Thursday, September 30, 2021

GTViewer for iOS/Android Update

 


GTViewer for iOS (version 5.47.6) and GTViewer for Android (version 5.32) have several new features:

  • The Data Collection functionality now supports customizable symbology for its markers.    Previously, the only markers were an Arrowhead, Circle, or Square.  You can now specify a Symbol of your choosing as well as its size, color, and justification using the Data Collection State Definitions.   
  • The Data Collection State Definitions have been expanded to allow a different set of definitions per Data Collection form.  You can still use a default set of state definitions for all forms that do not have a specific set defined.
  • The ability to associate Data Collection information with Session Graphics (redlines) is now available.  The original Data Collection functionality uses its own point (selected by the user or derived from a selected Feature) to position a dynamic marker on the map.  The new Session Graphics Data Collection uses a redline as the marker and provides two new workflow options for capturing data:
    1. Attach a Data Collection record to an existing redline (using the same style of forms used with the original Data Collection to enter the information).

    2. Start from a feature in the map and fill in the data collection form. A new redline copy of the selected feature is generated with the captured data attached.  The redline can be moved and edited just like any other redline.


Session Graphics Data Collection Example:

- Draw any Redline (freehand circle below):




- Select the Redline:


- Press the Data Collection button to activate the Data Collection form.  Forms can be associated with one or more redlines types (line, shape, circle, text, dimension, leader line, symbol, or a specific symbol). You can also have more than one form to choose from.



- Once the collected data is saved, the Data Collection State rules apply to the redline for Color and style.  It can be synced with the GTViewer Data Server, and reviewed like any other feature:


Wednesday, September 29, 2021

GTWeb for iOS is 10 Years Old!

    



GTWeb for iOS was released in September 2011, a few months after GTWeb for Android.  So GTI's first products on iOS and Android are both 10 years.

GTWeb has changed more than any other GTI product over its lifetime. The rapidly evolving nature of the internet (since the early 2000s) has driven GTWeb to reinvent itself several times.  Starting with an ActiveX client (closely related to GTVx), the GTWeb Server cut out elements for the user's view and let the client do all the rendering. When ActiveX controls were no longer allowed in browsers, the Server rendered raster tiles for the client to display in an HTML wrapper.  Then the rise of Apple and Android made Apps the way to provide the best client experience on phones and tablets. Ten years later, this is still true.   

In memoriam, GTWeb for BlackBerry and GTWeb for Windows Phone were discontinued when their platforms ceased to exist.

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

GTStyleDiff Utility added to GTData

A new utility called GTStyleDiff has been added to GTData.  

This new tool allows you to take a Style Definition File (style.def), compare it to another Style Definition File, and then produce a list of styles added and any property changes made to existing styles.  This list of changes is usually saved in a file called style_update.def and is used with the GTStyleMgr tool to integrate any custom changes into a style.def.

Why is something like this needed?  The GTech Loader produces a fresh set of styles from the database for each export. If you kept track of all custom changes to the Style.def and maintained your own style_update.def file, then GTStyleDiff may not be of use to you.  If you use the Style Manager in GTViewer to interactively set the styles like you want and then export a new style.def, then it becomes tricky knowing what changed.  That is there the GTStyleDiff tool comes in handy.   It can create the style_update.def file for you and can be automatically applied to the style.def created by the GTech Loader exporter each time.

Thursday, August 12, 2021

GTViewer Data Server version 5.0.0.15 is Available

  


GTViewer Data Server version 5.0.0.15 is available. 

This is a minor update.  Basically the only new thing is that both GTShareViewer and GTVDSAdmin will support a TimeSpan(StartDate, EndDate) function that returns the number of days.

GTShareViewer also had a couple of minor tweaks since its major upgrade last time.   The version  number scheme for GTShare Viewer has also changed to make it easier to pair with GTViewer Data Server.  Instead of the 2.0.0.x scheme, it will now use a 5.0.0.x scheme and stay in sync with  GTViewer Data Server (or vice versa).



GTViewer Data Server

-----------
05.00.00.15 - 8/12/21
-----------

- NEW - #8244 - TimeSpan() function added to expressions.  Returns number of days between 2 data/time strings.



GTShareViewer

-----------
05.00.00.15 - 08/12/21
-----------

- CHG - #8241 - The Clear Filter button on the Query tab will no longer clear the Query Expression field.  It will just reset the display records to the full list.

- NEW - #8242 - TimeSpan() function added to expressions.  Returns number days between 2 data/time strings.

