22nd

Annual
Seminar

Fence Diagrams (

) in MineSight 3-D, v.3.40

Fence diagrams are a new feature to MineSight 3-D, v.3.40. Fence diagrams are
vertical cross-sections that bend and change direction as the section line traverses across
the project area (Figures 1 and 2). They are a type of cross-section that is not orthogonal
to, or associated with, any particular grid set. They are viewed in 2-D Fence mode, with
the bends and kinks straightened out (Figure 3). All of the CAD functionality works using
data located on fence diagrams.

Figure 1. This figure is an example of a GSM project

showing fence diagram cross-sections that traverse
across the project area. Fences are defined by polylines,
and in this figure, the white planes are shown for
illustrative purposes only, to show how fence diagrams
are a vertical ribbon of sections.

Figure 2. This figure shows the same area as in Figure 1

with the surface objects closed. The polylines on the fence
diagrams may have come from drillhole data interpretation
- digitized on the fence diagram cross- sections, and then
linked together to form the surfaces shown in Figure 1.
Note that fences are defined by polylines. As in Figure 1,
the white planes shown in this figure are for illustrative
purposes only to show how the vertical fences cut across the
project area.

Figure 3 shows three of the five fence diagram

sections from Figures 1 and 2. These 2-D fence
views show how the sections are flattened or
straightened out with the bends and kinks
removed.

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Figure 3 shows three of the five fence diagram
sections from Figures 1 and 2. These 2-D fence
views show how the sections are flattened or
straightened out with the bends and kinks
removed.

How to Create Fence Diagrams in MineSight 3-D

Define the cross-section fence lines by digitizing a standard polyline string or set of
strings. The polyline strings can be 3-D or 2-D polylines, and they do not have to be
digitized on a horizontal plane. The fence line defines a vertical ribbon of sections that will
be used in the slicing of the 3-D and 2-D data to be displayed in a fence view.
We recommend that the fence polylines be elements within the same geometry object
and that they are named, via Element | Attribute (Figure 4). Putting the fence polylines in
the same object will allow you to easily switch between planes. The element name will be
used as the Plane name when the fence is attached to the viewer later on.

Figure 4. Query a polyline

that is used as a fence
line, and it is a standard
polyline. Note, in this
example, the polyline is
named, a-a (circled in red
on the query dialog).

There is a new icon on the main viewer dialog that looks like a picket fence (outlined in
red in Figure 5). This icon sets the fence geometry in the viewer just like you would attach
a grid set, an edit grid or an orthogonal plane to the viewer.
Figure 5. Shows the new fence icon (outlined in red). Notice the plane name, a-a is the polylines attributed name (also
circled in Figure 4).

Click on the fence icon

to
attach the polylines as fences.
When the file chooser is displayed, select the geometry object that contains the fence

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polylines. The geometry object that contains the fence polylines can be closed or open. If the
object is open, the contents will be displayed on the fence diagram, as are all open objects.
Once a fence geometry object has been attached to the viewer, select a polyline from the
Plane list (or Filter list). This attaches the fence polyline as a vertical plane to the viewer
to use for 2-D mode. The names of the polyline fence lines will be displayed in the pulldown Plane list (Figures 6a, 6b, and 6c). The names displayed in the planes pulldown list
are taken from the name of the polylines (Figure 6a and see also Figure 5). If the polyline
elements were not named, then default names are used: fence0, fence1, etc, for each
polyline, as it was created in the fence geometry object (Figure 6b; there are four fence
polylines in the selected geometry object). There can also be a mix of named and unnamed
polylines in your fence geometry object (as shown in Figure 6c). Naming the polyline
elements makes it easier and more convenient for you to keep track of the fence lines.
Figures 6a, 6b, and 6c.
The planes list on the
left (Figure 6a) show
two planes listed by their
attributed name, whereas
the list in the middle
(Figure 6b) shows four
planes that use default
names. The list on the
right (Figure 6c) shows a
mix of named planes and
default names.

