Breaking lines in Ground2k4

[gary20]

Hi all

Does anyone know of a way to break a line in Ground2k4 or even if it's possible.

For example if I've drawn a line following a coastline and want to break it at a centre point to make two lines - can it be done ??

Thanx all

Gary

[SdC]

It will be with my tool...otherwise it requires a LOT of handediting of the lwm file....

[gary20]

Thanx SDC

Is this the tool you were discussing in the other thread ???
I'm really looking forward to it :greenf:

Cheers

Gary

[rhumbaflappy]

Hi Gary.


Until SdC completes his tool, you can split lines with Ground2K4 version 5.3... Unfortunately, that version doesn't support CFS2.

But you can change the LWM file version with Edgar Knobloch's utility, split the line, then reconvert the LWM file to CFS2. I think that would work. ( BACK UP your files to a different directory first ).

It's the "Ground2k Project File Converter V1.1", and is found at AVSIM.

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fs2004sd&DLID=53142

It's a bit of messing around, but you can make 2 copies of the convertor, in 2 separate folders, each with their own INI file... and then place appropriately named shortcuts for drag'n'drop operation. :mix-smi: CFS2_2_FS9 and FS9_2_CFS2


Dick

[gary20]

Once again thankyou Rhumba

You are one heck of a guy :icon29: :icon29:

Off to try it out now.

Cheers

Gary

[crashaz]

Since we are discussing features... how about the ability to copy say a line and instead of it being a LWM poly we can change it to a VTP1 line? Sure would make doing coastlines much easier.

[SdC]

Since we are discussing features... how about the ability to copy say a line and instead of it being a LWM poly we can change it to a VTP1 line? Sure would make doing coastlines much easier.
Hi Crashaz,
What I have operational so far is a tool that:
-opens a ground2k sourcefile (doesn't have to contain any lines/poly's)
-scans the background bitmap and automatically traces around WHITE area (land)
-gives you the option to create Land With Coastline, Water With Coastline, Just Coast.
-Saves a new ground2k sourcefile containing the auto-generated lines/poly's, that you can open in ground2k to edit/compile.


Things to do before release:
-optimize the trace routines (requires a bit more "intelligence" than I anticipated to make it fool-proof, right now the trace still gets stuck at sharp angles)
-module that traces Roads/rivers/railways (easy if the point above is solved)
-module to add breaks in (coast-)lines
-click-and-trace user interface (right now, I work with a text-file to tell the app where to start tracing)

So, implicitely your wish will become true. All you'll need in future is a couple of bitmaps of the area (1 for coasts, and 1 for each linetype you want to use), and a blank ground2k project to start with.

[rhumbaflappy]

Hi crashaz.

Ground2K4 ( latest version ) allows duplicating lines, moving them, etc.

If you start the project as CFS2 in G2K ( version4 ), then transfer to G2K4, with Edgar's utility, lines appear to remain as VTP1, and will remain so when you switch back to G2K... you just can't compile while in G2K4.

I actually perfer making water polys with G2K4 ( latest version ) as there is some optimization for LWM areafills while compiling. Those water polys can then be transformed to CFS2 water with another Edgar Knobloch utility.

Dick

[gary20]

Hi Guys

Heres something I want to throw out there .............

I've been busy working away making geographically correct Ground2k4 maps from Rhumba's earlier suggested method using DGWarp.

I've got quite the production line set up and it's all proving to be extremely accurate.
I download the MSN maps and created a mosaic in Paint Shop Pro - I've calculated a grid for PSP so all I have to do is line up the msn bitmaps with the grid (easy as putting boxes together and really a quick and efficient way) and I end up with a very accurate bitmap mosaic.

Then I convert them to a geograpically correct map using DGWarp and after a little bit of math using the methods Rhumba explained I've got co-ordinates for a very accurate and geographically correct Ground2k4 bitmap.

I'm re-doing the UK (yet again !!!) and have covered an area from just north of London to the English Channel and from the Isle of White to the east coast near Manston.
With SDC's new tool we could draw the coastlines and rivers with ease and anything extra could be added through Ground2k4.
The result would be geographically correct and extremely accurate land, rivers and coastlines for the UK. With a good mesh underneath it all the end result is really quite amazing .................

Is there any interest ???

Cheers

Gary

[SdC]

Yep, that's the idea. While you're plodding away at the reprojection, I'm getting the tool ready. Couldn't be happier :icon29:
This could definately bring yet another lease of life to cfs2....

[gary20]

Ooooooooooooh - now thats exciting :icon29: :icon29:

[perisher]

Uaohhh

is the tools i was dreaming for making philippine coastlines


release ASAP

cheers

perisher

[crashaz]

Hehehe rgr that Luca.. that will be the ultimate test. Coastlines galore!:costumes:

[gary20]

Just an update for you ....

I started the maps from scratch yet again - the last set were proving to large and were overloading Ground2k4 ..... so back to the beginning :crybaby:

Anyhow - I've got it all just right now so I've been busy plugging away.

I've got four maps now completed covering a huge chunk of SE England from well north of London to the Channel and along the coast from Brighton to the east coast past Manston.

I'm happy with these ones - they're bang on and Ground2k4 seems to be able to handle the size very well. :)

I'd have got more done, but I tried uploading some mesh to SOH today and got into a thing with it.
Should easily double that number of maps tomorrow.

I reckon it's possible I'll have all of Southern England done by this week.

