FieldMove User Guide
FieldMove User Guide
FieldMove User Guide
www.mve.com
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
Disclaimer
Application Layout
FieldMove Workflow
Settings
12
Project Properties
14
Maps
16
Managing Location
20
Compass Clino
22
Drawing Tools
32
Stereonet
38
Notebook
41
Export
46
Project Management
50
Operating Systems
52
54
Glossary
58
Our Experience
60
System Requirements
62
63
Introduction
FieldMove is a digital mapping app that has been designed for Apple, Android and
Windows tablets. The app has been laid out in a map-centric format, allowing
large-screen tablets to be used as a mapping sheet and data collection tool. Once
enough data has been collected, the advanced line drawing tools, which include a
virtual mouse for precision drawing, can be used to create geological boundaries
and fault traces. Simple polygons can also be generated to mark the location of
exposures and illustrate the wider distribution of rock types. Both lines and
polygons can be modified using the editing functionality in the app.
FieldMove uses the available sensors in a tablet to measure the orientation of
planar and linear features with a digital compass clinometer. The data captured
can then be analysed using the built-in stereonet. Orientation data can be saved
and stored in the app notebook, along with any sketches, field notes or editable
photos. The tablets GPS will geo-reference all saved data and provide real-time
positioning updates on your chosen map.
FieldMove integrates the traditional tools used during field work under one
platform, reducing the amount of kit required for field mapping. The app supports
online maps (via MapBox.com), which can be pre-cached for offline access whilst
in the field. It also supports the import of any custom maps that are saved as
MBTiles, GeoTIFFs or osgEarth files.
Projects can be exported as a .csv file (comma-separated values, similar to an
Excel spreadsheet), a .mve file (for direct import into Midland Valleys Move
software) and a Google Earth .kmz file. In addition to this, multiple projects can be
merged together within FieldMove, allowing for group work to be combined into
one project.
This user-guide contains instructions on the functionality and common workflows
used within FieldMove.
Disclaimer
The use of GPS devices, tablets and smartphones as
navigation aids
The internal GPS in your device can be used to automatically set location
information in the app, which is recorded as latitude and longitude.
Global Positioning System (GPS) devices are commonly used to aid navigation,
having grown in popularity over the past decade. Over the last few years, this has
extended to tablets, smartphones and digital compasses, which are often
equipped with GPS functionality.
GPS is a valuable aid to navigation during fieldwork, however it is important to
keep safety at the forefront, and we draw your attention to the advice given by
many mountaineering councils:
Everyone heading into the hills needs to learn how to read a map, and be able to
navigate effectively with a paper map and traditional magnetic compass,
especially in poor visibility.
FieldMove requires online data transfers for some features, such as accessing
online maps and sharing exported files. Accessing these features over data
network services may incur costs from your provider. If you use the app and data
services on your tablet, you are responsible for any fees that your service provider
charges. Your service provider is not the provider of FieldMove.
Midland Valley accepts no liability or loss, resulting from the use or misuse of this
product.
Application Layout
This section provides an overview of the general layout of the FieldMove app and
briefly describes its tools and features. When a new FieldMove project is opened,
the following view is displayed:
Figure:The default display when a new FieldMove project is opened. Shown is the map
view, along with the Location bar (top right)and Side Panel (left).
Location Bar
The Location Bar is situated above the map view, on the right hand side. It will
display your current location in lat/long format. It is also used to turn the
GPSon/off and locate your position within the map view.
Side Panel
The Side Panel is located to the left of the map view. It contains access to a
number of pages that can be opened on selection. The pages are arranged in an
order that reflects the typical workflow that a geologist would adopt when carrying
out fieldwork. The Side Panel can be expanded by tapping
in the top left.
It will list the following pages:
Figure:Expanded Side Panel displaying the pages that can be opened on selection.
Project Properties
The Project Properties page contains details of the active project. This includes
the name, creation date, declination, locality naming set-up and a project
description. In the Project Properties page, you can merge the active project
with a second project. The active project can also be exported from here.
Maps
Use the Maps page to import basemaps in MBTile, GeoTIFF or osgEarth format.
Alternatively, use the Maps page to switch between satellite, road or terrain maps,
which can be accessed providing you have a valid network connection.
Compass Clino
Use the Compass Clino page to take a bearing and record the orientation of
planes and lineations. Localities and a stratigraphy, or list of rock units, can also
be created on this page.
Drawing Tools
Use the Drawing Tools page to digitize lines and polygons on the map. The line
type, thickness, opacity and unit assignment can be set up for each line or
polygon. Localities and a stratigraphy, or list of rock units, can also be created on
this page.
Stereonet
Use the Stereonet page to plot orientation data as poles and/or planes on an
equal area or equal angle stereonet. Data can be filtered by its assigned locality,
unit or type.
Notebook
Use the Notebook page to create geo-referenced field notes, photos, map
screenshots and sketches. The Notebook page will list all saved data (orientation
measurements, line and polygon data, notes, photos, stereonet screen captures
etc.)by locality. The Notebook page also allows for data to be edited, moved and
deleted if necessary.
Export
Use the Export page to export the project to various formats, including the .mve
file format, which allows data to be imported straight into the Move software for
model building and analysis.
