quick terrain modeler 800 user's manual.pdf

Quick Terrain ModelerVersion 8 User's Manual

Applied Imagery

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While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, the publisher and the author assume noresponsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of information contained in this document or fromthe use of programs and source code that may accompany it. In no event shall the publisher and the author be liable for any lossof profit or any other commercial damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this document.

Printed: 2013 in the USA.

Quick Terrain Modeler User's Manual

Copyright 2013 Applied Imagery LLC

Quick Terrain Modeler User's ManualI

www.appliedimagery.com

Table of Contents

Part I What's New in v8.0 2

Part II Getting Started 6

................................................................................................................................... 61 Hardware Suggestions

................................................................................................................................... 62 Quick Terrain Modeler Keys & Licensing

................................................................................................................................... 113 Visualizing the Sample Model

................................................................................................................................... 114 Navigating Through the Model

Part III Screen Layout, Buttons, Layer Tree, StatusBar 14

................................................................................................................................... 141 Quick Terrain Modeler Screen Orientation

................................................................................................................................... 142 Layer Tree

.......................................................................................................................................................... 16Special Overlays

......................................................................................................................................................... 17Virtual Shadow Map

.......................................................................................................................................................... 18Workspace

......................................................................................................................................................... 20Workspace - Share with QT Reader

......................................................................................................................................................... 20Workspace File Format

.......................................................................................................................................................... 21Bookmarks

......................................................................................................................................................... 22Annotation Layer for Bookmarks

......................................................................................................................................................... 24Annotation Settings

......................................................................................................................................................... 24Annotation Text

................................................................................................................................... 243 Quick Terrain Modeler Button Bar

................................................................................................................................... 284 Configure Toolbar

................................................................................................................................... 295 Quick Terrain Modeler Hot Keys and Shortcuts

................................................................................................................................... 306 Configure Status Bar

Part IV Menu - File 32

................................................................................................................................... 321 Preview Geospatial Data

................................................................................................................................... 342 Open Model

................................................................................................................................... 343 Add Models

................................................................................................................................... 344 Add Models with Offset

................................................................................................................................... 355 Opening Quick Terrain Modeler from External Applications

................................................................................................................................... 356 Coordinate Converter Utility

................................................................................................................................... 377 Model Search

................................................................................................................................... 398 Search Cache

................................................................................................................................... 409 Save Models

................................................................................................................................... 4010 Remove Models

................................................................................................................................... 4011 Clear All Models

IIContents

II

................................................................................................................................... 4012 Load List

................................................................................................................................... 4013 Batch Scripting

.......................................................................................................................................................... 41Scripting - Add Action

.......................................................................................................................................................... 42Scripting - Edit, Insert, Remove Actions

.......................................................................................................................................................... 42Scripting - Running Scripts

.......................................................................................................................................................... 42Scripting - Log File

.......................................................................................................................................................... 43Scripting - Script File

................................................................................................................................... 4314 Options/Settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 43Always Copy QTA Data Files

.......................................................................................................................................................... 43Add Normals When Importing Point Clouds

.......................................................................................................................................................... 43Auto Reset View on Model Load

.......................................................................................................................................................... 43Convert DTEDs to UTM

.......................................................................................................................................................... 44Memory Management Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 44Show Toolbar

.......................................................................................................................................................... 44Show Progress Bar

.......................................................................................................................................................... 44Go Fullscreen

.......................................................................................................................................................... 45Set Screensize

.......................................................................................................................................................... 45GeoTIFF Export Setup

.......................................................................................................................................................... 45KML Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 45LAS File Open Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 46Mensuration Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 46Set QTM Display Units

.......................................................................................................................................................... 46Open QT Files Directory

.......................................................................................................................................................... 47Set QT Temp Directory

.......................................................................................................................................................... 47Set QTM Registered File Types

................................................................................................................................... 4815 Exit

Part V Menu - Edit 50

................................................................................................................................... 501 Editing Overview

................................................................................................................................... 502 Selection Areas

.......................................................................................................................................................... 50Select

.......................................................................................................................................................... 51Z Select vs. Screen Select

.......................................................................................................................................................... 51Select Area

................................................................................................................................... 523 Selection Area Importing and Exporting

.......................................................................................................................................................... 52Save Selection to KML

.......................................................................................................................................................... 52Import Selection from KML

.......................................................................................................................................................... 52Import Selection from Shapefile

.......................................................................................................................................................... 52Save Selection to ASCII

.......................................................................................................................................................... 53Save Selection as Shapefile

................................................................................................................................... 534 Selection Area - Tools for Editing

.......................................................................................................................................................... 53Selection Area Editing Tools

.......................................................................................................................................................... 54Cut

.......................................................................................................................................................... 54Crop

.......................................................................................................................................................... 55Visible Points Functions

.......................................................................................................................................................... 55Smooth Area

.......................................................................................................................................................... 55Flatten Area

.......................................................................................................................................................... 56Undo Last Cut/Crop

.......................................................................................................................................................... 56Temporary Cut and Crop

................................................................................................................................... 575 Convert Model

................................................................................................................................... 586 Match Model Altitudes

Quick Terrain Modeler User's ManualIII


................................................................................................................................... 597 Merge Models

................................................................................................................................... 608 Repair DEMs

................................................................................................................................... 619 Subtract Models

................................................................................................................................... 6210 Edit Model Text

................................................................................................................................... 6211 Rename Models

................................................................................................................................... 6212 Georegister Model

................................................................................................................................... 6413 Set Model Position

................................................................................................................................... 6414 Add Normals to Surface Models

................................................................................................................................... 6415 Remove Normals from Surface Model

Part VI Menu - Import 67

................................................................................................................................... 671 Model Overview

.......................................................................................................................................................... 67QTA Attribute Table

.......................................................................................................................................................... 68Proxy Mode

................................................................................................................................... 692 Import Model Data

.......................................................................................................................................................... 70Batch Import

.......................................................................................................................................................... 71Compressed Data

.......................................................................................................................................................... 71Import - Processing Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 72Import - Color by Density

.......................................................................................................................................................... 73Import - Gridding Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 74Import - Allow Rotated Grid

.......................................................................................................................................................... 74Import - Decimation Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 75Import - Gridding and Triangulation Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 81Import - Geo-Registration

.......................................................................................................................................................... 83Import - ASCII Format

......................................................................................................................................................... 84Import - Intensity

......................................................................................................................................................... 84Import - RGB

......................................................................................................................................................... 85Import - Alpha

.......................................................................................................................................................... 85Import - LAS

.......................................................................................................................................................... 86LAS Quick Open

................................................................................................................................... 863 Re-Import Model Data

................................................................................................................................... 874 Import Vector Data

................................................................................................................................... 885 Import Merged GeoTIFF DEMs

Part VII Menu - Export 90

................................................................................................................................... 901 Export Models

.......................................................................................................................................................... 91Export LAS

.......................................................................................................................................................... 91Export to Compressed LAS (LAZ)

.......................................................................................................................................................... 92Export GeoTIFF 32-Bit DEM

.......................................................................................................................................................... 92Export ASCII XYZIA

.......................................................................................................................................................... 92Export ASCII XYZRGBA

.......................................................................................................................................................... 92Export AutoCAD DXF

.......................................................................................................................................................... 92Export ESRI ASCII ZGrid

.......................................................................................................................................................... 93Export ESRI Shape File

................................................................................................................................... 932 Export Model Image(s)

................................................................................................................................... 943 ASCII Export Setup

IVContents

IV

................................................................................................................................... 944 GeoTIFF Export Setup

................................................................................................................................... 955 Override Georegistration

................................................................................................................................... 966 Movies

.......................................................................................................................................................... 96Record QMV Movie

.......................................................................................................................................................... 97Play QMV Movie

.......................................................................................................................................................... 97Create AVI from QMV Movie

.......................................................................................................................................................... 98Create AVI from Line

................................................................................................................................... 997 PowerPoint Tool

................................................................................................................................... 1008 Render Screen to Registered Image

................................................................................................................................... 1019 Render Screen to TIF

................................................................................................................................... 10210 Export Screen to Garmin GPS

................................................................................................................................... 10311 Render Selection Area to GPS

................................................................................................................................... 10512 Create KML Index

................................................................................................................................... 10713 Export Outline to KML

................................................................................................................................... 10814 Save Extents to KML

................................................................................................................................... 10815 KML Options

................................................................................................................................... 10916 GPX Export Options

Part VIII Menu - Textures 112

................................................................................................................................... 1121 Overlaying Textures: Overview

................................................................................................................................... 1142 2D Only Mode

................................................................................................................................... 1143 Overlay Texture (Orthorectified)

................................................................................................................................... 1174 Overlay Texture (Orthographic)

................................................................................................................................... 1175 Overlay Texture (Projective)

................................................................................................................................... 1186 Overlay Unregistered Texture

................................................................................................................................... 1187 GeoTIFF Image Search Tool

................................................................................................................................... 1208 Edit Texture (Orthorectified)

................................................................................................................................... 1209 Image Registration

................................................................................................................................... 12210 Remove Texture

................................................................................................................................... 12311 Sample Active Textures Into Vertex Colors

................................................................................................................................... 12412 Configure Height Coloration

Part IX Menu - Analysis 127

................................................................................................................................... 1271 About Vertex Colors

................................................................................................................................... 1272 Analysis Tools (Vertex Colors)

.......................................................................................................................................................... 127Change Detection Map

.......................................................................................................................................................... 128HLZ Map

.......................................................................................................................................................... 131Add Shadow Map to Model

.......................................................................................................................................................... 131Add Slope Image to Model

.......................................................................................................................................................... 132Vertex Colors from File

.......................................................................................................................................................... 133Copy Intensity into Alpha

.......................................................................................................................................................... 133Save Vertex Colors

.......................................................................................................................................................... 133Remove Vertex Colors from Model

Quick Terrain Modeler User's ManualV


.......................................................................................................................................................... 134Remove Vertex Alphas From Model

................................................................................................................................... 1343 QTA Attribute Analysis

.......................................................................................................................................................... 134Quick Color Maps

.......................................................................................................................................................... 135Color by QTA Attribute

.......................................................................................................................................................... 136QTA Continuous Attribute Filtering (Advanced)

.......................................................................................................................................................... 138QTA Continuous Attribute Filtering

.......................................................................................................................................................... 139QTA Discrete Attribute Filtering (Advanced)

.......................................................................................................................................................... 140QTA Discrete Attribute Filtering

.......................................................................................................................................................... 141QTA Multivariate Filtering

.......................................................................................................................................................... 142Assign QTA Attributes

.......................................................................................................................................................... 143Rename QTA Attribute

................................................................................................................................... 1434 Visibility Analysis

.......................................................................................................................................................... 143Line of Sight Map

......................................................................................................................................................... 145Omnidirectional LOS

......................................................................................................................................................... 148Directional LOS

......................................................................................................................................................... 149Sensor View LOS

......................................................................................................................................................... 150Vector LOS

.......................................................................................................................................................... 151Virtual Line of Sight from Marker

.......................................................................................................................................................... 154Virtual Line of Sight from Line

.......................................................................................................................................................... 156Travel Route Line of Sight

.......................................................................................................................................................... 158Point to Point Line of Sight

.......................................................................................................................................................... 159Terrain Mask

................................................................................................................................... 1595 Grid Statistics

.......................................................................................................................................................... 160Grid Stats-Define Grid

.......................................................................................................................................................... 160Grid Stats-Select variable

.......................................................................................................................................................... 161Grid Stats-Calculate

.......................................................................................................................................................... 162Grid Stats-Visualization Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 163Grid Stats - Blank Palette

.......................................................................................................................................................... 164Grid Stats-Act Upon Data

.......................................................................................................................................................... 165Grid Stats-Configuration Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 165Grid Stats - Model Comparison

................................................................................................................................... 1656 Generate Grid Lines

................................................................................................................................... 1687 Generate Contour Lines

................................................................................................................................... 1698 Generate Outline

................................................................................................................................... 1709 Generate Range Rings

................................................................................................................................... 17110 Import Mensuration from KML

................................................................................................................................... 17211 Import Mensuration from Shapefile

................................................................................................................................... 17212 Save Mensuration as KML

................................................................................................................................... 17213 Save Mensuration as Shapefile

................................................................................................................................... 17214 Point Query Utility

................................................................................................................................... 17415 AGL Analyst

.......................................................................................................................................................... 175AGL - Ground Estimate

.......................................................................................................................................................... 176AGL - Visualization

.......................................................................................................................................................... 177AGL - Exploitation

.......................................................................................................................................................... 178AGL - Export Products

................................................................................................................................... 17916 Area Statistics

................................................................................................................................... 17917 Find Highest Point in Area

................................................................................................................................... 17918 Model Manager

VIContents

VI

................................................................................................................................... 18019 Model Statistics

................................................................................................................................... 18120 Volume Calculations

................................................................................................................................... 18121 Filtering

.......................................................................................................................................................... 182Set Alpha Filtering

.......................................................................................................................................................... 182Set Change Detection Filtering

.......................................................................................................................................................... 182Set Clipping Plane

.......................................................................................................................................................... 183QTA Continuous Filtering

.......................................................................................................................................................... 184Clear All Filters

................................................................................................................................... 18422 Set Water Level

Part X Menu - Display 188

................................................................................................................................... 1881 Display - Show/Hide

.......................................................................................................................................................... 188Show/Hide Models

.......................................................................................................................................................... 188Show/Hide Textures

.......................................................................................................................................................... 189Use Height Coloration

.......................................................................................................................................................... 189Hide Markers

................................................................................................................................... 1892 Display - Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 189Use Compressed Normals

.......................................................................................................................................................... 189Shiny Terrain

.......................................................................................................................................................... 189Smooth Normals

.......................................................................................................................................................... 189Show Wireframe

.......................................................................................................................................................... 189Stereo Display Settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 190Show XYZ Axes

.......................................................................................................................................................... 190Show Compass

.......................................................................................................................................................... 191Show Crosshairs

.......................................................................................................................................................... 191Show Haze

.......................................................................................................................................................... 191Show Legend

.......................................................................................................................................................... 191Show Light

.......................................................................................................................................................... 192Show Minimap

.......................................................................................................................................................... 193Show Model Names/Outlines

.......................................................................................................................................................... 193Show Sky

.......................................................................................................................................................... 193Set Display Units

................................................................................................................................... 1943 Display - Settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 194Cloud Point Settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 195DisplaySettingsMensurationOptions

.......................................................................................................................................................... 196Set Background Color

.......................................................................................................................................................... 196Set Haze Distance

.......................................................................................................................................................... 196Set Height Scale

.......................................................................................................................................................... 197Set Lighting

.......................................................................................................................................................... 197Set Vector Line Size

................................................................................................................................... 1984 Layer Opacity Control

................................................................................................................................... 1995 Set Base Model Color

................................................................................................................................... 1996 Status Bar Options

................................................................................................................................... 2007 Toggle Clouds/Surface

................................................................................................................................... 2008 Autocolor Model

................................................................................................................................... 2009 Configure Vector Models

................................................................................................................................... 20110 Remove Model Colors

................................................................................................................................... 20111 Layer Transparency

Quick Terrain Modeler User's ManualVII


Part XI Menu - Control 204

................................................................................................................................... 2041 Edit Camera Settings

................................................................................................................................... 2042 Face Center

................................................................................................................................... 2043 Go to Point

................................................................................................................................... 2064 Point to Point Viewing

................................................................................................................................... 2075 Reset Viewer

................................................................................................................................... 2086 Control Mode

.......................................................................................................................................................... 208Constant Altitude

.......................................................................................................................................................... 208Flight Mode

.......................................................................................................................................................... 208Model Mode

.......................................................................................................................................................... 209Terrain Following

.......................................................................................................................................................... 209Targeted Point

.......................................................................................................................................................... 209Enforce Collisions

.......................................................................................................................................................... 209Independent Rotation

.......................................................................................................................................................... 209Orbit Mode

.......................................................................................................................................................... 209Google Earth Style Zoom

.......................................................................................................................................................... 210Synchronize Google Earth

................................................................................................................................... 2107 Display Mode

.......................................................................................................................................................... 210Display Mode 2D

.......................................................................................................................................................... 210Display Mode 3D

................................................................................................................................... 2108 Control - Options

.......................................................................................................................................................... 210Set Framerate

.......................................................................................................................................................... 211Set Moving Speed

................................................................................................................................... 2119 Load View/Position

................................................................................................................................... 21110 Save View/Position

Part XII Menu - Markers 213

................................................................................................................................... 2131 Place Marker

................................................................................................................................... 2132 Create Marker

................................................................................................................................... 2133 Create at Point

................................................................................................................................... 2154 Edit Marker

................................................................................................................................... 2155 Marker - Sensor Model

................................................................................................................................... 2166 Import Markers

.......................................................................................................................................................... 217Load Marker

.......................................................................................................................................................... 217Markers - Import from ASCII File

.......................................................................................................................................................... 218Markers - Import from CSV File

.......................................................................................................................................................... 219Import Marker from KML

.......................................................................................................................................................... 219Markers - Import from SHP File

................................................................................................................................... 2197 Export Markers

.......................................................................................................................................................... 219Export Marker to KML

.......................................................................................................................................................... 220Save Markers

................................................................................................................................... 2208 Remove Markers

................................................................................................................................... 2219 Hide All Markers

................................................................................................................................... 22110 Inspect Markers

VIIIContents

VIII

................................................................................................................................... 22311 Show/Hide Markers

................................................................................................................................... 22412 Edit Route

................................................................................................................................... 22813 Export Mission

................................................................................................................................... 22814 Save Mission

................................................................................................................................... 22815 Load Mission

................................................................................................................................... 22816 Marker Options

................................................................................................................................... 23017 Marker Options Individual

................................................................................................................................... 23018 Markers - Billboards

................................................................................................................................... 23119 Marker Point and Click

Part XIII Measurement Line and Associated Tools 233

................................................................................................................................... 2341 Place Measurement Line

................................................................................................................................... 2352 Edit Measurement Line

................................................................................................................................... 2363 Recover Measurement Line

................................................................................................................................... 2364 Measurement Line Display Preferences

................................................................................................................................... 2375 Profile Analysis Tool

.......................................................................................................................................................... 239Profile Buffer Settings

.......................................................................................................................................................... 240Profile Y Axis Attribute Selection

.......................................................................................................................................................... 240Profile Display Points vs Lines

.......................................................................................................................................................... 241Profile Color Scheme

.......................................................................................................................................................... 241Profile Cursor Position Display

.......................................................................................................................................................... 242Profile Model List

.......................................................................................................................................................... 243Profile Outline Area in 3D

.......................................................................................................................................................... 243Profile Mask to Area in 3D

.......................................................................................................................................................... 243Profile Push Buffer to Selection

.......................................................................................................................................................... 243Profile Mark Cursor in 3D

.......................................................................................................................................................... 243Profile Zooming Tools

.......................................................................................................................................................... 243Profile Force Proportional Scaling

.......................................................................................................................................................... 244Profile Measurement Tool

.......................................................................................................................................................... 244Profile Configure Appearance

.......................................................................................................................................................... 245Profile PowerPoint Export

................................................................................................................................... 2456 Profile Editing Tools

.......................................................................................................................................................... 246Profile Edit Select Area

.......................................................................................................................................................... 246Profile Edit Select Points

.......................................................................................................................................................... 246Profile Edit Unselect Points

.......................................................................................................................................................... 246Profile Edit Hide Points 3D

.......................................................................................................................................................... 247Profile Edit Highlight Points 3D

.......................................................................................................................................................... 247Profile Edit Operate on Points

................................................................................................................................... 2487 Travel Route Analysis Tool

................................................................................................................................... 2538 Cross Section Tool

................................................................................................................................... 2549 Measurement Vector Info

................................................................................................................................... 25510 Measurement Endpoint Info

................................................................................................................................... 25511 Vector Annotation

................................................................................................................................... 25712 Point Interrogation Utility

Quick Terrain Modeler User's ManualIX


Part XIV Applied Imagery Contact Information 260

Index 261

Quick Terrain Modeler

Version 8

Part

I

Quick Terrain Modeler User's Manual2


1 What's New in v8.0

Applied Imagery is constantly improving our Quick Terrain Modeler and Quick Terrain Reader software byadding new tools, optimizing existing tools, and eliminating bugs. Our best ideas come from you - our users. We appreciate your feedback and will continuously strive to make a better product. Keep the good ideascoming. Below you will find a list of our latest releases and associated upgrades. If you have any questions,please contact us:

Technical Support: [email protected] Information: [email protected]

What’s New for Quick Terrain Modeler Version 8.0 (February 2013)We are finally rolling the Quick Terrain Modeler version number forward to v8.0! Our decision was based ona combination of new features in v8.0 and a refinement of significant capabilities we have introduced withlittle fanfare the past few releases (e.g., coordinate conversion, virtual tools running on the graphics card,route planning tools, etc.). Version 8.0 is, in some ways, a return to basics. In addition to a sleeker newlook, we have revisited one of our most fundamental tools – measurement lines and their associatedprofiles – and come up with a handful of powerful new analysis and editing tools that are easier, faster, andmore capable than ever. Here is a brief overview:

Measurement Line Upgrades: Profiles, Travel Routes, Cross Sections, and MoreThe measurement line has become simple to edit and the profile has morphed into 4 new tools:

Measurement Line Editing: Double click on measurement lines to interactively add/delete/movenodes. Measurement lines can be instantly converted to routes (Right click on ActiveMensuration Line in Layer Tree, Choose “Create QT Route”) (Learn More)Profile Analysis Tool: The profile now offers dozens of way to look at point cloud profiles, isolateand interrogate points in the profile, correlate them to the 3D point cloud view, and then operateon them (set color, hide, delete, set classification, etc.). These tools will be useful not only in thescientific and remote sensing communities, but also in the defense tactical community for slicingthrough point clouds and spotting objects in areas of dense foliage. (Right click on ActiveMensuration Line in Layer Tree, Choose “Profile Analysis Tool”) (below, left). (Learn More)

Travel Route Analysis Tool (above, right): This is a specialized profile view of a measurement lineor route that includes tools such as buffer settings, cross/down track slope analysis,instantaneous (i.e., “virtual”) line of sight analysis as the traveler moves down the route, and in-profile measurement tools to measure travel route slopes and obstructions to mobility. (Rightclick on Active Mensuration Line in Layer Tree, Choose “Travel Route Analysis Tool”). (LearnMore)

mailto:[email protected]


What's New in v8.0 3

Cross Section Tool: Easily and interactively create cross sections and parallel profiles. See thecross sections in the 3D scene before finalizing exports. Mask to just the cross sections in the 3Dscene. (Right click on Active Mensuration Line in Layer Tree, Choose “Cross Section Tool”) (Below,left). (Learn More)

Point to Point Line of Sight (above, right): A fusion of the old point to point line of sight andpoint to point viewing tools that makes it very easy to “become” one marker and look at anothermarker. The visualization of the terrain profile in between is now optional. (Analysis Menu >Visibility Analysis > Point to Point Line of Sight) (Learn More)

Route Planning and Exporting to GarminFor the tactical community, route planning is very important. Routes can now be created directly from themeasurement line as noted above. Color imagery can now be sent directly to Garmin GPS devices (as aCustom Map) by placing a selection area, then choosing “Render Selection Area to Garmin”. QT Modeler willdo all the heavy lifting of tiling the image into smaller pieces, grooming into Garmin format, setting draworder, etc. (Texture Menu > Render Selection Area to Garmin, or from the GPS button in the tacticaltoolbar) (shown below). (Learn More)

Miscellaneous:Licensing

Eliminated the automatic fallback of Flex licenses to the Sentinel dongle in the USA version. Thiscapability is still available, but requires the user to interact with the .INI file which is in the QTModeler program files directory (filename = QTDefaults.ini if QTM has never ben run) or in theuser directory (QTViewer.ini if QTM has been installed and run at least once).

Coordinate System handling



Added auto-handler for Vertical Datum differences. Note that: This assumes that you can correctfor a vertical datum difference with a simple, global z offset and it doesn't actually convert thesource file, so for some purposes (file export) the z values will stay in the original CS.Updated to latest libPROJ4Updated to latest GDAL Fixed EGM96 datum file to fix half-pixel offset.Fixed issue where "export to GEOTIFF DEM" and Model->Export->"GDAL GEOTIFF DEM" didn'thonor CS overrides.The standard window that pops up to warn you when you are loading incompatible data nowincludes vertical CS info. It also now contains some explanation text.

Miscellaneous Enhancements & TweaksPlacing Markers when you have large models and lots of Markers already loaded should besnappier.Updated PDAL librariesUpdated GDAL libraries to 1.9.2.Better handler in AGL Analyst for sampling Z from user-provided Bare Earth models.Added options to layer tree context menus to "Move Item in List", "Up", "Down", "Top","Bottom". This will impact draw order for textures. I.e., users can now move 2D overlaid texturesup/down the list to designate which texture should be on top. Added ability to export multiple vectors to single KML/SHP from Vector Manager.Sped up cut/crop operations – particularly on very large models. Attempted to make QTAhistogram recalculation faster - should speed up Cut/Crop.Mensuration & Vector Lines pushed to the vector list (layer tree) will be given unique names.Sped up routine for updating point cloud LOD after changing colors/filters/etc.QTM is smarter about how many significant figures to use in legend and gridstat histogramsImport to QTC now defaults to white when intensity channel is missing.Updated to new Profiler functionality in point to point line of sightTweaked bias settings and altered depth buffer sampling algorithm to achieve better results withVirtual Line of Sight on point clouds.Coordinate Converter Utility: You can now still access the full Coordinate Converter utility evenwhen no models are loaded.Added optional toolbar buttons for "Discrete QTA Analysis" and "Continuous QTA Analysis"Should now honor Visual Styles in newer versions of WindowsAdded POINT and SURFACE subfolders to the Models folder:

Clicking on the POINT folder selects all point models and deselects all surface modelsClicking on the SURFACE folder does the opposite

"Import Error Log.txt" file now created in QT Temp directory rather than user file directory.Updated QT Modeler and QT Reader Splash Screen IconsSetting File association Defaults: QT Modeler and QT Reader now support auto-registration of filetypes. Use "File"->"Options"->"Set Registered File Types" to alter which file extensions QTconsiders its own and registers with Windows on startup.Updated to new zip library to support workspaces greater than 2 gig.Added HGT Files (SRTM HGT Format) to "Open Models" extension list.Now supports LAS VLR’s with ULEM data (will not work with ULEM, but will append ULEM data toexported LAS files)


Version 8

Part

II



2 Getting Started

2.1 Hardware Suggestions

Quick Terrain Modeler will run on a very wide range of PC hardware. While there are a few basicrequirements, most of the hardware guidance below is in the form of suggestions. The hardwarecomponents to consider are:

Hardware Component Requirement Recommendation

Operating SystemWindows (XP, Vista, or Win7, 32-bit or 64-bit)

Windows 7 64-bit. 64-bit OS canload more memory, thus enableexploitation of larger data sets.

Video Card Discrete Graphics with OpenGL 3.3+ Support *

NVIDIA or ATI with OpenGL 3.3+support, 1GB+ video memory. Optional quad buffered stereo for3D stereo display output.

Memory (RAM) 2 GB8GB - 16GB+. More is better,especially when working with verylarge point clouds and/or DEM's.

Storage 10 GB (must have enough to writevery large temp files)

100GB+ available storage.

Screen N/A

More pixels = better. Full HD(1920 x 1080 pixels) userexperience is better than at lowerresolution.

CPU N/AMulti-core (dual or quad)optimizes QTM's multithreadingcapabilities.

* Note: New Intel HD4000 graphics have moderate OpenGL support, but advanced QTM functions such asVirtual Shadows, Virtual Line of Sight, etc. require still more advanced capability.

2.2 Quick Terrain Modeler Keys & Licensing

Quick Terrain Modeler has 4 license options: 1. Node Lock: This type of license is locked to an individual PC by the use of a software key.2. Portable (Dongle-based): This type of license allows the software to be installed on multiple PC's,

but only be operated on the one in which the hardware key is physically installed.3. Floating (Dongle-Based): This is similar to the portable license, but users can access available

hardware keys via a network. The license key does not have to be physically plugged into the PC,although it must be plugged in somewhere on the network. Please note that the floating licenseaccessibility is limited to one subnet of a network.

4. Floating (FlexNet License Server Based - No Dongle)

Getting Started 7

Getting Started with a Node Lock License (Software Key Code)Once the Quick Terrain Modeler is loaded onto you PC, run the program. If this is the first time you areusing it, a screen will appear asking you for a name and a key. If Applied Imagery has already issued you akey, please enter these exactly as they were given to you. If not, click "OK" on this screen and the QuickTerrain Modeler will display your hardware fingerprint. Your hardware fingerprint will be a group of eightnumbers and letters that look something like this: 1A2B-3C4D.

If you do not have a key, please send an email to:

[email protected]

Please include the following information:

Version of Quick Terrain Modeler (This should appear on your screen when you start the Quick TerrainModeler)NameCompany or Organization NameAddress Phone Number

Applied Imagery will send you a key via email. When you receive the key, please restart the Quick TerrainModeler and enter the name and key information exactly as they appear in the Applied Imagery email. You will only need to do this once, as the key will be stored for all future uses.

Getting Started With Portable and Floating Licenses (Sentinel Dongle License Key)A hardware key is an external physical key (also known as a "dongle" - see image below) that plugs into aUSB or parallel port on the PC. A hardware key allows the user to install the Quick Terrain Modeler onany number of PC's, but only permits one simultaneous use. Applied Imagery uses SafeNet SentinelSuperPro hardware keys. Since the Sentinel drivers look for the key "outside" of the PC (i.e., either on theUSB port or the local network), users must ensure that their firewall and/or security software permits thiscommunication to occur.

Install the Quick Terrain Modeler. You must also install the Sentinel key drivers. Please be sure that theSentinel key is NOT installed when installing the Sentinel key drivers. Once both packages are installed,simply plug your hardware key into your PC, start the Quick Terrain Modeler and begin using thesoftware.

Notes:

Please be sure to remove your Sentinel key from the USB or parallel port prior to installing the newdrivers.

After installing the new drivers, please allow your system to reboot prior to using the Quick TerrainModeler again.

Sometimes Quick Terrain Modeler may lose contact with the Sentinel hardware key. Users may get themessage "Aborting, Cannot Find Sentinel Hardware Key!". If this is the case, please ensure that ahardware key is plugged in locally (Portable Version or Floating Version) or is available on the network(Floating Version only). If the key is plugged in, simply click the retry button (see window below). If this




does not solve the problem, you may need to restart the Sentinel driver. This can be done one of twoways:

1. When prompted with "Attempt to Restart Sentinel Driver?" (see window below), choose "Yes". Thiswill restart the Sentinel driver and Quick Terrain Modeler should recognize the key.

2. If you have an older Quick Terrain Modeler version, please go to your PC's Control Panel, then clickon "Administrative Tools", then click on "Services". You will see the "Sentinel Protection Server" asone of the services. Make sure its status is "Started". If Sentinel Protection Server is Started and youstill have no connectivity to the key, highlight Sentinel Protection Server on the list, right click withyour mouse, and choose "Restart" from the menu. This should fix the problem. If it does not, pleasecontact Applied Imagery at [email protected].

3. The default mode for the Quick Terrain Modeler floating license is to first look on the local machineUSB port. If the key is not available there, the next step is to broadcast a request for the Sentinelkey on the local subnet of the network. If a key is available, QTM will use it, regardless of the IPAddress location of the available key. If no key is available, QTM will indicate a failure to find alicense, then prompt the user for an IP address. Enter a specific IP address in the window. QTModeler will search specifically on that IP address, even if it is not on the same subnet with theclient workstation.

Getting Started - FlexNet-Based Floating LicenseAs of version v7.1.1 (Summer 2010), Applied Imagery offers Quick Terrain Modeler (QTM) floatinglicenses via FLexNet License Manager - otherwise known as FLexLM. This solution offers all the flexibilityof the existing QTM floating licenses that were previously only available using Rainbow Sentinel server/dongles, but with no physical dongle required. The FlexNet architecture is ideal for enterprise-widedeployments and for secure facilities in which USB dongles are discouraged or forbidden. Thearchitecture is fairly simple and can be broken down into two basic pieces: the server that runs theFlexNet licenses server software and holds the licenses files, and the client side (end user workstations)that run Quick Terrain Modeler and query the license server to see if a valid license is available. These arethe important pieces and terminology:

License Server: In a floating license environment, the license server is usually a network server thatdoes not run Quick Terrain Modeler software. The key components on the server are:o FlexNet Software LMGRD: The basic license server “engine”. LMGRD can manage license servers for

many software packages simultaneously (e.g., Quick Terrain Modeler and ARCMap)o LMTOOLS: A suite of utilities and diagnostic tools that assist in troubleshooting and performing

tasks such as starting and stopping FlexNet servers.o Vendor Daemon: A small exe file that identifies the software vendor (Applied Imagery’s will always

mailto:[email protected].

Getting Started 9

be named aiqtmod.exe regardless of what operating system the server runs.o License File: A small text file that describes how many licenses exist, if/when they expire, and

various other parameters about the software licensing and privileges.

Client Machine: This is the end user machine that actually runs Quick Terrain Modeler. The onlyrelevant component in this architecture is the QTM executable itself. When using QTM the first time,the user will be prompted for the location of the license server, but after that the process should betransparent to the end user.

What Applied Imagery Needs from the Customer to Create a License File:1. The Flex License Server Name - It is typically a very short text string, something like this: flexsrvr02

Remember, this is the license server machine, not the client machine.2. The FlexNet Server ID. The server Operating System (OS) will dictate what the Server ID looks like.

When in doubt, run the FLEXTOOLS utility and determine what FLEX thinks it is. Here is what they willlook like:o Windows 32-bit: It is the MAC Address of the Flex Server. A MAC address looks like this:

00219B69DF21o Windows 64-bit: Also MAC address, same as Windows 32-bit.o SPARC/Solaris 32-bit: an 8 digit string that looks something like this: 837b1b9e

3. The License Server Operating System. License Files are generated differently if they are on different OS. We can support o Windows 32-bito Windows 64-bito SPARC/Solaris 32-bit

4. Getting your license file: Please email the information above to Applied Imagery –[email protected]. Applied Imagery will use this information to create your license file. Applied Imagery will email you the license file as an attachment.

Server Side: What the Customer Needs from Applied Imagery:1. General FlexNet Support Files. If the server is already running Flex, they will already be installed. If the

server is not already running Flex, they will need to run LMGRD, which is included in the FLEX Toolsutilities on our FLEX support web page: http://www.appliedimagery.com/supportflex.php

2. Applied Imagery Vendor Daemon: Even if the server is already running FlexNet, the customer will needthe Applied Imagery Vendor Daemon. It needs to match the server Operating System. Everything is onour website on the Flex support page. The vendor daemon will be in a Zip file.

3. A license File: A Quick Terrain Modeler Flex license file is a small text file that Applied Imagerygenerates based on the customer-supplied information noted above. See examples below.

4. All the support files and vendor daemons are on our website in the “Support” section: http://www.appliedimagery.com/supportflex.php

Server Side: What the Customer Needs to Do on the Server:Here are the basic steps to install:1. Copy the aiqtmod.exe vendor daemon onto the license server.2. Copy the license file onto the license server.3. Run LMTools on the Server. (LMTools is found on our website as well http://

www.appliedimagery.com/supportflex.php . 4. On the LMTools Config Services tab, make sure you create and save a service that points to lmgrd, the

license file, and the debug log. (Screen grab below)5. On the start/stop/Reread tab, highlight the QT Modeler service you created and click “Start Server”.

http://www.appliedimagery.com/supportflex.php







You should get an indication that the service has started successfully. If not, there is a problem and itneeds to be fixed on the server before proceeding to the client side. (Screen Grab Below)

6. Once the service is running successfully, proceed to installing QT Modeler on the client and pointing tothe server.

LMTools Start/Stop Services Tab:

LMTools Config Services Tab:

Client Side: What the Customer Needs to Do on the Client Machines:1. Install QTM Installation Executable. Just like a normal installation, the user needs to install the

appropriate version (X32 or X64) on the client machine. Both X64 and X32 can access the licenseserver, regardless of what OS the license server is running. The user or IT Administrator will need toinstall the QTM exe on every machine that intends to run QTM.

2. Point to the license Server. QTM/Flex will prompt them for the license server name/ID upon openingup. If it cannot find the server or a valid license, QT will attempt to fall back to the Sentinel license/server. If neither can be found, QT will not open. An error message will appear indicating the locationsthat QT had attempted to look for a valid license.

Notes/Helpful Hints:1. As of Version 7.1.2, QTM Flex Floating licenses can “fall back” to a Sentinel dongle. I.e., the QTM Flex

executable can use a QTM Sentinel dongle instead of a Flex license file. This can make a migration froma Sentinel environment less painful. It can also enable a hybrid flex/sentinel architecture.

2. Finding my MAC address: If you are not sure what the server MAC address is, use the LMTOOLS utilityto assist.

Getting Started 11

2.3 Visualizing the Sample Model

Visualizing the Sample Model

The Quick Terrain Modeler DVD will include one sample surface model. It is called Grass Lake SurfaceModel.qtt. It is a surface model of a town called Grass Lake in the state of Michigan. It is a high resolutionmodel that was created from an airborne survey with .33 meter spot spacing on the ground. It also has RGB(color) intensity that achieves a very photo realistic effect.

1. Load the sample surface model:Click the Open Model button and select Grass Lake Surface Model.qtt. The model should be visible veryquickly on your screen. The initial view will be straight down (nadir):

There are information boxes in the status bar at the bottom of the Quick Terrain Modeler window. Depending on the size of the window, the boxes can contain some or all of the following information:

The UTM Zone (if using UTM).A running log of cursor position in XYZ space in UTM, or other coordinates. As the user moves thecursor, these numbers will change. The name of the model under the cursor. If multiple models are loaded, this name will change as theuser zooms in/out and moves the cursor over different tiles/models.The control mode. The Quick Terrain Modeler provides five modes in which you can interact you'reyour models: Targeted Point (the default), Model mode, Flight mode, Terrain Following mode, andConstant Altitude.Height Scale exaggeration factor (if not set to 1) will appear as Z Scale: X, where X will be the heightexaggeration factorDetails on how quickly the Quick Terrain Modeler can render the terrain and how many points arevisible in the display window.

2.4 Navigating Through the Model

Navigation can be performed from your keyboard or the mouse. The initial control mode will be "TargetedPoint Mode". Model mode allows you to manipulate the loaded model as if it were an object in space. Thefollowing are the basic model mode navigation controls:

Mouse Controls:Rotate: Hold down left mouse button and drag the mouse. Zoom: Hold down both mouse buttons and drag the mouseZoom (Alternate Method): Use the wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out.Move/Pan: Hold down right mouse button and drag the mouse.Reset Lighting: Hold down the control key and right mouse button and drag the mouse. Moving themouse around will display a variety of lighting conditions.

Keyboard Controls:Rotate: Use the Arrow keys. Each key has a different effect. Zoom In: Use the Home key.Zoom Out: Use the End key.Move/Pan: Use the Control key and the Arrow keys.Transport: Press the T key. This feature is used in conjunction with the mouse. Simply locate the mouseover a target area, then press T to zoom in on that area very quickly.



Reset Lighting: Hold down the control key and right mouse button and drag the mouse. Moving themouse around will display a variety of lighting conditions.

Helpful Hints:It may take a few attempts to get the "feel" of navigation. It may help to think of a terrain model as atable top that pivots about its center. The most friendly control mode is "Targeted Point".If you get "lost" or get "under" a model, press the Reset Display button or go to the Control pull downmenu and select Reset Viewer. This will return you to the starting point.Resetting Lighting can be very useful and may need to be adjusted as imagery is overlaid. Simply click thelighting button and adjust as needed. Lighting can also be found in the Display...Settings menu.


Version 8

Part

III



3 Screen Layout, Buttons, Layer Tree, Status Bar

3.1 Quick Terrain Modeler Screen Orientation

The Quick Terrain Modeler Screen is divided into a few basic parts:

1. The Menus: There are 10 pull down menus that contain a wide variety of functions. To access thesefunctions, simply place the cursor over the desired menu and click on it.

2. The Button Bar: The button bar contains eighteen frequently accessed functions. Some of these aretoggle buttons and some call up other windows or functions. T

3. The Layer Tree: Displays all open models, vectors, textures, etc.4. The MiniMap: Displays the extents of the loaded model and the footprint of the current view.4. The Status Bar: The status bar displays the status of the model, the location of the cursor within the

model, the mode the Quick Terrain Modeler is operating in, and details about the rendering of thecurrent model view. Please note the Status bar can be altered by selecting a specific coordinate systemwhich Quick Terrain Modeler will use to display the position of the cursor, regardless of whether theoriginal model was in UTM or geodetic coordinates to begin with. Please refer to the section on Display...Settings...Mensuration Options.

5. Model Space: The center of the screen is the window in which models will be displayed.

3.2 Layer Tree

QT Modeler's Layer Tree provides a very simple way to interact with loaded data. As data is added in QTM,it will appear in the layer tree. Left clicking, right clicking, and double clicking on elements of the layer treewill enable different behaviors and context menus depending on what type of data it is.

The layer tree can be minimized to provide more screen space for data display.

