Spike wrote:I can do all the things that Therion does and I have never written one line of code to do it. ... So before you start down the Therion route, new user, think to yourself, do I want to learn a programming language in order to draw a map?
I'm sorry, but you are not able to do "all the things that Therion does". What therion does only in import and export you may find here:
http://therion.speleo.sk/wiki/doku.php?id=skillen.
There is very big misunderstanding that therion is tool to draw maps. It is only very small part of therion's features. Map is not in any way the only final product of therion, there are many other options.
1. All the therion files (excluding 3D) are plain text files. So in the feature somebody will be able to interpret such data without therion too. If no computers (but data are printed) all you need is graph paper, pencil and ruler.
2. You may archive all the data including history of exploration directly in therion file.
3. You may export many kinds of formats to use your data in different programs. kml/kmx for Google Earth for example.
4. 3D is generated from wall outlines and heights of passages so no a tubes or rectangles like 3D model but 3D much closer to real cave.
5. You may use
Inkscape (!) to draw maps according to centerline imported from therion, assigning the attributes to a lines and „points“ as in therion's map editor with live preview, export it to therion's map editor, add „areas“ (SVG and by implication Inkscape too doesn't know such objects) and use all export possibilities of therion to export for example atlas.
6. The data could be produced by several members of team but the final export will have unified look without individual styles.
7. The „rountriping“ in therion is automatic including the morfing of sketches before drawing. You may not care about passages above or below, therion will morf them according to calculated coordinates of stations. If you change one surveying leg it will calculate new coordinates and automaticaly morf the drawing.
8. The structure of maps is absolutely independent of surveying data. So you may define several map structures from the one set of data.
9. To export from data drawn in scale 1:200 with many details the map 1:5000 filled with black is question of 5 short lines in configuration file. If you change the scale to 1:500 all the symbols will change the size and density automaticaly according new scale.
10. You may generate maps in different symbol sets, just because your group made decision to change one or several symbols, with one line in configuration file.
11. You may export maps or atlases in different languages – one line in configuration file
12. to add your maps or 3D models to surface model with image of surface is very simple.
13. Etc, etc, etc
Spike wrote: Users don't "debug" files they are manipulating.
Lazy users. I remember time where only way to communicate with computer was programing. The are many complex programs they use macro languages just to accelerate or automate the user needs (Excel). If you try to make web page you may not to do it (exception very primitive ones) without a simple knowledge of programing. Inscape itself has several "programers" tools. Etc...
Is this sample "draft" form of map?