Cross Section Reports
How to create geological cross-sections in GeoDin — selecting boreholes, defining the line of section, and configuring display scenarios
Cross-sections are one of GeoDin's most powerful visualization tools, combining multiple boreholes into a geological profile with configurable display elements.
Creating a cross-section
The cross-section workflow runs under the All Objects branch via the Cross Section method, and follows five steps:
Select objects from the map view (drag-rectangle to select; use Remove/Add to refine the list)
Draw a line of section by clicking two points, OR click each borehole sequentially for a polyline
Project boreholes perpendicular to the line of section (single button moves boreholes onto the line)
Set scales and positions — choose horizontal and vertical scales; GeoDin auto-selects paper size (A0/A1/A2/A3/A4) to fit, or override via Page Layout
Configure cross-section scenarios — add graphic elements: borehole log, borehole name, depth scale (left/right), samples, data sequence, measurement element, horizontal scale, distance ruler, coordinates, waypoints
The workflow supports both automatic perpendicular projection AND manual per-borehole placement.
Saving and storing cross-sections
Cross-sections can be saved in two formats:
GLO — template only (no data). Reusable for different borehole sets.
GGF — with connected data. Can be reopened later with data intact.
To store a cross-section in the project: navigate to the project's Documents area, create a new folder, add a new document, select the GGF file, and choose to either save in the database or link to an external file.
Scale configuration
Depth scale divisions are configurable (e.g., 1 m intervals with 5 m main divisions). You can set different vertical scales for ground elevation and borehole profiles — helpful when elevation differences are large relative to borehole depth.
To auto-print scales in text elements, use the macros $%SectionHorizontalScale$ and $%SectionVerticalScale$ in variable text elements.
For borehole log configuration details, see Borehole Log Reports. For printing and exporting, see Bulk Print and PDF Export.
Reference: Cross-section tool
The following reference content is from legacy product documentation. Verify against the current version of GeoDin.
Starting a cross-section
Three methods to start:
From a query or group — double-click the Cross-section method icon; the graphic window opens and all objects are loaded into the site plan
From the menu —
Extras > Cross-Sectionin the graphic window; objects must be added manuallyFrom properties — navigate to the "Cross-section" branch in the graphic properties and click Start
Working with objects
Objects can be added via drag-and-drop from the object manager — single objects, queries, or groups. Objects from any database or project can be included (they don't need to be in the same project). The site plan shows loaded objects with a sign and label; coordinate transformation between meridian zones is available for the Gauss-Kruger coordinate system.
Defining the line of section
Two drawing tools are available:
Line tool — defines the line of section with any number of nodal points (coordinates are editable)
Projection tool — projects objects perpendicular to the line of section (shortest distance). Objects used as nodal points cannot be projected.
The line can be saved and loaded as a .LIN file (ASCII format with nodal point coordinates), enabling reuse across cross-sections or import from other programs.
Cross-section scenarios
Scenarios define which graphic elements display for all selected boreholes. Available scene types:
Distance ruler
Horizontal labelling between objects (e.g., distances)
Well design
Well construction display
Borehole profile
Geological log with fill patterns
Ground surface
Surface elevation line
Groundwater
Water level indicators
Depth scale
Vertical scale bar
Legend
Auto-generated legend for profiles, symbols, samples, groundwater
Measurement graphic
Test result charts
Samples
Sample position indicators
Data sequences
CPT traces, geophysical logs
Variable text
Borehole names, labels, dynamic macros
Default scenes include borehole log, borehole name, and two scale bars. Scenarios can be saved as .gsz files and reloaded for different cross-sections.
Each scene has configurable width, height (for measurement graphics), and relative position to the borehole anchor point. Scenes can be applied to all objects, or only to the first/last object (useful for scale bars on the outside edges).
Static vs. dynamic cross-sections
Two storage modes:
Save object data in graphic — borehole data is embedded in the GGF file. Changes to the database are NOT reflected. The cross-section can be opened without a database connection.
Save object link in graphic — only links to the database are stored. Changes to the database ARE reflected when reopening. Requires database access.
To edit individual graphic elements, use Break up cross-section to unlock the elements into standard layers. This is irreversible — the link to the cross-section assistant is lost.
Axis range configuration
For data sequence and measurement value displays within cross-sections, axis ranges can be set to automatic (based on actual values), user-defined, or rounded. Options include logarithmic scale, mirrored axis, configurable main divisions (by unit or count), help ticks, and decimal precision. The "Cut surplus decimals" option is especially useful for logarithmic axes (producing labels like 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100).
Importing layer boundaries
Layer boundaries can be imported from external files via File > Import > Layer boundaries. The file must contain 4 columns: ID, Easting, Northing, Elevation. The coordinate system must match the cross-section. Imported polylines are previewed before being added to the graphic. Elevation values for coordinates not exactly on the line of section are projected perpendicular.
Snap function
The snap function (Ctrl+K or Preferences > Snap) provides exact connections between graphic elements, especially useful for constructing layer boundaries in cross-sections. When creating or moving endpoints, a point snaps automatically to existing endpoints within the configurable snap distance (1-50 mm). The function works across all drawing layers.
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