Hows the new tool comming along SDC ???
Not as much of a wrestle I hope.

Cheers

Gary

[SdC]

Hmmm still working on the trace algorithm. As soon as thats ready the tool can be used for production. I find it a bit difficult to do programming work at home in +30 celcius however.....
As far as image size is concerned; in ground2k i find 4000x4000 the maximum size that doesn't crash ground2k. For a single lod8 this is very accurate.

[SdC]

Right now I'm checking whether this raster2vector conversion utility is the way to go:
http://www.raster-vector.com/download/ras2vec.exe

[SdC]

Yes, this works great; very accurate!
MAJOR BREAKTROUGH

[gary20]

Hi SDC

Sounds intriguing - the raster2vector conversion utility looks pretty neat - I see the payware version is $100 though - can the shareware version do what you need ???

I've been keeping the maps pretty close to 4000 X 4000, but they're not all perfect squares or LOD 8 sets - It just depends on how the Land is and where it goes - but typically smaller than 7X7 MSN maps seems to fit.
Try downloading a set - you'll see what I mean.
I want to keep them in some kind of sequential order so I work slowly across the UK adjusting the size and location of the map to make it all fit.

To keep picture quality you've got to work with larger files 'till the last then converting to 256/8 colors at the end - seems to work well and is important as there is some degredation in DGWarp, but the finished maps are quite acceptable if you're careful in your order and the overall size can be kept to a minimum for Ground2k4..

All trial and error - although I wish you or someone had mentioned the size and Ground2k4 previously - hee heee.

Cheers

Gary

[SdC]

Roger.
The only limitation in the shareware version I have found so far is it can only batch-process 3 images, so it's very well usable :) and a neat little program with a decent UI.
I've got the mappoint 2004 program installed, and know the ms maps quite well. They are usable for this process, need quite a bit of work to get nice clean bitmaps for processing; there's no way that I know of to get rid of the tags... Also resizing images may make them more "fuzzy" than raster-vector can handle; these are things that need to be tested. A first test with LWMViewer exports was very succesful.
I now have all components, just need to tie it all up.

[gary20]

Sounds fantastic SDC


Starting to get excited with this .........

[rhumbaflappy]

Hi fellas.

Ground2K can handle maps of a larger size if you reduce your screen display properties to 16-bit from the default 32-bit. It's caused by a bug in the Visual Basic code Christian used.

Another trick would be to make a desktop shortcut for G2K, and right-click to get to the Properties... go to the Compatibility tab, and check 256 colors.

Dick

[gary20]

Thanx Rhumba

Works a treat :-)
Cheers

Gary

[gary20]

Hi SDC

Got a couple more maps done tonight - that makes 6 that are assembled, converted to geographic and co-ordinates for Ground2k4 worked out.

Pretty much all the way to the Isle of White now - just about half way for all of southern England.

I could probably start sending these to you if you wanted to play with them - I figured I'd send the converted bitmap and the ground2k4 .lwm file ....

Lemme know ...............

Anyhow - enough for tonight

Later

Gary

[SdC]

Hi Gary,
II was thinking of perfecting the procedure first before starting on the UK. However, it won't hurt if you dump your files in my sharepoint server already, that way we can both keep track of the progress :)
-Sander

[SdC]

Hmmm.... just found out there's a 15x use limit on Raster2vector shareware edition....
Time for some registry hacking.

[SdC]

Bad news about this program: the shareware version does indeed stop working after starting it 15 times.
Good news: I found a freeware alternative here:
http://www.softsoft.net/wintopo/index-free.htm
But I still have to start testing it.

[gary20]

Hi SDC

I thought being shareware there might be some limitation - oh well back to the drawing board - hee hee

I'm just experimenting with Slartibartfast by Jim Kier. Dont think it'll be very accurate though - it draws coastlines to the mesh AND it's soooooooo sloooooooow :mad:

I didnt keep the details for your sharepoint server - could you PM me with them again ...

Cheers

Gary

[SdC]

Unfortunately the freeware WinTopo seems to do a lousy job of the coastlines.

[SdC]

...Slartibartfast by Jim Kier....
That doesn't support vtp1 lines though, does it?

[gary20]

Hi SDC

No Slarti doesnt support VTP1 - I was converting the finished .bgs with Edgar Knobloch's CFS2 Conv utility.
The theory was fine, but the coastlines are all over the place and theres still a need for some hand editing, plus Slarti has a limit on the number of VTP points it draws - so no good either.

Well - might just have to draw them the old fashioned way.

Cheers

Gary

[SdC]

..........
Well - might just have to draw them the old fashioned way.
..
NO! That will NOT be necessery.

[crashaz]

Ah the drama in here! I keep going from ecstatic to morose to ecstatic!:costumes:

[gary20]

Haaaaaaaaaa Haaaaaaaaaaaaa

I know the feeling Crash :costumes:

[SdC]

Man, this turned out to be a lot of work.
And the end is always in sight........
Well, all I seem to have left now is a resolution issue.
My program works well with fs9 lwm exports at 1000pixel per cell resolution. I was hoping for twice that, but the good news is that it takes fewer sub-projects to cover a large area.
This shows the problem that occurs at 2000pix per cell.
(=2x2 LOD8's for 4000x4000 bitmap)http://combatfs.homeip.net/cfs2files/close.gif

[gary20]

Looks intriguing SDC

Good things usually are hard work :)

Cheers

Gary