Main Steps to work with SPRING

In order to start any task in the SPRING System there is a sequence of logical procedures that has to be followed. The main steps are described bellow:

0. Starting the SPRING System : To start the SPRING System type "./springport" in a command terminal
(
unix.gif - 943 Bytes version ) in the Spring installation directory, or select Start - Programs - Spring - Spring in a windows.gif - 1353 Bytessystem.

1. Define a Database = you have to provide a name and a path. The system will create in the specified location a folder, where the data base will be physically stored. Everything related to this data base will be stored inside this folder. After creating a Database it is necessary to activate the Database so you can use it. It is not possible to have more than one database active at the same time.

2. Define Thematic Categories and Classes = each data type handled by the SPRING system has to belong to a category. Each category belongs to a data model (Thematic, Numerical, Image, Cadastral, Network and Object). The user doesn't need to define all the categories at once, because we usually don't know everything required to reach the objective. At any time it is possible to add or to define new categories. The Thematic model category requires a class definition. The thematic class defines the visual - the way the points, lines and areas will be shown on the screen (color, shading, filling, etc).

3. Define a Project = a project really defines a physical working area. The user has to define a name, projection and a rectangle area in order to define a project. A sub directory, under the data base folder, will be created, and all the data related to a region will be stored in this place. The project will be created only if a data base is active, but the categories don't need to be defined. The user can define as many projects as necessary, but it is not possible to have more than one project active at the same time.

4. Create an Information Layer = information layers (ILs) are stored inside a project, a soil map, a road map, an image, etc, all from the same common area are stored in the same sub-directory corresponding to the current project. In order to create an IL it is required to define a name, a category, a scale (for thematic, numerical or cadastral IL), and resolution (for numerical or image IL). Notice that it is required to have an active data base and project to create an IL. Again, it is possible to define as many ILs as necessary but only one can be active.

5. Data Editing = data in the SPRING system can be represented in a matrix and/or vector format, depending on the model (category) it belongs to. In order to edit points, lines and areas in the vectorial format one can use a digitalizing table to transfer data from a map to the computer, or import data from other formats or software. Matrix data can read images stored in specific formats, can interpolate numerical matrix grids or even convert vectorial to matrix data.
Once the data (ILs) is edited, it is possible to get others by analysis, cross information, etc, using specific software functions or a map programming language.

6. Printing a map = It is possible to send the data from an IL to either a printer or a plotter.

7. Stopping the SPRING System : If you want to stop the SPRING System you can follow one of the options below:
click twice on the box in the Control menu, or
click once on the box from the Control menu to display its menu and next click over the option Quit, or;
click over File in the main menu and select Close . Answer YES in the confirming window.

 

See also:
The SPRING working environment
About the SPRING
Introduction to the UNIX operating system