Extra options available from the Side Panel include:
Exit Application
Tap this button to exit FieldMove (Windows tablets only).
Project Management
Tap this button to open the Project Management window. This page lists all
available projects that have been created in FieldMove. Each saved project can be
opened from this page, new projects can be created or external projects can be
imported.
Settings
Tap this button to open the Settings window. Settings relating to basemaps,
units, coordinates, line join distance, compass clino mode, sensors and cache
reset can be changed from here.
Help
Tap this button to open the FieldMove help pages.
FieldMove Workflow
Shown below is a suggested workflow for using FieldMove when mapping.
Settings
Prior to going into the field, it is important to check the basic app settings. Expand
the Side Panel by tapping
, then tap
to open the Settings window.
Note: The header of the Settings window will also display the FieldMove version
number.
Figure:Settings window.
The selected feature will be highlighted in blue. To apply any changes make sure
to tap
before closing the window. The following settings can be adjusted:
Basemaps
This setting determines whether the app uses basemap tiles from the internet
(Online) or whether it uses those that are already cached on the device (Offline).
Switching between Online/Offline will cause the map to appear fuzzy until it has
re-rendered. The default mode Auto, switches between online and offline-cached
modes based on its ability to communicate with the basemap tile server.
Display Units
This will determine whether the altitude and scale bar is displayed it in Metric
(default) or Imperial units.
Angle Convention
Choose between displaying planar or linear orientations as Dip/Azimuth
(default) or Dip/Strike (RHR). Both conventions are saved when the project is
exported.
Coordinate Input
Choose to display the lat/long coordinates as degrees, minutes and seconds
before the decimal point (Decimal Seconds) or just as degrees (Decimal
Degrees).
Note: FieldMove uses the Lat/Long WGS84 projection system. If a different
coordinate system is required, it can be altered once the project is in Move.
Figure:Locked clinometer face showing the Relative Offset editing mode. The dip and
azimuth can be edited individually by following the direction of the blue arrows.
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If Stereonet Style has been selected, edits to the dip/plunge and strike/azimuth
can be made at the same time by dragging the dark blue cross (highlighted by a
light blue circle)around the clinometer face. The latter is the equivalent to moving
the pole to the plane on a stereonet.
Figure:Locked clinometer face showing the Stereonet Style editing mode. The dip and
azimuth can be edited by tapping a moving your finger within the blue circle.
Enable Sensors
The sensors in your tablet are used to take orientation measurements in the
Compass Clino page. Some tablets may have poorly calibrated or inaccurate
sensors; this setting allows them to be turned off. Readings can be taken with a
traditional compass clinometer and input manually into FieldMove.
Reset Caches
This is set to off by default. If this setting is turned on, the next time the app is
restarted, any cached maps will be cleared. The app has to be terminated and
restarted for cached maps to clear.
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The compass clinometer within FieldMove will not become active or accurate until
this operation has been performed. Both Android and Windows tablets appear to
have internal calibration.
13
Project Properties
When FieldMove is opened for the first time, a new project called Project 1 will
automatically be created. Specifics regarding the name of the project, declination,
locality naming and description can be edited from the Project Properties page,
which can be opened by tapping
from the Side Panel.
Note: If you do not wish to change any of the project properties continue to
section 'Maps'.
Created
This displays the date the project was first created.
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Declination
The declination can be set by manually entering the value, or by tapping
. The
declination will not update automatically. Therefore, if data is being collected over
a large area, you should return to the Project Properties page and update the
declination.
Note: All data in FieldMove is stored in true north.
Locality Prefix
By default the name assigned to localities is Locality #. Changing the locality
prefix will change the default name given to created localities. The hash (#)
indicates the position of the number in the name. If it is deleted the localities will
no longer be numbered.
Folder
This displays the name of the .fm folder and the location where the active project
is stored once the tablet is connected to a computer.
Description
The Description box can be tapped to add a detailed description of the project.
Merging Projects
In the Project Properties page, it is also possible to merge the active project
with a previously created project. To merge two projects together tap
; a list of
projects saved on the tablet will be presented. Select the desired project to open
the Merge Project window.
In the Merge Project window there is the option to ignore basemaps and/or
images during the merge. Keep in mind that importing these will create multiple
copies and will require extra storage space. Two projects can then be combined by
tapping Merge.
When merging the two projects, the stratigraphy and symbol databases will be
combined together. If the imported databases contain entries with the same name
as those in the active project, the imported data will be assigned to the existing
unit or symbol.
15
Maps
By default FieldMove will open the terrain map view . The display of online maps
and import of offline maps is controlled from the Maps page, which can be opened
by tapping
from the Side Panel.
Figure:Maps page showing the online basemap display options. As of yet, no custom
(offline)maps have been imported into the project.
MBTiles
We would recommend importing offline custom basemaps as MBTiles. The
advantage of this is that the zoom level can be set to a higher level of detail,
suitable for mapping. MBTiles also tend to render faster than GeoTIFFs due to the
fact that they have been pre-processed to the correct projection and appropriate
zoom level for display.
Midland Valleys Move software allows for the conversion of geo-referenced
images to MBTiles in a couple of steps. For more information see the help pages
within the Move software. Alternatively the following programs also allow for
MBTile creation;
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Once the file has been added via iTunes, in the Maps page of FieldMove, tap
Import and select the desired basemap.
