Detailed Google Earth Image as Ground Texture (image slightly over 800x600)
- Thread starter ModelerMJ
- Start date
Tutorial is now available.
The tutorial has been completed and is now available here.
The link leads to page on my web site, where you will find a link to download a ZIP archive that contains the tutorial document in PDF format, along with the necessary TransDEM cross-reference file and a CDP of the custom textures. Download, unzip, and follow the directions in the PDF.
Many thanks to Dr. Roland Ziegler for reviewing my tutorial. Thanks also to all who posted here for their kind remarks.
Regards,
-Mike
The tutorial has been completed and is now available here.
The link leads to page on my web site, where you will find a link to download a ZIP archive that contains the tutorial document in PDF format, along with the necessary TransDEM cross-reference file and a CDP of the custom textures. Download, unzip, and follow the directions in the PDF.
Many thanks to Dr. Roland Ziegler for reviewing my tutorial. Thanks also to all who posted here for their kind remarks.
Regards,
-Mike
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northcornice
New member
Beautiful! Thanks.
Hello Mike,
Thank you for this great tutorial
. Next week, I will do a tryout ( a few days at home 
)Best regards
Kurt :wave:
error message
Thank's a lot, Mike for well written and easy to understand tutorial.
But trying it, I encountered a problem: regardless of the height of picture (I used a lot of heights, from 6 Km to 500m), I receive always the error "one or more raster maps have a scale of larger than 1 px to 2.5 m". Any idea how to fix that?
:wave:
Thank's a lot, Mike for well written and easy to understand tutorial.
But trying it, I encountered a problem: regardless of the height of picture (I used a lot of heights, from 6 Km to 500m), I receive always the error "one or more raster maps have a scale of larger than 1 px to 2.5 m". Any idea how to fix that?
:wave:
Is the Google Earth image the only georeferenced map that you have open? TransDEM allows you to have multiple geomaps open at once, and I have fallen into that trap before. Try closing all georeferenced maps, then open ONLY a Google Earth map taken at, say, 5KM eye altitude, and see how that works for you.
Regards,
-Mike
Could you list for me the step-by-step process you are using, from the point where you start TransDEM to the point at which you get the resolution warning? Also please describe in detail how you acquired your Google Earth images. You can PM this to me if you like, or post it here; and please do not leave out any steps even if you think they are trivial or obvious.
Maybe something in your process will jump out at me; other than that I cannot think of any reason why this would not be working for you.
Regards,
-Mike
Ok, I'll try to describe, hoping not forget something, and hoping my dirty english is enought.
1)GE setting as described in your tutorial
2) I put a bookmark and save it
3)I save the image from GE
4) I open in transdem google image, and georeference it, by the saved bookmark
5) I open my DEM file
6) I crop boundaries of DEM file
7) I try to export, with settings described in your tutorial
8) I receive the error message
9) I sadly drink another coffee and try again...
Thank you for your patience
Giuliano
1)GE setting as described in your tutorial
2) I put a bookmark and save it
3)I save the image from GE
4) I open in transdem google image, and georeference it, by the saved bookmark
5) I open my DEM file
6) I crop boundaries of DEM file
7) I try to export, with settings described in your tutorial
8) I receive the error message
9) I sadly drink another coffee and try again...
Thank you for your patience
Giuliano
Here's my process, which works perfectly for me.
1. In Google Earth, double-check your settings. Then go to the location you want to work with (I just did this process with a location of Binghamton, NY).
2. Zoom in to an eye altitude of 5.0 km (hold RMB and move mouse up/down). Notice this is 5 kilometers - not 5 meters, not 50 meters, not 500 meters... all of which are far too close. It's 5000 meters, which shows in Google Earth as '5.00 km' in the Status Bar.
3. Press the 'R' key to reset any rotation or tilt.
4. Add a placemark, giving it a name like 'Test5000-001'.
5. Save the placemark as a KMZ file (right-click the placemark and select Save).
6. Be sure not to disturb the Google Earth display.
7. Save the image (File -> Save Image), calling it 'Test5000-001.jpg'.
8. Close Google Earth and open TransDEM.
9. Open the Google Earth .jpg Image (Raster Map -> Open Raster Map).
10. Georeference the image (Raster Map -> Georeference Google Earth Image).
11. Convert the image to UTM (Raster Map -> Convert to UTM).
12. Save the georeferenced/UTM-converted image (Raster Map -> Save georef. raster map).
13. Close the raster map.
14. Open your DEM.
15. Re-open the Google Earth raster map (Raster Map -> Open georef. raster map).
16. Use the zoom tool to zoom in on the area where the Google Earth image appears.
17. Draw a selection rectangle around the Google Earth image.
18. On the Trainz menu, select 'Export & Create: DEM & Ground Textures'.
19. The Trainz export dialog should appear with no warnings.
I just did this exact series of steps and had no issues at all. If this sequence does not work for you, then I'm afraid I'm at a loss as to what other advice to offer. Having said that, even if you get the warning you can always go ahead and let TransDEM create the route anyway, and see what it looks like in Surveyor.
