System Evaluation Material - "READ ME" File.

STARTING YOUR EVALUATION.

It is recommended that you first go through the PowerPoint presentation which, if you copied over the files according to the instructions and moved the two shortcuts to the desktop ("INSTALLATION OF OUR SYSTEM COMPONENTS" above), can be quickly opened with the shortcut "Winterborne PowerPoint".

The presentation has a series of contents screens linking to various sections.

Note: You may notice some differences between the presentation's screen shots and the actual evaluation database. This is because the presentation was developed as the system components were being finalised; there are however similar and should not cause you confusion.

DATABASE EVALUATION.

The evaluation database only handles linear cut marks (cuts, chops, saw cuts); area type marks (shaves, groupings, punctures, impact areas) are included in the options but are not recorded or analysed in the evaluation system's algorithms.

Appendix I (The Database: Basic Concepts) provides details of the database screens, navigation and how the database is designed to be used. We also recommend you go through the powerpoint presentation before you open and start to use the database.

The shortcut "Winterborne (Evaluation)" which you also moved to your desktop ("INSTALLATION OF OUR SYSTEM COMPONENTS" above), will open the database.

We have included one assemblage and there is a second assemblage available to be imported (see the file in the Import Sub-Directory "AF-002 Ham Carving (French Assemblage).xls".

Graphic files for this assemblage are already in the "Assemblages -Graphic Data Files" directory.

FAMILIARISATION.

Before doing any recording, just take time to look at, and move through the database and its screens to appreciate their arrangement and working (Referring to Appendix I will help this process).

When you wish we would suggest you then carry out an import of a new assemblage.

Within the "Import Files" directory there is a file "AF-002 Ham Carving (French Assemblage).xls). This is the file you will have to specify when you are prompted by the database.

NOTE: Just to demonstrate the data checks, do try to import the assemblage a second time; you will see how the system identifies the risk of data duplication and does not import the assemblage.

When you import this assemblage you will also noticed a message that 4 bones, which have recorded marks, did not have a template available in the edition of the system you are using.

The mark details were still imported but they remain inaccessible until the missing template has been obtained and imported.

You can check this by going to the "Assemblage Screen", you will see that all Sus (Modern Domestic Left Tibia have the "Template Available" box unchecked.

Also try to go to the "Butchery Marks" screen and try opening one of those bones to examine the mark(s).

Without the template installed you will be prevented from viewing those data.

OBTAINING AND INSTALLING A NEW TEMPLATE.

To obtain the missing template, go online and download the template from the following Dropbox address: https://www.dropbox.com/s/weirwyg9fswqdzb/Sus%20-%20Modern%20Domestic%20Pig%20-%20Tibia%20-%20Left%20v1_2.ZIP?dl=0

You will receive a single "ZIP" file:

"Sus -Modern Domestic Pig -Tibia -Left v1_2.ZIP"

Using explorer move the downloaded "ZIP" file into the system's "ZIP Files" directory.

Open the zip file (ZIP software is easily downloaded from the internet) and there will be 2 files, the template definition file for the database and the PaintNet graphic template file. These have to be moved to their respective directories, the PaintNet (.pdn file) you move to the "System Templates" directory and the (.xls file) to the "Import Files" directory.

To import simply follow the menus, specifying the template definition file "Sus -Modern Domestic Pig -Tibia -Left v1_2" when prompted.

NOTE: When completed you must exit and reopen the database in order to initialise the new template.

Check the database and you will see the "Template Available" box has been automatically checked and that you can now access the recorded marks on those particular bones.

At this point we suggest you take a break from the database to look at the graphic components of the system in preparation for recording some data of your own. WARNING: That any data you enter will not be transferable to the Beta and later release version of the system so we suggest that you create a fictitious assemblage and selection of marks when you do record data.

EVALUATING THE GRAPHIC COMPONENTS.

