Geoconvert tool in June?

  • Given some of the comments so far here and on steam, how about a simplified tutorial that skips the manual TFW option and could even skip the coastline/water masking for mainly inland areas - or link to it as n optional extra. Also i found i can navigate around the world in FSET without needing co-ords, just by drag and zoom, so skip that bit too. Then its just a case of

    1. Install SDK

    2. Install FSET and latest ini

    3. Download Geoconvert

    4. Run FSET, set output directory and other config, find the area you want and download it

    5. Run geoconvert

    • Official Post

    The posted tutorial is detailed enough. There are some sections that clearly show as optional, so if you don't want to perform those extra steps then you don't have to. Just follow it from the top and work you way down, you will realize that the entire process is very easy.

    IPACS Development Team Member

    I'm just a cook, I don't own the restaurant.
    On behalf of Torsten, Marc, and the rest of the IPACS team, we would all like to thank you for your continued support.

    Regards,

    Jeff

  • The posted tutorial is detailed enough. There are some sections that clearly show as optional, so if you don't want to perform those extra steps then you don't have to. Just follow it from the top and work you way down, you will realize that the entire process if very easy.

    I agree, it's not that complicated in any way, the tutorial is very well made. The only thing I'm missing is the link to download the optional inf2tfwConverter.exe file, and of course the geoconvert tool itself, but I can imagine will be uploaded when ready, hopefully soon. I'm anxious to try it.

    One more question: Will be included in the tutorial -in simple steps- how to add a runway over a recently created airport photo scenery?. This would help a lot to people like me with no previous experience in using this type of programs.

    Thanks for the hard work.

    Cheers, Ed

    • Official Post

    I agree, it's not that complicated in any way, the tutorial is very well made. The only thing I'm missing is the link to download the optional inf2tfwConverter.exe file, and of course the geoconvert tool itself, but I can imagine will be uploaded when ready, hopefully soon. I'm anxious to try it.

    One more question: Will be included in the tutorial -in simple steps- how to add a runway over a recently created airport photo scenery?. This would help a lot to people like me with no previous experience in using this type of programs.

    Thanks for the hard work.

    Cheers, Ed

    I'll add the link to the inf2tfw converter once the GeoConvert tool releases.

    Yes, Part 2/3 of the tutorial will be for adding runways, approach/runway lighting, defining the airports on the map, and access to the IPACS model library.

    IPACS Development Team Member

    I'm just a cook, I don't own the restaurant.
    On behalf of Torsten, Marc, and the rest of the IPACS team, we would all like to thank you for your continued support.

    Regards,

    Jeff

  • I agree, it's not that complicated in any way, the tutorial is very well made. ...

    Many thanks for that, Ed! :)

    The tutorial is meant for beginners to follow step by step.
    For advanced users, this is the short version:

    1. FS Earth Tiles (FSET): Please note the copyright information of the Earth Web Services!

    Use FSET to move to your desired place and create your area.
    I suggest to enter straight coordinates directly into the FSET window, so there is no need for any coordinate conversion.


    2. Modify the config-region.tmc

    As you can see, I entered straight coordinates again, inside of the original FSET area.
    Advantages: No need for any coordinate conversion.
    I can seamlessly add adjacent areas with this method.

    3. Run the aerofly FS 2 Geoconvert process.

    Ok, short enough.
    Perhaps Jeff can add this to the wiki as 'short version for advanced users' .

    Hope you enjoy the tool (once it is published ;) ).

    Rodeo

  • Thanks Rodeo. The original documentation is excellent but I also like the look of the simplified version. Whenever I write technical training materials for something new I start with a simple exercise they can follow with no extras so they can get from start to end as quickly as possible and see a finished result asap. If there are two ways of doing something I show just one. If something is optional I leave it out. The original documentation is excellent and suitable for those who are confident diving into the unknown, but for those who's eyes glaze over quickly (I have lots of clients like that) I think your short version will be a great way in.

    Just some questions about levels if I may. I thought at first these were like flight levels, but they're FSET levels I see and bigger means more detailed. Hmm, actually quite a few questions:

    1. Can you get away with doing super detail on everything and just load in a single level for an area?
    2. Does that create performance problems at higher altitudes?
    3. How does FS2 decide to switch from using one level of detail to another? Do the levels equate to an altitude threshold?
    4. In practice I imagined I would download an area at a single level of detail (as I already have), then geoconvert it and use it. Then I might download an adjacent area or a more detailed part within the existing area and geoconvert that. Will that cause a problem? Should I gather all tiles at different levels that are in a certain area and convert them as a batch, redoing the whole thing if I want to add another level of detail within that area?

    Thanks for this great contribution

    Phil

  • Thanks for the tutorial.:thumbup:

    It is based on FS Earth Tiles (FSET).

    As mentioned earlier, I have some high resolution aerial photographs that are not retrieved from the net using FSET.

    That means I do not have the coordinates for the upper left corner and the lower right corner. On some of the aerial photos, it is difficult to find the coordinates, because they are far offshore (see illustration).

    However, it's easy to pick out the exact coordinates of landmarks in Google Maps (see illustration).

    If I pick out two such coordinates as shown in the illustration - will the entire aerial photo come with - or will the area above and below the coordinates be "cut" away (omitted)?

