Exporting to a 3D Metafile (3DMF)

Transcription

1 Exporting to a 3D Metafile (3DMF) File Type: 3D Metafile (3DMF) Directions: 3DMF<-MF Details: Note: The 3DMF translator is not part of the standard MFworks translator suite. To order the 3DMF translator module contact: sales@thinkspace.com The 3DMF translator will generate three types of 3D Metafiles: a wire frame, a wire frame draped with facets coloured by the input file, and a wire frame draped with facets coloured by a different input file. You can specify a vertical exaggeration for the z component of the input elevation file. You can also specify a sampling rate to reduce the size of the 3D Metafile. The input file is typically a DEM (Digital Elevation Model), but can be any continuous data set such as precipitation, surface temperature, population density, and so on. 3D Metafiles can be read by a variety of 3D viewing applications. They are an excellent way to visualize the terrain of your map layers. On Macintosh computers, you must have QuickTime 3D installed on your computer to view 3D Metafiles. TR-3MF-1

2 Exporting to a 3D Metafile (3DMF) Export Dialog Using the translator dialog box interface Using the dialog box interface to create or edit scripts Wire Frame Click on the Wire frame radio button to export your input map layer as a grid frame vector file. This option produces the smallest file size available for the 3D Metafile. When you view a wire frame file with a 3D viewer you will see a greyscale, triangular mesh wire frame. Drape Map Colours The Drape map colours option will export the 3D Metafile with facets draped over a wire frame. The facets are coloured based on the colours of the cells in the input map layer. Drape Colours From The Drape colours from option will export the 3D Metafile with facets draped over a wire frame. The facets are coloured based on the colours of a map layer that you specify with the map pop-up menu below this option. Z Scale Factor The Z scale factor is used to specify a vertical exaggeration for the elevation component (z value) of the input map layer. The exaggeration is calculated by dividing the z value by the cell resolution of the input map layer then multiplying by the value specified in the Z scale factor field. TR-3MF-2

3 Sampling rate 3D Metafiles can be very large, particularly if you are draping colours over the wire frame. To reduce the file size, set a sampling rate so that every nth row and column is sampled. A sampling rate of 2 will use every other row and column. Export Syntax Syntax and type conventions Using the Script window interface Using the dialog box interface to create or edit scripts ExportMap map To output file Using 3D MetaFile [WireFrame UseMapColours DrapeColoursFrom map] ZScaleFactor value SamplingFactor value; WireFrame Use the WireFrame modifier to export your input map layer as a grid frame vector file. This modifier produces the smallest file size available for the 3D Metafile. When you view a wire frame file with a 3D viewer you will see a greyscale, triangular mesh wire frame. UseMapColours The UseMapColours modifier will export the 3D Metafile with facets draped over a wire frame. The facets are coloured based on the colours of the cells in the input map layer. DrapeColoursFrom map The DrapeColoursFrom map modifier will export the 3D Metafile with facets draped over a wire frame. The facets are coloured based on the colours of a map layer that you specify. ZScaleFactor value The ZScaleFactor value modifier is used to specify a vertical exaggeration value for the elevation component (z value) of the input map layer. The exaggeration is calculated by dividing the z value by the cell resolution of the input map layer then multiplying by the value specified with the ZScaleFactor value modifier. SamplingFactor value 3D Metafiles can be very large, particularly if you are draping colours over the wire frame. To reduce the file size set a sampling factor so that every nth row and column is sampled. A sampling rate of 2 will use every other row and column. TR-3MF-3

4 Export Example Exporting a Wire Frame 3D Metafile A DEM (Digital Elevation Model) of your study area gives you a way to analyze the terrain; however, the DEM does not give you a true three dimensional view of the terrain: The 3DMF translator allows you to export your map layers to a 3D Metafile format that can be viewed, rotated, and manipulated by 3D visualization applications. The wire frame 3D Metafile is the smallest file of this format. It allows you to view the shape of the terrain as a wire mesh with no colour or other information draped over it. To export your map layers to a wire frame 3D Metafile format, open the map layer, then select Export Map from the File menu. This will open the standard save file dialog box. Specify a location and file name. Be sure to include the.3dmf extension at the end of your file name: Click on Save to open the Export Map as 3DMF dialog box. When the Export Map as 3DMF dialog box opens, click on the Wire frame radio button. Specify a vertical exaggeration with the Z scale factor field. You TR-3MF-4

