TECHBASE is a database management system specifically designed for Engineering or Scientific data. The database has no practical limit on the number of fields per record or records per database. Several types of fields are provided to assist in the manipulation and modeling of the large databases commonly used in technical applications. A filtering capability is provided to allow for the creation of a temporary subset of the database for analysis, modeling and reporting. The TECHBASE software package includes the following:

DEFINE
DEFINE is the program that creates and modifies database structures. Databases, TABLES and FIELDS can be created, modified or deleted. TABLES can be sorted in either ascending or descending order, a new set of key fields can be defined, previously deleted records can be recovered, or records can be "squeezed" to eliminate empty space in the database from deleted records. The database dictionary including all of the FIELDS and TABLES and their parameters can be written to an output file.

LOAD
LOAD reads values from an ASCII file into specified FIELDS of a database. The format can be specified, or free format can be used. Out of range values are identified automatically. Input filters may be set to select subsets of the ASCII file. Load formats can be stored in files to allow quick use of standard formats.

REPORT
REPORT is a flexible report generator that writes database record values to a file in a user specified format. A report file can be created that is suitable for final copy reports, or an ASCII file can be written for use as input for another program. Report formats can also be stored in files for easy reporting of standard formats.

TBCALC
TBCALC calculates database FIELD values. It operates as an RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) calculator, storing the results of the calculations in the same FIELD or another field previously defined in the database. A wide variety of mathematical and Boolean logic functions are available to assist in the calculation of data values. TBCALC provides temporary registers to assist in the development of complex calculations, and to copy values from record to record. Calculations may be preformed on TEXT as well as NUMERIC fields, providing a wide variety of functionality.

TBEDIT
Database records can be edited, inserted, or deleted with TBEDIT. The records are loaded into the worktable and are displayed either one record at a time or as a full screen display. There are several options to assist in manipulating the data including options for finding specific records, sorting the worktable based on user specified fields, and the ability to make global changes to field values.

TRANSFER
TRANSFER reformats a database definition, and the database values so that they may be archived or transferred between computers. An error detection and correction protocol is included to assure a clean transfer of data.

TECHBASE supports a variety of database table types designed to provide the storage for the data structures created in the analysis and modeling of the raw data. The availability of structured table types is one of the major advantages of TECHBASE in the storage of engineering data.

FLAT
FLAT tables store lists of discrete data. There is no practical limit on the number of fields or the number of records that can be in a FLAT table. The FLAT table is analogous to the type of files managed by most commercial database managers. Each row of a spread-sheet is a typical example of a record in a FLAT table, with each column of a spread-sheet being an example of a field.

CELL
CELL tables provide storage for raw data or models best represented as a two-dimensional array, or a grid of records. The table has a defined origin, number of columns and rows, and column and row sizes. Variable cells sizes can be defined. Data storage requirements are minimized because the coordinate information is stored once for the entire table, not in each record. There is no limit on the number of fields for each cell record.

BLOCK
BLOCK tables provide storage for raw data or models best represented as a three-dimensional array of records. The table has a defined origin, number of columns, rows, and levels, and column, row, and level sizes. Variable block sizes can be defined. Data storage requirements are minimized because the coordinate information is stored once for the entire table, not in each record. There is no limit on the number of fields for each BLOCK record.

LAYER
LAYER tables provide storage for raw data or models best represented as a stack of two dimensional arrays, or grids of data records. The table has a defined origin, number of columns and rows, and column and row sizes. Variable column and row sizes can be defined. A list of layers is defined by layer name. Data storage requirements are minimized because the coordinate information is stored once for the entire table, not in each record. There is no limit on the number of fields for each LAYER record.

POLYGON
POLYGON tables provide storage for the boundary points as well as any attribute information associated with a two or three-dimensional polygon. Perimeter and area of the polygon are automatically calculated by TECHBASE. There is no limit on the number of points per polygon, or the number of fields associated with each polygon.

JOIN
JOIN allows two tables to be combined. Records are joined or related according to a common field in the two tables.

