About platforms

Hydroacoustic data and other data may be recorded by instruments mounted on a platform. Echoview supports fixed, moving and multiple platform objects on the Dataflow window.

A fileset contains links to data files recorded from a physical platform. An EV file may contain multiple filesets with multiple platfroms, each platform associated with transducers and derived variables.

Echoview allows for the automatic creation of platforms and transducers per fileset. Echoview also enables the manual creation and assignment of platforms and transducers. Acoustic variables get platform information from their specified transducer on the Calibration page of the Variable Properties dialog box.

Newly created EV files begin with no platforms. A platform may be created by Echoview when data files are added to a fileset. Echoview will use a pre-selected platform or the first platform available, when deriving variables and creating transducers. Alternatively, you can create and manually assign a platform to a transducer. It is good practice to check the suitability of a platform and if required, re-assign a transducer (and its associated variables) to a more suitable platform.

Echoview will automatically append the fileset name to the platform name - and will update when the fileset name is changed. Manually created and/or edited platforms lose the ability to update with fileset rename. In the Console, you can omit the fileset name for a platform.

To manually create a platform use the Menu pane, Other section, Platform item of the Dataflow Toolbox or the (right-click) Shortcut menu in the Dataflow window.

The platform is represented by a shape on the Dataflow window. You may Copy/Paste Platform objects.

Delete platforms by using the right-click menu on the Dataflow window. A Platform delete is not supported by Undo/Redo.

The platform system reference point defines an X, Y, Z coordinate system for the relative placement of transducers, GPS antenna and the water level. See About transducer geometry for further information.

Platform Properties specify:

Platform type (fixed or moving), Position source for moving platforms
Platform system reference point, and the location of the GPS antenna
Platform Depth with a depth and Heave source
Platform Water current for fixed platforms
Platform Distance (Vessel log distance) for moving platforms
Platform Heading source
Transect group source

Sources that are raw variables or based on raw variables (position, heading, vessel distance logs, heave and water current speed) are remembered until they are deliberately changed. This is true even when the raw variable sources become unavailable, and then become available again. Platforms copied and pasted with the same EV file retain the ability to remember the source variable. Platforms copied to another EV file will be reset for raw variable sources, but they remember a virtual variable source. Platforms in EV file templates remember raw variable sources and any variable attached to the platform.

A platform may be specified for a:

Transducer
Transducer Properties specify transducer orientation and transducer location relative to the platform. A transducer with a Platform specified as None, displays unavailable raw acoustic variables and sounder-detected lines.
Cruise track Display page
A position variable has a several platform-related properties in the Transect section, Platform and Override platform. When a position variable is connected to a platform, the platform name for transects is displayed. The position variable allows this to overidden manually.
Scene
A scene uses a specified platform to display the 3D cruise track. The platform is represented by the apex of a triangular outline on a 3D cruise track. See About Scene animation for more information.
Media object, Media Position page
A video or image uses a platform to sychronize and echogram with towed trawl media.

The command interface supports some platform properties.

Using platforms

Echoview is able to account for the vertical movement of a platform by using data from a heave sensor or altitude sensor. For further information refer to Working with a submerged platform.

EV File templates support platforms.

HAC export variables are associated with the same platform.

About platforms

Using platforms

See also