New in Echoview 7 for all users

Feature

How it works

Benefit

64-bit edition

Echoview 7 is available in 32-bit and 64-bit Editions.

Echoview 7 64-bit Edition will allow access to significantly more system memory and utilize the full potential of modern computing hardware. The result is a significant improvement in Echoview performance and stability.

Until now, Echoview has only been available as a 32-bit program, and 32-bit software has innate memory restrictions. The 64-bit Edition of Microsoft Windows can only allocate a maximum of 4 GB of memory to a 32-bit program, which means that working with large volumes of data or complex calculations can result in memory-related issues when using 32-bit software.

Changes introduced to align 32-bit and 64-bit calculations may produce slight differences in export values between Echoview 6.1 and Echoview 7.

A faster and more stable way to use Echoview.

Wideband data processing

Introducing support for the display and processing of wideband data. New features include:

• Acoustic variable types for wideband and pulse compressed wideband data.
• Single target detection - wideband operator.
• Single target frequency response graph.
• Line pick is available for wideband Power dB, Sv and TS and pulse compressed wideband Power dB, Sv and TS echograms.

For more information about wideband data refer to About transmitted pulse.

New processing features for the next generation of data.

Graphs

Graphs in Echoview are updated and now include these usability features:

• Grid lines.
• Data point details for the mouse pointer.
• Zoom on all graph types.
• Pan by pressed mouse wheel and drag while zoomed in.
• Individual 2D projection graphs can be displayed as required.
• Single target graphs
  • graphed points are displayed in the single target color
  • Angles and 2D projection graphs allow you remove or add targets on a fish track region
• Legends, that can be shown or hidden, appear for the Threshold Response graph and Single Target Frequency Response graph.

See also the new Single Target Frequency Response graph.

Facilitates data exploration.

General changes

The following changes make Echoview features easier to use:

• Ping graphs can now be synchronized and auto-synchronized with echogram windows.
• Single beam echograms, cruise track windows and Dataflow windows now feature pan with a mouse wheel click and drag or you can use the Pan tool.
• Use CTRL+mouse wheel zoom out to zoom out beyond [1 ping:1 pixel].
• Onscreen frequency distribution graph settings have moved to the Graph page of the Variable Properties dialog box for the graph. Previously, they appeared on the Analysis page.
• Bottom classification Variable Properties for a bottom classification object no longer has a Graph page. The settings have moved to the Bottom Classification Graph Properties dialog box.
• The angular position frequency distribution graph is no longer supported.
• The Fileset Properties dialog box Time offset time settings are updated and now offers Millisecond precision.
• Time-varied threshold correctly supports Simrad EK80 data.
• Keyboard shortcuts for a raw variable in the Filesets window, use ALT+underlined letter to open an available Echogram, Cruise track, Graph, Table, Video, 4D window or Variable Properties dialog box.
• A new Max triangulation distance (m) setting is available under the Resample surface dialog box.
• Echoview displays a message about the successful completion of a georeferenced sample export.
• School detection is run even when GPS data is missing for some pings. A GPS extrapolation is used and is limited to 30 seconds from the last known position. The distance calculation and GPS changes may slightly change some school detection analysis variables.

More efficient workflow and time savings.

Distance calculation

The Vincenty method is now used to calculate distance with better accuracy. The new distance method and a more accurate value for arc-second together with new time handling may introduce small differences (see below) in time values between Echoview 6.1 and Echoview 7.

Distance changes:

• A GPS fix is used if the gap between the fix and the ping time is thirty seconds or less. If the fix is already used by a ping, Echoview searches for the nearest valid fix. Distance_GPS values in export files may be slightly affected and/or can be assigned as No data.
• New Distance (nmi) data with the export GPS position file format.
• The distance calculation and GPS changes may slightly change some school detection analysis variables.

Increased accuracy.

Time calculation

Echoview time handling has been improved. The new time handling may introduce small differences in time values between Echoview 6.1 and Echoview 7.

Time changes:

• Ping time now has a value for Ping millisecond. If present in *.csv files Ping millisecond has three significant figures.
• The Details window displays ping time to 0.1 milliseconds.
• Regions may have times expressed to 0.1 milliseconds. This may occur when pings times are close and a region boundary is between pings.
• Cell statistic cells are subject to boundary rules.
• Regions log book regions are ordered by date and time.

Increased accuracy.

Microsoft Windows support

Echoview introduces support for Microsoft Windows 10, 32 and 64 bit Editions.

Echoview no longer supports:

• Microsoft Windows XP 32-bit Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP 32-bit Edition Japanese version.

Updated operating system information.

