ensure that any new features added to the LYNX FAT are automatically added to existing Project FAT's, and these are subsequently added to existing map FAT's. This ensures that projects and maps are always have up-to-date Feature Attribute Tables.
Function Calculate has been made into a separate function under the Project menu. Function Calculate allows you to select individual hole data subsets or maps to be recalculated with the revised project functions. Previously Lynx would calculate all hole data subsets if project functions were changed.
The TIN Volume Intersection application allows intersection of map TIN surfaces with Volume data, allocating the volume color codes to the intersected TIN. Additional triangles are added as necessary, for example at volume component boundaries.
The Map Data Export application now allows export of multiple maps, similar to Map Data Import.
The original triangulation algorithm within TIN Define has been replaced with a fast, large capacity algorithm which significantly enhances the efficiency of the application. Features of the new algorithm include -
The TIN Define application is also enhanced with a new Create Map function that allows you to store the results of triangulation in a new map and maintain the integrity of the source map data.
Volume data selection functionality now incorporates * pushbuttons for instant wildcard definition of selection fields.
All of the Volumetrics Analysis applications, Simple Volumetrics and Estimation Volumetrics, are re-engineered with the new Motif interface. Volumetrics Analysis is accessible under the Analysis menu. These replace the Volumetrics options - Component Volume Analysis, Intersection Volume Analysis, Geological/Variable Analysis and Engineering/Variable Analysis - previously available under the Version 3 user interface.
Direct Estimation Analysis is a new geostatistical application for estimation and reporting of variable values for irregular volumes and volumes of intersection. It allows direct estimation of variables for realistic geological shapes and practical excavation shapes, and eliminates the requirement for intermediate estimation and volumetrics analysis based on a 3D grid data structure. Direct Estimation Analysis is particularly appropriate to estimation of average variable values within excavation volumes and has primary application to mine planning and grade control.
Direct Volume Estimation is a new geostatistical application for estimation of variable values for irregular volumes. It allows direct estimation of variables for realistic geological shapes and eliminates the requirement for intermediate estimation and volumetrics analysis based on a 3D grid data structure. The variable values are estimated directly for each component referenced by a volume data selection and stored with the components in the active volume data structure. The variable values can be displayed using Background Volume Data display. Direct Volume Estimation is particularly appropriate to estimation of variables for thin seam geological structures.
New volume analyze functions are implemented within the Volume Design applications for Surface and Underground Engineering. The Analyze functions allow either Simple Volumetrics and Estimation Volumes on the active component. These functions enhance the excavation design, planning and grade control processes.
New options to set undefined volume intersections to a specific code and an option to initialize previously estimated variables. 3D Grid Geology Intersection also allows you to intersect several Volume Data files at one time.
A new application to allow you to enter or edit the semi-variogram model parameters, without working through the semi-variogram data analysis application. This allows you to either edit existing parameters or enter parameters derived form an external system.
3D Grid Manipulate is re-engineered with the Motif interface. In addition, Manipulate has been enhanced to allow you to save the manipulation parameters, including the audit trail, so that they can be executed in background at a later time. 3D Grid Manipulate has also been enhanced to allow storage to the Volumes variable.
3D Grid Volume Weighted Average is re-engineered with the Motif interface. Volume Weighted Average averages variable values and saves them as code 0 in the 3D Grid variable data structure.
The Underground: Survey Volumes application has been completely re-engineered and implemented with the new Motif interface. Enhancements include the following -
A detailed hole data report of any hole included in background data can be generated by setting <Ctrl+R> and then clicking on the hole collar in the viewport.
Background map surface intersections now work with either TIN or contour surfaces depending on the contents of each map.
The original two component interpolation functionality is complemented by new interactive 3D linking and interpolation that works with multiple components. The new functionality dramatically reduces the time required for 3D modeling operations.
The duplicate point removal algorithm in the Map TIN Define application has been replaced with a faster and more efficient algorithm.
The Data Analysis: Cross-Validation application for verification of semi-variogram models is now available in the new Motif GUI format. The application is fully compatible with all of the existing LYNX 4 Data Analysis GSLIB functionality (Geostatistical Software Library from Stanford University). It also allows creation of parameter files for the Geostatistical Estimation applications.
Note: LYNX 4 geostatistical data (*.dat) and parameter (*.par) files are incompatible with LYNX 3 and vice versa. |
To enhance LYNX compatibility with external applications, the maximum allowable number of points in a volume component boundary is increased to 2000.
3D grid data structure limits XYZ limits are increased to 200x500x200 for all applications.
The 3D Grid Geology intersection application for intersecting a 3D grid with a volume data representation of geology is now available in the new Motif GUI format.
The 3D Grid Estimation Parameters application for creating and editing geostatistics estimation parameter (*.par) files is now available in the new Motif GUI format. This application has been completely re-engineered and fully integrated with GSLIB (Geostatistical Software Library from Stanford University). The application allows both geological and variable control; linear and quadratic trends; log, indicator, and normal scores transforms; simple and ordinary point and volume kriging and inverse distance estimation; spherical, exponential, gaussian and power multi-component and multi-directional semi-variogram models. The application also provides improved reporting and auditing functionality.
Note: LYNX 4 geostatistical data (*.dat) and parameter (*.par) files are incompatible with LYNX 3 and vice versa. |
The 3D Grid Estimation application for estimation of grid variables is now available in the new Motif GUI format. This application has been completely re-engineered and fully integrated with GSLIB (Geostatistical Software Library from Stanford University). The application provides enhanced flexibility with respect to assigning estimation parameters for grid variables and volume codes, enhanced control of the estimation process, and multiple variable/code estimations in a single execution. The application also provides improved data retention, reporting and auditing functionality, and significant increases in processing efficiency.
The Net Value Generation application for calculation of $Equivalent and Net Value grid variables and generation of files for pit optimization is now available in the new Motif GUI format. Net Value Generation has been re-engineered and combined with (optional) Reformat functionality for pit optimization for more efficient application. An option for incrementally increasing excavation cost with depth has been added. The application now works with TIN surfaces instead of LYNX 3 gridded surfaces. It also provides improved reporting, auditing and data retention functionality.
The Pit Optimization applications for optimization parameters, pit optimization, reserves reporting and creation of excavation surfaces are now available in the new Motif GUI format. These applications have been significantly re-engineered for more efficient application, particularly with respect to incremental pit generation, and their capacity has been increased to match the new 200x500x200 3D grid capacity. The results of pit optimization can now be stored as maps (with optional TIN surface generation) instead of LYNX 3 gridded surfaces. They also provide improved reporting, auditing and data retention functionality.
Enhancements to the LYNX 3 Ring Drill Design application include: a new Offset function for inclined blast holes; a new Free Hole function for exploration applications; allowance for blast hole packing lengths in addition to charging and stemming lengths, with a new Edit Charge function for interactive editing of blast hole charging lengths; new reporting functionality for number of rods and charging stemming and packing lengths.