PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

PCT Gateway User/Training Guide

25 Ready-Made PowerPoint 2007 Lesson Plans © Precision Cropping Technologies Pty Ltd 2012.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Courseware Release Version 1.0

© 2012 Precision Cropping Technologies Pty Ltd. Notice of Rights

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Precision Cropping Technologies Pty Ltd.

Trademark Notice Notice of Liability

The information in this courseware title is distributed on an ‘as is’ basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this course, neither the authors nor PCT. shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Disclaimer

We make a sincere effort to ensure the accuracy of the material described herein; however, PCT makes no warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the quality, correctness, reliability, accuracy, or freedom from error of this document or the products it describes. Data used in examples and sample data files are intended to be fictional. Any resemblance to real persons or companies is entirely coincidental. All information in this manual was correct at the time of writing. PCT is not affiliated with nor has any control over changes made to the product described in this manual. These include, but are not limited to, changes in the application’s color scheme, icon appearance and locations, addition or removal of program features, online templates, and help content. PCT reserves the right to make corrections to the courseware at any time and without notification.

Terms and conditions Demo versions: If the version of courseware that you are viewing is marked as NOT FOR TRAINING, SAMPLE, or similar, then it is made available for content and style review only and cannot be used in any part of a training course. Sample versions may be shared but cannot be re-sold to a third party.

For licensed users: This document may only be used under the terms of the license agreement from PCT. PCT reserves the right to alter the licensing conditions at any time, without prior notice.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Contents Gateway Basic 1 Lesson 1: Installing Gateway ................................................................................... 19 Steps .............................................................................................................................................. 1

Home Menu 2 Lesson 2: Installing Apps........................................................................................... 1 Steps .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Lesson 2.1: Options and Settings ............................................................................... 4 Steps .............................................................................................................................................. 4

Data Menu 3 Lesson 3: Data Manager ............................................................................................ 7 Steps .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Lesson 3: Data Vault .................................................................................................. 7 Steps .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Lesson 3: Import Export Farm .................................................................................. 7 Steps .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Lesson 3: Point Importer ........................................................................................... 7 Steps .............................................................................................................................................. 7

View Menu 4 Lesson 4: Field Viewer ............................................................................................. 10 Steps ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Lesson 4: Google Viewer.......................................................................................... 10 Steps ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Lesson 4: Layer Reporter ......................................................................................... 10 Steps ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Lesson 4: Multi Viewer ............................................................................................ 10 Steps ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Lesson 4: Simple Viewer .......................................................................................... 10 Steps ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Lesson 4: Synchro Viewer ........................................................................................ 10 Steps ............................................................................................................................................ 10

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Lesson 1: Installing & Licensing PCT Gateway is located on the Precision Cropping Technologies Pty Ltd (PCT), website http://pct-ag.com/download/ and clicking Install for PCT Gateway 1.7 (as at August 2012). A working internet connection is assumed. Follow the default install location. Once installed the following procedure will be initiated. Note that this program requires dot net 4 framework. Any error in installation could be due to dot net 4 not being installed. This is a requirement and the installation should take you directly through this procedure. If not search and install the dot net 4 framework from the Microsoft website.

Steps

1. Double Click the Icon if Gateway doesn't run automatically after installation has completed. 2. The loading screen will appear as the program opens.

3. Location of data is critical to the programs ability to operate smoothly. The default Gateway will make is PCT_Data so by selecting OK on this window this folder will be created on your hard drive at the location show. Note if you missed doing this go to Home>Options and Settings>Set Data Folder

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 4. A login is required to download licenses and applications (Apps). The login and password is provided by a PCT Distributor or Dealer. Username...................................... Password....................................... Click OK to accept.

5. Once you username and password has been entered and validated the licensing screen will appear. Click ok to move to the Download License screen. Click cancel if you don't have any licenses and just intend to use Gateway for Viewing your data. 6. Click Download Licenses.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 7. This screen will inform the user of which licenses are being installed for use. Click ok.

8. Finally the licenses will show in this screen and pressing the close button will continue.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Home Menu

Change Login Manage/Renew Licenses Install Apps Set Options and change Settings

Lesson 2: Updating and installing Apps Gateway is a series of Applications (apps) as opposed to a single software package. Each App is designed to complete a solution within itself. Apps are available in four categories 1. Analysis 2. Agronomy 3. Landforming 4. Irrigation These are discussed in greater depth further into the training course. Follow these steps to install.

Steps

1. Whenever Gateway has a message at the top which says [Update Modules Available there have been software updates loaded to the program server. If installing the first time this message will be present as there will be apps available for download augmenting the base gateway.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 2. Select the App Browser to open the Apps Download screen

3. Clicking the Download All button will initiate the downloading of all available Apps. The progress is shown beside each App and the number being downloaded is show below.

4. Once the downloads have completed the Restart VA Gateway button will become active (no longer grayed out). By restarting Gateway the installation process will begin and the program will restart automatically.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Lesson 2.1: Options and Setting Gateway has customizable settings which will default to factory recommended optimum upon installation. These should be checked for suitability to your operation. Additionally setting for the GPS input Apps needs to be performed here as well. The data folder location can be changed here as well. Or set if this was missed in the initial set-up.

Steps

5. Click Home>Options and Settings>More Options and Settings

6. The General Tab allows the selection of the data location (this must be one folder above the grower names). The default settings for checking for updates and install procedures and 'Default On'. Also displayed is the current Grower/Farm and Field

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 7. Choose a print template and add a logo to any printed material

8. In some Apps such as Rx the program will automatically zone the data. Default method is Std Dev however an experienced user may prefer other options. Also the ability to remove small areas zones can be set. This will automatically remove zones smaller than the applicator can physically apply.

9. The units tab allows the user to set the appropriate units for their system.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 10. The sampling tab requires settings for the automatic sample calculator in the Sample Locator App.

11. Field Viewer and TerraCutta require a GPS connection. The connection can be tested and set here.

12. Disk area is not really needed by users. It exists for support purposes and is best left alone.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Data Menu

Synchronize data with server Data Vault for card cleaning Import and export data sets Convert soil data from csv

Lesson 3: Data Manager Synchronizing data with the PCT server allows the delivery of data to be processed by PCT and the download of processed data to the client or agronomist HD. PCT Gateway is a system of tools that requires data, not pictures. We have found that many tasks can be achieved more quickly and efficiently on the clients or agronomists actual computer rather than server based cloud analysis with current internet speeds. Some analysis is best done by an agronomist or professional on a remote computer. For them to do this they need the data to be available if they are to create a solution for you and you then need to get this solution back to your computer when finished. To achieve this data sharing / synchronizing, the data manager is used.

Steps

1. To start, Click Data and then Data Manager buttons

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 2. The Data manager Screen will show a left panel (PCT_Data local hd location) and right panel (PCT_Data server location). To bring data from the server to the hard drive highlight and folder or file and press < in the center panel. The program will check folders for existing files.

3. Only new or changed files will be exchanged and their progress can be monitored. Should there be a connection break during and upload or download a resume button will be displayed and can be used to continue the download.

4. Once the download has completed there will be identical data on either side of the panel. This is how the agronomist will deliver prescriptions to you.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Lesson 3.1: Data Vault Data Vault is used to create a back up of data cards. By selecting any file on a card to import the complete card can be copied, zipped and placed in two locations. Greenstar cards can also have the stored maps, .fdd and fdl files removed to free up space on the cards.

Steps

1. To start, Click Data and then Data Vault

2. The data vault screen allows the user to drag and drop a file or open a card location using Import data button. Previous downloads can be found easily using the View Vault Contents button. .

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 3. Click File on the Data Vault window to activate the settings screen. Storage folder is a location on the hard drive and if you Select the raw data folder in PCT_Data then data can be uploaded using data manager. Set the Maximum card size to 5,000Mb so the App doesn't try to find and search large disks such as the hard drive.

4. Clicking Import data will activate the card location window. Select the appropriate drive.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 5. Optional card information screen will be displayed. Enter information in here about the card that may be needed later to help know what's on the card without having to open the data.

6. A finished window will appear. If a Greenstar card is recognized the following screen will appear.

7. This allows the Greenstar card to be cleaned and taken back to the machine to continue work. Clicking will remove the .fdd, fdl and the stored maps folder to free up room, however the machine information including client farm field and guidance data will be maintained.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Lesson 3.2: Import Export If there is no internet connection this App will create a zip file which allows easy export of selected data which can then be imported onto another computer

Steps

1. To import a farm which has been zipped simply browse for the file.

2. Once the zip file has been selected there is the option to import data into an existing farm or to create a new one. Press import to unzip and import the data.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 3. You can export a whole farm.

or 4. Export specific layers by filtering by season, field or layer types.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

View Menu

Field Viewer Google Viewer Layer Reporter Multi Viewer Simple Viewer Synchro Viewer

Lesson 4: Viewing Data There are multiple ways to look at data in Gateway. These are individual Apps. Note

The spanner button allows a layer to be exported into various formats such a kml, csv and others.

Steps

1. Click View and select a Viewing option.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 2. Field Viewer will display layer with GPS. Connect the GPS to Gateway. Turn on night vision. Rotate the screen 90 deg on each click.

3. Google Viewer will display layer on a Google Earth background. Layers can have adjustable transparency using the slider at the bottom left of the layer list. Statistics and colour bars are displayed automatically.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 4. Layer report allows the selection of multiple layers to be batch printed. A summary table is also produced which is useful for summarizing yield data for a farm. Press Create Report to activate the printing window.

5. Here is an example of the batch printing resulting from layer reporter.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 6. Multi Viewer allows the simultaneous display and joining of multiple layers. Display more than one field of yield (or other layer the same )and combine into one map

7. Simple Viewer will display a single layer and display statistics. You can enter Comments in to the comments tab and save for future reference. Will select an area and display both the whole field (transparent) and selected area statistics simultaneously.

8. Sycnchro View allows up to four layers to be displayed at one time. The pencil will activate screen drawing which is displayed on all screens simultaneously. Whenever this button is displayed it can be used to overlay and alter transparency to view lower layers

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Online Viewer - PCT Explorer PCT Explorer is found on the PCT Website under Tools/Online Viewer

Entering your username and password will activate online viewing. This is the same username and password used for Gateway and allow maps to be accessed from any online device. Document and Rx Maps (prescriptions ) can also be downloaded from this site directly to cards or usb in the field if you have a suitable mobile device..

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Main  login and username Background/Overlay  Select a map source Interface Tools  Set units  Measure distance  Measure area

Filters Select grower name for client with multiple customers. Select the farm if more than one Select All seasons or a single seasons data. Select All Field or filter by selecting a single field Select All Layers or just one. To turn a layer on Click the layer icon next to the name to turn on. Click the layer name to zoom to the field.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Accessing layer information The Overview tab displays the basic info for the field

You can look at the distribution of data for the field. Placing the cursor on a color bar will display the area and value in the top right corner.

Look at the Detailed stats for the field

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Additionally you can move multiple stacked layers which are rotated forwards or backwards in terms of visibility on the screen. Change the opacity of the layer to look at other layers underneath. Activate the printing screen.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Doc Any document uploaded via Gateway by a connected user is available to view and download. These could be soil test results from a lab in PDF or recommendations from an agronomist.

Rx Any Rx or Landforming maps can be accessed from this download screen. E.g. Save on a tablet computer directly to a usb will allow the file to be loaded into the GS3

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Appendix A

Screens Icon and Statistics

File Formats .pcti - PCT proprietry image format .pctv - PCT proprietry vector format .pctxyz - TerraCutta point collection file .TerraCuttaProject - TerraCutta project file .PctEarthworksGrid - TerraCutta landforming application file Pan or drag - click and hold left mouse. Pointer Reset screen to full extent Cross hairs Capture current view to kml, kmz or open in Google earth Rotate the screen 90 with each left click. An arrow of the map screen will show north.

      

Selection from the menu. Select all Select all including the no data area behind the map. Select the edge of the field for use in Landforming Apps for a road around a field or Rx for a no spray buffer. Invert selected area. Expand selection to make bigger or Contract to make smaller Save and/or load a previously used selection

This tool removes the zones layer to restart with a new layer.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Smooth - applies a spatial local mean filter to the data. This is good for remote sensing with high resolution that needs to be used for variable rate which requires more simple images. Smoothing Distance - the further the bar is dragged to the right the smoother the map will become. Advanced options. In high resolution imagery there can be low value in wheel tracks of a pivot or linear move, but in the actual adjacent field are high values. Dragging the bar to the right will allow the high values to overwrite the low values. Very useful for variable rate being applied by aircraft.

Classify - Data is zoned based on the default settings under Home>Options and Settings>More Options and Settings>Classification Tab. Change the zoning type or reduce the number of zones by clicking the bulb on the split lines on the histogram or add a split by holding down the Ctrl key and left click in on the histogram. The split lines can be moved by placing the curser on the line. The pointer will change to a drag leftright arrow.

Change resolution - when using high resolution imagery it can be useful to lower the resolutions to reduce the file size. This help when joining multiple fields together to spray as one map for aircraft. Also older variable rate systems in aircraft have low memory capacity.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

In Apps such as Rx, additional tools can be added next to the main tool bar in a design screen

Remove small regions - allows for small regions to be integrated into a neighboring region.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012

Save the zoned layer - when saving there are options to save the data with alternative data values types. This allows the user to create the optimal output for their specific end use.

Exports variable rate maps as (ESRI) shape files format to be loaded onto cards or into other programs.

In Rx screen these buttons add or remove a rate column in the data table

Overlay a layer. This allows the selection of another layer of data to be overlaid and used as a template to use with paint tools to override rates or manually add new regions.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Overlay points from a csv or pctv that might be used to locate trials or other features.

Add AB lines to aid the locating of trial design. With strip trials this will ensure that strip widths match swath width and wheeltracks when in the field. AB line can be saved. Note: the use of AB line may differ depending on the equipment being used.

Test Strip Set-up implements a strip trial designer which allows rates to be entered for trials within any application map. The design and application can then be used in Strip Trial Analysis

Selection Tools  Box - left click to start - double left click to stop and activate selection.  Circle - Click to start - double left click to stop and activate selection.  Point to Point - Left click to drop a point and drag mouse to draw lines in between. Double left click to stop and activate selection.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012  

Freehand - hold down the left mouse button and drag mouse to draw. Double left click to stop and activate selection. Magic wand - pick a point and a range. One left click will activate

Note that holding down the crtl key and drawing will remove parts from a selection. Holding down the shift key will add selection. Try overlapping the selection and see what happens.

Paint tools are the same as programs such as Paint Shop Pro™ The top X represents the left mouse colour/rate selection and the bottom X represents the right mouse. This button activates the below screen where options for that color can be  an existing rate  a nearest neighbor rate (good for adding a section outside of a field for aircraft application.  Add a new rate.

An eye dropper tool allows for quick selection to match an existing rate to be used with the paint brush or paint can tool. Left click a colour to use in the top X or right click to use as a right X color

This button selects the paint type. If using the brush a slider bar will appear that determines the size of the brush - drag to the right to make the brush paint larger areas. Left click and hold down and move slowly. The flood fill tool will also have a slide bar. Left click to fill. If the fill isn't completely filling the selected area drag the slider to the right. Note: the paint tools do not need a selected area by using the selection tools. They will work on the zoned map. Also at

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 the time of printing there were no undo/redo tools. In Apps such as Point explorer and Yield Normaliser additional tools may open in other operation windows. In Yield normaliser and Point explorer is a sophisticated analysis matrix. These have an auto fit of the correlation between certain selected layers. E.g. Yield 2010 and 2011. Or soil properties such as OM ore CEC and data layers such as Electromagnetic surveys.

Clicking on a scatter plot will open a graphing screen where different fits can be tested and applied.

Graphs can be saved to fit into more sophisticated reports that an agronomist might use to better explain and detail the correlations and their meanings of field trials.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 In Apps such as Landforming additional tools can be added next to the main tool bar.

When certain operations are selected additional buttons may appear. These will be discussed further as we go through the button. Below is the initial tool bar.

The first tool bar has  Selection tools  Best fit design  Multi fit design  Smooth fit design  Drains builder  Contour builder

Selection Tools  Box - left click to start - double left click to stop and activate selection.  Circle - Click to start - double left click to stop and activate selection.  Point to Point - Left click to drop a point and drag mouse to draw lines in between. Double left click to stop and activate selection.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 

Freehand - hold down the left mouse button and drag mouse to draw. Double left click to stop and activate selection. Magic wand - pick a point and a range. One left click will activate

Best Fit - activates a window which allows for instantaneous best fit design.  Change primary direction.  Change primary direction slope.  Change secondary direction.  Change secondary direction slope.  Control side fall.  Divide selection area field or farm into set grade break width.  Set cut fill ratio.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Multi Fit - activates a window which allows for multi fit designs in a single direction.  Control furrow direction  Control strip parameters  Set Min and Max Slope  Create a Flossing map (controlled leveling of furrows)  Set cut fill ratios.

Smoothed surface - activates a smoothing surface. Used for a preliminary adjustment to surface prior to drains road and contours. Can be used in some circumstances for field multi directional drainage.

Drains and contours - More information in the landforming help guide

Next portion of toolbar has other tools which activate at various time.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Overlay a layer. This allows the selection of another layer of data to be overlaid and used as a template to use with paint tools to override rates or manually add new regions.

Add AB lines to aid the locating of trial design. AB line can be saved. Note: the use of AB line may differ depending on the equipment being used.

Profile - Activates an A to B Profile

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 When contours are activated three slide bars appear  Increase decrease brightness of contour  Smooth contour  Simplify contour Export as shape

If a design is in place a second set of contours become available.  First contour button applies contours to the current elevation surface.  Second set of contours applies contours to the new design surface.

Flow Path Overlay simulates water applied in a grid specified e.g. 50mtrs and shows where that water runs to, where that water connects to other water and where water terminates to pond.

Depression controls calculate and display depressions in the field so a drain can be accurately placed

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Wetting front simulates water movement across a field based on elevation control. The slide bar moves the water over the field.

Simulated surface flow applies a user configurable simulated rainfall amount to the field and animates to shows the areas where water terminates flow and its depth.

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PCT Gateway User Guide 2012 Expand edges adds pixels to the edge of the field based on nearest neighbor to account for surveys where the GPS was inside the field edge or a road needs to be added around the edge but hasn't been collected. Extrusion control is only displayed on main tool bar when a design is in place Extrusion requires a selected area e.g. a road. The selected area can be raised or lowered with soil removed or added to the field. This is often used to design raised roads around rice fields.

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