DigiPro Q&A

Question: What's the current version of DigiPro for Windows?

Answer: The current version is listed on the DigiPro download page.
Click the following link: DigiPro Download Page.

Question: DigiPro consistently plots graphs with one extra depth. Why is that? For example, when I survey an installation that has 23 depths, DigiPro always plots 24 depths.

Answer: Think of a measuring tape. The tape starts at zero. You don't record the zero, but it is the origin of your length measurements. Note that the plotted value for the extra depth is always zero.

If your inclinometer installation is 12m deep, and you take readings at half-meter intervals, you will take 23 readings. Your bottom reading is taken at 11.5 meters, but the origin of that interval is at 12 meters. When DigiPro draws the plot, it establishes a zero at 12 meters.

Question: DigiPro doesn't plot displacements at the same depths that I recorded them. Why? I record readings at half-meter intervals: 11.5, 11, 10.5, 10.. and so on, but DigiPro plots at 11.75, 11.25, 10.75 and so on. Why does the program do this?

Answer: This is the result of "auto depth-adjustment. With auto-depth adjustment turned on, DigiPro correctly plot data points at the top (or bottom) of the measurement interval. Auto-depth is turned on by default.

Why is an adjustment provided? Depth marks on Digitilt control cable are measured from the middle of the inclinometer probe, but deviations and displacements are calculated for the top (or bottom) of an interval.

Metric example: The depth stored with the inclinometer reading is the cable depth of 20 meters, but the top of the interval is actually at 19.75 meters. With auto-depth adjust turned on, the plotted point will be placed correctly on the graph at 19.75 meters, rather than at the cable depth of 20 meters.

English example: The depth stored with the inclinometer reading is the cable depth of 60 feet, but the top of the interval is actually at 59 feet. With auto-depth adjust turned on, the plotted point will be placed on the graph at 59 feet, rather than at the cable depth of 60 feet.

Question: How can I determine what offset corrections to use, other than trial and error? Recently I've had to correct for bias shift (formerly called offset or zero offset). I made the correction visually by trial and error. Is there a more systematic way to calculate this correction?

Answer: DMM for Windows now has a bias-shift analysis routine. Consult the latest DMM manual. Also, take a look at this explanation of bias shift error (formerly known as zero shift). You'll need Acrobat reader to view and print it.

Question: How are data points calculated for the time displacement graph? Is the movement below the zone you are zooming in on taken into account or is it disregarded? Basically, is the bottom of your zone you are zooming in on now the zero point of reference for the graph?

Answer: The time displacement graph requires a single value for each zone. To do this, we first calculate cumulative displacement values for every depth. Then, for each zone, we subtract the value at the bottom depth of the zone from the value at the top depth of the zone. The sign is changed to accommodate top or bottom reference. So the zero point for the plotted value is the value at the bottom of the zone.

Question: How can I print the values used in a graph?

Answer: You can print displacement data can be printed in two ways. (1) In DigiPro, first plot your data. click on one of the plots to display the properties. Right click in the 'Data Sets' window, and select 'Print plotted data' from the popup menu. This will print the calculated data used to make the plot.

Question: The title block disappears when I print just the A graph. What's going on? I want to print a single graph on the page. When I do, the title block disappears.

Answer: This bug was fixed in DigiPro 1.28 or later. The workaround, needed for version 1.26 or earlier, was to hide the graph on the left side usally the A axis). Then use the Graph tab to set the remaining graph for A or B axis. Use the Layout tab to reposition the graph on the page.

Question: Sometimes, when I apply an orientation correction, the graph suddenly shows a displacement. What's going on?

Answer: There is a bug in the correction routine. The bug bites when the 0 and 180 values for a particular depth are exactly the same. For example, the bug will bite when the A0 value and the A180 value at 9.5 meters are both 14. The bug doesn't bit often because usually the numbers have a different sign and a different value.

The workaround is simple. Use DMM to edit the data file. Change one of the values by 1 unit. For example, change 14 to 15. That makes the problem disappear and does not affect the accuracy of the data.

Question: Can I export DigiPro graphs?

Answer: Unfortunately, there is no direct way to export graphs with the current version of DigiPro. Here at Slope Indicator, we print graphs to Acrobat distiller. This creates a PDF file. After that, you can open it in Acrobat to crop and annotate it. And then you can drop the acrobat graphic into Word, etc to include with your report. Note that Acrobat itself has to be purchased (Adobe Software). The free Acrobat Reader simply opens a PDF file for viewing and does not create the PDF file.

You can also use a screen capture program, such as "HyperSnap" or "Snag It". Screen captures are low resolution, but work fine if you view them on your computer.

Question: What's the difference between English and metric templates?

Answer: These templates control the way DigiPro processes your inclinometer readings. Use English templates if you have an English-unit inclinometer probe. Use metric templates if you have a metric unit probe. If you need "metric" output from your English-unit inclinometer system, make the conversion in the "Data Units" tab.

Question: How do I set paper size to A4?

Answer: Click on "file," then "options and defaults," then "page setup." Choose A4 from the drop-down list. Then click OK. Now, just to ensure that the new default isn't lost, click on "file" and choose "exit." Click on "yes" to the "save DigiPro defaults" question. Now restart DigiPro. All new reports will be started with A4 size.

