GRASSLAND FAQ
Liane Levesque
ll at las.com
Wed Jan 17 07:00:00 EST 1996
Liane Levesque
Marketing Director
tel. : (514) 858-1104
LAS Inc. fax : (514) 389-9373
1570 Chabanel Ouest email: ll at las.com
Montreal, Quebec
Canada
H4N 1H4
What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.
-------------- Enclosure number 1 ----------------
1. What are the main differences between GRASS4.1 and GRASSLAND 1.0 ?
GRASSLAND 1.0 is an implementation of GRASS4.1 inside an easy to use Graphica
l
User Interface. It runs under Microsoft Windows/95 and Windows/NT and will
very soon run a few flavor of UNIX. Beside the basic GRASS4.1 spatial analysi
s
functions, GRASSLAND 1.0 is equipped with some new and very useful features:
o A simple yet powerful GUI operated using drag & drop,
point & click, popup menus, common dialogs etc.
o A very fast mapviewer that can display both raster and vector
data files.
o A WYSIWYG postscript map printing mechanism.
o A INTERNET based client-server architecture to facilitate the
exchange and sharing of GRASS datasets as well as other datastore
format.
o A Graphical User Interface Development Environment (based on Tcl/Tk)
o A very powerful visual programming environment to facilitate the
construction of spatial analysis procedures.
2. What are GRASSLAND 1.0 for Windows/95/NT software and hardware requirements
?
o Windows/95 or Windows/NT 3.5x
o an Intel 486 or Penthium based computer
o 8 megs of RAM ( 16 megs recommanded )
o 20 Megs of hardisk (+ space for demo databases)
o 8 bit video adapter ( recommanded resolution: 800x600 or more )
o A cdrom drive
o A postscript printer/plotter
3. What is GRASSLAND 1.0 price and how to obtain a copy ?
GRASSLAND 1.0 for Windows/95/NT price is 849 $ per license.
GRASSLAND 1.0 for Linux price is 849 $ per license ( available 1st Quarter o
f 1996 ).
It can be obtained from LAS sales department:
phone: 1-800-584-0345 (North America Only)
1-514-858-1104
fax: 1-514-389-9373
email: ll at las.com.
Payment can be made by Visa or Mastercard.
Price does not include the delivery fees.
In order to maintain the spirit that has driven the GRASS user's community
so far, GRASSLAND 1.0 for UNIX Worstations will be made available
at no cost (available 1st Q 1996).
4. What are the GRASS4.1 functions supported in GRASSLAND 1.0 for Windows/95/NT
?
In this first cut of GRASSLAND the focus has been put on all "supported"
and "alpha" spatial analysis functions. Here is the list of all currently
supported function:
Analysis
Interpolation
r.surf.contour: Surface generation program.
r.surf.idw: Surface interpolation utility for raster map layers.
r.surf.idw2 Surface generation program.
Neighborhood
r.buffer Creates a raster map layer showing buffer zones surr
ounding cells
that contain non-zero category values.
r.grow Generates an output raster map layer with contiguous
areas grown
by one cell (pixel).
r.mfilter Raster file matrix filter.
r.neighbors Makes each cell category value a function of the cat
egory values assigned
to the cells around it, and stores new cell values i
n an output
raster map layer.
r.thin Thins non-zero cells that denote linear features in
a raster map layer.
Overlay
r.binfer Bayesian expert system development program.
r.combine Allows category values from several raster map layer
s to be combined.
r.infer Outputs a raster map layer whose category values rep
resent
the application of user-specified criteria (rules st
atements)
to other raster map layers' category values.
r.mapcalc Raster map layer data calculator.
r.weight Raster map overlay program.
r.mask Establishes or removes the current working mask.
Simple Statistics
r.average Finds the average of values in a cover map within a
reas assigned
the same category value in a user-specified base map
.
r.covar Outputs a covariance/correlation matrix for user- sp
ecified raster
map layer(s).
r.median Finds the median of values in a cover map within are
as assigned the same
category value in a user-specified base map.
r.mode Finds the mode of values in a cover map within area
s assigned the
same category value in a user-specified base map.