The types of elements included in the layer tree are:

1. Workspaces: Useful way to save/share complex projects.2. Special Overlays: These are things like height colors, Virtual Shadows/LOS/Contour lines, axes (3D

North Arrow), compass, cross hairs, and the legend.3. Models: Models are 3D data sets, either point clouds or surface models (DEM, DSM, DTM, DTED,

SRTM, etc.)4. Vectors: Vectors are models that are represented by lines. Vectors can be imported from SHP, KML

and other sources or can be generated from QT Modeler (e.g., range rings, contour lines, measuremntvectors, etc.)

Screen Layout, Buttons, Layer Tree, Status Bar 15

5. Markers: Markers are QT Modeler-generated marker files, either generated manually by the user orimported from an external file.

6. Routes: Routes are an assembly of markers that are connected in a sequence to define routes forwalking, driving, or other travel.

7. Textures: Textures are imagery and other raster products that are overlaid on a model, but neveractually become part of the model.

8. Bookmarks: Bookmarks allow a quick marking of a specific view or perspective that can be returnedto later or sent to another user.

9. Minimize the layer tree by clicking the minimize layer tree button at the top of the layer tree: 10.Access the layer transparency control by clicking the layer transparency button at the top of the layer

tree:

The basic operations performed in the layer tree are:1. Checking/Unchecking boxes makes that element visible (checked) or invisible (unchecked).2. Left Clicking Section Headers: Calls up a "Manager" interface for all loaded elements of that type3. Left Clicking on individual elements: Calls up either an information screen on that element, some of

which provide editing capability (e.g., markers, routes) or in the case of Bookmarks, takes the user tothat specific view perspective.

4. Right Clicking on individual elements: Calls up a context menu to perform relevant actions on thatelement (e.g., Go to, Rename, Edit, etc.)

5. Right Clicking on a Section Header: Pulls up relevant tools for the entire category (e.g., load, open,etc.)



3.2.1 Special Overlays

Layer Tree > Special Overlays Folder

Special Overlays are tools that assist with visualization, but are not file-based or object-based entities thathave separate folders in the layer tree (e.g., Models, Textures). The special overlays that are available are:

Virtual QTA Analyst: Enables filtering/coloring based on QTA attributes of point clouds. Only works onQTA point clouds with attributes. (More Info - QTA Continuous Attribute Filtering Advanced)Virtual Height Colors: Basic Height coloration (More Info - Set Height Coloration)Virtual Contour Lines: Customizable Contour Lines (More Info - Contour Lines)Virtual Shadows: Generates shadow maps instantly based on user-set lighting direction (More Info - SetLighting)Virtual LOS Map: Instant generation of Line of Sight map based on a marker position. (More Info - VirtualLine of Sight - Marker)Axes: 3D Version of a North Arrow.Compass: Gives real time readout of camera orientation (azimuth and elevation)Crosshairs: Places small crosshair in the center of the screen. "Targeted Point" mode rotates around thecenter of the screen, so crosshairs can be a useful navigation aid.Legend: Displays the legend for a variety of purposes - e.g., height color, slope, HLZ, etc.


Scale(2D): Distance scale only available in 2D mode ( ) due to the difficulty in accurately representingscale in a 3D scene.

Note that Special Overlays are all reliant upon graphics card capabilities. In particular, Virtual Contours,Virtual Shadows, and Virtual LOS Map rely heavily on relatively advanced OpenGL capabilities and theavailability of multiple texture slots.

3.2.1.1 Virtual Shadow Map

Virtual Shadow Map is accessed either from the Layer Tree > Special Overlays > Virtual Shadows checkbox,

or from the Set Lighting Tool/Button:

Virtual shadows cast shadows in real time as the lighting direction is adjusted. Subsequent shadow mapscan be turned into a "real" shadow map image file and exported to other applications. To use VirtualShadows:

Load a Surface Model or Point CloudUnlike Traditional Shadow Map, Virtual Shadow Map works on both point clouds and surface models(DEM's, DTM's, etc.).

Activate Virtual Shadow Map (From Layer Tree or Lighting Tool)Activate Virtual Shadows either from the Layer Tree > Special Overlays, or from the Lighting tool. If"Virtual Shadows" is grayed out in the layer tree, either your graphics card does not support Virtual Toolsat all, or you have a configuration setting that is preventing QT Modeler from accessing the OpenGLfunctions necessary to calcualte and render Virtual tools. Check your OpenGL Configuration to ensureMulti-Stage Rendering is enabled (File > Options/Settings > Configure OpenGL) and also check to ensureyour computer's OpenGL version is sufficent to support Virtual Tools (Help > OpenGL Resources) MoreInfo on OpenGL Resources

Adjust Lighting Direction (From Lighting Tool or CTRL-Left Click Shortcut)There are two ways to adjust the lighting direction:

1. Use the Lighting tool: The advantage of the lighting tool is that it has a slider for time of day, thusgiving Geo-correct lighting conditions. In addition, it has an Azimuth/Elevation setting that could be



useful in simulating lunar lighting conditions.2. Use the shortcut of CTRL + Leftclick/Drag to move lighting around in any direction. This is a simple and

easy, but does not track the arc of the sun in a geographically correct fashion.

Exporting Raster ResultSince Virtual Shadow Map results are "virtual", they exist only on the graphics card (i.e., they are not afile). If you would like to export Virtual Shadow Map results as an image, right click on Special Overlays >Virtual Shadows, and "Create Shadow Map texture". A new texture will appear in the textures foldercalled "QT Shadow Map". Once the virtual texture has become "real" (i.e., it is now a file), it can beexported, saved, etc. just like any texture.

Graphics & OpenGL ConsiderationsIn order for Virtual Shadows to work, your video card must support OpenGL version 3.0 or higher. Discrete graphics cards (e.g., NVIDIA, ATI) will likely support this, but may need the driver upgraded. Thisis usually a fairly straightforward process of downloading an upgraded driver from the manufacturer'swebsite and installing it. Integrated graphics chipsets (e.g., Intel) will have a more difficult timesupporting advanced graphics capabilities.

3.2.2 Workspace

File Menu > Save Local Workspace, Export Portable Workspace, and Load Workspace

Layer Tree Button Bar:

Workspaces enable the user to save and/or share the entire contents of the layer tree for future use. Workspaces can be accessed from the button bar at the top of the layer tree or from the File menu. Thereare two types of workspace - local and portable. These are the basic principles behind workspaces. Pleaseclick the hyperlinks to learn more about each topic.

Why Use a Workspace?Users are generating increasingly complex products from their LiDAR & 3D data. Workspaces enable thesaving of everything that is in the layer tree - Models, textures, markers, vectors, etc. When a user is


finished working for the day, or needs to move to another project, a local workspace enables a return tothe entire project at a later time. When an analyst needs to share results with a downstream user, a portable workspace will copy all files and display settings into a single file that contains 3D models,images, vectors, annotation layers, bookmarks, etc., so the end user sees exactly what the analyst wantedto share.

What is the Difference Between a Local and Portable Workspace?Local Workspace: Saves links to files that are used locally. Saves entire files only when QT Modelerdetects that it has been changed from the file stored locally. Saves entire project including bookmarks,annotation overlays, markers, routes, and vectors in the workspace file.Portable Workspace: Copies the entire files in use into the workspace file. For this reason, PortableWorkspace files will likely be considerably larger than local workspace files.Both types of files preserve the layer tree check marks that designate what files are visible as well asthe coloration toggles (height color, vertex color, textures) so the next user of the workspace willexperience the project exactly as the analyst did. Bookmarks can lead the end user into specificperspectives of specific features. Annotation overlays on the bookmarks can further call out features inthe scene.

Saving and Loading WorkspacesTo create a workspace, simply load a model into the scene. Begin layering images, vectors, routes,markers, and/or bookmarks. Once all of the files are loaded, all bookmarks created, all markers placed,etc., follow these steps:

Saving Local Workspace: Click the Save Local Workspace button at the top of the layer tree: Choose a file name, and click "Save".Exporting Portable Workspace: Click the Export Portable Workspace button at the top of the layer

tree: Choose a file name, and click "Save".Loading Workspace: The procedure is the same whether the workspace is local or portable. Simply

click on the "Open Workspace" button at the top of the layer tree: Select a workspace file (.qwz)and click "Open".

What Information is Saved in a Workspace?An easy way to understand what is going to be saved in a workspace is to look at the layer tree. Everything that is loaded in the layer tree will be saved in the workspace. If objects in the layer tree areunchecked (i.e., not visible in the QTM model space window), they will still be saved in the local/portableworkspace. The only way to prevent a model, texture, marker, etc. from being saved with a workspace isto remove it from the scene altogether, thus making it disappear from the layer tree as well. At this time,there is no way to save "partial" workspaces - i.e., subsets of what you see in the layer tree. It is all ornothing.

Can I Share a Workspace?Yes. It is probably best to share a portable (rather than a local) workspace, as a local workspace is simplya collection of links back to locally stored files. Even if the files used in a local workspace come from acentral server, there is some risk that the precise path names to the original data may have a user nameor other unique identifier in the path name itself, thus making it useless to another workstation. Workspaces can also be shared with the free Quick Terrain Reader, which can read workspace files andmanipulate data in the layer tree, just like Quick Terrain Modeler. See next topic.

Can the Free Quick Terrain Reader Use Workspaces?



Yes. The Quick Terrain Reader is free, requires no key, and has the same underlying rendering"horsepower" as the Quick Terrain Modeler. It can be downloaded from here: http://www.appliedimagery.com/download.php The QT Reader will be able to view workspaces, but will not beable to create or save workspaces. See more Information and Suggestions here: Sharing Workspace withQT Reader.

3.2.2.1 Workspace - Share with QT Reader

Workspaces can be shared with users who have the free Quick Terrain Reader software. The QT Reader"experience" will be quite similar to the QT Modeler experience. Some things to consider when sendingworkspaces to the QT Reader:

The Quick Terrain Reader is free and does not require a license file or any interaction from AppliedImagery. Simply download from our website - http://www.appliedimagery.com/download.php ,install, and begin using.You can Open Workspace files in QT Reader multiple ways:o Drag and drop the Workspace file (.qwz) into QT Reader.

o Open using the "Open Workspace" button at the top of the layer tree: o Go to the File Menu > Open Workspace.

Keep in mind the potential limitations of your downstream users' computers:o Potential graphics card limitations, especially lack of OpenGL support, will impact display of

point clouds and textures. QT Reader has the same graphics requirements as QT Modeler.o Potential RAM limitations could limit maximum file sizes.

There could be a user learning curve for the end user. Bookmarks are a good way to guide the enduser to the features you want them to see.

3.2.2.2 Workspace File Format

The QT Modeler workspace file format is a Zip file with the extension .qwz. The workspace file can beopened and examined with WinZip or comparable Zip file tool. To create a workspace from anotherapplication, simply establish the file structure shown below, Zip the entire file structure together, thenrename the extension ".qwz".

File structure required. Please use the exact names, including capitalization to establish a workspace file

http://www.appliedimagery.com/download.php




(Notes in parenthesis) :

Bookmarks (Include only QT Modeler bookmark files)Markers (Include only QT Modeler marker files or any point based marker file such as KML or SHP)Models (Include 3D models - LAS/LAZ Files, GeoTIFF Files, BPF, QTT, QTC/QTA, etc.)Routes (Include QT Modeler route files)Textures (Include 2D overlaid imagery of any acceptable file format - GeoTIFF, MRSID, NITF, ECW,IMG, etc. These images should be orthorectified and georegistered.)Vectors (Include QT Modeler vector files, SHP, and KML files - or any vector format that can simplybe "opened)

After creating the folder structure and copying files into the appropriate folders, it is also useful (but notmandatory) to copy a QT Modeler INI file into the top level directory. See images below.

The .ins File: When QT Modeler generates a workspace, it creates an auxiliary file for each model that iscalled modelname.ins (where modelname is the original file name). This is an instruction file. It detailsspecific characteristics about the file in the context of how the workspace was saved. At the present time, itonly contains information about whether the model/vector/image/etc. was visible (i.e., was the checkboxchecked in the layer tree when the workspace was saved/exported?). In the future, the instruction file maycontain additional information. Instruction files are not necessary for the successful creation and opening ofa QT Modeler workspace. The only drawback at this time for not having an instruction file is that all checkboxes in the layer tree will be checked when a user opens a workspace.

3.2.3 Bookmarks

Bookmarks are similar in concept to bookmarks in a browser or "favorites" in other software. Bookmarksstore a specific viewpoint that can be returned to again in the future, saved, or shared with other users. Touse bookmarks:

1. Navigate to a zoom level and perspective that you would like to recall later.2. Type "Q" on the keyboard or Right Click on the Bookmarks section of the layer tree to create a bookmark.

It will appear in the layer tree.3. Rename the bookmark by right clicking on it and choosing "Rename"4. If desired add an Annotation Layer to a bookmark. Annotation layers enable documentation of features

in a scene. More info on Annotation Layers



5. Continue navigating through the model. Click on the bookmark to return to that view.

Bookmark notes: Bookmarks are storing a camera position and view angle. They are not associated with aspecific data set, nor do they store an image of the scene. Bookmarks can be saved and shared with otherusers, but the other user needs to load the same data set (or at least a data set from the same location) forbookmark sharing to work.

3.2.3.1 Annotation Layer for Bookmarks

Users can attach an annotation Overlay Layer to bookmarks to assist in documenting or highlightingfeatures in a scene. The annotation overlay can only be seen when a bookmark is "locked", i.e., theannotation layer checkbox is checked. This will temporarily suspend navigation and enable "annotationmode" in which objects can be placed, moved, resized, and edited.

To Create/Edit the Bookmark Annotation Overlay:

Establish a BookmarkBookmarks can be established either from the hot key "Q" or by right clicking the Bookmark folder in theLayer tree and choosing "Create New Bookmark". See more info on Bookmarks.

Right Click on Bookmark, Add Overlay

Check the Check Box, Open Overlay Drawing ToolsCheck the check box next to the bookmark to which you want to add an annotation overlay.Open the annotation overlay drawing tools one of two ways:o Right click on the bookmark, Select Overlay > Overlay Toolso Left click on the Bookmarks folder.The Annotation Tools interface will pop up.

Check Box Checked = Annotation Mode: Locked to Bookmark & Navigation SuspendedWhen the Bookmark with Annotation Overlay has its check box checked, the scene is locked to thatperspective and is in "Annotation Mode", i.e., all mouse controls, hot keys, etc. are now dedicated to


editing the annotation layer, not to manipulating the model. To get back to "normal" control modes, thecheck box must be unchecked.

Annotate Scene Using Annotation ToolsThe Annotation Tools interface contains basic drawing, text, and image import functions. The basicfunctions are :

Linear Circle/Solid Circle: Click the button, left click/drag in the scene. Right click on object to edit it.Linear Rectangle/Solid Rectangle: Click the button, left click/drag in the scene. Right click on object toedit it.Linear Polygon/Solid Polygon: Click the button, left click/drag in the scene. Right click on object to editit.Line/Arrow: Click the button, left click in scene to start line, left click to add vertices to the line, rightclick to end the line. Right click on existing line to edit.Text: Text input tool. See More InfoImage Import: Left Click, select image file, Open. Right click to move/resize image.Settings: Basic Default Settings for Annotation Tools See More Info

Aspect Ratio & Annotation LayersWhen an annotation overlay is created, it is created on a specific scene and the annotations only makesense when they align with the features of that scene. In the creation of the original annotation layer,there is a specific aspect ratio (ratio of height to width of the model space window). In order for theannotation layer to make sense to other users, this aspect ratio must be preserved. While QT Modelercan scale the annotation layer image to fit different sized screens, there is nothing it can do to stretch theannotation layer to different screen aspect ratios. For this reason, when loading an annotation layer onanother computer, or even in a smaller window on the same computer, a white frame may appear in thescene. This frame represents the aspect ratio of the screen when the annotation layer was created. Itmay be useful to try to adjust the QT Modeler window to match the annotation aspect ratio. Seeexample below.



Annotation Export PossibilitiesOnce an annotation layer is created, there are multiple export possibilities:

Export to PowerPoint (Export Menu > PowerPoint Tool, or PowerPoint button Export Image as TIFF (if in 3D mode) or GeoTIFF if in 2D Mode. (Export Menu > Render Screen to

Registered or Unregistered Image or use export GeoTIFF button ). Note, annotated images canonly be exported as a georegistered raster product if QT Modeler is in 2D mode. Otherwise, theperspective of 3D mode will make it impossible to correctly georegister the image.Export to Garmin GPS - but only if annotation layer was created in 2D mode. Otherwise, it cannot beexported as a georegsitered product an Garmin will not know the location of the image. Use Garmin

button .

3.2.3.2 Annotation Settings

Annotation Settings establishes the default annotation characteristics for all annotation tools. Simply setthe Line Style/Size/Color/End Style, Fill Color, and Font Color/Size to set the default values for these items. Subsequent objects will all have these characteristics when placed, but can be edited later. See more about Annotation Overlays for Bookmarks.

3.2.3.3 Annotation Text

The Edit Annotation Text interface is used to add/edit text in an annotation layer. To access it, click the TextIcon in the Annotation Tools Window (More Info on Annotation Layers) or right click on a text object in anannotation layer and select Edit/Move.

3.3 Quick Terrain Modeler Button Bar

The button bar consists of eighteen buttons that give users access to frequently used tools and functions. The button bar can be selectively turned on and off by going to the File menu, selecting Options/Settingsand checking "Show Toolbar". The default toolbar looks like this:

Users can customize the toolbar by going to the File...Options and Settings menu and selecting Configure


Toolbar.

The individual buttons perform the following functions:

Open New Model: Opens a model and displays it in Quick Terrain Modeler. This button will openpre-built models of any type - point cloud, surface model, DTED, GeoTIFF DEM as well as LAS files.

Add Model: Loads an additional model into the model space.

Save Model: Saves an existing model.

Clear Model: Clears all loaded models. Note: Be sure to save all models before clearing.

Import Model Data: This button calls up the import functionality. This functionality creates modelsfrom raw model data.

Export Model Data: This button calls up the export functionality. This functionality exports varioustypes of 2-D or 3-D models and images from the existing model.

Import Vector Data: Thus button calls up the import vector functionality. Most vector formats (e.g.,SHP, KML, etc.) are supported.

Export KML to Google Earth: This button exports KML products as specified by the user. If specified,it also opens Google Earth and displays the products.

Toggle Height Coloration: This button turns height coloration on and off. Please note, on some videocards, the height coloration effect can only be achieved simultaneously with overlaid textures.

Real time contour line generation. Click this button to generate contour lines on the fly. Right click onthe button to display the Contour Line configuration window. This feature only works with surface models.

Toggle Loaded Textures: "Texture" is a generic term for overlaid imagery (e.g., photographs, maps,etc.) that is independent of the model itself. Images may be overlaid as textures across all current models inone of three methods Projective, Orthographic and Orthorectified. Once these images/textures are overlaid,use the "Toggle Loaded Textures" button to quickly and temporarily add and remove the imagery from thecurrent display.

Toggle Vertex Colors: This button turns on/off any colors that are embedded in the modelsthemselves. This includes LOS maps, slope maps, change detection maps, shadow calculations, intensity or



RGB imported with the model, etc.

Overlay Orthorectified Texture: This button calls up the Overlay Orthorectified Texture functionality. Please note that the Quick Terrain Modeler also overlays orthographic and projective imagery, so thisbutton may not be suitable for all imagery.

2-D Mode: 2-D Mode toggles the display mode to 2-D. 2-D mode may be more suitable for tasks thatinvolve overlaying vector data. In 2-D mode, tilt and rotate are suspended.

3-D Mode: 3-D mode toggles the display mode to 3-D.

Reset Display: This button resets the model view to the entire extents of the visible model(s). This isa useful tool for reorienting the user in a large model or set of models. Occasionally, the user may need toreset more parameters (e.g., lighting, height scale, etc.). To reset display and these other parameters, usethe menu function "Reset Viewer".

Go To: Pulls up the Coordinate Conversion Utility.

Help: Displays the Quick Terrain Modeler Help file.

Stop Current Process: Depending on model sizes and PC configurations, some processes may take along time to complete. Almost any process except for saving and loading may be canceled by pressing the"Stop Current Process" button on the toolbar.

View Model Statistics: Users can obtain information and statistics on the currently loaded models byclicking on the View Model Statistics button. This will open a window listing the total number of points,model extents in X, Y, and Z, the model origin in Geodetic/UTM space, the model size and type, and ahistogram of all the Z values in the model. The top of the window will contain a drop-down list allowing youto select for which model to display statistics. If multiple models are loaded one scale will be selected for allmodel histograms to make comparisons direct. Also refer to Model Statistics section.

Place Marker Pin: The user can add custom labeled and colored markers to indicate positions ofimportant features and to create Line-of-Sight maps. To place a marker, the user can click on the "PlaceMarker Pin" button in the toolbar, left-clicking and dragging the mouse on the model to the desiredposition. The user can then edit markers positions, names, sizes and colors by selecting Edit Marker, SetMarker Size and Show Labels from the Markers menu. "Markers" are saved and loaded as "mrk" files. If youhave saved your markers they will be added to any tilesets you save. But you must save the markers to loadthem either through the Marker menu, Load or through a tileset.

Select: Pressing the Select button places the user in "Select" mode which enables the user to selectan area to keep or an area to cut. Pressing the button again exits the user from Select mode. This can also


be done by choosing Select from the Edit menu.

To select an area, left-click and drag in the main viewing window to select a region of the model. Theselected region will be highlighted. Right clicking and dragging will allow the user to rotate this box to adesired orientation. Regions may also be selected numerically by choosing "Select Area…" from the Editmenu.

Z Select Polygon: Pressing the Select Polygon button places the user in "Z Polygon Select" mode whichenables the user to select an area down the Z axis to keep, measure, or cut. Once the button is pressed, theuser simply left clicks on each vertex of the desired polygon. When completed, the user right clicks on thepolygon to complete it.

Select Window Polygon: Pressing the Select Polygon button places the user in "Polygon WindowSelect" mode which enables the user to select an area down the viewing axis to keep, measure, or cut. Oncethe button is pressed, the user simply left clicks on each vertex of the desired polygon. When completed,the user right clicks on the polygon to complete it. Window select is useful for removing groups of pointsfrom a point cloud without removing the points directly beneath them. See Example.

Cut: The Cut button removes the selected area from the model. Select Area with either Select orSelect Polygon tools. Selection areas can also be imported from a shape file.

Crop: the crop button removes everything except the selected are from the model. Select Area witheither Select or Select Polygon tools. Selection areas can also be imported from a shape file.

Place Mensuration Line: The user can measure between any points in the model. Simply click thePlace Mensuration Line Button, then move the mouse cursor to any place in the model. Left click on thestart point and again on the end point. This can be repeated for a multi-segmented line. When the line iscomplete, click on the Place Mensuration Line button again.

Volume Calculation: Clicking the volume calculation button calls up the volume calculation function.

Line of Sight: Calls up the Line of Sight functionality. (USA Version Only)

Set Water Level: Calls up the Set Water Level function which performs flood simulation and tidalinundation analysis.

Show/Hide Models: Calls up the Show/Hide Models window which enables turning individual models/layers on and off selectively.

Set Height Scale: Calls up the Set Height Scale Function to exaggerate or minimize elevationdifferences.



Calculate Grid Statistics: Calls up the grid statistics tool. The same function is also available in theAnalysis menu.

QTA Quick Color button: Enables the quick coloration of point cloud models by a variety of attributes,such as classification, return number, intensity, first/last/intermediate return, AGL height, etc.

Set Lighting: The set lighting button calls up the Set Lighting functionality. It is frequently useful tomanipulate the lighting to achieve maximum relief in the model or to brighten the model after overlaying atexture.

Set Cloud Point Size: Calls up the Set Cloud Point Size interface to allow rapid changing of point sizes.

3.4 Configure Toolbar

Configuring the toolbar enables users to create a toolbar with any buttons they choose, in any order theychoose. The baseline configuration has 33 buttons. As of version 7.1.4, there are not two separate buttonbars, but simply a sequence of buttons that wraps to another line if/when necessary due to the width of thescreen. See the list of buttons below.

To add buttons to the toolbar, double click on a button choice in the left hand "Button Choices" column. Itwill appear in the right hand "Current Toolbar" column. Use the Move Up, Move Down, and Remove buttonto group buttons together as desired. Click "Apply" to make the choices appear in the actual toolbar.

Click the "QT Modeler Defaults" button to return to the default button selection and order. DoD users mayfind it helpful to click "Tactical Defaults" to configure the most commonly used buttons - i.e., HLZ Analysis,GPS Export, Model Search, etc.

Custom toolbar configurations can be saved and loaded using the Save and Load buttons.


3.5 Quick Terrain Modeler Hot Keys and Shortcuts

Movement Controls:N: Move Model to a north-up, nadir view (i.e., viewing straight down the Z axis), centering the view onthe location that was already in the center of the view.SHIFT-N: Holding down SHIFT causes a red box to appear. Typing “N” causes QTM to go to a north upnadir view as noted above, but with the red box at the center. Left clicking will pull up the pointinterrogation window.Double Click: Move cursor anywhere, double click to bring the point under the cursor to the center of theview. Orientation and zoom will be preserved (i.e., it will not necessarily be a north-up, nadir view.)Arrows (Left-Right): RotateArrows (Up-Down): TiltShift + Arrows: Lateral MovementHome: Zoom InEnd: Zoom OutT: Transport to specific location (move cursor, left click, then type "T")

Google Earth:

G: Type "G" to perform an instantaneous synchronization with Google Earth. Mensuration & Vector Annotation

S: Start Mensuration Line (move cursor to desired beginning point, left click, then type "S")E: End Mensuration Line (move cursor to desired end point, then type "E")V: Create a sampled (i.e., terrain hugging) vector by typing “V” to end a mensuration line. Remember toset default vector display properties in the Display…Configure Vector Models menu.SHIFT-V: Create an unsampled (i.e., point to point) vector by typing “SHIFT-V” on a mensuration line. Remember to set default vector display properties in the Display…Configure Vector Models menu.

Selection Areas/Mensuration Lines

ALT: If selection area or mensuration line needs to go beyond visible screen/view and some vertices havealready been placed, hold down "ALT", reposition model, release "ALT", then continue placing vertices.CTRL + Right Click: Calls up a context menu to call area statistics, cut, crop, export, and decimate.

Individual Point Selection

SHIFT: Hold down "SHIFT", a red box will appear. Left click on desired point/vertex to call up pointinterrogation window. Type “N” to place that point in the center of the view with a north-up, nadirperspective.

Cutting/Cropping:

CTRL: If multiple models are loaded, but some models are hidden (using show/hide model),cutting orcropping will only apply to the visible model(s). Holding down "CTRL" prior to performing cut or crop willforce the editing function to apply to all models, whether they are hidden or visible.

Lighting

CTRL: Hold down "CTRL", then left click and drag. Lighting direction will change. Line of Sight

L: Calculate Vector Line of Sight (move cursor to desired observation point, left click, then type "L") to allloaded markers. Type "L" again to remove LOS vectors. (USA Version only).



Coordinate ConversionP: Left click on location, Type "P" to pull up coordinate conversion utility and populate

with position information.

Finding Models and DataF: Left click on location, Type "F" to pull up the model search tool, which will be pre-populated with thecoordinate under your cursor.

Markers:

M: Hold down "M", left click to quickly place markers in a model.K: Hold down “K”, move cursor to the vicinity of an existing marker, then left click and drag to move themarker.

Bookmarks:Q: Simply type Q on the keyboard to create a new bookmark.

3.6 Configure Status Bar

Status Bar Options enables two basic settings for the readout of the position under the cursor:

1. Change the coordinate system that reads out in the status bar. In order for this real time coordinateconversion to occur, data must be in UTM or geodetic (lat/long) coordinates. At this time, QTM cannotconvert between state plane and other coordinate systems.

2. Show the range from the "camera" (i.e., simulating where the user's eyes are relative to the terrain) andthe model itself. This can be useful to understand what a scene may look like from a given distance. This isthe range from the camera to the point underneath the cursor.

Note that when the coordinates displayed in the status bar are no longer the native coordinates of themodel, the status bar will be colored yellow. In the example below, the range to the model at the pointunder the cursor is 177.87 meters.


Version 8

Part

IV



4 Menu - File

4.1 Preview Geospatial Data

QT Modeler and QT Reader offer the ability to preview 3D, 2D, and vector data prior to loading and/orimporting it. This capability can significantly reduce the amount of time spent on file selection, as the usercan quickly see critical information about data without taking the time to load and inspect it. Specifically,users can:

Inspect the file header to determine critical information such as number of points in an LAS file,georegistration information in LAS and GeoTIFF files, and the spatial extents of the data. Essentially, anyinformation contained in the file header is visible.Inspect NGA Variable Length Records (VLR's) that contain important information such as collection date,sensor, classification level, etc. Please note that users will have identical functionality for NGA LAS filesthat are encoded as NTM.Preview the file's spatial extents in Google Earth. This enables a quick check to see if the data is in theuser's Area of Interest prior to taking the time to load it. If LAS point data coverage is irregularly shaped,the extents will appear in Google Earth as a rectangle (min/max X and Y), rather than conforming to theexact shape of the actual data coverage.

File Header PreviewTo preview file information, simply select "Open Model", Add Model", "Import Model", etc. - Any placethat the file selection dialog appears, the preview capability exists. When the file dialog window appears,simply highlight a file. If it contains header information, the header information will appear. Use thepreview window to inspect the header text. This preview capability will work with any file structure thatuses a standard header (e.g., LAS, GeoTIFF, MRSID, IMG, etc.) but will not work with file types that haveno standard header (e.g., text files, ASCII data, etc.).

Preview of LAS File HeaderInformation

LAS Variable Length Records & NGA-Specific VLR'sLAS files have a header section known as the Variable Length Record or VLR. VLR's are user-definedstrings of information that are created and defined in the LAS header. While the VLR can contain anyamount or type of information, the most common types of VLR information are standard georegistrationkeys, identical to those used in GeoTIFF's. The LAS standard also defines a protocol to insert user-definedinformation. NGA has used this capability to define its own information - data such as the data

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acquisition date, sensor ID, security level, etc. QT Modeler gives the user the ability to preview the NGAVLR in the preview window. The process is identical if the LAS file is in its native LAS file format, or if it iswrapped in a NITF wrapper (i.e., file extension of .ntm).

File Header Preview ofNTM-Encoded LAS File

File Header Preview Showing NGAVLR Data - Date, Sensor, etc.

Geospatial Preview in Google EarthQTM's file preview capability also give the user the ability to see the spatial footprint of the file in GoogleEarth. This can be very helpful to identify the correct file in the user's area of interest without actuallyopening the file. To use this capability, simply check the "Preview in Google Earth check box.

Notes:1. Data in UTM, geodetic, and State Plane can be previewed in Google Earth.2. Unregistered Cartesian data can not be previewed, as QT Modeler has no way to understand its

position on the Earth.3. Spatial preview works with 3D, 2D, and vector data.4. Multiple file selection will result in multiple footprints being displayed in Google Earth. If these file are

not near each other, it may result in Google Earth zooming out extremely far.

Check Box to Display Preview Footprint in Google Earth



4.2 Open Model

Open New Model: This choice will allow the user to select an existing model. The default setting is for thefile selection window to only look for supported model formats. These formats are:

.QTC – Quick Terrain Modeler's proprietary ungridded point cloud.

.QTT – Quick Terrain Modeler's proprietary gridded surface model.

.QDT – Quick Terrain Modeler's proprietary model type for DTED data. Since DTED's store elevationvalues as integers, only a "short" (i.e., 2-byte integer value) is required to represent elevation values. Thus, the QDT model type does not have the dynamic range of the QTT model type, but it will appearas the same type of gridded surface model.LAS: Industry standard for point data LAZ - Compressed LAS ModelGeoTIFF DEM (16-bit and 32-bit)IMG DEMDTED - DTED can be opened directly into the QDT model format or "imported" into the QTT format. When opening directly into QDT format, DTED's can be converted to UTM. When importing into QTTformat, DTED's must remain in geodetic coordinates (i.e., latitude/longitude). By default, DTED's areopened as QDT, which is a 16-bit height field. QDT's can not be exported as GeoTIFF DEM because theyare not 32-bit elevation data and they are not gridded orthogonally.Pseudo DTED "DTC DEM" - This high resolution DTED format increases the dynamic range of DTEDelevations by specifying an elevation scale factor in the header. Normal DTED's are only capable ofinteger values in the elevation field. Pseudo DTED's can support sub meter precision in elevationvalues. Quick Terrain Modeler automatically reads the scale factor and opens DTC's as QTT surfacemodels. Note that Pseudo DTED's, by default, will be opened as a QTT (32-bit height field gridded dataset).Other file types supported by GDAL libraries.

If the model you are trying to load does not have a recognized extension, you will need to use the pull downmenu to look at "All Files".

4.3 Add Models

The Add Models function is similar to Open New Model, but does not close the existing model beforeopening the new model.

Please note that you can continue to add any number of models and any type of models to be displayedsimultaneously. The size and number of models you may load is limited only by the amount of memory onyour PC.

4.4 Add Models with Offset

Allows the user to offset the new model in X, Y or Z. This may be useful if the user desires the overlap areasbetween simultaneously loaded models to be visually distinct. It may also be useful to load a point cloud ontop of a surface model and ensure the points are visible above the terrain by artificially raising the elevationvalues.

http://www.gdal.org/formats_list.html

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4.5 Opening Quick Terrain Modeler from External Applications

Quick Terrain Modeler can be launched from a command line interface, or from external applications. Inaddition,

To Open Quick Terrain Modeler from the Command Line (2 options): Open the DOS Command Prompt Window. Navigate to the directory in which Quick Terrain Modelerwas installed. Type the following: QTModeler.exe . The Quick Terrain Modeler application windowwill open. Open the DOS Command Prompt Window. From any directory, type the entire path of theQTModeler.exe file. The Quick Terrain Modeler application window will open. For example: “c:\program files\quick terrain modeler\qtmodeler.exe”. The quotation marks are required. Pathstructure will be computer dependent.

To Open Quick Terrain Modeler and Load a Single Model (2 options): Open the DOS Command Prompt Window. Navigate to the directory in which QT Modeler wasinstalled. Type the following: QTModeler.exe “pathname\filename”. The Quick Terrain Modelerapplication window will open and the file will be loaded. An example of the command is below. Thetarget file is in the root directory. It looks like this: QTModeler “c:\test1.qtt”. The quotation marksare required. From any directory, type the entire path of the QTModeler.exe file followed by “pathname\filename”. The Quick Terrain Modeler application window will open and the file will be loaded. For example: “c:\program files\quick terrain modeler\qtmodeler.exe” “c:\test1.qtt”. The quotation marks arerequired. Path structure will be computer dependent. Note: Eligible file types are QTT (our gridded surface model), QTC (our point cloud format), GeoTIFFDEM (32-bit), DTED, and LAS files.

To Open Quick Terrain Modeler and Load Multiple Models (2 options): Open the DOS Command Prompt Window. Navigate to the directory in which QT Modeler wasinstalled. Type the following: QTModeler.exe “pathname\filename1” “pathname\filename2”. Quotation marks are required. The Quick Terrain Modeler application window will open and the fileswill be loaded. An example of the command is below. The target files are in the root directory. Itlooks like this: QTModeler “c:\test1.qtt” “c:\test2.qtt”. From any directory, type the entire path of the QTModeler.exe file followed by “pathname\filename”. The Quick Terrain Modeler application window will open and the file will be loaded. For example: “c:\program files\quick terrain modeler\qtmodeler.exe” “c:\test1.qtt” “c:\test2.qtt”. The quotationmarks are required. Path structure will be computer dependentNote: Eligible file types are QTT (our gridded surface model), QTC (our point cloud format), GeoTIFFDEM (32-bit), DTED, and LAS files.

For Quick Terrain Reader: All of the above functionality will work with the free Quick Terrain Reader, but thecommand is qtreader.exe.

4.6 Coordinate Converter Utility

The coordinate conversion utility provides the following set of functionality:



Provides a simple way to convert a single point between five coordinate systems - Native (could beany known coordinate system, Geodetic (decimal degrees), Geodetic (Degrees/minutes), Geodetic(degrees/minutes/seconds), and Military Grid Reference System (MGRS). A sixth coordinate boxcontains an "Edit" button that enables the user to select any other known coordinate system toconvert to.Allows the user to quickly zoom to the location specified in the interface or to pre-placed markers.Create markers in specific locations.Convert existing marker positions between the five coordinate systems mentioned above.Determine elevation values for specific X-Y positions.

Converting Point CoordinatesTo convert the coordinates of a single position, there are three ways to populate the coordinate converterinterface:

Manually: To manually go to a specific location, simply type in the coordinates in one of the fiveavailable coordinate system input fields. Regardless of which coordinate system is entered, all fivewill be immediately updated to the new position.

From a Marker: If markers are loaded, the user can select a marker from the "Marker" pull downmenu. Once a marker is selected, the position of the marker will be populated in the five coordinatesystems.

From a Position in the model: To convert the coordinates of any position in the model, simply pointthe cursor to that position, left click the mouse, and type "P" on the keyboard. The position underthe cursor will be populated in all five coordinate systems.

Entering AltitudeThe default position of the "Altitude" field is set to AGL (Above Ground Level) with a value of zero. Thismeans that the position is resting on the surface of the model. To set a specific altitude, either set the AGLvalue to a nonzero number (e.g., to simulate a planned observation tower), or set an absolute elevationvalue.

Creating MarkersOnce a position has been entered either manually (by typing the position into one of the input fields) orfrom a position in the model (by left clicking on a model position and typing "P"), the user can create amarker in that position. The user must manually type a marker name in the marker name field (to the rightof the "Create Marker Named..." button). A marker will appear. Markers can be edited, saved, andexported. Furthermore, markers of locations can be sent to users of the Quick Terrain Modeler or the freeQuick Terrain Reader to share positional information. Please note that markers also form the basis of line ofsight analysis.

Zooming to a Point or MarkerOnce a position has been entered in the steps above, a user can zoom to that location in one of two ways:

"Look Here": This function brings the location (or marker) to the center of the screen, but using thecurrent camera position. This operation is equivalent to rotating one's head to put an object in thecenter of the field of view. The head (camera) is rotated (camera heading) and/or tilted (camerapitch), but the head (camera) stays in the same position. For this reason, Zoom level is irrelevantwith respect to "Look Here". To "Look" at a point, simply enter the position manually or by typing

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"P", then click "Look Here". To "Look" at a marker, simply select the appropriate marker from thepull down menu and click "Look Here"

"Go Here": This function reorients the model so the user is looking straight down (nadir view) on theposition or marker. In contrast to the "Look Here" function, the "Go Here" function moves thecamera position, points it straight down at the marker, and orients the model north-up. The ZoomLevel is important when using the "Go Here" function, as it will determine how closely the user iszoomed in when the "Go Here" button is pressed

"Zoom Level": Zoom Level determines how closely the user will be zoomed in when using the "GoHere" function. The zoom level is irrelevant when using the "Look Here" function.

Using Coordinate Conversion Utility with "Cartesian" CoordinatesQuick Terrain Modeler can not convert between Cartesian coordinates and the coordinate systems notedabove. The functionality of "Look Here", "Go Here", and marker creation still apply.

4.7 Model Search

Model Search is a tool that enables very fast search of relevant 3D and/or 2D data. Frequently, LiDAR andother geospatial data is divided into "tiles" of data. A survey may consist of hundreds, even thousands, oftiles. They are not always named or organized in a consistent or intuitive manner. Consequently, findingthe right tiles can sometimes be a very arduous and time consuming effort.

The concept of this tool is simple:1. Start with a coordinate. If models and data are in either UTM, MGRS, or geodetic (geographic), the

user-specified search coordinate can be in any one of the coordinate systems. For example, if data isin UTM, the user can still specify and MGRS coordinate for model search.

2. Point to a directory or drive. Quick Terrain Modeler will inspect the directory as well as allsubdirectories to find data that contains that coordinate.

3. QTM will display a list of the data and/or models in the model list window.4. Highlight a model or models and click "Load Models" to load the models into QTM.

Instructions (Starting with No Models Open):1. Go to the "File" menu. Select "Model Search" from the menu.



2. Choose whether to search for 2D Imagery or 3D Models. Note that these are separate searches thatcannot be performed at the same time. The 2D Imagery search will find almost any raster format(GeoTIFF, MRSID, ECW, CADRG, CIB, etc.) and the 3D Model Search will find any type of 3D data (LAS,GeoTIFF DEM, DTED, etc.).

3. Click the "Select Directory" button. Choose a directory to search. Note that all subdirectories of thechosen directory will be searched for relevant data.

4. Alternatively, use a "Search Cache" to find data. A Search Cache is a precalculated result to expediterepetitive searches. A search cache is a file that is created by pointing the QTM search tool to adirectory or drive, calculating what files exist and their spatial extents. Learn more about SearchCaches.

5. Input a coordinate in the appropriate field. Note that the coordinate system only needs to be input inone of the five available coordinate sections. Upon input of the coordinate, QTM will convertbetween the input coordinate and the other four coordinate systems (e.g., if you input an MGRScoordinate, the UTM, Decimal Degree, Degrees-Minutes, and Degrees-Minutes-Seconds will beautomatically and simultaneously updated). See notes below.

