New in Echoview 11 for all users
Welcome to Echoview 11!
Echoview Software is very pleased to announce the release of Echoview 11 (including the Echoview 11.1 update). We are committed to improving the depth and efficiency of your acoustic data processing, regardless of your processing methodology. We are pleased to introduce features that will improve processing speed and simplify your work flow.
This page has been prepared for the full release
of Echoview 11.1. The contents of the Help file may change and you should
check with each subsequent update
of Echoview.
New features are presented in these categories:
Key new features and enhancements
New operators and operator enhancements
Scripting and COM objects
Documentation changes
Bug fixes
New features for all users
Feature |
How it works |
Benefit |
Key new features and enhancements |
||
Calibration Assistant |
Introducing a Calibration Assistant and three new single targets beam compensation graphs to facilitate on-axis or off-axis calibration with calibration sphere data, including beam pattern analysis. Input data includes: frequency, temperature, salinity, acidity, calibration sphere depth, sound speed, sphere TS, beam compensation model, on-axis/off-axis definition and pulse length type. Detailed results include values and suggested ECS file snippets for:
Two-way beam angle and RMS error are also calculated. Calibration sensitivity analysis is now facilitated by the ability to save Calibration Assistant settings per single target variable and COM support for the export of Calibration Assistant results. Further support for calibration and single target analysis includes the enhancement for the Target samples bitmap operator that masks samples that contribute to the single target. For updated information refer to Calibrating an echosounder. |
Complete transparency and control over the data being used to calculate calibration parameters. |
Performance |
Echoview 11 includes a major boost in performance across many processor and time-intensive aspects of the software, for all data types and applications. The performance improvements are a result of:
We have seen significant performance improvements in a number of areas:
Performance improvements will vary with hardware configuration and data storage location. If you are working with large volumes of data and/or computing-intensive workflow steps, we recommend having 16GB or more RAM, the best CPU possible, and data stored in a fast-access location. For general information about hardware, please see the following help file pages: If you are interested in seeing a benchmark of Echoview 10 vs Echoview 11 performance using your own data and processing workflow, or would like us to review your current computer specifications, please contact support@echoview.com. We’ll be happy to evaluate the difference between versions, suggest potential avenues for performance improvements, and to identify areas where we can make even more adjustments to Echoview in the future. |
More efficient work flow and time savings. |
2D school detection |
2D school detection can now be used with fixed platforms as well as platforms with GPS. Use the Distance mode list under the Schools tab of the EV File Properties dialog box to configure a detection based on the new Distance mode options Ping number or Ping time. The new modes enable school detection on fixed platforms without GPS information, and can also be used with GPS as detection alternatives. |
Flexibility for 2D school detection. |
Live viewing |
Introducing live viewing support for a number of file formats and through a single Echolog utility. Supported file formats include:
For further information refer to About Echolog applications and Using live viewing. Echoview 11 performance enhancements include improvements to live viewing performance and stability, particularly when live viewing echograms for virtual variables that work on a window of data. |
Wider range of supported file formats for real-time viewing and analysis. |
Sound speed profile calibration |
Introducing support for sound speed profile data with ECS settings CtdDepthProfile and SoundSpeedProfile. These calibration settings may be used to correct Simrad EK60 and Simrad EK80 CW data for sound speed changes within the water column. For further information refer to Using sound speed profile data. We plan to extend this tool to other file formats and corrections in future versions. Please send your suggestions and ideas to support@echoview.com. |
Capability for more accurate correction based on environmental conditions. |
Add data files while creating an EV file |
Introducing new ways to add data files while creating an EV file:
|
Create EV file workflow improvements. |
Single target graphs |
Introducing three new single target graphs that are useful for the analysis of split-beam calibration sphere data.