Terrain
r.basins.fill Generates a raster map layer showing watershed subba
sins.
r.cost Outputs a raster map layer showing the cumulative co
st of
moving between different geographic locations on an
input raster
map layer whose cell category values represent cost.
r.drain Traces a flow through an elevation model on a raster
map layer.
r.los Line-of-sight raster analysis program.
r.slope.aspect Generates raster map layers of slope and aspect from
a raster map
layer of true elevation values.
r.watershed Watershed basin analysis program.
r.traj Ballistic trajectory modeling program.
r.traj.data Reviews the ammunition and weapon data base used by
r.traj.
Sites
s.menu Accesses and manipulates GRASS site location data.
Export
Raster
r.out.ascii Converts a raster map layer into an ASCII text file.
Sites
s.out.ascii Converts a GRASS site list file into an ASCII listin
g of
site locations and their descriptions.
Vector
v.out.arc Converts GRASS vector files to ARC/INFO's "Generate"
file format.
v.out.ascii Converts a binary GRASS vector map layer into an ASC
II GRASS vector map layer.
v.out.dlg Converts binary GRASS vector data to DLG-3 Optional
vector data format.
v.out.dxf GRASS vector format to DXF format conversion program
.
File manipulation
Mapset
g.access Controls user access to the current GRASS mapset.
g.mapsets Modifies the user's current mapset search path, affe
cting
the user's access to data existing under the other
GRASS mapsets in the current location.
g.copy
g.rename
g.remove
Image processing
Classification
i.cluster An imagery function that generates spectral signatur
es
for land cover types in an image using a clustering
algorithm.
The resulting signature file is used as input for i.
maxlik,
to generate an unsupervised image classification.
i.euclid An imagery function that allows the formation of a r
aster map
holding classification results using the Euclidian m
inimum distance
algorithm.
i.gensig Generates statistics for i.maxlik from raster map la
yer.
i.maxlik An imagery function that classifies the cell spectra
l reflectances
in imagery data based on the spectral signature info
rmation
generated by either i.cluster, i.class, or i.gensig.
i.smap An imagery function that performs contextual image
classification using sequential maximum a posteriori
(SMAP) estimation.
i.gensigset generate statistics for i.smap from raster map layer
.
Enhancement
i.ifft Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (ifft) for image proc
essing.
i.rgb.his Red-green-blue (rgb) to hue-intensity-saturation (hi
s) function
for image processing.
i.grey.scale Assign a histogram contrast stretch grey scale color
table.
i.his.rgb Hue-intensity-saturation (his) to red-green-blue (rg
b) raster
map color transformation function.
i.pca Principal components analysis (pca) program for imag
e processing.
i.texture calculates Haralick`s image texture features.
i.zc Zero-crossing "edge detection" raster function for i
mage processing.
i.fft Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) for image processing.
i.cca Canonical components analysis (cca) program for imag
e processing.
i.composite An imagery function that creates a color composite i
mage
from three imagery band files specified by the user.
Geometric Corrections
i.rectify An imagery function that rectifies an image by comp
uting a
coordinate transformation for each cell (pixel) in t
he
image using the transformation coefficient matrix cr
eated
by the GRASS program i.points.
i.target An imagery function that establishes a GRASS target
location
and mapset for an imagery group.
Import
Dem/dted
m.dem.examine Provides a terse description of USGS Digital Elevat
ion Model (DEM)
data files stored on 1/2-inch magnetic tape.
m.dem.extract Extracts USGS Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data fr
om
1/2-inch magnetic tape.
m.dmaUSGSread Extracts digital terrain elevation data (DTED) prod
uced
by the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) but supplied b
y
the USGS (in a different tape format) on 1/2- inch
magnetic tape.
m.dted.examine Provides a terse description of level 1 and 2 digit
al
terrain elevation data (DTED) files produced and di
stributed by
the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) on 1/2-inch magne
tic tapes.
m.dted.extract Extracts digital terrain elevation data (DTED - lev
els 1 and 2)
produced and supplied by the Defense Mapping Agency
(DMA) on
1/2-inch magnetic tapes.
m.flip Flips elevation data extracted from systems that re
trieve data
by rows from south to north.
m.lulc.read Extracts Landuse/Landcover data in the ASCII Compos
ite Theme Grid (CTG)
data format distributed by the USGS in to a working
file for m.lulc.USGS.
m.lulc.USGS Creates raster map layers from a Composite Theme Gr
id (CTG)
file created by m.lulc.read.
m.rot90 Rotates elevation data extracted by either m.dted.e
xtract
or m.dmaUSGSread.