UTM: Input both the northing and easting coordinates. Use the pulldown menus to select thezone.MGRS: Input a single MGRS coordinate. Please use as much precision as possible (e.g., 18S TH93523 24676 - 10-digit grid coordinates). If using coordinates with lower precision, please besure to include the spaces when inputting the coordinate (e.g., 18S TH 935 246) or pad thenumber with zeroes (e.g., 18S TH 93500 24600). Note that if less precision is used, QT Modeleris still interpreting the input coordinate as a single point with 10-digit precision, rather than agrid square (i.e., a point rather than an area) and will return relevant data as such. Futurereleases will have the ability to search an area, but this release (v7.0.3) is searching on a pointwith no buffer area around it.Geodetic/Geographic: Input a coordinate in one of the three formats available - Decimal Degree,Degrees-Decimal Minutes, and Degrees-Minutes-Seconds.Cartesian/Unregistered/State Plane: Check the "Unregistered" check box. Input the X and Ycoordinates. The other coordinate systems will be grayed out.

4. Click "Find Models". The search time will depend on how many files and subdirectories QTM needs tosearch, but should be measured in seconds. Searches for remotely connected storage will take longerthan local storage.

5. QTM will display a list of the files that match your search criteria. The list will potentially consist ofQTT, QTC, QTA, LAS, DTED, GeoTIFF DEM, and/or shape files.

6. Highlight a file or files on the results list. Click "Load Models"7. Click "Load Search Point as Marker" to create a marker that quickly identifies the exact location of the

search coordinate one the model(s) is loaded.8. Export to KML: Highlight the models of interest in the Search Results window, then click "Export to

KML". Save the KML vector outlines of model extents.

Instructions (Starting with One or More Models Open):1. Begin with data loaded into Quick Terrain Modeler.2. Left click anywhere in the model and type "F" (i.e., "Find") on the keyboard. The Model Search

interface will pop up and be prepopulated with the coordinate you clicked on in Step 2.3. Alternatively, simply click the "Set Search to the Center of the Models" to enter the search

coordinate. QTM will populate the coordinate fields with the location of the center of the loadedmodel(s).

4. Click the "Select Directory" button. Choose a directory to search. Note that all subdirectories of thechosen directory will be searched for relevant data.

5. Click "Find Models".

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6. QTM will display a list of the files that match your search criteria. The list will potentially consist ofQTT, QTC, QTA, LAS, DTED, GeoTIFF DEM, and/or shape files.

7. Highlight a file or files on the results list. Click "Load Models"9. Export to KML: Highlight the models of interest in the Search Results window, then click "Export to

KML". Save the KML vector outlines of model extents.

Model Search Windows and Cartesian Coordinate Interface:

4.8 Search Cache

A QT Modeler search cache is a file that catalogs what spatial data exists in a given location. The purpose ofa search cache is to prevent repetitive, time consuming searches through large catalogs of LiDAR, imagery,and other spatial holdings. It is used in conjunction with the Model Search and Image Search tools and isrelated to the file indexing tool. Important Note: QT Modeler's cache will catalog every geospatial fileavailable, regardless of whether it is 2D, 3D, or vector data. Thus, the resulting cache can be used forsubsequent searches on either imagery (2D) or LiDAR (3D) data.

Why to Use a Cache:If you repeatedly search for data in the same storage locations (e.g., an external hard drive or "brick"). A cache will catalog the data the first time through, and this may take a long time, but subsequentsearches will be almost instantaneous. A 2TB external hard drive may take 30 minutes to search thefirst time, but subsequent searches of the cache will be instantaneous.Your data holdings are large and the file folder structure is difficult to understand (e.g., many nesteddirectories, cryptic folder and file names). Your data holdings are relatively static. The cache file is not dynamic, therefore it will need to bemanually recreated if you add to or subtract from your data holdings. If you are constantly adding toyour data holdings, particularly in a collaborative environment, you will need to recreate the cache withsome regularity. A "stale" cache will not be aware of the presence of "fresh" data.

How to Create a Cache:A cache can be created in both the Model Search Tool and the Image Search Tool in the OverlayOrthorectified Textures interface.Click the "Generate Cache" button.In the Model or Image Search tools, click "Select Directory" and point to the highest level directorydesired to create the cache.Rather than clicking "Find Data", click "Generate Cache". Create a cache file in a relevant location. When you click "Save", the cache creation will begin. The time it takes will depend entirely on theextent of your data/imagery holdings.

How to Use a Cache:A cache file is used in place of selecting a directory in the Model and Image search tools. The same cache can be used for 2D and 3D searches. The cache will catalog any geospatial file itencounters.Instead of "Selecting a Directory", choose to "Select Cache" instead. Find the cache file you created inthe step above.Click "Find Models" and the search proceeds just like a model search.Note: Searching through a cache will be extremely fast. It may seem as though nothing happened, butthe results should be accurate as long as the cache creation was performed properly.Once search results appear, simply highlight the file and proceed as normal.



4.9 Save Models

To save the current model, select Save Model form the Models pull-down menu or press the Save Modelbutton. The Quick Terrain Modeler will provide a standard Windows file selection dialog, from which youmay name and place your model according to your own standard naming and storage conventions. Whensaving models, whether individually or as a batch, Quick Terrain Modeler will retain the original file name,but will strip off the original file extension (e.g., .las, .xyz, etc) and replace the extension with either .qtt(gridded surface models) or .qtc (ungridded point clouds). The user can choose a different extensionmanually. When saving multiple files, the user can choose a custom extension for all files by clicking the"Use Custom Extension", then manually entering the desired extension in the window.

4.10 Remove Models

Similar in function to the Clear Model functionality, but will not remove all models at the same time. This ishelpful if multiple models are simultaneously loaded and one or more need to be closed. This functionimmediately removes one of the current models from the Quick Terrain Modeler workspace.

CAUTION: If you have created or modified a model and wish to save it, be sure to save it before you clear it. If you accidentally clear a newly created model without saving it, you will need to reconstruct it from theraw data.

4.11 Clear All Models

This function immediately removes the current model from the Quick Terrain Modeler workspace.

CAUTION: If you have created or modified a model and wish to save it, be sure to save it before you clear it. If you accidentally clear a newly created model without saving it, you will need to reconstruct it from theraw data.

4.12 Load List

Load list enables the user to load models that are contained in a text list of file names. The entire pathnames of the files need to be included with one file entry per line. There should be no header information inthe list.

4.13 Batch Scripting

Batch scripting enables users to script and perform repetitive and/or complicated tasks.

The user must open Quick Terrain Modeler and create the script by adding actions to a list. The list is thensaved, and then run against a set of data files. The script can be run from Quick Terrain Modeler, or can berun from a command line interface external to QTM. The following "Actions" are available:

Menu - File 41

Import Model DataSave ModelConvert Model to UTMExport GeoTIFF (2D Image and 3D DEM )Export LASExport FLTExport ASCII XYZIExport ASCII XYZRGBExport ASCII XYZAllExport Binary FXYZIExport GridStatsSet GeoKey Override

Batch scripting is found in the "File" menu.

The basic steps of scripting are as follows:1. Open Batch Scripting interface from the File Menu.2. Add Actions: Create a new script by adding “Actions” to the script.

- Select from pull- down menu.- Configure

3. Edit Actions: If necessary, edit, insert, or remove actions.- Reconfigure import settings- Remove unnecessary actions- Rename actions to more intuitive names (e.g., "Import LAS Last Returns to QTC")

4. Save the script. The script will be saved with a file extension of .qsc.5. Run the script.

- Select files in Windows GUI (“Perform Script” Button)- Select an ASCII file to run script against (“Apply to List” Button)

4.13.1 Scripting - Add Action

An "Action" is simply an existing QTM function, such as importing, saving, and exporting. The intent overtime is to add the "scriptable" (i.e., functions that lend themselves to the scripting process) QTM functionsto the available actions. At this time there are three functions available:

Import Model DataSave ModelExport GeoTIFF (2D and 3D)Export to LASConvert Model to UTM

To add one of these actions to the script, select it from the pull-down window and click the "Add Action"button. Please note the following Action-specific instructions

Import Model Data: (Related Topics: Import Model Data, Importing LAS, Importing ASCII)1) Choose the appropriate input and export formats. Leave "Batch Import" unchecked. Select "Allow



Compressed Data" if desired. (See compression).2) Select a representative file. NOTE: This is only a representative file. You do not need to select all of

your files that you want to batch process at this time. File selection for batch processing will occurwhen you run your script.

3) Configure the import options as you normally would for LAS, ASCII, etc.4) Click the "Go!" button.5) The import action will appear in the "Scripted Actions" List

Save Model:Save model simply saves the model as it was created (i.e., as specified in the "Import Model Data" ModelFormat), either a QTT gridded surface model or a QTC point cloud. At this time, the model name will be theoriginal data file name with an extension of QTT or QTC, depending on the import model type chosen. Forexample, models generated from the LAS file smithcounty_101.las get saved as smithcounty_101.qtt and/orsmithcounty_101.qtc.

Export Model to GeoTIFF:Export Model to GeoTIFF simply exports a QTT as a GeoTIFF DEM (NOTE: QTC point cloud models can not beexported to GeoTIFF DEM because they have not been gridded/rasterized) and/or 2D GeoTIFF exportproducts. The saved model or image will have the extension .tif. In the example above, an exported GeoTIFFDEM would be called smithcounty_101.qtt_dem.tif. A KML file will also be created with the same name.

4.13.2 Scripting - Edit, Insert, Remove Actions

The Edit, Insert, Remove, and Rename Actions buttons provide tools to edit the actions that have alreadybeen selected and placed in the "Scripted Actions" List.

4.13.3 Scripting - Running Scripts

To perform a script, choose one of two methods:

Perform Script:Perform Script opens the Windows file selection dialog. Simply choose the desired files and the script willimmediately begin running.

Apply to List:This method points the script to a text file containing file names to be processed. The file names in the textfile must include the entire path.

4.13.4 Scripting - Log File

Quick Terrain Modeler writes a log file of key activities during the execution of a script. operation. If yourscript is named script1.qsc, the log file will be named script1.qsc.log

Menu - File 43

In the qtvlog.txt file, there are some useful comments indicating progress of the scripts as they performtheir functions. At this time (i.e., during the beta testing period), the activity of the batch script isdocumented as "QT Error 0". This does not actually indicate an error, it is simply documenting a step in theprocess to assist in diagnosis of progress and any problems that may occur along the way.

If scripts are not executing properly, it will be helpful to examine the log file and determine where theprocess is breaking down. Providing this log file to Applied Imagery ([email protected]) will behelpful in diagnosis.

4.13.5 Scripting - Script File

The script file is a text file that defines the parameters of the script that was created. At this time, the focusis creating scripts in the QTM user interface (see Main Scripting Topic). In the future, it will be quite possiblefor users to create and run scripts from external programs by simply specifying the commands and variablesnecessary to perform the script.

The philosophy behind creating scripts in this manner, while a bit "old school", is to create a universallyunderstood and writable format that is easily accessed, read, written, and replicated.

4.14 Options/Settings

4.14.1 Always Copy QTA Data Files

When QT Modeler creates a QTC/QTA file, it writes a QTA file next to the original LAS file. In some instances,it may be undesirable to write this file. Unchecking this option may save time and disk space for operationsthat do not necessarily require the establishment of the QTA index file.

4.14.2 Add Normals When Importing Point Clouds

Checking this option will cause QTM to add normals to point cloud models during import. The default valueof this option is to not automatically add normals. Surface normals assist in rendering and shading pointclouds.

4.14.3 Auto Reset View on Model Load

Automatically resets the view upon loading the model. If you wish to remain zoomed in while addingmodels, uncheck this option.

4.14.4 Convert DTEDs to UTM

Convert DTED's to UTM (Check or Uncheck): When loading DTED models, the Quick Terrain Modeler's defaultbehavior is to convert the DTED's Geodetic coordinates into UTM and render the models as a projection inUTM space. A DTED that is square in Geodetic coordinates will show up in the Modeler as a distortedtrapezoidal shape in UTM. Under the Models menu you may select or unselect Convert DTEDs to UTM todetermine whether or not DTEDs should be converted to UTM or imported in Geodetic coordinates. Thissetting will be remembered even after you close and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler. Models imported inGeodetic coordinates and models using the default UTM coordinates will not be positioned and scaledcorrectly relative to each other.

mailto:[email protected])



Pseudo DTED's (DTC), if converted to UTM, will need to be regridded to fit the QTT (i.e., 32-bit elevationvalue) format. Therefore, loading will take longer.

4.14.5 Memory Management Options

Memory management options allows the user to set two global preferences as well as to calculate the filesize impact of these choices. The global preferences are as follows:

Allow Compressed Models: Setting this option will cause Quick Terrain Modeler to compress modelsboth in situations where the user has explicitly enabled compression (e.g., model import from rawASCII text or LAS data) and where the user has not explicitly enabled compression (e.g., loadingGeoTIFF DEM's or DTED's). Checking this box will ensure that all QTT and QTC models. Compressingmodels will make the file sizes smaller, thus enabling more points or vertices to be loaded at a giventime. The engineering cost of compression could be a loss of precision, depending on the geographicextents of the model. See Compress Models topic.

Disable Surface Normals: Choosing this setting disables the creation of surface normals. Surfacenormals are vectors that represent an orientation (azimuth and elevation) for each vertex. WhileQuick Terrain Modeler users never actually "see" surface normals, they can see the effect of having thenormals present. Appropriate shading of a rendered surface relies upon the calculation of a surfacenormal (i.e., knowing what should be in full light and what should be in shadow, and all the gradationsin between). The advantage of calculating surface normals in advance is rendering speed and imagequality. The disadvantage is the memory consumed in storing the surface normals. Note: whilesurface normals impact the rendering and visualization of a model, they do not impact themathematical composition of the model. Therefore, from a measurement and engineering calculationperspective, surface normals are not required and their absence will not impact analytical results.

The Memory Management Options window will also calculate the impact to a variety of model types - QTCand QTT, both with and without vertex colors (e.g., intensity is a vertex color). Compressing models andremoving surface normals can have a dramatic impact on file size, hence maximum model size permitted ina given fixed memory space.

4.14.6 Show Toolbar

Show Toolbar toggles the Primary Button Bar on and off. Once set this option will persist even after youclose and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

4.14.7 Show Progress Bar

Show Progress Bar determines whether or not a small progress bar will be displayed in the lower left cornerof the viewing window corresponding to the current level of refinement. Once set, this option will persisteven after you close and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

4.14.8 Go Fullscreen

Toggles to/from Fullscreen and Window Mode.

Menu - File 45

4.14.9 Set Screensize

Allows the User to select a specific window size for the Quick Terrain Modeler. Screen size is measured inpixels. Screen size can also be set by dragging the edges of the Quick Terrain Modeler window.

4.14.10 GeoTIFF Export Setup

See GeoTIFF Export Setup

4.14.11 KML Options

See KML Options topic.

4.14.12 LAS File Open Options

File > Options/Settings > LAS File Open Options

LAS data files can either be opened or imported. There are advantages to each. Opening is a single stepprocess that can even be achieved by dragging and dropping an LAS file into QTM. It is faster than"importing" and will always result in the display of a point cloud. Importing an LAS file opens up a widevariety of options for filtering, gridding, surface creation etc. that are not available to just opening a file.

The purpose the the default LAS Options interface is to define the desired behavior when simply opening ordragging/dropping a file into QTM. The possible choices are:

1. Import Intensity: Choose to color the resulting point cloud a grayscale value based on the intensityvalue associated with each point

2. Import RGB: Choose to color the resulting point cloud a Red/Green/Blue value based on the RGBvalue associated with each point in the original LAS file. The original file must contain RGB values inthe point data record for this option to have any effect.

3. Filter by classification: Only import specific classifications as a subset of the original LAS file.

4. Filter by desired return: Only import a specific return number as a subset of the original LAS file.

5. Trust LAS Header Extents: Speeds file opening by assuming the header accurately represents dataextents, thus eliminating the need for QT Modeler to verify prior to loading the data. Since verificationrequires a pass through the file on a point by point basis, this step can be unnecessarily timeconsuming.

6. Calculate Normals: Calculate a surface normal value on a point-wise basis.



4.14.13 Mensuration Options

See Mensuration Options Topic

4.14.14 Set QTM Display Units

File Menu > Options and Settings > Set QTM Display Units

Display Menu > Settings > Display Settings

Setting the QT Modeler display units will impact what units distances and elevations are displayed in userinterfaces, on the measurement line readout, and in the status bar. The "Global Default" simply uses theunits of the original 3D data in all displays. For example, if LiDAR data is collected and distributed in meters,the Global Default will display distances and elevations in meters. Setting display units to US Survey feetwill override the default units and display distances and elevations in feet instead. Conversely, datacollected and distributed in feet can have measurements in meters. Note that setting display units does notconvert the original data to a new measurement unit, it simply impacts the display during the QT Modelersession.

See also: Status Bar Options

4.14.15 Open QT Files Directory

Opening QT Files Directory will open Windows Explorer (or the default file browser if it is different thanWindows Explorer) and navigate to the folder in which all Quick Terrain Modeler log files, Initialization file(a.k.a INI files), and temp directories are installed. This directory is established upon installation in the "MyDocuments" folder. It will be named the same name as the Program Files Directory. For example, thiswould be a typical path name to the "QT Files" directory where the user name is "John Smith" and theinstaller chose the folder name "Quick Terrain Modeler v712":

C:\Documents and Settings\John Smith\My Documents\Quick Terrain Modeler v712

It is useful to navigate quickly to this folder for troubleshooting purposes. If you are having trouble and

Menu - File 47

require support from Applied Imagery, it is frequently useful for Applied Imagery's support team to see yourQTVLog.txt file, as well as your INI files.

4.14.16 Set QT Temp Directory

Setting the Temp directory for Quick Terrain Modeler enables relocating the default temp directory. In sometightly controlled IT environments, users may not be able to access the normal default temp file location (in"My Documents"). Simply select this option and point to a new directory for the temp file.

The default path for the temp directory is in your PC's default Windows temp directory location. Typically,this will look something like this:

C:\Users\James\AppData\Local\Temp (Insert your User Name for "James")

QT Modeler will clean up the temp directory after closing out of models ("Clear All Models") as well asduring the shut-down process. QT Modeler-created temp directories will begin with the text string "TMPfollowed by 4 hexadecimal numbers. See image below.

4.14.17 Set QTM Registered File Types

File > Options and Settings > Set QTM File Types

The purpose of this tool is to easily set the file types for which QT Modeler is the default program. Simplycheck the desired boxes and click "Apply".

Set QTM File Types



QTM Icon Indicates LAS Defaults to QTM

4.15 Exit

The Exit command closes the Quick Terrain Modeler. Please make sure all models are saved prior to exiting.


Version 8

Part

V



5 Menu - Edit

5.1 Editing Overview

Quick Terrain Modeler offers many ways to edit 3D point and surface data. The basic tools

Editing Individual Points:Individual points can be deleted by holding down the "Shift" key, then left clicking on an individual point. Users can delete these points if necessary.

Editing Selection Areas:Users can cut, crop, flatten, smooth, or decimate data within a selection area. These functions can beaccessed via the Edit menu or by holding down "Control" on the keyboard and right clicking in the selectionarea. See separate sections on each of these functions.

Exporting from Selection Areas:Users can export the actual area perimeter as ASCII, KML, or shape file. In addition, all the points containedwithin a selection area can be exported as LAS, Binary, or ASCII text. These functions can be accessed byholding down "Control" on the keyboard and right clicking in the selection area.

Editing Entire Models:Entire models can be edited by converting between point clouds and surfaces, merging models together,setting their positions, or adding/removing surface normals.

5.2 Selection Areas

5.2.1 Select

Edit > Select

Also accessed from the Select Button

Pressing the Select button places the user in "Select" mode which enables the user to select an area to keepor an area to cut. Pressing the button again exits the user from Select mode. This can also be done bychoosing Select from the Edit menu.

To select an area, left-click and drag in the main viewing window to select a region of the model. Theselected region will be highlighted. Right clicking and dragging will allow the user to rotate this box to a

Menu - Edit 51

desired orientation. Users may temporarily suspend mouse controls for selecting an area by holding downthe "ALT" key, moving the model, then releasing the "ALT" key to resume selecting the area.

Regions may also be selected numerically by choosing "Select Area…" from the Edit menu.

Note: Once the area is selected, the user can interrogate the Quick Terrain Modeler for the area statistics,use the area as the basis for area smoothing or flattening, or can export the selection area as a shapefile.

5.2.2 Z Select vs. Screen Select

Quick Terrain Modeler has two polygon selection tools that can be accessed from the button bar. They are:

Z Select: This is a user defined polygon selected down the Z axis. This is useful for ensuring that ALLpoints get selected in a given XY (i.e., horizontal) region. The Z select polygon will extend from the highest tothe lowest elevations in the model, thus ensuring all points in a given area are selected.

Window Select:Window Select places a selection polygon down the viewing axis. This enables moreprecise selection of groups of points by tilting a model to a more horizontal view and selecting points. Seeexample below.

Selecting a tree in a point cloud by two methods: Z Select and Window Select:

5.2.3 Select Area

This tool allows the user to manually input an area of interest. Simply enter the desired values of theopposite corners of a rectangular area. If the rectangle needs to be rotated, simply enter the desiredorientation.



The Select Area Window

5.3 Selection Area Importing and Exporting

5.3.1 Save Selection to KML

Saving the selection area to KML permits the exchange of georeferenced polygons with other applications(e.g., Google Earth). To save the selection to KML, first establish a selection area through the selectionrectangle, selection polygon, or importing a selection polygon from shapefile or KML. Once the selectionpolygon is established, simply select the "Save Selection to KML" from the Edit menu. Quick TerrainModeler will:

Export the polygon to Google earth, where it will be immediately visible.Save a KML file in the specified directory.

5.3.2 Import Selection from KML

Importing a selection area from a KML polygon enables users to select areas in Quick Terrain Modeler whichhave been created in another application (e.g., Google Earth). To import a selection area from KML, selectthis option from the Edit menu, choose a KML file, and Quick Terrain Modeler will establish a selection areabased on the KML polygon parameters. (Note, if KML polygon is loaded through Windows "drag and drop",it will be loaded as a vector, not as a selection area.

See also: Save Selection to KML

5.3.3 Import Selection from Shapefile

The import of a polygon shape file forms the basis of analysis of specific areas. For example, an importedshape file selection area can specify an area in which to edit the terrain (e.g., crop to a specific areadesignated in GIS analysis), perform volume calculations or to measure area statistics (number of points,average point density, etc.)

Instructions: Select "Import Selection from Shapefile" from the Edit menu. Select the appropriate shapefile. The "Shapefile Importer" window will appear. Important: It is essential that an accurate coordinatesystem is attached to the shapefile. This information does not exist in the shapefile itself, so without it, theQuick Terrain Modeler will be unable to determine where to place the shapefile. If the model is UTM, pleasemake sure to specify UTM as the coordinate system as well as the correct zone. After specifying thisinformation, Click OK.

The selection area will appear immediately. Use this selection area for any editing or analysis functions asyou would during normal Quick Terrain Modeler operation. Functions that will work with an importedshape file include Area Statistics, Volume Calculation, Cutting, Cropping, Flattening and Smoothing.

5.3.4 Save Selection to ASCII

The Save Selection to ASCII function saves the vertices of a selection area as an ASCII text file.

Menu - Edit 53

5.3.5 Save Selection as Shapefile

Saving a selection area provides two basic benefits. First, the area is available to perform the sameanalysis in the same location on different models (e.g., before/after volume analysis, etc.). Second,the measured and analyzed area can be easily exported to other applications (ESRI GIS, etc.) foradditional analysis.

Instructions: Draw a selection area using Quick Terrain Modeler's tools. Select "Save Selection asShapefile" from the Analysis menu. Designate a file name. Click the Save button. The shapefile cannow be imported into any application that can read shapefiles.

Note: The selection area will be saved as a 2-D shapefile. Therefore, it will have no inherent elevationvalue. In many cases, 2-D shapefiles are sufficient to represent a selected area in GIS applications. The Quick Terrain Modeler only needs a 2-D shapefile to define a selection area. If you require a 3-Dshape file around a selected area, there are two solutions:

1. Loosely sampled perimeter: If loose sampling is acceptable, create a mensuration line aroundthe selected area, then save the mensuration line as a shapefile. The saved shapefile will be 3-D, but it will have a sampling equal to the number of vertices you select in the mensurationline. For example, if you assemble a selection area from ten line segment, the 3-D shapefilewill also have ten 3-D segments.

2. Tightly sampled perimeter: If tight sampling around the perimeter is required, use the Selector Select Area tools to select an area. Crop to the area. Now use the Generate Outline toll inthe Analysis menu to generate a 3-D shapefile outline of the selected area perimeter. Exportthe model as a shapefile.

To import the shapefile back into a model, use the Import Selection from Shapefile function.

5.4 Selection Area - Tools for Editing

5.4.1 Selection Area Editing Tools

Once a Selection Area has been created, simply hold down the CTRL key and right click. A context menu willappear. This menu shows many of the editing tools that can be applied to the selection area.

Note: All of these functions apply only to the visible models. I.e., if there are models that are hidden in theshow/hide models process, the functions will not apply to them.

These functions are as follows:Area Stats: Calculate area statistics for all points contained in selection area.Set Classification: Reset the LAS classification value for all points contained in the selection area. Notethat all points in the selection area will receive the same classification value. Values must be between 0and 255 (i.e, an 8-bit field).



Set Alpha: Use this to reset alpha values. This may be useful when using alpha filtering to show/hidesubsets of the data. Values must be between 0 and 255 (i.e, an 8-bit field).Set Color: Setting color resets the vertex colors in a point cloud or a surface model. This may be useful tocolor specific areas of the model or to modify raster analysis results display. For example, afterperforming HLZ analysis, a user may want to remove the coloration.Cut: Cuts all points within selection area.Crop: Cuts all points except those contained in the selection area.Decimate: Removes every nth point from the selection area.Export Area: Export the selection rectangle or selection polygon as a vector file (SHP, KML, etc.)Export Points: Exports all points within the selection area as LAS, ASCII, or Binary.

CTRL-Right Click to Display SelectionArea Editing Tools

5.4.2 Cut

The cut function removes the selected area from the model. Prior to cutting, a user must select an area inone of the following ways:

Use the "Select" Tool, which will select a rectangular area.Use the "Select Polygon" Tool, which will select an irregular closed polygon.Import a selection area from a shape file. The shape file must be a closed polygon.

Cutting will only apply to the visible model. If multiple models are loaded, but only one is visible, the cutfunction can be applied to all models by holding down the "CTRL" key while cutting.

Note: The "Undo" function will only undo one cut or crop option.

5.4.3 Crop

The Crop function removes every part of the model except the selected area. Prior to cropping, a usermust select an area in one of the following ways:

Use the "Select" Tool, which will select a rectangular area.Use the "Select Polygon" Tool, which will select an irregular closed polygon.Import a selection area from a shape file. The shape file must be a closed polygon.

Cropping will only apply to the visible model. If multiple models are loaded, but only one is visible, the cropfunction can be applied to all models by holding down the "CTRL" key while cropping.

Note: The "Undo" function will only undo one cut or crop option.

Menu - Edit 55

5.4.4 Visible Points Functions

Visible Points Functions enables a number of editing functions to work on a subset of th data - only thosepoints which are currently visible and bounded by a selection area.

5.4.5 Smooth Area

To smooth an area, a user selects an area with a selection polygon. The smooth area tool interpolates a newsurface based on the perimeter of the selection polygon. Instructions: Draw a selection polygon around an area that requires smoothing. Choose "Smooth Area"from the Edit menu. Quick Terrain Modeler will create a surface based on the elevations of the perimetersurface.

Notes: Smooth area only works on surface models (.qtt files).Once the area is "smoothed", the process can not be reversed. Selection areas can be imported as shapefiles. Therefore, desired areas can be identified in GISapplications.Try to avoid including trees or other jagged surface elements in the selection polygon boundary. These elevation anomalies may contribute to an irregular surface being created.Save model after smoothing. If the model is not saved, the changes will be lost.

The two figures below illustrate selecting an area for smoothing. The first figure shows the house with aselection polygon around it. The second figure shows the result of the area smoothing. The house has beenreplaced by a smooth terrain surface.

5.4.6 Flatten Area

The flatten area tool performs a similar function to Smooth Area, but the user selects a constant elevationto be applied within the selection polygon. A user may flatten an area to conform to the surroundingsurface model (e.g., water surface) or may create an artificially low (e.g., cut and fill) or artificially high (e.g.,simulated new structure in a terrain) elevation for the edited model. Flatten area only applies to visiblemodels.

Instructions: Draw a selection polygon around an area that requires flattening. Choose "Flatten Area" fromthe Edit menu. When the "Desired Area Height" window appears, enter the elevation height required for thesurface. Quick Terrain Modeler will create a flat surface based on the elevation specified. Note: Anyelevation can be specified to either flatten a terrain or to simulate a new structure in the terrain.

In the example below, the goal is to remove the building and vehicles from the Grass Lake model and flattenthe DEM to an elevation of the surface of the surrounding terrain. First, use a selection polygon to selectthe building and area around it. Use the Flatten Area command in the Edit Menu. Specify an elevation valuefor the resultant surface (302.5m). Click OK. The result of the area smoothing operation is a DEM with the



building and vehicles removed.

Artificial structures can be created by selecting elevations higher than the surrounding terrain. In theexample below, an elevation of 320m is used to create a building in the same footprint as the selection areaabove.

5.4.7 Undo Last Cut/Crop

Undo the Last Cut/Crop will undo the results of the last cut or crop action, provided the cut/crop was basedon a rectangular selection area, Z selection polygon area, or a screen select polygon area. If cuts/crops wereperformed through another tool (e.g., grid statistics), they can not be undone at this time.

5.4.8 Temporary Cut and Crop

There are many reasons to want to temporarily cut or crop point clouds. Some examples are to temporarilyremove visual clutter to see specific object and to temporarily hide points "behind" other points. Temporary cut/crop enables this capability by temporarily applying a texture mask to the selected areas. Toperform temporary cut/crop:

1. Select an area of interest, either because you want to temporarily isolate that area (i.e., temporary crop)or you want to temporarily hide that area. (temporary cut). Any selection area tool can be used for thisoperation.

2. Right Click on either the cut or crop buttons -

3. A crop filter will appear in the textures section of the layer tree. This can be checked and unchecked toshow/hide the rest of the points.

4. Remove the filter to free up a texture slot.

Menu - Edit 57

5.5 Convert Model

Convert Model allows users to build or load one type of model, visualize, analyze, and/or edit, then convertto another model type. This function will convert QTT (gridded surface models) to QTC (ungridded pointclouds) or convert QTC to QTT. In addition, it can be used to convert coordinates between UTM andGeodetic.

To Convert Models:

1. Load or build a model(s).2. Select Convert Models from the Edit menu.3. Choose the model you wish to convert from the "Input Model" pull down menu.4. Select the Model Format from the pull down menu.5. If creating a QTT, select the desired grid sampling. Grid sampling is the distance between vertices in

the resulting gridded surface model. The value is in the units of the original model/data. For example,a model in meters, if the user specifies grid sampling at 3, will result in grid sampling of 3 meters. Forfurther information on grid sampling, please refer to the Gridding Options section. Also, please referto the Filtering Options section for various options to limit triangle side lengths when gridding overareas that contain no data and to the section on Allowing Rotated Grid for an explanation of thisoption.

6. If creating a QTC, grid sampling is irrelevant.

Helpful hints:It may be useful to build a point cloud to see the original data as collected, then use Convert Models tochange the point cloud into a gridded surface model. Furthermore, users may outline a specific area ofa point cloud with the selection tools, then convert only that area to a surface model. If the userbuilds a QTT gridded surface model first, please note that Quick Terrain Modeler will not convert themodel to a point cloud of the original data, but rather to a point cloud of the gridded data.When converting coordinates, any coordinate system can be converted to UTM or Geodetic (lat/long). If using any other coordinate system than UTM or geodetic, select "No Change" to preserve



5.6 Match Model Altitudes

Users need to align multiple models of overlapping terrain. With this tool, users can load multiple models,regardless of model type, and align their altitudes. These overlapping models could come in the form ofoverlapping strips taken during the same survey, surveys taken at different times, or surveys taken fromdifferent sensors that were not calibrated exactly the same. For various reasons, the models do not havethe same altitude in the overlap region. As a fundamental step in aligning multiple models, users need tofirst align in the Z-axis, altitude. As users adjust models' altitudes, they need to know how each model wasadjusted (i.e., the Z-offset).

Open all desired models with overlapping terrain. Simply use the "Open New Model" and/or "AddModel" commands or buttons.Go to the "Models" menu and select "Match Model Altitudes". A "Select Models" window willappear. Select the models that are misaligned in altitude. If all loaded models need to be aligned, click the"Select All" button.Checking the "Match to Reference Model" button forces one of the models to stay fixed in altitude. You can choose the model that stays fixed in altitude by selecting it from the pulldown menu. If theuser chooses "Auto Select", the stationary model will be the one the is most likely to be correct (i.e.,the model that is "in the middle" if some models are "high" and some are "low"). Unchecking this boxwill allow Quick Terrain Modeler to move all of the models in altitude. Any adjustments that aremade to the models will be reflected in the QT Match Report.Checking the "Don't Match High Variance Regions" check box will cause the Quick Terrain Modeler toignore high variance regions that may artificially alter the altitude synchronization calculation.Users may select a sampling ratio that can speed the alignment process at the cost of accuracy. Use ahigher sampling ratio (from the pulldown menu) to speed the calculation.Click "OK"After alignment is completed, you will be prompted to save the "Match Report" file. This file recordsthe calculated corrections, which model was used as a baseline, and how much each model wasshifted in altitude. Please name the file and place it in the appropriate directory.Alignment can be performed on QTT or QTC models.IMPORTANT: If you want the altitude correction to be permanent, you must save each model withthe corrected altitude.

Note: If there is no significant statistical difference in the overlap areas, the Quick Terrain Modeler will makeno modification to the altitude of either model. This will be noted in the Match Report.

The QT Match Report:The models in this example have been artificially manipulated to have an altitude difference. The meaning

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of the fields in the QT Match Report is as follows:

The numerical values in the "Altitude Matching" section are the calculated differences between thepairs of models.The numerical values in the "Calculated Corrections" are the corrections to move all Models to thecalculated "median level"The "selected baseline" is the model selected as closest to the median.The numerical values in the "Applied Corrections" section are the values added to all z values in eachmodel to match it to the baseline.

5.7 Merge Models

Users can load multiple models of the same type and merge them. If the models are of different resolutions(i.e., point/post spacing), this merging process will preserve the maximum resolution if an area of highresolution overlaps and area of low resolution. The resultant model will be a .qtt surface model or a .qtcpoint cloud model. Users can load any number of models (within the normal memory constraints, ofcourse) and any combination of model types.

Note: The Merge Models Function is not available on the Quick Terrain Modeler Education Edition.

Why: Users frequently have models (e.g., .qtt surface models, .qtc point clouds, DTED's, GeoTIFF's) that areof varying resolutions, varying overlaps, tiled to various smaller sizes, etc. that need to be merged into asingle coherent model. The merged model can then be enhanced, edited, exported and distributed asneeded.

Instructions: Open/Add desired models. From the "Models" menu select "Merge Models". The "Select Models" Window will appear (See Fig 15). Select the desired models to merge. Simply "Select All" if you need to merge all loaded models. Select your desired "Density Cutoff". This value is preset at 2. The Density Cutoff establishes adata density threshold above which data will be ignored. For example assume Model X has a datadensity of one point every 1 meter and Model Y has a density of one point every 4 meters. If theDensity Cutoff is set to 2, the Quick Terrain Modeler will ignore Model Y's data in any overlapareas (i.e., Quick Terrain Modeler will utilize the high density data and discard the low densitydata.) If the Density Cutoff is set to 4, Quick Terrain Modeler will use both sets of data. It isimportant to note the principles:

Data Densities Identical: If the densities of the two models are the same, both sets of datawill be used to merge the models. Data Density Variance Relatively Small: If the densities of the two models being comparedare different but within the user-specified Density Cutoff (i.e., one density is less than X timesthe other density, where X is the Density Cutoff), both sets of data will be used to merge themodels. Data Density Variance Beyond User-defined Tolerance: If the difference in densities of thetwo models being compared is greater than the user-specified Density Cutoff (i.e., onedensity is greater than X times the other density, where X is the Density Cutoff), only the highdensity data will be used to merge the models.

Select type of output model desired. This is either a .qtt surface model or a .qtc point cloud. Select whether to color by density. This is the same functionality as the normal Data Density



Analysis tool. Choose whether to allow a rotated grid. This is only applicable for .qtt surface models. Allowinga rotated grid creates the smallest possible model size and is therefore recommended. Unchecking the box will force the grid to be aligned North-South, therefore not minimizing the sizeof the grid/model. The Quick Terrain Modeler will suggest a grid spacing based on model information. If you requirea specific grid spacing, enter it in the grid spacing window. Choose Decimation/Crop and Filter options as appropriate. Click "Merge".

Important: Save the merged model after merge process completes.

5.8 Repair DEMs

QT Modeler's Repair DEM tool enables users to quickly perform several common DEM editing tasks acrossthe entire surface of an existing surface model (DEM, DSM, DTM, etc.) The primary reasons for creating andusing the tool are as follows:

No Access to Original Point Data: Users may not have access to the original point data that created aDEM, so the Import process and configuration tools are not available. Repair DEM is a tool to use onan existing surface and does not require, nor does it permit, access to the original source point datafile.Hole Fill: Some surface models may have "holes" - areas of null data values - that may not bedesirable. DEM repair offers several choices to fill holes.Spike Removal: Some surface models may contain "spike" - areas of abnormal or erroneous data thatneed to be removed.Quick revision of imported surface model: Even if the user has access to the original source data file, aquick revision of an existing surface model may be all that is necessary. Avoiding the entire importingprocess could save time.

The following are the basic steps to Repairing DEM's:

1. Load an existing surface model such as a QTT, GeoTIFF DEM, or DTED file.2. Go to the Edit Menu and select "Repair DEM" from the menu.3. Choose options to fill holes and remove spikes. These choices are explained fully in the Gridding and

Triangulation Section.

Repair DEM Interface

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DTED with Null Data (i.e., "Holes")

DTED with Holes "Repaired"

5.9 Subtract Models

Subtract Models is a tool which will subtract the elevation values of one entire model from another model. Subtract Models only works on .QTT gridded surface models. This can be a very helpful tool to highlightdifferences between data sets. In addition, subtracting a bare earth model from a first return model willproduce a 3D model of Above Ground Level (AGL) elevations

To subtract models:

1. Load a gridded surface model (.QTT)2. Go to the Edit Menu and choose "Subtract Models".3. Choose a model to subtract. Click OK. Quick Terrain Modeler will subtract the elevation values from the

loaded model.

A normal model in absolute elevation space:

The same model with the bare earth model subtracted. Note that all elevations are now measured in AGLspace (i.e., terrain is flattened around an elevation of zero):



See Also: AGL Analyst

5.10 Edit Model Text

The edit model text allows the user to enter up to 1000 characters to describe the model. Once entered andsaved, this will be displayed in the view model statistics window. If the model is not saved after editingmodel text, all new text will be lost.

5.11 Rename Models

Use "Rename Models" to change the model name without saving. This can be very helpful to distinguishbetween models when importing multiple models from the same data set. In the case, the temporary nameof the model is the name of the data set, so it would be possible to have multiple models named the samething.

5.12 Georegister Model

The Georegister Model tool transforms all loaded models from their existing coordinate system to a user-specified coordinate system. This is frequently necessary if models are generated from a sensor which hasno georegistration (e.g., ground-based laser scanners). The concept behind georegistration is simple: import a set of known georeference points, match them to existing points in a model, transform the modelcoordinates to real world coordinates, and, if the error level is acceptable, permanently apply the changes.

To Georegister models, follow these basic steps:

1. Build/load model (s). Georegistration will work on gridded surface models (QTT) as well asungridded point clouds (QTC). The georegistration transformation will be applied equally to allloaded models. For example, if a terrestrial laser scanner exports four scans, and all four scans areloaded together as point clouds, Quick Terrain Modeler will transform all four point clouds duringthe georegistration process, regardless of where the registration points are placed.

2. Click Import on the Georegister Models window. The Import ASCII Registration Points window willappear.

3. Load the reference points input file. The input file should be a user-created list of ground truthingpoints that easily correspond visually to reference points in the loaded model. At a minimum, theinput file must be in an ASCII columnar format and contain a column for XYZ (Easting, Northing,Altitude) locations. The Import ASCII Registration Points window can adapt to a variety of formats. Once selected, a sample of the input file text can be previewed in the "Sample Text from File"window.

4. Configure the format for the input file. Specify the appropriate coordinate system. If the data is

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not in UTM or Lat/Long, choose Cartesian. Specify the number of header rows (if any). Specify thecolumn numbers for Point ID, X (Easting), Y (Northing), Z (Altitude). Specify a delimiter (e.g.,comma) if necessary. Click "OK". The Registration points will appear in the left "UnmatchedPoints" column of the Georegister Models window.

5. If the model is completely unregistered and/or not even close to the target coordinate system (e.g.,3-D laser scanned data in project coordinate space), the user must press the "Prepare UnregisteredModel"button. This will move the model roughly into the coordinate space, allowing for an easierregistration process. This is a mandatory step for unregistered models.

6. Helpful Hint: If you are matching georegistration points to the known origin points of terrestrial(e.g., ILRIS) scans that have been aligned in the scan alignment tool, be sure to turn on the displayfeature "Show Model Origins" in the Display...Options menu. THis will highlight the origin points inyellow, making the identification of the origins much easier.