ODBC
The ODBC table type links TECHBASE to an external ODBC-compliant database such as Oracle or Access. Once you have set up an ODBC table linking external information to TECHBASE, you can use information stored in these databases when running TECHBASE programs

REAL
REAL fields contain real-number values. Each REAL field has attributes: Minimum, Maximum, and Display Precision. The Display Precision describes the number of digits after the decimal point. REAL values are provided to the TECHBASE programs as a series of digits, with an optional decimal point. Legal values include: "1", "1.23", and "-3.5". Exponential notation is also accepted, for example: "1.2e4" is equivalent to "12000". Values outside the declared range may or may not be accepted, but a warning will be provided. Whenever a range error is encountered, check your data.

DATE
DATE fields contain date-time values. Each DATE field has attributes of Minimum, Maximum, and Precision. The Precision describes the precision to which the date should be reported. Precision can be YEAR, MONTH, DAY, HOUR, MINUTE, SECOND, or MILLISECOND. DATE values are provided to the TECHBASE programs in the following format: "year/month/day;hour:minute:second.millisec" Legal formats include:
1997/05/16;14:32:59.03
1997/5/4;10:12
1997/05/04;10
1997/5/4
1900/6
1900
now
today
Values outside the declared range may be accepted, but a warning will be provided. When used as a numeric value, dates are converted to days and fractional days according to the Julian calendar. This allows the user to perform calculations on DATE fields.

TIME
TIME fields contain time values in the format hh:mn:ss.ms. (hour:minute:second.millisecond).

Fields defined by a TECHBASE user can have one of three classes, specified when the field is defined. ACTUAL fields contain values supplied by the user, and modifiable by the user or by TECHBASE programs. If no value is supplied for an ACTUAL field in a record, it is counted as "missing". No special action is required by the user to indicate "missing" status, other than simply not providing a value, or erasing a value previously provided.

CALCULATED
CALCULATED fields contain values calculated from other fields. The user supplies the equation when the field is defined. No values can be directly supplied for the field, only indirectly, by supplying the values for the fields used in the equation. If any of the fields in the equation are "missing", or if an illegal operation is attempted (for instance dividing by zero), the CALCULATED field value will be "missing".

MEASURED
MEASURED fields contain numeric values supplied by the user, and modifiable by the user or by TECHBASE programs. In addition to actual numeric values, a MEASURED field may also contain text values or labels, each of which is assigned an equivalent numeric value by the user when the field is created. If a text value is entered for the field, it will be used in all displays, reports, and graphics output. If the field value is used in a context requiring a numeric value, however, the equivalent numeric value will be used. For example, a REAL, MEASURED field may have a range from 0 to 100, with a text value list of:
"n/s" null "trace" .01 "<1" .5
In this case, a value of "n/s" (no sample) will be accepted for the field, with a null (missing) numeric value, a value of "trace" will have the numeric equivalent .01, and the text value "<1" will have the numeric value .5. All other values accepted for the field must be actual numeric values.

AUTOMATIC
A fourth field class is created automatically by TECHBASE. Each table has one or more AUTOMATIC fields. These are read-only fields, similar to CALCULATED fields, which contain information about the records in the table. These fields are recognizable in a database, because they are given names using the table name, and a suffix for each AUTOMATIC field, for example: "tablename_rec".

CORREL
CORREL statistically summarizes multivariate distributions of numeric data of specific databases. The CORREL program allows the calculation of correlation, regression, and some nonparametric statistics of bi-variate distributed data. The program will calculate the confidence values for the statistics.

CUMFREQ
CUMFREQ generates cumulative frequency distribution diagrams. A cumulative frequency diagram is plotted with value as the horizontal axis, and percentage less than the value on the vertical axis. The percentage may be accumulated in a series of "class intervals", or the contribution from each data point can be plotted individually.

DUPE
DUPE identifies duplicate records in a table based on the values for one or more fields, reports these values to an output file and can optionally delete the duplicate values. As an alternative, values can be assigned to fields to identify the duplicate records for later use.

HISTO
HISTO generates histograms of database values. Histograms are used to show how data is distributed. Histograms can be thought of as distribution diagrams which show the actual percentage of values falling into a certain range, called a "class." The histogram classes are user-defined.