Acoustic data types

Echoview introduces a new acoustic data type called Complex single target.

A Single target detection - wideband virtual variable contains complex single target data. The frequency spectrum of complex single targets can be displayed on a Single target frequency response graph and exported.

Introducing other new acoustic data types:

• Pulse compressed angular position
• Pulse compressed complex power dB
• Pulse compressed complex Sv
• Pulse compressed complex TS

Note: Existing Echoview version 6.1 EV file Single target detection - wideband operators may require operands to be re-attached on the Dataflow window or re-specified using the Variable Properties dialog box.

Supports wideband data analysis.

Keyboard shortcuts

Fileset Raw variables section now has keyboard shortcuts.

Improves usability.

Fish tracks

Updates to fish tracks:

• An invalid fish track is flagged by a message sent to the Messages dialog box.
• An empty fish track is defined as an invalid fish track. It is not displayed on graphs and not exported.

Clearer information about and handling of invalid fish tracks.

Deprecated variable

Deprecated single target detection variables in EV files that use Sv operands as input will no longer be displayed in the Dataflow window.

Pre-Echoview 7 EV files with such variables will display a message about this change and replace the deprecated variable with a suitable single target detection operator. It may be necessary to re-specify the operands.

Removes ambiguous operator behavior.

MATLAB

Echoview now exports data to 32 and 64-bit MATLAB Level 5 MAT files.

• Single beam angle variable export is supported.
• Users with scripts should be aware that data in Level 5 MAT files may be arranged differently or transposed.

For further information refer to Exporting to MATLAB.

Up-to-date MATLAB file formats for 32 and 64-bit Echoview.

HAC calibration

Echoview can now modify the:

• Sound speed for HAC data with the calibration settings SoundSpeed and SoundSpeedLogging. The settings are useful for the correction of sound speed issues.
• Absorption coefficient for HAC data with the calibration settings AbsorptionCoefficent and AbsorptionCoefficientLogging. The settings are useful for the correction of absorption coefficient issues.

Applied TVG for Sv and TS is affected by these changes. New TVG is applied under the assumption that TVG was applied to Sv and TS data. For more information refer to HAC Calibration notes.

Also introducing support for:

• Absorption of sound field under the HAC BioSonics Channel tuple (1001).
• Absorption of sound and Two-way beam angle fields under the HAC Simrad EK500 Channel tuple (2001).

Improved support for HAC data.

HAC changes

Introducing some HAC reading and display changes:

• HAC BioSonics model 102 tuple data will display in the DT4 color scheme. Dual beam variable names now take the form:
  • Sv or TS pings (channel n)
  • Sv or TS pings Tt (channel n)
• Note: Where virtual variables are attached to HAC Biosonics model 102 variables, HAC dual beam variables will need to be reattached and their Variable Properties set up again.
• EK500 and generic HAC data will display in the EK500 color scheme. Single targets will display in the DT4 color scheme.

Improved HAC data support.

Multibeam ping selection

New ping range settings are available when you create a 3D multibeam curtain, or bottom surface or detect a 3D school.

Flexible settings.

Echoview Software Updater

Updated design and icon for the Echoview Software Updater.

Expands update capabilities.

System Information

Use Help menu, System Information to display operating system, computer processor and graphics card information.

A diagnostic tool.

Disk cache

The disk cache feature is removed for this release.

Improves memory cache stability.

New module structure

Introducing a simpler module system that is easier to understand. Modules used in Echoview 6.1 and earlier have been merged or expanded to better represent our user’s requirements.

Changes include:

• The Base, Bathymetric and Analysis Export modules are combined into a single new module: Echoview Essentials.
• Echoview Essentials now allows access to some basic multibeam data processing functionality (such as exporting data, creating curtains, and detecting the bottom surface) that previously required a higher module.
•  
• Echoview Essentials is a pre-requisite for some modules.

• The Live Viewing and Habitat Classification modules are now entry-level products that can be used for their specific purposes without any pre-requisites.
• The 2D Sonar and 3D Sonar modules are combined into the new Multibeam School Detection module.
• Most virtual variables are licensed with the Advanced Operators module (including some that were previously licensed with Analysis Export, Stationary Sonar, or 2D Sonar modules).

Modules name changes:

• Advanced Operators replaces Virtual Echograms.
• Automation replaces Scripting.
• Multibeam Fish Tracking replaces Stationary Sonar.

Please contact sales@echoview.com for more information.

See also: About Echoview modules.

Simplified licensing.

New Operators and Operator enhancements

Single target detection - wideband

The new Single target detection - wideband operator detects single targets in pulse compressed wideband data. A Single Target Frequency Response graph is available for a selection or region on a single target detection - wideband echogram. You can export single target frequency response data from the graph.

