New in Echoview 6 for all users

Feature

How it works

Benefit

Bottom Classification

We are pleased to introduce new bottom classification tools for single beam Sv data.

Bottom classification algorithms output bottom point data that may be displayed in a Table, Graph, Integram, Cruise track and exported to .csv format. Onscreen integration results may also display bottom feature information.

Bottom classification data integrates smoothly with existing Echoview features like the Media window, the region browser and auto-synchronization between echogram, cruise track and video. Synthesizing data from a number of perspectives allows you to easily optimize and ground-truth bottom classifications.

Within Echoview:

• Use Echoview workflow tools to prepare your data and to create a custom bottom classification line (Load and view, Calibrate, Remove background noise, Detect and Filter)
• Configure bottom classification parameters for the Sv variable and algorithm parameters for feature extraction, principal component analysis and k-Means clustering
• Use of Echogram menu > Classify bottom as many times as you wish
• Sensitivity analysis for clustering is facilitated by with Reclassify Bottom under the Dataflow window.
• Within a Bottom points table edit a bottom point's Class with the Class list
• Export data to .csv format

Selectable bottom features to extract include seven characteristics from the first bottom echo and two characteristics from the second bottom echo.

Classification algorithms include specifiable depth normalization, extracted bottom feature Z-score used with auto or manually specified Principal Component Analysis (three components) and auto or manually specified k-Means based clustering.

For more information refer to Configuring a bottom classification, About bottom classification and Habitat Classification module.

Powerful, integrated and flexible tools for bottom classification.

Heave compensation

Echoview can convert vertical motion data from heave sensors or altitude sensors to line data which can be used to adjust ping depths.

You can now specify a Heave source line on the Platform properties dialog box for single/split/dual beam and multibeam data under fixed or moving platforms. The line is used to adjust the depths of samples on a ping-by-ping basis to compensate for the vertical motion of the platform during data collection.

Heave is reported on the Details dialog box and heave analysis variables may be exported.

Heave compensation supersedes the Towed body operator workaround for heave correction.

Range calculations are unaffected by heave compensation.

For more information refer to About heave compensation, About heave data, About Depth, range and altitude, and About transducer geometry.

Ability to apply vertical motion data to a platform.

Drag and drop data files

You can now drag and drop data files from Windows Explorer into an EV file to add data files to a fileset.

Faster workflow.

Platform

Several Platform Property settings are streamlined to clarify calculations for mobile platforms.

• A new Altitude setting, under the Position of the system reference point section, for mobile platforms.

• Mobile platforms now only allow you to specify the X and Y (platform) location settings of the GPS antenna.
  
  Prior to Echoview 6 the setting Z (vertical) for the GPS antenna was available but was used inconsistently in geographic calculations.
  
  Pre-Echoview 6 EV files that record a value for Z(vertical) of the GPS antenna (mobile platform) will apply a depth to altitude transformation. The transformed value is placed in Altitude under Location of the system reference point. Please review whether this Altitude value is suitable for your data.
• The Echogram > Export > Line (bathymetric data) .csv file includes the Altitude of the platform system reference point.
• Tables for position GPS variables no longer display Altitude data.

To complement these changes, clearer documentation about the system reference point, platform assumptions for sensors and transducers and the updated algorithm for depth is now available.

Better geographic calculations for mobile platforms.

Heading, pitch and roll

Heading, pitch and roll data for the BioSonics DT4 echosounder and Simrad Ex60 echosounder.

Attitude information for echogram data.

Virtual variable calibration

Virtual variables now display all their SourceCal settings on the Calibration page, just like raw variables. A setting's text color can indicate whether the setting is read from file, is used or is a default value.

Complete calibration setting information.

New ping graph features

New features extend the usefulness of the ping graph:

• A ping graph can now be added to an auto-synchronized group. This allows you to examine a ping graph in relation to an auto-synchronized echogram, cruise track, 4D window or video.
• Under an active Ping graph the shortcut keys F and R step the Ping graph forward or backward one ping at a time.

A tool for in-depth data analysis and ground truth investigations.

Custom line color and thickness

You can now change line status color and thickness on the Display page of the Line Properties dialog box.

Alternatively, you can change all the line status colors and thickness by using the Line display defaults section of the Echogram page of the EV File Properties dialog box.

Previously line color changes were only possible through a custom color scheme.

Display flexibility for lines.

Fish track editing tool removed

Fish track edits are now context sensitive and no longer require the Fish track edit tool. Use fish track regions, the mouse pointer and selections with actions from the Shortcut menu to edit, create, merge or split fish tracks.