7. Click on a point and highlight it in the "Unmatched Points" column. Move to the loaded model(s) inthe model space. Select a corresponding point in the loaded model(s) by holding down the "SHIFT"key and moving the cursor in the model space. A cross hair and a red square will move from pointto point as the cursor is moved. When the cursor is over the correct point, left click on the mouse. Once the corresponding point has been identified, the point will move from the "UnmatchedPoints" to the "Matched Points" column. The point will also turn blue in the model.

8. If the user selects the wrong point accidentally, the point can be reselected. Simply highlight thepoint in the "Matched Points" column, then repeat Step 6.

9. Repeat Step 6 for all points, or at least a sufficient number of points to calculate registration (4points minimum).

10.Press "Calculate Registration" to determine the required adjustments in X, Y, Z, Roll, Pitch, Heading. Tis function will also calculate the RMS error of the transformation. If the error is acceptable,proceed to step 10. If the error is not acceptable, the user must attempt to re-match points. Theuser may choose to start from scratch by clicking the "Unmatch All" button and repeating step 6.

11. To apply the registration to the model, the user has two choices. Only one is necessary. Do notattempt to apply both, as the transformation will be applied twice.:

Apply to Models (2D): If the model(s) are in roughly the correct coordinate system and arenot skewed in pitch and roll (e.g., airborne LiDAR data), press "Apply to Models (2D)" toapply only the X, Y, Z, and Heading transformation. This method is faster.Apply to Models (Full): If the model(s) were originally unregistered data (e.g., terrestriallaser-scanned data such as Optech ILRIS), press "Apply to Models (Full)" to apply the fulltransformation: X, Y, Z, Roll, Pitch, and Heading.

The transformation values will be applied to all loaded models.

Save Models.

The "Georegister Models" Window (left) and the "Import ASCII Registration Points" Window (right). Note allpoints are unmatched.



The "Georegister Models" Window (left) showing a single point, "Crane" matched. The "GeoregisterModels" window (right) showing 4 corresponding matched registration points.

5.13 Set Model Position

For certain Quick Terrain Modeler features to work properly, a model must be positioned appropriately inUTM/Geodetic Space. Models are normally georegistered during the model creation process, but in certaincases (for example raw binary formats) georegistration data may not be included in the data file. Georegistration information can be added or modified by selecting Set Model Position(s)… from the Modelsmenu. From the resulting window select the model you wish to position and then enter the appropriateUTM coordinates and Zone of the reference point of the model. Models created from imported XYZ UTMdata should be placed properly in UTM space if the import window was fully configured (including UTMZone). The "Reset Viewer on Apply" check box determines whether or not the Quick Terrain Modeler willreset the current view after the model is re-positioned.

This window can also be used to reset the "No Data" value in the model.

5.14 Add Normals to Surface Models

Adding Surface Normals will calculate surface normals for a QTT surface model and store the normals alongwith the model. This function is used if surface normals were either manually removed from a model or ifthe global preference has been set (in Memory Management Options) to not include surface normals insurface model creation. Surface normals significantly enhance rendering speed and image quality, but theengineering tradeoff is model size and memory consumption. Adding surface normals will increase the sizeof an uncompressed QTT surface model with no vertex colors by approximately 100%. Please note thatsurface normals can be removed and added as the user see fit. See also Smooth Normals.

5.15 Remove Normals from Surface Model

Removing Surface Normals will delete surface normals for a QTT surface model and store the normals alongwith the model. This function is used if surface normals were generated during QTT model creation. Surfacenormals significantly enhance rendering speed and image quality, but the engineering tradeoff is model size

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and memory consumption. removing surface normals will increase the size of a QTT surface model with norvertex colors by approximately 120%. Please note that surface normals can be removed and added as theuser see fit. See also Smooth Normals.


Version 8

Part

VI

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6 Menu - Import

6.1 Model Overview

When importing "Raw" or "Source" point data (See raw data formats), the user has the choice between 3basic model types:

QTT Gridded Surface Model: This type of model, often called a DEM (Digital Elevation Model), is atriangulated, regularly gridded surface representation of the original data. (See QTT details) QTC Point Cloud Model: QTC models are point-cloud models that simply represent each XYZ point as agraphical point. The primary advantage of QTC models over QTT models (which can also be displayed inpoint-cloud form) is that QTT models encapsulate evenly gridded data, while QTC models can displayarbitrarily dispersed 3-D data. (See QTC Details)QTA Attribute Table: QTA Attribute tables enable the use and exploitation of per-point attributes thatmay be available in an LAS, ASCII Text, or other type of source data files. A QTA file is simply an index andattribute table for the original source data file that enables Quick Terrain Modeler to work with the per-point attributes. (See QTA Details)

6.1.1 QTA Attribute Table

Quick Terrain Modeler Version 7.0.0 introduces a new data structure called "QTA". A QTA file is simply anindex and attribute table associated with a source data file.

The QTA file:

1. Serves as an index and "translator" between a QTC point cloud model and the original source data. Itenables QTM to look up all per-point attributes (e.g., an LAS point data record), display them, analyzethem, and filter/edit by point attribute values.

2. Enables user-defined custom coloration of point cloud data based on per-point attribute values (e.g.,return number, classification, scan angle).

3. Enables temporary and permanent filtering based on per-point attribute values (e.g., delete all pointswhere classification = 5).

4. Enables assignment of per-point attribute values into the Z-axis (e.g., 3-dimensional view of scan angle)and/or the point Red, Green, Blue, and Alpha Channels, thus creating thematic 3D representations of datacharacteristics, rather than "real world" replication of reality.

5. Gives users access to point attributes to be used as the basis for statistical analysis in the Grid StatisticsTool.

6. Enables creation of attribute-specific point cloud histograms (e.g., show histogram of return number,classification, etc.)

7. Establishes a framework for user-defined, per-point attributes that may not be supported in a given fileformat or standard (e.g., LAS), but the user wishes to add (e.g., AGL heights of points).

8. Enables the new "Proxy Mode", which allows analysis and exploitation of unlimited sized models, butviewing of only a subset of the points. The QTA serves as an intermediary file between what is in thesource data file and what is being displayed in the QTC point cloud. Proxy mode enables working withpoint clouds too large to fit in memory.



QTA key points:In the case of LAS files, QTA's serve as an intermediary between the point cloud (QTC) and the source datafile (LAS). Therefore, the original source data file must be available to enable all of the functionalitydescribed above (i.e., the QTA is not a "standalone" file - it needs to be associated with the source datafile.)In the case of ASCII XYZ files, QTA's can be a standalone model type, as it serves as the complete attributetable, rather than a "lookup" table.There is no memory "cost" to working with QTA's. Because it is never loaded in memory, the QTA filenever consumes memory resources. Hence, it has no impact to maximum model sizes.

6.1.2 Proxy Mode

Proxy Mode is an optional import setting that allows manipulation of much larger point cloud models thanwill fit in memory. Proxy mode requires the establishment of a QTA attribute table. In contrast to a"normal" QTA attribute table/QTC point cloud, proxy mode will only display a subset of the points in a givendata set. For example, a data set may contain 100 million points, which may be too much to load in a givenmachine's available memory. Proxy mode will build the QTA attribute table that access all 100 millionpoints, but will only display 10 million points (or whatever is specified in the decimation level by the user). All subsequent analysis, however, will be performed on ALL points in the data set, rather than just what isvisible.

Please note the following guidelines about proxy mode: 1) Proxy mode will only work with a QTA import. QTT gridded surface models and "normal" (i.e., non-QTA)

QTC point clouds can not access the original data in proxy mode.

2) Proxy mode is designed to overcome memory limitations. It is an excellent tool if a given data set willnot fit in available memory, but is not necessary if models will fit in memory.

3) Proxy Mode decimates a model by 10 as a default. This means that every 10th point of the data set willbe displayed, although all points will be available for analytical purposes. To adjust the decimation level,go to the decimation/crop options of the import interface and set the decimation level to anothernumber. The proxy mode decimation level will be designated in the model information window as shownbelow.

4) When in proxy mode, analysis tools such as grid statistics will be performed on all points in the data set,not just what is visible.

5) When taking profiles of point clouds in proxy mode, the user will have the option to generate a "ScatterPlot" of either the visible points "From Model", or the entire data set "From QTA Data". There will be asignificant difference in the scatter plot profile as shown below.

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Scatter plot "From Model" (i.e., the loaded and visible points):

Scatter plot "From QTA Data" of the same profile and data set (i.e., all points in the original data file). Notethe increased density of points:

6.2 Import Model Data

Provides a utility for importing a wide variety of raw import file formats into the Quick Terrain Modeler.



The basic steps for importing models are as follows:

Select Import Models from the Models Menu. The Import Models window will appear.Select the appropriate input file format. The choices are:

FLT (Binary Float Height Field)DTEDASCII XYZASCII Z Grid (ESRI's gridded format generated from gridascii command)GeoTIFF DEMFXYZ (Binary)LAS (also see LAS Quick Open) Version 1.1 and 1.2TIFFUSGS DEMOptech ComprehensiveOptech CSDOptech IXF

Select whether to build a QTT Gridded Surface Model, QTC Point Cloud, or QTA (Point Cloud withAttribute Table).Select whether to batch import the selected file (s)Select whether to compress models or not. Compressing models only applies to QTC (Point Cloud)models. Please refer to the section on compressing models.Select whether to access data in Proxy ModeClick Import.Select your raw data file from the file selection window. If it does not appear, it may be because the fileextension is not recognized. If this is the case, choose "All Files" in the file type window. NOTE: TheQuick Terrain Modeler will build models from multiple data sets at the same time. If you wish to usemultiple data sets, select them all during this step.Click OpenAn appropriate Import window will pop up for your specified source data file. This window will displayvarious attributes about your file and about the model you are creating.

6.2.1 Batch Import

There are two drivers behind introducing batch functionality. First, the size of surveys is increasing. Second,surveys are getting cut into many "tiles" to accommodate this larger size. Quick Terrain Modeler's newbatch functionality will permit users to import multiple data sets one at a time, build the individual modelbased on normal import specifications, name the model, save the model, clear the model, then move on tothe next data set. Batch functionality will permit users to build many models that, if loaded together, wouldoverflow existing memory. It will also allow users to select hundreds of data sets and build correspondingmodels without taking the time to build each one.

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Instructions: When importing models, simply check the box labeled "Batch Import?", then import asnormal. The Quick Terrain Modeler will automatically create models in the same directory as the sourcedata files. The models will be named identically to the source data, but will have a .qtt or .qtc extension.

6.2.2 Compressed Data

Quick Terrain Modeler offers the option to "Allow Compressed Data" when importing models as well as theability to compress existing, uncompressed QTC point cloud models. Selecting this option will make QTCpoint cloud models half their normal size in terms of file size and memory consumption. Compressed QTCfiles will contain the same number of points as uncompressed QTC files created from the same source datafile. The engineering tradeoff will be a slight reduction in model precision, depending on the X, Y, and Zranges of the particular model. Quick Terrain Modeler will inform the user in the model informationwindow as to what reduction in precision has been introduced in the model. This statistic is called "ModelFormat Precision". Model format precision is the impact to model precision introduced by Quick TerrainModeler during the model compression process. Compressed data is only relevant in QTC point cloud models. Important Note: Model Format Precision is not the accuracy of the model data. Model accuracy isdependent solely upon the accuracy of original survey data, and will be minimally impacted bycompressing model data. Do not use "Model Format Precision" as an accuracy basis for making criticalspatial decisions (e.g., targeting, flight planning, etc.).

6.2.3 Import - Processing Options

There are two processing options. Both of these are relevant only when importing multiple data sets. Theoptions are as follows:

Process as a group: Selecting this button will allow the user build a single model out of multiple datasets. This is an excellent way to build a single, seamless model out of multiple tiled data sets.Process Individually: Selecting this button will allow the user to build and save multiple individualmodels from multiple individual data sets. Note: the resulting models must all be saved individually.

Notes on working with multiple models:Make sure the data sets are adjacent to each other geographically. Loading multiple data sets thatare far apart geographically will result in the Quick Terrain Modeler creating an unnecessarily largemodel. For example, if a user tried to build a model of New York and a model of London togetherand process as a group, the Quick Terrain Modeler would try to construct a model for all the space



in between as well. Therefore, there would be thousands of miles of empty space in the model. In asurface model, this would occupy enormous amounts of memory and would probably result in afailure to load.

6.2.4 Import - Color by Density

Users can color a .qtt surface model based on the density of the underlying data points.

Many users have requested a tool that would tell them where data is either exceptionally dense orexceptionally sparse. Steep hillsides frequently have sparse point spacing, even if average point spacing isacceptable. Flight line overlaps have data that can be exceptionally dense. Users need to know when to"trust" the data and when further investigation or analysis is required. Note that low density over water isnormal as water absorbs LiDAR energy.

How (NOTE: This tool only works when importing to a .qtt surface model):Import a model by selecting "Import Model" from the Models menu.Select your data file type and choose QTT Gridded Surface as the model type. Click "Import" and select the data file you want to analyze.Use the import tool in the normal fashion.Note: Density will be defined in relation to your selected grid spacing. Make sure your grid spacingreflects a data density you are "testing" for.Check the "Color by Density" option.IMPORTANT: Do not check the "Import Intensity" box. The Quick Terrain Modeler can only displayone "color" on a surface model. This color can either be the data density or the intensity. If both arechecked, only intensity will be displayed on the new surface model. Click "OK"

The Quick Terrain Modeler will build a surface model colored by data density.

The results:The definition of "density" is based upon the grid spacing you select.

"Dense" data will be colored green. Dense is defined as a data point with an adjacent point equal to orless than your selected grid spacing. For example, in a 1-meter grid, dense data will be defined as anydata point with a "neighbor" data point less than one meter away. These places in the terrain will becolored green."Sparse" data will be colored red. Sparse is defined as a data point with the closest adjacent pointgreater than four times your selected grid spacing. For example, in a 1-meter grid, sparse data will bedefined as any data point with a closest "neighbor" data point greater than four meters away. Thisdefinition is hard coded into the Quick Terrain Modeler, so users can not define sparse. Sparse placesin the terrain will be colored red.Data that is neither sparse nor dense will be colored varying gradations of color from green to red.

Example:The user needs to know the data density of a survey in order to investigate areas where coverage wasexceptionally sparse. The user defines "sparse" relative to a one meter grid (i.e., sparse data will have itsclosest neighbor point more than four meters away. The user sets grid spacing at 1 meter, makes sureintensity is not selected, and imports the data. The result is shown below. Note the sparse data areas in thelower left and upper right corners. The user may conclude that, for the area around the dam itself, the datais sufficiently dense.

Selecting the "Color By Density" Option and Result of the Serpent Mound Data Density Analysis Showing

Menu - Import 73

Sparse Data in Red

6.2.5 Import - Gridding Options

Gridding options help define how the raw data will be interpreted and displayed. The options are slightlydifferent if you intend to build a point cloud or if you intend to build a surface model.

The "Gridding Options" Section of the ASCII Import Window

For Building Point Cloud ModelsIf you intend to build a point cloud, the options and tools can be used as follows:

Grid Sampling: Grid sampling is irrelevant to building a point cloud.Decimation/Crop Options. Allows the user to limit the size of a point cloud by reducing the number ofpoints. Also allows the user to reduce the size of point clouds by limiting the geographic extents of themodel being created.

For Building Surface Models (DEM's)If you intend to build a surface model, the options and tools can be used as follows:

Grid Sampling: Grid sampling defines the underlying grid spacing. When the Quick Terrain Modelerbuilds a surface model, it creates a regular grid under the interpolated surface. The spacing betweenthe grid vertices is referred to as "Grid Sampling". The grid sampling determines the final size andresolution of a surface model. A Grid Sampling of "1" defines the grid as 1 meter in a UTM model. AGrid Sampling of "1" defines the grid as 1 foot in a State Plane model. A Grid Sampling of "5" definesthe grid as 5 meter in a UTM model. A Grid Sampling of "5" defines the grid as 5 feet in a State Planemodel. Decimation/Crop Options. Allows the user to reduce the size of surface models by limiting thegeographic extents of the model being created.

Important notes on Grid Sampling:1. Ideally, grid sampling is the same as your target posting of your original data set. For example, a

survey with a target of 1 meter point spacing (aka, "posting") is optimized with a grid sampling of 1meter.

2. There is little to be gained by making a grid "denser" than the original data. The Quick Terrain Modelercan not compensate for sparsely collected raw data sets. The net result will most likely be about the



same visual resolution with a much larger model size (i.e., unnecessary memory consumption). Forexample, data collected with 1 meter posting will not look appreciably better by using a grid samplingof .25 meters. Forcing the grid into such tight spacing will, however, make the surface model 16 timesas large. So the user that attempts this will have an enormous file, but still will not achieve a "superhigh resolution" effect.

3. There is something to be gained by making the grid "sparser". For example, if data was collected overa vast area at 1 meter posting, the file size would be enormous - too big to build and load, perhaps. Bybuilding a model with 4 meter grid sampling, the user may be able to visualize the entire data set -albeit at a lower resolution - because the resulting model is only 1/16 (6%) the size of the same dataset at 1 meter grid sampling. The user may then choose to re-import data in specific sections at 1meter grid sampling.

4. Engineering tradeoff: Smaller grid spacing results in higher resolution models, but larger models. Amodel that contains 20 million points (vertices) at 2 meter grid sampling will contain 80 million pointsat 1 meter sampling. Each halving of the point spacing results in a quadrupling of the points. Memoryusage is directly proportional to number of points.

5. Be mindful of units. If the raw data set is in meters, make sure to specify grid spacing in meters. If theraw data set is in feet, make sure the grid sampling is in feet.

Decimation/Crop Options. Both of these options are accessed by clicking the Decimation/Crop Optionsbutton. The user can utilize both of these features at once. Only one of these options will reduce thesize of the final surface model.Decimation Level: The decimation level does nothing to minimize the size of a surface model. Surfacemodel size will be entirely determined by the grid sampling and the geographic extents of the model.Crop to a Defined Area: Crop to defined area works exactly as above for a surface model.

6.2.6 Import - Allow Rotated Grid

The Allow Rotated Grid check box defines whether the model will orient the grid North-South, or allow theQuick Terrain Modeler to orient the grid in the optimum fashion. This is only relevant for surface models. Itdoes not apply to point clouds.

Checking the "Allow Rotated Grid" Box

It is usually best to allow the grid to be rotated. The Quick Terrain Modeler can significantly minimize thefinal model size (and therefore memory usage) by rotating the grid to the optimum orientation. Someexternal applications may require that the grid be oriented north-south. If the user wishes to export thegridded data to an application that requires north-south orientation, simply uncheck the box.

6.2.7 Import - Decimation Options

Decimation and Crop Options are accessed by clicking the Decimation/Crop Options button. The user canutilize both of these features at once. Both of these options will reduce the size of the final point cloud orsurface model. They do this in two ways:

1. Decimation Level: The decimation level specifies a sampling ratio for importing data. Thedefault is 1. If the user sets the value to 5, the Quick Terrain Modeler will build a point cloudmodel from every fifth point in the sample data set. With a Decimation Level of 10, the Quick

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Terrain Modeler samples every 10th point, etc. Decimation is irrelevant when creating griddedsurface models. See FAQ: Why should I decimate a file?

2. Crop to a Defined Area: If the user knows is only interested in a subset of the overall survey, he/she may define that smaller section in this window. This can be done in a number of ways:

Manually insert the extents of the area in the windows provided. Important: make sure toselect the extents by checking the boxes "Crop to defined Area" as well as the boxes for theextents of your subset area. Most subsets will only require checking the boxes next to "Min X- Max X" and "Min Y - Max Y". If the user further wishes to crop by altitude (Z) or Intensity (I),check those as well, but they are not necessary.Automatically insert the extents of the area based on an existing mensuration. Use thismethod if you have a mensuration line in a model that represent the area you would like toimport. Click the "Copy From Mensuration" button to automatically populate the values fromthe area you have just measured. Note: The Quick Terrain Modeler will simply import arectangle based on the min/max X and Y of your existing mensuration line.Automatically insert the extents of the area based on a selection. Use this method if you haveused the Select or Select Polygon to define the area to import. Note: The Quick TerrainModeler will simply import a rectangle based on the min/max X and Y of your selected area. Ifyou have an irregular area defined, it will be imported as a rectangle.Automatically insert the extents of the area based on an external shape file. Use this methodif you have an external shape file that defines the desired boundary of the imported area. Theuser will need to specify the coordinate system and UTM zone (if working in UTM) for theshape file. Note: The Quick Terrain Modeler will simply import a rectangle based on the min/max X and Y of your shape file. If you have an irregular area defined, it will be imported as arectangle. If you wish to cut or crop to the irregular area later, please import the shape file asa selection area.

Important: make sure to select the extents by checking the boxes "Crop to defined Area" as well as theboxes for the extents of your subset area. Most subsets will only require checking the boxes next to "Min X- Max X" and "Min Y - Max Y". If the user further wishes to crop by altitude (Z) or Intensity (I), check those aswell, but they are not necessary.

The Decimation/Crop Options Window and the Shape File Importer Window:

6.2.8 Import - Gridding and Triangulation Options

The Gridding Options Window provides a number of features that can be useful when creating a QTT surfacemodel. While no surfacing algorithm is perfect, there are reasons to choose one over the other.

Recommended Profile SettingsWhile there are many possible settings that could be useful, here are some general guidelines for theoptions outlined below:

DEM - Digital Elevation Model (Bare Earth Surface): Adaptive Triangulation, Mean Z, Apply



Antialiasing, Smoothing = None. Import only "Ground" points.DSM - Digital Surface Model (Buildings, trees, ground, etc.): Adaptive Triangulation, Max Z, ApplyAntialiasing, Smoothing Radius = 1.00 Bins, Smoothing Z Tolerance = 3.0 m. Import all points orperhaps only first returns.

Hole Fill &Triangulation SettingsThe first choice to make when creating a surface model is how to interpret point data in the surfacecreation process. The surface creation process for "No Fill", "Simple Interpolation", and "AdaptiveTriangulation" use the following process to create a surface:

1. Mathematically create a grid of user-specified spacing. This spacing is the "Grid Sampling" specified inthe gridding options section of the import window. Ultimately, this becomes the grid framework for the3D raster surface model (DEM, DSM, DTM, etc.).2. Evaluate the points within each of the grid cells to determine the elevation value that should be usedfor each raster or vertex. There are four possible choices:

Min Z: QT Modeler will choose the lowest point in each grid cell to represent the elevation in thatcell. This may be useful to approximate a ground surface or to eliminate spikes caused byvegetation.Max Z: QT Modeler will choose the highest point in each grid cell to represent the elevation in thatcell. This might be useful to ensure that vertical obstructions and/or vegetation are accuratelyrepresented.Mean Z: QT Modeler will average all elevation values in each grid cell to represent the elevation inthat cell. This is perhaps the most useful all-around methodology, as it is less susceptible to spikesand noise, but should accurately represent buildings and vegetation.Max I: QT Modeler will choose the point with the maximum intensity value in each grid cell torepresent the elevation in that cell.

3. In grid cells that have no points whatsoever, the user must decide what to do with the holes. In somecases, it is best to leave them as null data values, thus accurately representing that no data existed inthe first place. In other cases, it is more desirable to fill the holes as intelligently as possible. It is bestto think of the first three "Hole Fill" methodologies as a continuum, as this is the sequence of theprocess used by QT Modeler:

No Fill --> Simple Interpolation --> Adaptive Triangulation

No Fill: Any grid cells with no data are assigned a value of "null" - i.e., no data exists.Simple Interpolation: Interpolate an elevation value for an empty grid cell by evaluating the 8neighboring cells. In the interpolation methodology, the empty grid cell must have a minimum offive neighboring grid cells (out of a possible of 8 neighboring cells) with a valid elevation value (i.e.,not an interpolated value) for interpolation to take place. If there are less than 5 valid neighbors,the grid cell will remain empty. If there are 5 or more valid neighbors, QTM will average theadjacent elevation values and assign the empty cell the average elevation value.Adaptive Triangulation: Once the gridding and simple interpolation processes are complete,adaptive triangulation continues the hole fill process by creating surfaces across the remainingempty cells. Please note that triangulation will not impact grid cells that have been assigned anelevation value in the previous two steps. Triangulation is simply a tool to fill empty areas thatsimple interpolation was unsuitable for. Adaptive triangulation creates 3D triangles across emptyareas, then samples the elevation value of the triangle surface at each empty grid cell. This samplevalue then becomes the elevation value for each empty cell.Anti-Aliasing: Anti-aliasing attempts to increase the precision of the triangulation by subdividingeach grid cell into 16 equal segments and recording which segment contained the point that was

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used to represent the elevation value of the grid cell. When triangulation occurs, this increasedlevel of precision will enhance the accuracy of the triangles and the subsequent sampling thatoccurs. The sub-grid is not retained after the QTT is created.Smooth Interpolation: Checking "Smooth Interpolation" applied a Natural Neighbor smoothingalgorithm. Instead of a straight line on each triangle edge, the triangulated surfaces can formgraceful curves based on the elevation values of a given point's neighbors. Therefore, slopes andbuilding edges may be represented in a smoother, more natural fashion.

In all of these methods, the hole fill decision process is as follows:

1) Choose Fill Method: a) No Fill: Leave empty holes where no data exists.b) Simple Interpolation: Create an estimated surface where no data exists. This estimate is a maximum

of one grid cell away from real data.c) Adaptive Triangulation (DEFAULT): Create estimated surface at unlimited distances from real points.

Please note that these maximum distances can be limited by setting the max distances to realpoints and max triangle sides if the user chooses.

d) Legacy Triangulation: This is the way QT Modeler has always done triangulation (i.e., triangulateprior to gridding). Please note this process is slower, less accurate, and is being phased out.

2) Select Algorithm: a) Min Z: Use the lowest point in each grid cell.b) Max Z: Use the highest point in each grid cell.c) Mean Z: (DEFAULT) Use the mean elevation value of all the points in a grid cell.d) Max I: Use the elevation value of the point with the maximum intensity value as the elevation value

for the grid cell.

3) Triangulation Options:a) Max Distance to Real Point: In some LiDAR data sets, there are areas of very sparse data. This may

occur for a variety of reasons such as very steep terrain, surveys over water, or parts of the surveybeing blocked from view of the laser (i.e., "laser shadow"). When the Quick Terrain Modeler builds asurface model, it will simply attempt to draw the best surface from the existing data. If data issparse, this may result in extraordinarily large triangles in the surface model (See Example below). Inorder to prevent this, the user may set a Max Distance to Real Point. This feature will limit thelength of an individual triangle side to the value input by the user. For example, if the user sets avalue to "5", the maximum triangle side length will be 5 meters (if working in UTM). This may resultin "holes" in the model. In some cases, holes may be preferable to false surfaces. (DEFAULT =unchecked = minimum 10 times the user-specified grid sampling)

b) Max Length of a Triangle Side: The "Max Length of Triangle Side" value will ignore large triangles inthe triangulation process that exceed the user set value. (DEFAULT = unchecked = unspecified, butat least 10 times the grid sampling)

c) Edge Threshold: Setting the edge threshold is a tool to help ensure that sides of buildings are trulyvertical, preserving sharp edges. It is particularly useful where there is laser "shadow" on one side ofa building. The number specifies the change in Z for a triangle, above which QT Modeler mayconsider it an "edge", rather than a gentle change in slope. When using spike/well filtering, it isuseful to have this turned on, as it might assist in identifying a spike as a spike, rather than a gentlerslope. (DEFAULT = unchecked = no limit)

d) Helpful Hints: If you get "holes" in your data and do not want them, increase the Max distance to real point andmax length of triangle side until holes get filled in.



There is no direct correlation between the file size of the input file and the file size of the surfacemodel created from it/them. Final surface model file size only depends on the user selected gridsize and geographic extents of the final model. Input file size only depends on the number ofpoints.Time/Speed Impacts: Most of the interim process during grid creation involve reading the originalfile data. In order of speed, No Fill is the fastest, followed by Simple Interpolation, followed byAdaptive Triangulation. Each of these processes is adding a new step to the same process. Legacytriangulation is far slower than Adaptive Triangulation. Memory Impacts: Most of the interim processes that impact memory consumption involve gridcreation and triangulation. Minimizing max triangle sides reduces memory consumption forAdaptive Triangulation, but not for Legacy. Anti-aliasing, smoothing, and using Mean Z as thealgorithm each consume additional memory during model creation, but do not impact the size ofthe final model. Legacy triangulation methodologies are both slower and more memory consumptive than thenewer grid creation methodologies.

Hole Fill Options

Original Point cloud Showing Area ofLaser Shadow

Hole Fill Examples:

Gridded Surface with No Fill - Areas ofSparse Data Leave Empty Holes

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Simple Interpolation - Small Holes Filled,Larger Holes Still Empty

Adaptive Triangulation - Fills All Holes, butBuilding Edges May Be Sloped

Triangulation With Edge Threshold at 2m- Building Edges Are Vertical

Triangulation Examples: Without Maximum Excursion Set (Large Triangles) and with Maximum Distanceto Real Point set to 10 Meters (jagged model outline).

Smoothing Filter - Prefiltering PointsThe Smoothing sub-window allows filtering options to be set to improve the smoothness of the

triangulated surface. Essentially, if selected, the smoothing filter will perform a pre-filtering processthat will eliminate points that vary significantly in Z from their neighbors. QTM will then perform thesurfacing and triangulation process noted above, but only on the subset of points that pass through thefilter.

Radius: The distance, measured terms of in the user defined grid cell spacing (i.e., "bins"), that thepre-filter will use to evaluate subsets of points. QTM will use a radius centered in each grid cell to



compare every point to maximum Z (or Min Z) its neighbors within that radius. The numbers onthe radius are .5 (no filtering), .75, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3- indicating the search radius as measuredin grid increments. The larger the radius, the higher the probability that points will be filtered out- i.e., larger radius = smoother surface. Terminology note: a "bin" is simply a way to divide uppoints based on a certain criteria for the purpose of statistical analysis. In the case of 3D LiDARpoints, the "bin" is the 2D user-defined grid cell.

Z Tolerance: How close to the max (or min) Z that is tolerable for a point to be considered in thetriangulation process within the radius that is set above. For example, if Z tolerance is set to 1meter, any point that has a difference in Z greater than 1 meter from the highest point (or lowestin the case of using the Min Z algorithm) will not be considered in the gridding/triangulationprocess, thus permitting a smoother surface.

Spike/Well RemovalSpike/Well removal attempts to identify grid cells that may contain erroneous elevation data that the

user may not want reflected in the final surface. There are many causes of erroneous point data, butthe symptoms are usually similar - data that is considerably higher or lower than all of its neighboringgrid cells. QTM's approach to identifying these areas is to evaluate each and every grid cell to answerthe fundamental question - is this cell a spike or well? To answer this question, QTM will evaluate theelevation of each grid cell relative to its 20 closest neighboring grid cells (i.e., two grid cells in eachdirection except diagonally). The process is as follows:

QTM will evaluate the elevation of the 20 adjacent grid cells and count how many meet the criteriafor "Minimum Spike Level". Thus, the user must specify the difference in elevation that wouldtrigger the tool to classify a cell a spike.QTM will tally the number of cells in the adjacent 20 cells in which the difference was less than the"Minimum Spike Level" (i.e., relatively close in value).QTM will designate a cell a "spike" if the criteria was met between one time (least aggressive) andfive or more times (most aggressive). It is helpful to think of this as follows: If there is only onecell in the adjacent 20 cells that is less than the "minimum Spike Level", then that grid cell is mostlikely a spike. Thus, interpolating a new elevation value in that circumstance is the "leastaggressive".If the cell is designated a "spike", its elevation value will be reset using simple interpolation of its 8neighboring grid cells.Note: When spikes are negative, they are referred to as wells. Spikes and wells are treated thesame in this filter.

Tiling SettingsPosition: The tiling settings for position attempt to guarantee the corner location of a QTT model. Rather

than letting QT Modeler decide where the grid corner origin should be based on the extents of theoriginal point data, users may prefer to "snap" to a specific grid increment or location. The choices areas follows:

Auto: Quick Terrain Modeler will decide on the placement of the grid origin (i.e., corner). It mayor may not fall on a logical grid increment (e.g., an even 1 meter UTM grid corner)Snap to Grid (Expand): This choice will "Snap" the created grid to the next higher grid increment(relative to the grid sampling chosen) in both X and Y (Easting and Northing), but will choose toincrease the size of the grid to achieve the "snap". For example, a 2m QTT in UTM built with"Snap to Grid (Expand)" will always choose a lower left corner on an even UTM 2m increment that

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starts slightly further south and west of the "natural" mathematically calculated origin as well asan upper right corner that is further east and north than may "naturally" occur.Snap to Grid (Contract): Similar to the (Expand) choice, but will snap to the lower left corner tothe north and east, and the upper right corner to the south and west, thus creating a smaller gridthan may have naturally occurred. Choosing Snap to Grid (Contract) may prevent null data valuesalong the edges of DEM's.Specify Grid Tie Point: Specifying the grid tie point ensures that a model or series of models is"locked down" to a designated origin. Specifying Grid Tie Point goes hand in hand with theselection of the grid size, and will most likely be used when the tile size specified is uniform acrossan entire data set. For example, specifying an origin of X = 1000 and Y = 1000, along with a fixedSize Model of 1000m high and 1000m wide will ensure that all subsequent model edges will beginand end precisely on a 1000m UTM corner. This will take the guesswork out of tile sizes and willeffectively "trim" the edges of DEM's to ensure perfect alignment with adjacent tiles.

Size: The tile size settings allow the user to choose specific resulting surface model sizes, or to let QTModeler choose an appropriate size based on the extents of the original point data. The choices are asfollows:

Auto: Quick Terrain Modeler will decide how big to make the model based on the extents of theoriginal point data.Maintain Size: Quick Terrain Modeler will maintain the height and width of the original point dataextents.Fixed Size (Units): The user must specify the number of units in height or width.Fixed Size (pixels): The user must specify the number of pixels in width and height. E.g., if using2m grid spacing and a 1000m x 1000m is desired, width and height need to be specified as 500 x500.

Amount to Trim from Borders: In some instances, it may be desirable to remove rows/columns from theedges of DEM's. This may be desirable to avoid "null data" values around the edges of DEM's. In somecases, QTM's gridding algorithm may create an extra row or column that may be partially populated withnull data values. Trimming the edges will allow QTM to first create a DEM, then trim off any edges. Theunits specified will be in the linear units of the model.

6.2.9 Import - Geo-Registration

As of Version 7.1.5, Quick Terrain Modeler will support data in any known coordinate system. Ideally, thecoordinate system, vertical datum, horizontal units, and vertical units will be accurately represented in theheader of the source data files. If so, there should be nothing the user needs to do. If the coordinate systemis not correctly tagged in the header space, you can set the georegistation tags during Import using the Editbutton (see #3 below). This will change the tag for this current session of QT Modeler. You may want topermanently change the header GeoTags. To do this, navigate to the Export Model window and click the SETGEOREGISTRATION TAGS button. For more information on Setting the georegistration tags on export, clickhere: Set Georegistration

The Geo-Registration portion of the import window is divided into these sections:

1. Source Data Native Coordinate System: This field is automatically populated with the Geo Keys ofthe source data file. This source data native coordinate system can be overridden by clicking the"Edit" button and selecting the correct coordinate system. Please note that editing the coordinate



system does not perform a coordinate conversion on the data. It simply changes the coordinatesystem tag. The coordinate system should only be edited and overridden if the Geo Key is incorrector if the data has no coordinate system whatsoever.

2. QTM Active Coordinate System: This field is only populated if data is already loaded into QTM. Ifno data is loaded, the field will display "Unknown". Once a data set is loaded into QTM, subsequentdata sets will be compared against the loaded data set to determine of the two data sets have acompatible coordinate system. Important: QT Modeler can only work in one active coordinatesystem at a time. Even if data may be spatially overlapping, but in different coordinate systems, itwill likely not display properly in the same scene.

3. Edit Button: Clicking the edit button enables the selection of an alternate coordinate system for thesource data file. Read more: Set Georegistration

4. Radio Buttons to Perform Actions Upon the Source Data Geo RegistrationCompatible CS/Ignore CS: Do nothing to the georegistration tags of the data to be imported. If the data about to be imported is deemed to be compatible with the data already loaded, thebackground color will be green and the radio button will display "Compatible CS". Essentially,this means that the data is compatible with what is loaded and nothing will be done to thegeoregistration. If the source data georegistration is different and incompatible with theActive Coordinate System, the radio button will read "Ignore CS" and will offer the user theoption to disregard the warning of incompatible coordinate system and proceed anyway. Thisis usually not advisable, but there may be instances where it could be useful (e.g., "Cartesian"coordinate systems in relative survey coordinate frameworks)Set Data to Active CS: Simply re-tags the source data file to the active Coordinate system. Note that this does not perform coordinate conversion - only a re-tagging of the data.Transform Data to Active CS: This feature is disabled at this time. In the future, this willprovide a dynamic coordinate conversion upon import or load

5. Background Color Indicators For Source Data Native Coordinate System:Green: The source file is tagged with a compatible coordinate system with the active (i.e.,already loaded) coordinate system. QTM will be able to convert units (e.g., feet to meters) ifnecessary, but otherwise cannot perform coordinate conversion upon import. When thebackground color is green, there is no need to edit or change the source data coordinatesystem. The "Compatible CS" radio button should remain selected.

Blue: The source file is tagged with a different coordinate system than the active (i.e., alreadyloaded) coordinate system, but QTM has determined that it can be loaded into the same sceneand, with some minimal adjustment, be recognized in the active coordinate system. Acommon example of this would be data in two adjacent UTM zones, which is a veryunderstandable relationship. In this case, the Active Coordinate System would not be changed,the new source file would simply be placed adjacent to the already loaded data.

Yellow: The user has chosen to manually override the existing Geo Keys to make the sourcedata file have a compatible coordinate system with the loaded data, or the user has chosen totag data that was never tagged in the first place. In essence, the yellow color means that theuse has chosen to manually set the coordinate system of the source data file, and thus theresponsibility is upon the user to ensure that this is correct. Once the user manually sets oroverrides the coordinate system of a given data set, QTM will have no subsequent way todetermine of the override is correct.

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Red: The source file is tagged with a different coordinate system than the active (i.e., alreadyloaded) coordinate system and QTM has determined that it cannot be loaded into the samescene as the active data. The user may proceed and the data will load, but the placement ofthe resulting data will be entirely dependent upon the Active Coordinate System that hasalready been established. Any resulting analysis done on data that has been "forced" into theActive Coordinate System will likely be unreliable.

The Geo-Registration Section of the Import Window - No Data Loaded (Green) and a "Compatible"Source Data Native Coordinate System (Green):

The Geo-Registration Section of the Import Window - Source Data Native Coordinate System Differentand Incompatible (Red), Different but Still Compatible (Blue):

The Geo-Registration Section of the Import Window After Source Data Native Coordinate System HasBeen Edited/Changed by User (Yellow):

"Cartesian" Coordinate SystemQuick Terrain Modeler offers a "Cartesian" coordinate system option that should be used in cases where the

data is not georegistered in a generally recognized coordinate system. This is the case for someexperimental sensors and for scanners working in "Survey" coordinates - i.e., improvised coordinatesystems with relative X-Y-Z positions.

6.2.10 Import - ASCII Format

The ASCII Format Section of the import window allows the user to specify columns for the imported rawdata. Since there is no standard format for ASCII data files, the user requires a great deal of flexibility inimporting data. The Format section requires users to input:

The number of header lines. Header lines are lines of text which are not part of the actual surveydata. In the example below, there are three header lines which are not "data". The number 3 hasbeen input into the window.X, Y and Z Columns simply guide the Quick Terrain Modeler to the appropriate columns for Easting,



Northing and Altitude. In the example below, these are in columns 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The userhas input these values into the appropriate boxes.Import Intensity: The user must check this box to import intensity values into the model.Import RGB: The user must check this box to import RGB (Red, Green, Blue color) values into themodel. Note: Intensity or RGB may be built into the model, but not both.Import Alpha: The user must check this box to import Alpha values into the model.

The ASCII Format Section of the Import Window

Sample Text Preview Window of the ASCII Import Window

6.2.10.1 Import - Intensity

The import intensity window instructs the Quick Terrain Modeler to import intensity. The user must specifytwo things about importing intensity:

1. Auto Scaling: The default is to auto scale. When this box is checked, the Quick Terrain Modelerwill assign the intensity a value between 0 and 255 automatically. Thus, regardless of the absolutevalues of intensity, the Quick Terrain Modeler will scale between 0 and 255. If this box isunchecked, the user may specify minimum and maximum values for intensity.

2. Intensity Column: Simply specifies the data column in which the intensity value is found.

6.2.10.2 Import - RGB

The import ASCII RGB window instructs the Quick Terrain Modeler to import color values associated witheach point/vertex. The user must specify two things about importing RGB:

1. Auto Scaling: The default is to auto scale. When this box is checked, the Quick Terrain Modelerwill assign the color a value between 0 and 255 automatically. Thus, regardless of the absolutevalues of color, the Quick Terrain Modeler will scale between 0 and 255. If this box is unchecked,the user may specify minimum and maximum values for color.

2. Red/Green/Blue Column: Simply specifies the data column in which the respective color value isfound.

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6.2.10.3 Import - Alpha

The import ASCII Alpha window instructs the Quick Terrain Modeler to import alpha values associated witheach point/vertex. The user must specify two things about importing alpha:

1. Auto Scaling: The default is to auto scale. When this box is checked, the Quick Terrain Modelerwill assign the alpha a value between 0 and 255 automatically. Thus, regardless of the absolutevalues of alpha, the Quick Terrain Modeler will scale between 0 and 255. If this box is unchecked,the user may specify minimum and maximum values for alpha.