Android/Windows Basemap Import
To import a basemap using an Android or Windows tablet, connect the tablet to
the laptop or desktop computer that contains the saved MBTiles, GeoTIFF or
osgEarth file. Move the basemap from its saved location into the tablets Internal
Storage >FieldMove folder. Then in the Maps page of FieldMove, tap Import
and select the desired basemap.
17
Figure:Maps page listing three maps that have been imported into FieldMove.
Online Basemaps
Online maps can be displayed in three ways: satellite, road and terrain.
Figure:From left to right - satellite map, road map and terrain map.
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Managing Location
Before recording data in the field, it is important to recognise how the location is
displayed and updated in FieldMove, and to be aware when data maybe recorded
in the wrong place.
Note:Orientation data can be moved if it is saved in the wrong location, see
section 'Notebook'.
When the GPSis On, the map can be centred on your current location by tapping
the cross-hair
. The location will be indicated on the map by a blue circle with
a transparent halo. The size of the halo indicates the accuracy of the location
reading - the smaller the halo the more accurate the reading.
The horizontal and vertical accuracy is also displayed numerically (+/- metres)in
the Location bar, to the left of the lat/long coordinates. The last updated GPS
reading is also given.
Figure:Map view showing the current location as a blue dot, with a transparent halo to
mark the location accuracy.
Note:It is important to check the time of the last GPS reading to ensure that the
location is continually being monitored.
Keeping the GPS on at all times is battery intensive, so when possible use the
Location bar to turn the GPSoff to preserve the battery life.
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When the GPS is switched Off, the location will be displayed on the map as a red
circle. This indicates the location at which any measurements will be saved to, if
the GPS is not turned back on.
Once the GPS is turned back on, it may take a few seconds to update. In this case
the On/Off switch will display a rotating loading circle
.
Figure:Map view showing the interactive cross-hair dragger (in red),which can be used
to set your location manually.
Troubleshooting
All my data are in the same position, even though I entered different
localities in different regions. ALWAYS check that your GPS is on and has been
updated recently. Any measurement will be geo-referenced to your last know
position. Therefore, if the GPS has accidentally been turned off, or has lost signal
the most recent measurement will be positioned at the last GPS reading, which
may be some distance from your true location.
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Compass Clino
If you do not need to change the details of the project and are using cached online
maps, the Project Properties and Maps pages do not need to be opened. The
Compass Clino page can be opened immediately to start recording localities and
orientation measurements in the field. The Compass Clino page can be opened
by tapping
from the Side Panel.
By default, the Compass Clino page will display the digital compass as the active
face. The clinometer is displayed as a small inactive face, to the bottom right of
the compass. To switch between each face, tap on the inactive face.
Figure:Compass Clino page showing the compass face as the active face.
Note: Measurements in, and exported from, FieldMove are stored relative to True
North. This is calculated using the declination set in the Project Properties page.
Locality
When an orientation measurement is saved for the first time, it will automatically
be assigned to the default 'Locality 1'. Control and creation of localities is carried
out from the top of the Compass Clino page. It is a good idea to create new
localities when new outcrops are encountered.
To add and change a locality assignment tap Create Locality. In the pop-up
window, tap Create Locality once more. The locality naming is automatic and is
controlled from the Project Properties page. A new locality is geo-referenced to
your current position (providing the GPS is on) and once created, it becomes the
active locality and is denoted by a grey vertical bar. Tap
once happy with the
assignment.
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Figure:Select a Locality window, from where the active locality can be selected and new
localities can be created.
Once a locality is created, it will be displayed in the map view as a pin icon
Note: Localities can also be created in the Drawing Tools page and the location,
naming and description of a locality can be edited in the Notebook page.
When a measurement, line or polygon is saved, it is not possible to change the
locality that these objects are assigned to. Therefore, make sure that the correct
locality is labelled at the top of the Compass Clino or Drawing Tools page
before saving.
Compass
The compass face will display a bold red arrow, showing True North, and a red
outlined arrow, showing magnetic North. To record a compass bearing, hold the
tablet horizontal and look towards your desired position. Give the compass a few
seconds to stabilise before tapping on the compass face to lock it. When the
compass is locked and you move to face a different orientation, a red bar will
appear on the compass showing the deviation from the locked bearing.
Note: The compass works best when the tablet is held horizontal. See section
Digital Compass Calibration for information on sensor consistency in different
tablets.
Figure:Compass face locked at a bearing of 153. Once the compass has been locked,
any deviation from the 153 bearing is shown by a red bar.
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Once the compass is locked, the bearing will be displayed in the map view as a
black line at the centre of a cross-hair. As long as the GPS is on, and has been
updated recently, the bearing will be geo-referenced to your current location. If
the location needs to be edited, use the cross-hair dragger to move the bearing
(see section Managing Location).
Figure:Map view showing a locked bearing, as indicated by a black line at the centre of a
cross-hair. The cross-hair is blue, indicating that the bearing has been geo-referenced to
your current position. This has been detected since the GPS is on and is also shown by the
blue circle underneath the bearing measurement.
