Getting started
===============

This short tutorial introduces to the basics of a complete ERTdesign project 
for multisource measurements through 3 quick steps.

Set the main survey parameters
------------------------------
The first thing to do to start an ERTdesign_ms project is to define the survey area. 
The most convenient way to do this is to draw a profile or an area - a polyline or polygon - 
in Google Earth :sup:`TM` and then to import the related KMZ or KML file.
Don't worry, however, if you miss a defined working area and you just need to 
perform a generic modeling task: ERTdesign_ms allows you to :doc:`define simple layouts from interface <define>`.

Select the **Survey Design** icon of the Menu Bar to the left of the screen and set the 
configuration parameters in the corresponding panel.

.. figure:: surveydesign.png
	:scale: 100%
	:alt: Survey design panel.
	:align: center
   
	Survey design panel.

* In the **Survey area** section select the **KML or KMZ file** containing the area for 
  the design project. The layout of the area to be investigated will be 
  shown on the map of the **Survey design summary tab** (:numref:`summary`). 

* In the **Transceivers** section, set the total number of boxes and/or the spacing for the electrodes of the Multisource boxes. 
  The geometry of the electrodes is defined for each box in a reference system local to the P2 electrode.

* In the **TX combinations** section specify the number of transmitting dipoles to be arranged 
  in the two directions.  
  
* In the **Run Generation** section click on the **Run** arrow to generate the project. 
  Appropriate :doc:`advanced settings <advanced>` allow to make more flexible the sensors generation.

Check and modify the survey project
-----------------------------------
You can explore the details of the design project through the three main tabs of the software.

The :doc:`Survey design summary <design_summary>` tab shows the details of the set of sensors: 
the total number of Multisource boxes needed to cover the survey area, the total number of 
electrodes, the total number of measurements. This information is 
accompanied by a figure with the map of the sensors, which can be easily zoomed, panned or saved to file.

.. _summary:
.. figure:: summary.png
	:scale: 60%
	:alt: Survey design summary tab.
	:align: center
   
	Survey design summary tab.

The :doc:`DOI/Vmn charts <design_doi-vmn>` tab allows to display plots of the maximum sensitivity and 
depth of investigation for different combinations of receiving dipoles/transmitting multi-poles 
(left in :numref:`doi-vmn`) and to check how the Vmn signal changes 
when the background resistivity or the input current is modified (right section in :numref:`doi-vmn`).

.. _doi-vmn:
.. figure:: doi-vmn.png
	:scale: 60%
	:alt: Plots with maximum sensitivity, depth of investigation and expected Vmn signal.
	:align: center
   
	Plots with maximum sensitivity, depth of investigation and expected Vmn signal.

The :doc:`TX/RX schedules <design_schedule>` tab displays the sheets with the coordinates
of the electrodes of transceivers and with the details on n-poles measurements.
In the bottom part of the tab you find the graphs with the measurements pseudo-plot 
and sensitivity plot for each n-pole.

.. figure:: tab_TX_RX.png
	:scale: 50%
	:alt: Tab with sensors schedules and pseudo-plots.
	:align: center
   
	Tab with sensors schedules and pseudo-plots.

The analysis of the above parameters allows you to eventually redesign the survey, 
by modifying one or more parameters of the design panel, and to re-evaluate the project.

Save the project
-----------------
Select the **Load and save** icon of the Menu Bar to the left of the screen to access the panel 
with the saving functions.

.. figure:: loadsave.png
	:scale: 100%
	:alt: Load and save panel.
	:align: center
   
	Load and save panel.

The **Save Project** command allows you to save three files with the project details:

* the *KML* file contains the locations of all sensors (Multisource boxes, 
  electrodes, survey area). You can open this file in Google Earth :sup:`TM` , edit it and 
  import it again into ERTdesign_ms using the command **Load project** to check how signals and 
  sensitivities change with the new geometry of the electrodes.

* The *DATA* file contains the complete list of electrodes and n-poles. You can use this file 
  to perform modeling tasks within the ERTLab64 :sup:`TM` and ViewLab3D tools.

* The *TXT* file contains the full configuration used to generate the project. You can open 
  this file to reload the settings for a new survey design.

The **Export configuration** command allows you to save a *CNFG* file to load on 
the Multisource controller software to acquire field data.