- CHG - #8243 - Version number changed to match GTViewer Data Server it goes with.

Friday, July 09, 2021

GTMetaExp version 2.0.0.16 is Available

 



GT/Metadata Explorer version 2.0.0.16 is available. 

Even though patches have been available, it's been a while since there has been an official release of the GTMetaExp.    This update includes a lot more than is listed as it was brought up to the latest development tools and libraries.   There are also two versions available, one for Oracle 12gR2 client and one for 19c.


-----------
02.00.00.16 - 7/9/21
-----------

- NEW - #8176 - Upgraded Connectivity and Ownership diagramming components to a newer version.

- NEW - #8177 - Added support for Composite LineStyle Styles on the Style tab.

- FIX - #8233 - The Usage Summary tool would have a problem if the table for a Feature did not exist in the database.  It will now just show an error.

- NEW - #8237 - Added support for Oracle 12gR2 and 19c.

- NEW - #8238 - Upgraded .NET Framework to 4.8.

Friday, June 25, 2021

GTViewer Data Server version 5.0.0.14

 


GTViewer Data Server version 5.0.0.7 is available. 

So...yeah...I forgot to post a bunch of releases for GTViewer Data Server (since 4.0.0.7).

Of importance, 5.0.0.14 is available with a new GTShareViewer which has a lot of new features and usability tweaks.


-----------
05.00.00.14 - 6/21/21
-----------

- NEW - #8222 - The WebAppCompact.aspx added to support GTShareViewer's new Server Side Compact.

- NEW - #8232 - Backend support for the new Export functionality (to match GTShareViewer via the web service and GTVDSAdmin).

-----------
05.00.00.08 - 2/16/21
-----------

- FIX - #8189 - The Color value for the XML export was not working correctly.  It was always red instead of the element's color.

- FIX - #8190 - The Default Size Values for the did not have a leading "0" which caused a problem in the GTech Redline importer.

- FIX - #8191 - The Font used by the XML export symbol defaulted to "Arial" for text and "Wingdings" for Symbols.  You can now override these default values by defining TTFont entries in the Project's info file.

- FIX - #8199 - XML Export now does a culture invariant export for all decimal values and increases numbers past the decimal point to 6.

- NEW - #8200 - XML Export now supports a "Configuration" parameter in the Project's info file.

- NEW - #8201 - More information added to XML comment header: project name, web app name, filter.

-----------
05.00.00.07 - 2/5/21
-----------

- FIX - #8180 - If a space appeared in the Project Info file between the Property name and the equal sign, it would not recognize the property name.

- FIX - #8186 - The GetFile logging and the GetFile entries in the main log file were too verbose, and the GetFile logfiles were always being generated. Both are now off by default.

- NEW - #8187 - 5.0.0.7 - GTVDSAdmin - The -exportXML mode has been added.

- CHG - #8188 - 5.0.0.7 - GTVDSAdmin - The Server URL, User, Password are no longer required to be present in the parameter file (they can be specified with command-line flags).

-----------
05.00.00.06 - 7/14/20
-----------

- FIX - #8134 - Redline delete Records were not always being processed (collapsed).

- NEW - #8137 - GetGtgFile method added to Web Service.

- NEW - #8142 - The RedlineProject property has been added to the Project Info file.

- FIX - #8143 - Fixed the problem with deleting Redlines with the Web Service.

- FIX - #8146 - All Web Service Parameters are Url Encoded.

- CHG - #8148 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.8

- NEW - #8149 - Web Service now has two named configurations: RegularEndPoint and SecureEndPoint.

- FIX - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.3 - #8132 - The GTG Export for Redlines was putting the first record's info on each record.

- FIX - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.3 - #8133 - GTShareViewer was parsing the X/Y attributes with decimal points incorrectly in other locales.

- FIX - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.3 - #8135 - Fixed a major slow down on the display of records in the listview if there were a lot of records.

- CHG - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.3 - #8139 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.8

- FIX - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.5 - #8141 - Deleting selected Redline records was not working.

- CHG - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.5 - #8144 - The Width of the Project and Web App combos was widened and the Drop Width was widened even more.

- FIX - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.5 - #8145 - The Import CSV will now prevent you from importing records for Projects of the Redline type (this isn't supported anyway).

- CHG - GTManifest - 2.0.0.5 - #8147 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.8

- CHG - GTViewer Data Client - 2.0.0.5 - #8062 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.8

- NEW - GTVDSAdmin - 1.0.0.1 - #8035 - Initial Version

- NEW - GTVDSAdmin - 1.0.0.2 - #8036 - Mode support in Parameter file.

