http://www.naref.org/ghost/
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GHOST is an acronym for Geodetic adjustment using Helmert blocking Of Space and Terrestrial data. It is a series of Fortran programs written to perform a least squares adjustment of 3D, horizontal and vertical control survey data. The adjustment model is described in Mathematical Models For Use In The Readjustment Of The North American Geodetic Networks by R.R. Steeves (Geodetic Survey of Canada Technical Report Number 1, 1983).
With the retirement of GHOST's primary developer, Don Beattie, the maintenance and further development of GHOST is now a cooperative effort by all the members of the GHOST User's Group (GUG). Although we have been fortunate that Don has continued to provide support, we should not count on this indefinitely. Therefore all members are strongly encouraged to contribute to the support of GHOST in terms of both software development and technical support. We hope that you will be able to share in some of these responsibilities once you become familiar with GHOST. The primary mode of communication and support among GHOST users is the GHOST User's Group Forum, an automated email mailing list (see below).
[ Top | Introduction | Distribution | Software Archive | Documentation | Mailing List | Users | Disclaimer | Feedback ]GHOST is available only to members of the GHOST User's Group (GUG). No further distribution of GHOST, in any form, either in whole or in part, is permitted. Membership in GUG is at the discretion of the Geodetic Survey Division (GSD) of Geomatics Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and is restricted to either:
Approval of membership is at the sole discretion of the Geodetic Survey Division (GSD) of Geomatics Canada, Natural Resources Canada. A signed license agreement will also be required.
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An archive of the most recent versions of the GHOST software and utilities for various computer platforms is available via FTP at
This is a private FTP account where access is restricted to the members of the GHOST User's Group. The login name and password are provided in the introductory (intro) and information (info) messages from the mailing list.
Contact Michael Craymer for the login name and password. Please keep the password confidential. See the README file in the /pub/ghost directory for more information about the archive and it's contents.
User's that have ported GHOST to other computer systems for which GHOST is not available are strongly encouraged to upload their versions to the archive. The same goes for various GHOST enhancements and utility software that may be of benefit to the GHOST user community (be sure to include documentation). The "incoming" directory as been set aside for uploading such software. Please notify the archive manager, Michael Craymer, when uploading any software so that it can be placed in an appropriate directory in the archive. A notice will also be posted to the mailing list.
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All GUG members are strongly encouraged to send their feedback to Michael Craymer. Users can also download the files to run locally on their own computers without needing an Internet connection (it's also much faster!).
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The GHOST User's Group (GUG) Forum is an automated mailing list to facilitate communication among the members of GUG. Forum discussions include questions & answers, problems & solutions, bugs & fixes, enhancements, general tips, etc. -- i.e., anything related to GHOST.
To make effective use of this forum, it is strongly encouraged that all GHOST-related discussions take place through the mailing list, rather than private emails. This way everyone benefits. Please also encourage any other GHOST user's you know to join the forum. It is hoped that this will foster better communication among all GHOST users.
The GUG Forum mailing list is maintained by Mike Craymer at the Geodetic Survey of Canada. It operates much like a bulletin board, where messages are posted to a single Internet email address and automatically distributed to all subscribers. All messages are archived and searchable for later retrieval. For information on joining and changing your mailing list options, visit the following secure URL (just click "Continue" if you get a message about a problem with the security certificate):
The following explains how to manually subscribe, unsubscribe and manage the mailing list manually via email.
The GUG Forum is a private mailing list. To subscribe, send an email to
with the following line in the body of the message:
or use the following URL
Do not include anything else in the message, including return email addresses and other signatures. You will receive an automated reply confirming your subscription.
Once you are subscribed to the GUG Forum you can post messages to all subscribers by simply emailing them to
Messages will be automatically distributed to all subscribing members of the GUG Forum.
The mailing list software supports a variety of list management requests (commands), including searching the message archive and retrieving specific messages and information files. Such requests must be sent to the automated list processor (majordomo) at
Note Well: Do NOT send Majordomo commands to the GUG Forum address gug@geod.nrcan.gc.ca! Also, be sure to include only commands in the body of the message. Do not include any other text including signatures!
To get the GHOST User's Group information file, containing the login name and password to the software archive, send the following command to gug-request@geod.nrcan.gc.ca
or use the following URL
To get information about available listproc commands send the following command to gug-request@geod.nrcan.gc.ca
or use the following URL
Do not include anything else in these messages, including return email addresses and other signatures.
To unsubscribe from the GUG Forum, send the following command to gug-request@geod.nrcan.gc.ca
or use the following URL
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GHOST is provided on an "as is" basis. The members of GUG and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (Canada), represented by the Minister of Natural Resources and acting through GSD, make no guarantees, representations or warranties respecting GHOST, either expressed or implied, arising by law or otherwise, including but not limited to, effectiveness, completeness, accuracy or fitness for a particular purpose.
Canada and the members of GUG shall not be liable in respect of any claim, demand or action, irrespective of the nature of the cause of the claim, demand or action alleging any loss, injury or damages, direct or indirect, which result from the use or possession of GHOST. The members of GUG shall indemnify and save harmless Canada against any such claims, demands or actions, as shall Canada indemnify and save harmless the members of GUG.
Any mention of commercial products does not imply an endorsement of
those products, even if the Macintosh is still the best personal
computer. 
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Please send any comments or questions about the GHOST User's Group to
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