A bearing can also be recorded manually, or overwritten, without using the tablet
sensors. To do so, tap on the BEARING box and either type in a value or drag the
slider to set an orientation. The compass face will automatically update to reflect
that bearing. Tap
to apply the changes.
24
When saving a bearing, you can choose to assign a unit to the measurement. This
means that a stratigraphy, or list of rock units, will need to be set up. For more
information, see sub-section Stratigraphy (below). The bearing can also be
saved along with a comment. Tap the Add a Comment box to activate the
keypad. Tap Done once happy with the comment and Save to save the
measurement. A locked bearing is only saved on the map and in the Notebook
page once you tap Save.
Note: If you do not want to save a bearing, and need to unlock the compass face,
tap on the compass face once more.
Clinometer
Tap on the small clinometer face to make this active. This will allow you to
measure and record the orientation of planar and linear features. Before a
clinometer measurement can be saved, a stratigraphy needs to be set up so that
the measurement can be assigned to a rock unit, fault or contact.
Stratigraphy
When starting a project for the first time, the StratColumn is blank. To create a
stratigraphy, or list of rock units, either tap
or tap on the box stating Tap to
Add a Rock Unit. By default, this will add a rock unit called Unit 1. More units
can be added by tapping
multiple times and these will be listed as coloured
25
squares down the right hand side of the Compass Clino page. To assign an
orientation measurement to the relevant unit, contact or fault, tap on the relevant
coloured square so that its name is expanded.
Figure:Rock units displayed to the right of the Compass Clino page as a list of colour
squares. By default, the rock units are assigned the name 'Unit #'.
To change the name, assignment or colour of the unit, tap on the unit name to
open the StratColumn. The name can be changed by tapping on the text box. By
default, all entries are assigned as units (U) - i.e. a stratigraphic unit, rock type or
lithology - but this can be changed to mark a fault (F) or contact (C). To do this,
tap
(the colour of the button may vary)and choose the relevant assignment.
The button will change from a U to an F or C to denote the assigned type. To
change the colour of each entry, tap
to open the Pick a Colour window,
choose a new colour and tap
to apply the updates.
26
Figure: StratColumn showing a list of user-defined rock units and faults. The assignment
of 'Fault' is currently being edited.
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. The
Once happy with the StratColumn set up, tap Done at the top left of the page to
return to the Compass Clino page.
Symbol Type
As well as assigning a clinometer measurement to a unit in the StratColumn, it is
also important to ensure that the measurement is assigned to the correct symbol
type. By default the clinometer will display a dip symbol to denote a bedding data
type. To change this, tap Bedding. This is the data type box located below the
assigned unit. This will open a new window where a range of planar (cleavage,
joint, fault) and linear (lineation, slickenside, mineral and fold axis) symbols can
be selected. Switching between a planar or linear symbol will unlock the
clinometer, if a measurement was locked beforehand. Switching between symbols
in the same category (planar or linear) will not unlock the clinometer.
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New symbols can be added and existing symbols can be edited. To add a new
symbol, tap Create Symbol. The window will expand to allow you to define a
symbol name and icon. Tap Save to add the symbol and tap
to collapse the
window. To edit a pre-existing symbol, tap
. Once the window has been
expanded, the relevant symbol can be selected from the data types list on the left
(the selected symbol will be denoted by a vertical grey bar to the left of the
symbol name). The symbol name and/or icon can be edited or the symbol can be
deleted.
Figure:Edit Symbols window, where the symbol name and icon can be edited.
Note: If a padlock is displayed next to any of the data types, this means that the
symbol cannot be deleted.
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Figure:Photos showing the suitable tablet orientation when recording a planar (left)and
linear measurement (right).
Tap on the clinometer face to lock the measurement, the dip will change from red
(active) to black (locked). It will also be displayed at the centre of a cross-hair in
the map view.
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The dip/azimuth can also be manually entered into FieldMove by tapping the DIP
and AZIMUTH boxes below the clinometer face. As with the compass, this will
open a new window where the orientation can be typed in or adjusted using the
slider.
When the measurement is being edited, the dip symbol will automatically update
in the map view. The location of the dip can also be moved using the cross-hair
dragger.
Tap Save to save the measurement in the Notebook page and on the map, along
with any added comments.
Note: Orientation measurements cannot be edited once they are saved in the
Notebook page.
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Drawing Tools
The Drawing Tools page can be used to create linework and simple polygons on
to your chosen basemap. To open the Drawing Tools page tap
from the Side
Panel.
To maximise the map view whilst digitizing, the Drawing Tools page can be
collapsed to a narrow toolbar by tapping
. To expand the page tap
. Both of
these buttons are located at the bottom left of the Drawing Tools page.
Locality
As with the Compass Clino page, lines and polygons will be assigned to a locality
ID. The active locality is displayed at the top of the expanded Drawing Tools
page. To change the locality tap on .
Note: The locality is linked in both the Drawing Tools and the Compass Clino
pages. Changing the locality in one page will update it in the other.
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slider left and right with your finger. Lines cannot be made fully transparent and
the outline of a polygon will remain more opaque than its filled colour.
Stratigraphy: Prior to digitizing a line or polygon must be assigned to a rock unit.
The line/polygon colour will match that of the rock unit. To change the rock unit
assignment, tap on any of the coloured squares listed to the right of the Drawing
Tools page.