Raster
i.in.erdas Creates raster files from ERDAS files.
r.in.ascii Convert an ASCII raster text file into a (binary) r
aster map layer.
r.in.erdas Creates raster files from ERDAS files.
It creates one raster file for each band, and creat
es
color support if an ERDAS trailer file is specified
.
r.in.ll Converts raster data referenced using latitude and
longitude coordinates to a UTM-referenced map layer
in GRASS raster format.
r.in.ppm
Sites
s.in.ascii Converts an ASCII listing of site locations and the
ir descriptions
into a GRASS site list file.
Vector
v.in.ascii Converts ASCII vector map layers into binary vector
map layers.
v.in.dxf Converts files in DXF format to ASCII or binary GRA
SS
vector file format.
v.in.tig.basic Create GRASS vector map from TIGER files.
v.in.tig.lndmk Create GRASS vector map from TIGER files.
v.in.tiger.scs Converts ASCII TIGER data files from the
U.S. Dept. of Commerce Bureau of the Census.
v.cadlabel Attaches labels to (binary) vector contour lines th
at have
been imported to GRASS from DXF format.
v.in.poly creates a vector map of polygons of specified radiu
s
around center points which may be input as coordina
te pairs
from a file or stdin.
v.in.transects import transect data to a GRASS vector map.
v.in.dlg2 Converts an ASCII or binary USGS DLG-3 (bdlg) file
to a
binary GRASS vector (dig) file.
Imagery group
i.tape.mss extracts Multispectral Scanner (MSS) imagery data f
rom half-inch tape.
i.tape.mss.h extracts header information from LANDSAT Multispect
ral
Scanner (MSS) imagery data stored on half-inch tape
.
i.tape.other extracts scanned aerial imagery (NHAP, etc.)
and satellite imagery (TM, SPOT, etc) from half-inc
h or 8mm tape.
i.tape.spot extracts SPOT imagery from half-inch tape.
i.tape.tm extracts LANDSAT Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery from
half-inch tape.
i.tape.tm.fast extracts Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery from tape med
ia.
Report
Raster
r.cats Prints category values and labels associated with
user-specified raster map layers.
r.coin Tabulates the mutual occurrence (coincidence)
of categories for two raster map layers.
r.describe Prints terse list of category values found in a ra
ster map layer.
r.info Outputs basic information about a user-specified ra
ster map layer.
r.profile Outputs the raster map layer values lying on user-d
efined line(s).
r.report Reports statistics for raster map layers.
r.stats Generates area statistics for raster map layers.
r.transect Outputs raster map layer values lying along
user defined transect line(s).
r.volume Calculates the volume of data "clumps", and (option
ally)
produces a GRASS site_lists file containing the
calculated centroids of these clumps.
Vector
v.autocorr Calculate spatial autocorrelation statistics for GR
ASS vector file.
v.report Generates statistics for vector files.
v.stats Prints information about a binary GRASS vector map
layer.
Support
Raster
r.colors Creates/Modifies the color table associated with a
raster map layer.
r.compress Compresses and decompresses raster files.
Imagery group
i.group.color An imagery function that assigns a color to
each imagery file in given groups of (raster) image
ry files.
i.group.list An imagery function that gives a list of all the
imagery files for given groups of (raster) imagery
files.
i.group.mod An imagery function that sets imagery files to be
contained in given groups of (raster) imagery files
.
i.group.sub An imagery function that sets imagery files to be
contained in given subgroups of (raster) imagery fi
les.
i.group.title An imagery function that sets titles for given
groups of (raster) imagery files.
