Friday, December 04, 2020

GTWeb Server version 12.0.0.10 is Available

  



GTWeb Server version 12.0.0.10 is available.  

The biggest new feature is support for a Default Project.

GTWeb for Android (ver 3.0.7) now supports "Locate X/Y" and "Locate Latitude/Longitude".  GTWeb for iOS will support it later.


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12.00.00.10 - 12/03/20
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- NEW - #8181 – The Admin/GetProjectStatus.aspx page has been added to give an overview of all projects.

- FIX - #8182 – map.aspx and queryresults.aspx were giving extra character after the end token.

- FIX - #8183 – If map.aspx is given an invalid category or offset value for Mode 3, it will now give an error message instead of crashing.

- NEW - #8184 – Support for a default Project if the specified project in a Custom URL is not defined.

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

GTWeb version 12.0.0.8 and GTWeb Clients version 3 are Available

 



GTWeb Server version 12.0.0.8 is available.  This version of GTWeb Server supports Map Services for background imagery and locate queries (with a subscription from Google, Bing, or Here).  Project Groups and PROJ4 coordinate projection specifications are supported (so it will use the same specifications as GTViewer).  There were many simplifications to the required setup to make it easier to configure and use as well.

The GTWeb Clients (Browser, iOS, and Android)  have all been updated.  The Version 3.0 clients support all of the new features in the new GTWeb Server plus various other fixes and enhancements and synchronizations. The updated iOS and Android clients are available on the App Store and Google Play.  The updated Browser client is part of the new GTWeb Server.

The new clients will work with an older server, and older clients will work with a newer server.  But the new functionality will only be available when you have a new client and a new server.


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12.00.00.08 - 10/08/20
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- FIX - Server - #8172 – The Coordinate Projection token "ProjectionParameters" wasn't being recognized (only "Custom")

- FIX - GTWeb Browser - #8173 - The Query button on the map toolbar would not dismiss the preset list (if active).

- FIX - GTWeb Browser - #8174 - Fixes to favicon.ico for dark mode browsers.

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12.00.00.07 - 9/16/20
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- FIX - #8162 - The JpgCompression web.config App Setting was not spelled correctly.

- FIX - #8162 - The Here.Com Raster cache was not correctly flushing files when a session ended.

- NEW - #8163 - Two new App Settings in the web.config have been added: HereComMaxRequestsBeforePurge  and HereComSessionCacheSize.

- CHG - #8163 - The default Session Timeout in the web.config changed to 5 minutes (from 20).

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12.00.00.06 - 7/27/20
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- CHG - #8156 - The default WAI_Mode has changed from 0 to 1.  It can still be set to 0 in the GTWebService.gtm file.

- FIX - #8158 - Modification to the Server so that older clients will still be able to connect and not show functionality that they won't support (Map Service Imagery and Address Query).

- NEW - #8157 - Help and Privacy Policy links added to Login Page.  Privacy Policy link also added to the Map's Info display.

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12.00.00.05 - 6/16/20
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- NEW - #8111 - The BackgroundColor property was added to the GetProjectProperty call.

- NEW - #8112 - All properties defined in GTWeb Server Manager section of the GTWebService.gtm are now accessible via the GetServerProperty API call.

- CHG - #8113 - The Temporary .BMP files in the cache directory are now deleted immediately.

- NEW - #8114 - Support for Here.Com, Bing Maps, and Google Maps as raster backdrops.

- NEW - #8115 - Support for HLPNT option to draw marker points with Raster Creation options. It is used to show location for Map Service Locates.

- CHG - #8116 - Coordinate Projection system changed to use a different library (using PROJ4) and also to use entries in GTM file used by GTViewer.  Franson entries are no longer supported.

- CHG - #8117 - Logfile Directory will search for a logfiles directory in the base path if not specified. CacheDir will search for a cache directory in the base path if not specified. This means less specific info in the GTWebService.gtm.

- FIX - #8118 - The GetServerProperty "DefaultZoomLevel" was always returning 0.

- NEW - #8124 - An additional Description entry (Description2) added to Project definition sections in the GTWebService.gtm. Original description entry can also be specified as Description1 (as well as Description).

- NEW - #8125 - A new Recycle Log File API call will now return the name of the old logfile. The RecycleLogfile.aspx will now show the closed logfile using this update.

- NEW - #8126 - ResetServer.aspx, RecycleLogfile.aspx, GetServerVersion.aspx were upgraded.