Note: The StratColumn is linked in both the Drawing Tools and Compass
Clino pages. Edits made to the StratColumn in either of these pages will be
updated in the other.
As with the Compass Clino page, the StratColumn can be opened by tapping on
the active rock unit. The name, colour and assignment can be edited within this
page. Please refer to section 'Compass Clino' for more information.
Drawing Modes
From the Drawing Tools page, you can choose from three different drawing
modes: Freehand, Virtual Mouse and Vector Line.
Figure:Respective buttons for each line drawing mode. From left to right - Freehand,
Virtual Mouse and Vector Line.
Note: When in the Virtual Mouse and Vector Line drawing modes, it is still
possible to pan in the map view.
Freehand: Drag your finger to digitize a line on the map. The map view can be
zoomed in/out and panned by separating/pinching your thumb and forefinger
together. A new line is created for every stroke on the map.
Virtual Mouse: Lines can be drawn by moving the cross-hair dragger on the map.
The cross-hair will show the position of the line, whilst the translucent dragger
marks your finger position. This mode allows for precision drawing. To start
digitization, tap
. Press and move the translucent dragger to digitize the line,
then tap
to create it.
Figure:Map view showing the Virtual Mouse drawing mode. The colour of the cross-hair
will reflect the colour of the assigned rock unit.
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Vector Line: Lines can be drawn by incrementally adding points one after another
using the cross-hair dragger on the map. To start digitization, tap
to create the
first point, then move the translucent dragger on the map. Tap
to create
further points and continue extending the line. The number of points will be
displayed to the right of the cross-hair dragger. To finish the line, tap
.
Editing Lines
Lines and polygons can be modified by adding, moving or removing points. Lines,
can also be split into two. To activate the Edit mode in the expanded Drawing
Tools page, next to Edit line turn the slider to On. Or if in the collapsed Drawing
Tools page, tap the icon
so that it turns blue. It is also possible to activate
the Edit Line mode without having the Drawing Tools page open. To do this, tap
on a line in the map view and tap
. This will open the expanded Notebook
page, where it is possible to tap Edit.
Note: When the Edit mode is active, it is not possible to digitize lines or polygons.
Therefore, remember to turn this mode off before resuming digitization.
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Figure: Map view showing active Edit Line mode and displaying the nodes along a line.
Figure: Map view showing the process of moving a node along a line to a new position.
The original line is highlighted yellow and the new location is coloured green.
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Splitting a line:
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Join a line:
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Only lines belonging to the same rock unit can be extended or joined.
Extending and joining only works in Freehand and Virtual Mouse modes
(not in Vector Line mode).
The Line Join Distance can be edited in the Settings window. Increasing
this distance will make it easier to connect and extend lines, however it will
not be as accurate. For more precise drawing, the Line Join Distance value
should be smaller.
It is currently not possible to close a line by drawing a new line between it's
two end points.
Drawing Polygons
To switch the drawing method from line to polygon tap Polygon at the top of the
Drawing Tools page. Polygons are created in the same way as lines.
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Lines and polygons can be edited in the Notebook page. For more information,
refer to section 'Notebook'.
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Stereonet
Any planar and linear data saved using the clinometer can be viewed in the
Stereonet page, allowing you to carry out a first look structural analysis whilst in
the field. Structural data is visualized on either an equal area or equal angle
stereonet. To access the Stereonet page tap
from the Side Panel.
Figure: Stereonet page. By default, the stereonet will plot all planar and linear
measurements that have been saved in the Notebook page.
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Figure: Stereonet page expanded to show the configure and filter options.
Stereonet Display
The display is controlled by tapping on the desired option. There are three
choices:
Show Mean Resultant Plane: Tap On to display the plane as a black great
circle.
Display of poles and planes: Tap to select whether Poles, Planes or Both are
shown on the stereonet.
Type of Stereonet: Tap to select whether the stereonet should be Equal Angle
(Wulff)or Equal Area (Schmidt).
Filters
At the top right of the Stereonet page, tap Filter. Structural data can then be
filtered by four categories: Data, Localities, Units and Types.
Tap on each category to change how the data is filtered. To remove any data (or
groups of data) from the stereonet, tap
. It will change to
to confirm that
the data has been removed from view. Tap again to turn the data back on. As a
shortcut, tap
to select all, none, or invert the selection of displayed structural
data.
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Figure:Stereonet page filtered to only show the measurements recorded for the rock unit
'Ballagan Formation'.
Saving a stereonet.
To take a screenshot of the stereonet tap
at the top right of the Stereonet
page. This will open a window where a comment can be saved along with the
image. Tap
to add the stereonet image and comment in the Notebook.
The screenshot will be geo-referenced to your current location and will be
displayed in the map view by the following symbol
.
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Notebook
The Notebook page stores all the data recorded and saved in the Compass
Clino, Stereonet and Drawing Tools pages. It will also store any photos, notes,
screenshots and sketches taken from within the Notebook page and allows for
data to be edited and deleted if necessary. To access the Notebook tap
from
the Side Panel.
Notebook Entries
In the Notebook page all saved data will be listed by locality. The active locality
will always be listed first and all data assigned to that locality will be listed in
reverse chronological order.