"PaintNet" is a basic graphics software package but it does have all the required functions which our system needs. You will need to do some familiarisation of the software for yourself but we have included a couple of "hands-on" exercises to help you appreciate how it is used in the context of the system. For evaluation we have added a working directory "Temporary Working Files" to which we suggest you copy any files you want to practice on. In this way you will avoid corrupting the graphic files that hold data or are part of the system.

FAMILIARISATION AND UNDERSTANDING HOW LAYERS WORK.

In the "Temporary Working Files" directory open the PaintNet file "Layers.pdn" either using file-open from PaintNet or opening the file in Windows Explorer.

This file includes some simple layer examples; if you cannot see the layers menu box on screen press "F7" for it to appear. You can then easily resize it to show the full list as well as position it conveniently on your screen.

You will see the list of layers, if you check the tick box on the right you will see them appear, unclick and the layer disappears.

The toolbar at the bottom of the layers menu box will enable you to move individual layers up and down the listing if you wish to see how you can change how they overlay one another. This is also a good opportunity to familiarise yourself with the various functions of the software and how it performs. Important: You must always be aware which is the active layer in which you are working. So you must be clear which is highlighted and therefore the one where any marks you draw will be made.

HOW ARE MARKS RECORDED?

Open the particular bone template in the "System Templates" you are wanting to record marks on. At this stage save the file into the "Temporary Working Files" directory using a file name that will identify the bone.

When you open the file you will see the images template in which you can switch on and off as the different layers as needed to help you record the marks.

At the top of the list of layers is one called "DATA INPUT LAYER", this is a blank layer for recording.

Using the menu icons at the bottom of the layer menu, duplicate this layer (holding the cursor over the icons will tell you each one's particular function).

Highlight the duplicated layer, click on the properties icon and rename the layer with the first mark's ID.

Draw the mark.

Note: Only linear marks can be entered in the evaluation database so record a "Cut", Chop or Saw mark.

Using the "Tools Menu" (if it is not visible press F5 for it to appear) select "line/curve" draw tool (holding cursor over the icons will tell you what each one's function is).

There is a range of drawing conventions for the different types of marks but for your purposes any colour is acceptable at his stage of familiarisation. However we suggest you set the line width to something like 5 pixels. This is done in the top menu bar in the box titled "Brush Width".

To draw, click on a point to start the line and hold down the mouse's left-hand button, move to the other end point, and release the mouse button.

At this moment that line is not fixed and it can be cleared using (Ctrl+z) or it can be fixed by pressing "Enter" or "ESC". NOTE: You can still erase a fixed line at this stage by using (Ctrl+z) which goes back a step each time.

The concept is that the mark is positioned and drawn to comparative scale as accurately as possible over the template image.

When drawing you may want to zoom-in; this is done by holding down the "Ctrl" key and turning the mouse wheel.

Using the mouse wheel only will then move up and down the image, pressing "SHIFT" with the wheel, left and right.

You can then get mark co-ordinates for entry into the database or, if you prefer, you can draw a few different marks and come back later to get the co-ordinates.

NOTE:

Again it is very, very important to save the file as you go along and definitely after each mark you have entered.

Drawing the next cut mark is a repeat of the process for the first mark described above. However take particular care to be in the right layer when you are working so each mark has its own separate layer. It is also helpful to keep all the marks visible which gives you guidance to positioning and relationships of marks on the bone's surface.

Check your work occasionally by switching off layers and switching on again to check there is in fact one mark per layer.

Where there is a form and a subform, click in the relevant part of the screen before using the mouse wheel.

WHAT A COMPLETED RECORDED MARK SET LOOKS LIKE.

When complete, marks are stored separate from the template in order to save storage space requirements therefore you must understand how to merge a template image back into a marks file.

For this example we will use the assemblage "Hams Carving (UK Assemblage)" and the first bone listed in the assemblage which is "060320A". By looking in the database's "Butchery Assemblages" screen you will see that the bone "060320A" is a Sus (Modern Domestic) Right Femur.