5 may have to experiment with this value to achieve the results you are seeking. If you have a large input map layer, specify a Sampling rate other than 1 to reduce the file size. Click on OK to generate a 3D Metafile: When the translator completes it execution, open the 3D Metafile in your 3D viewer application. This screen shot was made from the standard Macintosh application SimpleText which can view 3D Metafiles if you have QuickTime 3D installed on your computer: TR-3MF-5

6 Exporting a Colour Draped 3D Metafile A DEM (Digital Elevation Model) of your study area gives you a way to analyze the terrain; however, the DEM does not give you a true three dimensional view of the terrain: You can colour your 3D Metafile in two ways. The first is to assign a colour sequence to your input DEM map layer; the second is to specify an alternate map layer to be used to drape over the wire frame. For this example, a blue to red colour sequence has been applied to the input DEM map layer: The 3DMF translator allows you to export your DEMs to a 3D Metafile format that can be viewed, rotated, and manipulated by 3D visualization applications. The coloured 3D Metafile allows you to view the shape of the terrain as a wire mesh with colour applied to the facets. This gives a solid appearance to the terrain with a colour scheme that is related to the z value. To export your DEMs to a coloured 3D Metafile format, open the map layer, then select Export Map from the File menu. This will open the standard TR-3MF-6

7 save file dialog box. Specify a location and file name. Be sure to include the.3dmf extension at the end of your file name: Click on Save to open the Export Map as 3DMF dialog box. When the Export Map as 3DMF dialog box opens, click on the Drape map colours radio button. Specify a vertical exaggeration with the Z scale factor field. You may have to experiment with this value to achieve the results you are seeking. If you have a large input map layer, specify a Sampling rate other than 1 to reduce the file size. Click on OK to generate a 3D Metafile: When the translator completes it execution, open the 3D Metafile in your 3D viewer application. This screen shot was made from the standard TR-3MF-7

8 Macintosh application SimpleText which can view 3D Metafiles if you have QuickTime 3D installed on your computer: Exporting a Map Draped 3D Metafile A DEM (Digital Elevation Model) of your study area gives you a way to analyze the terrain; however, the DEM does not give you a true three dimensional view of the terrain: You can colour your 3D Metafile in two ways. The first is to assign a colour sequence to your input DEM map layer; the second is to specify an alternate map layer to be used to drape over the wire frame. For this example, a scan of an airphoto of the orchard that corresponds to the DEM will be draped TR-3MF-8

9 over the 3D Metafile. You can drape any map layer that has the same coverage, orientation, and cell resolution as the DEM: The 3DMF translator allows you to export your DEMs to a 3D Metafile format that can be viewed, rotated, and manipulated by 3D visualization applications. The draped 3D Metafile allows you to view the shape of the terrain as a wire mesh with colour or themes applied to the facets. This gives a solid appearance to the terrain with a thematic drape. To export your DEMs to a draped 3D Metafile format, open the map layer, then select Export Map from the File menu. This will open the standard save file dialog box. Specify a location and file name. Be sure to include the.3dmf extension at the end of your file name: Click on Save to open the Export Map as 3DMF dialog box. When the Export Map as 3DMF dialog box opens, click on the Drape colours from radio button. Specify a vertical exaggeration with the Z scale factor field. You may have to experiment with this value to achieve the results you are TR-3MF-9

10 seeking. If you have a large input map layer, specify a Sampling rate other than 1 to reduce the file size. Click on OK to generate a 3D Metafile: When the translator completes it execution, open the 3D Metafile in your 3D viewer application. This screen shot was made from the standard Macintosh application SimpleText which can view 3D Metafiles if you have QuickTime 3D installed on your computer: Error Messages /Error, the z scale number must be a positive, non-zero value. Specify a value greater than zero for the Z scale factor. You can specify floating point values. Values less than 1 will result in negative exaggeration. TR-3MF-10

11 Error, the sampling factor is out of range. The factor must be greater than zero and less than the total number of rows or columns. Use the sampling factor to sample every nth row and column; this reduces the size of the data set for the 3D Metafile. Error, the data of the elevation map layer have no units. Specify elevation units in the Data Units pop-up menu in the Information window for this map layer. Error, the cell resolution, orientation, or coverage of the specified map layer does not match the elevation map layer. Use a drape map layer with the same cell resolution, orientation, and coverage (same number of rows and columns) as the elevation map layer. The cell resolution and orientation parameters are set in the Information window. Use the Subscene or Respace operations to change the coverage or dimensions of the two map layers. TR-3MF-11