thumper003
New member
does anyone know if its possible to overlay an image from google earth on to a baseboard?
google earth images
- Thread starter thumper003
- Start date
conrail6373
Content Creator
No idea how, but nice thinking, that's a good idea.
cascaderailroad
New member
Google Earth
Yes there is...one way is with Basemap "A"
Now I hand the topic over to someone who knows exactly how to use Basemap "A"...I'm sure someone will tell you how soon
Yes there is...one way is with Basemap "A"
Now I hand the topic over to someone who knows exactly how to use Basemap "A"...I'm sure someone will tell you how soon
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thumper003
New member
basemap 'A"
never heard of basemap 'a',can you elaberate?
never heard of basemap 'a',can you elaberate?
Hot_Box_Detector
Member
images and basemaps
I have used the "basemaps" a....k to overlay maps while building. I suppose you could do the same with any .jpg image. The problem with Google earth is "registration" i.e. getting the image to line up correctly on a consistent basis.
I have done this in the past, but it is strictly hit and miss as it depends on the "zoom" or, altitude of your particular view in Google Earth.
I would look into a program called "Tranzdem". Do a search here on the forums.
I have used the "basemaps" a....k to overlay maps while building. I suppose you could do the same with any .jpg image. The problem with Google earth is "registration" i.e. getting the image to line up correctly on a consistent basis.
I have done this in the past, but it is strictly hit and miss as it depends on the "zoom" or, altitude of your particular view in Google Earth.
I would look into a program called "Tranzdem". Do a search here on the forums.
thumper003
New member
google maps
k...thanks for the info,i will let you know how i get on.
k...thanks for the info,i will let you know how i get on.
If you make your own mapping planes, registration is less of an issue since you can then size it exactly to the image. Each Google Earth image has a scale ruler along the bottom left so you know exactly what the dimensions of you image are. I've made dozens that way and each one fits exactly.
Another trick is to add markers in the image while in GE. Place them at exact lat and long locations. Name them according to their lat-long coordinates so that it will be easier to remember. one in Surveyor, add a World origin to your map, and then using my handy lat-long reader, you can easily line up your GE images.
Another trick is to add markers in the image while in GE. Place them at exact lat and long locations. Name them according to their lat-long coordinates so that it will be easier to remember. one in Surveyor, add a World origin to your map, and then using my handy lat-long reader, you can easily line up your GE images.
Martin's approach will work for small routes. The internal map projection in Trainz is unknown, i.e the transformation between geographic coordinates (lat/long) and Cartesian coordinates, the rectangular grid where we place our objects. The projection could be spherical, ellipsoidal, equal area, conformal, cylindrical, conical, azimuthal or whatever. We don't know and we don't know any of the parameters. Almost any assumption will be erroneous and that error will be systematic. It will increase the further away we get from the World Origin object. The increase will be non-linear.
If you want to use lat and long, stay close to to the World Origin. Do not attempt to merge two routes built with this approach. They will not match.
To avoid this error and still taking a manual approach, use UTM coordinates in Google Earth instead. These are Cartesian coordinates in metres and they will fit to Trainz without any map projection error. Turn on coordinate display in Surveyor and take a note of the offset between UTM coordinates and Trainz world coordinates. This offset has to remain constant for all basemaps you place. As long as you stay in the same UTM zone (several hundred kilometres in east/west direction, the entire hemisphere in north/south direction), even seamless merge between two routes can be achieved.
If that all sounds much too complicated, there is an automatic approach available as a simple-to-use alternative. It's called TransDEM, has been mentioned above, but is payware.
geophil
If you want to use lat and long, stay close to to the World Origin. Do not attempt to merge two routes built with this approach. They will not match.
To avoid this error and still taking a manual approach, use UTM coordinates in Google Earth instead. These are Cartesian coordinates in metres and they will fit to Trainz without any map projection error. Turn on coordinate display in Surveyor and take a note of the offset between UTM coordinates and Trainz world coordinates. This offset has to remain constant for all basemaps you place. As long as you stay in the same UTM zone (several hundred kilometres in east/west direction, the entire hemisphere in north/south direction), even seamless merge between two routes can be achieved.
If that all sounds much too complicated, there is an automatic approach available as a simple-to-use alternative. It's called TransDEM, has been mentioned above, but is payware.
geophil
The answer is yes but its a bit fiddly. All is explained here....
http://www.g0akh.f2s.com/Trainz/Basemap_tutorial.html
Good luck!
http://www.g0akh.f2s.com/Trainz/Basemap_tutorial.html
Good luck!
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thumper003
New member
i would like to thank everyone who's helped with this topic,all the information is greatly appreciated and i shall explore both the basemap and tranzdem approach to building routes,i must admit all concerned have restored my faith in forums as they are usually overrun with childish a...holes .
so...many thanks again...
.so...many thanks again...
Gerry_Williams
New member
Hi,
a method I have used to some success is by using a vector graphics program.
I use Coreldraw12 but there are lots of low priced applications available.
First scan any map you fancy that has contour lines, rivers, and coast, do it in sections to total size and shape for your projected layout. Save each section, (any size) in .bmp format numbering them.
Start your Vector Graphics up and choose a large (I use A2) page.
Import, and stitch your scans together as well as you can and group the whole lot.
Then, being patient, draw with bezier line tool along every other or every 3rd countour. make sure the loop is complete even on the edges.
Simply starting at the lowest point (rivers and sea) using a grey level palette fill with black. then go up each level with a lighter grey until your highest area should be white.
