Surface Tools

Current Release 8 builds, starting with Release 8 Base build 8.0.31, automatically upgrade serial numbers to Ultimate Edition, which includes all extensions. There is no need to install or to activate extensions when using a current Release 8 build, since it already includes all extensions. This topic discusses use of older, legacy Release 8 builds, 8.0.30 and older.

The Surface Tools package is an optional extension to Manifold System that provides additional commands for working with surfaces. The extension adds functionality in several areas:

The Surface - Transform command dialog allows arbitrary transformation of surfaces, including computations that involve multiple surfaces such as subtracting one surface from another. A very rich collection of operators allows many different types of tasks to be accomplished.
The Surface - Watersheds command works with a surface and optionally a drawing to find watersheds in the surface (regions sharing a common drainage) as well as streams in the surface or upstream areas in the surface from points in a specified drawing.
The Transfer Heights command enables rapid transfer of surface values from surfaces to points.
The Visible Area command shows areas that are visible from given points. The height of viewing points may be automatically adjusted from a height field.
New options in surface generation allow creating surfaces from drawings and tables using Gravity interpolation, Median-polish Kriging and triangulation. See the Project Pane - Paste as Surface topic.
Expanded model choices for Kriging interpolation include Linear, Power, Rational and automatic model choices.
New transform toolbar operators for interpolation of missing pixels, Interpolate, Interpolate (Parameter) and Interpolate Row. See the Transform - Surface - Interpolate Operators topic for details.
Surface Tools adds the ability to work with new Profiles and Elevations components that show cross-sectional cuts through a given path over a surface.
Expanded programmatic access to surface operations.

If you do not have the optional Surface Tools package enabled you will not have the above capabilities enabled within Manifold System. This documentation describes these commands but they will not be enabled if you do not have the Surface Tools package enabled.

Installing Surface Tools

The Surface Tools package is built into your Manifold System installation and becomes enabled for use when activated. Activate it by providing a Surface Tools serial number and Activation key that turn on Surface Tools functionality. The process of activating the Surface Tools extension is very similar to that used to activate Manifold System. See the Legacy Activation Reference topic and the Legacy Install and Activate Extensions topic for details.

Some Manifold product options, such as Universal Edition or Ultimate Edition, use a single serial number and Activation key to enable permanent installation of both Manifold System as well as extensions. If you have activated Universal Edition or Ultimate Edition you do not need to individually turn on Business Tools or Geocoding Tools or Surface Tools. Activating Universal Edition or Ultimate Edition will also automatically turn on all three extensions.

Turning on Surface Tools

If you have licensed Universal Edition, you do not need to turn on Surface Tools. The Surface Tools extension is automatically enabled with a Universal Edition serial number.

If you have not licensed Universal Edition and you wish to add Surface Tools functionality to your installation, begin by acquiring a Surface Tools license from manifold.net, which will provide you with a Surface Tools serial number.

1. Login as Administrator if running Windows XP, 2000 or 2003. Close any programs running in background except essential Windows processes. (Temporarily shut off any virus checkers, network checkers, uninstallers, registry protectors and other programs that might limit the extent of Administrative privileges).

2. Launch Manifold System. Close any projects that may be open.

3. Choose Help - Activate Extension

4. Enter the Surface Tools serial number. Enter it exactly as it was issued to you by manifold.net. Do not change upper case to lower case. Do not replace hyphens with space characters or make any other changes to the serial number. If desired, you may also enter an Activation key for the serial number as well. Press Accept.

5. Manifold will then exit. When re-launched, the Surface Tools package will be enabled.

6. Using the serial number alone the Surface Tools package may be run for 30 days from the date the serial number was issued. After that, an Activation Key must be fetched and provided to the Help - Activate Extension dialog together with the serial number. Once an Activation Key and a serial number have been provided to the Help - Activate Extension dialog the extension will be permanently installed. Don't forget to login as Administrator when permanently activating the Surface Tools extension.

Status of Extensions

The Help - About dialog shows all extensions that have been installed. If a serial number only has been used to install an extension, the number of days left before an Activation key is also required will be shown.