My apologies if this is not the correct venue to ask this question. I've been trying for a couple weeks to reach GIS Advisor by email at sales@gisadvisor.com and also sent to gisadvisor1@gmail.com after seeing another posting similar to mine. Could the person responsible please answer my question below or check for my emails (spam filter?) and respond. My question is:

I am looking to ramp up on:

- Manifold fundamentals

- SQL server

- scripting / object model

- IMS

I see multiple training options but I am unclear on which combination of courses provides the best coverage of these topics but are not overlapping. For example the description talks about version 7 training but has the contents for version 8... are these two courses the same but updated for 8, or are they sufficiently different to warrant both? Does 8 have SQL coverage or is that a separate topic for 6 or 6.5 - and is the content for 6.5 all still valid for version 8? What other combination of courses should I purchase for a well-rounded Manifold education on the topics above? And finally... is there a bundle price for ordering multiple courses at once?

Thanks - gosens (Mitch)

Hi Mitch. Thanks for posting here. I have searched the archives and spam folders, and did not find any email from you until the one sent on November 12. However, I do see the past emails embedded from your email of yesterday. So, for whatever reason, those other two emails never reached me. Sorry about that - I will have to explore what the problem is.

Nonetheless, I think lots of people will be interested in your questions, so I'll respond to them here:

"My questions is, which course or courses should I be purchasing? Does Manifold 8 training repeat the material for 7 or is it sufficiently different? Are the SQL and scripting courses for 6 and 6.5 still applicable or have syntax or methods changed - and does the version 8 training cover it? Are there other courses you might suggest for a well rounded Manifold education, to ramp me up quickly?"

Great questions. All the courses are pretty much applicable. My favorite is 6, because it works through a single project. However, it is getting older. 7 and 8 are pretty much redundant. For 8, I just updated 7 with the new features.

So, I would suggest you get 8, as it is the most comprehensive. And, it has SQL stuff in it as well. 6.5 is rather different, as it covers more of the watershed and advanced features in Manifold. That was a fun one to produce, and have a lot of things not covered in traditional training.

The VBScript course will be enough to get you up-to-speed on the object model. And, I think that is one of the most important courses you can go through, because once you understand the object model, you are set for life :-) There really is no stopping you, once you learn to program the object model.

Do you have any bundle prices if I purchase multiple courses?

Ordinarily, no. But, since you were thwarted in your efforts to reach gisadvisor.com, I think you deserve a break :-)

Here is a 25% off coupon for all gisadvisor.com products. Just enter:

GISA-21QT

at the checkout.

And, of course, this coupon is also available to anyone else reading this post.

Just remember, while 6.5 covers some of the really cool extensions, there may be slight differences in 8. So, if you purchase that training just realize the UI may have changed.

But, I think you would be best served with 8 and VBScript courses.

There is a nice lesson on digitising/tracing in the 6.5 training that doesn't seem to be in the later stuff too.

Also the volume is OK in the 6.5 one, the only way I've found to get the later ones to an audible volume is to crank the volume/amplifiers/headphones up, with the result that any normal computer noises like error beeps become deafening. Anyone worked out a way around that?

Thanks - I have purchased the two courses you suggested. Looking forward to learning them.

Just an unsolicited "shout out" as the kids would say to the folks at GIS Advisor. Great tools for getting up to speed with Manifold. Their product also encouraged me to document routine activities in Manifold for aerial mapping like mission planning, model setup, flight layouts and so on via Cam Studio.

We get a lot of feedback on gisadvisor.com stuff and it is uniformly positive. People often remark that the training courses were a big help and very fairly priced.

Hi GIS Advisor... please check your Gmail for an email I sent a couple days ago... about IMS template.

Very happy thus far with the videos btw.

thanks