The Fish track editing tool has been removed from the Echogram tool toolbar.

Faster fish track workflow.

Target depths

Target_depth is renamed Target_on_axis_depth to give a clearer indication of the category of depth for a single target.

Associated changes are:

• Target_depth_mean calculations use Target_true_depth values.
• Target_depth_min calculations use Target_true_depth values.
• Target_depth_max calculations use Target_true_depth values.
• Fish_track_change_in_depth calculations use Target_true_depth values.

Target_true_depth and Target_on_axis_depth calculations use the WGS84 datum rather than spherical earth calculations.

Clearer analysis variable name.

Better calculations for single target depth.

Video display

Video data display enhancements:

• Echoview can read date and time information from MP4, MOV and M4V video file formats. This may remove the requirement to create .epj files for these video files.
• The Media window displays a black frame when no video data is available. This is useful during auto-synchronization with a series of separate video data files.
• You can now open the Media window from the View menu.

For more information refer to Video data files.

Easier video data display.

WMS map handling

• The new setting Maximum tile zoom level specifies the maximum zoom for a WMS map. This is very useful in the case where the map shows artifact errors. Decreasing the Maximum tile zoom level may correct such display errors. This setting addresses a WMS zoom in bug.
• A setting to turn off the display of a WMS map on the cruise track window.
• New preset URL addresses for two Geoscience Australia WMS maps and a default zoom level for Geoscience Australia 250K (Landsat) WMS map.
• A new preset URL address for the NOAA nowCoast WMS map.

Better display of WMS maps.

Shape files

Echoview shape file support now includes the EPSG:3857 spherical Mercator projection.

This map projection is used by the OpenStreetMap world coastline .shp file. The OpenStreetMap world coastline shape file may have a higher resolution in some map regions than the Demis WMS map.

More map options.

Georeferenced samples

Sample Altitude has been added to Georeferenced sample export files.

More geographical information for this export file format.

Export Settings files

Export all Variable Properties dialog box and EV File Properties dialog box values with Dataflow window > Variable object > Shortcut menu > Export Settings. This feature is supported by the COM method ExportSettings.

See also Text export settings file.

Snapshot of setting values.

Habitat Classification module

We are pleased to add the Habitat Classification module to our suite of thirteen modules.

The Habitat Classification module replaces the Export to EchoImpact module. All the features included under the EchoImpact module are now included under the Habitat classification module. All the features included under the EchoImpact module are now part of the Habitat classification module, and Echoview 6 adds bottom classification functionality.

Toolbox of features for habitat classification.

Media module

The Media module demonstration mode only displays of relative video time.

More information about the unlicensed feature.

End User License Agreement revision

New version of the Echoview End User License Agreement.

Update of the Echoview Upgrade and Support Agreement.

Clearer licensing rights.

General interface changes

The following changes make Echoview features easier to use:

• Creating and managing Color response curves is easier with New and Delete buttons on the Response curves page of the EV File Properties dialog box.
• Export data directly from any variable in the Dataflow window with
  Click variable > Shortcut menu > Export Data.
• A new Shortcut for Window menu > Arrange All: ALT+HYPHEN
• A new Shortcut for Window menu > Arrange Panes: CTRL+ALT+HYPHEN
• Streamlined View menu > Graph > Fileset now includes Heading, Pitch, Roll and Line graphs.
• New View menu > Video.
• A new Synchronize to Point option on the Shortcut menu.
• A more compact Shortcut menu that displays available options.
• The renamed Classification tool on the Echogram tools toolbar is context sensitive and may be used for Region class classification or (Multibeam) Target class classification.
• A context-sensitive EV File Properties dialog box and Variable Properties dialog box only shows settings pages that are relevant when accessed from other dialog boxes.

• New EV files offer a line pick Backstep default of 0 meters which applies to the Maximum Sv and Best bottom candidate algorithms. The new default has been adopted to facilitate line picks for bottom classification.

  For water column work where you don't want bottom signal to be included in integrations, a Backstep of -0.50 m may be preferred. For more information refer to Line picking: Notes.

• Rationalization of aliases for the Region Editor dialog box. Region Manager references have been removed.
• Renaming or changing the Notes for a variable no longer makes Echoview recalculate the variable.
• Time completed messages are sent to the Messages dialog box for 2D school detection, fish track detection, region classification and bottom classification.
• New on the EV File Properties EV File page for data or calibration file locations, a special folder called %Configured Folder% represents the folder set in Configuration dialog > File Locations. (The configuration settings are specific to the particular computer you are using.)
• The Minimum time to cache setting has been removed from the Echoview Configuration dialog box in order to improve performance.