Note: The active locality is that displayed at the top of the Compass Clino and
Drawing Tools pages.
Figure: Notebook page listing all the data that has been saved in the FieldMove project by
locality.
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Note
Tapping on Note will open a text box at the top of the Notebook page. The note
will be geo-referenced to the current location, as shown by the cross-hair dragger
in the map view. To move the note to another location, tap and move the
translucent dragger. The cross-hair will change from blue to red to indicate that
the position is not set by the GPS. To add the Note, type in the text box and tap
Save.
Screenshot
Tapping Screenshot will add a snapshot of the current map view, along with a
comment if required. Tap Save to add the screenshot to the Notebook page.
Screenshots will be geo-referenced to the current GPSlocation.
Sketch
Tapping Sketch will allow you to make a sketch in a new blank window. This
window provides basic 'finger painting' tools allowing you to choose the colour and
thickness of lines. Lines and text can be erased by tapping
and annotations
can be added by tapping
line thickness. To save the sketch to the Notebook, at the bottom left of the
window, tap
.
Data display
The display of notebook entries can be managed using the two buttons at the top
of the page:
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1) By Locality: Tap
to show data assigned to a certain locality. This is useful
for larger projects. The locality selected will be listed at the top of the Notebook
page.
2) Filter data: Tap
to filter the Notebook page by Data only, Notes and
photos only or by Lines only. To filter the data tap on the desired option; the map
view will also update to show only the filtered data. Select All will display all of the
saved data.
Editing data
Tapping on each data entry will expand the Notebook page to show the object
details. It will also automatically zoom in on the selected data entry in the map
view.
Figure:Expanded Notebook page showing the editing options for the selected joint
measurement (left) and photo (right). The selected measurement has also been zoomed
into in the map zoom and is highlighted by an information label.
When a photo has been selected, it is possible to annotate and sketch on top of
the photo by tapping Edit. This will open a new window with the same tools that
are available when recording a sketch. Lines and text can be added to the photo.
To save the edits, at the bottom left of the window, tap
.
Figure:Photo editing window showing the annotation and digitization over a photo.
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Note:If the FieldMove project is exported as an .mve file and imported into Move,
the edited photos will be stored within the .mve project and can be viewed in the
Field Image Browser. The original, unedited images will be saved and stored in
a separate folder.
The extended Notebook page will allow you to edit certain object properties
depending on the data type (see table).
Structural Data
Photos
Notes
Localities
Lines and
Polygons
N/A
Measurement
No
N/A
N/A
N/A
Unit Assignment
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A
Yes
Data type
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Comment
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Location
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Facing Direction
N/A
No
N/A
N/A
N/A
Colour
Yes
N/A
N/A
Yes
Yes
Thickness
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Yes
Opacity
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Yes
Style
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Yes
Table: Data types stored in the Notebook, and properties that can be edited. Further
information on editing is provided below. N/A indicates that the property does not apply to
that data type.
Note: For structural measurements, the data type cannot be converted from
planar to linear or vice versa. Data symbols can only be changed to a different
symbol of the same data type. It is also not possible to edit the dip/azimuth or
plunge/azimuth or the measurement.
Colour
The colour of structural measurements, lines and polygons can be changed by
changing the colour of the rock unit it is assigned to. To change the rock unit
colour, tap on the object to expand the Notebook page, then select the active
rock unit to open the StratColumn page. In this page, tap
next to the unit you
wish to edit (the colour of the icon may vary). This will open the Pick a Colour
window where a new colour can be chosen.
The default colour for the locality pins is black. To edit this tap on the locality
listed in the Notebook page and tap
to the right of the locality name. Once
the preferred colour has been chosen, tap
to apply.
Unit Asignment
To change the unit assignment of a structural measurement, line or polygon tap on
the data entry to expand the Notebook page. To the right of the page, a number
of coloured squares are listed, which each represent a rock unit in your
StratColumn. Tap one of the coloured squares to change the unit assignment.
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Moving Data
The location of structural data, notes, photos and localities can be updated. To do
this, tap on the data entry in the Notebook page, then tap
in the top of
the expanded page. The Notebook list will become hidden behind the Side Panel
to allow for more space on map. A cross-hair dragger will also appear overlying
the data point in the map view. Tap and move the translucent dragger to the new
location. Once in the correct position, tap
(which will have taken the place
of the button
).
Figure: Moving a dip measurment assigned to the unit 'Tuff'. Once you tap Move, a crosshair dragger will appear in the map view and can be used to re-locate your data.
Deleting Data
In the expanded Notebook page, all data can be deleted by tapping
in the
top right corner. Tap once to activate the button, then tap
to apply the
deletion. This cannot be undone.
Note:Data can also be selected in the map view and deleted via the object label.
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Export
At any point in your work the FieldMove project can be exported so that data can
be managed and analysed in external programs. All exported FieldMove project
folders will be in the form projectXX.fm
Exporting a Project
A project can be exported through two different routes: i) Tap
to expand the
Side Panel and tap
. ii) Tap
to open the Project Properties page and tap
. Data can be exported in three formats:
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Move (.mve);
Google Earth (.kmz);
CSV (.csv).
