Creating image tiles with Global Mapper

[Matt Fox]

Just noticed that next build of Global Mapper will include support for creating WW tiles and XML file automatically. You can get beta at the GM forums if you want to try it out. I just tried it and works great. But I have a couple problems I'm hoping someone can help me with. I loaded a map into Global Mapper, which created all the tiles and the following XML file.

I just drop the XML file into my Config/Earth folder and the map shows up in WW. But I want to put the tiles on a web server. Shouldn't I be able to just change the path in the Permanent Directory to where I uploaded the tiles (http://www.fox-fam.com/WW/LosAngeles1928/)?? Or is that not possible??

Also, the map is not draped along the terrain. Instead it is about 2,000 feet above the terrain. It still follows the terrain, just way above it. Any idea why that's happening?



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<LayerSet Name="Los Angeles 1928" ShowOnlyOneLayer="false" ShowAtStartup="true" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="LayerSet. xsd">
<QuadTileSet ShowAtStartup="true">
<Name>Los Angeles 1928</Name>
<DistanceAboveSurface>0</DistanceAboveSurface>
<BoundingBox>
<North><Value>34.18945312500000000</Value></North>
<South><Value>33.92578125000000000</Value></South>
<West><Value>-118.38867187500000000</Value></West>
<East><Value>-118.12500000000000000</Value></East>
</BoundingBox>
<Opacity>255</Opacity>
<TerrainMapped>true</TerrainMapped>
<RenderStruts>true</RenderStruts>
<ImageAccessor>
<LevelZeroTileSizeDegrees>0.087890625000 00000</LevelZeroTileSizeDegrees>
<NumberLevels>5</NumberLevels>
<TextureSizePixels>512</TextureSizePixels>
<ImageFileExtension>jpg</ImageFileExtension>
<PermanentDirectory>D:\Maps\WW\LosAngele s1928\</PermanentDirectory>
</ImageAccessor>
<TransparentMinValue>0</TransparentMinValue>
<TransparentMaxValue>20</TransparentMaxValue>
</QuadTileSet>
</LayerSet>

[TomServo]

Hrm.. strange. *downloads the beta to try* Not sure, the XML looks right. Try changing to this: <DistanceAboveSurface>100</DistanceAboveSurface>

And see if anything happens.

[James_In_Utah]

Maybe it's the Vertical Exaggeration. Try setting it to 1. Is the map uploaded to that link?
Thanks,
James

Please check that terrain elevation value in "position Information" for that particular locality is correct.

I have had a case (Johannesburg) where image is located at correct elevation but "ground" is some 250m below and the only way to fix this has been to put a negative distance above ground.

However this causes all lot of problems when you change vertical exageration coefficient.

I have not been able to replicate this anywhere else

I have been helping Mike developing the WW export. If you have any questions you can find me on the irc

[withak]

I just drop the XML file into my Config/Earth folder and the map shows up in WW. But I want to put the tiles on a web server. Shouldn't I be able to just change the path in the Permanent Directory to where I uploaded the tiles (http://www.fox-fam.com/WW/LosAngeles1928/)?? Or is that not possible??

I don't think you can do that at the moment. If you want to serve tiles then you need a tile server like this.

I'm not sure why the images appear so high above the terrain; I'll look at it.

[withak]

Can you post an example of the elevation problem to test (xml + just a few tiles)?

[withak]

Someone who know php could probably make a simple script that goes in the tile folder alongside the /0, /1, /2, etc. folders to serve tiles. Then instead of PermanentDirectory in your xml you could have WW treat it like any other tile server, with the url being something like http://www.fox-fam.com/WW/LosAngeles...tileserver.php. It would just have to take level, row, and col numbers from the url and return the right tile from the tree. It would only need to handle one data set.

That python script could do it with a modification or two if your server does python.

[Matt Fox]

Originally Posted by withak

Can you post an example of the elevation problem to test (xml + just a few tiles)?

Thanks for the tips. I still havent been able to figure out why the map is floating above the surface. here is the xml file and couple layers of tiles (3 megs). If anyone wants to have a go at it.

http://www.fox-fam.com/temp/LosAngeles1928.zip

Matt

[Matt Fox]

Originally Posted by withak

I don't think you can do that at the moment. If you want to serve tiles then you need a tile server like this.

Thanks for confirming that. At least I know it's not something I'm doing wrong. Seems like it would be easy enough for WWW to substitute a url for a local folder, but I guess nothing is ever as easy as it seems

Setting up a tile server is still a little over my head so I guess I'll have just have to keep waiting for another answer, or just upload the entire tileset which people would then have to store locally. But that's not really an option with a lot of the maps due to the size (some of them would be 2+ GB).

[bull]

Cool, I was going to try GM on your stuff myself, we can probably put your files up on our servers, maybe Maurizion could do it, may be easier than me asking Nowak