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GMDE Lite

GMDE Lite has been designed with small phone-sized screens in mind although it also works especially well on iPads (and even better with an Apple Pencil). The app borrows the best from both GMDE Mobile and Stereonet Mobile (and replaces GMDE Mobile completely) and presents that functionality in a clean, simple, map-centric interface. GMDE Lite is the perfect complement to GMDE Desktop.

To see what GMDE Lite can do, click here to see the user’s manual.

You can download a Demo dataset to try out in GMDE Lite before investing time and effort in learning how to produce the base materials (see below). Be sure to read the “READ ME FIRST” file. The user’s manual has detailed instructions for how to move data from your desktop to your iPhone or iPad.

See the Using GMDE in Teaching page for additional information.

Things GMDE Lite CAN do

  • Set a point of interest (POI) at your current location or anywhere on the map which is immediately tagged with location time and date and to which you can attach a photo and an extended description. Photos can be annotated by drawing on them.

  • Enter an orientation by any of four methods: (1) using the device orientation, (2) tapping three points on the map and having the device calculate the orientation, (3) best-fit a plane to there or more vertices selected along a contact, or (4) type typing in the orientation at the location that you specify. You can project a contact based on orientation as a validity check on a measured orientation (projected contacts cannot be saved).

  • Enter contacts by (1) drawing a path [best done with an Apple Pencil on an iPad], (2) recording a GPS track, or (3) projecting a planar contact from a strike and dip.

  • Read in and display POIs, orientations, and contacts on the map data from Stereonet Mobile, GMDE Mobile, or GMDE Desktop.

  • Use the device camera/orientation as a rangefinder and plot a point of interest at the sighted location. Rapidly use the rangefinder to determine azimuth, inclination, slope, horizontal, and vertical distance to the sighted location.

  • Display orientation data on an equal area, lower hemisphere projection which can be filtered by data type. Mean vectors, cylindrical best fits, poles to planes, and rose diagrams can be displayed in this Stereonet Screen.

  • Plot topographic profiles along a contact, drawn path, GPS track or measured line. You can set a point of interest at an unusual feature on the topo profile.

  • Enter a sketch in any POI that does not have a photo attached.

  • If you have a data connection, GMDE Lite can display a subset of your data closest to you on Apple Maps within the program.

  • Use a variety of icons and colors to represent different types of data.

  • Upload and download data from your StraboSpot account.

  • Access all of your data on your device from, and upload to and download from, the Files app on the device. From the Files app, data can be sent to other programs.

Things GMDE Lite CANNOT do

  • There are a variety of advanced orientation calculations that can be done in Stereonet Mobile but cannot be done in GMDE Lite. However, you can copy and paste between Stereonet Mobile and GMDE Lite to carry out those calculations.

  • GMDE Lite has more limited data filtering capabilities than either GMDE Mobile or Stereonet Mobile.

Skills you need to take full advantage of GMDE Lite

GMDE Lite can be used “right out of the box” to start mapping and measuring on an Apple Maps base map. However, several advanced calculations require an onboard digital elevation model and Apple Maps only works where you have a live internet connection (charges may apply). To get full benefit from the program, you will need to know how to:

  • Produce base maps from whatever source you want in MBTiles format. Because you are producing your own base maps you can use whatever you want (existing geologic maps, USGS Topo Maps, LiDAR hill shade images, etc.) and not just the few option available from online mapping companies.

  • Download and format digital elevation models (DEMs) in GridFloat format. Having a DEM on the device is what allows GMDE Lite to perform its magic, whether calculating an orientation from three points or acting as a pretty accurate rangefinder.

  • Know enough about your digital devices to understand how to move files onto or off the device from/to your desktop computer. Apple provides a variety of technologies, especially if you use a Mac desktop computer. If you use a Windows computer with your iPhone, you will probably use iCloud on the web, or install Apple’s iCloud software on your PC to move the files around.