2. Alpha Column: Simply specifies the data column in which the alpha value is found.

6.2.11 Import - LAS

Quick Terrain Modeler currently supports the import of LAS Version 1.1 and version 1.2. The Import LASwindow gives the user flexibility in inputting data that is in LAS format. Users can build surface models orpoint clouds. When building surface models, use the gridding options exactly as in the ASCII import window. Use the LAS format options to select whether or not to import intensity (if it exists) as well as the desiredreturn (All, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5).

Related Topics: Compressed Data, Color by Density, Allow Rotated Grid, Decimation Options, FilteringOptions

The Georegistration portion of the interface is explained here. Import- Georegistration

Quick Terrain Modeler supports filtering the LAS data file by classification. The user can select specificreturns to import and decide whether to make discrete models from them or to merge them into onemodel. To filter by classification upon import, the user simply needs to press the "Classification" button. The "LAS Filter Selections" window will appear. The user must check the "Filter Using Classification" box,then check which particular classification values are of interest. The user must also check "MergeSelections" to merge the data into a single file or "Separate Selections" to make a separate model for eachselected classification value. The official ASPRS-defined values for some of the classification values arespecified in the window (e.g., 3 = Low Vegetation), but please note that if the original data did not follow theASPRS standard, Quick Terrain Modeler filters by numerical value alone. For example, if a user has definedbuildings to have a classification value of 1, and wants to create a model with only "Building" data, the usermust select 1 as the classification value (not 6 as per the ASPRS defined value). If a user builds separatemodels for each classification value, it may be very helpful to autocolor the models and/or selectively show/



hide models.

Including Withheld, Synthetic, and/or key points enables the filtering based on these specific criteria, whichfrequently behave as extensions of the classification byte in the LAS point data record.

6.2.12 LAS Quick Open

Users can open LAS files from an external application or from the command line. Simply follow theinstructions for opening Quick Terrain Modeler from an External Application, but note the following:

The last import setup from the LAS Open Configuration tool will determine the configuration choicesof importing the LAS file.The LAS Quick Open tool will only open LAS files as QTC/QTA point clouds. It will not build QTTgridded surface models.

6.3 Re-Import Model Data

Re-import model allows the user to import a subset of the last imported model. This is very useful forimporting a very large model. When importing a large model, users frequently either decimate or build alarger grid to minimize the size of the resulting model. Once this is done, users can now select an area,select Re-import Model from the Models Menu, and import the subsection of interest in higher resolution.

Her are some helpful hints:

Re-import only works on the most recently imported model.For surface models, make sure the grid sampling is at your target density. For example, if you importeda large area at 5 meter grid sampling so the model would fit in memory, re importing will allow you toset the grid sampling at 2 meters (or whatever value is required) in the re-imported area. This will notcause the entire model to have 2 meter spaced grid.Decimation crop options:

Please click on the Decimation/Crop Options button. Check the crop to defined area check box. This ensures that the area selected defines the imported data.For point clouds, if the original model was decimated, set the decimation level back to a lowernumber to import the full density of points. At this point in the process, it might be worthwhileto set the decimation back to 1 (no decimation).

All functions will be identical to importing the first time, but will only apply to a subset of the data thatyou have defined in the select tool.

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6.4 Import Vector Data

Shape files typically originate from ESRI GIS applications, but can also be created by converting .dxf or .dgnfiles to .shp. There are many reasons to overlay shape files on 3-D models. Some of the reasons are tooverlay flood perimeter lines, overlay geographic boundaries, overlay stream centerlines, or to overlaytarget information. Note: 2-D shape files have no inherent elevation value, so it is frequently morebeneficial to visualize 2-D shape files in 2-D mode.

Quick Terrain Modeler's can work with vector data as follows:

1. Import and overlay 2-D and 3-D shape files. This is the most basic shape file support capability. This capability allows users to build 3-D models from LiDAR, SAR or other 3-D data sets, then overlay shapefiles that were created in ESRI GIS (or other) software. To overlay shape files, simply click the import vectordata button or choose import vector data from the Import menu. The user then selects an individual shapefile or entire GIS layer. Quick Terrain Modeler will then prompt the user for a coordinate system with thewindow below. The user must select a coordinate system and UTM zone if appropriate. The user mustensure that the coordinate system matches the coordinate system of the model. 2-D shape files will beprojected into the model space by assigning an elevation value to each vertex of the shape file. QuickTerrain Modeler will assign the elevation value of the surface of the model and connect the vertices with astraight vector. For this reason, some vectors may appear to pierce the surface of the model if the surface ishighly irregular. 3-D shape files have inherent elevation values associated with all vertices. These shape fileswill be placed in the correct 3-D space. Quick Terrain Modeler will not reassign elevation values to 3-D shapefiles.

Note: Imported shape files and/or GIS layers become separate vector models. Users can assigndifferent colors to the vector models by using the Display...Set Base Mode Color function. Users can alsoselectively turn the vector layers on and off by using the Display...Show/Hide Models function.

2. Import 2-D shape files for use as a mensuration line. The concept behind this tool is that users mayhave created lines in other programs that can be used as mensuration lines in a 3-D terrain model. As amensuration line, this tool can provide repeatable measurements and cross sections. An importedmensuration line can also serve as the basis for multiple cross section analysis (e.g., for cut and fillapplications).

3. Import shape file polygons for use as a selection area. Just like the 2-D shape file import, theimport of a polygon shape file forms the basis of analysis of specific areas. For example, an imported shapefile selection area can specify an area in which to edit the terrain (e.g., crop to a specific area designated inGIS analysis), perform volume calculations or to measure area statistics (number of points, average pointdensity, etc.)

4. Save a Quick Terrain Modeler mensuration line as a shape file. Once a specific measurement isperformed, the user can save the mensuration line as a shape file. The mensuration line can be importedinto ESRI GIS software, other applications, or can simply be saved to perform repeated mensuration analysis(e.g., cross section of before/after DEM's, compare cross sections of a bare earth DEM versus an all points



DEM, etc.) in Quick Terrain Modeler.

5. Save a Quick Terrain Modeler selection area. Just as in saving a mensuration line, saving a selectionarea provides two basic benefits. First, the area is available to perform the same analysis in the samelocation on different models (e.g., before/after volume analysis, etc.). Second, the measured and analyzedarea can be easily exported to other applications (ESRI GIS, etc.) for additional analysis.

6. Save and export the perimeters of surveys as shape files. This tool serves as the basis for evaluatingsurvey coverage. Quick Terrain Modeler will create and save a shape file that represents the total surveycoverage. This can be imported into ESRI GIS and other software to compare survey coverage against targetsurvey extents (e.g., county boundary) as well as existing geospatial information.

7. Save contour and grid overlays as shape files. This tool enables the export of contour and grid linesas shape files.

6.5 Import Merged GeoTIFF DEMs

For users of large GeoTIFF DEM models (e.g., US Army BuckEye LiDAR DEM's), viewing many tiles togethercan cause Quick Terrain Modeler to run out of memory. The Import Merged GeoTIFF DEM's tool allows theuser to select a GeoTIFF DEM or several DEM's, specify a downsampling ratio (known a decimation level),and import a much larger geographic area. To use this tool:

1. Select Import Merged GeoTIFF DEM's from the Import menu.2. Select the GeoTIFF's of interest.3. Set a Decimation level in the Decimation Options interface. The number you set in this window will be

the factor by which Quick Terrain Modeler will multiple the resolution by. For example, a decimationlevel of 2 will make a 1m DEM into a 2m DEM, a 3m DEM into a 6m DEM, a 5m DEM into a 15m DEM, etc. A decimation level of 5 will make a 1m DEM into a 5m DEM, a 3m DEM into a 15m DEM, a 5m DEM intoa 25m DEM, etc. This function will also merge multiple DEM's into a single DEM at the new resolution.

4. Click OK.


Version 8

Part

VII



7 Menu - Export

7.1 Export Models

Users can export 3-D models, whether point cloud (.qtc) or surface model (.qtt) into several other formats. To export 2-D imagery of the 3-D models, please look in the Export Model Images section.

The two most popular formats, by far, for exporting 3D data are LAS for point clouds and GeoTIFF DEM forDEM's and other surface models. Please refer to the appropriate sections for the following export formats:

LAS: Open standard file format for exchange and storage of point cloud information.

LAZ: Open standard file format for storage and exchange of compressed LAS point cloud files.

GeoTIFF 32-Bit DEM: Open standard gridded height field format.

FLT + HDR: A gridded floating point format.

XYZ ASCII (I) (A): Generates a columnated ASCII file format and will append Intensity and/or alpha valuesif they are present.

ASCII XYZ-RGB (A): Generates a columnated ASCII file format and will append RGB color values and/oralpha values if they are present.

AutoCAD ASCII DXF: This format is only appropriate for exporting contour lines and grid lines.

Binary XYZ (I) (A): Generates a binary file format and will include Intensity and/or alpha values if they arepresent.

Binary XYZ (RGB) (A): Generates a binary file format and will include RGB color and/or alpha values ifthey are present.

ESRI ASCII Z Grid: The ESRI ASCII format is similar to the GeoTIFF DEM format. It is ESRI's format thatconsists of a grid of elevation values.

ESRI Shape File: The ESRI shape file format can export vectors or points.

Export file extensions: Quick Terrain Modeler has a default extension for each exported file format, but userscan set a custom file extension when exporting multiple models/files. Simply click the radio button "UseCustom Extension?", then manually enter the file extension in the box. All files will have the sameextension.

Menu - Export 91

7.1.1 Export LAS

Quick Terrain Modeler can export point data or gridded data to LAS. Quick Terrain Modeler currentlyexports to LAS Version 1.1 and 1.2. When exporting to LAS, Quick Terrain Modeler will create the standardLAS header based on model information. In addition, each point will be exported according to the LAS PointData Record specification. Since all Point Data Record information may not be available for each point,Quick Terrain Modeler will treat a "no data" condition as follows:

X: Stored as a 4 byte "Long"Y: Stored as a 4 byte "Long"Z: Stored as a 4 byte "Long"Intensity: Stored as a 2 byte unsigned short. When no intensity value is available, QT will write zero foreach point.Return Number: 3 bits, always zeroes.Number of Returns (Given Pulse): 3 bits, always zeroes.Scan Direction Flag: 1 bit, always zero.Edge of Flight Line: 1 bit, always zero.Classification: 1 byte, unsigned char, always zero. Scan Angle Rank: 1 byte, char, always zeroUser Data: 1 byte, unsigned char, always zeroPoint Source ID, 2 bytes unsigned short, always zero.

While some of these values may have been present in the original LAS data file, Quick Terrain Modeler doesnot retain some of them unless the data was import as a QTA, thus the information may not be availableduring export.

7.1.2 Export to Compressed LAS (LAZ)

LAZ is an open source compressed LAS file format. In essence, it is simply a LAS file that has undergonecompression via LASZIP. Please note acknowledgments section: LASZIP and PDAL. To export to LASZIP, goto the Export Menu > Export Model Data. Choose LASZIP as the file format and highlight the model(s) to beexported in the model list. Click the export button.

When opening LAZ files, simply "Open Model" or drag/drop the LAZ file into the scene.



7.1.3 Export GeoTIFF 32-Bit DEM

The GeoTIFF DEM format is an open standard. It consists of a grid of 32-bit elevation values. BecauseGeoTIFF DEM is a gridded format, it is only suitable for exporting surface models (.qtt). Point clouds can notbe exported as GeoTIFF DEMs. Note that the null data value will be set to -9999 upon export, unless thereare data values below this in the model.

Models eligible for export to GeoTIFF DEM: QTT

7.1.4 Export ASCII XYZIA

This format generates an ASCII file with columns of X, Y, and Z data (plus Intensity and Alpha if applicable). NOTE: DTED file coordinates will be converted to UTM when exported to ASCII XYZ. Quick Terrain Modelerwill add 3 lines of header information describing the data set.

Models eligible for export to ASCII XYZ- I A: QTT, QTC, or QDT

7.1.5 Export ASCII XYZRGBA

This format generates an ASCII file with columns of X, Y, and Z data plus three additional columns for Red,Green and Blue color information. If alpha data is available, it will be appended as a fifth column. This is anappropriate format if you have color RGB information associated with each point or vertex. Quick TerrainModeler will add 3 lines of header information describing the data set.

Models eligible for export to ASCII XYZ RGB (A): QTT, QTC, or QDT

7.1.6 Export AutoCAD DXF

This format is only appropriate for exporting contour lines and grid lines. Please select the appropriatemodel when exporting. When selecting the model, the contour and/or grid lines will appear in the fileselection window as a separate model. Choose the contour model (or grid model) to export as DXF.

Models eligible for export to DXF: Contour lines and grid lines only.

7.1.7 Export ESRI ASCII ZGrid

The ESRI ASCII format is similar to the GeoTIFF DEM format. It is ESRI's format that consists of a grid ofelevation values. Because ESRI Grid ASCII is a gridded format, it is only suitable for exporting surface models(.qtt). Point clouds can not be exported as ESRI Grid ASCII. Many software products will accept a griddeddata in this file format.

Please note the following:The No Data value will be populated with the value -9999 unless elevations are below -9999, in which

Menu - Export 93

case Quick Terrain Modeler will choose a lower value. If the original model was built with rotation (i.e., the "Allow Rotated Grid" box was checked), and themodel is not oriented North-South, then the rotation value will not be saved upon export in the ASCIIZGrid Format. The user must manually account for the rotation when exporting and re-importing intoother applications.

Models eligible for export to ESRI ASCII Z Grid: QTT

7.1.8 Export ESRI Shape File

The ESRI shape file format can be used as follows:

1. Exporting models that consist of lines. For the Quick Terrain Modeler, this means that only vectors(e.g., grid lines, contour lines, and model outlines )can be exported as linear shape files.

2. Exporting Point Clouds. Quick Terrain Modeler can export entire QTC ungridded point clouds to ESRIpoint shape files (PointZM format). QTT gridded surface models can not be exported as shape files.

Models eligible for export to ESRI Shape File: Contour Lines, Grid Lines, Selection Polygons, MensurationLines, QTC Point Clouds, and Markers

7.2 Export Model Image(s)

The Export Model Image function permits the user to export 2-D orthorectified GeoTIFF imagery. There are8 types of 2-D GeoTIFF's available. They are as follows:

1. GeoTIFF 8-bit Intensity Image2. GeoTIFF 24-bit Overlay Image3. GeoTIFF 8-bit B&W Sun-Shaded Image4. GeoTIFF 8-bit B&W Ray-Traced Image5. GeoTIFF 24-bit Height-Colored Sun Shaded Image6. GeoTIFF 24-bit Height-Colored Ray-Traced Image7. GeoTIFF 24-bit Color Sun Shaded Image8. GeoTIFF 24-bit Color Ray-Traced Image

Note: Quick Terrain Modeler will export a KML file along with each GeoTIFF created. This will enable theexport of 2D imagery to Google Earth. Please be aware that there are suggested image size limits (2k x 2kpixels) for importing into Google Earth. Related Topics: Create KML Index, Export Outline to KML, SaveExtents Outline to KML, KML Options, Synchronize Google Earth

Basic definitions for the types of exported GeoTIFF:

Intensity Image exports the vertex colors (e.g., intensity, change detection, slope analysis, etc.) inblack and white only.Overlay Image exports vertex colors (e.g., intensity, change detection, slope analysis, etc.) as a colorimage.Sun-shaded options produce images shaded by the current light orientation. This tool is helpful forproducing hillshade images at various lighting conditions. Note that the user can set lighting (bypressing the set lighting button ) based on the following parameters:

Time of day.Azimuth and elevation (e.g., AZ 315, EL 45 for hillshade imagery)



By user preference by holding down the control key, left mouse button and moving the mouseto a satisfactory result.

Ray-traced options calculate and apply shadows to the model.Height-colored GeoTIFF's export the terrain colored by altitude based on the user altitude colorationsettings.

Notes:Be sure altitude coloration is set appropriately prior to generating GeoTIFF's.It may be beneficial to remove vertex colors prior to generating GeoTIFF's. To remove image frommodel, go to the Analysis menu and Remove Vertex Colors. This will prevent intensity or analysisresults from obscuring the exported GeoTIFF. Vertex colors will be generated in the exportedGeoTIFF's even if they are not visible at the time of export.Be sure to export the appropriate format of GeoTIFF header, world (.tfw) file, etc. by using the GeoTIFFExport Setup.

7.3 ASCII Export Setup

The ASCII Export tool allows a custom setup of ASCII data. The user can set both the number of decimalplaces as well as the column order for ASCII export. Please note that the Latitude and Longitudespecifications will only be used if the original model is in geodetic (i.e., latitude/longitude) coordinates. Thisis not a tool to specify coordinate conversion parameters.

To use the ASCII Export Setup Tool:

1. Select ASCII Export Setup from the Export Menu.2. Specify the number of decimal places for X, Y, Latitude, Longitude, Z, and RGB.3. Specify the column sequence. Again, not that your data will have either XY or Latitude/Longitude as the

horizontal position, so they will likely have the same column number.4. Select the appropriate delimiter.5. Click OK.

7.4 GeoTIFF Export Setup

Because different applications look in different places for a TIFF's specific geographic information, the QuickTerrain Modeler offers a flexible interface for specifying the attributes of exported GeoTIFF's. Please notethat a complete override of georegistration tags upon export is also possible.

Georegistration Tags:

Menu - Export 95

1. The first choice the user has is whether to write the .tfw file (aka World file) associated with theGeoTIFF. Applications such as ESRI Arc GIS may look for the .tfw file to determine the geographicinformation. If you require a .tfw file, please check the first box. Note that the .tfw file does not holdas much information as the standard GeoTIFF header. For example, the coordinate system (e.g.,UTM vs. Geodetic) is stored in the GeoTIFF header but not in the .tfw file.

2. The second choice is whether to write the GeoTIFF tags into the TIFF header. If this box is unchecked,a simple TIFF will be generated without the geographic information in the header.

3. The third choice is whether to write the georegistration tags specifically to meet ESRI expectations.

Handling Rotation*:These configuration choices may be particularly useful if the original DEM is not oriented north-south

(i.e., allow rotated grid). Some applications struggle to read the rotation value in the GeoTIFF header, butmay be able to read it in the .tfw file or vice-versa. Some applications may require a North-South orientedGeoTIFF. Ultimately, the requirements of your downstream applications will determine the correctconfiguration, as there is no single universally accepted method of reading GeoTIFF's.. If so, the two choicesfor handling rotation are:

Use the GeoTIFF Model Transformation Tag. This is the default and complies with the GeoTIFFstandard. Use multiple GeoTIFF tie points. This provides explicit coordinates for the corners of theGeoTIFF. While this is not a standard, it may be useful for applications that do not support thestandard method of representing GeoTIFF rotation.

Color Map:In some instances, it may be useful for a "no data" condition in an exported 2D GeoTIFF to be

distinguished from a "real" color of black, which may be the result of an analysis process. The defaultbehavior of QT Modeler is to export "real" black as exported as RGB = 0,0,0. Checking the box in the ColorMap section forces export products to distinguish between no data and "black". If the box is checked,nodata conditions will be exported as RGB = 0,0,0 and "black" pixels will be exported as RGB = 0,0,1. Thiswill allow downstream applications to distinguish between the two conditions: no/null data and real datawith a color value of RGB = 0,0,0. This only applies to 2D GeoTIFF's.

7.5 Override Georegistration

Overriding Georegistration enables the user to either correct geokeys that were set improperly, or to addgeokeys where none existed. This task can be performed during import (see related topic) or export. Thedefault setting of the Define Georegistration window will be the Active Coordinate System currently beingused in the model space. To override the default setting:

1. Check the "Override Native Data Projection" check box



2. For some of the more popular coordinate systems, namely UTM, Geodetic, and Cartesian, use thecoordinate system presets at the top of the interface, then fine tune things like linear/vertical unitsin the various georegistration keys pull down menus.

3. Use the check boxes and pulldown menus to select the precise coordinate system, vertical datum,and units.

4. If you intend to reuse the coordinate system override frequently, use "Custom" as the CoordinateSystem Preset pull-down, then click the "Add to Preset List" button to save it. It can later beremoved with the "Remove from Preset List" button.

Notes:QT Modeler has no way of knowing if your selections are correct. Once you choose to overridegeoregistration tags, there is no checking process to ensure that the choice is correct.If geokeys existed previously, they will be overwritten by the new selection.Not all geokey types are required. Only check the keys that you require and are sure are correct.

7.6 Movies

7.6.1 Record QMV Movie

The Quick Terrain Modeler allows you to record and play back movies of fly-through's on given models. When this is done, only the camera motions and lighting settings are recorded, so the same "movie" fly-through can be played back with different models, textures, and view settings. It can be done two ways:

1. Recording and playing a .qmv movie that requires the Quick Terrain Modeler to be running duringplayback.2. Using the .qmv movie as a template to create an .avi movie that does not require the Quick TerrainModeler for playback.

To record a movie: Select Record Movie… from the Export...Movies menu. Push the Select File… button and select a file to which to save the movie. Press Start Recording, and move about the model and alter lighting as desired. When finished, press Stop Recording to end the movie.

Menu - Export 97

You may also generate AVIs from QMV movies recorded as above. First select Create an AVI from the Exportmenu, and then select a QMV movie as the source (being sure you have already loaded the desired models,textures, etc into the Quick Terrain Modeler). Then select the desired window size and frame rate of the AVI,and press "OK". You will then be prompted with a window to select the desired compression format fromthose video codecs installed on your computer. You can configure the compression options for the formatyou have selected using the "configure" button. Once that is completed press "OK" to generate the AVI. A few notes and limitations:

Due to the way video card buffers are currently manipulated you cannot generate an AVI larger than thecurrent Quick Terrain Modeler window. The AVI utility will prevent you from doing this.

Although the AVI generator will attempt to smoothly interpolate between points in the QMV movie togenerate higher frame rates, the interpolation algorithm is not perfect. If you find you are havingproblems with "jumpy" motion it may help to re-record your QMV movie at a higher frame rate than thedefault of 8 (by altering Set Framerate in the Control...Options menu before recording the QMV).

7.6.2 Play QMV Movie

To play back a movie, simply load up the desired models and textures, tile sets, etc., and select Play Moviefrom the Export...Movies menu. Push the Select File… button and select a movie to play. The Rewind, Play,Pause, and Eject buttons will then function as would be expected.

7.6.3 Create AVI from QMV Movie

You may also generate AVIs from QMV movies recorded as above. First select Create an AVI from QMVMovie from the Export...Movies menu, and then select a QMV movie as the source (being sure you havealready loaded the desired models, textures, etc into the Quick Terrain Modeler). Then select the desiredwindow size and frame rate of the AVI, and press "OK". You will then be prompted with a window to selectthe desired compression format from those video codecs installed on your computer. You can configure thecompression options for the format you have selected using the "configure" button. Once that is completedpress "OK" to generate the AVI.

Notes:Due to the way video card buffers are currently manipulated you cannot generate an AVI larger than thecurrent Quick Terrain Modeler window. The AVI utility will prevent you from doing this.

Although the AVI generator will attempt to smoothly interpolate between points in the QMV movie togenerate higher frame rates, the interpolation algorithm is not perfect. If you find you are havingproblems with "jumpy" motion it may help to re-record your QMV movie at a higher frame rate than thedefault of 8 (by altering Set Framerate in the Control...Options menu before recording the QMV).



7.6.4 Create AVI from Line

Creating an AVI from a line is very similar to simply Creating an AVI. The only difference is that, instead ofmanually moving through the model, the user lays down a mensuration line in the terrain, then records amovie along this flight path. The steps for creating an AVI in this manner are as follows:

1. Create a mensuration line in the model. Create this line exactly where you want the fly through tooccur. Think of this as laying down a flight line for an aircraft.

2. Select a file name for the avi file you are about to create by clicking on the AVI File Output button.3. Select an AVI frame rate by moving the AVI Frame Rate slider. Faster frame rates create a smoother

fly-through but result in larger file sizes.4. Select an AVI screen size by moving the AVI Screen Size slider.5. Input an altitude by entering it in the Altitude window. Choose whether this is an absolute altitude

or an Above Ground Level (AGL) height.6. Input a speed at which you would like to move the "camera". At this point, it might be helpful to

look at the overall length of the mensuration line you created in Step 1 above (there will be aMensuration Data window open that displays this information), determine how long you would likethe movie to be (in seconds) and simply divide the length by the time. This will be your targetspeed. Input this value in the window.

7. Input a look angle in the Look Angle window. The look angle is measured from horizontal. Thismeans the following:

0 indicates a look angle of horizontal. This is generally not very useful.-90 indicates a look angle straight down (nadir).Look angles between -45 and -90 will probably be most useful.

Create AVI from Line Window:

Menu - Export 99

7.7 PowerPoint Tool

Export > PowerPoint Tool

Also Accessed from the PowerPoint Tool Button

The PowerPoint Tool quickly builds PowerPoint briefings by directly exporting QTM screen grabs, titles,captions, orientation axes (North arrow), and legends to PowerPoint slides. This tool also enables a"permanent burn" of classification level or other text into the exported images and the ability to savespecific view parameters to return to later (i.e., a 3D bookmark).

To Use the PowerPoint Tool:

1. Load a model(s).2. Adjust lighting, coloration, vertex colors, overlaid imagery, mensuration lines, selection areas, etc. and

move the model to a desirable orientation and zoom level. Note that the export to PPT will export theentire QTM screen space as the image. Exported images will not be georegistered.

3. Go to the Export Menu and choose "PowerPoint Tool"4. Choose checkboxes for showing axes (the 3D orientation arrows) and/or showing legends (e.g., height

coloration) in the exported image.5. Choose a PowerPoint template to populate by clicking either "Select" or "Edit" in the PowerPoint

Template section. A sample template is included (QTTemplate.ppt) and will be installed in the samedirectory as the Quick Terrain Modeler executable file (qtmodeler.exe). See notes below for creating anew template or modifying an existing presentation to accept QTM export.

6. Manually type in Title Text (displayed at the top of the template), Caption Text (displayed at the bottomof the template), and QT Screenshot Text ("burned" permanently into the exported image). Note thatimages will be scaled to fit in the available image space of the PowerPoint slide, so the QT ScreenshotText font size may need to be adjusted accordingly, as it will also be scaled identically to the image.

7. Click the Export button. If PowerPoint is not already open, it will open and the first slide after the titleslide will be created. If PowerPoint is already open, it will create a new slide at the end of thepresentation. All new slides will be built upon the template of the last slide in the presentation.

8. Note: Quick Terrain Modeler will immediately rename the template file to a unique name such as"QT42.ppt", "QT58.ppt", etc. and will save it in your pre designated Window TEMP directory.

9. Continue to add slides as needed.10. If you would like to return to the same perspective in the future, click the "Save View" button and save

a QTV file. Load the QTV file later by clicking "Load View" and selecting the saved file.11. When completed, save the PowerPoint presentation, moving it out of the TEMP folder if necessary/

desired.

To Create a New PPT Template:1. Remember the basic premise that QTM PPT exports will append slides to the end of the slide pack and

will seek to place the screenshot image in a pre-assigned space, the Title Text in the slide "Title" area,and the Caption Text in a user-defined caption location. You may create any number of slides in atemplate file, but the last slide in the presentation must conform to the following rules:

2. Title: PowerPoint uses a universal tag for "Title", so no modification are likely to be needed to establishthe title text.

3. Caption Text: For the caption text, you will need to place a sample caption in the desired location in thetemplate slide. While many templates include some sort of "caption text", there is no universal way toidentify this text (as there is with Title Text). Therefore, the caption text needs to be tagged with



Alternative Text. Important: Right click on the Caption Text place holder and select "Format PlaceHolder..." from the dialog box. Select the "Web" tab. In the "Alternative Text" box, type in "Caption". This is the only way that QT Modeler will be able to identify the Caption Text area.

4. Image: For the image area, you will need to place a sample image in the desired location in thetemplate slide. Important: Right click on the image place holder and select "Format Picture..." fromthe dialog box. Select the "Web" tab. In the "Alternative Text" box, type in "QT Image". This is theonly way that QT Modeler will be able to identify the desired image area and required scale factor.

5. Save the template. Use as directed above.

PowerPoint Tool GUI and Sample Exported Slide:

7.8 Render Screen to Registered Image

QTM's "Render Screen to Registered" Image" tool makes it possible to render any scene to a GeoTIFF orother georegistered format. This means that any combination of models, images, markers, vectors, andannotations can be exported as a georegistered image, even if the objects have not been "rasterized". Thinkof this tool as a "What You See is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) GeoTIFF Export.

Some basic background Information:

Requirement: In order to export a georegistered screen grab, you must be in 2D Mode. Otherwise, itis impossible to accurately tag the image with georegistration information.Anything and everything that is included in the scene will be exported with the image. This meansthat markers, analysis results, legends, axes, etc. will all be exported.QT Modeler windows (analysis tools, configuration menus, etc.) will not be rendered.The resolution of the exported image will be equal to the resolution of QT Modeler's model space. For example, if the resolution of QTM's screen space is 1000 x 800 pixels, that is the size/resolutionof the resulting image. The resulting image will not necessarily be proportional to the underlayingresolution of loaded models or overlaid imagery/textures.The Exported images can be used in any downstream application that can utilize georegisteredimages (e.g., Google Earth, ESRI, hand held GPS, ELT's, etc.)

Instructions:1. Load Model2. Go to 2D mode by pressing the "2D" button.3. Zoom to a the desired area in the model.4. Load any other items that may be useful in the resulting image - overlaid textures, markers, legends,

Menu - Export 101

etc.5. Go to the Export Menu and select "Render Screen to Registered Image"6. Select an output file name/location.7. Choose a pixel width/height. These values will be autopopulated with your QT Modeler window

size. Please note the file size window for the exported file. Some applications, notably Garmin GPS,have a 3MB file size limit.

8. Image Options:Show Axes: Checking this box will cause the 3D Axes/North Arrow to display in the exportedimage.Show Legend: Causes the legend to be included in the exported imageCreate in KMZ: Will wrap the exported file in a KMZ format.Create Garmin KMZ: creates a very specific output format required by Garmin GPS devices sothe resulting imagery can be used as a "Custom Map". Make sure to save the file in Garmin's"Custom Map" folder.

9. Caption Text: Choose font size, font color, and manually entered text in the top left of the exportedimage.

7.9 Render Screen to TIF

Render Screen to TIFF… from the Export menu. This option will allow you to render an image to anyarbitrary size - as long as the aspect ratio of the TIFF matches that of the current Quick Terrain Modelerwindow. This tool can generate very high resolution TIFF's by setting the width and height to a large value.

There are also several options for adding information to the exported TIFF:

1) Show Axes: This is the 3D equivalent of a "North Arrow". Because a standard TIFF is not geospatiallyregistered like a GeoTIFF, the axes help orient the view of the exported TIFF in 3D space. The axes willappear in the upper right corner of the exported TIFF.

2) Show Legend: The legend can be a basic height legend or it can be the result of AGL analysis or gridstatistics. The legend will appear in the lower left corner of the exported TIFF.

3) Caption Text: The user can type in text that will be displayed in the upper left corner of the exported TIFF. The user can set a font size and color.

The Render to TIFF Window and a sample of a rendered TIFF showing legend, 3D axes, and Caption:



7.10 Export Screen to Garmin GPS

Export > Render Screen to Garmin Button =

A screen grab can be exported directly to a Garmin hand held GPS as a custom map. Applied Imagery hastested this functionality on Garmin Oregon and Colorado units. To export the screen as a Garmin custommap:

1. Set the view to 2D mode.

2. Zoom/Pan as needed to get the level of detail required. Make sure layers, axes, vectors, etc. are asdesired. Whatever you see on the screen will be rendered, pixel for pixel, to the Garmin custom map. Items like scale bar and north arrow are not necessary when exporting to Garmin, as the Garmin willknow the scale and north orientation already.

3. Click the Export to Garmin button or go to the Export menu > Render screen to Garmin.

4. Place the exported image in the Garmin > CustomMaps folder. If this folder does not exist, you willneed to create it. Garmin will only recognize the custom map if it is in this folder.

5. Custom map will automatically appear when navigating with the Garmin. Note that the imageresolution ion the Garmin will be dependent upon the zoom level of QT Modeler when the image wasexported.

6. If you require multiple images along a route, repeat steps 2-4 as needed.

The iGarmin screen grab below shows both a custom map export (the color part of the screen) and atrack created/exported by QT Modeler. The green portion of the screen and the "Masby Road"annotation were already part of the Garmin map information.

Menu - Export 103

7.11 Render Selection Area to GPS

Export > Render Selection Area to GPS

The purpose of QT Modeler's Image exporting tool is to subdivide a very large image into many smallerimages that, in aggregate, represent the entire larger image. These two processes are known as"chipping" (i.e., cutting a smaller piece out of larger image) and "tiling" (i.e., dividing a large image intosmaller, more manageable pieces, or "tiles" that can subsequently be easily reassembled into the original,larger image). QT Modeler's "render Selection Area to GPS" tool performs both of these functions. First, itenables users to chip out a smaller portion of the scene in QT Modeler. Second, it tiles this image chip intoeven smaller pieces that can then be ingested into a hand held GPS unit, specifically Garmin devices (as aCustom Map on a Garmin Colorado, Oregon, or Montana). The resulting file is a KMZ file, which can also beread into other applications such as Google Earth.

The instructions for using the Tiled KMZ Export tool are as follows:

Open a Model or Image - or BothThis image chipping/tiling tool will work with whatever 3D models and/or images appear in QT Modeler'smodel space. Since QT Modeler can work with 3D models alone, 2D imagery alone, or with combinationsof both, this tool can be a very versatile tool to move any georegistered raster imagery or data onto aGarmin device, or to any downstream application that can read KMZ imagery. Some common examplesinclude:

A LiDAR DEM with color imagery draped on top.Color imagery without underlying 3D data (for areas that have no LiDAR/3D coverage). Make sureto load imagery as a "texture" - not a model. See help topic on Loading 2D Imagery by Itself. QTModeler can read a very wide variety of 2D raster formats, including GeoTIFF, NITF, MRSID, ECW,and most commonly available formats.Georegistered map products such as CADRG. This could be a very useful way of exporting custommaps in areas where no GPS maps are available and color imagery and LiDAR data may be limited.

Get the Scene EXACTLY as You Want to See on Your Garmin or Downstream ApplicationSince the exported image will be "What You See is What You Get" (WYSIWYG), anything that is visible inthe scene and contained in the selection area will be rendered into the exported image. This includesheight coloration schemes, markers, vectors, routes, annotations, etc.

Define a Selection Area

Use one of the selection tools on the button bar to define the area that needs to beexported. The selection area will not appear in the final export product.

Get into "2D Mode"

Click the 2D button to get into 2D mode. 2D mode is required to properly georegister the exportedproducts.

Open the Tool (Export Menu > Render Selection Area to GPS)Go to the Export Menu and select "Render Selection Area to GPS. The "Tiled KMZ Export" interface willappear and the default tiling scheme will be visible in the scene. The tiling scheme will be a set ofcontiguous rectangles that cover the entire selection area. It is likely that the tiled area will be larger thanthe selection area, as it is designed to include 100% of the selection area. Note that for tiles that only



cover a portion of the selection area, the entire image tile will be exported. The selection area will notappear in the final export product, nor will the white tiling scheme.

Adjust Settings - Image Size, Pixel Size, Draw OrderThere are several adjustable settings in the interface. They include:

Maximum Image Size: This setting is in pixels (not meters or feet). Garmin GPS units have amaximum image size of 1024 x 1024 pixels, regardless of image resolution. Thus, the default valueis 1024. While this can be set to any value, setting it above 1024 may cause the exported KMZimage to be unreadable on Garmin and other devices.Pixel Size: This is the "resolution" of the final exported image. Note that QT Modeler will poll theloaded images and suggest a resolution based on the highest resolution product (model or texture)loaded in the scene. Also note that setting a higher resolution (i.e., entering a smaller pixel size)may not result in a higher quality exported KMZ image. Lastly, Garmin devices do not have manypixels on their small screens, so exporting super high resolution imagery to a Garmin device may becounter productive (i.e., image file sizes very large, resulting in slow rendering on GPS, and unableto take advantage of the higher resolution KMZ). Some experimentation may be necessary to arriveat the optimal balance for your application and device.Draw Order: Simple draw order setting that can be read by Garmin and other applications. Thisdecides what images should be on "top" when two images spatially overlap in the same scene.

Visualize and Assess Tiling SchemeAs adjustment are made to Maximum Image Size and Pixel Size, the revised tiling scheme will refresh andbe displayed immediately. Also, note the impact on relevant measurement sof the final product:

Image Size: In pixels. This is calculated and assigned automatically by QT Modeler. This is preciselythe layout of each image within the tiling scheme.Tile width: Based on number of pixels, this is the width (in feet or meters) of the final tile.Tile Height: Based on number of pixels, this is the width (in feet or meters) of the final tile.Number of tiles: The total number of tiles that will be included in the KMZ. Note that Garmincannot process over 100 tiles in aggregate across all Custom Maps. If this number exceeds 100 andyou plan to export to Garmin, reduce the total area, or increase the pixel size to reduce the numberof total tiles.

Reset Selection Area (Optional)If the selection area does not cover the intended area, change the selection area and click "Recalculate".

Menu - Export 105

Export KMZ FileClick "Go" to export the file. If exporting to Garmin, make sure to save the file in the "Custom Maps"folder. When saved, QT Modeler may also open Google Earth and display the image in Google Earth aswell.

Garmin Notes and Helpful HintsDraw Order: According to Garmin "A Draw Order >= 50 will draw on top of other maps. ACustom Map with a Draw Order <50 will draw on top of the land, water, and areas on othermaps, but roads, topo lines, and depth contours will draw on top of the Custom Map.Waypoints, tracks, routes, geocaches, POIs, etc will always draw on top of Custom Maps.Custom Maps are drawn with higher DrawOrder maps on top of CustomMaps with a lowerdraw order."Max Tiles: The maximum number of Custom Map jpegs you can load is 100. This is inaggregate, across all KMZ custom map files.WYSIWYG: You may want to uncheck markers, vectors, and other items in the layer tree priorto exporting. Having big marker labels and unnecessary vectors in the exported KMZ may bedistracting on the Garmin's small screen. Remember, what you see is what you get.

7.12 Create KML Index

Indexing Tool (Export Menu)The purpose of the new indexing tool is to quickly catalog LiDAR and imagery holdings and export

the catalog to KML, SHP, and/or CSV file. It can be found in the Export Menu. Simply open the index tool,specify a directory, drive, or external storage device, and let QTM do the rest. Export options include KML/KMZ, SHP, and/or CSV file and can be organized by existing directory structure or by file type. The resultingproduct is a group of vectors that represent the coverage of your LiDAR and imagery holdings. It is a veryfast tool that lets you easily understand the extents and coverage of your holdings by visually interactingwith them in Google Earth or ArcMap.

Instructions

Call up the File Index ToolGo to the Export Menu...Create File IndexLeft Click anywhere in the model to select a center position, the type "R" on the keyboard. The rangering interface will appear and will already have the center position loaded (i.e., the position that youjust left clicked on).



Choose Directory or Drive to Index and Choose Whether to Index SubdirectoriesClick the "Select Folder to Index" button. Navigate to the folder or storage drive that requires indexing. Indexing will work on external drives as well as internal storage. If the directory/drive you select isorganized into subfolders, check "Recursive Subfolders" to enable indexing down through the variouslevels of subfolders.

Choose Index Files to ExportThere are two basic types of resulting index file:

KMZ: Each file will get an entry in the KMZ data tree, a coverage footprint vector in Google Earth,and an information marker showing basic information about the file. See images below.Shapefile/CSV: Creates a similar index, but in shape file (SHP) format. Each tile/file becomes itsown feature in the resulting file. The CSV output is simply a tabular format of the index holdings,including the filename, path, and file type.

Note: A Search Cache will automatically be created each time you create an index. Search cachesenable extremely fast spatial searches.

Choose Organization of ResultsOrganize by Directory: Preserve the directory hierarchy and naming conventions as those use in theoriginal data storage structure.Organize by File Type: Create a new indexing structure by organizing files by type - e.g., all LAS files inone directory, all GeoTIFF's in another, etc.

What Kinds Of Files Get Indexed?QT Modeler will index almost any known geospatial file type. These types include 3D formats (GeoTIFFDEM, LAS), 2D formats (GeoTIFF, MRSID), and Vector formats (SHP, KML/KMZ, etc.).

What Happens if My Files Have No Geokeys or Other Georegistration Tagging? If your geospatial files are not georegistered, QT Modeler will still create an entry in the index, but it will

Menu - Export 107

not be displayed in Google Earth as a vector footprint or as an information tab.

7.13 Export Outline to KML

Exporting Outline to KML enables the user to establish context for 3-D data as well as to establish a catalogof existing data on Google Earth. The user must set parameters in KML Options, then simply press the

Google Earth Export button or select "Export Outline to KML" from the Export menu.

Notes: Google Earth works in Geodetic coordinates, so exporting UTM data will require converting perimetersto latitude/longitude. The resulting conversion may not appear to be perfectly rectangular or north/south.At this time, KML indexing can only be performed on:

QTT and QTC file formats. Models in UTM or Geodetic coordinates.