2D single target graphs now display the name of the linked region or selection in the graph title bar. |
Easy visualization of data and calibration effects. |
Export Wideband frequency response |
Sv Wideband frequency response data can now be exported for selections and regions on Sv pulse compressed wideband echograms. This enhancement includes:
|
Easy visualization of data and calibration effects. |
Custom grid labels and lines |
Variable Properties Grid page settings to customize grid labels and grid lines for color, thickness and size. |
Custom settings to polish the presentation of your data. |
Multiple Variable Properties |
The selection of multiple Variable Properties now includes:
|
Faster workflow when working with multiple variables. |
Details dialog box |
Changes for the Details dialog box that improve functionality:
|
Easy-to-access information about your data. |
Export by region - select classes |
Changes to the Export by Region - Select Classes dialog box allow multiple region classes to be selected to be exported. Previously, you could only choose a single class or all classes. |
More choice and flexibility. |
Echogram color schemes |
Introducing four new color schemes: Inferno, Magma, Plasma and Viridis. The intent of these colormaps is to represent data in the most visually accurate way given the limitations of monitors, eyes and brain. The color schemes are based on new matplotlib colormaps by Nathaniel J. Smith, Stefan van der Walt and (in the case of Viridis) Eric Firing. Refer to About color schemes for more information. Note: Useful reading on which color maps are better suited to visualizing continuous scalar data can be found in the article by Blackwell et al (2019). |
More display options. |
General changes |
The following changes make Echoview features easier to use:
|
More efficient work flow and time savings. |
New Operators
and Operator enhancements |
||
Code |
Code operator enhancements include:
See also: Using the Code operator (includes example scripts). |
Expanded support for algorithm development. |
Use the Select samples using: list of the Target samples bitmap operator to create a bitmap based on the samples that contribute to the single target. Target pulse length can be specified using Target PLDL or Target 6db/12dB/18dB pulse length determination levels. The new setting may be useful for calibration sphere data analysis and single target analysis. |
New bitmap creation method widens the scope of Echoview analysis tools. |
|
Multi-threading |
Multi-threading support is extended to include these additional operators:
|
Multi-threading improves performance. |
Scripting and COM objects
|
||
Command interface |
The Echoview command interface allows you to access Echoview properties and actions. Use the Console dialog box to immediately interact with the Command interface. Use a script to execute batch commands. Support includes:
|
|
ExportSettings |
EvVariableAcoustic.ExportSettings is updated to output values under the same file format as the Command Interface Export option. |
|
Export multiple variables to Echoview Data File format |
EvFile.ExportEVDAll supports the export of multiple variables to a single EVD file under Export to Echoview Data File Format. |
|
Export Calibration Assistant results |
EvVariableAcoustic.ExportSingleTargetCalibrationResults supports the export of Calibration Assistant results. | |
Export Wideband frequency response |
Support for variations of the Sv Wideband Frequency Response export:
|
|
Documentation changes |
||
Match geometry |
Updated documentation about the match geometry algorithm. |
|
Echogram interpretation |
Updated documentation and images. |
|
Minimum TS threshold |
Correction to documentation-only bug for RTS; Echoview calculations were unaffected. Updated information for Simrad EK80 and other echosounder expressions. |
|
TS to Sv operator Sv to TS operator |
Updated the equations to use corrected range. |
|
.csv calibration settings |
Updated Text .csv calibration setting documentation. |
|
Single target detection Variable Properties |
Updated documentation for Single target detection Variable Properties settings. Corrected documentation for Single target detection - dual beam TS threshold. |
|
Image file |
Correction for an incorrectly documented header row name in the *.media.csv file format. |
|
EVD multibeam data support |
Export to Echoview Data File format documentation is updated to include the missing TS multibeam data type. |
|
BeamOffsets |
Updated documentation for BeamOffsets and removed the usage of 'MultibeamBeamOffsets'. |
|
Echoexplore |
Echoexplore 3 is the latest addition to Echoview Software’s suite of tools for researchers collecting echosounder and sonar data files. For further information refer to About Echoexplore. |
|
Bug fixes |
||
Resample operator |
Updated the Weighting along-track calculation within the Resample by Distance Interval operator to minimize calculation precision issues. Fixed an error where the Resample by Distance
Interval operator could incorrectly calculate GPS distance for
output pings if the Distance interval is smaller
than the distance between the operand's pings. Fixed an error where the Resample by Distance Interval operator would inadvertently use the operand's Variable Properties Grid setting Start interval numbering from the first ping in the echogram. |
