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Resource files .

Many Geostru programs are distributed with .txt files which contain tables of data to be used in the program, most typically to populate drop down selection lists. Among the ones most widely used is the list of lithologic types and properties.

These files are distributed as a help to data entry and as it is envisaged that users may have some more specific examples, they are available to the user for addition and amendment. Typically the files are found within the program folder. (Ex: \Programs\Geostru\Slope). Before undertaking any amendment it is advisable to save the original file so that if any error occurs in the change, the situation may be restored.

Needless to say when applying changes to the files the original format and conventions should be retained. These are not always evident when the file is opened in Notepad or even Word Pad and therefore the following is suggested.

The method entails doing the actual editing in a Word table.

Open the file by clicking on it. Notepad starts and displays the file content. Select all the file (SHFT CTL END). Copy the data. Open a new Word document (or other equivalent text processor) Paste the file data into the document. Select all the data in the document. Convert to table after: 1) Identify the separator character (either tab or semicolon (;) 2) Set this as the operative separator then 3) Check ‘adapt to content’.

When editing a Word document the graphics for space, tab, paragraph, page separator and many others are hidden. It is useful in this case, and in the authors opinion always, to show them. The menu: Tools, Options, Display, check All does this.

When the table is created amendments or additions can be applied with ease.

When all amendments have been applied and checked, reconvert the table to text (using the same separator). Copy the text and paste back into the Notepad file text, replacing the original, and save. The amended file is now operative.

Textures: Textures are also resource files distributed automatically with relevant programs but which may also be downloaded and installed in isolation. Textures are held in a folder: “Retini” within the Geostru folder. Within the parent folder are four folders for Cohesive, Cohesionless, Rocks, and Others. Within each of these folder are stored a number of BMP files with the textures to display. The files are named with numbers i.e. 12.bmp, 43.bmp etc. These are the actual images used to ‘paint’ the object. The textual description of the file is held in a text file named “bmp.txt”. However for international versions this one text file is replaced by three: bmp_it.txt, bmp_es.txt, and bmp.en.txt for Italian, Spanish and English texts.

It is only necessary that the text files contain the names of the soils in the folder but for simplicity all soils are present in each file. Editing of bmp.txt could be done as described above.