Create a time-animated model in Surfer from multiple DAT files via automation
To create a time animated model in Surfer each time point will need to be modeled separately and then exported to GIF for use with an online animated GIF creator. This can be done fairly quickly using a script like the one below which creates a grid, contour map, and GIF for each DAT file in a specified directory.
If you would find a built in time-animation feature in Surfer helpful with your work, please let us know.
To run this script:
- Copy the script below, or download the attached BAS file: GridContourExportLoop.bas.
- In a Windows Explorer window, navigate to C:\Program Files\Golden Software\Surfer.
- Double click on Scripter.exe to launch Scripter.
- Press Ctrl+A to select all of the existing lines then press DELETE.
- If you copied this script, press Ctrl+V to paste it into Scripter. If you downloaded it, click File | Open, select the BAS file from your downloads directory, and click Open.
Update the User-defined variables section with your own files and preferences. - Click Script | Run to run the script.
'========================== 'GridContourExportLoop.bas '========================== ' This script loops through data files in a directory, gridding each one and creating a ' contour map from the grid, then exporting the grid as a GIF to be animated by ' a third-party program '========================== Sub Main Debug.Clear 'Initializes Surfer Dim SurferApp, Plot, MapFrame, ContourLayer As Object Set SurferApp = CreateObject("Surfer.Application") SurferApp.Visible = True '================================================================ 'USER-DEFINED VARIABLES '================================================================ 'Files file_extension = "dat" 'extension of the data files in the directory file_directory = "c:\program files\golden software\surfer 16\samples\" 'directory containing all of the data files export_format = "gif" 'extension of the output image file 'Grid numrows = 200 'number of rows in the grid file numcols = 200 'number of columns in the grid file x = 1 'x column from the data file y = 2 'y column from the data file z = 3 'z column from the data file 'Colormap colormap_min = 40 'minimum data value for the colormap colormap_max = 100 'maximum data value for the colormap grad = "Rainbow" 'color gradient preset for the colormap '================================================================ 'If you didn't include a \ at the end of the file_directory, this line adds it If Len(file_directory)-InStrRev(file_directory,"\") <> 0 Then file_directory = file_directory + "\" 'This sets the file name equal to any DAT files in the directory data_file = Dir( file_directory + "*." + file_extension) 'Loops through all of the data files in the directory While data_file <> "" 'Creates a plot window Set Plot = SurferApp.Documents.Add 'Defines the name of the output grid file as the data file name with a GRD extension grid_file = file_directory + Left(data_file, Len(data_file)-(Len(data_file)-InStrRev(data_file,".")+1) ) + ".grd" Debug.Print grid_file 'Grids the data SurferApp.GridData3 (DataFile:=file_directory+data_file, Algorithm:= srfKriging, NumRows:=numrows, _ NumCols:=numcols, ShowReport:=False, OutGrid:=grid_file, xCol:=x, yCol:=y, zCol:=z) 'Creates a contour map Set MapFrame = Plot.Shapes.AddContourMap(GridFileName:=grid_file) Set ContourLayer = MapFrame.Overlays(1) 'Fill contours ContourLayer.FillContours = True 'Assigns a preset to the colormap ContourLayer.FillForegroundColorMap.LoadPreset(grad) 'Sets colormap data limits so all exports use the same color scale ContourLayer.FillForegroundColorMap.SetDataLimits (DataMin:=colormap_min, DataMax:=colormap_max) 'Defines the name of the output GIF file as the data file name with a GIF extension export_file = file_directory + Left(data_file, Len(data_file)-(Len(data_file)-InStrRev(data_file,".")+1) ) + "." + export_format 'Exports to a GIF Plot.Export2(FileName:=export_file, FilterID:=export_format) 'Go to the next DAT file data_file = Dir() Wend 'Closes Surfer SurferApp.Quit End Sub
Related Articles:
- How can I export multiple SRF files to bitmap images using Surfer automation?
- Create a time-animated model in Surfer from x, y, z1, z2, ... data via automation
Updated November 2021
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