Step 1: Build a Model (e.g., Baltimore):

Step 2: set output parameters in KML Options.

Step 3: Export to Google Earth. Image on top shows the tile outline. Image on the bottom showsinformation marker.



7.14 Save Extents to KML

Saving the extents outline to KML will export a single KML rectangle to Google Earth, regardless of howmany models are loaded. The rectangle will be based in the min/max XY extents of all loaded models. Seeexamples below.

(Left) Exporting Outline to KML with 3 Models Loaded (note 3 separate KML outlines):

(Right) Saving Extents to KML with the Same 3 Models Loaded (note single rectangular outline):

7.15 KML Options

The KML Options window defines the specific products and options that will be exported to KML when the KML Index tool and the Export Outline to KML is used. The options are as follows:

Start Google Earth after KML CreationChecking this box will automatically open Google Earth after Exporting Model Outline to KML.

Model OutlineExtents Outline vs. Tight Outline: The difference between these tow outlines is that the extentsoutline simply generates a rectangle at the maximum X-Y extents of the model, regardless of the shapeof the model. This may be fine if the model is rectangular or if a simple polygon is required. A "TightOutline" will provide a much more accurate picture of the model extent. For example, LiDAR flightlines will be represented very accurately, showing the irregular boundaries at the edge of a strip. Incontrast, the "Extents Outline" would just draw a rectangular box around the XY extents of the flight

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line.

Opacity: The opacity setting will determine whether the outline will appear with no fill in the center(0%) or whether it will be a solid, opaque polygon (100%), or somewhere in between.

Line Thickness: Line Thickness alters the line width on the exported KML polygon.

Model Info in MarkerIn addition to an exported polygon, a standard KML product is an information marker at the centroid of theexported model outline. Users can choose which of the following attributes to include in the markerinformation:

Model NameModel Path Link: Creates a link to the filename and path. If the user associates the Quick TerrainReader or Quick Terrain Modeler with the QTT or QTC file types, this link could automatically open thefile in Quick Terrain Modeler or Reader.Model Type: Either QTT or QTC (Surface or Point Cloud).Number Points: Total number of points (or vertices for QTT models) contained in the model.Height/Width: Scale: Average XY distance between pointsFile Size: In GB, MB, or kBDensity: Average number of points per square unit of area.

7.16 GPX Export Options

When exporting routes to GPX (i.e., the universal file exchange standard for exchange of GPS routes, tracks,and waypoints), the user will have the option to export any or all of these formats. The choices available areas follows:

Waypoints: In QT Modeler, waypoints are associated with markers. markers form the basis of routes, butcan also be "unassigned" , i.e., they can simply mark positions that are not stops/turns along a route. Theuser can decide which of these marker positions should be exported as waypoints as follows:

Include Unassigned Markers: Checking/unchecking this box will determine whether markers thatare not part of a route will be exported as a waypoint.Include Hidden Markers: Checking this box will cause QT Modeler to ignore whether the marker iscurrently visible when deciding which markers to export as waypoints. The default behavior is thatif a marker is hidden in the scene (i.e., unchecked in the layer tree), then it will not be exported as awaypoint.



Include Markers Assigned to Routes: Checking this box will cause QT Modeler to export every turnand waypoint along a route separately as a waypoint. This is generally undesirable as duplicatingwaypoints on the Garmin will result in a very cluttered display on the Garmin/GPS device.

GPX Routes: The route itself can be exported as a GPX Route or as a GPX Track. While the same exact pathwill be exported in both cases, it will be displayed differently on the Garmin.

GPX Tracks: As noted above, the QT Modeler route can be exported as either a GPX track or route. Somenavigation functionality on the Garmin may not be available when exporting as a track. See images belowfor display differences on the same route export.

Route Exported asGPX Track (No

Pushpins)

Route Exported asGPX Route (Blue

Pushpins)


Version 8

Part

VIII



8 Menu - Textures

8.1 Overlaying Textures: Overview

Draping a 2D image on top of a 3D model can instantly create a very realistic 3D scene. It can dramaticallyincrease situational awareness and deliver an intuitive understanding of terrain and other features. Furthermore, after this process is completed, all of Quick Terrain Modeler's visualization, navigation, analysis, and export tools are still available to the user.

As of Version 7.1.5, Quick Terrain Modeler can also open 2D images alone - i.e., it is no longer a requirementto have 3D data loaded first. See more information on "2D Only Mode" here.

DEM/Imagery Fusion

Point Cloud/Imagery Fusion

Basic Terminology: Textures, Vertex Colors, Sampling, OpenGL, etc.Texture: Texture is QTM's term for an image that is draped on top of a model (point cloud or DEM), but isnot actually a part of the model. Because textures do not record their color values on a per-point or per-vertex basis, they can be of different resolution than the underlying model. For example, a 4-inchresolution texture (e.g., GeoTIFF image) can be draped on top of a 1 meter DEM and still retain the 4-inchresolution it originally had. The name texture comes from OpenGL graphics programming standard. Withrespect to overlaying images in QTM, one image = one texture. Maximum texture sizes and maximumnumber of available textures are specific to an individual graphics card, not to QTM.

Texture "Slot": While not technically an OpenGL term, it is useful to think of a video card as having afinite number of "slots" into which textures can be placed and subsequently displayed on top of QTM's3D models. A typical graphics card will have between 2 and 32 texture "slots", which is the maximumnumber of active textures that can be simultaneously displayed. When overlaying textures in QTM,please keep this limitation in mind. Your graphics card most likely can not support more than 16 imagessimultaneously (more likely 4 or 8), so it might be necessary to merge many smaller images into amerged "mosaic" prior to overlaying as a texture in QTM. To find the number of texture "slots"

Menu - Textures 113

supported by your graphics card, go the Help Menu...OpenGL Resources. In addition to the maximumnumber of textures available, this tool will also display the maximum image size (in pixels) supported byyour graphics card. The maximum texture size is likely to be 4k x 4k pixels or 8k x 8k pixels..Vertex Color: Vertex colors are RGB values that are an integrated part of a point cloud or DEM. Forexample, intensity values, analysis results, and attribute coloring are color values that are applied and"attached" on a point-by-point (in a point cloud) or vertex-by-vertex (in a DEM) basis. When a QTC orQTT model is saved, vertex colors are saved along with it and will reappear when the model is reloaded. After a texture is draped onto a model, the color values can be permanently sampled into the modelvertex colors by using the "Sample Active Textures Into Vertex Colors" tool in the Textures Menu or onthe Edit Orthorectified Textures interface.

OpenGL: (Open Graphics Library) is a standard that defines a way for applications to produce and render2D and 3D computer graphics. QTM uses OpenGL extensively during rendering operations and usesOpenGL's texture "slots" to display overlaid images.

Graphics Card: A graphics card is the display and rendering engine for a computer. With respect tooverlaying textures in QTM, the graphics card uses OpenGL and available texture slots to project imagesonto a 3D surface (point cloud or DEM). Some critical attributes of the graphics card are the

Sampling: Sampling is the concept of reducing the resolution of an image to fit in an available textureslot. If you have a maximum texture size of 8k x 8k pixels an image that is 16k x 16k pixels, it will need tobe "downsampled" by 2 to fit in the maximum size texture slot. Sampling happens automatically.

Four Types of Texture Overlay: Orthorectified, Orthographic, Projective, and UnregisteredOrthorectified Textures: Orthorectified textures are treated as flat maps which directly map onto theterrain model underneath, and are defined in terms of a tie position, scale, and orientation. They areoverlaid perpendicular to the Z-direction of the model, and are projected by specifying the UTM orGeodetic coordinates of the corners of the image. When an image is selected, all appropriate scaling,position, and orientation information will be automatically read from the image file.

Orthographic Textures: Orthographic textures are treated as photographs taken with an infinite focallength - resulting in a perfectly flat projection. They are defined in terms of LOS angles, tie points, andimage plane scaling. Satellite imagery is an example of an orthographic texture.

Projective textures: Projective textures are treated as photographs taken from a frame camera, defined interms of field-of-view, position, and orientation. Users may either specify the camera parametersmanually or load a View file corresponding to the camera view that most closely approximates the Point-of-View of the image. Oblique imagery is considered a "projective" texture.

Unregistered Images: Images that have no georegistration whatsoever can be manually registered usingQT Modeler's Image Registration Tool.

Basic Mechanics: How an Original Image Becomes a QTM "Texture"As noted above, an image file becomes a texture by loading it into an available texture "slot". Regardlessof the image compression algorithm used (e.g., MrSID, ECW, etc.), QTM will need to uncompress the fileand assign RGB values on a pixel by pixel basis. What this means is that, even if an image appearsrelatively small in its original compressed file format, it may still need to be downsampled to fit in theavailable OpenGL texture slot.



Supported Image FormatsAs of Version 7.1.0, QTM supports most of the 2D image formats in the GDAL libraries (http://www.gdal.org/formats_list.html) GeoTIFF, ECW, MrSID, BMP, IMG, GIF, BigTIFF, NITF, JPG, JPG2000,PNG, PPM, PGM have been tested and confirmed to work fine. Some of the others on the list are mostlikely to work, but have not been tested. Any more obscure formats that are not on the list are almostcertainly not supported.

8.2 2D Only Mode

As of version 7.1.5 (February 2012), QT Modeler can load 2D imagery without 3D data loaded. This willenable the viewing and interaction with 2D imagery in locations where LiDAR and other 3D data may not beavailable. Almost all known imagery formats will be supported, including GeoTIFF, MRSID, ECW, NITF, andCIB. While you won’t get the benefit of 3D analysis, you will still be able to measure distances, convertlocations between UTM/LatLong/MGRS, create routes, synchronize Google Earth, annotate scenes, exportdirectly to PowerPoint, and many more functions.

Load: Simply “Import Texture” rather than “Load Model” to load a specific image.

Search: To search for 2D imagery, go to the Model Search tool (File Menu) and select the ImageSearch (2D Data) radio button at the top of the window. Note: QT Modeler can search for both 2Dimagery (GeoTIFF’s, MRSID, NITF, etc.) and 3D data (LAS files, DEM’s, etc.), but not at the same time.

Tools That Still Work in "2D Only" Mode:o Linear measurements (of course, terrain profiles, slope analysis will be unavailable)o Marker placements, route planning, etco Google Earth synchronizationo "Go To" and coordinate conversion functionalityo Position display in status baro Export Imagery to GPS

Tools that will not work without 3D data loaded (as of v7.1.5):o Range Ringso Generate Grid Lineso Generate Outlineo Export Vector (Annotation purposes)o Lightingo Cut/Cropo Anything that requires 3D analysis for analysis purposes (terrain profiles, lien of sight, etc.)

Related Topics: Model/Image Search, Overlay Orthorectified Texture

8.3 Overlay Texture (Orthorectified)

Overlaying an orthorectified texture on top of a point cloud (QTC/QTA model) or DEM (QTT model)should be a very simple operation if the image is georegistered properly and contains the appropriategeokeys and TIFF tags. The basic steps are as follows:



Menu - Textures 115

Select "Overlay Orthorectified Texture"Overlay Orthorectified Texture can be accessed from the Texture...Overlay Texture...Orthorectified menuor from the button overlay Orthorectified Texture Button.

Choose Crop Options

There are three options for cropping the selected image:

No Cropping: There are only two reasons that "No Cropping" should be selected. First, if you plan toload additional 3D data that covers a larger geographic area, you may not want to crop the image uponimport. Second, if your image is poorly registered and you feel the need to edit it by moving the image,you may not want to crop it. Otherwise, portions of the image that do not intersect with the loadedmodels should be eliminated with one of the cropping options below.

Crop to Model Extents: This option will crop the image to precisely the X -Y dimensions of the loadedmodel(s). There is no need to load unnecessary pixels into video memory. Once Quick Terrain Modelercrops the image to the X - Y extents, it will still need to determine the level of downsampling required tofit in video memory. Each video card is different, but the key factors in determining downsampling arethe maximum texture size allowed by your video card (measured in pixels, typically 2k x 2k, 4k x 4k, or 8kx 8k) and the total amount of video memory available. There is no way to manually set a sampling value.

Crop to View Extents: This option is helpful if you would like to view your image at full resolution, but donot have the video memory or texture size to load at full resolution. Simply zoom to the area of interest,select the image, and it will appear, cropped to the X-Y extents of the view. While it is not guaranteed toappear without downsampling, it is far more likely to fit when "chipped" (i.e., cropped to a smaller area).

Select Image: If You Know What Image File You NeedIf you know exactly what image file you need to drape on top of the model, simply click "Select Image",navigate to the file, and select it. It will begin loading automatically.

Find Image: Search for Matching Image FilesIf you are not sure which image matches your model (e.g., if the naming conventions of model and imageare not similar), or if you are not sure of the location of the required file, or if you simply want to look forspatially matching image files, click on the "Find Image" button. See separate section on "Image SearchTool".

Automatic Coordinate Conversion When overlaying an image, Quick Terrain Modeler can convert coordinates on the fly, provided the



loaded 3D model is in UTM or geodetic (lat/long) coordinates. For example, if your 3D data is in UTM,you can overlay a model in State Plane coordinates. QTM will perform the coordinates conversion on thefly and project the image in the correct location. When working with DEM's or point clouds in UTM andoverlaying imagery that is in lat/long, there may be some slight error in converting angular coordinates toa linear framework.

Interpreting the Data in the "Overlay Orthorectified Texture" WindowOnce the selected image is loaded, the "Image Information" section will provide information about theimage. Perhaps the most important fact is that the image may have been downsampled to fit in theavailable video memory and/or Open GL texture slot. This level of downsampling and resultant Widthand Height will be reflected in the image information window. The information that is available is asfollows:

Image format: Typically this will be GeoTIFF, MrSID, IMG, ECW, NITF, or many other popularformats. This section will also list the bit depth and color parameters of the original image (e.g., RGB-24 = Red/Green/Blue, 24 bits per pixel). Sampled Width and Height: This is the resultant pixel width/height of the loaded image. Sampling: This displays the sampling level in width and height. Depending on the capabilities ofyour video card, these numbers need not be the same. A sampling value of 1 indicates that nodownsampling occurred and that the image is being displayed at full resolution. A sampling value of2 means that one pixel was created for every 2 pixels in the original image, a sampling value of 3means that one pixel was created for every 3 pixels in the original image, etc. Another way to thinkof the sampling values is that if your original image was 0.5 meter resolution (i.e., 0.5m pixel size)and the resulting imported texture required a sampling value of 2, the resulting image textureresolution would be 1 meter. A sampling value of 4 for the same 0.5m resolution image would resultin a 2 meter resolution in QT Modeler.

Smart Contrast EnhanceSmart Contrast Enhance identifies images that have a large percentage of their pixels in "black" or"White", and auto-adjusts the contrast. For example, certain NITF images may require the smart contrastenhance functionality.

General Notes and Pointers on QTM's Treatment of Orthorectified Textures If you are having trouble finding ECW files with the Image Search Tool, try switching the search to"Cartesian Search". There is benefit in projecting high resolution textures on lower resolution DEM's. The DEM acts as acontinuous, seamless projection screen onto which the texture/image is projected. For each 3D "pixel"in the DEM, there can be multiple texture pixels. Thus, you will be able to see the higher resolutionwhen working with DEM's. The same is not necessarily true when projecting on top of point clouds,

Menu - Textures 117

where the "void" between points may not offer the continuous projection screen to display the texture.When overlaying large geodetic (lat/long) images on top of a UTM model, the coordinate conversionfrom an angular system to a Cartesian system may distort the image slightly. This effect is minimizedwith a smaller geographic area. Consider "cropping to view" if this is an issue.

8.4 Overlay Texture (Orthographic)

Orthographic textures are treated as if photographs taken with an infinite focal length – resulting in aperfectly flat projection. They are defined in terms of LOS angles, tie points, and image plane scaling. Theymay be added by selecting Overlay Texture (Orthographic)… from the Textures menu. You may then eitherspecify the parameters manually or save/load a Parameter file. You may manipulate Orthographic texturecamera settings in real time after loading by selecting Edit Texture (Orthographic) from the Textures menu. Projective and Orthographic textures may also be shadowed using the "Add Image Shadows" button in thetexture windows. This process involves calculating the areas of the model not visible from the imageprojection line-of-sight and then masking these from the texture overlay. This is accomplished through useof the alpha channel of the model vertex colors, so once texture shadows have been calculated you can turnthe effect on and off by toggling the "Model Colors" button in the toolbar.

The Orthographic Texture Input Window:

Related Topics: Overlaying Textures Overview, Overlay Orthorectified Textures,

8.5 Overlay Texture (Projective)

Projective textures are treated as if photographs taken from a frame camera, defined in terms of field-of-view, position, and orientation. They may be added by selecting Overlay Texture (Projective)… from theTextures menu. You may then either specify the camera parameters manually or load a View filecorresponding to the camera view that most closely approximates the Point-of-View of the image. Viewfiles are generated by setting the camera parameters as desired and selecting Save View/Position… from theControl menu. You may manipulate Projective texture camera settings in real time after loading by selectingEdit Texture (Projective) from the Textures menu. When importing orthorectified or projective textures, theuser has the option to "Enhance Contrast". Every time this button is pressed it will perform an intensityscaling operation on the texture to maximize the contrast over the middle 90% of the intensity histogram. Projective and Orthographic textures may also be shadowed using the "Add Image Shadows" button in thetexture windows. This process involves calculating the areas of the model not visible from the imageprojection line-of-sight and then masking these from the texture overlay. This is accomplished through useof the alpha channel of the model vertex colors, so once texture shadows have been calculated you can turnthe effect on and off by toggling the "Vertex Colors" button in the toolbar.



Projective Texture Input Window:

8.6 Overlay Unregistered Texture

Overlaying an unregistered image will load the Image Registration Tool after specifying an image file. Thistool will enable manual registration of an image by placing tie points and moving/stretching the image. Seemore information in the Image registration section.

8.7 GeoTIFF Image Search Tool

The GeoTIFF Image Search tool makes it very easy and fast to find images that intersect with the loadedmodels. It will search for a wide variety of 2D georegistered image formats. The following instructionsdetail the steps to use the GeoTIFF Image Search Tool:

Call Up Image Search ToolTo access the GeoTIFF Image Search Tool, first open the Overlay Orthorectified Texture tool, choose aCrop Option (No cropping, Crop to Model Extents, or Crop to Extents of Current View). Click on the "FindImage..." button.

Search Area and Image FormatsQuick Terrain Modeler will identify matching images by examining the image extents in the header of theimage and determining if it matches the loaded model or view. If you choose No Cropping or Crop toModel Extents, QTM will locate images that overlap some or all of the loaded models. If you choose Cropto Extents of Current View, QTM will only look for images that overlap all or some of the current view(i.e., images may exist that intersect the current model, but not the current view extents. These imageswill not be listed in the results list).

QTM will examine many image formats, including GeoTIFF, MrSID, ECW, NITF, IMG and a variety of otherformats and include them in the results. Image formats can not be specified as a search criteria. Pleasenote the image must be georegistered to be discovered and listed in the results.

Select Directory and Subdirectories (or Select Cache)Choose "Select Directory", then select a directory to begin the search. Checking "Search Subdirectories"will enable a search in the named directory as well as all subdirectories. If the search is performed in a

Menu - Textures 119

high level directory, you may want to uncheck this box to save unnecessary search time in irrelevantsubdirectories.

Selecting a Cache will search through a pre-built cache file rather than through hard drives. See more onCaches.

Specify Image Coordinate System

The default setting for an image coordinate system is "Any Matching" It is possible to narrow the searchto UTM or Geodetic only. Please note that, at the time of this release (v7.1.0), QTM does not supportState Plane and other coordinate systems explicitly. QTM supports these coordinate systems under thebroad umbrella of "Cartesian" coordinate systems. If the loaded model is in "Cartesian" and matchingimages are not being displayed, please try the "Cartesian Search" to locate the images.

Find Image(s)Click "Find Images" to begin the search. QTM will begin searching directories (and subdirectories if thebox is checked) and listing any matching images.

Select Image (One at a Time)When the search is complete, a results list will be displayed. All the listed images will overlap the searcharea, either entirely or partially. Select an image by clicking on it in the list. Information about the imagewill appear in the "Selected Image Information" portion of the window. Only one image can be selectedat a time.

Load ImageOnce you have selected the image that you wish to load, click the "Load Image" button. QTM will beginthe texture overlay process, which may require downsampling. The Image Search window will close andthe Overlay Orthorectified Texture window will reappear.

Export to KMLOnce you have selected the image that you wish to load, click the "Load Image" button. QTM will beginthe texture overlay process, which may require downsampling. The Image Search window will close andthe Overlay Orthorectified Texture window will reappear.



8.8 Edit Texture (Orthorectified)

This tool allows the user to edit textures once they are added to the model. If the overlaid image/texturedoes not immediately line up with the DEM, the user may adjust:

Enhance Contrast:Sample Into Vertex Colors: This tool will sample the overlaid texture into the vertex colors, thuscreating a colorized point cloud or DEM. See separate topic link for additional instructions.Export GeoTIFFCorner position: Selecting either one of the four corners or the center of the image as the reference.Easting/Northing. Pushing the arrow buttons will move the image in real time across the terrain tofine-tune the alignment.Width/Height: If the scale is incorrect, the user may need to manually insert the dimensions of theimage.Orientation: Rotates the image.

Note: Once the image is properly aligned, press the "Save Registration" button. This will generate a .PARfile that records the updates settings of your overlaid image. When reloading the image in the future,simply load the misaligned image, then load the PAR file corresponding to it. The image will immediatelymove back to the correct alignment. This can also be done by saving a Tile Set.

The Edit Orthorectified Texture Window:

8.9 Image Registration

The purpose of the image registration tool is to give users a powerful, interactive tool to register imagery toelevation data. The new interface is accessible from a button on the “Overlay Orthorectified Textures”interface, which is accessed either from the textures menu or from the “Overlay Orthorectified Textures”button.

The steps are fairly simple:

Open DEM/Point Cloud.The image registration process begins with the loading of 3D data. Image registration will work with eitherpoint clouds or surface models (DEM's).

Open Overlay Orthorectified Texture (Textures Menu or button)To load an unregistered or poorly registered image, select "Overlay Orthorectified Textures" either from theTextures Menu or from the button on the top button bar. The Image registration tool is also available fromthe Textures...Overlay Textures...Unregistered menu selection

Select an Image

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If the image is completely unregistered or in a different coordinate system than the loaded model, be sureto choose “No Cropping” as the crop option, as the “units” of the image may make no sense at all in thecontext of the loaded model.

Click the “Register With Control Points” button at the bottom of the “Import OrthorectifiedTextures” window.Clicking this button will call up the Image Registration Tool. This is an unnecessary step if you started fromthe Textures...Overlay Textures...Unregistered menu selection.

Place markers (control points).While looking at both the image preview in the Image Registration Tool and at the model loaded in QTM,place markers in QTM at locations/objects that can be visually correlated between the two scenes (e.g.,.building corners, intersections, and other obvious features). It may be helpful to toggle off you texture inQTM at this time. (Click the “Toggle Loaded Textures” button – top button bar, near the center). You need aminimum of 4 markers/control points, but more is always better. As you place the markers in the scene,they will appear in the image registration window in the list of control points. If control point markers havealready been placed prior to opening the image registration window, click “Select Control Points” in theImage Registration Tool. A window will pop up showing all loaded markers. Highlight the markers that arecontrol points and click “Apply”. The marker/control point list will populate with the markers you selected.

Correlate Markers/Control Points to ImageAs you place markers in the 3D scene and the marker appears in the control point list, simply move yourcursor to the register image window and place the cursor on the same location. It may be helpful to pan/zoom the preview image to make the yellow crosshair placement more precise. This can be done using thesame controls to zoom and pan the 3D image – zoom with the mouse wheel or by pressing both left/rightmouse buttons and dragging, and panning by holding down the right mouse button and dragging. Whenthe crosshairs are on the precise location where the correlated marker is, left click the mouse. A redcrosshair will appear and remain on the image. If you are working from a list of control points rather thanone by one, highlight a marker/control point in the list. Click the “Place Control Point in Image” button. Theyellow crosshair will appear under your cursor as you move it in the image. Move to the next marker andperform the same process until all markers are correlated to a position in the image. Right clicking on thecontrol points allows deletion or placement of control points and can also zoom the 3D view to theassociated marker.



Register ImageFirst decide whether you image registration application requires an exported, registered 2D GeoTIFF. If so,select the "Limited Stretching" radio button. This choice will limit some aspects of the imagetransformation to enable a GeoTIFF export that is compatible with most software packages. If you do notintend to export a georegistered product, choose "Unlimited Stretching", which will apply a moresophisticated transformation to the image, but may cause local stretching.

Click the “Register Image” button to apply the transformation necessary to move the image to its correctlocation. Be sure to toggle loaded textures back on. The image should be placed properly. Some imagewarping (i.e., image may not be a perfect rectangle after the transformation) may occur during thetransformation. This is normal. The residual error is a calculation of how well your crosshair placementscorrelate to the marker placement – i.e., are your crosshairs relatively spaced comparable to your controlpoint markers. It is not a measure of the absolute accuracy of the final transformed image.

Export GeoTIFF/Sample into Vertex Colors:If desired, the edited image can be exported as a GeoTIFF by pressing the “Export GeoTIFF” button. Simply“Apply” the transformation and click the “Export GeoTIFF” button and/or “Sample into Vertex Colors”.

Related Topics: Overlay Orthorectified Texture, Edit Orthorectified Texture, Markers

8.10 Remove Texture

Any textures may be removed from the current display by selecting Remove Texture(s) from the Texturesmenu

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8.11 Sample Active Textures Into Vertex Colors

Sampling Active Textures into Vertex Colors will add an RGB value to every point in a point cloud or everypoint in a DEM that intersects with an overlaid texture. Once these values are sampled onto the model, themodel can be saved as a single file that "remembers" the color values that were sampled onto the points. The example below shows a point cloud colored by elevation, then subsequently colored by sampling atexture and assigning an RGB value to each point.

The steps for sampling a texture onto a model are as follows:

Overlay a Texture (or Textures)Textures can be overlaid in two basic ways: Overlay a texture from an external image file or generate ananalysis results texture in an analysis tool such as Grid Statistics. Once the texture is overlaid, thesampling process is simple.

Sample Into Vertex ColorsThere are two places to access the Sampling tool:

The Edit Orthorectified Texture Interface: Access this window from the Textures...EditTextures...Orthorectified menu. Simply press the button to sample the texture onto the model.

The Sample Active Textures into Vertex Colors command in the Textures Menu. Simply select thecommand and the process will begin.

Save Model (Optional)Once the RGB values are assigned to the points, the model can be saved as a QTC or QTT, whicheverformat was originally used.

Exporting and Sharing your Colorized ModelColorized point clouds can be exported as LAS 1.2, ASCII, or Binary file formats. LAS 1.1 does not supportper-point RGB values. When colorizing DEM's/QTT's, the "normal" DEM formats are not suitable becausethey can only have one value per pixel, and this value is elevation. The QTT format can store multiplevalues per vertex/pixel (elevation, RGB, alpha), so is suitable for saving and sharing colorized DEM's.

Please note the free Quick Terrain Reader is an excellent way to share colorized DEM's and/or pointclouds with your users.

Sampling Notes: Things to ConsiderResolution of 3D model vs. Resolution of Overlaid 2D Imagery: The resolution of your final 3D productwill be the resolution of the original 3D product. There is no way to sample 4 inch imagery onto a 1meter DEM and retain the 4-inch color resolution. While the colorized DEM may look fantastic, some



resolution will be lost.

Sampling a Gridded Raster Product with an Ungridded Point Cloud: When QTM samples an image onto apoint cloud, it will simply extract the RGB color value that exists at each X-Y point location. As pointclouds are inherently ungridded, the sampling will likely not match up on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Areasthat have large point voids (e.g., water areas with no LiDAR returns, "holes" in bare earth point clouds,etc.) will not sample the overlaid texture at all. Thus, any RGB information without a point/vertex"under" it will be lost.

Spatial Overlap of Overlaid Texture: The sampling into vertex colors process will sample all activetextures. In areas where to or more textures overlap, the resulting RGB value will be a combination of theoverlapping values. There is no tool to address this overlap phenomenon.

Vertex Colors: "There Can Only be One": When the sampling process occurs, it will delete the RGB valuethat already existing in the vertex color. For example, if intensity was loaded into the vertex colorsalready, it will be replaced by the new sampled RGB values.

8.12 Configure Height Coloration

Height Coloration allows you to overlay your model(s) with a sliding scale coloration ranging from blue atminimum Z to red at maximum Z (or any other desired palette configuration). You may alter the paletteor the height mapping by selecting Configure Height Coloration from the Textures menu. This willsummon a dialog window with sliders representing the minimum and maximum Z over which to spreadthe colors. Additionally, a check box is provided to allow you to enable the colors to "wrap" back fromred to blue and start again when the maximum is exceeded.

Users may also check the "Auto-scale Models Individually" box. Checking this box will make QuickTerrain Modeler scale the elevation color palette individually, scaling the colors appropriately for eachindividual tile. This may be useful when working with many tiles in a region of widely varying elevation. In this situation, elevation coloration of individual tiles may occupy only a small portion of the overallmodel space elevation range. Autoscaling will create much more intra-tile color variation. If this box ischecked, users will not be able to manually set altitude ranges.

Five built in palettes are included. They are Earth Tones, High-Low, Blue to Red, Blue Continuous, Green/Red, and Grayscale. These can be changed by pressing the Edit Palette button

The High-Low palette quickly highlights the lowest and highest elevations in a terrain. Red represents thehighest and blue represents the lowest elevations in the terrain. Users may refine this further by moving

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the Minimum and Maximum Altitude sliders to refine the bands for highest and lowest elevations. Theimage below shows the High-Low palette being used to highlight the highest and lowest points in anurban setting.

Custom-Palettes may also be used in place of the default Red-Green-Blue and Earth Tone schemes. TheHeight Coloration setting window includes a button to load a QTV palette file. QTV palette files (*.qpl)are ASCII text files listing discrete RGB values. The Modeler can then interpolate between the providedvalues to provide a full-resolution height texture. Palette files must be in the following format. Thefourth column is optional, and denotes the relative position of the samples in the spectrum (from 0.0 to1.0). If the fourth column is not present the colors will be assumed to be ordered from the highestelevation to the lowest. (Any number of lines of arbitrary text header - but lines containing columnated numbers will be assumedto be data lines) List of values in RED/GREEN/BLUE order scaled to 0-255 LINE 4: 220 220 220 0.1 LINE 5: 187 188 191 0.5 etc. The height coloration effect is accomplished using OpenGL's texturing mechanisms, and so it will only bepossible to have height coloration active simultaneously with overlaid textures on video cards supportingmulti-texturing. The total number of possible textures (including the height color texture) will be limitedby the video card.


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9 Menu - Analysis

9.1 About Vertex Colors

Vertex colors differ significantly from overlaid textures. Vertex colors are embedded in the model. Texturesare overlaid on top of the model.

Embedding vertex colors will only work if their dimensions exactly match those of the model. (Note: This isnot true of textures (e.g., overlaid photographs), which do not have to match the model size.) In vertexcolors (e.g., an intensity image), if the dimensions do not match 1-1 model vertices vs. image pixels youmust use the texturing routines to overlay the image as a texture.

9.2 Analysis Tools (Vertex Colors)

9.2.1 Change Detection Map

Users can compare two models of the same terrain and determine the changes in them. There are two waysto perform change detection:

1. Binary color: This method simply detects if there are changes beyond the user-set noise threshold.2. Continuous Color: This method highlights the severity of the change in a continuous color palette set

by the user.

Instructions: Load a model.Select "Change Detection Map" from the Analysis...Add Vertex Colors to Model menu.In the Change Detection window Select a model against which to compare.Choose whether to perform a Binary Color or Continuous Color output.

For Binary Color:Enter a "Noise cutoff" value - changes less than this value will be ignored. The Quick Terrain Modelerwill base the noise cutoff units on the model units. If the model is built in feet, the noise cutoff willbe in feet. If the model is in meters, the noise cutoff will be in meters.Pixels will be colored as follows:

Red - model is lower than comparison model Blue - model is higher than comparison model Gray - models differ by less than the noise cutoff Green - models don't overlap in this area

For Continuous Color:Enter a "Minimum" value - this simply sets a color value for the low end of the change continuum. For example, if a user is aware that terrain changes occurred in the range of -8 feet to +5 feet in acoastal region (i.e., beach sand was moved to/from different areas), the minimum value would be setto -8.Enter a "Maximum" value - this simply sets a color value for the high end of the change continuum. In the example above, the user would set the maximum at +5.



Pixels in the resultant model will be colored based on extent of change.

Continuous Color Example:This example shows the beach at Palm Beach, Florida prior to a hurricane. This data was collected with anOptech SHOALS laser bathymetry system. The user sets a range of changed values from -8 to +5 (feet). Theresultant image shows continuous color where the model has changed, gray where there was no overlap. Blue represents areas where the loaded model is higher than the comparison model. Note that the changedetection legend is visible in the lower left corner.

Binary Color Example:A noise threshold of 5 feet (Note: The Palm Beach model is measured in feet, so all change detection valueswill also be in feet) was selected. The terrain is colored red and blue where it has changed and is greenwhere the two models did not overlap.

9.2.2 HLZ Map

The Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ) tool is a specialized version of Quick Terrain Modeler's slope analysis tool. The purpose of the HLZ tool is to simplify the process of identifying candidate locations for landinghelicopters. This is only one step in a multi-step process.

WARNING: This HLZ map tool only considers slope, radius, and obstructions in a gridded surface modeland is reliant upon the accuracy of the data provided by the user. Other critical information such asVertical Obstruction (VO) analysis, terrain categorization, and weather information is not accounted for, sothis tool should only be used as a preliminary HLZ location search tool. Also, bodies of water may appearas flat surfaces in DEM's, thus falsely appearing as a desirable HLZ (see screen grab below). Lastly, theLiDAR survey may have been performed during drastically different weather and/or seasonal conditions -be alert for lakes/ponds that may have been frozen during the survey, but are now thawed, tall crops atharvest time that were flat fields early in the season, and seasonal foliage changes.

To use the HLZ Map tool:

1. Load a gridded surface model (GeOTIFF DEM, .QTT file, etc.). The HLZ Map tool will not work on a pointcloud (LAS file or.QTC file)

2. Set the following variables:

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Maximum Tolerable Slope: set the slope (in degrees or percent) of the maximum tolerable slope.Minimum Necessary Radius: Set the minimum required radius of tolerable slope in units of themodel. UTM models will have units in meters.Delta Z Tolerance: The Delta Z Tolerance is the height of terrain and surface obstructions that youwish to ignore during the analysis. When working with high resolution DEM's, local slopecalculations could unnecessarily trigger a "failure" of the HLZ search criteria. For example, if a DEMof 30cm resolution had two adjacent vertices or "pixels" that differed in elevation by only 10cm, thelocal slope between the two pixels would be roughly 18 degrees, thus triggering a failure of the HLZsearch. It is likely, though, that a 10cm obstruction is tolerable in the HLZ. Thus, use the Delta Ztolerance for two reasons: First, when working with very high resolution DEM's, use it to make surethe local slope does not trigger unnecessary failures. Second, if there truly is a higher tolerance forobstructions, set the Delta Z Tolerance to the height of the tolerable obstruction. It may also behelpful to think of the Delta Z tolerance as the ground clearance under the helicopter.

3. Set a Pass, Fail, and Blockage color. Terrain will be colored the "Pass" color when the slope and minimumradius conditions are met, and the fail color when they are not met. The Blockage color is also technicallya "Fail" area, but it highlights the terrain features that triggered the "Failure". Note that a locationcolored as the "pass" color meets the criteria of slope and radius (i.e., the user does not need to add a"buffer area" to a "Pass" area) and may be displayed as just a few pixels.

4. Optional: Set the HLZ "Fringe" Color. The purpose of adding "fringe" pixels back into the display is toassist in making "pass" areas more obvious and perhaps to string together multiple small HLZ's into acoherent larger area. Please note that, technically, "fringe" pixels are not "Pass" pixels. They have failedone of the criteria- either they are too close to an obstruction or too close to areas of high slope, but theyare likely to have met the maximum tolerable slope criteria.

5. Click "Apply". The terrain will be entirely colored in the "pass", "fail", and "blockage" colors (and optional"fringe" color). These results can be exported as a GeoTIFF raster with a KML file for use in Google Earthand other applications.

6. Results can be exported as a raster. Go to the Export Menu...Export Model Image and select the 24-BitRGB Overlay. At this time, there is no direct raster to vector conversion in Quick Terrain Modeler.

7. Note: Measurement lines can be saved as vector models to document more than one HLZ at a time. Converting mensuration lines to vector models will enable the "crosshair" to be palced on an HLZ.



Without the Display of Fringe, Some "Pass"Results can Appear as Just a Few Pixels

Fringe Display Does Not Alter Results -Just Makes "Pass" Areas Obvious

HLZ Annotation Tools - Measurement Line ShowingAzimuth, Slope, and Distance and MGRS Marker

Converting MEasurement Lines to Vectorsenables "Crosshairs"

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9.2.3 Add Shadow Map to Model

Analysis Menu > Analysis Tools > Shadow Map

Note: As of Version 7.1.6, this traditional ray-trace tool has been largely superseded by a real-time"Virtual" tool that uses the graphics card to calculate shadows on the fly. The primary differences betweenthis tool and Virtual Shadow Map are that this "traditional" shadow map does not rely on the graphicscard for calculation and it pushes the results into vertex colors (rather than a Virtual Texture). "Traditional" shadow map is still a valid tool, but see information on Virtual Shadow Map to learn moreabout the new tool.

Surface models may be displayed with true ray-traced shadows using a pre-calculated image map. First, setthe light direction as desired. This may be done either graphically by holding down the "Ctrl" key and theRight mouse button and dragging the mouse, or by selecting Set Lighting from the Display...Settings menu. Once you have set the lighting as desired, select Add Shadow Map to Model(s)… to calculate and display thenew image overlay. Shadow Maps may be saved for future retrieval using Save Vertex Colors… from theAnalysis menu. They will also be embedded into saved models.

Notes: Shadow Maps are single-model calculations. If you have multiple models loaded they will notproperly cast shadows upon each other.Shadow Maps will be added to any existing vertex colors. For example, if a model has intensity builtas a vertex color, the shadow map will be added to intensity.

Example: Baltimore's Camden Yards Stadium before and after creation of shadow map. Note the user-setdirection of lighting.

9.2.4 Add Slope Image to Model

The Quick Terrain Modeler offers a tool to rapidly assess the steepness or flatness of the terrain. Somepotential uses for this tool are remote terrain ingress/egress, helicopter landing zone assessment, andgeologic formation searches.

Instructions: Open a .qtt (or other) surface model. This tool only works on surface models.From the "Analysis... Add Vertex Colors to Model" menu select "Slope Map"The "Slope Analysis" Window will appear.Select slope break points by typing the slope (in degrees) into the break point window and clicking the"Add Break Point" button. For example, if break points are desired every 10 degrees, type "10" andclick the button, type "20" and click the button, etc. until the maximum slope of 90 is reached.



To remove a break point, click the "Remove Break Point" button, then click on the break point thatneeds to be removed. The break point will disappear.Select a color for each band by clicking the "Set Color" button, clicking on the gray area in a slopeband, and choosing a color. After choosing the color in the color palette, it will appear in theassociated slop band.If desired, save a slope palette by clicking the "Save Palette" button, selecting a name and location forthe palette file, and clicking the "Save" button.To reload a saved palette, click the "Load Palette" button, locate the palette file, and click "Open".

Area Filtering:To filter slope maps by area, check the appropriate box for minimum area and/or maximum area. Enter anarea value in the units of the loaded model (e.g., UTM models in square meters). Click "Apply. Areas thatmeet the slope criteria but not the area criteria will be colored in gray. The contiguous areas that meet boththe slope and the area criteria will be colored in the appropriate color. In the image below, the user isseeking areas of 10,000 square meters in which the slope is 5 degrees or less.

Continuous Slope PaletteTo achieve an unbanded, continuous slope coloration, choose the default palette called "Continuous Blue toRed" in the pull down menu. Click Apply. The image below shows the same model as shown in the imagesabove, but colored with the continuous slope palette.

9.2.5 Vertex Colors from File

Users can save grayscale or RGB images that resulted from analysis functions (Save Vertex Colors), thenreload them as vertex colors at a later date. Selecting Add Vertex Colors from File… from the Analysis...AddVertex Colors to Model menu will prompt you to select an image to add to the current model. After you

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select a file, you will also be presented with a window where you may enter X and Y offsets vs. the Model (ifany) and choose whether or not to flip the image (in X and Y) before applying it to the Model. Images maybe removed from model(s) by selecting Remove Vertex Colors from Model(s)… from the Analysis menu. Images generated by the Modeler through means such as Shadow Maps and Line-of-Sight Maps may also besaved to Raw RGB or GeoTIFF using Save Vertex Colors from the Analysis menu. Notes:

Unsigned Char (USC) images are organized exactly like FLT data files - except that instead of consistingof floating point altitudes they consist of Unsigned Char intensities. RGB files are similar - except thatthree unsigned chars representing the RGB values are used for each vertex. RGBA (RGB + alpha) files arealso supported.When importing vertex colors that have been created by QT Modeler in the Raw RGB (24-bit BinaryRGB) format, the image needs to be flipped (check the "Flip Image" Check box) when re-importing.