Convert to Bitmap. Overlay a grid of 1024x1024 Pixels select snap to grid and copy and save by letter for line and number for place in line, each square.
Place on a different page. Do this with each square. Start a paint program and load each one in turn and use gaussian blur you will get smooth graduation. save by number to a folder named displacements (for B/U), and copy them into your Auran /world/displacements folder in trainz. Use them on one baseboard each and tidy up and 'hey Presto'. I suggest you save that without doing anything, and then build your route under another name.
Oh dear this is a bit long, SORRY!
Gerry
S
a method I have used to some success is by using a vector graphics program.
I use Coreldraw12 but there are lots of low priced applications available.
First scan any map you fancy that has contour lines, rivers, and coast, do it in sections to total size and shape for your projected layout. Save each section, (any size) in .bmp format numbering them.
Start your Vector Graphics up and choose a large (I use A2) page.
Import, and stitch your scans together as well as you can and group the whole lot.
Then, being patient, draw with bezier line tool along every other or every 3rd countour. make sure the loop is complete even on the edges.
Simply starting at the lowest point (rivers and sea) using a grey level palette fill with black. then go up each level with a lighter grey until your highest area should be white.
Convert to Bitmap. Overlay a grid of 1024x1024 Pixels select snap to grid and copy and save by letter for line and number for place in line, each square.
Place on a different page. Do this with each square. Start a paint program and load each one in turn and use gaussian blur you will get smooth graduation. save by number to a folder named displacements (for B/U), and copy them into your Auran /world/displacements folder in trainz. Use them on one baseboard each and tidy up and 'hey Presto'. I suggest you save that without doing anything, and then build your route under another name.
Oh dear this is a bit long, SORRY!
Gerry
S
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thumper003
New member
google maps,tranzdem,basemap and others
okay lads and lasses i've cracked it ....i used basemap and a google earth image as a test and it works quite well,i had to do some work on the image a little to clean it up and reduce blur,but so far its not to bad,i'll let you know what the final judgement is,a big thanks to all who offered advice,the plan is to reproduce the entire west coast mainline(u.k),a rather large undertaking but i like a challenge and hopefully i will still have all my own hair at the end
okay lads and lasses i've cracked it
....i used basemap and a google earth image as a test and it works quite well,i had to do some work on the image a little to clean it up and reduce blur,but so far its not to bad,i'll let you know what the final judgement is,a big thanks to all who offered advice,the plan is to reproduce the entire west coast mainline(u.k),a rather large undertaking but i like a challenge and hopefully i will still have all my own hair at the end thumper003
New member
thanks gerry for the input and i shall certainly explore this avenue,after using a google image i'm finding them to be far to blurred in most cases and shadow tends to make them unreadable so i'll definatly look into your suggestion....regards thumper003
A quick calculation. Route length approx 600 km. Basemap size 1 km. 600 maps. Let's add 25 % for diagonal course. 750 maps. How long per map? 5 minutes? or 10? Let it be 5 minutes, quite a challenge I would guess. Yields over 60 hours of continuous work. Or, more realistically, at two hours per day this will keep you busy for a month. A rather large undertaking indeed.
If, after a while, you start getting tired of doing this manually, you may want to consider a faster way of achieving your goal. Utilizing Map Tile Services with automatic map clipping acquisition should be able complete your job in one or two evenings, depending on your internet speed. And while your computer is working on this task you can pursue other activities.
geophil
thumper003
New member
A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING
YOU KNOW WHEN YOU THINK OF SOMETHING OR RATHER PONDER THE IDEA,AND THEN SOMEONE COMES ALONG AND LAYS OUT THE COLD HARSH REALITY AND YOU FEEL THAT LUMP IN YOUR,WHICH THEN TURNS TO A GULP AND THEN YOU FEEL SICK........WELL THATS KIND OF HOW I NOW FEEL..LOL....THANKS GEOPHIL FOR POINTING THAT OUT,MAYBE I'LL JUST DEAL WITH THE PLANNING STAGE AND TAKE UP THIS CHALLENGE IN TRAINZ 09.....OH THERES ANOTHER QUESTION,DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANY DEVELOPER (THOSE TALENTED CHAPS) HAS CREATED BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET STATION(U.K),I FOUND A STATION TRACK LAYOUT BY 'TOMMYLOMMYKINS' BUT THIS STILL NEEDS A BIT OF REWORKING,BUT ITS THE BUILDING I'M MORE INTERESTED IN?.....CHEERS
YOU KNOW WHEN YOU THINK OF SOMETHING OR RATHER PONDER THE IDEA,AND THEN SOMEONE COMES ALONG AND LAYS OUT THE COLD HARSH REALITY AND YOU FEEL THAT LUMP IN YOUR,WHICH THEN TURNS TO A GULP AND THEN YOU FEEL SICK........WELL THATS KIND OF HOW I NOW FEEL..LOL....THANKS GEOPHIL FOR POINTING THAT OUT,MAYBE I'LL JUST DEAL WITH THE PLANNING STAGE AND TAKE UP THIS CHALLENGE IN TRAINZ 09.....OH THERES ANOTHER QUESTION,DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANY DEVELOPER (THOSE TALENTED CHAPS) HAS CREATED BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET STATION(U.K),I FOUND A STATION TRACK LAYOUT BY 'TOMMYLOMMYKINS' BUT THIS STILL NEEDS A BIT OF REWORKING,BUT ITS THE BUILDING I'M MORE INTERESTED IN?.....CHEERS
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