MICRODEM Download

MICRODEM is a microcomputer mapping program written by Professor Peter Guth of the Naval Academy. The program requires a 32 bit version of Windows such as XP and will run on 64 bit Windows in 32 bit mode.

The program is available in several ways:

• complete MICRODEM install (~20 MB) .   We strive to make this version as bug free as possible, but we suspect that bugs may creep in.  This no longer includes the help file.  You can download it separately, or use the update function inside the program (on the help menu).  In addition, the first time you attempt to access the help file, the program will ask permission to download it.  The program may also ask to download the BDE (Borland Database Engine) if it is not on your system.
• The best way to update the program EXE depends on  your OS, the security imposed by the network, and whether you have admin rights.  In order of ease of use, these are:
  • Option on the Files, Tools menu.  This will close the program and update the executable, and restart the program.
  • Use the update program in the MICRODEM directory (md_update**.exe), which will download the new EXE and start it.  MICRODEM must be closed for this to work.
  • Use the browser downloads below.
• The best way to get or update the help file (65 MB) is to use the option on the Files, Tools menu, or on the help menu inside MICRODEM.  Insure the help file is closed.   This is currently working reliably as far as we know.  If it fails, get MICRODEM help file.Use the "Save file as" or "Save target as", place in the MICRODEM directory (c:\microdem), and insure the browser does not append (1) or (n)  to the file name.  You are likely going to have to change the file properties to unblock it (right clic.

• The military icons generator is available as a separate program (1.5 MB) which allows you to create unit icons and paste them into your favorite graphics program.  An improved version is included in MICRODEM.

Executing the installation program will create icons on the start menu and two directories:

• c:\microdem.  While you can put this elsewhere, just like you can shoot yourself in the foot, you shouldn't, and if you do, and you encounter problems, you were warned.
• c:\MapData\ with subdirectories. While you can put this on another drive, it must go into the root directory of its drive.

The program  will create a log of program operations in the file 'microdem_debug_log.txt', in c:\microdem\logs;  the easiest way to get the file is to to open it from the Help menu while the program is still running. You must copy this file immediately after encountering an unexplained crash, because the file is overwritten every time you run the program. Send the file to me and I can better determine what caused the problem. The debug log is not complete, and I may have to add additional debugging messages to the program and have you repeat the error and send a new log until we can isolate the problem.

You can get data sets configured to work with MICRODEM.  We are moving the download of data to occur inside the program, which will automatically put the data sets in the correct locations.  See the documentation.

You can still get the following data sets:

• Marine geology and plate tectonics (11.5 MB): install a series of GIS databases in c:\mapdata\database, and a digital isochrons of the world.  An HTML file provides the sources for the databases.
• Marine geophysics trainer  (5.5 MB): install three data sets in c:\mapdata\mgt.

If you want to perform code archaeology, you can get the DOS source code from about 1995.

Last Update: 9/15/2013