Once the export format has been selected, tap Export - a progress circle will
appear. The time of export will vary depending on the file format and size of the
project. Move and Google Earth files will take longer to export as they are larger
zipped files.
Sharing a Project
Once the project has been exported, the data can be shared through:
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Dropbox. This will be done from the Dropbox app if it is installed, or via
a web interface. You can then browse to your Dropbox folder and tap
Choose when you are ready to upload the file.
Open In Open exported data in another installed app. For example,
the Google Earth (.kmz) export can be directly opened in the Google
Earth app if installed.
Export Location
The location of exported files will depend on the file type. CSV files will be stored
within their project folder, whilst Google Earth or Move exports will be located
alongside the FieldMove folder (.fm) as .mve or .kmz files respectively.
The exported files are accessed in different ways depending on whether the tablet
is an iPad or Android/Windows.
iPad Export Location
To access the exported project connect the tablet to iTunes on a laptop or desktop
PC. Select the tablet from the iTunes toolbar (1) and select Apps from the device
option panel (2). The device may need to be synced to see these options. Scroll
down to the list of apps and select FieldMove (3). A list of associated files will
appear in the right-hand column. Select the .mve, .kmz or .file to copy from the
device (4) and click Save to... (5).
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Move
The .mve export is available so that projects can be imported directly into Midland
Valley's Move software. Move is designed for constrained 2D and 3D model
building, interpretation and validation. The .mve files can also be viewed in
Midland Valleys free 3D visualization software MoveViewer. Bringing projects
directly into Move is a great way to start building geological models.
Before importing .mve files into Move, it is advisable to set up the projection
system in a new Move document. Doing this avoids UTM calculation issues and
misplaced data for larger spanning projects. This process will also flag up any UTM
calculation issues on the import summary and is a good check of data
location/projection validity.
Note: The Field Image Browser in Move can be used to view, edit and annotate
photos taken using FieldMove.
CSV
A CSV file stores geo-referenced point data and photo locations in a spreadsheet
style layout. When choosing to export as CSV, several files will be output, with
each file containing data for a single data type, e.g. line.csv, plane.csv, note.csv.
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The first column of each .csv file contains a locailtyID which is assigned to each
locality and data point. This can be used to cross reference localities and their
associated data.
CSV files do not support photos or screenshots. Instead the geographic location
and name of each photo is found within the image.csv file. Photos can be found in
the Images folder, which is stored in the .fm folder.
CSV files can be opened and/or imported into many GIS software packages as
CSV/ASCII data. They can also be viewed quickly in simple text editors (i.e.
Notepad) or spreadsheet software (i.e. MS Excel).
Google Earth
After exporting as .kmz, the file can be opened directly in Google Earth or in Move
(once the file has been unzipped).
Note: .kmz files do not preserve the line style for line data. The line data will only
be displayed as solid. The thickness of the line however will be preserved.
Troubleshooting
When I open my exported .kmz project into Google Earth I can only see
some of my data. In the top left of the Google Earth screen a time stamp bar
shows the range of information displayed that is set between specific dates. You
may need to alter this so that the extent range covers the time period when the
data was collected.
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Project Management
The Project Management window stores all projects created in FieldMove in
order of their creation date. It is also the location where projects can be switched,
or where new projects can be created or imported. To open the Project
Management window, expand the Side Panel by tapping
then tap
.
Note: The Project Management window can also be opened by expanding the
Project Properties page and tapping
.
The selected project is highlighted by a yellow header. It will display the most
recent photo added to the project, if present.
The Project Management window contains the following commands:
Create Project
Tap to open a new project. The project will become the active project and will take
you to a blank map view. This new project will be listed at the top of the Project
Management window.
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Settings
Tap to open the Settings window. See section 'Settings' for more information on
the available options.
Switching Projects
When multiple projects have been saved in FieldMove, it is possible to switch
between these projects in the Project Management window. To switch to a
different project, tap Load Project.
Deleting Projects
Projects can only be deleted from in the Project Management window. To delete
a project, select the desired project so it is highlighted by a yellow header and tap
.
A warning will pop-up. Select Yes to confirm the deletion. This project will be
removed from the device.
Note: It is not possible to delete all projects from FieldMove. The application must
have at least one project saved.
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Operating Systems
All figures in the User Guide have been taken from an iPad. Thus, the UI will vary
slightly if you are using FieldMove on an Android or Windows tablet.
As well as differences between the import and export of files, which are mentioned
throughout the User Guide, we also want to make you aware of the following
variations when using FieldMove on an Android or Windows tablet.
Figure: Warning message when FieldMove is opened for the first time without internet
connection.
Figure:Windows Licensing.
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If the user does not have a license, the Purchase License button will open a link
to the MVE website in their default web browser, where the user can go through
the payment process.
If the user cant get a license for whatever reason, they can quit the app, either by
closing the window, or tapping Exit from the top left of the window.
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to export.
Data can be exported in CSV, Move and Google Earth file formats.
Refer to section 'Export' for more information.
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Glossary
Accelerometer
Barometer
Bearing
The direction in which you are heading given by the orientation on the compass.
Cache Data
Whilst viewing maps online, the map view and zoom level are stored locally in an
area called cache. If the user then works offline, the maps stored in the cache
can be viewed. However if the user wants to zoom at a different level, or a
different area whilst offline, it will not be possible.
