Message Areas - "HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0"

Train-Sim.Com Message Areas

"HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0"

Email this topic to a friend
Printer-friendly version of this topic
Bookmark this topic (Registered users only)
Previous Topic | Next Topic Conferences MSTS Route Design (Protected) Original message
olivier101 (25 posts)
Oct-10-01, 07:39 PM (EST) "HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" This is a step-by-step HOWTO that explains how to generate terrain for a MSTS route from freely available DTED-level 0 data, in the hope it can spare someone the hair-pulling I went through. It worked for me for a part of France, but it doesn't mean it will work for every other region of the world (and it probably won't). I'm not even sure that I haven't made a mistake somewhere, because DTED-0 resolution is not enough to generate a recognizable terrain. DEM specialists, please correct me if I'm wrong...First you'll need:
-a MSTS route, generated as per instructions of the MSTS route geometry extractor help files
-the geo data tool named MicroDem (available from http://www.nadn.navy.mil/Users/oceano/pguth/website/microdem.htm)
-the ll2utm.exe utility (available from http://www2.chem.elte.hu/gigant_club/msts/)
-the DEM-Extractor utility (available from this site's file library, do a search...)
Here it goes:-I get my DTED data from the NIMA GeoSpatial engine (http://geoengine.nima.mil/). There are other sources of DTED-0 data, but this one is great because it lets you graphically select the region you want data for.
So, once you're there, zoom to the area of interest on the map (making sure your MSTS route is totally covered by the selected area), select the "Download/Order" tab. Under "DTED" make sure "Military specification" is selected as format, "Windows" as platform, then click on "Download". The egine starts to prepare your file. After a while, you'll be able to download it, it's a zip file named something like DTED0123456789.zip.
Save it somewhere, unzip it, you'll get a set of *.dt0 files (among others, but those are the interesting ones) in the "dted" subfolder -Using MicroDem->"In-Out"->"Merge"->"Merge DEMs", merge all *.dt0 files into a single DEM file, say terrain.DEM. -Since this DEM uses lat-lon coordinates, MicroDem refuses to export it directly to ASCII XYZ UTM, so export it to ASCII XYZ lat-lon using MicroDem->"In-Out"->"Export"->"ASCII XYZ, full DEM"->"lat-lon".
The result is a file, say terrain.LL.XYZ, about 10 times bigger than terrain.DEM, that looks like this:
48.000000 4.000000 170
48.008333 4.000000 163
48.016667 4.000000 149-Now use the ll2utm utility to convert this file to UTM, using the DOS command prompt: "ll2utm -d < terrain.LL.XYZ > terrain.UTM.XYZ"
The resulting file is about the same size as the previous one, but it looks like this:
574595.1 5316784.0 170
574583.1 5317710.2 163
574571.1 5318636.4 149-If you try to feed this file as-is to the Dem-Extractor utility, it will give you the following error message: "Invalid XYZ data format or order". For some reason, as I learned somewhere on this forum, the DEM needs to be "gridded" first, whatever that means.
Do the following:
* MicroDem->"In-Out"->"Import"->"ASCII XYZ", select terrain.UTM.XYZ.
* In the "ASCII XYZ import parameters", leave everything as-is, click OK.
* "Center long. for UTM zone", leave 0, OK.
* "Header" window, XY units, enter 100 for "X space" and 100 for "Y space", then OK
* "Verify X spacing", OK, "Verify Y spacing", OK
* "Header" window (again), click OK again
* MicroDem creates a huge file terrain.UTM.DEM (several Mb)
* still in MidroDem's "Data Manipulator" window (In-Out), select "Export"->"ASCII XYZ, full DEM"->"UTM"
* open for input the DEM just created (terrain.UTM.DEM)
* save as terrain-g.UTM.XYZ-Now you can use terrain-g.UTM.XYZ with DEM-Extractor!Granted, the generated terrain is neither smooth nor realistic, but it's a better work base than plain flat green tiles.All feedback is appreciated.Cheers,
Olivier
Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Table of Contents

Subject Author Message Date ID RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... zander Oct-11-01 1 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-11-01 2 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... olivier101 Oct-11-01 3 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-11-01 5 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... olivier101 Oct-11-01 4 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-11-01 6 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... olivier101 Oct-11-01 7 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-12-01 8 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... olivier101 Oct-12-01 9 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-12-01 10 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-12-01 11 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-12-01 12 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-12-01 13 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... olivier101 Oct-13-01 14 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-13-01 15 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Motley24Crue2 Oct-13-01 16 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... olivier101 Oct-14-01 17 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... C_130_Herc Nov-11-01 18 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... olivier101 Nov-11-01 19 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... C_130_Herc Nov-11-01 20 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Patvfr Nov-18-01 21 RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from... Patvfr Nov-18-01 22