9.2.6 Copy Intensity into Alpha

Copying intensity values into the Alpha field will enable filtering by the Alpha value. This process will alsoallow the user to "push" any RGB value into the alpha field. If intensity values or other grayscale values arecopied into alpha, the alpha value (an 8-bit field) will simply become the 8-bit, 0-255 value of the grayscalecolor. If true RGB vertex colors are in place (e.g., analysis results), then each point will take an average of theRed, Green, and Blue values to arrive at a single 0-255 value to copy into the alpha filed.

9.2.7 Save Vertex Colors

Users frequently need to export analysis results to 2-D image formats for later import into otherapplications. Furthermore, these images can be reloaded onto QTT gridded surface models in the future. Anexample of saving vertex colors may be repetitive Line of Sight Analysis from different observer locations. These analyses can be saved as 24-bit GeoTIFF images, sent to other applications, and reloaded one by oneinto Quick Terrain Modeler to refer back to in the future.

Vertex Colors generated by the Quick Terrain Modeler through means such as Shadow Maps and Line-of-Sight Maps may be saved to the following formats:

1. Raw RGB (24-bit Binary RGB)2. GeoTIFF (8-bit Intensity)3. GeoTIFF (24-bit Intensity) using Save Vertex Colors from the Analysis Menu.

9.2.8 Remove Vertex Colors from Model

Images may be removed from model(s) by selecting Remove Vertex Colors from Model(s)… from theAnalysis menu. It is sometimes helpful to remove vertex colors to eliminate visual clutter.



9.2.9 Remove Vertex Alphas From Model

Removes the alpha value from the model.

9.3 QTA Attribute Analysis

QTA Attribute Analysis enables display, analysis, and filtering functions based on point attribute values. Thefollowing topics explain Quick Terrain Modeler's tools to work with point-specific attributes:

9.3.1 Quick Color Maps

Quick Color Maps allow users to quickly swap between the most commonly used QTA attribute colorations. To use this tool, you must first load a QTC/QTA model so the LAS or other attributes are available foranalysis.

Load QTA/QTC ModelLoad a QTA/QTC point cloud model. A QTC point cloud model without QTA attributes will not respond toQuick Color Maps, as there are no attributes to evaluate. A QTC/QTA model can be loaded either byimporting from an LAS, ASCII, or BPF data set, or from loading an already existing QTA file.

Click on the QTA Quick Color Button or go to the Analysis...QTA Attribute Analysis...Quick ColorMaps menu

Select Attribute for Coloration SchemeSimply Select one of the available coloration schemes. Depending on what attributes are available in theQTA index, some or all of the following coloration schemes will appear:

Classification: Color by LAS classification. QTM will choose a separate color for all existing classifications. First/Last/IM: Color by the following categories:

First = First of Many = For an outbound LiDAR pulse that received multiple returns, this pointwas the first return (e.g., return 1 of 3). Commonly correlated to the tops of vegetation canopyand other non-massive objects (e.g., powerlines, treetops, fences, etc.)Intermediate = Middle Returns = A return that was neither the first or the last from a single outbound LiDAR pulse that received (e.g., return 2 of 3). Commonly correlated to intermediatevegetation coverage.Last = Last of Many = For an outbound LiDAR pulse that received multiple returns, this point wasthe last return (e.g., return 3 of 3) Usually correlated to the ground or other solid object

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underneath vegetation/canopy coverage.Only = First and Only = This return was the only return for a given outbound LiDAR pulse. Commonly correlated to the ground in non-vegetated environments (e.g., roads, parking lots,open fields) and to other massive objects (e.g., buildings, vehicles) that are not obscured byvegetation and other canopy cover.

Number of Returns: The total number of returns associated with a given point. E.g., for return number 1of 3, number of returns = 3.Return Number: The return number associated with a given point. E.g., for return number 1 of 3, returnnumber = 1.AGL: Height Above Ground Level of a point. This will only be available if AGL Analysis has beenperformed.Point Source ID: Displays the Point Source ID associated with each point. Typically, point source ID isassociated with a specific flight line in a multi-flight line LiDAR survey. This can be very useful in quicklyshowing the flight line composition and flight line overlap of a given survey.Intensity: This displays the intensity value in a grayscale representation.Clear Colors: Removes all vertex colors from the model.

Coloration Schemes and Miscellaneous Information

Coloration Schemes are chosen automatically. If you require flexibility in choosing coloration, pleaseuse the Color by QTA Attribute tool to create custom coloration schemes.After coloring points, a legend will appear in the lower left corner. If you wish to disable this legend, goto the Display...Options menu and uncheck "Show Legend".Quick Color Maps are placed into the model's vertex colors. Thus, it may displace other colors thatmay exist.Only one coloration scheme can be displayed at a time.

Examples

9.3.2 Color by QTA Attribute

The Color by QTA attribute is a flexible interface to enable user-defined color schemes (aka color ramps)based on the values of specific attributes. There are 2 basic kinds of attributes:

Continuous: Continuous attribute values are distributed within a relatively large and continuous rangeand are best represented with a continuous color ramp, either RGB or grayscale.Discrete: Discrete attributes are attributes whose values fall within a relatively small and defined (i.e.,discrete) categories. Some examples of LiDAR-related discrete attributes are return number (typically 1, 2,3, or 4) or classification (typically values between 1 and 12).

The strategies for working with discrete versus continuous attributes vary slightly.



For Discrete Attributes:1. Select a discrete attribute in the upper right pull-down menu. QT Modeler will automatically populate the

minimum and maximum values as well as the number of discrete values.2. Click the "Autosetup" button. Quick Terrain Modeler will set the range, divide the palette into the

appropriate number of divisions, and choose colors. The histogram of point distribution will appear asred spikes at the bottom of the color ramp values.

3. To change the colors, right click in the appropriate color band and "Set Color" to the desired color value.4. Click "Apply" to apply the color scheme to the points. Make sure the vertex colors are active. The

example below shows color values assigned based on the return number value.5. If desired, save the palette for use later.

For Continuous Attributes:1. Select a continuous attribute in the upper right pull-down menu. QT Modeler will automatically populate

the minimum and maximum values of the attribute.2. Click the "Autosetup" button. Quick Terrain Modeler will set the range and assign a continuous blue to

red palette. The histogram of point distribution will appear as red spikes at the bottom of the color rampvalues. The example below shows scan angle rank as the attribute for which the color palette is defined.

3. (Optional) To reconfigure color palettes, use the tools such as setting the range manually, choosing acolor palette, or creating a color palette from a blank palette. The section on Grid Statistics - VisualizationOptions provides more detailed instrutions on configuring the palette.

4. Click "Apply" to apply the color scheme to the points. Make sure the vertex colors are active. Theexample below shows color values assigned based on the return number value.

5. If desired, save the palette for use later.

9.3.3 QTA Continuous Attribute Filtering (Advanced)

QTA Continuous Analysis

Analysis > QTA Attribute Analysis > QTA Continuous Analysis Overview:

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QTA continuous analysis enables the selective viewing and coloration of points based on a given attribute'svalue. This tool is customized for continuous attributes but can also be used with discrete attributes. Example uses of continuous LAS attributes (i.e., values in the LAS point data record) are intensity and scanangle rank. Examples of Quick Terrain Modeler’s calculated and appended continuous attributes are AGLand Grid Statistics results. NOTE: the coloration is packed into the FILTER CHANNEL and not the VERTEXCHANNEL. This coloration can be toggled on and off by expanding the SPECIAL OVERLAYS section of thelayer tree and by adjusting overall transparency by going to Display > Layer Transparency.

TO USE QTA ATTRIBUTE ANALYSIS:From the Analysis Menu > QTA Attribute Analysis > QTA Continuous Analysis

1. From the pull-down menus, select the model name you wish to filter and the attribute on which toapply the filter (e.g., intensity). Click “Pack Attribute into Filter Channel” and the Minimum andMaximum text boxes will populate with the min/max values of the selected attribute.

2. If necessary, reset the Minimum and Maximum to better reflect where the bulk of the points aredistributed using the histogram. Click Set Manually to reset the histogram. Additionally, reset theMin/Max values by adjusting the vertical slider bars to the left and right of the histogram.

3. OPTIONAL, a continuous attribute such as Intensity can be grouped together into bands for filteringor coloring. Click the Configure Bands to define how to “bin” these points together into discretebands.

4. Select the Default Palette of choice. A color ramp such as Blue to Red or Earthtones is good forcoloration while a filter palette such as Hide Above or Hide Below are appropriate for filtering(Hide/Show). The breakline can also be moved by left clicking and dragging the line left and right.

5. The palette and histogram can be right clicked for added customization. Right click to add orremove additional breaklines to create more filter classes. This context menu will also allow you toshow/hide (e.g., filter) and/or color the right clicked band. NOTE: the hatched pattern means theband is hidden (filtered).

6. OPTIONAL, the Opacity slider bar allows the user to control how much underlying colors can showthrough.

7. OPTIONAL, the histogram can be export by clicking the Export Histogram Button8. OPTIONAL, the Crop Model button can be pushed to permanently remove the filtered points.

NOTE: the original source data will remain unchanged. The crop is only “permanent” within thecurrent Quick Terrain Modeler session. If needed, the original source data can be saved or exportedover, but this is generally NOT RECOMMENDED.

Figure 1. QTA Continuous Analyst window is set to color Intensity by a graduated blue to red color rampwith 100% Opacity. The Intensity values of the dataset range from 0 to 5100 however the ramp wasadjusted to reflect the majority of points by changing the Maximum to 117.3.



Figure 2. Configure QTA Bands window is opened by clicking the Configure Bands button in the ContinuousAnalyst window. Here, a continuous attribute can be segmented into user controlled bands for colorationand filtering.

9.3.4 QTA Continuous Attribute Filtering

QTA continuous attribute filtering enables the selective viewing of points based on a given attribute's value. Examples of continuous LAS attributes (i.e., values in the LAS point data record) are intensity and scan anglerank.

To use QTA Continuous Attribute Filtering:

1. From the Analysis Menu...QTA Attribute Analysis, select "QTA Continuous Attribute Filtering.2. From the pull-down menu, select a continuous attribute on which to apply the filter (e.g., intensity). Once

the attribute is selected, Quick Terrain Modeler will populate the attribute range window with the entirerange of attribute values as well as a histogram showing the distribution of points within that attributevalue range.

3. If necessary, reset the range values in the lower right two windows. This may be necessary of there are"outlier" values that skew the range. It may be necessary to reset the min/max values of the range toreflect where the bulk of the points are distributed.

4. Click the "Apply" button. Once the Apply button is clicked, the range will be reset and the filteringcapability will be active.

5. The "Apply" button will only need to be pressed again if the range is reset or if a new attribute is chosen.6. Choose whether to filter above, below, equal to, or not equal to by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Use the slider to filter the points appropriately.7. If desired, place the slider with an explicit value and clicking the "Enter Value" button.8. Clicking "Crop Models" will permanently eliminate all but the visible points.

Note: When filtering, the entire range of an attribute's values are scaled into an 8-bit field. What thismeans is that the entire range will be divided by 256 to get the filtering "increments". If the attribute valuehas a large range, the filtering increments will also be large. For example, if intensity is scaled between 1and 2560, each filtering increment will be 10. Thus, the filtering slider will jump from 10 to 20 to 30, etc.

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QTA

9.3.5 QTA Discrete Attribute Filtering (Advanced)

QTA Discrete Analysis

Analysis > QTA Attribute Analysis > QTA Discrete Analysis

Overview:QTA discrete analysis enables the selective viewing and coloration of points based on a given attribute'svalue. This tool is customized for discrete values such as return number, number of returns, andclassification however continuous attributes such as intensity and Z value can also be used by configuringthe bands. NOTE: the coloration is packed into the FILTER CHANNEL and not the VERTEX CHANNEL. Thiscoloration can be toggled on and off by expanding the SPECIAL OVERLAYS section of the layer tree and byadjusting overall transparency by going to Display > Layer Transparency.

TO USE QTA DISCRETE ANALYSIS:From the Analysis Menu > QTA Attribute Analysis > QTA Discrete Analysis

1. From the pull-down menus, select the model name you wish to filter and the attribute on which toapply the filter (e.g., intensity). Click “Pack Attribute into Filter Channel” and the Minimum andMaximum text boxes will populate with the min/max values of the selected attribute.

2. OPTIONAL, the Opacity slider bar allows the user to control how much underlying colors can showthrough.

3. OPTIONAL, click Auto-Color Bands to colorize points differently based on their band4. Click on the bands to Hide/Show (Highlighted in blue means the band is being shown).5. OPTIONAL, a continuous attribute such as Intensity can be grouped together into bands for filtering

or coloring. Click the Configure Bands to define how to “bin” these points together into discretebands.

6. OPTIONAL, the Crop Model button can be pushed to permanently remove the filtered points. NOTE: the original source data will remain unchanged. The crop is only “permanent” within thecurrent Quick Terrain Modeler session. If needed, the original source data can be saved or exportedover, but this is generally NOT RECOMMENDED.

Figure 1. QTA Discrete Analyst window is set to color each classification differently (Class 1 as RED, Class 2as GREEN, Class 7 as BLUE, and Class 12 as AQUA). Also shown are the number of points from the modelthat fall into each band (ie., there are 2,003,762 Class 2 points). All bands are being shown (highlighted inBlue):



Figure 2. Configure QTA Bands window is opened by clicking the Configure Bands button in the DiscreteAnalyst window. Here, a continuous attribute can be segmented into user controlled bands for colorationand filtering:

9.3.6 QTA Discrete Attribute Filtering

Discrete attribute filtering is designed to filter attributes that are discrete in nature. Some examples ofdiscrete attribute are return number, number of returns, and classification values. Discrete attributes donot lend themselves to filtering along a continuous spectrum. The most useful way to filter discreteattributes is to turn on/off all points with a given attribute value. The examples in the images below showsa data set with four classifications (1, 2, 7, and 12), of which only classification 2 & 12, then classifications 1& 12 are turned on (i.e., points with all other classification values are not visible).

To use QTA Discrete Attribute Filtering:

1. From the Analysis Menu...QTA Attribute Analysis, select "QTA Discrete Attribute Filtering.2. From the pull-down menu, select a discrete attribute on which to apply the filter (e.g., classification,

return number). Once the attribute is selected, Quick Terrain Modeler will populate the lower windowwith the available discrete attribute values as well as the number of points associated with that attributevalue.

3. Select an attribute value (or values using "shift" and/or "control" and left clicking). The value(s) will behighlighted.

4. Click the "Apply" button. All attribute values not selected will be removed from the view.5. If desired, select other attribute values and click "Apply" to isolate that value(s).6. Clicking "Crop Models" will permanently eliminate all but the visible points.

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Using Discrete Attribute Filtering with Continuous Attributes:

It is sometimes useful to divide a "Continuous" attribute (e.g., intensity, scan angle) into discrete brackets,then filter on these brackets.

1. From the Analysis Menu...QTA Attribute Analysis, select "QTA Discrete Attribute Filtering.2. From the pull-down menu, select a continuous attribute on which to apply the filter (e.g., intensity). Once

the attribute is selected, Quick Terrain Modeler will divide the range of the attribute values into 10brackets and display of points associated with that attribute value bracket.

3. Select an attribute value bracket (or values using "shift" and/or "control" and left clicking). The value(s)will be highlighted.

4. Click the "Apply" button. All attribute value brackets not selected will be removed from the view.5. If desired, select other attribute value bracket and click "Apply" to isolate that range(s).6. Clicking "Crop Models" will permanently eliminate all but the visible points.

9.3.7 QTA Multivariate Filtering

QTA Multivariate filtering enables the user to filter based on a wide combination of QTA attributes, eithercomparing the attributes to user-defined constant values, or to other attributes. For example, it may beuseful to isolate points that are last return (return number = number of returns) and also have a low (orhigh) intensity value. This is just one of an enormous range of possibilities. To use QTA MultivariateFiltering:

1) Open or import a point cloud model with QTA attribute table.2) Open the QTA Multivariate Filter tool from the Analysis...QTA Attribute Analysis menu or from the

Analysis...Filtering menu.3) Select a filtering criteria using the left pulldown menu. When the menu is pulled down, all point

attributes will be available, including X, Y, and Z. This "Subject" attribute will be compared either to aconstant value or to other attributes.

4) Select an operator from the middle pulldown menu. At this time, the available operators are Less than(<), less than or equal to (<=), Equal to (=), not equal to (!=), greater than (>), and greater than or equal to(>=).

5) Select a comparison attribute or a constant from the right pulldown menu:a) Constant Value: Select "Constant" from the right pulldown menu. Input a constant in the "Constant



Value" input box.b) Alternatively, you may select another attribute to compare the subject attribute to.

6) Click the "Add Filter" button. The filter will appear as a single line in the filter window. The line willreflect the filtering criteria (e.g., Intensity > 20.00)

7) Proceed with steps 3 - 6 for the second filtering criteria.8) When filtering criteria are all defined and added, select conditions under which points will "Pass" the

filter:a) Pass if ALL comparisons are true (i.e., logical AND function).b) Pass if ANY comparisons are true (i.e, logical OR function).c) Pass if NO comparisons are true (i.e, logical NAND function)

9) Select an action to perform on the points that pass through the filter in the "Then Do This" pull downmenu. Available actions are:a) Color Points: Colors points based on the user defined color.b) Cut Points: Permanently removes the points from the model.c) Hide Points: Temporarily hides points from view.d) Export Points to XYZ: Exports an XYZ file of the points which have passed through the filter.e) Export Points to LAS: Exports an LAS file of the points which have passed through the filter.

10)Click "Apply"11)(Optional) Clear Colors: Clear colors will remove any vertex colors from the model (including intensity).

If multiple analyses are performed incrementally, it may be beneficial to start with no existing colorationon the points. In other cases, it may be more useful to let the colors "build" on themselves.

9.3.8 Assign QTA Attributes

Assigning QTA attributes allows the user to define which attribute values get placed in the Z axis as well asthe Red, Green, Blue, and Alpha values of the point display. To set these values, simply select a model fromthe pull-down menu and choose which attributes to apply to each field.

Notes:

Applying an attribute value range to the Z axis will dramatically alter the look of the model, as elevationwill be replaced by the attribute value.Grayscale and Red Green Blue (RGB) are mutually exclusive. A user can place an attribute value inGrayscale, or in RGB, but not both.If selecting values to place in RGB, a value must be selected for Red, Green, and Blue.Any value placed in the Alpha field can subsequently be filtered by Alpha.

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9.3.9 Rename QTA Attribute

Renaming QTA attributes gives the user to add specific attributes (e.g., through AGL Analysis or QTAMultivariate Analysis) and rename the attributes on the fly. In addition, QTA models imported from ASCIIfiles do not have standard names for point attributes. This function allows the user to rename the defaultattribute name from "Column X" to more useful names such as "Intensity" or "Classification". Simply selectthe model name and attribute from the pull down menus, type a new attribute name, and click the"Rename" button.

9.4 Visibility Analysis

9.4.1 Line of Sight Map

Note: Due to export restrictions, this feature is only available in the USA version.

Background:The Line of Sight Analysis function provides a wide array of functionality. Once markers are placed in aterrain, the user can perform line of sight (LOS) analysis to determine what the user can see from thatlocation. Conversely, LOS will show what can see the observer. It is a very useful and powerful tool fortactical situational awareness, microwave tower placement analysis, analyzing placement of street signs,and many other functions. Quick Terrain Modeler's LOS analysis can be broken down into four basic groups:

1. Omnidirectional Line of Sight Analysis: This type of analysis establishes what parts of the terrain canbe seen from a specific location and vice versa. Quick Terrain Modeler will evaluate whether there isvisibility to the terrain in all directions.

2. Directional Line of Sight Analysis (Sensor at or near ground level): Directional viewshed analysis willsimulate the visibility of s specific sensor or camera which exists at or near ground level. This type ofsensor's position and orientation can be defined by placing a marker in the terrain and establishing anorientation and field of view. Some examples of this application may be surveillance camera



simulation or the coverage of a directional antenna such as a microwave antenna.

3. Sensor Line of Sight Analysis (Sensor far above ground): This type of analysis defines the observerrelative to a marker in the terrain, but the observer is generally far from the terrain. Examples of thistype of sensor may be an airborne camera, LiDAR sensor, or satellite.

4. Vector Line of Sight Analysis: Vector LOS analysis establishes a vector to/from all markers (i.e., specificpositions) in the terrain from any position on the surface of the model. This type of analysis can alsosimulate a "motorcade" route along which LOS vectors and ground distances are calculated in realtime as the observer progresses along the route.

Omnidirectional Line of Sight from the "Serpent Head" Marker:

Directional Line of Sight from the "Serpent Head" Marker, Orientation Due South (180 Degrees), Horizontaland Vertical field of view = 45 degrees.

Sensor Line of Sight Analysis. Sensor is "placed" 10km from "Serpent Head" marker, facing south, 15 degreegrazing angle, 2 degree horizontal and vertical field of view:

(Left) Vector Line of Sight Analysis - Travel Route. This analysis shows LOS exists (green vector) to threemarkers and does not exist (red vector) to one marker. (Right) Vector Line of Sight Analysis - Random Point. This analysis shows that, from a random point on the surface of the model, LOS exists (green vector) tothree markers and does not exist (red vector) to one marker.

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9.4.1.1 Omnidirectional LOS

Omnidirectional Line of Sight Analysis analyzes the visibility in all directions in a terrain. There are only twobasic requirements to perform this analysis:

1. Omnidirectional LOS can only be performed on a surface model (.QTT, GeoTIFF DEM, DTED, etc.)2. LOS analysis is performed around a marker or group of markers, so at least one marker must be placed

in the terrain.3.

There are three display modes for line of sight. They are as follows:

Basic Coloration: Basic coloration performs LOS analysis and applies a color to the model based on oneof four conditions:

All Can See: All selected markers have visibility to this point in the model, based on observer/targetheight settings, limitations to line of sight distance (if any), and marker specific limitations to field ofview (see sensor view LOS). The default coloration for this condition is red.Some Can See: If N markers are loaded, the "some can see" condition is achieved when between 1and N-1 observers (i.e., markers) have visibility to that point, based on viewing constraints notedabove. The default coloration for this condition is yellow.None Can See: This condition is achieved if none of the loaded markers have visibility to a givenpoint in the terrain, based on viewing constraints noted above. The default coloration for thiscondition is light gray.Not Evaluated: This condition is achieved if a user limits the line of sight distance and the extents ofthe terrain are greater than the limitation. For example, if a user sets a LOS distance limitation at 300meters and the model is 5 km x 5km, there will be areas that are simply "not evaluated" because theuser has chosen to limit the analysis in distance. This is a distinctively different condition than "NoneCan See", as no analysis has been performed. The default coloration for this condition is dark gray.

Interactivity: In this type of coloration, Quick Terrain Modeler will color the terrain with respectivecolors of the markers selected. For example, if there are a red and a green marker loaded, the areas ofthe terrain visible to the red marker alone will be colored red. Those areas visible to the green markerwill be green. The overlap (i.e., "Interactivity") will be yellow. The utility of this type of coloration



decreases sharply if there are many markers loaded and complex interaction between them.

Cumulative Coloration: This coloration uses a blue to red palette that represents the number ofmarkers that have visibility to a given location. Blue represents "Low" and red represents "High". Forexample, if ten markers were used for the analysis, a color of blue would represent a location that hadvisibility to one markers, aqua would represent a location that had visibility to two markers, and so onup the color wheel until red represents an area that has visibility to all 10 markers. The number ofdiscrete colors are proportional to the number of markers used in the analysis (i.e., many markers =many colors, but still in the blue=visibility to few markers, red=visibility to many markers continuum). A condition of no visibility is still represented by light gray and "not evaluated" by dark gray.

At least one marker must be placed in the terrain prior to performing LOS analysis. Either manually place amarker in the terrain or import markers from text file, shape file, or KML.Pull down the Analysis menu...Add Vertex Colors to Model, select Line of Sight Map (Or press the Line of

Sight Button - ). The Create Line-of-Sight Map window will pop up. There are three sections to the Lineof Sight Interface:

Select ObserverThis sections displays what markers are available in the model. The first step is to select a marker ormarkers upon which the LOS analysis will be performed. Users also have the ability to edit the markers ifnecessary by clicking the "Edit Markers" button.

Viewing ParametersThis section requires the user to set the observer and target heights. Note: The marker is the observer forpurposes of the LOS calculations. These heights will be in the units of the model (i.e., if model is in feet,heights will be in feet). Optionally, the user can limit the line of sight to a certain distance. To limit line ofsight distance, check the box and enter the desired distance in the window. This distance will also be in theunits of the model.

Image Generation OptionsThere are several image generation options. They are as follows:

Merge with Existing Map: Check this box to add an LOS map to the current image (e.g., another LOSmap, HLZ Map,or to an intensity image). Leave this box unchecked to clear the existing image andreplace with the LOS map. Force Binary Result: Checking this box disables Quick Terrain Modeler's function which creates colorshading around the edges of an LOS map to indicate differing levels of confidence/probability that anarea is in the LOS. Forcing a binary result is particularly useful if the user intends to export 8-bit TIFF'sto applications such as ESRI GIS.Quantized 8-bit Image: Checking this box forces compound LOS analysis results into discrete 8-bit(i.e., grayscale) values. This is particularly helpful if the user is performing compound (i.e., multipleobserver) LOS analysis and intends to export to 8-bit TIFF format (e.g., for import into ESRI)Coloration choices (See descriptions above):All Can See: The default coloration for this condition is red. Click the button and select a new colorto change the coloration.Some Can See: The default coloration for this condition is yellow.None Can See: The default coloration for this condition is light gray.Not Evaluated: The default coloration for this condition is dark gray.

Instructions:

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Place marker(s) in terrain.Select the marker(s) for which you want to perform LOS analysis by clicking on them in the "SelectObservers" window. LOS analysis will be performed on all selected markers.In "Viewing Parameters", choose your observer height (the marker is the observer, the rest of theterrain is the "target"). The default is set to 1.8m, roughly the eye-level height of a human being. Ifyou want to evaluate line of sight for a microwave communications tower, set the height to yourprecise tower height (e.g., 10m). If you want to evaluate your view from a planned vacation home, setit to the height of your windows, etc.In "Viewing Parameters", choose your target height. The default is set to 1.8m, roughly the eye-levelheight of a human being. If you are evaluating whether you can see the next microwave tower, set itsheight as above.Optionally, check the "Limit Line of Sight Distance" checkbox if you are only interested in a specificdistance from the observer (e.g., limit LOS analysis to 500 meters). After checking the box, you mustspecify a distance (in the units of the model) in the text box.Check "Merge with Existing Map" if you want to preserve intensity values and/or supplement anotheranalysis result (e.g., HLZ analysis). Otherwise, leave it unchecked. Choose appropriate Image Generation Options as described above.Click OK.

Helpful Hints: Make sure your markers are very precisely placed. If on a rooftop, make sure the marker is at thevery edge of the building (if this is where the observer will be). Sometimes small adjustments in theplacement of the observer make a vast difference in the results of the line of sight analysis.If available, import markers from a text file to establish observer or target positions.Place markers along a known travel route and use "Cumulative Coloration" to evaluate areas of highvisibility to your route.Use in conjunction with vector LOS analysis to help pinpoint exactly which markers have visibility.

Example of Compound Line of Sight Analysis with Interactivity Coloration: The first figure shows simple lineof sight analysis around Marker 1. The second figure shows compound line of sight analysis for both Marker1 and Marker 2. The areas in yellow represent the overlap of the two viewsheds.

Example Line of Sight Analysis Using Limited Distance: The first figure shows four markers in the terrain. The second figure shows line of sight analysis limited to 50 meters around each of the markers. Thisanalysis was performed on all markers simultaneously using "Interactivity" coloration.

Example Line of Sight Analysis Cumulative Coloration: The analysis shows 16 markers placed along a road.



Areas with visibility to many markers have coloration on the red end of the spectrum. Areas with visibilityto few markers are on the blue end of the spectrum. Areas with no visibility to the markers appear gray.

Example Line of Sight Analysis Basic Coloration: The analysis shows the same 16 markers as above. Areaswith visibility to all markers are red. Areas with visibility to one through 15 markers are yellow. Areas withno visibility to the markers appear gray.

Vector LOS can be used in a very complementary fashion to other omnidirectional LOS analysis results.

9.4.1.2 Directional LOS

Directional Line of Sight (LOS) is very similar to omnidirectional LOS, with the difference being that a sensororientation, position, and field of view must be defined. Essentially, this simulates a camera being mountedand pointed in a specific direction or a directional antenna being pointed in a specific direction. It may behelpful to think of this analysis as mounting a camera on the marker (note, a marker only has one Zposition, so it is important to either set the observer height to an appropriate value or to set the markerposition above the terrain). To perform directional LOS, follow all the instructions for directional LOS, butdefine a sensor attached to each marker as follows:

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In the "Select" Observer(s) section of the interface, click the "Edit Markers" button.Using the Marker pull down menu, select the marker upon which to attach a sensor.Check the "Sensor Attached" box and press the "Edit Sensor" button.Input the following parameters:

Azimuth in degrees clockwise from north relative to the sensor (camera)Elevation in degrees up from the horizon. Negative values are required for situations in which thesensor is "looking down" (i.e., pointing below the horizon relative to the sensor).Roll in degrees clockwise looking down the "boresight" (i.e., the centerline of the sensor's orientation)Horizontal Field of View (FOV) in degrees.Vertical Field of View (FOV) in degreesRange should be set to zero for cameras or sensors at the location of the marker.

Click "OK" and "OK" in the open windows.Perform LOS analysis exactly as in Omnidirectional LOS. All "Image Generation Options" will be available.

Input interfaces for defining sensors attached to markers.

Note that, when a sensor is attached to a marker, it will have a pyramid instead of a sphere on top. Directional LOS analysis will look different than omnidirectional LOS. The horizontal field of view may beapparent in the results (right).

9.4.1.3 Sensor View LOS

Sensor View LOS is very similar to Directional LOS, but the sensor is not "attached" to the marker. Instead,it is defined relative to the marker. For example, a sensor mounted on an airborne platform will be definedby angles and distances relative to a marker. To perform directional LOS, follow all the instructions fordirectional LOS, but define a sensor attached to each marker as follows:

Important: Boresight angles are defined relative to the sensor, not the marker. Therefore, most elevationangles are likely to be negative. To convert a "Grazing Angle" to a Quick Terrain Modeler elevation angle,simply place a negative sign in front of the angle (e.g., 20 degree grazing angle becomes -20 degree elevation



angle from the sensor perspective). To convert a ground perspective Azimuth angle to a sensor-viewazimuth angle, simply add 180 (e.g., 45 degree azimuth angle from ground perspective becomes 225 degreeazimuth angle from the sensor perspective.

In the "Select" Observer(s) section of the interface, click the "Edit Markers" button.Using the Marker pull down menu, select the marker upon which to attach a sensor.Check the "Sensor Attached" box and press the "Edit Sensor" button.Input the following parameters:

Azimuth in degrees clockwise from north relative to the sensor (camera)Elevation in degrees up from the horizon. Negative values are required for situations in which thesensor is "looking down" (i.e., pointing below the horizon relative to the sensor).Roll in degrees clockwise looking down the "boresight" (i.e., the centerline of the sensor's orientation)Horizontal Field of View (FOV) in degrees.Vertical Field of View (FOV) in degrees.Range should be set to zero for cameras or sensors at the location of the marker.

Click "OK" and "OK" in the open windows.Perform LOS analysis exactly as in Omnidirectional LOS. All "Image Generation Options" will be available.

Sample settings for Sensor View LOS:

(Left) LOS map based on a sensor pointing at Marker 2. The sensor is 10,000 meters away with an azimuthof 180 (looking directly south), an elevation of -20 (i.e., a "grazing angle" of 20 degrees) and a Horizontal andVertical Field of View of 2 degrees. (Right) Checking the "Make "No" Solid Black" option will starkly highlightshadow areas. These are areas in which the sensor has no visibility.

9.4.1.4 Vector LOS

In contrast to all of Quick Terrain Modeler's other LOS analyses, Vector Line of Sight (VLOS) does notgenerate a broad "viewshed" coloration of the terrain. Instead, it calculates whether there are lines of sight

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to specific locations in the model. These locations are represented by markers.

Random Point Vector LOS:1. Place Markers. Markers become the "observers" in Quick Terrain Modeler terminology. 2. Place cursor on any desired location in the model. Left click to establish this as the position for which

vector LOS is desired.3. Type "L" on the keyboard.4. Observe red/green LOS vectors to all markers.5. Set Observer/Traveler Height: As above, observer heights are set by editing or importing markers.

Traveler height is the last setting used in Step 4 above.6. Type "L" again to remove LOS vector.7. Optional: Hold down the "L" key, move cursor around scene to dynamically change the LOS vectors.

Type "L" to remove the LOS vectors.

Below: Random Point Vector LOS showing LOS to three observers and no LOS to one observer. Typing "L"on the keyboard will remove the vectors from the display.

9.4.2 Virtual Line of Sight from Marker

Virtual Line of Sight, introduced in version 7.1.6, provides similar Line of Sight (LOS) functionality to the traditional LOS calculations that QTM has always had. Because it uses advanced graphics capability, the LOScalculations happen on the graphics card in OpenGL, not as geometric ray-trace calculations in the CPU. Theupside to performing these calculations on the graphics card is that the results are displayed instantly,rather than waiting for the CPU calculation. The downside is that, if your graphics processor does notsupport OpenGL version 3.0 or higher, you will not be able to perform Virtual LOS at all. To assess yourgraphics capability, check your OpenGL Resources and OpenGL Configuration, which will display yourmachine's OpenGL capabilities and current OpenGL resource allocation. Note: Virtual LOS only works onsurface models (DEM's, DSM's, DTM's) and not on point clouds.

Note that either Virtual LOS (Marker) or Virtual LOS (Line) may be displayed, but both cannot be displayedat the same time.

To perform Virtual Line of Sight around a marker, follow these simple steps (click to expand topics and seegraphics):

Place Marker (Multiple Ways)There are multiple ways to place a marker:

Use the marker button Hold down the "M" key and left click to place multiple markers.Import Markers from ASCII, SHP, or KML files (See Topic Import Markers)



Load saved QT Markers from a file.Open the "Go To" interface, input a coordinate, and click "create marker". Very useful if you have anMGRS coordinate.

Initiate Virtual Line of Sight Map (2 Ways)Method 1: Right click on the marker in the layer tree and select "Virtual LOS Map" from the contextmenu. Note that the marker icon in the layer tree will replace the marker pinhead with an eyeball,indicating which marker the VLOS is attached to. VLOS can only be attached to one marker at a time(as of v7.1.6).Method 2: Expand the "Special Overlays" section of the Layer Tree and check Virtual LOS Map

Adjust Virtual Line of Sight SettingsUpon initiating VLOS around a marker and upon changing which marker the VLOS is attached to, a VirtualLine of Sight Options window will appear. The settings are as follows:

Observer: This pull down menu enables changing which observer (i.e., which marker) the LOS resultsare attached to. Observer Height: Height above the surface of the observer (i.e., the marker). Note that if the marker ison a rooftop or other object that is not technically the "ground", QT Modeler will simply add theobserver height to the elevation of that object. I.e., QT Modeler has no way of knowing if the marker ison the ground or on a building, tree, or other tall object. Changing the observer/target height willcause two icons to appear next to the marker. The two icons represent the relative heights of theobserver (eyeball icon) and the target (person icon). Changing observer/target heights raises andlowers these icons along the marker pin in scale with the terrain.Target Height: Similar to observer height, but for the rest of the scene. I.e., there is one observer, andevery other location in the scene is evaluated as a "target".Limit Range?: Check the box to limit the distance of the LOS analysis. Units will be in the currentdisplay units of the model.Color Setting: Choose the color of the analysis results. Checking "Use Marker Color?" selects themarker pinhead color as the LOS results display color. Using marker color can be very helpful indistinguishing between different observers LOS results.Virtual Map Size: If VLOS results are slow, it may be useful to decrease the Virtual Map Size. VirtualMap Size is the number of pixels used by OpenGL and the graphics card to display the VLOS results. Reducing the size accelerates the VLOS display, but reduces the resolution. See also OpenGLConfiguration.

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Directional Line of Sight (Sensors, Cameras, Communications Analysis)Virtual Line of Sight can be very useful when using a directional "sensor" marker. This analysis can bevery useful for optimal placement of sensors, communications devices, video cameras, and other deviceswith a directional/field of view component. To perform this analysis, you need to turn the marker into adirectional (as apposed to omnidirectional) observer. The steps are as follows:

Left Click on the marker in the layer tree (or right click and select "Edit").Check the "Sensor Attached" check box.Click the "Edit Sensor" button.Interactively set sensor orientation and field of view using arrows or type values into fields.

Moving Markers (Three Ways)Hold down the "K" key, position cursor over marker, drag marker to new location. The Virtual LOSresults will follow the movement of the marker.Press the marker button down, position cursor over marker, drag marker to new location. The VirtualLOS results will follow the movement of the marker.Left click on the marker in the layer tree. Enter a new coordinate. Click "Apply".

Exporting Raster ResultSince Virtual LOS results are "virtual", they exist only on the graphics card (i.e., they are not a file). If youwould like to export Virtual LOS results as an image, right click on Special Overlays > Virtual LOS Map, and"Create LOS Map texture". A new texture will appear in the textures folder. Once the virtual texture hasbecome "real" (i.e., it is now a file), it can be exported, saved, etc. just like any texture.

Graphics & OpenGL ConsiderationsIn order for Virtual LOS to work, your video card must support OpenGL version 3.0 or higher. Discretegraphics cards (e.g., NVIDIA, ATI) will likely support this, but may need the driver upgraded. This is usuallya fairly straightforward process of downloading an upgraded driver from the manufacturer's website and



installing it. Integrated graphics chipsets (e.g., Intel) will have a more difficult time supporting advancedgraphics capabilities.

9.4.3 Virtual Line of Sight from Line

Virtual Line of Sight, introduced in version 7.1.6, provides similar Line of Sight (LOS) functionality to the traditional LOS calculations that QTM has always had. Because it uses advanced graphics capability, the LOScalculations happen on the graphics card in OpenGL, not as geometric ray-trace calculations in the CPU. Theupside to performing these calculations on the graphics card is that the results are displayed instantly,rather than waiting for the CPU calculation. The downside is that, if your graphics processor does notsupport OpenGL version 3.0 or higher, you will not be able to perform Virtual LOS at all. To assess yourgraphics capability, check your OpenGL Resources and OpenGL Configuration, which will display yourmachine's OpenGL capabilities and current OpenGL resource allocation. Note: Virtual LOS only works onsurface models (DEM's, DSM's, DTM's) and not on point clouds.

To perform Virtual Line of Sight down a line, follow these simple steps (click to expand topics and seegraphics):

Place Measurement Line (Multiple Ways)There are multiple ways to place a measurement line:

Use the measurement line button Place cursor anywhere, type "S" on the keyboard, left click to add nodes, right click to end the line.Import mensuration from SHP or KML files from the Menu Analysis > Import Mensuration...Convert vectors in the layer tree to mensuration line by right clicking the vector and choosing "Show asMensuration".

Choose Travel Route Line of Sight from Context Menu

Adjust Virtual Line of Sight SettingsUpon initiating VLOS down a line (aka, Travel Route LOS), the following will happen:

i. A user interface will appear. A graph will depict the cross section of the terrain along the line. Above the graph are a number of settings. Below the graph is a slider bar which is used tochange the position of the traveler along the line.

ii. In the workspace, a marker will appear in the center of the mensuration line. This markerrepresents the traveler's position. This marker will move in the scene as you adjust the sliderbar under the terrain profile.

You can change the following settings related to VLOS: Above Ground/Above Vector: Choose whether the traveler's route is hugging the ground (e.g., awalking/driving route), or whether the route is a straight line above the straight line vectors thatconnect the nodes of the mensuration line (e.g., a helicopter or airplane route).Show Virtual LOS: Will show a line of sight coverage map of the line of sight from the perspective ofthe traveler.Show LOS Vectors: Connects a red/green vector between the traveler and all existing markers in theterrain. This is the same Travel Route Line of Sight that has always been in QT Modeler. See TravelRoute LOS topic for more details. These vectors can be useful in visualizing the exact line of sight

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between the traveler and specific positions in the terrain that are represented by markers. However, ifthere are many markers in the terrain, the display can become very busy and therefore distracting,thus making it desirable to uncheck this box and turn the vectors off. An alternative to turning vectorsoff entirely is to simply uncheck some of the markers in the layer tree.Traveler Height: The traveler is the marker along the path. Use the slider or the input box to set theeye-level height of the traveler - either above ground or above the vector as noted above. Changing thetraveler/observer height will cause two icons to appear next to the traveler marker. The two iconsrepresent the relative heights of the traveler (eyeball icon) and the observer (person icon). Changingtraveler/observer heights raises and lowers these icons along the marker pin in scale with the terrain.Observer Height: Height above the ground of the observer (i.e., everywhere in the scene except thetraveler marker). Note that QT Modeler will simply add the observer height to the elevation of everylocation in the scene. I.e., QT Modeler has no way of knowing if a location is on the ground or on abuilding, tree, or other tall object. Limit Range?: Check the box to limit the distance of the LOS analysis. Use the slider or the input box toset the range from the traveler. Units will be in the current display units of the model.

