From: wessel@soest.hawaii.edu (Paul Wessel)
Newsgroups: comp.archives
Subject: [sci.geo.geology] New Release of GMT (Generic Mapping Tools)
Followup-To: sci.geo.geology
Date: 16 Aug 1992 00:37:30 GMT
Organization: SOEST
Distribution: world
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X-Original-Newsgroups: sci.geo.geology
X-Original-Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 00:30:10 GMT

Archive-name: auto/sci.geo.geology/New-Release-of-GMT-Generic-Mapping-Tools

				*** G M T Version 2.1 ***

We are pleased to announce that GMT version 2.1 is now available via anonymous ftp
from pub/gmt on kiawe.soest.hawaii.edu (128.171.151.16).  GMT (Generic Mapping Tools)
is a set of Unix tools for manipulating and displaying x,y[,z] data. It includes
tools for filtering, resampling, interpolation, gridding, and more.  You can
display your data using any of 15 map projections (in addition to standard
x-y linear, low, and power scaling).  GMT can create most plots ranging from
simple x-y diagrams to complicated, full-color, 3-D perspective surfaces with
artificial illumination.  All graphics is rendered using the PostScript language.
(More information on GMT can be found in EOS Trans. AGU, 72, 41, p441, 1991.)

GMT 2.1 is a major update of 2.0.x with many changes, including:
   
   * 8 new map projections (for a total of 15).
   * Netcdf format for coastline files
   * More compact PostScript output from grdview (by 1/3) + scanline conversion
   * Numerous bug fixes (but for every pair we kill we add one bug :-)
   * Updated Cookbook with complete section on map projection usage with
     examples for each map type.
   * Support for European accented characters and composite characters.
   * FORTRAN bindings in the pslib library (thanx to John Goff)
   * More than one .gmtdefaults file allowed (current directory checked first)

and many minor features added to individual programs.  The CHANGES file
outlines in gory detail all the changes that have taken place since Day One.
Old users are advised to go through the entire documentation to avoid some
frustration later since a few programs have had cosmetic name changes.

In addition, information on how to obtain GMT code written by 'outsiders'
is provided.  Programs include plotting of 'beachballs' focal mechanisms
and error ellipses, Delauney triangulation, and an X-windows grdfile editor.
The GMT examples shellscripts and support data are available as a separate
tar archive for those who would like to modify the examples for their own
purposes.
   
GMT still has recognized weaknesses.  Among them are no direct support for
time series plotting (time axes), true perspective viewing (GMT views from
infinity), high-resolution coastline database, handling of 3-D data grids
(i.e., w = f(x,y,z)), to name but a few.  These are/will be addressed, but
not in 2.1.  
   
GMT was developed on Sun workstations.  However, we would like to make sure
that GMT is as portable as possible.  Thanks to William Weibel, Ameet Raval,
and Andrew MacRae, GMT 2.1 should now install on DEC, Silicon Graphics, and
NEXT workstations without trouble.  Users of other workstations that experience
difficulties with the installation are encouraged to contact us, either for
help or to pass on any modifications that were necessary to install the programs.

While much more portable, the netcdf package also has some minor problems.
Please do not send us info about these, but address them to unidata directly
using their mailing-list (see the netcdf documentation).

Registered users do not have to mail us a new registration form, but new users
should since they will benefit from updates and bug-fix information which tend
to peak in the first weeks after a new release.  Only registered users will be
put on our mailing-list (if they choose to).

We hope you will be pleased with the new release and that you will continue to
use GMT for your generic data manipulation and display needs.  As always, we
encourage you to give us feedback on the package.  Such messages should be
addressed to gmt@soest.hawaii.edu.

Paul Wessel		SOEST, U. of Hawaii
Walter H. F. Smith	Scripps, U. California at San Diego