Introduction to SPRING

This page presents an introduction to the SPRING product. Here you will find:

Presentation of the System
History
What you need to run SPRING
About the online SPRING documentation
About interfaces
Work Environment and Files
User support / Bug Report

See also:

SPRING Conceptual Model
UNIX Operating System Basics


Presentation of the System

SPRING (System for Georeferenced Information Processing) is a second generation geographical database system, developed by INPE (Brazilian National Institute for Space Research) for both Linux and Windows platforms, with the following characteristics:

  • Works as a frontierless geographical database that supports a great volume of data (with no limitations of scale, projection and time zone), keeping the identity of the geographical objects throughout the whole database;
  • Manages both vector and raster data, integrating the Remote Sensing data in a GIS;
  • Provides a user friendly and powerful work environment through the combination of menus and windows with a spatial language easily programmable by the user (LEGAL – Space-Geographical Algebra-based Language);
  • Completely scalable, will run with all its features in environments ranging from microcomputers to high performance RISC workstations.

To attain these objectives SPRING is based on an object-oriented data model from where its menu interface and the LEGAL spatial language are derived. Innovative algorithms, like the ones used for spatial indexing, image segmentation and triangular grid generation, guarantee the necessary performance for the most varied applications.

Another very important characteristics is that the database is unique, that is, the data structure is the same when the user works in a microcomputer (IBM-PC) or in a UNIX RISC workstation, with no need for data conversion. The same goes for the interface, which is essentially the same in both cases meaning there is no difference in the operation of SPRING in both platforms.

Introduction to Spring


History and Objectives

The development of a new generation of geoprocessing and image processing systems at INPE begun in 1991, and brought the first results in 1993, when SPRING version 1.0 was released. The evolution of SPRING along the years led to the release in 1996 of SPRING version 2.0, in May 1998 version 3.0 (Windows) was released, in October 1998 version 3.1.1, in January 1999 version 3.2 (Windows), in May 1999 version 3.3 (Windows), in May 2000 version 3.4 (Windows) and in March 2001 version 3.5 (Windows and Linux), in August 2003 version 4.0 (Windows), in July 2004 version 4.1 (Windows), in March 2005 version 4.1 (Linux), in September 2005 version 4.2 (Windows) in July 2006 version 4.3 (Windows and Linux) and nowadays the version 5.0 (Windows and Linux) is being developed.

SPRING is an innovative system originally designed for a network of RISC workstations and the UNIX operating system. Developed with advanced programming techniques, SPRING combines highly interactive interfaces using the X Window System and the OSF/MOTIF presentation standards.

The main drive for the development of SPRING was: data integration and ease of use. In the first case we detected that the complexity of the environmental problems in Brazil demanded a strong integration of satellite imagery, thematic and cadastral maps, and numerical terrain models. Besides, many of the systems available in the Brazilian market presented great complexity of use and demanded a very long learning curve. The objectives of the SPRING System are (Câmara et al., 1993):

  • Integrate the technologies of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems.
  • Use an object-oriented data model that better reflects the work methodology of cadastral and environmental studies.
  • Provide the user with an interactive environment to visualize, manipulate and edit images and geographic data.

SPRING aims at preserving the investment users made in the previous SITIM and SGI systems, since all the data generated on those systems can be readily used (topology included) in the new environment.

SPRING has been designed as a second generation GIS. The systems of this generation are conceived to be used in groups in client-server environments. Usually such systems work coupled with relational database management systems (Câmara e Freitas, 1995).

The main objectives of SPRING are:

  • Provide support for large geographic databases not limited to the standard partitions used in Cartography. The identity of the objects is preserved all over the database.
  • Improve the integration of geographic data with the explicit introduction of the concept of geographic objects (individual entities), cadastral maps and network maps.
  • Attain complete scalability, that is, the system should be able to operate with full functionality both in PCs running Windows, as in high performance UNIX workstations.
  • Provide an interface that combines menu driven applications with a language for spatial query and manipulation.

To achieve these objectives SPRING is based on an object-oriented data model that combines the ideas of “field” and “geographic objects”. This way we derive both the menu driven interface and the LEGAL language. Innovative algorithms for image segmentation and classification by regions (Bins et al., 1995) and modeling by triangulation with restrictions (Namikawa, 1995) complement the traditional methods for image processing and geographic analysis.

Based on these characteristics SPRING has proven to be a highly attractive alternative in the geoprocessing field since it is a public domain software that can e downloaded freely from the internet (" http://www.dpi.inpe.br/spring") after registering in the homepage.

See also:

Geoprocessing Basics
SPRING Conceptual Model

Introduction to SPRING


What you need to run SPRING

The minimum hardware and software requirements necessary to correctly run SPRING are the following.

PC Platform

SPRING requires the following software:

  • Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/7/8/8.1/10 or XP
  • Linux Ubuntu 16.04, Mint or Debian 9.0.
  • Mac/OS (Sierra - 64 Bits)

The minimum hardware platform should be:

  • 1 GHz Processor or higher
  • 1 GB RAM (for 32 bits) or 2 GB (for 64 bits)
  • 50GB Hard Disk Drive Free
  • Direct X9 video card with WDDM driver

NOTE: The procedures for the installation of Linux and SPRING can be found in the Installation Manual.

Peripherals

Peripherals like digitizing tables, and plotters compatible with HPGL-2 or HPRTL, and PostScript color printers are also supported and can be integrated to the system.

For the communications of SPRING with digitizing tables some of the more common data formats are supported, that is :

  1. MicroGrid ASCII Counts;
  2. MicroGrid ASCII High Resolution;
  3. GTCO Low Resolution ASCII;
  4. GTCO High Resolution ASCII;
  5. GTCO MULTICAD ASCII;
  6. Calcomp Format 3 ASCII;
  7. SUMMASKETCH Low Resolution ASCII;
  8. SUMMASKETCH High Resolution ASCII.

The digitizing table models that SPRING was tested with are:

  • Digigraf (Vangogh, Davinci);
  • Digicon 3624
  • Calcomp - Drawing Board III
  • Kurta - XLC36x48
  • Summagraphics - Summagrid III, IV e V

Introduction to SPRING

About the SPRING online documentation

SPRING offers this online Help system to assist you in your work with the menus and dialog boxes. Every page was written in HTML and the figures are in GIFF format.

SPRING Help was prepared to be used by the browser installed in your machine.

SPRING Help can be run in one of two ways.

Þ Help access modes:

  • When using a window with a Help button press that button to exhibit the information about how to work with that window, or;
  • Click on Help in the menu bar in any window of the application (modules) that you are using. A list of help topics for the application will be presented to you.

Introduction to SPRING

See also:

SPRING Conceptual Model