SCATTER
SCATTER graphically summarizes the bivariate distribution of numeric data of a specified database. The SCATTER program scales one value along one axis, scales the other value along the remaining axis, and plots a symbol at the common intersection. A visual summary of the relationships between the values can be seen using the SCATTER program.

SUMMARY
SUMMARY calculates the following summary statistics for database values: mean, median, mode, variance, standard deviation, range, kurtosis, and coefficient of variance. In addition Chi-square, and two tailed t-distribution hypothesis statistics can be calculated.

TRIPLOT
TRIPLOT graphically summarizes the trivariate distributions of numeric data of a specified database. The TRIPLOT program allows the plotting of three different values along three different axis. The axes form a triangle and the units that are plotted sum to one hundred percent. The data values are automatically normalized before plotting.

TAP-Stat II is an advanced statistical software package specially designed to perform multivariate numerical analysis on data stored in a TECHBASE database. The filtering capability of TECHBASE allows for this analysis to be done on an arbitrary subset of the data. Both graphical and tabular outputs are produced by the following programs:

BWHISK
BWHISK "graphically summarizes" the univariate distributions of NUMERIC data from a database. A visual summary of the relationships between the values and their distribution can be graphically compared using the BWHISK program. Distribution medians, standard deviations, minimum, maximums, standard errors, and extreme values can be viewed.

MULTIVAR
MULTIVAR calculates and reports various multivariate statistics from given input fields. Filters for valid records may also be specified. Fields can be selected from the database that will be used as the dependent and independent values by MULTIVAR. Either Q-mode or R-mode factor analysis statistics for the specified field variables can be calculated. Principal Component Analysis can be calculated and reported to an output file. MULTIVAR will calculate multiple regression and a linear discriminant function between two univariate data groups.

Note: All multivariate calculations use case-wise deletion. That is, there must be no missing values in a record or the entire record is not considered for the calculation.

Analysis is a series of applications that when combined with other TECHBASE programs provide a powerful analysis package for the solution of hydrogeological and geotechnical problems. The package is designed so that data input, analysis and reporting are simplified by using a concise collection of tools that have TECHBASE as the central component. This strategy also facilitates data archiving and transfer between computers with TECHBASE packages on them. The application implements a series of specialty applications in statistics and analytical methods.

ROSE
ROSE is a tool used to output statistics and generate graphical representations of a two-dimensional oriented data set.

STEREO
Stereo produces Stereonet diagrams of 3-D directional or vector data.

PIPER
PIPER is a trilinear diagram tool used to graphically represent a number of water quality anion - cation analyses on a single triangular graph in which major groupings or trends can be viewed. The major-ion composition is represented through a set of points plotted in a triangle shaped diagram composed of two trilinear diagrams and a rhombus.

STIFF
STIFF is a water quality tool used to graphically represent the cation and anion composition of a set of samples into a set of connected diagrams as described by Stiff (1951). Sets of four stiff diagrams are plotted per page.

FLOW
FLOW is the TECHBASE version of the USGS Ground-Water-Flow Model which represents an Aquifer as a multi-layered cell table, where each layer and cell can have different characteristics which represent the characteristics of the aquifer.

TSLOPE3
TSLOPE3 as a tool used for analyzing 3-D slope stability problems. It uses a horizontal force equilibrium method, which is equivalent for non-circular failure surfaces.

AP-Graph is an integrated graphing and mapping software package that is designed to graphically display any of the values stored in a TECHBASE database. The filtering capability of TECHBASE allows any of the graphics to be created from a temporary subset of the data. All output is produced using a proprietary GKS (Graphics Kernal System) graphics system which conforms to the international GKS standard. All graphics are device independent, allowing TAP-Graph to be used with a wide variety of graphics terminals, plotters, dot-matrix printers, laser printers and other graphic devices. All of the graphics programs allow for interactive review on a graphic workstation and an un-draw command is provide to allow for corrections. User-developed graphical macros such as title blocks and logos may also be plotted. The TAP-Graph package includes the following tools:

GRIDCONT
GRIDCONT creates a contour map from data values located on a regular grid. The data may be actual values or estimated values generated by one of the two or three dimensional estimators in TAP-Model. Complete control is available over major and minor line styles and colors.