- NEW - GTVDSAdmin - 1.0.0.2 - #8037 - Parameter File support for RestoreFile.

- FIX - GTVDSAdmin - 1.0.0.2 - #8038 - Various error and usage message updates.

- FIX - GTVDSAdmin - 1.0.0.3 - #8048 - Changes to the error messages to better indicate the the parameter file is empty.

- FIX - GTVDSAdmin - 1.0.0.3 - #8049 - Delivery now includes the .config file.

- CHG - GTVDSAdmin - 2.0.0.1 - #8063 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.6.2

- NEW - GTVDSAdmin - 2.0.0.3 - #8136 - Added Support for ExportGtg and ExportJson modes.

- NEW - GTVDSAdmin - 2.0.0.3 - #8138 - ExportCsv mode will now use the Optional Instructions entry.

- CHG - GTVDSAdmin - 2.0.0.3 - #8140 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.8

- NEW - GTVDSAdmin - 5.0.0.6 - #8151 - Supports the 2 named configuration of the Web Service and will switch between HTTP and HTTPS automatically based on the server URL.

- CHG - GTVDSAdmin - 5.0.0.6 - #8152 - Version number changed to match GTViewer Data Server it goes with.

-----------
05.00.00.02 - 11/05/19
-----------

- NEW - #8066 - The Enhanced Security Mode has been added including the HttpsOnly and AllowSavedPasswords settings.  It also uses token-based login.

- NEW - #8067 - The DataPath Property has been added to allow Project Directories to be located outside the IIS directory structure.

- NEW - #8068 - With Enhanced Security mode, the ZIP File MIME Type can be removed in IIS.

- NEW - #8069 - The Enhanced ZIP Password Scheme added to GTManifest is supported for Enhanced for Regular Security mode.

- NEW - #8070 - Usage Tracking has been implemented to track licensed user count.

- CHG - #8071 - The ResetServer.aspx has been replaced with the GTVDS_Reset.exe utility which requires a login that is part of the Admin group.

- NEW - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.1 - #8054 - If the Server URL is "http://localhost:", the "/GTViewer" suffix is not automatically appended.
- CHG - GTShareViewer - 2.0.0.1 - #8064 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.6.2

- CHG - GTManifest - 2.0.0.1 - #8060 - You can no longer have more than one .GTM file in a project source directory, and you cannot use "GTechData.gtm" as the .GTM file.

- CHG - GTManifest - 2.0.0.1 - #8061 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.6.2

- NEW - GTManifest - 2.0.0.1 - #8065 - Import and Export Configuration File buttons have been added to help create the configuration files for the command-line version.

- NEW - GTViewer Data Client - 2.0.0.1 - #8055 - Support for enhanced security

- CHG - GTViewer Data Client - 2.0.0.1 - #8056 - Changed from x86 to AnyCPU

- NEW - GTViewer Data Client - 2.0.0.1 - #8057 - Improved error messages if a download fails.

- FIX - GTViewer Data Client - 2.0.0.1 - #8058 - There was a problem with foreign characters in the Manifest files not getting encoded correctly.

- NEW - GTViewer Data Client - 2.0.0.1 - #8059 - Save Password setting and support for the Allow Save Password property from the server.

- CHG - GTViewer Data Client - 2.0.0.1 - #8062 - Updated to .NET Framework 4.6.2


GTech Loader version 10.0.0.66

 




















GTech Loader version 10.0.0.66


-----------
10.00.00.66 - 6/24/21
-----------

- FIX - #8235 - If a Style Expression is used, the Group Expression would be invalid if not defined causing the records to not be processed.

- FIX - #8236 - The GTI_StyleName token was not working when used with a Style Expression.

-----------
10.00.00.65 - 3/4/21
-----------

- FIX - #8207 - A problem with Oracle 19c was fixed where queries against a table with a large number of records had to be processed as "Read Committed".

- NEW - #8208 - More exceptions messages are provided in the log file.  Previously, these messages were not provided because they could fill up your disk.  They are now limited to 10 exception messages per feature in graphics export.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Documentation Reference

 There are many documents available for GTViewer and the GTViewer family of products. Most of them are delivered with the associated products, but there are also some that are more general in nature.  This is an updated version of a previous post to be more in line with the current documentation offerings.   All of the major documents are described below

General Documentation

GTVConfig.doc

  • Describes all of the entries in the .GTM file.
  • Defines the formats for data.tab, filter#.flt, style.map, style.map, and linestyle.def.
  • Delivered with GTViewer.

