PSICAT

PSICAT.mov (36.76 MB)

For the impatient readers out there, this section is aimed at quickly getting you up and running with the current version of PSICAT. It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to using PSICAT.

Step 1: Download PSICAT

Download the appropriate PSICAT package for your platform from the Downloads section. PSICAT currently comes packaged as a zip archive, so you will need to unzip and extract the files from the archive. It should create a 'PSICAT' folder.

Step 2: Launch PSICAT

Open the 'PSICAT' folder and launch the 'PSICAT' executable. On Windows, it will be named 'PSICAT.exe'. You should see a small splash screen as PSICAT loads. If you get errors or PSICAT doesn't launch, you likely need a more recent version of Java. PSICAT requires the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 1.5/5 or higher to run. The JRE is freely available here.

Step 3: Creating a Project

To get started using PSICAT, you will first need to create a Project. To do this, use the 'File->New..' menu option. Select the Project option from the list. You will need to provide a name for the project.

Step 4: Creating a Diagram

Once you have created a Project, it should show up in the workspace list on the right side of the program. Double-click the Project to begin drawing. The first time you double-click a Project, a small wizard will pop up and ask you to create a Diagram. A Diagram just specifies which columns should be shown, and what order they should be shown in. If it is your first time using PSICAT, I suggest enabling the columns in the following order: Depth Ruler Column, Core Box Column, Unit Column, Interval Column, Symbols Column, and Bioturbation Index Column. This will allow you to experiment with most of the functionality PSICAT currently has.

Step 5: Using the Tools

The drawing tools are in the Palette area on the far right of the diagram. To use the drawing tools, select a tool from the palette and mouse over the diagram. If the tool works in a particular column, you should see some feedback such as a gray box appearing with the current depth displayed near your mouse cursor.

Step 6: Drawing an Interval

The Interval Column is currently the most interesting column to work with. It allows you to draw stratigraphic intervals and beds, and associate lithologies and contacts with them. To draw a new interval, click the Interval tool in the Palette. When you mouse over the middle column of the diagram, you should see a gray box appear. This is the outline of your interval. If you click and release, the interval will be the size of the gray box. Alternatively, you can click and drag to create an interval of a different size and shape. Once you release the mouse button, you should see a blank box. This indicates that the interval has been drawn but no lithology has been associated with it. You can choose one or more lithologies from the Properties pane at the bottom of the application. The rest of the tools in the palette work similarly, and you should be able to manipulate objects with your mouse or via the Properties pane at the bottom of the application.