POSTER
POSTER creates fully annotated location maps, base sheets or any two dimensional graphs. Proportional or constant sized symbols may be used to mark data locations. Text can be posted around markers at any angle and in any size. Modeled cells or polygons can be plotted with user defined colors and fill patterns.

RANDCONT
RANDCONT produces a contour map from randomly located data values using a triangulation algorithm. This allows for the development of a contour map without the need to construct a regular grid. RANDCONT creates its own internal grid from the data values. The polygons lines generated may optionally be written to an ASCII file.

SDIGIT
SDIGIT is a fully functional digitizing system that can be used with a variety of digitizers. SDIGIT's planimeter function provides the capability of calculating both areas and distances automatically. It has the ability to scale the X and Y axes independently in any rectangular coordinate system including left-handed or mirrored. Multiple user defined text or numeric markers can be used to identify digitized points. Some of the features include: markers can be incremented by any number; points can be interpolated evenly between two end-points; area and distance calculations are performed automatically.

SECTION
SECTION generates cross section plots. Points, lines, and drill holes are projected into cross sectional views. Any modeled surface or block model can be cut by the cross section. There are three views available: front view, top view, and right view, which may be requested separately.

MFEDIT
MFEDIT is the TECHBASE metafile editor. This editor allows text, lines, markers, and filled areas in a GKS metafile to be modified, resized, moved, or deleted. New graphics items can be created interactively.

TAP-Graph II adds additional power and flexibility to the original TAP-Graph. This package, designed to be purchased in conjunction with TAP-Graph, includes a library of fonts and markers, a symbol generator, a graphics editor, and two additional graphing programs.

FONTS
Extends the basic TAP-Graph font library to include over 14 additional type sets. The new fonts include Duplex and Triplex Roman, Italic, Script, and Gothic. In addition, there are three Greek fonts and one Cyrillic font also included.

TBSTYLE
Allows the user to define any set of lines, points or patterns into unique symbols or markers to be used by any of the graphic programs for plotting on maps or charts with on-screen feedback. A sample set of markers used in the Geographic, Environmental, Mining, Oil and Gas, and Civil disciplines is provided. Symbols can be combined to provide the ability to make complex symbols from combinations of other symbols.

PERSPECT
PERSPECT produces a three dimensional perspective view of data values stored in a TECHBASE database. The user is not limited to diagonal line of sight, rather they can specify any line of sight. Options include hidden line removal, plotting constant values in one direction (x, y, or z), skirting, and plotting in stereo for viewing with a stereo viewer. Points and lines can be plotted on any surface in proper perspective.

POLYEDIT
POLYEDIT is an interactive polygon/polyline editor. The user may either modify digitized files and/or create new files. Extensive capabilities are included to ensure the integrity of the resulting polygons. POLYEDIT is unique in its ability to display a TECHBASE graphics metafile, and use it as a background to allow digitizing without the need to create a paper copy.

VECFIELD
VECFIELD produces a display of directionally oriented proportionally sized vectors that are used to represent flow rates and direction. Typical applications include the estimated water flow through an aquifer or display of surface slope directions.

INSIGHT
View your data in 3D using the INSIGHT program. From a fixed or rotating viewpoint, you can plot modeled surfaces and blocks, and points, lines and polygons. You can adjust background color, transparency of layers, sun angle, turn on or off objects, draw contours adjust exaggeration and ambient light. Objects can be viewed in wireframe, mesh or smooth modes. 

TAP-Model provides capabilities for calculating spatial statistics from two or three-dimensional data values. TECHBASE database values may then be modeled as either a two or three-dimensional database structure. A variety of conventional and geostatistical estimation techniques are included, which may be used interchangeably on the same data. The filtering capabilities of TECHBASE allow any of the modeling techniques to act on a temporary subset of the data.

COMPOSIT
COMPOSIT produces equal basis composites of samples from vertical, inclined, or surveyed drill holes. Channel and bench samples may also be composited, as well as time domain data. Composites can be created on the basis of equal length, equal vertical distance, equal geology, or for specific user-defined intervals.