Please note: The correctness of sample values from Single target detection - Wideband variables are still in the process of being verified in this release. Echoview will continue to be updated for any changes that are made to wideband data support as this new technology develops. Please contact support@echoview.com if you have any questions about using wideband data in Echoview or suggestions for processing wideband/broadband data.

Single target detection for a new data type.

Background noise removal

The Background noise removal operator now supports Sv, TS, Multibeam Sv and Multibeam TS operands.

A more versatile noise removal tool.

Impulse noise removal

The Impulse Noise Removal operator quickly identifies and replaces impulse noise from single beam Sv and TS data.

A valuable noise removal tool.

Operand changes

Operand support for some or all of complex data types has been added to a subset of existing operators.

Updated operators include:

• Copy
• Cell statistic single targets
• Mask
• Match Ping Times
• Merge pings
• Overlay
• Ping time shift
• Ping subset
• Processed data
• Reduce pings
• Reduce pings (2)
• Roll range bitmap
• Single target detection - wideband
• ST difference
• ST intersection
• ST union
• Target bitmap
• Target samples bitmap
• Target length calculator
• Target property threshold
• Target samples bitmap
• TS to Sv
• Sv to TS
• TS substitution
• Type conversion

In addition, operand support for the Power dB data type has been added to 62 existing operators.

The Dilation and Erosion operators now accept Color operands.

The XxY Statistic operator now accepts Boolean operands.

Operand updates for new data types.

Multithreading

These operators that are now multi-threaded:

• Beam Select
• Angle Select
• Ping Time Shift
• Dilation
• Erosion
• Median
• Monochrome
• Target Conversion

Multi-threaded operators process faster on multiple core computer systems. They are marked by a running hare on the New variable dialog box.

Expands the number of multi-threaded operators.

Ping time shift

The Ping time shift operator now offers two ways to shift pings in time. The new Shift pings by time setting shifts all pings in time, similar to the Fileset Properties dialog box Time offset setting.

There is no change to the other Ping time shift setting.

New flexibility for the Ping time shift operator.

Single target detection algorithm

Single target detection algorithms can now consider peaks that are one sample wide.

Improved single target detection.

Single target detection

The Single target detection TS threshold setting name is now operator sensitive and is displayed as Uncompensated TS threshold or Compensated TS threshold.

Clearer information for your detections.

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.

EvSingleTargetDetectionWidebandParameters

EvVariableAcousticProperties.SingleTargetDetectionWidebandParameters and the EvSingleTargetDetectionWidebandParameters object support specific settings for a Single target detection - Wideband variable. Common single target detection settings are handled by the EvSingleTargetDetectionParameters object.

EvFilterTargets

EvVariableAcousticProperties.FilterTargets and the EvFilterTargets object support settings for the Filter Targets page of the Variable Properties dialog box of single target variables.

EvData

EvVariableAcousticProperties.Data and the EvData object support settings for the Data page of the Variable Properties.

EVariableDataType

New values for EVariableDataType:

• eDataTypePower_dB 
• eDataTypeComplexSv 
• eDataTypeComplexTS
• eDataTypeComplexStDetection 
• eDataTypeVideo
• eDataTypeBottomGeoPoint 
• eDataTypeComplexPulseCompressedSv
• eDataTypeComplexPulseCompressedTS
• eDataTypeComplexPulseCompressedPower_dB
• eDataTypePulseCompressedAngle 

EBeamCompensation

New enum and values for EBeamCompensation.

ExportFrequencyDistributionBySingleRegion

.csv files output by ExportFrequencyDistributionBySingleRegion now have Region_ID and Process_ID data. This change brings uniformity to COM exports for single target frequency distribution.

RemoveAll

A new method to remove all data files in a fileset. EvFileset.DataFiles.RemoveAll

Transducer geometry illustrated

Transducer geometry illustrated discusses an example for a fixed platform and an imaging sonar pointed across a river. A Scene and 3D curtain are used as a self-check of location and orientation and fish track Direction_horizontal and Direction_vertical are illustrated.

Single target detection pages

Improve setting information for the specific context sensitive Single target detection settings pages. The How to - Creating single target from ... pages have also been updated for incremental changes with respect to calibration settings and transducer geometry settings.

Beam compensation

Simrad split-beam beam compensation is a two-way value.

Beam parameters

Introducing a new Beam angle parameters page that discusses adjustment equations used for the analysis of single target data with Beam volume sum and Wedge volume sampled variables.

Multibeam display

Updated information about multibeam display settings that enable you to replicate the orientation of the ping view in your instrument's software.