- CHG - #8127 - The ProjectId property in the Project sections of the GTWebService.gtm is no longer used.  It was not used by GTWeb Service anyway (since .GTW files were deprecated).

- FIX - Browser Client  - #8119 - Fix to confirmation message when canceling Favorite edit.

- NEW - Browser Client  - #8120 - Support for Raster Types if a Map Service is supported.

- NEW - Browser Client  - #8121 - Support for Map Service Address Query.

- NEW - Browser Client  - #8122 - Updates to Attribute and  Menu styles.


Wednesday, September 16, 2020

How to Omit Table Attributes with GTech Loader

 With GTech Loader version 10.0.0.64, you can specify a list of attributes to omit from a Table export. 

On the Tabular Setup form, select a Table in the Selected Tables list and use the Edit button to bring up the Table Edit form:



A new property called Omit Attributes has been added to the form.  You can specify a comma-separated list of Attribute names here, and if any of the Table's default attributes match one in this list, it will be omitted from the tabular export.   

Often, the standard GTech attributes are not needed by the users and can be eliminated.  For example, G3E_ID, G3E_CID, G3E_FNO, and G3E_CNO are usually good candidates (only G3E_FID is required).  You may have apps that need the other attributes too, so make sure they are really something you can live without before omitting them.  You are not limited to the GTech attributes either.  Any Attributes that are not useful to the user can be removed and shrink the size of the exported data.

Also, if you specify an attribute to omit and it isn't in the Table, that doesn't cause a problem. The omit attribute will just be ignored.

You can specify Omit Attributes for each individual Table, but you can also apply an Omit Attribute List to all checked Tables in the Selected Table List.  Press the Apply to Selected Button.  


You will then be presented with the Apply to Selected Tables form:


Currently, the Omit Attributes property is the only property supported, so you can specify the value (attributes to omit), and press the Apply button.  The Clear button will reset all of the checked Tables in the Selected Table List.

The Table Selection form will show all of the current properties for each Selected Table, just need to enlarge the form or scroll over to the right.


In this example, several of the Tables show the Omit Attributes set to G3E_ID.










Tuesday, September 15, 2020

GTech Loader version 10.0.0.64 is Available





















GTech Loader version 10.0.0.64

It's been a while since I've posted anything for GTech Loader.  This is a big catchup post.   The last official version was 10.0.0.46 with many updates after it.   So, why the big jump from .46 to .64?  The addition of GTech Dimension element support. There were other new features and fixes beyond Dimension Elements though.

Here's a quick summary:

  • Dimension elements: Simple, Orthogonal, and Polar.   If someone has Radius-of-Two Points dimension elements in their data, let me know, I can probably support them too.
  • The ability to Omit Attributes from exported Tables.  You can specify a list of attributes to omit from a table without having to specify an Alternate SQL statement, and you can apply an omit list to all tables.  Great for reducing your data size.
  • Internal support for Point Thinning has been added (for Linestring and Polygon elements with more than the maximum number of points for a GTViewer element). You can enable thinning at the feature level.  If you have needed this in the past, this is a very helpful addition.
  • Enhancements were made to the Global Properties feature (where you can apply feature level settings to an entire Category or Feature Group). It now includes Style Expressions, Group Expressions, and Point Thinning in addition to Filter Expressions and Record Filter Expressions.
  • Several fixes to better support HI_DPI and LOW_DPI screens.
  • Support for GTech LTT_USER Configuration settings and Metadata Language (LCID).
  • Many fixes for Foreign Language Characters.




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10.00.00.64 - 9/14/20
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- FIX - #8158 - The Point Thinning Check Box was removed from the Category dialog since it was moved to the feature level.

- NEW - #8159 - Omit Attribute property added to Table Export Definition form.

- FIX - #8160 - If a SQL Attribute Clause was provided, it was still adding the individual attributes for the table.  This has been corrected to use the Attribute Clause only if it is provided.

- NEW - #8161 - Apply to Selected button added to the Table Definition page to apply Omit Attributes to all selected tables.

- NEW - #8161 - Additional Status information is shown while processing. Feature/Table of total Features/Tables.

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10.00.00.62 - 7/24/20
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- FIX - #8153 - Orthogonal Dimensions with one dim line, but using second Dim text was incorrectly using the Dim Seg Id for the first Text.

- FIX - #8154 - The Angle Text for Polar Coordinates was using Dim Seg 7 instead of 
                Dim Seg 8.

