BIN README


HOW TO VIEW THE SIDESCAN DATA:



This directory contains programs that allow viewing of the raw data files on screen. Currently the programs only run on systems that employ the UNIX operating system.

NOTE: The programs run only on a pseudocolor (8 bit) display.  The viewing program is entitled "showimage" and is run from the command line with no options neccessary. Included here are three separate sub-directories which contain the executable for the appropriate operating system:

sgi: Executable for Silicon Graphics systems running IRIX 5.3 (or higher)

digunix: Executable for Digital Equipment Corp. computers running Digital UNIX 4.0.

linux: Executable for linux systems (kernel 1.3.86 or higher)

NOTE: For consistency with the ISO 9660 standard, the "showimage" program was renamed "showimg", and the application defaults file "defaults.img". To use these programs correctly, copy the files into the appropriate directories (as outlined below) and rename "showimg" to "showimage" and "defaults.img" to "ShowImage". (See Danforth, W.W., 1997, Xsonar/ShowImage: A Complete System for Rapid Sidescan-Sonar Processing and Display, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-686, pp 1 - 79.).

To use the program, copy the file from the appropriate directory for your system to a place you have reserved (typically /usr/local/bin or $HOME/bin) and is in your PATH environment variable. Next, change the permissions to 755 (chmod 755 showimage). You will also need the application defaults file for showimage image entitled "ShowImage". Copy this file to /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults (if you have system privaleges) or to your own "app-defaults" directory (change directory to your home and "mkdir app-defaults"). After this, copy ShowImage to your app-defaults directory and set the environment variable "XAPPLRESDIR" (for csh or tcsh users):

setenv XAPPLRESDIR $HOME/app-defaults

Then start the showimage program. To view the file, select "File->Retrieve" from the main menu bar. This will bring up a dialog box allowing the selection of the appropriate file. Highlight the desired file and click the "Ok" button. Next, set the file type to QMIPS by selecting "File->Type->QMIPS" from the main menu bar. Then "page" through the file selecting "Image->Display->Sonar".

For a more thorough discussion of the program capabilities or to obtain a users manual, contact Bill Danforth at the U.S. Geological Survey via email (bdanforth@usgs.gov) or by phone (508-457-2274).

Return to the data page