Mayday! Getting started in DEM, HOG or whatever the heck you call it...

[Midland]

Please could someone tell me or direct me to setting this up on my PC?

I've hunted around and found a few things but it all seems mindbogglingly complicated and difficult.

The layouts I've seen that use this feature look very accurate and good and I want to start work on a project that really needs to have this feature used.

I also need to know if the DEM data is available on this side of the Tasman and where do I get it. Not interested in paying a fortune for it.

If I can't access the data there seems little point in getting started on the software.

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. Thanks.





Cheers

Nix

 

[HiBaller]

You can get sources for every point in the world from this site:

ftp://e0srp01u.ecs.nasa.gov/srtm/

drill down to SRTM3\Australia

Your browser should open it up. Go to either Version 1 or Version 2. I prefer Version 2. You need to know the rough coordinates (N/S & E/W) of the area you want. Then go find the file(s) that contain it.

'Tis free.

Bill

 

[Midland]

Thanks very much.

I'm actually not Australia but I think I've downloaded the map I need using grid references (New Zealand). The only problem is it appears as an .hgt file and HOG seems to only want to read .tga files.

It also wants me to spell out the height variation and I'm not sure what the figures are (seeing as I can't open the map to look at it!)

As I said I'm particularly slow on the uptake with this stuff! :hehe:





Cheers

Nix

 

[geophil]

You would need MicroDEM as well. However, the HOG/MicroDEM approach becomes kind of complicated for projects outside the USA. You will be able the produce DEM-based terrain but you will encounter certain challenges in creating a map overlay which you will need for orientation. Without the map you'll have a nice Trainz landscape, but no clue where you are.

An alternative and integrated solution is offered by TransDEM - which is payware - see here or links below.

DEMs for NZ are SRTM (as mentioned before), which are free, but you can also purchase high resolution data. At least one NZ Trainz route building project is based on that.

Simple map overlays can be constructed with Google Maps or MS Visual Earth (local.live.com), that's a fully automated process. Topographic maps 1:50000 can be obtained via the LINZ web portal, needing 3 point manual georeferencing. The automatic process via WMS is currently not working due to LINZ server problems.

geophil

 

[cathouse]

Hi Nix
You're a braver man than I am Gunga Din :hehe: :hehe:
I tried this for a month some time ago and all I ended up with was less hair:'(

Godd luck with it.

cheers
Roy