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Products : March - April 1998
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Autodesk Lowers Cost of Accessing Critical Information via Web
ER Mapper Announces Free ER Viewer
Visio’s low cost alternative to AutoCAD
Earlybird is not yet operational
Autodesk Lowers Cost of Accessing Critical Information via Web
Autodesk MapGuide Release 3.0 Now Shipping
Autodesk Inc. has announced that it has begun world-wide shipments of Autodesk MapGuide Release 3.0 software. Autodesk MapGuide is the geographic information system (GIS) built from the ground to maximise the architecture of the Internet and corporate Intranets. It offers businesses and governments an easy-to-use method for communicating information enterprise-wide through interactive, intelligent maps. In doing so, Autodesk MapGuide dramatically expands the number of potential GIS users, allowing organisations to leverage maximum value from the millions of dollars invested in database information.
"Autodesk MapGuide is a easy to use, high performing, and fast to deploy GIS," said Ajay Sarin, Industry Manager (GIS & AEC) at Autodesk India Office.
Autodesk MapGuide lets users access and interact with a dynamic, map-driven Web site, which in turn becomes an easy-to-understand gateway to all types of information. "When data is linked to maps and pictures, it significantly expands the knowledge base for almost any type of decision, from strategic planning to sales and marketing to emergency response to infrastructure management," said Joe Astroth, Ph.D., Autodesk vice president for mapping and GIS.
"We are addressing a broad, largely untapped market for GIS with a product that makes a traditionally difficult application easy to use. Our pricing structure provides extraordinary value for customers at any level, from the 10-station work group to the enterprise-wide access needs of a major corporation," said Astroth.
ER Mapper Announces Free ER Viewer
Earth Resource Mapping, the developer of ER Mapper, has announced the release of ER Viewer. ER Viewer allows you to view and manipulate images on your desktop.
Since ER Viewer is Microsoft compliant it integrates seamlessly onto the existing desktops. It allows to view ER Mapper data and algorithms whilst also handling TIFF, GeoTiff, BMP and HDR images.
Due to ER Mapper’s unique Algorithm technology (which forms the image engine of ER Viewer), ER Viewer is capable of viewing an image of any size and resolution. ER Viewer is also capable of ‘Real Time' roaming and zooming. To accelerate the growth in the use of digital data ER Viewer is freely available to users and data suppliers alike.
Alistair Maclenan, Vice President of Earth Resource Mapping, said "ER Viewer represents a tool of substantial benefit to the market place as a whole, whether it is used by commercial clients, data suppliers or educational establishments it will promote the use of geospatial data to a vast audience."
David Hayward, Director of Development at Earth Resource Mapping, commented, "We expect ER Viewer to become the de-facto standard in viewing packages used by suppliers of raster-based data because of the combination of large file size handling and algorithm support."
ER Viewer can be downloaded from the ER Mapper web site at: www.ermapper.com. For organisations that wish to distribute ER Viewer with their data please contact the relevant regional ER Mapper office or email: queries@ermapper.com for further information.
ER Mapper is the world’s leading image handling and integrated mapping software supported by a network of 352 resellers world wide.
Visio’s low cost alternative to AutoCAD
At the national Design Engineering show in Chicago in March, Visio Corp. announced the release of intelliCAD 98, its 32-bit window based CAD application that is compatible with AutoCAD files, commands and applications. It will be made available for purchase at an introductory estimated price of $ 349 through retail and distribution channels, as well as direct from Visio, before the end of March. "We’re excited to bring IntelliCAD 98 to the marketplace as the first affordable and viable alternative to AutoCAD," said John Forbes, VP (Technical Products), Visio.
Visio is releasing IntelliCAD 98 for distribution after completion a successful testing programme that encompassed over 300 (?) beta testers world-wide. Since publicity announcing the IntelliCAD beta program in November, Visio has engaged over 3,000 beta testers to put IntelliCAD through its paces.
Seasoned Auto CAD users have tested IntelliCAD with their own drawings, AutoLISP routines, macros, menu files and custom ADS-based C++ applications. The feed back from testers has been instrumental in helping Visio fulfil its promise of AutoCAD-like functionality and compatibility, at less than 20 percent of the price of AutoCAD. Further these testers were able to provide valuable feed back on productivity enhancements that are not present in AutoCAD Release 14, such as IntelliCAD’s Multiple Document Interface for editing multiple drawings simultaneously. Microsoft ActiveX in place editing capabilities (as both a server and a client) and the Drawing Explorer, an intuitive tool for managing drawing layers, line types and blocks. The IntelliCAD testing and quality assurance effort has resulted in IntelliCAD 98 being awarded the designed for Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT logo certification from Microsoft .
While maintaining compatibility with legacy data and applications. IntelliCAD 98 also includes other innovative features that enhance and extend the AutoCAD work environment. These enhancements include a preview implementation of Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (?), a visual menu editor for easy customisation of AutoCAD - compatible menu structures, a Script recorder that captures the user’s action for automated replay and a drag and drop button bar editor that easily creates fly out structures on toolbars. IntelliCAD 98 also includes other advanced features such as Context-sensitive right click editing of selected entitles, photo-realistic rays traced rendering and enhanced plotter device support.
Earlybird is not yet operational
Earlybird 1, which was set to be a milestone in remote sensing technology, has not become operational till date. Two-way communications with EarlyBird 1 was lost just four days after the launch. The communication has not been reestablished to date. Because of this, the company has not been able to test the payload, nor collect any imagery.
On December 24, 1997 EarlyBird 1 was launched into a near perfect circular orbit by a Start-1 launch vehicle from the Svobodny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia. Initial communications with the satellite were normal. The satellite was all set to begin acquiring 3-meter resolution panchromatic (black and white) and 15 meter multispectral (colour) imagery – the highest resolution satellite imagery ever available from a commercial source.
On the evening of December 28, two-way communication was lost with EarlyBird 1 as a result of an anomalous satellite undervoltage condition. Through various ground contacts it was determined that the satellite was in its normal orbit, however operating at a reduced power state. Initial recovery strategies focused on characterising the satellite's power state and communications mode. EarthWatch and Orbital Sciences engineers have employed a variety of simulators and models, as well as establishing a test bed using components from EarlyBird 2, in order to analyse the satellite's state.
The company’s original strategy was to command the satellite to turn off all noncritical components. The effect was that they would conserve power and build up battery charge to enable them to establish normal two-way communications. This process is somewhat lengthy, requiring several days for each recovery attempt.
The company’s continuing strategy is to achieve power balance on the EarlyBird 1 satellite and then reestablish two-way communications. When they are able to communicate with EarlyBird 1, they will take a careful and methodical approach in evaluating the satellite operating state (including the anomalous undervoltage event) before proceeding to re-initialize the satellite to normal operation.
EarthWatch is launching its 0.82 meter panchromatc and 3.28 multispectral resolution Quickbird I satellite in late 1998.
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