New Features in LOGDRAFT Version 5

Stratigraphy, sampler and groundwater symbols can be in color

You can now specify the color of every symbol plotted on a LOGDRAFT report.

Reports can be exported in Adobe .PDF format

The program now includes its own built-in .PDF creator.

Reports can be exported as pictures in .JPEG and .PNG formats

These formats are much more compact than the .BMP format used by LOGDRAFT 4.

The Data Summary and Export tool can now optionally export files as Excel spreadsheets

In addition to .TXT data exporting, you can now create data files in Excel's .XLS format.

Compatibility with 64-bit Windows versions

The software will now run on the 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.

"Print" button is now included on the report preview screen

You no longer have to go back and re-select your borings for printing after you've previewed a report: now you can print directly from LOGDRAFT's report preview screen by clicking a toolbar button.

Report previews automatically update as you change your data

With older versions of LOGDRAFT, you would need to manually re-preview a report after you've changed the report's data; with the new program, you can change your data, switch back to the "Report preview" tab and your report preview will be automatically updated with your changed data.

Opening files from network shares is now much faster

Report forms read up to 10X faster from network locations, so report previews display seconds sooner. Wait times to view the "Print reports" dialog have disappeared.

Improved handling of network connection problems

Faced with an intermittent network connection problem, or a momentary server crash, older LOGDRAFT versions would loose data that should have been stored in files that were open on the server. The new version will automatically re-connect to the server files after the connection has been restored.

Designate a common network share for storing report and data entry forms

In the past, if you wanted to share a common set of boring log report forms amongst multiple computers you would need to install the software on a network server and share a single installation of the program. Vexingly, this required giving users full read/write access to the program's installation directory so that users can edit and create report forms, which had to be stored in the program's installation directory.

LOGDRAFT 5 allows you to designate a network share point for storing your report and data entry forms amongst all users.

No more "mapped network drive" requirements

You can store the program and your project files directly to a network share without using a mapped drive letter.

The software now automatically updates itself from the Internet

You no longer need to check our website every few weeks for software patches -- the program will do it for you!

Multiple licensee names for laboratory test software users

This change won't affect many users, but for the few who have received alternate licenses from us in order to print laboratory test reports showing different company names, it's a big deal: In the past, if you wanted to produce laboratory test reports for different offices or clients, you needed to run a license change program before starting LOGDRAFT. This procedure had to be repeated every time a project needing a different license name was opened. In contrast, LOGDRAFT 5 allows you to select the preferred license name on a per-project basis from within the program, without exiting and re-starting the software.

.DXF files can now include logos

AutoCAD's .DXF doesn't allow the logo to be embedded directly within the file, but they can be referenced as external entities and will show up when you load the file into a CAD program.

Read-only mode

Reviewers can view projects in "Read-only" mode without fear of accidental data modifications.

Automatic duplicate stratigraphy elimination

The software will now eliminate the duplicate stratigraphy pattern selections caused by entering test samples that produce identical USCS classifications.

Edit multiple projects, report and data entry forms simultaneously

With older LOGDRAFT programs you would need to close down your current project before you could open another; likewise, you could only edit one report form at a time, so copying features between forms was tedious. The new software allows an unlimited number of projects and forms to be open at once.

What Hasn't Changed

LOGDRAFT 5 remains completely compatible with report and data entry forms created with your older LOGDRAFT programs. The new program also reads project files that you've created with your current LOGDRAFT version.

We have also taken pains to only make small improvements to the user interface. As you can see from the screenshots below, anyone familiar with LOGDRAFT version 4 will be instantly comfortable with version 5.

LOGDRAFT Version 4 and LOGDRAFT Version 5 Screenshots
(click the images for larger views)