Global Mapper v25.0

Some very basic GM questions

jymbee
jymbee Global Mapper User
edited December 2007 in Technical Support
Just downloaded and started to look at GM, so please forgive what might seem like 101 type questions...

We do aerial photography and we're looking at additional ways to utilize our existing and new aerial imagery. Searched for "aerial photography" and even just "aerial" on the forum and didn't come up with much info.

Could someone just give me a broad overview of the applicability of GM to custom aerial imagery? For example, can one import and work with such images?

Also, I did download some maps, and overlaid some .gpx track files from recent flights. But I could not seem to figure out whether there's any way to identify individual points on a given track file. We need to reference the date/time stamp on the digital images with specific points in a track file. Is there any way to do this?

Thanks much for any/all input.

Jim

Comments

  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited December 2007
    Jim,

    Global Mapper can easily import aerial images using the File->Open Data File menu command. If the images do not have positioning information, you will be prompted to rectify the imagery by providing known control points. Once imagery is loaded, you can perform numerous operations on it, including reprojecting, blending, cropping, feathering, blending, merging, and much more.

    We have actually just completed some enhancements to allow using per-vertex time stamps for things like track logs from GPX files. You can now view all of the vertices of a line feature by selecting a feature with the Feature Info tool and pressing the Vertices button. This will allow you to see every vertex and the associated elevation and time stamp (if present). You will now also get time stamps in exported GPX files if possible.

    I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper9.zip with the changes for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v9.xx installation folder to give it a try.

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • jymbee
    jymbee Global Mapper User
    edited December 2007
    Mike,

    Thank you very much for the prompt reply-- and on Sunday no less!
    Global Mapper can easily import aerial images using the File->Open Data File menu command. If the images do not have positioning information, you will be prompted to rectify the imagery by providing known control points. Once imagery is loaded, you can perform numerous operations on it, including reprojecting, blending, cropping, feathering, blending, merging, and much more.

    Great. Although I never got that far with it, I believe OziExplorer has a similar functionality?
    ...
    We have actually just completed some enhancements to allow using per-vertex time stamps for things like track logs from GPX files. You can now view all of the vertices of a line feature by selecting a feature with the Feature Info tool and pressing the Vertices button.

    Sounds very interesting, However, I must be missing something. The zip had two executables. I ran the 9.01 and now Help --> About confirms I'm running 9.01. However, I'm not sure what you mean by the "Vertices button" ?

    When I click on a loaded .gpx file with the Feature Info tool, a "Feature Information" dialog box pops up, but where's the "Vertices button"
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited December 2007
    Yes, OziExplorer does have its own image rectification support, similar to what Global Mapper has.

    Make sure that your build date is today (Dec 23rd) in the build that you are running. You have to extract the global_mapper9.exe file from the global_mapper9.zip file into your existing Global Mapper 9 installation folder (likely "C:\Program Files\GlobalMapper9") to update your installation to have the Vertices button on the Feature Info dialog. The button should be between the "Delete" and "Copy to Clipboard" buttons on the bottom of the Feature Info dialog for line and area features.

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • jymbee
    jymbee Global Mapper User
    edited December 2007
    Make sure that your build date is today (Dec 23rd) in the build that you are running.

    Ok, not sure what I did wrong before, but I see it's working now.

    Considering this is a new feature, it's a great start. Couple of points...

    When you click the Vertices button, the Feature button remains open as blocks a good portion of the map.

    The Feature Vertex List dialog box, being modal and not re-sizable, limits things quite a bit. The last version of Garmin's Mapsource let you view track points in a .gpx file, and while it was re-sizable, it too was modal and you couldn't click anywhere else or pan/move the map e.g.

    Finally, when I click on a given point in the list, the map appears to jump a bit, but I don't see any clear indication as to exactly where that point lies on the track.

    Understand these are observations and not complaints-- especially considering you're actually responding and posting updates-- on Sunday even! :)

    And perhaps these are features that could be added at some future point?
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited December 2007
    Thank you for your suggestions. I have gone ahead and made the vertex dialog modeless so that you can more easily zoom and pan the map around. I would suggest turning on vertex display and zooming in quite a ways so that the vertexes are far enough apart so that it is obvious which vertex is selected when you recenter the map on it. The other changes can be considered for a future release.

    I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper9.zip with the change for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v9.xx installation folder to give it a try.

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • jymbee
    jymbee Global Mapper User
    edited December 2007
    I have gone ahead and made the vertex dialog modeless so that you can more easily zoom and pan the map around.

    Thanks, that works much better. With a dual monitor setup I could now drag the other, or both dialog boxes to a 2nd monitor and continue to work with the map.
    I would suggest turning on vertex display and zooming in quite a ways so that the vertexes are far enough apart so that it is obvious which vertex is selected when you recenter the map on it.

    Even zooming all the way I see no visual indication of which point is selected. I assume it's a point at or near the center of the current map, but...

    At this point I'm coming from programs with features that emphasize managing tracks as opposed to GIS functionality your program offers. But being selfish, I want both in one program! :)

    Another question about overall screen draw speed. When zooming in/out a level, the screen redraws quite slowly-- typically between 10 and 20 seconds from the highest resolution zoomed back one level. This compared to just a few seconds with other programs, also accessing the online Terraserver aerial maps. Are there possibilities from improvement in this area?
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited December 2007
    I have gone ahead and made a double-clicked on vertex be marked with a bullseye on the map so that you can easily see where it is. I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper9.zip with the change for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v9.xx installation folder to give it a try.

    Most of the TerraServer-USA draw time is spent just downloading the image tiles. The speed of this can vary tremendously as the server is sometimes pretty fast, but more often rather slow, bordering on un-usable. Note that Global Mapper will cache the downloaded tiles, so once you have retrieved a tile at a particular zoom level you should not have to re-download the tile the next time it is viewed. So as you work in a particular area the view will speed up a bit.

    Of course you will get much faster performance if you work with data files that you loaded off of your hard drive vs. data being streamed off of servers.

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • jymbee
    jymbee Global Mapper User
    edited December 2007
    I have gone ahead and made a double-clicked on vertex be marked with a bullseye on the map so that you can easily see where it is. I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper9.zip with the change for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v9.xx installation folder to give it a try.

    Ok, that works fine and helps a lot. One issue however is that clicking on the map to pan e.g. causes the bullseye to disappear.

    Often when we fly to/from specific aerial targets, we record images en route for stock purposes. Especially over unfamiliar areas it's all but impossible to identify where a shot of a great looking feature was taken. So we sync the track log to the digital image's date/time stamp to help. Even then it can be a bit tricky what with angle of view, different altitudes, and zoom lens factors. Usually we'd bring up such a bullseye, then check out different angles and map magnifications to narrow it down.

    But this great. I need to start working with the GIS aspects of the program to see what might be of use there. Unfortunately, I'm sure I'll be back with a number of questions with respect to that area as well. :)
  • Roger Edrinn
    Roger Edrinn Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited December 2007
    jymbee wrote: »
    Ok, that works fine and helps a lot. One issue however is that clicking on the map to pan e.g. causes the bullseye to disappear.
    Use the keyboard arrows to pan, much faster. Mike clued me in several questions ago.
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited December 2007
    Roger is right. Whenever the Feature Info tool is de-selected the vertex and feature dialogs go away, which also removes the highlight. What you need to do is just click on the main map window, then use the arrow keys and page up/down keys to pan and zoom in/out. If you have a middle mouse button (or clickable scroll wheel), you can also click and hold it to drag the map around while staying in the Feature Info tool and also scroll your mouse wheel to zoom in and out.

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com