- FIX - #8155 - If a Dim Text has a value of 0, it will now be considered null.

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10.00.00.59 - 5/13/20
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- FIX - #8110 - The Polar Dimension elements were not supporting the Start Point and End Point geometries.

-----------
10.00.00.58 - 5/12/20
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- FIX - #8107 - If a Dimension Element did not have enough points in the geometry or if the first 2 points are identical, it will now skip the element.

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10.00.00.57 - 4/20/20
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- NEW - #8106 - The Debug Logging added the FID attribute to the individual element logging for Detailed Graphics logging mode.

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10.00.00.56 - 4/17/20
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- FIX - #8105 - Polar Dimensions were incorrectly getting rejected.

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10.00.00.55 - 4/8/20
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- FIX - #8102 - It was possible for the first dimension element for each dimension feature to be exported incorrectly.

- NEW - #8103 - Minimal Support for Polar Dimensions.

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10.00.00.54 - 4/6/20
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- FIX - #8100 - Dimension Base Line was getting incorrect Style assigned.

- FIX - #8101 - Dimension Line Extensions were always getting the Dim Line 1 Style even when Dim 2.

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10.00.00.53 - 4/3/20
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- NEW - #8099 - New support for Small Dimensions.

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10.00.00.52 - 3/26/20
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- NEW - #8098 - Upgraded Dimension Support added (Simple/Orthogonal).

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10.00.00.51 - 3/13/20
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- NEW - #8091 - Option to Thin Points in Oversized Elements added to Category Setup.

- NEW - #8097 - The Global Properties dialog now supports Style Expression, Group Expression, and Point Thinning.

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10.00.00.50 - 2/11/20
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- FIX - #8085 - The Tabular Setup dialog was not scaling properly for low-DPI displays.

- FIX - #8086 - The Features listview did not show Min and Max Thresholds correctly.

-----------
10.00.00.49 - 12/09/19
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- CHG - #8074 - If the next available filter id for a category is greater than the maximum filter id value, then it will search for an unused filter id with a lower value.

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10.00.00.48 - 12/21/18
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- NEW - #8028 - Style Expression added to Feature Properties to override computed style.

- FIX - #8029 - Some dimension element did not define g3e_dimTextOffsetYField1 and g3e_dimTextOffsetYField2.  These are now ignored.

- FIX - #8030 - The Command-line version always applied the command-line configuration name.  If it was not provided, it would always set it to blank even if it was defined in the .ini file.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Update from GTI


I've done a poor job of keeping the GTViewer Blog up-to-date, so I hope this post makes up for what you've been missing. My lack of communication isn’t a sign that nothing is going on, quite the contrary. Here is latest on what’s been up at GTI :


GTViewer for iOS/Android version 5.0

We launched GTViewer for iOS and Android over 7 years ago, and we're now on the fifth major version.  
  • Updated to use the new Enhanced Security Mode in GTViewer Data Server version 5.0.
  • New Redlining Drawing commands: ShapeLinestringDimensionLeader Line, and Symbol.
  • You can now use predefined symbols to use as redlines (similar to the Symbol Palette feature in GTViewer for Windows).
  • Redline Text now supports multi-line text and can be rotated (as well as scaled and moved). You can now edit Text as well.
  • New Redline Edits are available for all element types (move, scale, rotate).
  • A new Display Manager is available (in iOS only for the moment, but coming soon to Android). Besides the Preset List, a Category List allows you to toggle individual GTViewer Categories on or off.
  • More Detail File Support added. The Detail URL feature has been enhanced to match GTViewer for Windows. Support for a Detail View was also added (with a back button to return to the Geo View).
  • GUI enhancements include the user’s ability to rearrange the Project List, and Tablet versions show status bar text you can set to show the number of elements displayed or the Zoom Level. There was also a reorganization of the Map Page’s Menu to group items together (View, Raster, Data Collection, Session Graphics). The menu had grown so large it was difficult to find something without a lot of scrolling.
  • Support for a Bing Address Query with auto-suggestions was added (requires a paid subscription from Microsoft). We may support more Services (like Google and Here) for address queries in the future if there is a demand.
  • GTViewer for iOS/Android has been localized for German.  If you are willing to help with the translation, we will add more language localizations.