More efficient workflow and time savings.

Performance

Resample operator performance times are faster.

Faster processing time.

Echoview Update

The setting Disable non-essential Echoview downloads has been added.

Update Echoview flexibility.

New Operators and Operator enhancements
146 operators, 11 operator groups

Multibeam background removal

The Multibeam background removal operator uses a statistic calculated from a window around the current ping to subtract data associated with the background.

A flexible multibeam background removal technique.

Kovesi image denoising

The Kovesi image denoising operator applies the Kovesi wavelet denoising technique to remove unwanted noise from multibeam imaging sonar data. The algorithm doesn't distort data and it preserves image detail.

Improves the quality of data for further processing.

Line bitmap operator

The Line bitmap operator is now a multi-threaded operator.

Saves processing time.

Arithmetic line operator

The Arithmetic line operator creates a line from the sum or difference of two lines. Lines representing different influences on a platform (e.g. waves and tide) can be combined for use as the Heave source.

Can be used to combine lines.

Resample operator

The Resample operator offers only the weighted mean operation for range resampling. Pre-Echoview 6 EV files that specify unavailable mean algorithms will default to using the weighted mean algorithm. The other resample operations are unaffected.

Streamlined algorithm for improved performance.

Scripting and COM objects

For more information about the COM objects refer to Scripting with COM objects.

If you are interested to know more about COM automation, please contact us for further information.

Beam subset, Beam select

New EvVariableAcousticProperties.BeamSelect and EvBeamSelect object.

New EvVariableAcousticProperties.BeamSubset and EvBeamSubset object.

Region definition export

New EvRegions.ExportDefinitionsAll is suited to MATLAB scripts that can not accept an empty parameter that may occur with the method EvRegions.ExportDefinitions.

New EvRegions.Import can import 2D regions from an Echoview 2D region definition file.

Bottom classification

New EvVariaibleAcoustic.ClassifyBottom or EvVariableVirtual.ClassifyBottom runs a bottom classification, however you are required to manually pre-specify the Variable Properties and EV File Properties settings for a bottom classification.

Kovesi image denoising

New EvVariableAcosuticProperties.KovesiDenoising, EvKovesi to support the settings for the Kovesi image denoising operator.

Multibeam background removal

New EvVariableAcosuticProperties.MultibeamBackgroundRemoval, EvMultibeamBackgroundRemoval to support the settings for the Multibeam background removal operator.

Export Settings

New EvVariableBase.ExportSettings, EvVariableAcoustic.ExportSettings, EvVariableVirtual.ExportSettings to export all Variable Properties dialog box and EV File Properties dialog box settings and values.

Copyright reference removed

Interpolating Bitmap Resampler software is no longer used by Echoview. Documentation for this copyright has been removed.

Additional information about EPJ files and video duration.

Privacy Policy

The Echoview Software Privacy Policy outlines Echoview Software's responsibilities and your rights with respect to personal information collected through the use and update of Echoview and use of Echoview Software web sites.

Operator licensing in Echoview

Clearer information about operator licensing under the Sonar modules.

Bad data regions

Note about a possible change in the 3D region analysis volume value when bad data (no data) regions overlap bad data (empty water) regions.

Fish track module demonstration mode

When the Fish track module is unlicensed, you can create up to 50 fish tracks on a raw variable and you cannot edit fish tracks.

ExportTrackToImage

Additional method documentation for EvVariableAcoustic.ExportTrackToImage and EvVariableVirtual.ExportTrackToImage.

Updated information for raw single target display ranges on the Data page of the Variable Properties dialog box.

Fish track variable

The Fish_track_change_in_depth algorithm had a documentation bug that has been corrected. The analysis values were unaffected.

However with the Echoview 6 Target_on_axis_depth changes, Fish_track_change_in_depth now calculated in a different way.

Fish track calculations

Updated information for fish track calculations - for a fixed platform use Heading source: Fixed heading (north).

Depth, range and altitude

The About depth, range and altitude page gains new content for altitude calculations.

3D object

Changes in 3D object properties documentation to reflect changes in the user interface. Depth is displayed as depth (below mean sea level).

Density equation

Added the correct equation for density on the About samples and echo integration page. The previous equation was incorrect. Glossary entries for Sv, Target strength, ABC, NASC, Volume backscattering coefficient have also been updated.