INVERSE
INVERSE estimates point, cell, or block model values using the inverse distance to a power algorithm. The algorithm searches for neighboring raw data points, selecting some number of points requested by the user. The i, j, k dimensions of the search radius can be specified along with an azimuth and dip. The raw data value is then weighted according to the inverse of the distance raised to a user defined power from 0 to 1000.

KRIGE
KRIGE uses simple, ordinary, or universal (1st, 2nd or 3rd order) Kriging to estimate point, polygonal, cell, or block model values. Program capabilities allow lognormal or indicator Kriging, as well as either point or block estimation. Any number of nested variogram models may be provided by the user, each with its own anisotropy. An option is provided for cross-validation.

LOCATE
LOCATE relates data coordinate values to bounding surfaces and polygons. This allows planimetric, geological or other information to be assigned based on spatial coordinates.

POLYEST
POLYEST performs estimation of an area-of-influence using the polygonal method. Polygons can be written to an output file or stored in the database.

TREND
TREND estimates point, or cell values using a trend surface fitted to the input data values. Trend order can be set from 1 to 10. Residuals can be calculated for input data and stored in the database. Gradients can be generated and stored in the database for both the input data points and the gridded points.

TRIGRID
TRIGRID estimates a data value at each point of a two-dimensional model supplied by the user. The algorithm triangulates the raw data points, and projects gradients to calculate the model value.

VARIO
VARIO calculates and displays two and three dimensional directional variograms. Both linear and logarithmic variograms may be calculated. The parameters of a best-fit model may be calculated and displayed interactively. The final model may be stored for later use by the KRIGE program.

ARC2TB
ARC2TB is a two-way conversion utility that allows the user to convert coordinate and attribute data stored in ARC/Info or ArcView 2 directly into a TECHBASE database. Conversions will be performed for Shapefiles (points, lines, and polygons), and GRID data. ARC2TB also converts TECHBASE data and geometry to equivalent structures within ARC/Info.

DEM2TB
DEM2TB is a two-way conversion utility that allows the user to convert Digital Elevation Model files directly into TECHBASE databases. DEM2TB also converts TECHBASE cell tables into Digital Elevation Model files with DEM file format.

Many TECHBASE converters are packaged into our Utilities modules, available for individual or package purchase. All of these conversion programs are 2-way, with the exception of the TECHBASE to Acrospin converter.

MF2AC
Converts TECHBASE graphics metafiles to AutoCAD DXF files, and vice versa. TECHBASE colors are exported onto different AutoCAD layers. With AutoCAD lsp routines available for free download on our website, will support AutoCAD 14.

TB2AS
Translator for TECHBASE to Acrospin files

TB2DB
Translator between TECHBASE and dBASE databases.

TB2GS
Translator for TECHBASE to Geosoft XYZ files

TB2IP
Translator for TECHBASE to I-power data files

TB2AGS
Allows the user to convert all or part of a TECHBASE database to or from an AGS Geotechnical Data Interchange File.

DCONVERT
Converts DMPL format to TECHBASE graphics

HCONVERT
Converts HPGL format to TECHBASE graphics

TB2AGS
Translator for TECHBASE to AGS file formats

TAP-Openpit provides preliminary mine planning and scheduling capability for deposits which are to be mined using open pit techniques.

OPCONE
OPCONE performs cone mining for generating and ultimate pit or for scheduling production within a pit. Input parameters include the slope geometry, cutoff parameters, blending constraints and block evaluation. Using production targets as input allows the program to be used as a scheduler. This program uses constraints previously established by the OPTOPO and OPSLOPE programs, as well as parameters set by the user with the OPCONE program.

OPEXPAND
OPEXPAND accepts digitized bench outlines to create a pit design or scheduling increment. Outlines for each bench may be used, or an outline from a lower bench may be automatically expanded according to the slope geometry. The outlines may be stored in the database.

OPREPT
OPREPT produces a formatted report of mineable or geologic reserves. Reports may be produced for any combination of mining period, bench, and cutoff. A series of cutoffs may be used to produce a grade-tonnage curve. OPREPT can produce reports on a whole-block or fractional-block basis. Reports can be produced with bench-by-bench totals for any number of user-defined material classes.