    I hope you understand the question. :)

  • Hi colleagues,

    let me start with Hartman first, since I have done the same calculation before.

    If you use the landmark coordinates for the TMC frame, the outer area will be cut away.

    To avoid this we have to calculate the extension of your whole image (and we still have to find out the 'real' resolution').

    Measure a distance along a horizontal line between 2 landmarks and note both coordinates as well.

    Do the same along a vertical line between 2 landmarks.

    Find the position in your image and note the pixel counts.

    Now we can calculate the x resolution per pixel and the y resolution per pixel.

    In many cases they are not equal. But with these values we can estimate the coordinate for any pixel position.

    This is not 100 percent, but enough for a first shot.


    Phil,

    these are already very detailed questions of an expert, I will try to answer them.

    If you have an aerial image of high resolution, you will run the full level set of levels in your configuration TMC.

    Example: Your image is FSET 0, resolution 0.5m, please edit the configuration TMC from level 9 to 14.

    Geoconvert will create your scenery area in different LODs.

    So aerofly decides, which level it will display (probably as a pure function of altitude, but I do not know this exactly).

    Other example: I downloaded low res images FSET 4, 4minutes/Pixel resolution.
    I only ran geoconvert for level 9 and 11. It doesn't make sense, to create a higher LOD without having a better image.

    So the maximum display quality in all altitudes is level 11.

    Btw, I was impressed by these low res images in aerofly. They look so much better than the default and you can cover large areas, e.g. entire Iceland!

    Small high res image in larger low res area:

    If you want to add an airport with higher quality imagery, save an image with FSET 0, resolution 0.5m.

    You may convert it for all levels, so it replaces the existing image tiles just in this area.

    Something more for you expert:

    Having high res images downloaded you can do a fast conversion for level 9, 11. See the result immediately in aerofly.

    You can geoconvert the same image later again specifying only the higher levels 12-14 and add these tiles.

    If you plan to add adjacent areas, please specify your TMC frame with straight coordinates as I have shown above with the yellow frame.

    I do this now even for full degrees, this makes it so easy to attach the neighboring area.

    So many possibilities, it's fun to experiment with.

    Rodeo

  • Thanks Rodeo. Much appreciated as ever. I realise now that the different level entries in the TMC are a specification for what Geoconvert should create from the same source imagery. I had thought that I should (or had the option to) be doing multiple downloads at multiple levels of detail and then each entry in the TMC corresponded to a particular download source which Geoconvert would convert and merge.

  • This is something you can compute if your photo is already an orthophoto.

    I'd use an MS Excel sheet to compute X and Y resolutions and compute the coordinates of any point accordingly.

    If the picture is not corrected as an orthophoto, it's more complicated...

    Cheers

    Antoine

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    • Official Post

    Hey Jeff,

    it must be very early morning for you right now! :sleeping:

    I've been monitoring the forums from 7:45am Thursday to 2:20am Friday this round :)

    IPACS Development Team Member

    I'm just a cook, I don't own the restaurant.
    On behalf of Torsten, Marc, and the rest of the IPACS team, we would all like to thank you for your continued support.

    Regards,

    Jeff

  • So, the big question. Geoconvert in June and for the w/e? Germany only has 5.5 hours of June left. The US has a bit more but is Jeff in charge of the release?

    Put us out of our misery Jeff - ain't gonna happen?

    • Official Post

    A very big reason why we don't provide release dates :)

    Keep in mind that even though this thread states "GeoConvert Tool in June?" doesn't mean that we are committed to it. I didn't create this thread. Now, on the good side of this, we are now testing out a potential release candidate right now, so the tool should be in everyone's hands very soon.

    Please let us just finish up on the testing and make some last minute fixes/changes as we want a quality product released to all of you.

    IPACS Development Team Member

    I'm just a cook, I don't own the restaurant.
    On behalf of Torsten, Marc, and the rest of the IPACS team, we would all like to thank you for your continued support.

    Regards,

    Jeff

  • A very big reason why we don't provide release dates :)

    Keep in mind that even though this thread states "GeoConvert Tool in June?" doesn't mean that we are committed to it. I didn't create this thread. Now, on the good side of this, we are now testing out a potential release candidate right now, so the tool should be in everyone's hands very soon.

    Please let us just finish up on the testing and make some last minute fixes/changes as we want a quality product released to all of you.

    Just to comment that when I initiated this thread days ago I was simple asking if the Geoconvert tool would be released during June, just that. I understand well the hard work being done by the developers and that they want to release a bug-free product. Take your time and make us even happier with a consistent version to work with!.

    Thanks again to all of you for the hard work!.

    Cheers, Ed

  • A very big reason why we don't provide release dates :)

    Keep in mind that even though this thread states "GeoConvert Tool in June?" doesn't mean that we are committed to it. I didn't create this thread. Now, on the good side of this, we are now testing out a potential release candidate right now, so the tool should be in everyone's hands very soon.

    Please let us just finish up on the testing and make some last minute fixes/changes as we want a quality product released to all of you.

    The number of responses you provide just to calm the impatient amongst us, like me. IPACS should give you a medal. Well we do appreciate it too Jeff.