Software to import a 2D map as textures

[rjc0235]

So i have been having a nose aroun TransDEM and basemapz, and I either cant figure them out, or they are limited.

Im interested in importing some maps i have files for (just .JPG's, no vectors) however these maps are about 18x 11km. after having a look at Basemapz, this looks entirely for model railroading, with no 1:1 scale, and a "small" size limit.

I have also had a look at TransDEM, which (to me at least) looks a bit too complicated, and i can only seem to find tutorials on how to import DEM data (which im not that interested in, what im mapping is pretty flat!) and while it can automate tiles from google or open maps, I also have no intrest in this, as these are some pretty historic (nearly 100 year old) maps.

So is there any software where i can take an existing map (which is a very large file), scale it so its close to 1:1 with trainz, and import it into a trainz route as a gound texture / overlay I can then manually trace around?

Many thanks,
Richard.

 

[JackDownUnder]

You need to use Tranzdem. A little learning curve but easy to use. Does all the work for you.

 

[geophil]

So is there any software where i can take an existing map (which is a very large file), scale it so its close to 1:1 with trainz, and import it into a trainz route as a gound texture / overlay I can then manually trace around?

It's one of the TransDEM features indeed. The process is called "geo-referencing" and it observes not only scale but also location which makes it possible to combine the with other geodetic data.

as these are some pretty historic (nearly 100 year old) maps.

Are these Ordnance Survey 6 inch or 25 inch maps? In that case the maps may already be available in geo-referenced form thanks to the work of the people at the National Library of Scotland.

 

[davidbird]

Like Jack, I'd go for TransDEM. Well worth the money, and the customer service is superb (you've already had some even before you've bought it!).

I've used it for converting scans of paper 1:25000 maps into ground textures, and also used large scale plans (1:2500 & 1:1250) to produce tiles with accurate track plans to trace over.

I intend, when the route is almost complete (or should I say "if") to replace the map ground texture with aerial photographs, which can also be done with TransDEM.

Any problems with using it, ask here or on the TransDEM forum http://forum.transdem.de/. Don't worry, it is in English.

Cheers
David

 

[rjc0235]

Thanks for all the replies, I had a feeling that maybe TransDEM would be the program to use, just the few English tutorials i could find tended to use the very advanced featrues of the program, such as importing "current" satelite images and getting map vector data from sources such as open street maps.

and as for an investment, yes! TransDEM looks well worth the money, and may be a tool i grow experiences with in the future.

also @ Geophil, Unfortunately these are not OS maps, but battlefield maps, also from the national library of scotland, hint hint but i dont think these have been geo-referenced like the OS ones

 

[mjolnir]

rcj0235, about your comment

Im interested in importing some maps i have files for (just .JPG's, no vectors) however these maps are about 18x 11km. after having a look at Basemapz, this looks entirely for model railroading, with no 1:1 scale, and a "small" size limit.

here is how I approach this problem. A trainz baseboard is about 720 x 720 meters, so I calculate the dimensions of a 720 x 720 meter square in the scale of the maps. You don't provide the resolution of your maps, but an 18 km (18,000 m) dimension is 25 720 m baseboards; the 11 km (11,000m) is 15.27778 baseboards. So what I do, is to open images of the maps in my favorite image processing software. It happens that my preferred software supports layers, so I have made use of this support. In a new layer separate from the base map image, I create a grid consisting of squares which are sized so that the grid squares are 720 meters long on both sides. I place this grid over the base layer, and copy out the base map under each grid square, use that copied grid square as a new image, and save it as a separate file. I then open a 3D modeling package create planes which measure 720 x 720 m, and use the image files I made to texture the plane. The plane can then be exported to a
Trainz scenery object, placed in the center of a baseboard, and used as a guide for making the terrain, using Trainz' built in terrain modeling tools.

None of these steps is particularly hard, though they are tedious, and time consuming. They are also the only way I know to get good results in places where suitable DEM files do not exist, for example, in the valleys of the Tennessee and Kentucky rivers, which were submerged by TVA impoundments, long before DEM files were made. In these cases, a good approximation of the original alignments of roads and railroads can be had from USGS maps using this method.

ns

 

[rjc0235]

rcj0235, about your comment



here is how I approach this problem. A trainz baseboard is about 720 x 720 meters, so I calculate the dimensions of a 720 x 720 meter square in the scale of the maps. You don't provide the resolution of your maps, but an 18 km (18,000 m) dimension is 25 720 m baseboards; the 11 km (11,000m) is 15.27778 baseboards. So what I do, is to open images of the maps in my favorite image processing software. It happens that my preferred software supports layers, so I have made use of this support. In a new layer separate from the base map image, I create a grid consisting of squares which are sized so that the grid squares are 720 meters long on both sides. I place this grid over the base layer, and copy out the base map under each grid square, use that copied grid square as a new image, and save it as a separate file. I then open a 3D modeling package create planes which measure 720 x 720 m, and use the image files I made to texture the plane. The plane can then be exported to a
Trainz scenery object, placed in the center of a baseboard, and used as a guide for making the terrain, using Trainz' built in terrain modeling tools.

None of these steps is particularly hard, though they are tedious, and time consuming. They are also the only way I know to get good results in places where suitable DEM files do not exist, for example, in the valleys of the Tennessee and Kentucky rivers, which were submerged by TVA impoundments, long before DEM files were made. In these cases, a good approximation of the original alignments of roads and railroads can be had from USGS maps using this method.

ns

This is my current method, but with a map that could potentially be over 1000 tiles, this is not the fastest method. However, i Like your idea of using layers to create a grod, and then chop out what you need!
One problemi have ran into using this method, is that if i go too far away, the piece dissapears!

 

[davidbird]

here is how I approach this problem.

...

They are also the only way I know to get good results in places where suitable DEM files do not exist, for example, in the valleys of the Tennessee and Kentucky rivers, which were submerged by TVA impoundments, long before DEM files were made. In these cases, a good approximation of the original alignments of roads and railroads can be had from USGS maps using this method.

ns

TransDEM can be used in situations like this. Use the current, post-submerging DEM (DEM is Digital Elevation Map, btw) but with your old pre-submerged maps. If you then generate a Trainz route, with the 2D tiles, you will have a route with post-submerging elevations. But you can also use the same 2D tiles in another route, but placed manually. This will give you just the same result, but with a lot less effort.

If you old, pre-submerging maps have height data, perhaps contour lines, you can also manually adjust the elevations of the DEM in TransDEM to give you the terrain of the old valleys...

Edit: I have no connection with TransDEM, just a very satisfied user...