|
A displayed data point value is correct regardless of zoom level. Previously, the mouse pointer pixel-to-sample correlation and displayed value could vary with zoom level. |
||
Calibration assistant | Fixed an error that affected calibration calculations for Sv Offset. If a non-zero value for Sv Offset was used, the resulting calculation was incorrect. Changed iteration procedure to improve the optimization of calibrated 3dB beam angles and angle offsets. |
|
Command interface |
The Command interface is fixed to stop crashes caused by circular Properties settings changes. Bug fixes for properties command returns display more consistent and clearer values. An issue with the use of <Exit> in COM scripts and the Command interface is fixed. <Exit> now closes Echoview safely. Paste from the Windows Clipboard into the Console dialog box is fixed. Previously, the ability to paste was unreliable. |
|
Echogram update |
Fix for an echogram update bug that affected the TS substitution and Sample statistic subtract operators. The echograms were not updating when their Variable Properties were changed. |
|
Code operator |
Code operator fix for a multi-threading bug that affected virtual variable dataflows. Code operator fix for a bug affecting the handling of non-contiguous arrays and double float numbers (for the 64-bit version) associated with angular and multibeam data. Code operator fix for handling the addition of data files to a fileset. |
|
Region altitude export variables |
A bug affecting region altitude export variables under a line-reference grid is fixed. Some unsuitable grid-line-handling calculations would output unexpected values. |
|
Variable properties |
A bug preventing Undo and Redo from working when changing properties with multiple variables selected is fixed. Fixed a bug that affected the F8 shortcut (open Variable Properties dialog box) for a selected variable in the Filesets window. |
|
Fileset dialog box |
A bug that could sometimes crash Echoview when all data files are removed from a fileset is fixed. |
|
Ping Subset |
Fixed a Ping Subset bug that sometimes used an incorrect initial distance. Also fixed a problem that occurred when the subset start time was earlier than the time of the first ping. |
|
Region class export |
Single or multiple region class export now outputs expected regions. Previously, regions may have been absent because their region ID was mishandled. |
|
Map projection |
A map projection bug is fixed. This issue may have affected objects in scenes and imported objects where the longitude of the object was greater than 90 degrees from the central meridian of the projection. The issue may have affected the 6th significant figure in the longitude value. |
|
Echometrics calculations for Equivalent area and Aggregation index | An error in the calculations for Equivalent area and Aggregation index has been corrected. In Echoview 10 and earlier versions of Echoview 11, these analysis variables did not include sample height in the calculation, resulting in a unitless value being generated. | |
Background Noise Removal |
The maximum Vertical overlap (%) that can be entered is now 99%. Any existing EV files with a Background Noise Removal variable that has an overlap set to 100% will automatically be updated to 99%. |
|
Upward facing transducer export region(s) analysis |
The output results for upward facing transducer export region(s) analysis are now correct and complete. Previously, an incomplete file was created. |
|
Export value for no-data sample outside of a selected region |
A special export value of 9.9e+37 is assigned to no-data samples outside of a selected region. Previously, the export value of -9.9e+37 was assigned. The bug fix affects data exports for the following data types: angular position, Sv, Complex Sv and Pulse compressed complex Sv. |
|
Unavailable variables |
All Dataflow views are updated when variable availability changes. Previously, a bug involving unavailable variables and workspace files caused unavailable variables to reappear. |
|
Line properties | Fixed an issue where the properties used during line creation were not being reported in the Notes page of the Line Properties dialog box. | |
COM scripting | Two minor scripting errors have been fixed:
|
|
Variable name |
Improvements have been made to variable naming infrastructure. Previously, variable name issues could occur with COM and the copy and paste of variables. |
|
ASL AZFP |
Fixed an issue with the reading of calibration values from some ASL AZFP configuration files. Improved data mapping by frequency for ASL AZFP data files that don't have configuration files. |
|
Ping status |
Fixed an issue where an incorrect color was used when a ping status was applied. |
|
Bottom classification Notes |
Bottom points variables now report all settings used during classification in their Notes page. |
|
Region class note |
A bug affecting Notes text for new region classes is fixed. |
New features for users of specific echosounders
There may be specific version 11 features for your echosounder - please take a minute to check what's new.
- New for users of data from Kongsberg sonars
- New for users of data from Simrad sonars
- New for users of BioSonics echosounders
- New for users of SciFish echosounders
- New for users of Sound Metrics sonars