CARIS is an application for viewing of vector and raster data that can be extended to support modules containing tools and capabilities for creating and editing a wide range of bathymetric and nautical chart products.
Modules are activated in CARIS once a license is acquired. Each module requires its own license.
The following modules are available.
Module | Description |
BASE Editor | Tools for creating, preparing and analyzing coverage data. |
BASE Manager | Tools for loading and accessing coverage data that is stored in a Bathy Database Server. |
Engineering Analysis | Tools for the analysis of the sea floor for dredging and other engineering operations. The module also includes tools for creating reference models. |
Feature Editing | Tools for the creation, editing and validation of vector features. This module is automatically activated when the BASE Editor and Composer modules are activated. |
HIPS | Bathymetry and water column processing tools for review, correction, and production of sounding data. |
SIPS | Sonar imagery processing tools to create high-resolution images from raw sonar data and to identify contacts within that imagery. |
Limits and Boundaries | Geodetic tools for resolving boundary disputes and marine management zones. |
Modules are set to active through the Modules dialog box.
When a module is activated, commands and functions related to that module are made available in CARIS. (For more information on the Modules dialog box, see the CARIS application help.)
Both the CARIS application and modules share common files in C:\Program Files\CARIS\<application>\<version>\system. These files control what data can be opened and how that data is displayed.
In addition to the System folder, each module also has support files required by that module to display and process data. The common path for module-specific files is
C:\Program Files\CARIS\<application>\<version>\modules\
<module name>\support
The paths and file names for specific system and module-support files are listed in the Options dialog box.
Default files can be substituted with user-defined custom files that can contain additional or extended information. The application can then be pointed to these custom files.
System and module support files must never be directly modified. Copy these files to another location and modify the copies. Then, point CARIS to these files through the Options dialog box or environment file. For more information on modifying default settings, see Environment Settings |
The following table lists files or folders that can be copied and customized with new or extended information.
Files/Folder | Component | Description |
Catalogue control file | System | The catalogue control file lists products along with features and attributes that are associated to that product. The default catalogue control file is Each product has its own catalogue folders. See Catalogues for more information. |
Portrayal control file | System | The portrayal control file lists various portrayals along the files that make up each portrayal. Portrayals control how data is displayed. The default file is For more information about the portrayal control file, see Portrayals. For more information about portrayal files. see Portrayal Files |
Coordinate reference system | System | Files that define the coordinate reference systems. These also include datums and ellipsoids. For more information on these files, see Coordinate Reference Systems |
Utilities | System | The Utilities folder contains the For more information on the utilities file, see CARIS help. |
Validation | Modules | The Validation folder contains quality control files for primarily checking data structure and logical consistency in S-57, VPF, and geometric data. Tests can be developed for additional file types. Default files are found in
Note that the quality assurance tests for each module are different. For more information on quality control files, see Quality Control |
Rules | Modules | The Rules folder contains mapping files to converting file types or features from one format to another Default files are found in
Note that mapping files for each module are different. For more information on mapping, see Mapping |
Product information files | Modules | The ProductInfoFiles folder contains product information files for product metadata. Default files are located in
For more information on product information files, see individual module support file guides. |