Question: DigiPro doesn't show all of my depths. Where did they go? My graphs don't show the entire depth of the borehole. In fact, the boreholes are shorted by a factor of about 3.

Short Answer: You've probably used an English template to create a graph from metric data. Try using a metric template and see if the results are are better. If this doesn't help, see the long answer below.

Long Answer: A "flag" is stored with each survey. The flag tells DigiPro that the survey is either English or Metric. Sometimes, especially with manually entered data, the English/metric information is missing. When this happens, DigiPro defaults to English units. To set the flag to metric, close the graph. The "installations and reports" dialog reappears. Right-click on the installation and choose "properties" from the pop-up menu. Change the radio button to "metric" and click OK.

Note: This situation should not arise if you are using the Digitilt DataMate. If the DataMate does not set the flag properly, then it may have treated your metric probe as an English probe. The solution is provided in the DMM for Windows Q&A: Incorrect English/metric setting .

Question: The bottom of the casing is blocked, so my recent surveys have fewer readings. DigiPro doesn't plot them properly. Dirt fell into one of my inclinometer installations and now the probe won't go down all the way. So my newer surveys don't have the same number of readings as my older surveys. What can I do?

Answer: DigiPro assumes that the first reading in the survey is the bottom of the installation. As you point out, if your installation becomes shortened, DigiPro does not plot correctly. We might add a fix for this in future. For now, there is a work-around, as explained below. There are two cases to consider: (1) The casing is blocked by an inflow of sand or mud; and (2), the casing is closed off by movement of the ground.

Case 1: It is probably safe to assume that the bottom of the casing is still in stable ground. So you must edit previous datasets to remove the data for depths that can no longer be reached. For example, if the hole used to be 50 meters deep and now is only 45 meters deep, go into each previous dataset and delete depths and readings deeper than 45 meters. Use DMM to do this. Also, change the installation information in the DataMate (and DMM database) to show the new, shallower bottom depth.

Case 2: If the casing was closed by a shear movement, you cannot assume that the bottom is stable. You'll have to do the same data manipulations as in case 1. Then when you go to take readings, get an optical survey of the top of the casing. When you process the data, sum from top (instead of from the bottom). Note that since your graphs will change, since your reference has changed. Also, keep in mind that since neither top nor bottom is stable, your data will be more difficult to interpret accurately.

Question: How do you make time-displacement graphs?

Answer: Select the installation, then click "New" and choose "Sample Time - Displacement Graph." DigiPro then plots a graph for the A axis using a single zone. To specify the zones you want, click on the graph to call up the report properties dialog. Then click on the new "Zones" tab. You can specify up to five zones, choosing a start depth (shallower) and a stop depth (deeper) for each zone. You will probably want to click on the "Datasets" tab to select more datasets.

Question: New datasets show the year 1900. What's wrong?

Answer: Your data is from an early version of DMM (a DOS version) that was not Y2K compliant. A later version of DOS DMM does support 4-digit years. However, we recommend that you migrate to DMM for Windows. This problem is easy to fix in DMM for Windows and won't happen again.

Any datasets that you retrieved with the old DMM will have year 19nn. You'll have to go to the dataset header to edit them. All future downloads will have year 2000. After you do that, DigiPro will reread the database and you'll see 2000 for its date. (or 00, if you are using short dates.) You'll notice the datasets are sorted correctly in date order.

Question: I can't see the yellow lines when I print. Is there a way to change colors?

Answer: Click on "File" - "Options and Defaults" - "Preferences." You'll see a band of 8 colors. Click on the color you want to change and choose a different color from the pop-up color dialog. The change takes effect when you close your report and open it up again. Later, when you quit DigiPro, be sure to say "yes" to the prompt "Save DigiPro Defaults."

Question: How do you specify the initial dataset?

Answer: Just right-click on the dataset that you want to mark as initial, choose "Mark as initial" from the pop-up menu, and click apply. All datasets earlier than the initial are then ignored.

Question: We're adding casing to the top of our inclinometer installation. Can DigiPro handle this?

Answer: Yes, but you'll have to do some minor editing in DMM. We give the instructions in the DMM Question and Answers.

Question: DigiPro won't open my DMM for Windows (.mdb) database. What's going on?

Short Answer: Update to DigiPro version 1.29 or later.

Long Answer: You probably have DigiPro version 1.26 or earlier which is set to open DOS databases (.hdr). To change this setting, start DigiPro and choose File - Options and Defaults. Remove the checkmark from Convert Clipper Databases, and click OK. Now DigiPro will open .mdb databases. When you close DigiPro, be sure to say yes to Save Defaults. Note that version 1.29 does not require this step.

Question: Error 3051 apears when I try to open a database. What's wrong?

Answer: Check to see if the file is marked "Read-Only." Using Windows Explorer, select the database, then click the right mouse button and choose Properties. You can find file attributes at the bottom of the properties dialog. Remove the checkmark from Read Only. You may have to click the box more than once. Now DMM and DigiPro can open the database.

Question: DigiPro used to work fine, but now when I try to create a graph, DigiPro displays Error 11. What's going on?

Answer: Error 11 is caused by a problem in your data file, usually a missing instrument constant. Open your database with DMM. Click on an installation, then click the survey list tab. Check every survey has an instrument constant. The survey that is missing the constant is causing the problem. Use Edit/Add to enter the constant.