Lobby | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic
Messages in this topic
zander (23 posts)
Oct-11-01, 05:04 AM (EST) 1. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" I used DTED-O datas for my mountain-Line through the Blackforest in Germany exactly as described. I extracted about 100 tiles with different highs between 150 and 1100 m.Then i prepared a marker file by aid of digitalised 1:50000 maps for rivers . Each marker with the real elevation information. Then i lyded tracks for the river with the corrected elevations .This was forming my terrain very well. Then i repeated the same proceder for my rail tracks and the main roades (alltimes markers with the exact elevation ) . Now my terrain is very realistic . I layed about 100km rail truck with elevations through the blackforest from 130 m up to 750 meters.cheers
jzander Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-11-01, 09:45 AM (EST) 2. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" hmm... im gonna have to try this (Working in the Philadelphia, Pa area) Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
olivier101 (25 posts)
Oct-11-01, 11:26 AM (EST) 3. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" I think that if you plan to generate terrain for a part of the USA, there is much better free DEM data than DTED-0.
The whole point of using DTED-0 is precisely that it's available in parts of the world where there is no better free source. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-11-01, 02:54 PM (EST) 5. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" ok.. where can i find a source for free dem for the usa?Bob Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
olivier101 (25 posts)
Oct-11-01, 11:32 AM (EST) 4. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" Right, a good marker file is essential...
I'm tying to think of a way to generate marker files automatically, but I haven't found any satisfying solution so far.
Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-11-01, 03:09 PM (EST) 6. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" ok what am i doing wrong here, im only getting 1 file in the zip, NIMADATA1002826126.zip ... and the file it self is the same with the Extension of *.tif Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
olivier101 (25 posts)
Oct-11-01, 05:43 PM (EST) 7. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" You probably clicked on the download button beside "Digital Orthorectified Imagery", you should click on the one just below it, beside "Digital Terrain Elevation Data"
Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-12-01, 00:11 AM (EST) 8. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" yeah i finally realized that ... my only problem is extracting it so it'll work in msts Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
olivier101 (25 posts)
Oct-12-01, 06:54 AM (EST) 9. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" OK, so where are you stuck now? Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-12-01, 05:58 PM (EST) 10. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" lol, stuck trying to convert using LL2utm Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-12-01, 06:03 PM (EST) 11. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" hehe nevermind, i think i figured it out ) Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-12-01, 06:44 PM (EST) 12. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" ok disregard the last message, for some reason i can not get it to convert, i guess im not getting the commands down right Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-12-01, 06:53 PM (EST) 13. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" pulling hair out now... C:\>LL2UTM.EXE -f|-d < terrain.ll.xyz > terrain.utm.xyz
File creation error
Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
olivier101 (25 posts)
Oct-13-01, 07:45 AM (EST) 14. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" Read more carefully.... The correct command is: ll2utm -d < terrain.LL.XYZ > terrain.UTM.XYZNOT:ll2utm -f|-d < terrain.LL.XYZ > terrain.UTM.XYZ"-f|-d" just means you can use either "-f" or "-d", but it must not be typed as is.
Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-13-01, 05:39 PM (EST) 15. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" hehe, sorry im getting over a cold "Must be getting to my head" Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Motley24Crue2 (126 posts)
Oct-13-01, 06:11 PM (EST) 16. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" what are other good sources that you know of for getting Data?Thanks
Bob Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
olivier101 (25 posts)
Oct-14-01, 10:39 AM (EST) 17. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" There's also the GIS data depot, http://www.gisdatadepot.com, and that's about it...
Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
C_130_Herc (18 posts)
Nov-11-01, 12:22 PM (EST) 18. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" just to let you know, your technique works fine with the UK DEM files from GISDataDepot, just tried it, not a single problem to be had, i think i will be using this technique in the future, due to the fact that this is the only one i've found that works! Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
olivier101 (25 posts)
Nov-11-01, 03:32 PM (EST) 19. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" Thanks, unfortunately we don't have as many options as our friends over the Atlantic... Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
C_130_Herc (18 posts)
Nov-11-01, 04:02 PM (EST) 20. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" tell me about it! they have all the "toys" while on this side of the pond, we have to scrape together what we can, *fingers crossed* one day we'll get some descent stuff over here too, when everyone else has got something 100x better!!! hehe Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Patvfr (7 posts)
Nov-18-01, 12:31 PM (EST) 21. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" Hello , Olivier 101,Have you received my message on your E-Mail ?Tanks to answer me . Bye ! Patvfr .Salut , Olivier 101 ,As tu reçu mon message sur ton E-mail ?Merci de me répondre . Salut ! Patvfr . Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Patvfr (7 posts)
Nov-18-01, 12:32 PM (EST) 22. "RE: HOWTO extract MSTS terrain from DTED-0" Hello , Olivier 101,Have you received my message on your E-Mail ?Tanks to answer me . Bye ! Patvfr .Salut , Olivier 101 ,As tu reçu mon message sur ton E-mail ?Merci de me répondre . Salut ! Patvfr . Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Lock | Archive | Remove

Lobby | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic