Chapter 3 Setting Up a Project
This chapter will instruct the user on how to navigate their Project Dashboard, and how they may go about setting up a project. This chapter will also cover the Hot Keys offered in Opencontour, and the multiple ways that a user can reload their project.
Video: New Project Setup
Quick Access
- Project Dashboard
- Setting up a Project for a New User
- Project Settings Overview
- Accessing an Existing Project
- Hot Keys
- Reloading a Project
- Tutorial Project Part 1: Setting Up the Tutorial Project
3.1 Project Dashboard
The project dashboard displays a list of recent projects, along with their descriptions and creation dates. For new users, the projects list will be initially empty.
Starting Dashboard
3.2 Setting up a Project for New User
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Click the New Project button in the upper right corner. A new window will appear.
New Project Window
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Enter the Project Name and Description of the project.
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Click Next. The Project Settings window with configuration options will appear.
NOTE: project Settings are pre-populated with default values and should be adjusted for each project.
Project Settings Window Designations
The Project Settings window also provides the ability to import values from another project and export data from the current project's configuration.
To import values, click the Choose File button. The entries will be instantly updated. Click the Export button to save the entries for later use in another project.
If a user does not have access to a .JSON project settings file, they may also manually enter the values.
NOTE: Only .JSON format is supported for storing Project Setting values. All window entries are stored in a database for each project.
3.3 Project Settings Overview
Each project listed in Opencontour has its own set of Project Settings parameters, initially saved in the setting up of a New Project. These parameters can be exported using the Export button, and imported using the Choose File button.
The project settings can be accessed by clicking the Project Settings button in the Utility Menu.
The project settings are divided into 4 different categories as seen below:
It is important to click the Save button after making any changes in this window. These settings are stored in an online database and can be viewed from any computer connected to the internet.
3.3.1 Drawing Window Settings
The Drawing Window Settings section controls visible features and design parameters in the Drawing Window.
The From Map button takes the immediate view extents within the Project Window and populates the viewExtentMinx, viewExtentMiny, viewExtentMaxx, and viewExtentMaxy properties.
| Settings Property | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| viewExtentMinx | 575500 | The minimum viewing extent allowed in the X direction. |
| viewExtentMaxx | 591500 | The maximum viewing extent allowed in the X direction. |
| viewExtentMiny | 6969540 | The minimum viewing extent allowed in the Y direction. |
| viewExtentMaxy | 6978110 | The maximum viewing extent allowed in the Y direction. |
| viewExtentMinz | 800 | Legacy zoom functionality. |
| viewExtentMaxz | 1200 | Legacy zoom functionality. |
| MidBench | 1412.5 | The starting elevation selected as the active mid bench to be displayed when opening the new project. This mid bench entry will also determine the consistent catch bench locations for Double, Triple & Quad mid benches. |
| BenchHeight | 9 | The bench height should be set to the vertical intervals between the Mid bench contours |
| Cutter InterRampAngle (IRA) | 75 | The pit wall angle formed to from either toe to toe or crest to crest, exclusive of ramps. Inter Ramp angle (IRA) to be used if IRA/BFA is set to Settings. |
| Cutter Bench Face Angle (BFA) | 70 | Bench Face angle (BFA) to be used for the Cutter layers if IRA/BFA dropdown is set to Settings.This BFA will be used for Dbl/Triple/Quad benching options and Toe/Crest builds. |
| Filler InterRampAngle (IRA) | 35 | The Filler (dumps, leach pads) wall angle formed to from either toe to toe or crest to crest, exclusive of ramps. |
| Filler Bench Face Angle (BFA) | 50 | Bench Face angle (BFA) to be used for the Filler layers if IRA/BFA is set to Settings. This BFA will be used for Dbl/Triple/Quad benching options. |
| Ramp Width | 27 | Width of ramp to be constructed when using Copy Cutter Up Level tool. |
| Ramp Grade | 0.1 | Gradient of the ramp to be constructed. Equal to Rise/Run. 10% = 0.1. Calculated from the middle of the ramp. |
| Bench Access | 1 | This setting scales the geotech data proportionally against the width of access to a given catch bench. On an input scale of 0 to 1, this setting will alter the final stripping ratio of the cutter that it is being applied to |
| Tolerance | 0.1 | This function works in tandem with the Modify Number of Feature Vertices tool. When that function is activated, the number entered into the Tolerance box will scale how many vertices are added or removed to the selected feature. Additionally, it sets the offset distance for the Offset Features tool. |
| Block X | 10 | Block size in the X direction, from the block model file. |
| Block Y | 10 | Block size in the Y direction, from the block model file. |
| Block Rotate (degrees clockwise) | 0 | Used for block models that are imported at an angle. Also used for model grid rotation, which is visible in the Stacking module. |
| IRA/BFA | Settings | Determines where Geotech parameters are sourced from within a project. Current options include: Project Settings Inputs (Settings), Geotech Layer (Geotech), External Model Property (Model/Domain), Two External Model Properties (Model IRA/BFA) |
| Model | Empty | This dropdown appears when Model/Domain is selected from IRA/BFA dropdown. When a Model OMF or CSV has been loaded into the project, this dropdown will be populated with properties from the file that can be selected to act as the model domain code. |
| IRA | Empty | This dropdown appears when Model IRA/BFA is selected from IRA/BFA dropdown. When a Model OMF or CSV has been loaded into the project, this dropdown will be populated with properties from the file that can be selected to act as the IRA property |
| BFA | Empty | This dropdown appears when Model IRA/BFA is selected from IRA/BFA dropdown. When a Model OMF or CSV has been loaded into the project, this dropdown will be populated with properties from the file that can be selected to act as the BFA property |
| Dbl/Triple | Single | The Dbl/Triple feature projects upwards at the BenchHeight by one contour using the Cutter InterRampAngle (IRA) when the Single option is chosen. The selected contour is projected upwards twice when the option Double is selected with builds two horizontal berms between the contours. The first contour uses the BFA, the second uses the IRA (in the Project Settings, Model or Geotech). For theTriple option, three contours are built (three berms), four berms for the Quad option, with four contours. |
| Scaler | 20, 20 | The inner and outer radius of the scaler drawing circle is determined by the values entered in the boxes. |
3.3.2 Schedule Settings
The Schedule Settings portion helps to define swell and densities. These are used in the volumetric tonnage calculations for Cutters and Fillers. The density value units entered should be in either ton/ft3 or t/m3. Filler tonnages will include swell.
The Constraint variable and the Routing variable are defined here. The Constraint variable can be the property tons (data.tns) or truck calendar hours (data.trch). It is the Mineplan block property that is referenced as the quantity to be scheduled. This is the Mine Constraint value entered for each period in the in the Schedule window.
The Routing variable is used to determine if material is ore (>0) or waste (0). This value controls where that block will be sent after mining. Waste is sent directly to defined dumps, while ore is processed or stockpiled.
| Settings Property | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Volumetric Swell | 1.0 | Swell of the material to be used to calculate filler tns values. The filler uses this value as material ‘swells’ by this factor. Cutter layers do not use this factor |
| Density - mass/volume (ton/ft3 or t/m3) | 2.7 | The density of the filler material is used as a default when using the Display > Volumetric > Detail function. Density values entered should have the units tns/volume. |
| Constraint | data.tns | The mine constraint quantity of each block available for scheduling. Generally, the schedule uses tns (data.tns) or truck calendar hours (data.trch) to schedule. |
| Routing | data.ow | The property is the value used to send a block to a stockpile for processing, a leach pad, or the waste dump. This variable is usually the data.ow value |
3.3.3 buildMineplan Settings
The buildMineplan Settings portion of the window is used to set site-specific Model values to be written to the Mineplan for open pit projects.
The Density (data.dens) entry is used to map the density Property when building the Mineplan. This entry can be data.dens, a number, or an expression.
It is necessary to have a routing variable ow property (data.ow) in the Mineplan layer. This value designates whether a block is ore or waste (by default, greater than zero designates ore) and can determine downstream processing routes.
| Settings Property | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Density (dens) | data.dens | Density property in the Model layer to use for calculating block tonnage. This is used and written to the Mineplan blocks. If there is no density property in the imported model file, this value can also be set as a static value (i.e. 0.07). Density values in the Model layer should have the units tns/volume. |
| ow property(ow) | if(data.au>0.3){1}else{0} | JavaScript equation used in the Mineplan block to determine if a block is ore or waste (> 0 = ore) |
| Ore Tons (otns) | if(data.ow>0){data.tns}else{0} | JavaScript equation used to calculate Ore tonnage. Allows for use if using partial blocks, etc., e.g. if(data.ow>0){data.tns*data.oreper/100}else{0} |
3.3.4 Miscellaneous Settings
At the bottom of the Project Settings window, there are several miscellaneous settings that can be set by the user.
| Settings Property | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Auto Save (in minutes) | tickbox unchecked | Interval to create a backup of the All (Model) group file (includes the Model layer), with a unique name (April 11, 2019-09.41.00AM_pit1_all_backup.json) in a directory prompted by the user. Project is set to save every 10 minutes, but box is unchecked by default. Ticking the box enables this function. |
| Layer | Drawing | Upon opening a project, this setting will determine what layers are activated by default. |
| Measurement | Metric radio button active | Measurement system (Imperial or Metric) to be used for the project. Calculations will differ for truck speeds (km/hr or mph). |
| Coord Decimal Precision | 2 | Indicates how many decimals will be displayed when viewing coordinates in Drawing Window |
3.4 Accessing an Existing Project
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In the dashboard, existing users can see a list of all the projects that they are currently working on.
Starting Dashboard w/ Projects
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To proceed with a project, select it from the list. It will direct the user to the Project Window.
3.5 Hot Keys
The following list outlines all of the shortcut keys available in Opencontour:
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| q | Move the active layer up in elevation by the bench height value in the Project Settings |
| w | Move the active layer down in elevation by the bench height value in the Project Settings |
| u | Undo (CAD Functionalities) |
| r | Redo (CAD Functionalities) |
| a | Display all contours or features for selected layer |
| e | Activates ‘Edit Features’ function in the Main Menu for layers activated |
| c | Activates ‘Choose Feature’ function in the Toolbar for the active layer |
| o | Offset key. Contour selected will be expanded horizontally by the value entered for the Vertice. Values can be positive to expand the contour and negative to create an inside projection |
| 1 | Copy cutter up level |
| s | Toggles the Scaler: on/off when the Cutter or Filler layers are activated |
| l | Toggles the Legend on/off, Screen Menu |
| p | Toggles the Properties: pop-up display window of the feature or layer on/off, Main Menu |
3.6 Reloading a Project
Occasionally, a user may want to reload their project to either update to the newest version of the software, reset the window due to browser lag, or for some other additional purpose. There are two main ways to go about doing this: performing a basic reload and clearing the cache within a browser.
3.6.1 Basic Reload
To perform a basic reload of a project in Opencontour, simply navigate to the address bar in the browser window and click the refresh icon.
Google Chrome Refresh Tool
Doing this will bring the user back to the Project Dashboard where they will have to re-select their project and reload all relevant JSON files back into their Project Window.
3.6.2 Clearing Cache
If performing a basic reload fails to correct the issue, the user may want to consider clearing their browser cache. The steps below will be shown in the Google Chrome browser:
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Navigate to the three vertical dots in the corner of the browser window and find More Tools in the dropdown menu.
Google Chrome Settings Menu
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Within the More Tools window, click on Clear Browsing Data...
More Tools Dropdown
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Within the Clear Browsing Data... menu, only check the box marked Cached images and files. Then click on Clear data.
Clear browsing data Window
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Once the data has been cleared, the user can now log back in to Opencontour and reselect their project from the dashboard.
3.7 Tutorial Project Part 1: Setting Up the Tutorial Project
To practice the material covered in each of these chapter, a tutorial will be incrementally covered over each chapter using the irma2 project settings. This tutorial will cover the entire mine planning process from setting up the project, designing a pit, scheduling, scripting, charting, and reporting the project out.
3.7.1 Getting Started
- The first step to any Opencontour project is navigating to the New Project button in the home menu
- Give the project the name 'irma2' and the description 'Opencontour Test Project'
- The next step is setting up the Project Settings in the second window
- Click on Choose File and navigate to the irma2_project_settings file in the directory. Then, click on Save Project
Project Settings Window