In the directory "System Templates" open the "Sus -Modern Domestic Pig -Femur -Right v1_2" template; and in the "Assemblages -Graphic Data Files"; "AF-001 Ham Bones UK"; "Butchery" open the marks file for that bone "060320A (1-39).pdn".

You now have 2 files open, the template and the marks. We would suggest using the black & white image version as it makes the coloured marks much clearer.

Click on the template files to show it on the main screen and check the "Blk&Wht" layer so it is visible, click on that layer so it is highlighted and active.

Copy the "Blk&Wht" layer by pressing "Ctrl+A" to select entire layer, then "Ctrl+C" to copy.

Paste the template "Blk&Wht" image into marks file. Click on the marks at the top of the screen to view in the main screen, click on "background" layer at the very bottom of the list to highlight and make it the active layer.

Press "Ctrl+SHIFT+V" and the copied layer from the template will be added to the layers listing, above the background but at the bottom of the stack of recorded marks so all the marks will appear on top of the image.

We suggest you now save the marks file into "Temporary Working Files" directory so that you can examine it further and make changes without affecting any of the real data.

Close the template file without saving so it remains unchanged.

OBTAINING THE MARK CO-ORDINATES FOR ENTRY INTO THE DATABASE.

For the database, the co-ordinates of the particular mark's end points are required.

NOTE: Area marks are recorded differently but for this evaluation version the area elements of the system are not included.

Make sure you have the correct mark, zoom in (Press Ctrl and turn mouse wheel) and again using the line tool as before position the "cross" centre-line at the left-hand end of the mark; when positioned you will see the co-ordinates at the right-hand side of the bottom bar.

Move the position of the cross and you will see these co-ordinates changing.

The process is then repeated for the other end of the mark to give you the two sets of co-ordinates to enter into the database when recording the mark.

For mark recording into the database and other database operations please examine the details set out in Appendix: I (The Database).

APPENDIX: I. THE DATABASE.

BASIC CONCEPTS.

Opening the database can be done in any number of standard ways: from the desktop shortcut you placed there or by double clicking on the file "WINTERBORNE

(Evaluation Version).mde".

A small warning screen appears but, as you know the origin of the database, you can click the "Open" button. The system then displays its front screen and then automatically opens the main menu. The screens have been written in such a way that they can be used either to enter new information, known as "Maintain Screens", or to browse through data without updating anything. Users can use the browse facilities knowing that no changes can be made to the data by mistake. When you are in a browse form, not all the above icons will be displayed: new or delete functions cannot be carried out when browsing, so these icons do not appear.

All screens are colour coded to indicate whether data can be entered or browsed.

Figure 1 -Maintain screen

MOVING AROUND A SCREEN OR FORM.

We hope the screens are self-explanatory, but there may be some things which you might not be familiar with.

Some users prefer to use the mouse, whilst others use the keyboard. Most operations can be carried out by either method, depending on personal preferences.

To Move From Field to Field.

You can use the mouse to click in a field or you can use the tab key to move from field to field. The tab key by itself moves to the next field. To move backwards through the fields, use shift and tab. Some forms have a scroll bar on the right of the screen which can be used to move through a number of records. You can also use the mouse wheel to scroll through records.

To Move From Form to Subform.

Some forms contain a second subform embedded within them, which can contain multiple records referring to the record shown in the main screen or form at the top, for instance, all the bones within an assemblage. The subform is always shown within a rectangular form. To move from the last field in a form to the first field of a subform, just use the tab key as usual. To return from the subform to the form, use shift and tab.

Amending Existing Data

At times you may need to amend some data that has already been entered. It may be just a spelling error or a number that has some digits transposed, but it needs to be changed. If using the mouse, just click the error and use the standard keys to remove incorrect data and then retype it. If you use the keyboard to tab into the field and then start typing all the existing entry will be cleared and you will need to enter the entire field. To amend a few characters, press F2 which then allows you to use the cursor keys to move to the incorrect part of the existing data before amending it.