Regards,
-Mike
1. In Google Earth, double-check your settings. Then go to the location you want to work with (I just did this process with a location of Binghamton, NY).
2. Zoom in to an eye altitude of 5.0 km (hold RMB and move mouse up/down). Notice this is 5 kilometers - not 5 meters, not 50 meters, not 500 meters... all of which are far too close. It's 5000 meters, which shows in Google Earth as '5.00 km' in the Status Bar.
3. Press the 'R' key to reset any rotation or tilt.
4. Add a placemark, giving it a name like 'Test5000-001'.
5. Save the placemark as a KMZ file (right-click the placemark and select Save).
6. Be sure not to disturb the Google Earth display.
7. Save the image (File -> Save Image), calling it 'Test5000-001.jpg'.
8. Close Google Earth and open TransDEM.
9. Open the Google Earth .jpg Image (Raster Map -> Open Raster Map).
10. Georeference the image (Raster Map -> Georeference Google Earth Image).
11. Convert the image to UTM (Raster Map -> Convert to UTM).
12. Save the georeferenced/UTM-converted image (Raster Map -> Save georef. raster map).
13. Close the raster map.
14. Open your DEM.
15. Re-open the Google Earth raster map (Raster Map -> Open georef. raster map).
16. Use the zoom tool to zoom in on the area where the Google Earth image appears.
17. Draw a selection rectangle around the Google Earth image.
18. On the Trainz menu, select 'Export & Create: DEM & Ground Textures'.
19. The Trainz export dialog should appear with no warnings.
I just did this exact series of steps and had no issues at all. If this sequence does not work for you, then I'm afraid I'm at a loss as to what other advice to offer. Having said that, even if you get the warning you can always go ahead and let TransDEM create the route anyway, and see what it looks like in Surveyor.
Regards,
-Mike
Thanks again for the tutorial, Mike.
What I did last night; less than half an hours work to acquire the images, georeference in TransDEM, and export to Trainz.
There are no excuses, people. If I can do it, then a blind 3 year old can do it, probably with better results.
Matt.
What I did last night; less than half an hours work to acquire the images, georeference in TransDEM, and export to Trainz.
There are no excuses, people. If I can do it, then a blind 3 year old can do it, probably with better results.
Matt.
misterchugg
Active member
hi matt
what size km did you use in google?
mine comes up like this
thanks
ron
what size km did you use in google?
mine comes up like this
thanks
ron
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misterchugg
Active member
hi matt
i have tried several times to do what mike wrote
never do any good
this last one of 15 was the best resolution i can get
its at 2.5 km
the mini map shopws up great, but the main ground doesnt
i have everything where it should be and its all linked as per mike's setup
i hope somebody can figure out whats wrong
thanks
ron
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8031/unnamed201109250000.jpg
i have tried several times to do what mike wrote
never do any good
this last one of 15 was the best resolution i can get
its at 2.5 km
the mini map shopws up great, but the main ground doesnt
i have everything where it should be and its all linked as per mike's setup
i hope somebody can figure out whats wrong
thanks
ron
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8031/unnamed201109250000.jpg
Ron,
I understand what you're saying now. You made the same mistake that I did, by reading slightly too much into the process and its benefits. The mini-map will be a near perfect representation of the GE images, while the ground shows up the way that you see, in my shots, Mikes' pics and indeed your own screnshots.
Looking at your minimap, I think the 'white blob' effect is because you are in a built-up urban area; the white is because you are viewing buildings from overhead, and a lot of the roofs are plain white/grey, with some red and brown tiles, etc mixed among them.
This example should explain better. The white area in the top right of the minimap is the commercial district of Picton; It is also the area shown on the baseboard. Looking at the area in GE, most of these buildings have whitish roofs, with some red and browns mixed in, and some grass, hence the odd splotches of colour mixed in.
Even with this mish mash of colour, it should still be possible to work with. It may take some getting used to, and you may need GE open in the background, just in case.
Hope that helps you.
Matt.
I understand what you're saying now. You made the same mistake that I did, by reading slightly too much into the process and its benefits. The mini-map will be a near perfect representation of the GE images, while the ground shows up the way that you see, in my shots, Mikes' pics and indeed your own screnshots.
Looking at your minimap, I think the 'white blob' effect is because you are in a built-up urban area; the white is because you are viewing buildings from overhead, and a lot of the roofs are plain white/grey, with some red and brown tiles, etc mixed among them.