There are several new features planned for future versions:
  • Thematic Query support.
  • Customizable Symbols for the Data Collection Markers (beyond Arrow, Box, Circle).
  • Spatial Index for Data Collection records and Redlines (so the apps can handle unlimited numbers of each).
  • Continued expansion of the Data Collection/Web App interface to make creating more complicated applications easier.


GTViewer Data Server version 5.0.0.6

We're now on the fifth major version of the GTViewer Data Server
  • A brand-new Enhanced Security Mode is now available. While SSL (HTTPS) is still strongly recommended, the Enhanced Security mode should protect all of your data and credentials without it. There is also a new ZIP password scheme for the data files on the server, and it is significantly more difficult to crack the passwords. There are also new features allowing the GTViewer data to be stored outside the IIS data structure on the server and the ZIP mime type can be removed to prevent any direct downloading of the data files.
  • The Web Service interface to the GTViewer Data Server continues to grow by providing more methods and better security.
  • The GTDSAdmin.exe utility (a command-line tool using the Web Service to interface with the GTViewer Data Server) can now support full data management workflows. The goal for it was to do everything GTShareViewer could do (and more) from a script.
  • GTShareViewer has been upgraded to support the Enhanced Security mode. It also received a significant performance enhancement when dealing with large numbers of records. You can now export both Data Collection and Redline records to a GTG File, and you can import CSV files into a Project (as Proposed Records, for example). The long-term goal is for it to use the Web Service to interface with the GTViewer Data Server, but that will not affect the functionality of the app.
  • The GTViewer Data Client (Windows app) has been updated to use the new Security mode and several minor enhancements and fixes.
  • Everything (Server and Client) has been updated to use .NET Framework 4.8.
  • The GTViewer Data Server Box has also been updated. It is a self-contained, battery-powered box capable of distributing data to GTViewer for iOS/Android via WIFI. You can use it as a backup for when your server cannot be reached in emergency situations.

GTWeb Server version 12.0.0.6

It has been several years since we’ve had a major upgrade to GTWeb Server, but version 12 is currently in beta and provides several new features customers have been requesting.
  • The biggest enhancement is support for three different Map Services (Google, Bing, and Here) to use as a source for Background Imagery. Previously, the only supported background imagery was from the GTViewer data (in the form of ECW and/or MrSID files). Using a Map Service requires a paid subscription, but it is now an option when you don’t have imagery to use.
  • You can also use the three Map Services (Google, Bing, and Here) for an Address Locate Query. Using the address lookup service also requires a paid subscription (and it may be a separate fee from the Map Imagery subscription), but it can provide you with a very flexible Address Locate when your data does not support it.
  • The GPSRange entry in the GTWebService.gtm will now default to the GTViewer Data’s range.
  • A second Project Description property (Description2) is now supported to show additional information in the Info pop-up on the Map Page. You can use it for Dates, data version information, or other supplemental information that is not part of the Project Description.
  • GTWeb Server allows you to provide your own Privacy Policy accessible in GTWeb Client under the Menu on the Login Page and from the Map Page’s Info pop-up. You can provide your own Privacy Policy information if your data is accessible to the public.
  • The JPG Image Compression rate for the map images sent to the GTWeb Clients is now configurable.
  • The Coordinate System Library used by GTWeb Server has been upgraded to use the same Coordinate System definitions (CoordSys and CoordSysParm1) used by GTViewer. You no longer need 2 sets of definitions to specify the coordinate system for GTWeb.
  • Many of the Configuration parameters in the GTWebService.gtm file will now default to simplify the setup (like ServerName, LogfileDir, CacheDir, VirtualDirectory).
  • The GTWeb Browser Client (version 3.0) had an upgrade to give it a fresher look and to support the new Map Service functionality (background imagery and address query). It also supports a new feature called Project Groups which allows the Project Selection List to use a hierarchy of items to better manage many data Projects.
  • The GTWeb for Android client app (version 3.0) has been upgraded to support the Map Service and Project Group functionality and many other minor enhancements and fixes. Not available on Google Play yet, but is available for testing.
  • The GTWeb for iOS client app is still in development but will be available soon. The current version will still support the new GTWeb Server, but it will not provide access to the new functionality.
  • GTWeb Server has been upgraded to .NET Framework 4.8.