OPSLOPE
OPSLOPE creates and manages a series of mining templates which describe the set of blocks which must be mined before mining a given ore block. The templates are stored as an array of integer bench values in a slope or "template" file. The results can be displayed as integers, in double-digit map form. To accommodate a variety of mining situations, the slopes can vary with direction and with bench, as well as with different areas of zones in the model.

OPTOPO
OPTOPO creates and manages a description of the topography which allows for efficient open pit design from a TECHBASE block model. The initial topography, and a series of post-mining topographies are each stored as an array of integer bench values. The results can be displayed as integers, in double-digit map form or converted back to absolute elevations for display using TAP-Graph or other TECHBASE programs.

TAP-Openpit II provides advanced mine planning and scheduling capabilities.

OP3DLG
OP3DLG is an implementation of the Lerchs Grossman three-dimensional ultimate pit optimization algorithm. It uses constraints previously established by the OPTOPO and OPSLOPE programs, along with an economic block model to compute a pit having the maximum possible net value.

OPSCHED
OPSCHED is an interactive mine scheduling program which honors ultimate pit and current (previously-mined) topography. It also keeps track of: previous/next bench for current period, previous/next period for current bench, current topography and ultimate topography for this bench. Tracking and reporting capabilities of a user-defined number of material classes. Views can be changed (zoom, pan, etc.). As a polygon is drawn, the portion being updated will rubber-band to reflect the current shape. As the polygon is drawn or modified, the current report will be dynamically updated to reflect grade, tons, etc.. The reports can be user-selected as full block by centroid for speed, or exact block fraction for precision.

TAP-Seam extends modeling capability for layered deposits, as well as providing mine planning and scheduling capability for deposits which are to be mined using strip mining techniques.

SMCUTGE
SMCUTGE is a cut generator tool which creates a sequence of mining cuts, based on input geometry, to be mined by the SMPANL program. The cut sequence is in a form to be displayed graphically or reported in tabular form.

SMPANL
SMPANL mines a sequence of mining cuts in a layered deposit. Mining can be controlled by Volume and Tonnage goals, Area disturbed, Number of cuts, Number of Panels and by Burden. The panel miner program models different mining configurations which are seam oriented.

SMREPT
SMREPT prints a layer-by-layer report for layered deposits. Either geologic or mineable reserves may be reported. Any database values may be averaged or totaled for each layer. Reports can be produced with layer-by-layer totals for any number of user-defined material classes.

SURFPLUS
Surfplus is an interactive graphics tool used to build single or paired surface models and can be used for editing and modeling any surface. Paired surface can be "closed" to form any three dimensional shape defined by a top and a bottom surface.

RESERVE
Reserve is an interactive graphics tool used for classification, calculations, auditing and reporting reserve data.

TB2US
tb2Us is a tool used convert TECHBASE databases to or from Intergraph Microstation (R).

The TECHBASE Productivity Tools include the TAG and TECHNICN programs. These programs were designed to improve data entry methods, automate tasks, and to increase the productivity of TECHBASE users.

TAGIN & TGIPLAY
TAGIN allows the user to design custom forms for data-entry. Data validation can be setup to automatically inform the user of any errors or values that do not fit the criteria specified. The data entry forms can contain information in whatever order is most efficient, including scrolling groups and nested forms.

TGIPLAY allows specially designed forms, created using the TAGIN program, to be used to input data directly into a TECHBASE database, with complete data integrity validation. Each batch of data can be added directly to the database, or canceled by the user.

TECHNICN
TECHNICN allows customer procedures to be subdivided into a series of easily managed projects and tasks by a knowledgeable user. These standardized tasks can then be run repeatedly by anyone in the organization, without the need for extensive training. Automation with TECHNICN promotes: Productivity by eliminating the need to manually step through each task. Consistency - allows the adherence to corporate standards for output. Standards can be developed once, and reused on numerous projects and tasks. Flexibility - since the procedures developed for TECHNICN can be easily modified using a text editor to meet changing requirements.