This example should explain better. The white area in the top right of the minimap is the commercial district of Picton; It is also the area shown on the baseboard. Looking at the area in GE, most of these buildings have whitish roofs, with some red and browns mixed in, and some grass, hence the odd splotches of colour mixed in.
Even with this mish mash of colour, it should still be possible to work with. It may take some getting used to, and you may need GE open in the background, just in case.
Hope that helps you.
Matt.
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@misterchugg: From what I can see in your example, and now also given mattm's input, I think it's actually working fine for you. mattm is right, the benefits of this process primarily apply to satellite view. Certainly as you zoom in closer to the ground things are going to 'pixelate' in a hurry. As I said in my tutorial, what I do is zoom out (TS12), find the area I want to work on, center there, then zoom in to do what I need to -- zooming back out as needed to check my work every now and then.
The process meets my needs because I developed it primarily to deal with landscape features... I have another process that I use to achieve accurate placement of tracks and roads that does not rely on the ground texture in Surveyor at all (nor does it require UTM tiles or basemaps).
Regards,
-Mike
The process meets my needs because I developed it primarily to deal with landscape features... I have another process that I use to achieve accurate placement of tracks and roads that does not rely on the ground texture in Surveyor at all (nor does it require UTM tiles or basemaps).
Regards,
-Mike
...no geophil...
I notice an absence of geophil-posts in this thread....he is there however...
The application of GE .kml will always appear blurry applied to the baseboards. Your applying a 3D map to a 2D visual object. TransDEM was not designed to do that, and Trainz does not support that.
Your collection of .kml maps is the old way of doing it. Using Map Tile Server, you can download large sections of .kml quickly by learning the tutorial on Map Tiles Servers (MTS)...I ignored this until the latest version of TransDEM, because you can only get Topo maps through Web Mapping Servers (WMS).
TransDEM allows creation of UTM-Map Tiles for the purpose of displaying a 3D map perfectly.
The creation of the "Mini-map" is different from the display on baseboards, because the Mini-Map can project a 3D image. The creation of UTM-Tiles brings this into Surveyor, on height adjustable objects that can be imported to open just below the baseboard, in grid-view. That is useful for scenery objects that are needed to re-create the feel of the area.
I use Topo maps for the baseboard, because it gives the actual location of the track & roads (it is a surveyor based map). If the Topo does not have the track added after 1991, as in the BNSF Dutch Subdivision, Orin Subdivision or Sand Hills Subdivision, I create UTM-Tiles. They must be viewed directly overhead for accurate placement of assets.
Your homework: Read the information in the Help file for UTM-Map Tiles to learn how to apply .kml apps using TransDEM; exporting Map Tiles into Trainz.
Provide screenshots here for critique and questions.
I'm moving everything into TS12 for the reason that Surveyor now allows you to back off the map into the Sattelite view. This removes the need to use the mini-map in Surveyor.
Remember that updates for Google Earth, USGS elevation maps (you should be able to find 1/3-arcsec maps for all of the Continental US-America), Topo maps, TransDEM, etc are always subject to happen, so check for updates regularly.
I notice an absence of geophil-posts in this thread....he is there however...The application of GE .kml will always appear blurry applied to the baseboards. Your applying a 3D map to a 2D visual object. TransDEM was not designed to do that, and Trainz does not support that.
Your collection of .kml maps is the old way of doing it. Using Map Tile Server, you can download large sections of .kml quickly by learning the tutorial on Map Tiles Servers (MTS)...I ignored this until the latest version of TransDEM, because you can only get Topo maps through Web Mapping Servers (WMS).
TransDEM allows creation of UTM-Map Tiles for the purpose of displaying a 3D map perfectly.
The creation of the "Mini-map" is different from the display on baseboards, because the Mini-Map can project a 3D image. The creation of UTM-Tiles brings this into Surveyor, on height adjustable objects that can be imported to open just below the baseboard, in grid-view. That is useful for scenery objects that are needed to re-create the feel of the area.
I use Topo maps for the baseboard, because it gives the actual location of the track & roads (it is a surveyor based map). If the Topo does not have the track added after 1991, as in the BNSF Dutch Subdivision, Orin Subdivision or Sand Hills Subdivision, I create UTM-Tiles. They must be viewed directly overhead for accurate placement of assets.
Your homework: Read the information in the Help file for UTM-Map Tiles to learn how to apply .kml apps using TransDEM; exporting Map Tiles into Trainz.
Provide screenshots here for critique and questions.
I'm moving everything into TS12 for the reason that Surveyor now allows you to back off the map into the Sattelite view. This removes the need to use the mini-map in Surveyor.
Remember that updates for Google Earth, USGS elevation maps (you should be able to find 1/3-arcsec maps for all of the Continental US-America), Topo maps, TransDEM, etc are always subject to happen, so check for updates regularly.
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