Real World data

[_SCAR 139]

Dear all,

Until this day, I've added polygons and shapefiles directly in Terrain Builder. This is ok for smaller terrains, but definitely not for the ones I'm doing now.

 

Now, for the past two weeks I've been trying to add OSM data to my terrains.

 

I've followed these two main tutorials:

• Terrain Processor
• PMC Editing

 

I appreciate the efforts, but I've tried everything I could and these simply are too incomplete to successfully finalize a map. For instance:

• In TB maps need to be of a power-of-two size, such as 10240. It is rather unclear how you can ensure that your satellite map is of this size. One solution is to select a square size in Terra Incognita, but then the coordinates you specify will not match exactly the ones of the map that will be downloaded (you can try this yourself, just save a square map selection from Terra Incognita as OziExplorer and then open it up in QGIS: the area will extend the coordinates you first entered).
• This means that if you use your reference coordinates you entered in Terra Incognita, they will be off for all of your other downloads.
• All the tutorials specify WSG 84 / UTM Zone 31N, however all of the downloads from Terrra Incognita, OSM and even OpenTopography are in WSG 84. It is far from clear when these conversions should happen, and how. Most of the times I end up having portions of data in completely different areas of QGIS even if they all are in the same Coordinate System, after following instructions.
• Once you export a reference height-map from Terrain Builder for a 10,240 sized terrain, the coordinates will extend from 200,000 - 210,240E and from 0 - 10,240N. All the tutorial specify to move the roads & other OSM data by switching the WSG to Zone 31N, but the scale is always off. I was able to move the elements but then they covered a tiny little portion of the destination area. When should the scaling happen?
• One of my areas is in Afghanistan, which is in UTM Zone 42N. Tutorials say you should use this when importing the data, but they also state that in Terrain Builder it MUST be UTM Zone 31N. This is so confusing and it doesn't help understanding what to do.

 

This is such a pity. My best option is still to go ahead and draw 1,000+ roads and 700 polygons for forest areas BY HAND. Doesn't sound like a "best option".

 

Hence: has some kind soul posted somewhere a precise how-to example workflow with screenshots or videos, so that it can be really clear what it must be done, in what order, etc?

I'm pretty familiar with terrain building (latest map Kastellorizo is currently #1 on Steam's workshop), would love to contribute more and help back; however, I'd love to have someone finally dissolve clearly what is a good WORKFLOW to make all of this happen seamlessly.

 

....Pretty please? :)

 

_SCAR.

 

[W4lly63 82]

In my map that is 32768x 32768 1: 1 scale

imported in 4 parts by 16384 downloaded with terra incognita...

I downloaded openstreet roads,

converted to 31N,

imported into TB .. did not coincide ....

imported in QGIS I used scale X and scale Y calculating the scale ratio between map image and roads shapefile ..

exported by QGIS the roads shapefile

inported in TB coincide perfectly .. it's all for streets...

[W4lly63 82]

1 hour ago, _SCAR said:

 

All the tutorials specify WSG 84 / UTM Zone 31N, however all of the downloads from Terrra Incognita, OSM and even OpenTopography are in WSG 84. It is far from clear when these conversions should happen, and how. Most of the times I end up having portions of data in completely different areas of QGIS even if they all are in the same Coordinate System, after following instructions.

 

 

_SCAR.

 

 

look here 

 

[_SCAR 139]

Thank you Wally, I've seen / done all of that.

1 hour ago, W4lly63 said:

In my map that is 32768x 32768 1: 1 scale

imported in 4 parts by 16384 downloaded with terra incognita...

I downloaded openstreet roads,

converted to 31N,

imported into TB .. did not coincide ....

imported in QGIS I used scale X and scale Y calculating the scale ratio between map image and roads shapefile ..

exported by QGIS the roads shapefile

inported in TB coincide perfectly .. it's all for streets...

 

Can you please expand on this, giving examples? For example how do you know how big your roads shapefile is? etc

[W4lly63 82]

1 minute ago, _SCAR said:

Thank you Wally, I've seen / done all of that.

 

Thank you Wally. Can you please expand on this, giving examples?

look point 5 of tutorial 

[_SCAR 139]

Again, I've read all of these. In that point:

 

Quote

My raw data for example is in cells of 6000x6000m but the end resolution in TB is 6144x6144m. By dividing 6144 by 6000 we get a scale factor of 1,024.

 

So, my map is 10240. Where does the 6000x6000m comes from?

[W4lly63 82]

26 minutes ago, _SCAR said:

Again, I've read all of these. In that point:

 

 

So, my map is 10240. Where does the 6000x6000m comes from?

from your shp file  .. in QGIS raw data cells .. about cells operations 6144 is TB res .. 6000 shp data raw .. need scale cuz shp    cells are differents by TB cells..

 

look this link too.. Maybe you will need it....

http://spatialgalaxy.net/2012/01/25/using-the-qgis-raster-calculator/  

[_SCAR 139]

44 minutes ago, W4lly63 said:

from your shp file  .. in QGIS raw data cells .. about cells operations 6144 is TB res .. 6000 shp data raw .. need scale cuz shp    cells are differents by TB cells..

 

look this link too.. Maybe you will need it....

http://spatialgalaxy.net/2012/01/25/using-the-qgis-raster-calculator/  

 

shp files are vectors, not rasters, so how can I know the extent of the SHP files with the raster calculator?

Thank you for helping, but you are also providing bits and pieces of informations and that's the whole problem with those tutorials :) If I finally get out of this hell of a puzzle (unfortunately so typical of arma tools in general) I'll do a complete tutorial on the matter.

[_SCAR 139]

1 hour ago, W4lly63 said:

converted to 31N,

 

BTW my roads are in 42N because that's where Afghanistan is.

What should I do about it? Convert it before importing it in TB? That will skew all the roads...

[W4lly63 82]

12 hours ago, _SCAR said:

 

shp files are vectors, not rasters, so how can I know the extent of the SHP files with the raster calculator?

Thank you for helping, but you are also providing bits and pieces of informations and that's the whole problem with those tutorials :) If I finally get out of this hell of a puzzle (unfortunately so typical of arma tools in general) I'll do a complete tutorial on the matter.

Tutorial above of digitalcenturion start talking about GRASS... you can import the shapefile into the GRASS and  convert  to a raster  using the QGIS Plugin

[W4lly63 82]

12 hours ago, _SCAR said:

 

BTW my roads are in 42N because that's where Afghanistan is.

What should I do about it? Convert it before importing it in TB? That will skew all the roads...

isnt important where is located your HF....

import your HF and shp etc...into QGIS  convert ALL into 31N   if u dont perform this point cant start project cuz for import into TB need 31N

[_SCAR 139]

9 hours ago, W4lly63 said:

Tutorial above of digitalcenturion start talking about GRASS... you can import the shapefile into the GRASS and  convert  to a raster  using the QGIS Plugin

 

Wally, I really thank you for trying to help but unfortunately I do not understand what to do :)

 

Thanks anyway. 

[W4lly63 82]

After we hear the problem is solved ...
_SCAR will do a tutorial because we are old and we forget how we did it