GTData.doc

  • Defines all data conversion and data manipulation utilities delivered with GTData.
  • Explains the process for converting ESRI Shapefile data and Intergraph FRAMME data.


GTViewer for Windows Documentation

GTViewer.doc

  • User’s Guide for GTViewer and includes using GTViewer and the Command-line interface.
  • Delivered with GTViewer.

Dynamic Graphics in GTViewer and GTVx.doc

  • Describes how to use the Dynamic Graphics Interface for GTViewer.
  • Delivered with GTViewer.

GTViewer-DotNet_Interface.doc

  • Programmer's Reference for developing an external application for GTViewer with Visual Studio .NET.
  • Delivered with GTViewer

GTV_SampleApp-Documentation.docx

  • A working example app to demonstrate how to develop apps for GTViewer on Windows using the C# and the .NET Interface.
  • Delivered on request.

GTVx.doc

  • Programmer’s Reference for GTVx and GTViewer.
  • Delivered with GTVx and GTViewer.

GTViewer-AddOnApps.doc

  • Describes each of the GTViewer for Windows Add-On Apps (Dynamic Graphics Interface, Query Builder, Tooltip Builder, Preset Builder, Search Redlines, Find Feature, Show Google Maps, Get Imagery, and Import Data).
  • Delivered with the Add-On App bundle.


GTViewer for iOS/Android Documentation

GTViewerDataServer.doc

  • Describes how to set up and configure the GTViewer Data Server to support GTViewer for iOS/Android.
  • Also includes documentation for GTManifest and the GTViewer Data Server Web Service.

GTViewer_CustomURL.doc

  • Describes the method for launching GTViewer or iOS/Android from other device applications.
  • Delivered on request.

GTViewer_DataCollection.doc

  • Describes how to create Data Collection apps for GTViewer for iOS/Android.
  • Delivered with GTViewer Data Server.

GTViewer_WebApp.doc

  • Describes how to create Web Apps on a server to use with GTViewer for iOS/Android.
  • Delivered with GTViewer Data Server.

GTVDSAdmin.doc

  • Describes how to use the GTVDSAdmin utility which is a command-line tool to access GTViewer Data Server’s collected data via a scriptable command-line tool.
  • Delivered with GTViewer Data Server.

GTViewerDataServer-Box.docx

  • Describes how to use and configure the GTViewer Data Server Box
  • Delivered with hardware.


GTWeb Documentation

GTWebServer.doc

  • User’s Guide for GTWeb Server (installation and configuration)
  • Programmer’s Reference for GTWeb Server.
  • Delivered with GTWeb Server.

GTWeb Server API.doc

  • Developer's reference for programming with the GTWeb Server
  • Delivered on request.


Data Export Documentation

GTechLoader.doc

  • User's Guide for the GTech Loader application.
  • Delivered with GTechLoader
GTechLoader-GettingStarted.doc
  • Getting started with GTech Loader using a generic template approach.
  • Delivered with GTechLoader.

OrclLoader.doc

  • User’s Guide for the Oracle Loader app to export data from Oracle Spatial Data to GTViewer.
  • Delivered with Orcl Loader.

FME_gti_gtviewer.doc

  • Describes the GTViewer Reader/Writer Plugin for FME.  Similar to what is delivered with FME, but as a Word document.
  • Delivered on request.


File Format Documentation

GTViewer_AsciiDBFormat.doc

  • Describes the format of the ASCII Data file (data.txt).
  • Delivered on request.

GTViewer_Ascii_Element_format.doc

  • Describes the ASCII format for GTViewer elements (used by session file, GTViewer Data Server, etc, gt2ascii, etc).
  • Delivered on request.

GTViewer-Linkages and Embedded Data.doc

  • Describes the Difference between Linked and Embedded Data in the GTViewer format.
  • Delivered on request.







Tuesday, March 02, 2021

GTViewer for Windows Update

 




The next major update for GTViewer for Windows will be Version 20.  What happened to versions 16 through 19, you might ask?  Version 20 is such a significant update, there needed to be a clear distinction between the old and the new, so jumping to 20 made a lot of sense.   There is no release date yet for version 20, but a great deal of work has already been done to get it ready. 

What makes Version 20 different?  The development platform has been upgraded to the latest Visual Studio and all of the libraries used by GTViewer have been upgraded to their latest versions as well.  Here is a list of these changes:

  • Visual Studio 2019 v142 and Windows SDK v10.
  • MrSID raster libraries updated to version 9.5.4.5047.
  • ECW raster libraries updated to version 5.5.0.1640.
  • Coordinate System Library changed from ProLat to PROJ7.

