Exercise 1.4 - Navigating the Model (Plan and 3D)¶
Task¶
In this exercise, you will learn how to navigate in both plan and 3D views.
You will also learn how the program calculates the terrain grid (XYZ coordinates for the grid of a terrain layer).
This exercise assumes you have completed Exercise 1.3.
Solution Proposal¶
See our YouTube channel Construction by Volue for a quick walkthrough of the exercise.
Open Project¶
Start Gemini Terrain and switch to the project KO10 if the project menu shows a different project.
Open Drawing¶
In this exercise, we use drawing 001.
Select the drawing KO104001 Project Data in the project menu. Click Open.
Navigating in Plan View¶
It is easy to examine the drawing using the middle mouse button.
Point to point 1 and press the middle mouse button.
Move the cursor to point 2 while holding down the middle mouse button. The cursor changes to a magnifying glass and a dynamic rectangle, which is used to select the part of the drawing to zoom in on. Release the middle mouse button at point 2, and the selected part of the drawing will be enlarged to fit the entire screen.
Double-click the middle mouse button to show the entire map on the screen again.
A single click returns to the previous view (except when you have chosen to show everything with a double-click).
You can also zoom in and out by scrolling the middle mouse button.
To pan, press the middle mouse button and move the mouse slightly upwards first (an arrow next to the pan symbol indicates this). Alternatively, you can press and hold the left mouse button for a short moment until the pan symbol appears.
A drawing can also be presented as a 3D model at several levels of detail.
Navigating in 3D View¶
When the icon for Create/Switch to Plan View on the toolbar has a light blue background, you are in plan view. You can create or switch to 3D view whenever you wish.
Click the icon for Create/Switch to 3D View on the toolbar.
Activate the icon for Use Perspective Rendering on the toolbar if the model is viewed from above.
Enable Show Terrain Grid (G) in the quick menu for the application layer.
Double-click the middle mouse button to show the entire model on the screen.
Note
The black lines for the terrain box are activated by going to Drawing Settings and checking Show Area with Color and Show Area with Box in 3D.
Press the left mouse button to bring up the orbit mode symbol:
Hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to rotate the model. If you want to look more closely at a specific object, left-click near it.
Hold down the middle mouse button and move the mouse pointer to move up and down. The left mouse button also switches to this function if you hold the mouse still and hold down the left mouse button for a while.
Double-click the middle mouse button to show the entire model on the screen again.
Now, position yourself in the model by pointing to the spot you want to look at and the spot you want to stand in.
Click the icon for Enter Target Point and Camera Position on the toolbar.
Point to point 1 and press the left mouse button to mark the target point.
Move the cursor to point 2 and press the left mouse button to mark the camera position.
Note
If you right-click after moving the mouse pointer to point 2, a dialog with fields for coordinates (XYZ) appears. You can enter values manually in the dialog.
Terrain Grid¶
You can set the density of the terrain grid yourself (for both calculation and display on the screen). High density is important for various calculations, mass calculation, and profile generation. For 3D visualization, lower density is sufficient.
The grid density will be illustrated in 3D view.
Switch to 3D view.
Click the icon Drawing Settings... on the toolbar.
Enter 1 in the field for Grid Density (m).
Click OK.
The terrain is illustrated (green grid) with higher density.
Set the density back to 5 and click OK.
You are now back to the same presentation as when you opened the drawing.
Switch to plan view.
You can also control the size of the terrain model area. After importing a digital map, the program will by default suggest a terrain model area that covers all the data. If the total model is large, you can select a smaller area and thus move more quickly around the 3D model.
Click Drawing Settings... on the toolbar.
Check Show Area with Color.
Click Locate...
Point to point 1 and press the left mouse button. Release the left mouse button, move the cursor to point 2, and press the left mouse button again.
You have now set a smaller size for the terrain model area in the drawing, which is the area where the program calculates the terrain grid. The terrain model area is marked with a rectangle.
Click OK in the dialog.
Switch to 3D view and see the effect of the changed terrain model area in 3D view.
Go to Drawing Settings... again, select Use Project Standard, and then click OK. The terrain model area is now reset to how it was immediately after importing the map data.
You have now finished the exercise and can either continue with the next exercise or exit the program.
Closing the Drawing¶
- Select File - Close.
- Answer Yes to save the drawing.
This closes the window and opens the project menu.
Exiting the Program¶
- Select File - Exit.
- Answer Yes to save.
This closes the project and exits the program.