GTech Loader version 10.0.0.62

The GTech Loader has had many enhancements in the last couple of years to provide even better support for the export of GTech data. Most of the enhancements in the last several iterations deal with supporting GTech Dimension Elements. In 2017, version 10.0.0.37 added basic support for Simple and Orthogonal dimensions. It was probably only about 5% to 10% of the dimension element functionality for those two types, but it conveyed the basic information. Since February, we have had a major effort to increase support for these elements, and after 5 months (of me mostly pulling my hair out) and with the gracious help of Hexagon Germany, the dimension element support has jumped up to 80-90% or more for Simple, Orthogonal, and Polar Dimension elements. We can probably support Radius-of-Two Points dimensions too if we can find anyone who actually uses them. There were several other enhancements as well:
  • Internal support for Point Thinning has been added (for Linestring and Polygon elements with more than the maximum number of points for a GTViewer element). You can enable thinning at the feature level.
  • Enhancements were made to the Global Properties feature (where you can apply feature level settings to an entire Category or Feature Group). It now includes Style Expressions, Group Expressions, and Point Thinning in addition to Filter Expressions and Record Filter Expressions.
  • Several fixes to better support HI_DPI and LOW_DPI screens.
  • Support for GTech LTT_USER Configuration settings and Metadata Language (LCID).
  • Many fixes for Foreign Language Characters.

GTViewer for Windows version 15.0.0.20

GTViewer for Windows is 20 years old this summer (Wow! What a ride!). A lot of customers are still running version 14 (and some are on version 11). It’s time to upgrade.

There have been a few fixes to GTViewer for Windows and a few enhancements in the last year. Most of this work was focused on packaging and Add-On app updates.
  • A new Installation has been created to be more Windows 10 friendly (at the expense of not supporting some older versions of Windows). This new setup is available for testing, but not officially released.
  • A new GTViewer Add-On Pack is available for testing. It includes many updates and fixes and has been repackaged in a new installer.
  • GetImagery – updated to support Google, Bing, and Here Map Services for Address Query and Background Imagery (similar to what the new GTWeb and GTViewer for iOS/Android support). It still requires a paid subscription but has been significantly improved.
  • Minor fixes and updates to the rest of the Add-On Apps: Dynamic Graphics Interface, Import Data, Preset Builder, Query Builder, Tooltip Builder, Search Redlines, Find Feature, and Show Google Maps.

There are many plans in store for GTViewer for Windows:
  • Update the Coordinate System functionality to use a newer PROJ4 Library. This shouldn’t change anything from the user’s perspective, but it will get a more current implementation of PROJ4 into the app.
  • Update the Raster Backdrop Libraries (ECW, MrSID). Long overdue and also difficult.
  • Try to integrate the GetImagery Add-On App’s functionality into GTViewer.
  • Try to integrate the Redline Sharing Add-On App’s functionality into GTViewer so it can share with GTViewer for iOS/Android natively without an Add-On App.
  • Drop out some unused functionality.
  • Jump all the way up to the latest Visual Studio. It is several versions behind.

GTData version is 15.0.0.4

GTData has grown so large that some lesser-used tools have been removed from the main installation. The smaller installation is called GTData Core to differentiate the two setups. Also, GTData Core is just a set of files instead of a full installation (this simplifies the process of getting the updated files to where you need them).
  • The most notable update for 15.0.0.4 is a better GTIndex. It should produce a slightly better spatial index than it did before and possibly run a little faster (depending on your data). You should get up to date on just this one utility if nothing else.
  • Many minor fixes/enhancements to the tools: GTPreset, GTFont, GTIndex, GTStyleMgr.

There also some tools not delivered with GTData yet, but are available now.
  • GTExtractFiles is like GTExtract, but it generates the component files and not a GTX file, so the extract can be used with GTViewer Data Server and GTViewer for iOS/Android. It can extract by polygon (as well as range) and can search for the polygon in a GTG file based on its key. Other new options were added as well.
  • The GTReproject tool can reproject the graphics in a GTG file using PROJ4 Coordinate System strings as input and output parameters. There are some limitations, but it can reproject between many coordinate systems.

FME Reader/Writer Plugin version 5.0.0.1

This version of the plugin was compiled for FME 2019 (32 and 64 bit), but it will work with current FME versions. Each new version of FME used to require a new build of the plugin, but that has not been required for a while.
  • Version 5.0.0.1 is newer than the one delivered with FME, and you can download and upgrade your FME with it.
  • A version compiled specifically for FME 2020 is in the pipeline. Unless there are requests for new functionality, we will maintain the current functionality as long as needed.



Let us know what you are interested in for future versions.