GTViewer for Windows is now over 20 years old, and we have made an effort to support as many older and resource-limited computers as possible. But 20 years is a long time, and we want GTViewer for Windows to be well-positioned for the future.  Version 15 is by far the most stable and reliable version of GTViewer and will continue to function long into the future, but to support newer libraries and Windows features, version 20 will be the vehicle for future Windows development.

Version 20 will leverage some new features like:

  • 32 and 64 bit builds.
  • A more modern look and feel for the User Interface.
  • Customizable and Dockable Toolbars.
  • Larger and Higher Resolution buttons.
  • Tabbed View Windows.

New Look

Version 20 looks slightly different from previous versions of GTViewer, but care has been taken to make sure everything is still recognizable and in similar locations where possible.  

A great deal of time was spent experimenting with different User Interface styles (like Ribbon Bars).  While these other approaches had some definite advantages, they were too different from the original and may have been more confusing than helpful (which is something we want to avoid).  

The Tabbed View Windows will be a change, but we believe they actually simplify the views and are more similar to other modern-day applications.  

Also, there are many new icons that show up on the Menu (most of the commands), and these new icons can be added to the toolbars.   Even Query Types and Custom Applications can have icons to provide more information about what their function is.



Design Changes

 There are also some design changes to make GTViewer easier to use:

Session Graphics (Redlines)

  • The Color/Weight/Style toolbar has been incorporated into the Drawing Info panel that displays when using a drawing mode.
  • The Fill option has also been moved to the Drawing Info Panel for fillable elements.
  • A more sophisticated Undo/Redo is planned but has not yet implemented.
  • The Search Session Graphics Add-On app is planned to be implemented as standard functionality.


Display Control

The new Display Manager added to GTViewer 15, the original Display Filter, and the Raster Filter have all been merged to create a single more capable dialog for controlling the features displayed in the view.  

  • The new Display Manager is non-Modal and will update automatically as the view changes.
  • The Features in View tab has been updated to work with the GIS names instead of just Filter Names.
  • There is a tab for Categories, Presets, Toggles, Features in View, and Raster.



We are Still Taking Requests

There are several items to implement plus a whole lot of testing, but we are still taking requests for new functionality.

If there is a feature you would like to see in GTViewer version 20, please let us know.


GTWeb Server version 12.0.0.12 is Available

   



GTWeb Server version 12.0.0.12 is available.  

There were several new features added to this version, mostly minor additions to security features and consolidation of the Admin pages.

GTWeb Clients for iOS and Android are also available (both versions are 3.0.9).

Full documentation update (all 72 pages).   Includes setup example for Windows Server 2019 and IIS 10.   New diagnostic tests (using new Admin pages), and clean up of older examples that no longer apply.

-----------------------
12.00.00.12 - 02/26/21
-----------------------

- CHG - #8193 - Internalization of all server pages.  User customizations are no longer allowed.

- CHG - #8194 - All Server pages (even non-sensitive ones) will return encrypted responses if the encryption mode is used.

- NEW - #8195 - SecureOnly property added to web.config.  If either this entry or the SecureOnly property in GTWebService.gtm is set to 1, the secure only mode will be used.

- CHG - #8196 - If the SecureOnly option is used, all non-https request are rejected at the page level.

- CHG - #8197 - ResetServer.aspx page now includes a Reset Logfile command and the RecycleLogfile.aspx page has been removed.

- CHG - #8195 - GetProjectInfo.aspx removed (replaced by the more informative GetProjectStatus.aspx).

- CHG - #8198 - GetMemLog.aspx added Web Site Version (in addition to Server DLL version) and now defaults to a formatted HTML mode (raw mode optional).  Additional information added and some of the existing messages made clearer.

- CHG - #8202 - The CacheCleanInterval parameter will now default to 600 instead of 0.

- FIX - #8203 - The word "Parameter" was misspelled in the logfile.

- NEW - #8204 - The AllowAdminPages AppSetting added to web.config file to specify which Admin pages can be used.

- NEW - #8205 - GTWeb Browser (3.0.10) - Support for all of the non-sensitive server responses being encrypted.

- NEW - #8206 - Documentation Updates (GTWebServer.doc).

-----------------------
12.00.00.11 - 12/28/20
-----------------------

- FIX - #8185 - The BackgroundColor Project Property was not correctly being set, so the Map Service image replacement did not work when the background was not white.