Vector
v.support Creates GRASS support files for (binary) GRASS vect
or data.
Region
g.region
Transformation
Raster
r.patch Creates a composite raster map layer by using known
category values from one (or more) map layer(s) to
fill
in areas of "no data" in another map layer.
r.poly Extracts area edges from a raster map layer and con
verts
data to GRASS vector format.
r.random Creates a raster map layer and site list file conta
ining
randomly located sites.
r.resample GRASS raster map layer data resampling capability.
r.rescale Rescales the range of category values in a raster m
ap layer.
r.clump Recategorizes data in a raster map layer by groupin
g cells
that form physically discrete areas into unique cat
egories.
r.contour Produces a GRASS binary vector map of specified con
tours
from GRASS raster map layer.
r.cross Creates a cross product of the category values from
multiple raster map layers.
r.line Creates a new binary GRASS vector (v.digit)
file by extracting linear features from a thinned r
aster file.
r.mask.points Examines and filters lists of points constituting l
ines to
determine if they fall within current region and
mask and optionally an additional raster map.
r.reclass Creates a new map layer whose category values
are based upon the user's reclassification of categ
ories in
an existing raster map layer.
Sites
s.surf.idw Surface generation from sites data program.
s.surf.tps interpolation and topographic analysis from
given site data to GRASS raster format using spline
with tension.
s.to.rast.voronoi Converts GRASS vector map to GRASS raster map using
Voronoi method.
Vector
v.alabel Bulk-labels unlabeled area features in a binary
GRASS vector file.
v.clean Cleans out dead lines in GRASS vector files.
v.cutter Polygon Cookie Cutter (Boolean AND Overlay).
v.llabel bulk label vector lines.
v.merge Merges vector map files.
v.mkgrid Creates a (binary) GRASS vector map of a user- defi
ned grid.
v.mkquads Creates a GRASS vector map layer and/or sites list
and/or
geographic region definition file for a USGS 7.5-mi
nute quadrangle.
v.patch Creates a new binary vector map layer by combining
other binary
vector map layers.
v.prune Prunes points from binary GRASS vector data files.
v.spag Process spaghetti-digitized binary vector file.
v.to.rast Converts a binary GRASS vector map layer into a GRA
SS
raster map layer.
v.transform Transforms an ASCII vector map layer from one coord
inate
system into another coordinate system.
v.trim Trims small spurs, and removes excessive nodes
from a binary GRASS vector (dig) file.
v.extract Selects vectors from an existing vector map
and creates a new map containing only the selected
vectors.
The original "d.mon" display mechanism available in GRASS4.1 has been replace
d by a new
map viewing facility therefore all "d.something" function are useless in GRAS
SLAND 1.0.
The same apply for "p.map" and "ps.map" which have been replaced by a new WYS
IWYG printout
facility.
All functions are in command mode only. The "vask" interactive mode has been
replaced by a GUI
similar to XGRASS.
5. Can I include my own GRASS functions into GRASSLAND 1.0 ?
The openess of GRASS4.1 is certainly one of its most important feature.
LAS' development team has worked very hard to keep all GRASS libraries identi
cal
to the orginal UNIX version. We have created a series of .DLL libraries that
mimic all aspect of the most important GRASS4.1 libraries: libgis.a, libvect.
a and
libdig.a. Other libraries have been implemented as statically link libraries
except
libvask.a which we couldn't port at all. We also made a GISGEN and a GMAKE4.1
script
to facilitate compilation.
This development environment has allowed us to port without difficulty all fu
nctions
described above. Therefore, it should be suitable for any other functions.
It is also possible to easily create a GUI clip for each function and to inte
grate
the result into GRASSLAND 1.0.
LAS is currently putting together a development package ( with documentation
) with all
these tools included. This package will be made available at no cost for deve
lopers
willing to contribute back their work to the users community. The developmen
t package
will run on top of Microsoft Visual C++ and will ( unless someone supplies a
good
replacement) also require the MKS toolkit for NT/95.
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