How can I create a time-animated model in Surfer from x, y, z1, z2, ... data?

Surfer does not currently have the ability to create a time-animated model, but there is an easy way to emulate this end-result via a script. If you have data with one x column, one y column, and multiple z columns, run the script below and then upload all of the output GIF files to an animated GIF creator. Many of these are available online for free.

To run this script:

1. Copy the script below, or download the attached BAS file: GridZCols_ExportGIF_Loop.bas.
2. In a Windows Explorer window, navigate to C:\Program Files\Golden Software\Surfer 16.
3. Double click on Scripter.exe to launch Scripter.
4. Press Ctrl+A to select all of the existing lines then press DELETE.
5. 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.
6. Update the values in the User-Defined Variables section near the top of the script.
7. Click Script | Run to run the script. 
   

'==========================
'GridZCols_ExportGIF_Loop.bas
'==========================
' This script loops through z columns in a single data file, 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, Wks, WksRange As Object
	Set SurferApp = CreateObject("Surfer.Application")
	SurferApp.Visible = True

'================================================================
' USER-DEFINED VARIABLES
'================================================================
'Files
	data_dir = "C:\program files\golden software\surfer 16\samples\"		'directory where the data file is located
	data_file = "Sample1.dat"	'data file name
	grid_dir = "C:\users\leslie-vm\desktop\"		'directory where grids will be saved
	gif_dir = "C:\users\leslie-vm\desktop\"		'directory where gifs will be saved

'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
'================================================================

'Opens the data file in Surfer's worksheet and sets the worksheet range to row 1
	Set Wks = SurferApp.Documents.Open(data_dir+data_file)
	Set WksRange = Wks.Rows(1, 1)

'Loops through all of the z columns in the data file
'This assumes columns A and B are x and y, and columns C through the end of the file are z's
	For i=3 To WksRange.ColumnCount

		'Creates a plot window
		Set Plot = SurferApp.Documents.Add

		'Defines output grid file directory & name
		grid_file	= grid_dir + Left(data_file, Len(data_file)-(Len(data_file)-InStrRev(data_file,".")+1) ) + "_zcol"+Str(i)+".grd"

		'Grids the data file
		SurferApp.GridData2(DataFile:= data_dir + data_file, xCol:=1, yCol:=2, zCol:=i, Algorithm:=srfKriging, ShowReport:=False, OutGrid:=grid_file, OutFmt:=srfGridFmtS7)
		Debug.Print "zCol = "+Str(i)

		'Creates a contour map
		Set MapFrame = Plot.Shapes.AddContourMap(GridFileName:=grid_file)
		Set ContourLayer = MapFrame.Overlays(1)

		'Fills 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	= gif_dir + Left(data_file, Len(data_file)-(Len(data_file)-InStrRev(data_file,".")+1) ) + "_zcol"+Str(i)+ ".gif"

		'Exports to a GIF
		Plot.Export2(FileName:=export_file, FilterID:=gif)

	Next i

'Closes Surfer
	SurferApp.Quit

End Sub

Updated November 9, 2018