It is important to note that the Plane list is simply a Filter list since you are filtering elements
which have a particular property the property being on a particular plane or fence.
Next click on the 2-D mode icon
to put the viewer into 2-D fence mode and use the
arrows
to step from one fence plane to the next. Note: Historically, we said the
viewer was going into planar view because of plane segments. Since fences have been
added, this is now a filter list and can be made up of planes or fences.
To see grid lines, or fence posts, as shown in Figure 3, toggle ON Fence Posts, found on
the Viewer Properties | Grids tab page dialog, there is a new toggle (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Viewer Properties | Grids tab page

dialog. Circled in red is the new grids line toggle
to control the fence posts lines when viewing fence
data in 2-D filter mode. Be sure to toggle ON
Grids at the top of the dialog to turn on any of the
grids options.

All data that is open and displayed

in the viewer that intersects the
fence plane will be displayed in 2-D
Fence, or filtered view, except model
views (see Figures 1, 2, and 3). The
view will have the bends and kinks
straightened out.

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Hybrid Mode

When the viewer is in 2-D Fence mode, the view is not rotatable. However, switching to
3-D mode with Plane Filter toggled ON, the same 2-D view is rotatable (as shown in Figure
8). This is called, hybrid mode. Note that in the hybrid mode case, the coordinate reporting
cannot be accurate because the section is straightened out.

22nd
Annual
Seminar

Figure 8 shows the fence

diagram in 3-D hybrid
mode. This view is in 3-D
mode, using Plane Filter.

Working with Data on Fence Diagrams

Fences are not really true 2-D as such, but are a filtered 2-D view. The data is digitized
directly onto the fence cross-section. However, although data created on a fence can be
viewed in 3-D, it is not selectable and is transient data because it really only exists on the
fence plane.
Table 1 explains the relationship between 3-D data, true 2-D data and 2-D Fence
data. Since a flattened fence is not in the same space as normal 3-D space, the data has
to be converted and represented as transient data. Similarly for 3-D data needing to be
represented on the fence, it will be transient as well.
Data

3-D Data

2-D Data

Fence Data

3-D view
2-D view
Fence view

Actual
Transient
Transient

Actual
Actual
Transient

Transient
Transient
Actual

Table 1. This shows the relationship between data types and 3-D, 2-D, and Fence 2-D geometry space.

Use the function, Element | Convert Transient to Actual to convert transient data (2-D
fence data) to actual data (3-D data). Only actual data can be selected for editing when in
3-D viewing modes and used for certain CAD functions (e.g., triangulate. Note: the linker
tool no longer requires data to be selected.). Converting transient data to actual data just
makes a copy of the data into the current Edit Object. The original transient data is left
unchanged and can be edited and changed on the fence with which it is associated.
Fence diagrams can simply be used as a display tool for plotting or they can be used
for both surface and solids interpretation. Figures 9, 10, and 11 illustrate an example
using solids.

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Figure 9. This is a view of three simple geologic solids, showing the trace of two fence diagrams (a-a and b-b).

Figure 10. Seen in 3-D, shows an oblique view of the data shown in Figure 9. The white planes are illustrative to show
how the vertical fence planes cut across the project area. Figure 10a, on the left, shows the fence planes and the 3-D
solids that are cut. Figure 10b, on the right, shows the geologic cross-section through the solids (without the solids in
the picture).

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Seminar

Figures 11a and 11b are 2-D fence view cross-sections of the same data shown in Figures 9 and 10. The fence views are
flattened or straightened out with the bends and kinks removed.

Another application of fence diagrams is in the creation of stretched drive diagrams that
might occur along curved or angular underground workings, as shown in Figures 12a, 12b,
and 12c.

Figure 12a on the left, is a 3-D view showing a driveline polyline (in yellow) that traverses through an orebody
(represented as the pink solid). Figure 12b in the middle, is a 2-D view of the driveline and the orebody solid as displayed
on an edit grid. Figure 12c on the right, is a fence diagram cross-section through the solid using the driveline polyline as
the fence line. This again illustrates how fence diagram cross-sections are flattened with the bends and kinks straightened
or stretched out.

Fence diagrams are one of the many new tools and functions in MineSight 3-D, v. 3.40.

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Fence Diagrams in MineSight 3-D, v.3.40