Build

Use the Build option to build polygons defined by a set of existing open or closed strings. The transfer attributes option transfers attributes from the object that matches up spatially. This is useful when generating or scheduling blast blocks from a bench outline, or subdividing lease blocks into smaller exploration areas.

This option can also be accessed by selecting the Build Polygons button from the Merge toolbar. The Merge toolbar is a "sub toolbar" and can either be accessed through the Modify toolbar or through using the Toolbar Visibility option (under the Tools menu).

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Instructions

On the Design menu, point to Polygon Edit, and then click Build.

This option takes the strings, finds all intersections between them, breaks the strings according to these intersection points and then links the resulting strings into polygons. The resulting polygons are stored in a nominated layer. This option also allows you to transfer attributes, such as colour, line type and feature, from already existing objects (strings or polygons) to the new polygons.

This option is similar to the Impose option. This option, however, uses the Z values of all the selected strings to define the Z values of the resulting polygons. Whereas the Impose option uses only the Z values of one particular set of strings. See the Impose option for a detailed explanation.

It is important when using this option to ensure that your data contains correct Z values.

Figure 1 : Original String Objects

Figure 2 : Polygons (pink) built from the strings

Polygons layer name

Select the layer that will be used to store the new polygons. The drop-down list contains the names of all currently loaded layers. If you select an existing layer, then the resulting data will be appended to the nominated layer. If you enter the name of an existing layer that is not currently loaded, then you will need to confirm whether you want to load the layer or replace it.

To create a new layer, enter the layer name using the following parameters:

• up to 40 characters

• must begin with an alphanumeric character

• can include hyphens [ - ], plus signs [ + ], underscores [ _ ], periods/dots [. ]

• no spaces

• can include the special characters of ÁÂÃÀÇÉÊÍÓÔÕÚÜÑ that are used in the Spanish and Portuguese languages

Layer description

Enter a description to further describe the contents of this layer. The description can be up to 80 alphanumeric characters and may include spaces. If a description is not entered, then a default description will be used instead. If the chosen layer already has an assigned description, the description displays when the layer is selected. Existing layer descriptions can be overwritten.

Resultant polygon prefix

Enter a prefix. Each polygon will be labelled with the prefix followed by a unique sequential number. For example, pre1, pre2, pre3, etc.

Use projection plane

Select this check box to work in a plane other than Plan view. The Projection Plane panel, which allows you to define the plane, displays once this panel has been completed.

Intersections

Select one of the following options: Use average, Use maximum, or Use minimum.

The three options ( Average, Maximum and Minimum ) define how the Z value is to be calculated for and points that did not previously exist. If you select average, then the average of the Z values of the intersecting strings will be used. If you select maximum, then the maximum of the Z values of the intersecting strings will be used. Likewise for the minimum.

Transfer of Attributes

This section of the panel contains the controls for transferring attributes. The transferred attributes consist of all the standard object attributes, such as colour, line type, feature, etc. The transfer options can be used to update assigned attributes, like geology, whenever the layer containing the original lines, is modified.

The transfer attributes option will transfer attributes from the object that it shares the most area.

Attributes that transfer include: SetName, SetDescription, SetFeature, SetGroup, SetColour, SetLinkData (e.g. metadata, templated attributes, etc), SetLineType, SetPatternNumber.

Select one of the three options:

Don't transfer attributes

Select this option if you do not want to transfer the attributes, i.e. the new polygons will have the default attributes. The default colour and line type are displayed in the Status toolbar.

Transfer from and replace polygons layer

Select this option to create the new polygons with the same attributes as the polygons in the layer specified in the Polygon layer name field (layer name specified at the top of the panel). The new polygons will replace the existing polygons in the chosen layer. This option is used to update a layer of polygons.

Transfer from another layer

Select this option to create the new polygons with the same attributes as the polygons in the layer specified in the layer name field (layer name specified in the field to the right of this option). This option will look at every new object created, then determine which polygon from the transfer from area overlaps the most based on area (not percentage).

Disjoint unrelated polygons

Select this option to close each object. This option closes each internal polygon, treating all of them as if they were one object.

Discard polygons with area smaller than the minimum

Select this option to ignore any polygons smaller than the area entered into Minimum area.

Click OK.

The Multiple Selection box is then displayed. If you checked the Use projection plane check box, then the Projection Plane panel displays before the Multiple Selection box.

Click OK.

From the Multiple Selection box, choose your method of selecting the strings and select the necessary strings. Once the objects have been selected, you will be asked whether or not to build the polygons.

Select Build polygons to create the polygons and assign them to the specified layer. The resulting polygons will be in the same position in this layer as the original objects.