Comments
These are linked to specific measurements, for example describing in detail the
surface where a dip measurement has been taken from.
CSV
Comma Separated Values file. Files exported in this format can be opened in
programs designed for spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel.
Data Type
Defined as planar and linear data. The user can assign measurements to specific
data types such as bedding, cleavage or mineral lineation.
Declination
The angular deviation of the compass from true north. The value can be adjusted
in the Project Properties page.
.earth
Earth files are small XML text files that point to a web based server. Many
geological surveys and companies have user generated maps based on web
servers which allow users to stream and cache maps onto the device for viewing.
.fm folder
Geo-referenced
An object which contains information about its location. If an image is georeferenced then it carries information about its geographical position. Images that
are brought into FieldMove as basemaps must be geo-referenced.
GeoTIFF
A commonly used GIS format. GeoTIFFs can be imported directly but many tablets
struggle to reproject and render this data. Using Move to convert the GeoTIFF to
an MBTile file before importing to FieldMove will reduce the file size and speed up
the app in the field.
GPS
Global Positioning System. This is used to gather information from satellites about
your location.
Gryoscope
.kmz
Locality
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Magnetometer
Maps
MBTiles
Mean Resulatant
Plane
The average plane for all the selected data, displayed as a great circle on the
stereonet.
.mve
A Move file. Files exported in this format can be opened straight into Midland
Vallye' s Move software.
Notes
osgEarth files
This file type uses an XML based file format called an Earth File to specify how
source data turns into an OSG scene graph.
Pixel Width
Project
Projection
Relative Offset
Stereonet Style
StratColumn
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The width measured by individual pixels. This measurement is used to alter the
width of the lines and polygons in the Drawing Tools page.
A project is a set of localities, structural data, notes and images related to a
specific mapping area. When exporting data it is the whole project that is
exported.
A projected coordinate system, is always based on a geographical coordinate
system, but is defined on a flat two dimensional surface. Across the two
dimensions, it has constant lengths, angles and areas.
Refers to the editing mode in the Compass Clino page. Edits made to the dip and
strike or dip azimuth are carried out individually.
Refers to the editing mode in the Compass Clino page. Edits made to the
dip/plunge and strike/azimuth can be made at the same time.
User defined list of rock units that is used to assign a colour to structural
measurements or line objects i.e. to define a rock type or a fault. On export this
information is recorded as an attribute.
Our Experience
Hardware
Battery can last for a full field day (~8 hours with the GPS on, but with other apps
and data streaming turned off). Larger tablets with heavy batteries tend to have a
good battery life in the field but this must be considered against the tablets
weight. This is highly dependent on the tablet, and we recommend experimenting
with your device to get the best out of usage time. Older tablets may suffer from
reduced battery life. Lithium batteries tend to falsely report a low battery in cold
conditions and so keeping the device from being exposed will help reduce this
problem.
When your tablet is locked, the GPS will become inactive and will not drain the
battery.
There are plenty of tough cases and waterproof pockets on the market that to
protect the tablet such as LifeProof, Idry, Aquapac etc.
Preparation
A common hindrance to successful digital geological mapping is a lack of advance
preparation before leaving for the field. In addition to collation of digital
basemaps, elevation models, and existing geological maps, the most important
aspect of preparation is to practice using the software and hardware tools. As with
any compass, orienteering, and basic mapping skill, advance practice ensures that
the mapping device is not the focus of the users attention, leaving the field
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mapper to focus on 3D spatial analysis of rock units. We find that these issues are
relatively easy to overcome with advance planning and training, giving an
appreciation of the potential benefits of digital field mapping.
We recommend testing and calibrating the tablet against a compass before going
to the field. See our guide on Digital Compass Calibration.
Closing remarks
We find that digital mapping tools improve the 3D spatial interpretation process by
facilitating more analysis and less data management than traditional techniques,
especially in the field office during the evenings. With a digital mapping
workflow, data organisation largely occurs in the field upon data collection,
transcription from paper to digital format is unnecessary, and data backup can be
as simple as copying digital files to external hard drives. Digital mapping allows
more time in the evenings for problem solving, targeting areas of uncertainty, and
formulating effective field plans.
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System Requirements
FieldMove has been built on Qt, which is the same development platform used
by Move. The application will run on Apple (iPad and iPad mini), Android and
Windows tablets, but it cannot be used on smartphone devices. For more
information on how FieldMove runs on iPads, Android and Windows tablets
please refer to the Digital Compass Calibration section. We strongly
advise that users read this section to understand some limitations of
FieldMove on specific tablets.
iOS 8 and above running on iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad Air 2,
iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2, iPad Mini 3.
Recommended:
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About Move
Move provides workflows for digital field mapping, cross-section construction, 3D
model building, kinematic restoration and validation, geomechanical modelling,
fracture modelling, stress analysis and sediment modelling. The software helps
the user to go beyond static models, which may be little more than an artists
impression or a computer animation. By addressing time development of structure
and checking evolutionary feasibility, users are three times more likely to produce
the correct result.
Find out more about the Move suite by visiting our website at www.mve.com
where you can contact us for more information, pricing details or for details about
our software evaluation license.
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