This feature gives you the option when gridding data to create a 3D grid, or after the 3D grid is created, to assign NoData to regions of the grid so it is not visualized in the map or the 3D view. This allows you to:

• Model contamination plumes, but remove the data above the surface topography, or remove the overburden from the grid

• Only create grid data in areas where there were original data points

• Create holes in the middle of the data set if there is no data in that area

Specifically, these commands have been updated:

• Grid Data - When gridding data to generate a 3D grid, you can Assign NoData on the last page of the Grid Data wizard using either:

  • 2D convex hull

  • 2D alpha shape

  • 2D polygon

• Grids | Assign NoData - Assign NoData to a 3D grid using one (or both) of the methods below, saving the resulting grid back out as a 3D grid:

  • inside or outside a 2D polygon

  • above or below another 2D (XYZ) grid surface

To use this feature, all you need to start with is a data filewith columns for XYZ data and a variable. Follow these steps:

1. Click Home | Grid Data

2. In the first page of the Grid Data wizard,

   1. select XYZC as the Data Type

   2. click Browse, select your data file and click Open

   3. select the appropriate X, Y, Z and C data columns

   4. click Next

3. On the second page of the Grid Data wizard, select any advanced options you wish and click Next.

4. On the third, and final page of the Grid Data wizard, you can choose to set Assign NoData outside of to either Convex hull or Alpha shape. Alternatively, if you already have a polygon file with a 2D polygon in it, you can leave that setting set to None and then select the file under the NoData Polygon Boundary section.

   1. 

      

      Choose to assign NoData outside the convex hull, outside an alpha shape, or either inside or outside of a polygon boundary.

5. Give the file a name and click Finish. The 3D grid file is created with the appropriate NoData selections applied. You can use this new 3D grid to create a map and visualize in the 3D view.

Assign NoData to your 3D grid outside a 2D polygon boundary, such as an alpha shape polygon created around the original data points.

To use this feature, all you need to start with is a 3D grid file (VTK or HDF). Follow these steps:

1. Click Grids | Edit | Assign NoData.

2. To the right of Input Grid, click Browse, select your 3D grid file and click Open. Choose to import the file as 3D Grid.

3. Now you can choose to assign NoData inside or outside a 2D polygon, or above or below a surface described in a 2D grid file (or both). Make your selections in the NoData 2D Polygon Boundary and the NoData Surface Boundary sections.

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      Choose to assign NoData to a 3D grid file using a polygon boundary, another grid surface, or both.

4. Give the file a name and click OK. If a 3D grid was selected for the input grid, then the output grid is automatically a 3D grid as well. The 3D grid file is created with the appropriate NoData selections applied. You can use this new 3D grid to create a map and visualize in the 3D view.

Assign NoData above or below another 2D grid surface, such as topography to remove the gridded data above the ground surface.

If you would like to try this new functionality, I would appreciate any feedback! We are looking for early feedback, to make sure it works as you expect it to and there are not any problems. These features are not yet included in the v26 Beta version accessible via MyAccount.

Instructions:

1. Download the software. You can download a preBeta version (v27.0.82) with these features included, from our server at: https://goldensoftware.sharefile.com/d-sf2e44aa15a1c4f80b09bdf40ad2e7934. Note: This is the ONLY link where you can download the preBeta software. It is not available for download from MyAccount.
2. Once you download the installation EXE file, double click on it to begin installation. You can have Surfer and Surfer Beta/preBeta installed at the same time. If you already have a version of Surfer Beta installed though, this preBeta installation will replace it.

Licensing:

• If you already have an active single-user or concurrent-use Surfer license, please email your Support Code (found under File | License Info) to kdickenson@goldensoftware.com and we can extend the license to include this version. You may need to update your license or license server to read the updated information.

• If you do not have an active license, you can use this Surfer Beta version in the free Trial mode (good for 2 weeks).