Opening Drop Down Lists

To open a drop down list from the keyboard, use alt and cursor down when you are in the relevant field, then use the cursor up and down keys followed by the Enter key to select the required value.

MAINTAIN SCREEN (OR FORMS).

Data in this database is divided into 2 types: standing data and butchery data.

Standing data includes all the information which is standard across all users, such as Archaeological Periods, Taxa, Skeletal Elements and so on. As a user you will be provided with most of this data as standard, though in some cases you will be able to add to it. For instance, you may need to add sub-categories to "Roman" in the list of Archaeological Periods.

The butchery data is your data (or another user's which you have imported into your database). This data includes details of the assemblages, the bones in each assemblage and details of the butchery marks found on each bone.

Assemblages Screen.

This is an example of a form that contains a subform -the part that refers to the bones and is enclosed within a rectangle. In this case, the outermost small icons (shown in red below) refer to the records in the "assemblages" part of the screen, the upper part, so use these to scroll through the various assemblages, to add a new one or to delete an existing one.

The subform contains a row for each bone in the assemblage. The small icons inside the rectangular box (shown in red below) are used to scroll through the various bones of the assemblage that are listed.

If you want to add a new bone, you can either click on the 'new record' icon or click in the Bone ID column on the first empty row.

In both cases, you can scroll through the records using the mouse wheel. Just click in the relevant part of the screen, either assemblages or bones, then just scroll backwards and forwards as required.

The following fields are mandatory for assemblages: Site / Project Name;

Reference;

Year of Excavation; Archaeological Period; Directory Name; which are shown in red below.

The following fields are mandatory for bones:

Bone ID

File Name which are shown in red below. The file name defaults to the Bone ID and the assemblage reference. However, this can be changed if you need.

Butchery Marks Screen.

After you have recorded the bones in an assemblage, you need to enter the details of the butchery marks. If the approach or direction is not known, it is necessary to enter 'Indeterminate'.

If the type of mark is associated with a single defined cut, then the row changes to a lighter colour, whilst it stays the same colour if the mark type is associated with an area type of mark.

After you have entered the x and y coordinates of each end of the cut mark, the screen will display the length of the cut, its angle in degrees from the right pointing horizontal, that is from 3 o'clock and measured in an anticlockwise direction.

Also the relevant part of the template where the mark is located is shown.

If you have a mark associated with an area, as soon as you click in any of the 4 coordinate fields, a pop up screen will appear for you to enter a number of coordinates to define the edge of the area. You can enter as many or as few as you wish. It does not matter where you start, or in which direction you go. When you close this screen, the area (in square pixels) contained by the points will be displayed in the column headed 'Length / Area'.

You can enter as many or as few marks of each type as you wish.

ANALYSIS SCREENS

When you have entered some butchery marks on a bone, you can run various analyses on them. If you click on the 'Available Analyses for Cuts' button you will see the following pop-up screen, which is for a pig femur.

Vertical Distributions

The femur, like many of the long bones, is split into 10 equal divisions along its length. The vertical distribution shows the how the lengths of cuts are distributed amongst these 10 divisions. It also shows the percentage of the total marks on the bone occurring in each vertical zone. The percentages on this screen do not add up to 100, as it is the total of all cut marks on the bone, those on the shaft as well as those on the proximal and distal ends of the bone.

Circumferential Distributions

The distribution of cut marks around the bone are shown in each of the 8 zones defined for a pig femur. The display screen again shows the distribution of the cut marks and the percentages, which just as above do not add up to 100 as they do not include the cuts on the distal and proximal ends of the bone.

Array of All Distributions

This analysis breaks down the distribution into much smaller cells. Each of the 10 major zones of the shaft is split into 4 equal zones, giving 40 zones in total along the vertical shaft. These are distributed amongst each of the 8 circumferential zones, giving a total of 320 cells, as shown below.