Bug fixes

Exported georeferenced samples

The georeferenced samples export no longer includes a comma at the end of the header row. The unexpected comma can cause a crash in third party applications that read the .csv file.

Merge pings

The Merge pings operator now warns when the data type of the input operands don't match. Previously the data type of the Merge ping operands could differ and cause Echoview to crash.

Highlighting a line

Lines now highlight correctly under the mouse pointer. Previously, a line not under a mouse pointer could highlight.

EvLine.Name

EvLine.Name can now be used to change the short name of a line variable. Previously, EvLine.Name incorrectly changed the Name of the line and the short name of the line was unaffected.

Editable lines in templates

EV file templates now copy all editable line point data. Previously, fixed depth line point data was not copied correctly by the EV file template.

Import fixed depth line

Echoview now correctly imports fixed line depth data. Previously, Echoview would incorrectly read the end date/time for the line.

Large data files under demonstration mode

Data files with more than 5000 measurements are now handled correctly under demonstration mode. Previously, under demonstration mode the removal of data files, with more than 5000 measurements, would crash Echoview.

Unlicensed Media module video date

Under demonstration mode, the correct video date is now displayed and the video time is unchanged (displayed as relative to 00:00:0.000) when video data is added to a fileset.

Log file import region

The log file now correctly records a successful COM EvFile.Import. Previously the log file recorded a failed import even though the action was successful.

Live export

The Live Export operator only exports during live viewing. Previously, it would export data when the echogram was opened, even before live viewing had begun.

Multibeam target overlay

The setting Show input data under targets behaves as expected. Previously, the setting's effect was delayed.

Color legend F3

The F3 keyboard shortcut for the Color legend now works correctly. Previously, the Color legend failed to appear in response to F3.

Template lines

Repick line and Recalculate line now work correctly for EV files created from templates. Previously, Repick and Recalculate line would return an empty line.

Multibeam Sv export

Multibeam Sv exports don't crash when (whole ping) bad data regions in associated single beam variables exist. Previously, the overlap of vertical selection bad data regions with multibeam pings would crash a multibeam Sv export.

Single target export

The single target export may change due to a fix in the algorithms that count and handle single targets. The number of single targets may change or single targets may be missing. Previously, the counting and allocations of some single targets was incorrect.

Resample operator

The resample by distance operator algorithm has changed slightly, if there is no GPS data the operator returns zero pings. Previously, with no GPS data the operator would take a long time to complete resampling.

Add data, scroll

A cause for crashing when removing and then adding data files and scrolling to the end of an echogram is fixed. The bug was associated with incorrect recursive data handling.

COM, add data file

Variables are available when the data file path is changed with a script. Previously, variables were initially unavailable when the data file path changed via a script.

Create 3D single targets

3D single target objects are now correctly created. Previously 3D single targets were incorrectly created when single target data did not overlap with GPS data and as a result the objects failed to display on the scene.

COM DetectSchools

The correct number of schools is now returned by EvVariableAcoustic.DetectSchools or EvVariableVirtual.DetectSchools. Previously, the wrong number of schools was returned, the number represented all candidate schools prior to algorithm filtering.

WMS display

A bug affecting the zoom out of a WMS map is fixed. Echoview now requests data that is within remit of the WMS server.

A bug affecting the display of multiple overlaid WMS maps is fixed. Echoview now correctly displays overlaid WMS maps.

Georeferenced samples

The Geoferenced sample export now exports sample Depth and sample Altitude. Previously, a bug affected the sample Depth where the depth was actually the altitude.

Heave and fish tracking

Fish track detection now works correctly with heave data. Previously, heave was incorrectly applied at the prediction and gating stages of the fish track detection.

Data range bitmap

Data handling under the Data range bitmap operator is fixed. Previously, inequality calculations and digital number handling could produce incorrect bitmap results. The bug fix also introduces a performance improvement for the operator.

Region editor Multiply depths by

The Region editor setting Multiply depths by now works correctly with negative numbers. Previously, Echoview rejected the negative numbers specified for Multiple depth by.

Minimum TS threshold

The Minimum TS threshold algorithms uses the (relevant file format) value for two-way beam angle (Steradians). RTS = 1m is applied correctly as well. Previously, the two-way beam angle for the .csv file format was incorrect and TVG range correction was applied regardless of the limit RTS = 1m.

Export - no GPS available

The *.csv export value for GPS when no GPS data is available is now 999.0. Previously, the value was zero which could be misinterpreted as an actual GPS value.