Greyscale height data?

[spacebovine]

Hi all...great initiative taken with this whole project...congrats.

My question is in my capacity as a 3d animator. I was hoping to find some way of seeing the height data as some kind of greyscale data ie the higher a pixel is the lighter or darker it would be...if I could screen capture the Landsat visible view I would have my texture and I would then need some kind of height data. I realise that dem and usgs info is available out there but I can't quite get my head around how I can find the data for exactly what I am viewing in WorldWind.

Second option is being able to take the dds files in the cache and turn them into a dem or once again a greyscale image.

Thanks for your time

Originally posted by spacebovine@Apr 20 2005, 08:23 PM
Hi all...great initiative taken with this whole project...congrats.

My question is in my capacity as a 3d animator. I was hoping to find some way of seeing the height data as some kind of greyscale data ie the higher a pixel is the lighter or darker it would be...if I could screen capture the Landsat visible view I would have my texture and I would then need some kind of height data. I realise that dem and usgs info is available out there but I can't quite get my head around how I can find the data for exactly what I am viewing in WorldWind.

Second option is being able to take the dds files in the cache and turn them into a dem or once again a greyscale image.

Thanks for your time

Quoted post

The height data is in the STRM-directories and is in .bil-format.
Something like the following reads the .bil-type (I think, haven't tested it):

http://www.usgsquads.com/store/morei...obalMapper.htm

It's not free of course, and there's still the problem of determining the locations of the thousands of 45K .bil-files. There's undoubtedly some system in the naming of the files which you could ask for or just try to determine by using the download indicator in Worldwind (CTRL+H).

And when these problems are out of the way, you still have to connect the thousands of .bil files in something like GlobalMapper.

Perhaps it's a better idea to wait for the good developers of Worldwind to implement an alternative displaying method of the height maps

or maybe this can help a bit:

http://celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/earthbumpspec.php

[Matt Fox]

MicroDEM is a great program for viewing DEM files directly, and free.

http://www.usna.edu/Users/oceano/pgu...e/microdem.htm

Also, would highly recommend this website.

http://www.terrainmap.com/

Matt

[spacebovine]

Thanks guys....not quite what I need...but plenty of other resources to keep me busy while I wait.

Originally posted by spacebovine@Apr 20 2005, 08:23 PM
Hi all...great initiative taken with this whole project...congrats.

My question is in my capacity as a 3d animator. I was hoping to find some way of seeing the height data as some kind of greyscale data ie the higher a pixel is the lighter or darker it would be...if I could screen capture the Landsat visible view I would have my texture and I would then need some kind of height data. I realise that dem and usgs info is available out there but I can't quite get my head around how I can find the data for exactly what I am viewing in WorldWind.

Second option is being able to take the dds files in the cache and turn them into a dem or once again a greyscale image.

Thanks for your time

Quoted post

about the .bil files in cache - simply open them in your favourite image editor (e.g. photoshop) as raw, 16 bit, intel byte order, 150x150 pixel. 1 channel of course. voilÃÂ*, grayscale image. you might have to play around with the histogram if you don't see anything but black - it just means that the area you look at is rather flat.

but now I've got a question: How do I find the corresponding texture file in cache to my heightmap? I'd REALLY apppreciate if sb. shared this wisdom with me.

[5of0]

Originally posted by Ed von Schleck@Dec 1 2005, 04:33 AM
but now I've got a question: How do I find the corresponding texture file in cache to my heightmap? I'd REALLY apppreciate if sb. shared this wisdom with me.

Quoted post

If you want to know what file you're looking at, right-click on a imagery layer. Under "properties" there should be an option like "map filenames" or something. But I'm not sure if these are the same for elevation.

Originally posted by 5of0@Dec 1 2005, 09:45 AM
If you want to know what file you're looking at, right-click on a imagery layer. Under "properties" there should be an option like "map filenames" or something. But I'm not sure if these are the same for elevation.

Quoted post

Hm, I'm sorry, I can't find that option :huh:. Just to make sure we're talking about the same thing: You mean right click on, say, NTL LANDSAT in the Layer Manager, and then do properties. Well, I don't find anything like "map filennames", and that's no wonder, cause how should the layer manager know what I'm looking at? It's just properties of that layer ... and I can't find anything else that fits your description ... I get the feeling I'm not bright enough :unsure:
Could you please be more precise? I'd appreciate it!

[PSK]

Maybe the Colored_SRTM_elevation_data_add-on
is helpful to you.
or the Topographical_Earth Addon.

[m_k]

Originally posted by Ed von Schleck@Dec 3 2005, 01:22 AM
Hm, I'm sorry, I can't find that option

Quoted post

RenderTileFileNames - that's the option
(you need World Wind 1.3.3)