Since the display contains so much information, it can be difficult to see any patterns in the distribution. If you want to highlight the cells containing the most cut lengths, enter a figure in the 'High Value' field, for instance 5, then click the 'Highlight High Values' button. All cells containing values greater than or equal to the figure you chose will be highlighted, making it easier to see the areas of the bone with the maximum amount of cuts.

As there is so much data displayed, the lengths and the percentages are shown on separate screens.

Proximal and Lateral Distributions

The pig femur proximal and distal ends are split into 16 'vertical' zones and 3 zones around the view. The relevant displays show how the cut marks are distributed amongst these 48 cells. Lengths and percentages are shown on the same screen.

As above, high values can be highlighted on the array for lengths.

Export Facilities

In addition to displaying the values on the screen, you can export the arrays to an Excel spread sheet. If you wish to display the spread sheet in addition to exporting the data, just click the checkbox 'Open .xls file' before clicking the 'Export' button.

You will be asked to select the directory in which you want the spread sheet to be saved, as well as a default file name. You are of course free to change the file name as required.

BROWSE FORMS

All the forms described above are used to enter data about assemblages, bones and butchery marks into the database. It can be very easy to go into these screens and change some data by mistake, possibly without even realising you have done so. In order to prevent this, all the screens can be accessed in 'Browse' mode, where all the data is available for viewing, but cannot be changed in any way. This provides a secure way if looking at the data without the possibility of changing it.

You can also see some of the other screens which constitute the system: for instance 'Browse Bone Types and Views' which shows the number and names of the various views for different classes of bone.

For instance, you can see that for a long bone there are 6 different views on the template, together with their names and the number of zones and sub-zones, where appropriate. The anterior view has 10 zones and 4 sub-zones, as explained above.

The proximal and distal views have 16 zones and so sub-zones. The right hand side of the screen shows the names that are used on the 'Available Analyses' screen.

As an end user, you have access to see these screens, but cannot make any changes to them; they are a fixed part of the Winterborne system. This is to ensure that all users' data is compatible.

QUERY FORMS

At present there is only 1 query form, but enables you to select cut marks according to very many criteria.

Most of the query boxes allow you to select multiple criteria. For instance you can select several assemblages in the 'Site?' box. To make a selection, just click on the relevant line in the box. To deselect a site already selected, just click on it again. To select multiple sites, just click on as many lines as you need. If you want to deselect all the entries in a box, you can either click on each one again (tedious!) or click the check box that appears below each box immediately any selection is made, which deselects all current selections, as shown below.

You can leave any boxes blank, which means that all the criteria are valid. If no assemblages are selected, the query considers all of them.

The skeletal element box allows only one selection to be made; it makes no sense to aggregate different bones -comparing a skull with a tibia is a meaningless exercise. This is also the only criterion which must be entered.

Once you have made all the selection you want, click on the 'Run Query' button. All records which satisfy all your selection will be displayed and the button for 'Available Analyses for Cuts' appears. When you click in this, the same screen appears as if you were analysing a single bone. The displays and exports aggregate the data for all the selected bones rather than just an individual bone.

If you change the selection criteria, you must click the 'Query' button again to produce a new list of butchery marks.

IMPORT AND EXPORT DATA

Import Templates

From time to time, new templates will become available. New template .xls files will be distributed by the Winterborne developers, which you should enter into your Import Files directory.

To enter these into your database, use the 'Import Template' item on the front screen. After specifying the relevant directory, all new template(s) in the Excel file will imported into your database. If the template is already there, it will recognise it and not re-import it.

Export Assemblages

In order to share your data with other users, you can export your data to an Excel spread sheet which can then be sent to other users.

Click on the 'Export Assemblages' item on the menu. Use the checkboxes on the left to specify which assemblages you want to export, then click the 'Export Assemblages' button. This will produce an Excel spread sheet file which can be sent to other users.

Import Assemblages

If you receive an Excel assemblage file from another user, use the 'Import Assemblages' item from the menu. If the imported assemblages need a template which you do not have, the butchery data will be imported, but you cannot access it until you receive and import the relevant template(s) from the Winterborne developers.