Echoview End User License Agreement

Updated Echoview End User License Agreement.

Export to EchoIMPACT

This export is only available under Echoview 32-bit version.

2D school variables

The help file definitions for some 2D school detection SHAPES variables are updated to use "D the mean depth (m) of the region". The documentation now correctly describes the Echoview calculations that were correct. Affected school variable equations are: Mean depth of a region, Uncorrected_thickness, Normalized length in terms of beam width number, Normalized school length in beam widths and Corrected_length.

HAC calibration notes

HAC Calibration notes summarizes support advice about HAC calibration.

Noise examples

Visual examples:

• Impulse noise
• Intermittent spike noise
• Transient noise
• TVG-noise stripe

TOC summary pages

Gradual addition of new summary pages for Help file top of the page navigation links:

• Instrument file formats
• Echoview file formats
• Export file formats
• Algorithms

Bug fixes

Bottom classification

It has come to our attention that there was an error in bottom classification: the calculation of the bottom hardness index (also known as E2) from the second bottom echo was incorrect. This bug has now been fixed in Echoview 6.1.70, and the fix will also be included in the full release of Echoview 7.

Specifically, the following incorrect formula was used for calculating the E2 start depth:

Second bottom line depth (E2 start depth) = first bottom line range + first bottom line depth

The correct formula that is now in use:

Second bottom line depth (E2 start depth) = 2 x first bottom line depth

This bug may impact your bottom classification results if you are using E2. If this is the case, we recommend that you re-run your analyses using the fixed version of Echoview.

The documentation for Bottom hardness has been updated. Associated documentation for Bottom Roughness, and Bottom classification algorithms have been reviewed and updated as well. Some previously documented equations were inaccurate but the corresponding Echoview calculations were correct.

Please contact support@echoview.com if you have any questions. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this error may cause - the Echoview team is dedicated to maintaining the correctness of the calculations that Echoview performs, and to ensuring that our customers are informed on the very rare occasion that an error is found.

Background noise removal operator

The Background noise removal operator removes noise correctly for all operand pings. Previously, the operator removed noise incorrectly on some pings. This occurred when a ping was shorter than the other pings.

Classification rule

Region rule based classification may be affected by a bug fix that corrects the use of invalid layer-based analysis variables by region classification rules. Echoview will automatically remove invalid rules and send an explanatory message to the Message dialog box for pre-Echoview 7 EV files.

Fish track name

Split Fish Track is now fixed. Previously, the same region name was assigned to the split fish tracks.

Interval display

Interval numbering is correctly displayed across ping time gaps. Previously, the interval number was correctly displayed only when the time gap was beyond the left of the echogram window.

Integram display

The integram updates correctly when a vertical band region is deleted. Previously, the integram did not update.

Single target detection - wideband

The Single target detection - wideband operator absorption coefficient is the one used by the file format. Some file formats calculate the absorption coefficient rather than reading the value from the file. Previously, the operator used the absorption coefficient read from the file.

Single target .csv

You can now add multiple single target .csv files to a fileset. Previously, a bug prevented Echoview from adding more than one single target .csv file to a fileset.

Single target angle standard deviation

Single target analysis variables Standdev_angles_major_axis and Standdev_angles_minor_axis are now calculated correctly. Previously, single targets with two or less samples above PLDL had incorrectly calculated angle standard deviations.

Single target detection variable

Fixed a crash that could happen when a Single Target Detection variable's operand contained 'no data' values.

Tape measure tool

Tape measure distances are more reliable and the calculations account for bad GPS fixes correctly.

Convolution operators

Convolution operators with color operands now correctly apply heave.

XxY statistic operator

A rounding bug in the XxY statistic operator is fixed.

Formula operator

A memory management bug for the Formula operator is fixed.

A 64-bit equation display bug for the Formula operator is fixed.

A rarely occurring known issue has been identified. A Formula virtual variable may crash when its Variable Properties dialog box is closed.

COM crash

A COM crash fix and two known issues:

• A known COM issue can occur as data files are removed individually with EvFileset.DataFiles.Remove. Quick multiple data file removal is now facilitated by EvFileset.DataFiles.RemoveAll.
• A COM crash due to a bug for an unopened Objects list in the Dataflow window is fixed. A known COM issue can occur when a (pre-existing) EV file displays the Dataflow window Objects List.

Lines under COM

Several COM line issues are fixed.

• Successfully deleting a line now returns True. Previously, the return was False.
• You can now import an exported fixed depth line. Previously, the import failed.
• A script that tries to use a deleted line will crash Echoview. This is now a known issue.