Exporting Raster ResultSince Virtual LOS results are "virtual", they exist only on the graphics card (i.e., they are not a file). If youwould like to export Virtual LOS results as an image, right click on Special Overlays > Virtual LOS Map, and"Create LOS Map texture". A new texture will appear in the textures folder. Once the virtual texture hasbecome "real" (i.e., it is now a file), it can be exported, saved, etc. just like any texture.

Graphics & OpenGL ConsiderationsIn order for Virtual LOS to work, your video card must support OpenGL version 3.0 or higher. Discretegraphics cards (e.g., NVIDIA, ATI) will likely support this, but may need the driver upgraded. This is usuallya fairly straightforward process of downloading an upgraded driver from the manufacturer's website andinstalling it. Integrated graphics chipsets (e.g., Intel) will have a more difficult time supporting advancedgraphics capabilities.



9.4.4 Travel Route Line of Sight

Analysis Menu > Visibility Analysis > Travel Route Line of Sight Map (Button: )

Travel Route Line of Sight Analysis analyzes the visibility in all directions in a terrain along a predefined routeat user defined intervals. There are only two basic requirements to perform this analysis:

1. Travel Route LOS can only be performed on a surface model (.QTT, GeoTIFF DEM, DTED, etc.)2. LOS analysis is performed along a predefined route so a Mensuration Line must be present.

Cumulative Coloration

Basic Coloration

Travel Route LOS Interface

There are two analysis types for line of sight. They are as follows:

Basic Coloration: Basic coloration performs LOS analysis and applies a color to the model based on one offour conditions:o Above Threshold – If the number of observations (samples) along the line is greater than the defined

Sample Cutoff on a pixel by pixel basis. o Below Threshold – If the number of observations (samples) along the line is less than the defined

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Sample Cutoff on a pixel by pixel basis.o Never – If the number of observations (samples) along the line is 0 per pixelo Not Evaluated: This condition is achieved if a user limits the line of sight distance and the extents of the

terrain are greater than the limitation. For example, if a user sets a LOS distance limitation at 300meters and the model is 5 km x 5km, there will be areas that are simply "not evaluated" because theuser has chosen to limit the analysis in distance. This is a distinctively different condition than "NoneCan See", as no analysis has been performed. The default coloration for this condition is dark gray.

Cumulative Coloration: This coloration uses a blue to red palette that represents the percentage ofsamples that have visibility to each cell. Blue represents "1%" and red represents "100%". For example, if100 samples along the line were used for the analysis, a color of blue would represent a location that hadvisibility to one sample, aqua would represent a location that had visibility to 20 samples, and so on upthe color wheel until red represents an area that has visibility to all 100 samples. A condition of novisibility is still represented by light gray and "not evaluated" by dark gray.

There are several sections to the Line of Sight Interface:Analysis Type: This section allows you to choose Basic Coloration or Cumulative Coloration analysis asdiscussed above. Sampling Parameterso Sample Distance in data units along the line where an LOS calculation will be performed. For example,

if your data is in meters, you should enter a 5 if you want an LOS calculation to be performed every 5meters along the defined route (mensuration line). Note, the window will also display thecorresponding Number of Samples that the defined Sample Distance will create.

o Sample Cutoff as a minimum number of samples seen by a given pixel to be included. For example, ifyou wish to ignore pixels that are only visible to 5 samples along a route, then enter 5 in the SampleCutoff. This is designed to limit the effect of small “glimpses” along a long route on the resulting colorramp.

Viewing Parameters: This section requires the user to set the observer and target heights. Note: Thesamples along the line are the observers for purposes of the LOS calculations. These heights will be in theunits of the model (i.e., if model is in feet, heights will be in feet). Optionally, the user can limit the line ofsight to a certain distance. To limit line of sight distance, check the box and enter the desired distance inthe window. This distance will also be in the units of the model.Image Generation Options:o Force Binary Result: Checking this box disables Quick Terrain Modeler's function which creates color

shading around the edges of an LOS map to indicate differing levels of confidence/probability that anarea is in the LOS. Forcing a binary result is particularly useful if the user intends to export 8-bit TIFF'sto applications such as ESRI GIS.

o Quantized 8-bit Image: Checking this box forces compound LOS analysis results into discrete 8-bit (i.e.,grayscale) values. This is particularly helpful if the user is performing compound (i.e., multiple observer)LOS analysis and intends to export to 8-bit TIFF format (e.g., for import into ESRI)

o Autoscale Results: Works only with cumulative coloration.

Instructions:1. Place mensuration line in terrain.2. Choose Basic or Cumulative Coloration as your analysis type3. In “Sampling Parameters”, choose the distance between samples desired along the mensuration line as

well as a minimum number of samples you want included in a given pixel across the model. 4. In "Viewing Parameters", choose your observer height (the samples along the route are the observers, the

rest of the terrain is the "target"). The default is set to 1.8m, roughly the eye-level height of a humanbeing. If you want to evaluate line of sight for a vehicle window, then the number should be changed to



seated/standing position height in the vehicle.5. In "Viewing Parameters", choose your target height. The default is set to 1.8m, roughly the eye-level

height of a human being. If you are evaluating whether you can see a tower, set its height as above.6. Optionally, check the "Limit Line of Sight Distance" checkbox if you are only interested in a specific

distance from the observer (e.g., limit LOS analysis to 500 meters). After checking the box, you mustspecify a distance (in the units of the model) in the text box.

7. Choose appropriate Image Generation Options as described above.8. Click OK.

Helpful Hints: Watch the "Number of Samples". The time required to perform the entire calculation is directlyproportional to the number of samples. If this number gets large (i.e., hundreds of samples), calculationcould take a very long time. Consider spacing the samples further apart (e.g., every 5 meters instead ofevery 1 meter) to dramatically reduce calcualtion time.Make sure your mensuration line is very precisely placed. Obstructions along the route such as signage,vegetation, etc will make a vast difference in the results of the line of sight analysis depending on the lineplacement.Consider saving the mensuration line for future reference by right clicking in the layer tree or chooseAnalysis > Export MensurationUse "Cumulative Coloration" to evaluate areas of high visibility to your route.Make sure the Vertex Colors toggle is toggled to the "On" position. If you do not see results immediately

after the calculation is complete, this is usually the reason. The vertex color toggle looks like this:

Example:

Example Above: Settings for Cumulative Coloration map for samples every 2 meters along the mensurationline. Each sample is taken at 1.8 meters above the ground and a the target height of 1.8 meters above eachcell. A minimum of 2 samples must have LOS to be included in the results (Sample Cutoff). Click images toexpand them.

9.4.5 Point to Point Line of Sight

As of v8.0, this function has been converted to Point to point Viewing. See related topic - Point to PointViewing

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9.4.6 Terrain Mask

Quick Terrain Modeler's Terrain Mask tool provides the user with a tool to quickly evaluate visibility from anairborne sensor or in given lighting conditions. To perform the analysis, go to the Analysis Menu...AddVertex Colors to Model...Terrain Mask. Simply enter a grazing angle and azimuth angle, either by enteringthe number from the keyboard, or using a slider bar. Check "Solid Black" if the desire is to have areas in"shadow" represented as a solid black value. Once the choices are made, click "Apply. Quick TerrainModeler will calculate the obscured area, render it, and determine the percent of the area that is obscured. If the user needs a specific area calculated, simply use a selection area to delineate the area of interest, thenclick "Apply" again. The percent obscuration will be calculated only in the selection area, and all areasoutside the selection area will be colored black. The "Export" button exports the result as a GeoTIFF.

9.5 Grid Statistics

Grid statistics is a powerful, fast, flexible, and visual tool that provides Quick Terrain Modeler users a way tostatistically sort through their LiDAR or 3D data in almost any way imaginable. The user simply loads data,whether point cloud or gridded surface model, sets a grid size, selects a variable to investigate, a statistic tocalculate, a way to display it, and (optionally) an action to perform on it. (Analysis Menu)

If multiple models are loaded, statistical calculations will be performed on all visible models.

Variables Supported: Z (Height), Intensity, Number of Points, Point Density, AlphaStatistics calculated for each grid cell: Minimum, Maximum, Mean, Range , Deviation, Slope, AspectStatistical Display Options: Continuous Color Band (Blue to Red), Earth Tones (13 segments – noramp), Color Wheel, User customizableActions : Export, cut, or decimate by statistical bands. Save GeoTIFFs of either statistical values orcolor values. Save/load statistical profiles.

Grid Statistics User Interface:



The use of Grid Statistics breaks down into a few basic operations:

Step 1: Define a reference grid.Step 2: Select a variable and a statistic to calculate.Step 3: CalculateStep 4: Define and/or select a visualization scheme for the statistical results.Step 5: Act upon the results by exporting, cutting, cropping, or decimating based on the statistical resultsStep 6: Retain configuration settings if desired.

Also see section on statistical model comparison.

9.5.1 Grid Stats-Define Grid

The first step in calculating grid statistics is to define a grid. The basis for all future calculations will be thestatistical calculations of data within each grid "cell". The grid is always defined in XY (i.e., horizontal) space. For example, a model that occupies a 1km x 1km space, if divided into 2m grid cells, would use an array of500 x 500 2m cells. Some notes about the user defined grid:

The grid is always rectangular and is based on the XY extents of the model. The resulting exportedGeoTIFFs will be of the same dimensions and orientation. If a grid cell has no data in it (e.g., if thedata set is irregularly shaped) Quick Terrain Modeler will not calculate statistics for that cell, and itwill be represented as "no data" in exported GeoTIFF products.The grid is always aligned with the primary XY axes of the model. Therefore, if the model is orientednorth up (i.e., no rotation), the resultant grid will be oriented north up.The initial grid spacing set by Quick Terrain Modeler is 3 times the average point spacing of theloaded model. The user can either keep this value, or set another value.Each grid "cell" is a square of n x n units, where n is the user set grid spacing in the "spacing" fieldand units are specified in the pull down menu.

Defining a 1m UTM grid:

9.5.2 Grid Stats-Select variable

The second step in calculating grid statistics is to select a variable and a statistic associated with thatvariable.

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The variables/statistics combinations currently available are as follows:Variable Statistics Available for Calculation Notes

Alpha Aspect, Minimum, Maximum, Mean, Range, Slope,Deviation

Alpha is a user set 8 bitvalue.

Density Density (measured in points per square unit of the model)for each grid cell

Units are the same as themodel.

Intensity Aspect, Minimum, Maximum, Mean, Range, Slope,Deviation

Number of Points Number of points per user-defined grid cell Simple point count. Cellswith zero points are includedin the calculation.

Z (Height) Aspect, Minimum, Maximum, Mean, Range, Slope,Deviation

The available statistics are defined as follows:Statistic Definition

Aspect Aspect is a weighted average orientation of each grid cell represented in degreesclockwise from North. To calculate the aspect orientation, QTM first calculates a meanvalue of the variable (e.g., Z) in each cell. It then establishes a perpendicular normalvector to each of the 8 "neighbor" cells and creates a weighted average normal vectorfor each cell. Aspect is the horizontal orientation of this weighted average normalvector.

Minimum The minimum value of that variable in a given grid cell.Maximum The maximum value of that variable in a given grid cell.Mean The sum of the variable values in a grid cell divided by the number of points in that grid

cell.Range The difference between the highest and lowest values of a given variable in each grid

cell.Slope Slope is a weighted average orientation represented in degrees up from horizontal. To

calculate the slope angle, QTM first calculates a mean value of the variable (e.g., Z) ineach cell. It then establishes a normal vector to each of the 8 "neighbor" cells andcreates a weighted average normal vector for each cell. Slope is the vertical anglecomponent of this weighted average normal vector.

DeviationDeviation is calculated for each grid cell by the following formula: SQRT((?(xi-m)2)/N) (where xi is a variable sample, m is the sample mean for that grid cell, and N is thenumber of samples. The summation is from i = 1 to i = N)

Choosing variables and statistics in the "Calculate Statistics" portion of the window:

9.5.3 Grid Stats-Calculate

Once the appropriate grid spacing, variable, and statistic has been selected, click the "Calculate Metrics"button to perform the calculation. The status bar will progress to the right and stop when completed. The



status bar will remain visible even when the calculation is complete. The "Minimum" and "Maximum"windows will be populated with the minimum and maximum values for the specified calculation.

Pressing the "Calculate Metrics" button to perform specified calculation:

9.5.4 Grid Stats-Visualization Options

Once the grid statistics are calculated, there are a wide variety of visualization options available. The stepsfor selecting a visualization scheme are as follows:

1. Evaluate the range of values calculated. The initial evaluation is in the "Minimum" and "Maximum"values of th calculate metrics windows.

2. Set Display Range: This sets a range of statistical values that will be displayed. This should be based uponthe minimum and maximum values. The two ways to set the display range are:

Set Manually: A user can manually type in minimum and maximum values and click the "SetManually" button. Autoset: Clicking "Autoset" will set the range of the display from the 5th to the 95th percentiles inthe distribution histogram.

3. Choose a palette.Blank: Starting with a blank palette allows users to set specific break points and customized colorschemes. See separate section on Grid Stats: Blank Color PaletteContinuous Color Blue to Red: This is a color ramp with blue at the low end and red at the high endof the range. Earth Tones: This is a 13 segment banded color scheme with no "ramp" between the colors (i.e., eachcell will become one of the 13 colors).Color Wheel: The color wheel is a continuous color palette that starts at red, goes to blue, and comesback to red in a full circuit of the color wheel. It is useful for coloring on "Aspect", which is measuredin degrees clockwise from north. Because an aspect of 359 degrees and 0 degrees are very similar,the color wheel option is best suited for aspect display.

4. Click "Apply". Make sure the "Show Texture" button is toggled on, as the statistical result will bedisplayed as a texture.

5. Force Colors: Forces display results into vertex colors as opposed to a texture. This may be desirablewhen evaluating a large model if there is insufficient video memory to display a\the large analysis resulttexture.

6. Turn on legend (Display Menu...Options...Show Legend) to display color legend of statistical result.

The "Display Results" portion of the Grid Statistics Tool:

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9.5.5 Grid Stats - Blank Palette

Perhaps the best way to display the results of a specific statistical inquiry is to start with a blank palette andset custom break points. Some uses for this type of analysis are:

Quality assurance tasks with specific statistical cutoff for quality (e.g., minimum points per squaremeter).Looking for specific objects above a terrain (e.g., sort on Z range to get minimum object height AGL).Isolating specific statistical bands for future export.

To work with blank palettes:

1. Set a range for the display - either manually or "Autoset"2. Choose "Blank Palette" from the "Default Palettes" pulldown menu.3. Place "Break Points" at specific numeric points of interest in the displayed range by:

Numerically: Type a number in the "Add Break Point" window and click "Add Break Point". Click"Set Color", then left click in the new band to choose a color.Visually: Right Click on a location in the blank palette. Choose a color for the new band. Note: The histogram below the palette is a useful tool to determine where to set break points, as it willshow clear distributions of results (i.e., logical break points).

4. Click "Apply" to display results.5. To remove breakpoints, click the "Remove Break Point" button, then click on a break point.6. Use the Save Palette and Load Palette to create and return to specific statistical displays.

Custom palette created from blank palette, highlighting specific areas of high and low point counts:

Adding a break point by right clicking in the palette:



9.5.6 Grid Stats-Act Upon Data

Once statistics are selected, calculated, and displayed to the user's needs, there are several actions whichcan be taken upon the data by using the grid statistics interface:

1) Save Values (Entire Model): a) GeoTIFF: Exports a GeoTIFF with an array of 32-bit values that represent the actual result of the

statistical calculation (but not the color values). Note that this type of GeoTIFF can be reopened inQuick Terrain Modeler and visualized in 3D. (Click "Save Values (GEOTIFF)" Button)

b) ASCII: Save an ASCII file of the entire point cloud or surface model with the statistical value appended. The row format is X, Y, Z, R, G, G, STAT, where stat is the statistical value that was calculated.

2) Push Stat into QTA: This choice will append a new attribute and associated value to each point in a QTApoint cloud. Please note that this value is based on the result within each statistical grid cell, so everypoint in that cell will have the identical statistical value. For example, if a user calculates Z Deviation on a2m grid, then each and every point within a given cell will have the same Z deviation value in the ZDeviation attribute. Pushing Grid Stats into QTA will enable using grid stats results as part of QTA multivariate filtering.

3) Save GeoTIFF: Exports a GeoTIFF with an array of 24-bit RGB values that represent the display of thestatistical results (but not the actual values). (Click "Save GeoTIFF" button)

4) Three actions can also be access by right clicking on the grid stats palette in a specific band of interesta) Export Points: Export the selected band of points as LAS or ASCII (Note: this action will export all

points if the continuous palettes are being used).b) Cut Points: Cut (i.e., delete) the points in the selected band (Note: this action will cut all points if the

continuous palettes are being used).c) Decimate: Decimate the points by factors of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, or 100. (Note: this action will decimate

all points if the continuous palettes are being used).

Buttons used for exporting values of the entire model (left) and sample text of exported ASCII values (right)

Interface showing right clicking in the color palette to act upon a statistical band of data:

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9.5.7 Grid Stats-Configuration Options

Grid Statistics offers two basic options for retaining configurations for future use:

1. Saving/Loading Templates: Saves the entire contents of the grid statistics interface for future reference. This saves grid size, variable, statistic, and all custom palette information. This is useful when performingthe same analysis on many data sets.

2. Saving/Loading Palettes: Saves only the custom palette configuration.

9.5.8 Grid Stats - Model Comparison

There are many reasons to compare two models to each other:

Compare temporally different data sets to each other to identify and quantify change.Compare original point data sets to gridded data sets in an effort to assess the impact of gridding tovertical accuracy.Compare two data sets together to quantify the impact of data decimation/thinning.

The statistical model comparison tool is simply a specific configuration of the Grid Statistics tool. Tocompare two models statistically:

1. Load two models.2. Go to the Analysis menu and select "Generate Grid Statistics"3. Set grid spacing. 4. Select Z, Intensity, or Alpha as the Variable.5. Select RMSE or Difference as the Statistic. RMSE is the Root Mean Square Error and is calculated on a per

grid cell basis. Difference is the difference of the mean value of the Variable in each grid cell.6. Select the "Baseline Model" which will form the basis of the calculation.

All other functions (calculate, visualize, etc.) will be identical to the grid statistics tool. Please note that theexported GeoTIFF product when clicking the "Save Values" button will either be MGRS or Difference, butboth will be represented in a 32-bit field

9.6 Generate Grid Lines

QT Modeler's Generate Grid Lines tool (Analysis Menu) overlays custom grid lines on 3D models - bothDEM's and point clouds. Grid lines are a form of vector model that overlays terrain-hugging lines along theUTM, Geodetic, or MGRS grid. They are useful in both a large scale (e.g., 1km grid) and small scale (e.g., 25mgrid) applications to get a sense of the spacing of objects and terrain features. Furthermore, the Grid Lines



tool enables the creation of custom, interactive, 3D Grid References Graphics (GRG's), that, in conjunctionwith QT Modeler's Imagery Overlay tools, Marker Tagging, Analysis Tools (e.g., Line of Sight, HLZ, Slope/Mobility), Google Earth Synchronization, and flexible export tools (e.g., PowerPoint, GeoTIFF, KML, SHP etc.)create opportunities to create and interact with GRG's, both in 3D and 2D.

Instructions:

Things to Consider Before you Start (Size and Spacing of Grid, Intended Purpose)Before creating custom grid lines, it is worth considering a few things regarding your desired final product,the amount of time available, and the models currently loaded. Some things to consider:

The grid will always be oriented North up with no rotation.The grid will always begin in the nearest spacing increment in the user's coordinate system. For example,if the user specifies a 1000 meter grid, Quick Terrain Modeler will start the grid on X and Y coordinatesthat are an even multiple of 1000 meters.Very dense grids (e.g., 25m) are only useful when zoomed in. Therefore, if a dense grid is required,consider zooming in to the area of interest and checking the "Crop to Visible Area" check box to limit gridcreation. This will also make grid creation faster.Generating a grid on point clouds will take longer than on a surface model.

Choose Grid ColorChoose a grid color by clicking the "Select Color" button, then choosing a color from the "Color" window.

Choose Reference FrameThere are four reference frames to choose from:

Geodetic: This will result in a Latitude/Longitude coordinate being displayed at the bottom right and thegrid being labeled in angular (i.e., degrees, minutes, seconds) increments.UTM: This will result in a UTM grid labeled in increments of meters in Easting and Northing.MGRS: This will result in an MGRS grid with labeling in MGRS grid coordinates.Native: If data is in any other coordinate system (e.g., State Plane), QT Modeler will work with the nativecoordinates and framework of that particular coordinate system.Generic: Generic grid lines will generate north oriented grid lines of a user set spacing. Generic grid lineswill be labeled with an MGRS coordinate at the lower left (i.e., southwest) corner and a grid line every Nmeters, where N is the user-defined grid spacing. Generic grid "cells" will be labeled A - Z on the verticalaxis and 1 -N on the horizontal axis.

Menu - Analysis 167

Choose Spacing and UnitsOnce the reference frame is selected, choose the spacing and units of the grid lines. Grid lines can begenerated in linear units of meters, kilometers, or nautical miles, or angular units of degrees, minutes, andseconds.

Tick MarksChoose to display major, minor, and/or interior tick marks.

Crop to Visible Area: Dense Grids for GRG'sIf a very dense grid is required, it may be useful to zoom to a relatively small area of interest, check the"Crop to Visible Area" check box, and create a small, dense grid over an area of interest. For example, whencreating a GRG, it may be more useful to grid a relatively small area, and not clutter the surrounding areawith unnecessary grid lines. Furthermore, dense grids could take considerably more time to generate andobscure terrain features when zoomed out. Some experimentation may be required, as this could be a verysubjective choice.

Creating the Grid: Check "Show Grid" and Click the "Generate" ButtonThe last step in generating grid lines is to check the "Show Grid" check box and click "Generate". Please notethat grid lines can be removed by unchecking "Show Grid" and clicking "Generate" again.

Exporting Options: Moving the Grids to Other ApplicationsGrid Lines can be exported as DXF, KML, or shapefile. Choose Export Model from the Export Menu. Selectthe GridLines model and export either as "AutoCAD ASCII DXF", "KML", or as "ESRI Shape File". Whenexported as a shape file, each horizontal and vertical grid line will be exported as a separate, sampled, 3Dline feature.

GRG's: Other Useful ToolsCreating GRG's may also require or be complemented by QT Modeler's Imagery Overlay tools, MarkerTagging, Analysis Tools (e.g., Line of Sight, HLZ, Slope/Mobility), Google Earth Synchronization, and flexibleexport tools (e.g., PowerPoint, GeoTIFF, KML, SHP etc.).

Miscellaneous



Grid lines can be turned on and off by selecting Show/Hide from the Display menu. Select Show/HideModels. Unselect the model called GridLines.Grid lines can be permanently removed by selecting Remove Models from the File menu. Select theGridLines model and click OK.

9.7 Generate Contour Lines

There are two basic methods to generate contour lines:

1. Real time contour lines (aka, "Virtual" Contour Lines) for display purposes only.2. Vector contour lines which can be exported in many vector formats (e.g., shp, kml).

Real Time (Virtual) Contour Settings:The purpose of real time contour lines is to enable the display of contour lines immediately and to be ableto reconfigure them on the fly - without waiting for extensive vector generation processes to run. Thisvisualization is particularly useful for those users that are used to reading topographic maps and contourlines - rather than viewing interactively in 3D.

To use real time contour lines:

1. Click the real time contour line button. 2. If contour lines do not immediately appear, right click on the real time contour lines button or go to

the Analysis Menu...Generate Contour Lines.3. Adjust spacing to make the contour lines closer or further apart. Either use the slider or the input

window. The Spacing value is the vertical (Z) space between each contour line. The units for spacingwill be in the units of the model. E.g., in UTM models, vertical spacing will likely be in meters.

4. Adjust the color by clicking the "Select Color" button and choosing a new color.5. Note: Real time contours are for display only and can not be exported. To export contour lines as a

vector file, you must first generate vector contour lines.

Generating Vector Contour Lines:The bottom portion of the contour line interface enables vector generation. In addition, the contour linesbecome a separate vector model, rather than simply being a rendering tool.

You must specify a line spacing, minimum and maximum contour levels, and a sampling level. The spacing(defined in the Real Time contour portion), minimum, and maximum determine the altitudes for whichcontour lines are generated. The sampling determines the resolution of the contour lines, and is defined inthe units of the model. Thus a sampling of "1.0" will generate contour lines at 1 meter resolution in a UTMmodel, or 1 foot in a US State Plane model. Contour lines will take longer to generate and will require more

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memory as the sampling gets smaller, but will also more closely match smaller model features. It takesmuch longer to generate contour lines for ungridded QTC point clouds than it does for QTT or DTED models. Contour Lines will be generated as a vector model named "contour", which can then be saved, loaded, orremoved as normal for any other QT model.

If you intend to export the contour lines as DXF or shapefiles, it is helpful to check the "ConsolidateContour" checkbox. This function minimizes the number of individual line segments in the resulting file. Without checking this box, Quick Terrain Modeler will generate contour lines in the fastest manner possible,but exports may result in an excessive number of lines segments.

Contour lines can be turned on and off by selecting Show/Hide from the Display menu. Select Show/HideModels. Unselect the model called Contour.

Contour lines can be permanently removed by selecting Remove Models from the File menu. Select the"Contour" model and click OK.

Contour Line repeatability: In order to precisely repeat contour lines on multiple models that may havebeen created from multiple overlapping data sets, please ensure the following:

1. Build models without rotation. Make sure the "Allow Rotated Grid" box is unchecked on theImport window.2. Use the same grid sampling for each model.3. Use the same contour sampling for each model.If these steps are not taken, there may be a slight X-Y variance in the contour lines proportional to thegrid sampling and/or the contour sampling.

Contour lines can be exported as DXF, KML, or shapefile. Choose Export Model from the Export Menu. Select the "Contour" model and export either as "AutoCAD ASCII DXF" or as "ESRI Shape File".

The Generate Contour Lines Window and Example Contour Line Generation.

9.8 Generate Outline

The Generate Outline tool saves and exports the perimeters of surveys as shape files. This tool serves as thebasis for evaluating survey coverage. Quick Terrain Modeler will create and save a shape file that representsthe total survey coverage. This can be imported into ESRI GIS and other software to compare surveycoverage against target survey extents (e.g., county boundary) as well as existing geospatial information.

Instructions: Load a model. Choose "Generate Outline" from the Analysis menu. You will see the perimeteroutline appear. Choose "Export Model" from the Export menu. Select the model called "Outline" andchoose "ESRI Shape File" as the export format. Click "Export". Choose a directory and file name for theexported shape file.



9.9 Generate Range Rings

QT Modeler's Range Ring tool is a simple way to annotate and gauge distances from a central point. Byplacing a range ring, the user gets an immediate, intuitive grasp of relative distances in a terrain.

Instructions:

Call up the Range Ring ToolThe Range Ring tool can be accessed in two ways:

Go to the Analysis Menu...Generate Range RingsLeft Click anywhere in the model to select a center position, the type "R" on the keyboard. The rangering interface will appear and will already have the center position loaded (i.e., the position that youjust left clicked on).

Select a Center Position and Add CrosshairsThe center position can be selected in several ways:

Using the left click and "R" hot key noted above: Simply left click anywhere in the model and type "R"to call up the range ring interface with the coordinate loaded.From a marker: After placing a marker in the 3D scene, click the "Select Center Position" button. TheCoordinate Converter interface will appear. From the "Marker" pull down menu, select the marker thatyou would like to be the center of the range rings. The coordinates will change to reflect the marker'sposition. Click "Close". The marker's position will be reflected in the display.From any coordinate: Click the "Select Center Position" button. The Coordinate Converter interfacewill appear. Either type a coordinate into the appropriate input window, cut and paste, or move yourcursor in the scene and type "P". Click Close.Checking "Add Crosshairs at Center" will place a small crosshair of the same color as the vector modelat the center of the model.

Choose Sampled or Flat Range RingsThere are two ways to display range rings:

Z sampled from Model: Choosing this option will create "Terrain Hugging" range rings. The range rings

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will sample the elevations of the model and create true 3D sampled vectors.Flat Z: Choosing Flat Z creates range rings by averaging the elevation values of each ring and assigningthe ring that elevation. If you create multiple concentric rings, each ring gets its own average elevationvalue assigned.

Choose Number of Rings and SpacingNumber of Rings: Input a value of how many concentric rings you require.Spacing: Setting the spacing assigns a radius to the range rings. If you have selected multiple rangerings, the radius of each successive ring is a multiple of the "Spacing" value.

Setting the Appearance of Range RingsRange rings can have their default appearance settings changed, or can have their appearance changedafter their creation. To set the appearance click "Configure Vector Models". It will pull up the ConfigureVector Model interface where you will be able to set the color and thickness of the range ring lines.

Show/Hide Range RingsSince range rings become a separate, self contained vector model, they can only be toggled on/off byusing the Show/Hide Models Function in the bottom button bar or in the File menu.

Export OptionsAs noted above, range rings are a vector model and can be exported to vector formats such as Shape fileand KML. Go to the Export Menu, choose "Export Models, choose the range rings from the model list andchoose the export format from the pull down menu. See below for an example of KML export of rangerings to Google Earth.

9.10 Import Mensuration from KML

Importing a mensuration line from KML enables users to establish a mensuration line from a KML polylinefile. Simple select "Import Mensuration from KML" from the Analysis menu, select a KML polyline file, and itwill appear as a mensuration line in Quick Terrain Modeler.



9.11 Import Mensuration from Shapefile

Users can import 2-D shape files for use as a mensuration line. The concept behind this tool is that usersmay have created lines in other programs that can be used as mensuration lines in a 3-D terrain model. As amensuration line, this tool can provide repeatable measurements and cross sections. An importedmensuration line can also serve as the basis for multiple cross section analysis (e.g., for cut and fillapplications).

Instructions: Select "Import Mensuration from Shapefile" from the Analysis menu. Select the appropriateshape file. A Shapefile Importer window will appear. Enter the appropriate Geo Registration information toensure that the shapefile is projected appropriately. Click OK. The mensuration line will appearimmediately.

9.12 Save Mensuration as KML

Saving mensuration lines as KML will create a KML polyline file and immediately send the line to GoogleEarth. See also Importing Mensuration Line from KML.

9.13 Save Mensuration as Shapefile

It is very helpful to be able to save mensuration lines for repeated measurement of the same features,cross sections, etc. Once a specific measurement is performed, the user can save the mensuration line asa shape file. The mensuration line can be imported into ESRI GIS software, other applications, or cansimply be saved to perform repeated mensuration analysis (e.g., cross section of before/after DEM's,compare cross sections of a bare earth DEM versus an all points DEM, etc.) in Quick Terrain Modeler.

Notes: Mensuration lines will be saved as 3-D shape files. The shape files will contain as many linesegments as were specified in the original mensuration line. For example, if the original mensurationline had ten segments, the saved 3-D shapefile will also have ten segments.If you need to save a selected area rather than a line, please use the Save Selection as a Shapefiletool in the Edit menu. Saving a selection as a shape file will result in a 2-D shape file being saved.

Instructions: Draw a mensuration line. Select "Save Mensuration as Shapefile" from the Analysis menu. Designate a file name. Click the Save button. The shapefile can now be imported into any applicationthat can read shapefiles.

9.14 Point Query Utility

Frequently, users need to compare known ground truth points to a point cloud or surface model. In someinstances, users need to compare entire models to each other. In addition, many LiDAR contractors need to

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demonstrate survey quality metrics to customers (e.g., FEMA LiDAR Specifications for Flood HazardMapping).

The point query utility examines a list of points (this list must be in ASCII text format), compares theelevation of the points to elevations in a loaded model, and exports a custom report of the results. Thesteps to perform this analysis are as follows:

1. Load or create a model against which you wish to compare the ground truth (or other) points. ThePoint Query Utility works on gridded surface models (QTT) as well as ungridded point clouds (QTC). Note: If the Point Query Utility is used on a .QTT gridded surface model, the query result is simply theelevation value at each X-Y point in the surface model. If the Point Query Utility is used on a .QTCpoint cloud, Quick Terrain Modeler will locally TIN (Triangular Irregular Network) the surface toestablish a surface value against which to query for an elevation value (since it is highly unlikely forthe X-Y value in the point query to coincide with an actual point). Quick Terrain Modeler will notrender the local TIN, it will only calculate the TIN values mathematically. Thus, the elevation valuereturned by sampling the .QTC model is the result of sampling the specific TIN triangle associatedwith the X-Y value. This TINing methodology is in compliance with the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) standards for establishing RMSE and quality control of LiDAR surveys.

2. Go to the Analysis menu, select "Point Query Utility..." from the menu. The ASCII Point Querywindow will appear.

3. Select the model to query in the top pulldown menu. The user may specify a specific individualmodel, or if multiple models are loaded, users can select "All Models". Selecting "All Models" willperform the query on all loaded models. In areas where multiple models overlap and the user haschosen "All Models", the Point Query Utility will return the highest elevation value in that specific XYlocation.

4. Select the Input File. The input file can either be a user-created list of ground truthing points, XYZvalues from another model, or any other ASCII data. At a minimum, the input file must be in an ASCIIcolumnar format and contain a column for XY locations (in the same coordinate system as the modelbeing queried) which need to be queried. The Point Query Utility can adapt to a variety of formats. Once selected, a sample of the input file text can be previewed in the "Sample Text from File" window.

5. Configure the format for the input file. Specify the appropriate coordinate system. If the data is notin UTM or Lat/Long, choose Cartesian. Specify the number of header rows (if any). Specify thecolumn numbers for Point ID, X (Easting), Y (Northing), Z (Altitude). Specify a delimiter (e.g., comma)if necessary.

6. Select Options: Users can create markers at the location of the input points to visually inspect wherethe ground truth points are in the model. Users can also choose to open a text editor upon reportcompletion.

7. Configure the format for the output file. The output file will be an ASCII formatted text file with acustomized column structure. Users must specify whether to use (by checking the checkbox) and ifso, specify a desired column for exporting the following parameters:

X - The X (Easting) position of the queried point.Y - The Y (Northing) position of the queried point.Z1 (Input) - The source elevation value of the input data set.Z2 (Output) - The measured elevation value of the queried model.Delta Z - The difference in elevation of input and output (Delta Z = Z2 - Z1).Point ID - The name associated with each point. If the Point ID is specified in the input file, the Point Query Utility will reuse the same Point ID's. If the Point ID is not specified in the input file, but the user would like Point ID's to be created inthe output file, simply check the box and specify a column. QT Modeler will create Point ID's asfollows: Sample 1, Sample 2, Sample 3, etc.



Include Statistics - Includes Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Z Bias. These will be calculatedfor the entire data set and written as header lines in the output file.Retain Unused Input Columns - Checking this box will append all unused columns to the end ofeach point record row.

The ASCII Point Query Window:

Sample Export Reports:

9.15 AGL Analyst

Because many users would rather work with relative, Above Ground Level (AGL) heights rather thanabsolute elevations, Quick Terrain Modeler has a powerful tool called AGL (Above Ground Level) Analyst. Some of the most common reasons for wanting to work in AGL space are to measure tree and roof heights,to measure the height of potential vertical obstructions (VO’s), and to selectively remove vegetation andcanopy from a point cloud, thus enabling the user to see and identify objects under foliage or otherobstructions. This tool calculates and assigns an AGL elevation value, in addition to an absolute elevationvalue, to every point in a point cloud or every vertex in a surface model. The simple steps of AGL Analyst areas follows:

1. Calculate AGL heights of every point either by comparing to a bare earth model (if available) or byquickly estimating a ground surface. Go to AGL - Ground Estimate

2. Once AGL Values are calculated, apply a color scheme based on AGL heights, rather than absoluteheights. Go to AGL - Visualization

3. Exploit the AGL model by querying points for their AGL heights, clipping data based on height AGL(i.e., temporarily removing points based on their heights above ground), and swapping the AGLelevation values with the absolute elevation values, and displaying an AGL height legend. Go to AGL -Exploitation

4. Export products such as the 3D ground estimate, an ASCII file of the AGL points, and point cloudsedited by AGL values. Go to AGL - Export Products

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9.15.1 AGL - Ground Estimate

The first step in AGL analysis is to calculate the AGL values of all point/vertices in a model. This can be doneeither by comparing against an existing bare earth model, or by calculating a "ground estimate" andcomparing against the ground estimate. Please note that a ground estimate is not a true bare earthcalculation. The ground estimate is included to provide the user with a very fast and simple estimate of ground when a true bare earth model does not exist.

The steps for calculating AGL heights are as follows:

1) Choose whether to calculate a ground estimate or to select a bare earth model by selecting theappropriate radio button.a) Auto-Calculate Ground Estimate: If calculating a ground estimate, simply slide the slider bar between

"Fine Grid" and "Coarse Grid" based on the desired result. The finer the grid, the more closely theresult will attempt to follow the terrain, but the more likely large objects (e.g., a building or large tree)will be interpreted as "ground". Conversely, the coarser the grid, the less likely a building or large treewill be interpreted as ground, but the more likely that subtle changes in terrain will not be representedin the ground estimate. Once the grid coarseness has been selected, press the "Calculate AGL" buttonto calculate AGL height for all points.

b) Use External Model: If using an external bare earth model as a basis for the "ground" in the AGLcalculation, click the "Select Model" button and select the appropriate file. The AGL calculation willhappen automatically. The grid spacing slider is irrelevant when using an external model.

2) Regardless of the method for calculating AGL, the results will appear in the "Minimum" and "Maximum"windows. These numbers represent the lowest and highest point/vertex values relative to the ground. Note that these values could potentially be negative, as some points may be below the "ground" surface.

3) (Option) If the user has calculated a ground estimate as in step 1.a, it can be exported as a QTT griddedsurface model. This ground estimate can subsequently be loaded back into the scene to visually inspectthe basis for the assignment of AGL values. Upon inspection, a user may find it useful to recalculate theground estimate based on a coarser or finer grid, or to edit the ground estimate by removing spikes, thenrecalculate the AGL values using the "External Model" method in 1.b. above.

Once the AGL values are calculated, the user can move to the next step, AGL Visualization Options.

Related Topics: AGL Analyst Overview, AGL Visualization, AGL Exploitation, AGL Export Products, AlphaFiltering



9.15.2 AGL - Visualization

Once the AGL values have been calculated, there are a wide variety of ways to visualize the results. Themost useful starting point is the continuous color palette. This is also the default configuration.

Continuous Color Palette for AGL Results Display:1) Set palette range by observing min/max AGL results. The default values are 1 to 10, but users can set the

range a number of ways:a) Manually enter the minimum and maximum values for the display range and click "Set Manually"

button.b) Click "Autoset" to expand the range to the Min/Max calculated AGL values.

2) Click "Apply Vertex Colors" to color the model based on the user-set color range. (Note: Make sureVertex Colors are toggled on in the display.) An AGL Height Legend Will appear if the Legend is enabled(Display...Options Menu)

3) Optionally, choose to "Only Replace Alpha Channel" by clicking the radio button. This choice will placethe AGL value in the Alpha channel, thus enabling AGL clipping (i.e., peeling back the canopy or removingfeatures by height AGL) without replacing the point/vertex RGB value (e.g., intensity coloration).

Custom Color Palette for AGL Results Display:If a user desires custom coloration to isolate bands of AGL values (e.g., find all points above 5 meters AGL), acustom palette is required.1) Choose "Blank Palette" from the Custom Palette pull down menu.2) Set range of interest to capture the appropriate range of AGL values.3) Add break points at specific AGL values.4) Set colors in the AGL bands by right clicking in the band and choosing "Set Color".5) Apply Vertex Colors.6) If desired, save the custom palette settings and return to them later by clicking the "Save Palette" and

"Load Palette" buttons.

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9.15.3 AGL - Exploitation

Once the AGL values and visualization options are established, there are many ways to exploit thisinformation:

1) Clip Model based on AGL Value. When Quick Terrain Modeler calculates AGL values, it places the AGLheight in an "Alpha Value" attached to each point. To clip points based on their height AGL, go to theAnalysis Menu and select "Set Alpha Filtering". Choose to Filter Above, Filter Below, Filter Equal, or FilterNot Equal. By entering values manually or sliding the slider, users can clip the data temporarily fromview. The advantage to Alpha Clipping over a standard clipping plane is that, if a terrain is not flat (e.g.,hillside or rugged terrain), clipping by Alpha (i.e., AGL height), will "peel back" the canopy by the height ofthe vegetation, rather than the absolute elevation of the vegetation. AGL clipping makes foliagepenetrating LiDAR collections very useful for identifying objects under the canopy. In addition, this typeof clipping is useful for removing or isolating vertical objects, power lines, trees, towers, or any objectthat is higher than the ground. If a user desires,

2) Query individual points for AGL Values. Hold down "Shift" and left click on an individual point. Thedisplay will show both the absolute and AGL height values of that point.

3) Swap AGL Heights with absolute heights. By pressing the "Swap AGL into Z" button, users can replace theabsolute heights in the model with AGL heights. The swap can be undone by pressing the "Undo Swap"button. Swapping AGL heights into Z can be used to work entirely in AGL space, rather than absolutespace. Please note that, from a visual perspective, this may have the effect of "flattening" the terrain, somay be undesirable for that reason.

Exploitation Examples: The figure on the left shows buildings that are visible once the tree canopy wasremoved by AGL height. The figure on the right shows the AGL height of a radio tower (14.1 m) during apoint interrogation.




9.15.4 AGL - Export Products

There are many possibilities for AGL-related export products.

1) Ground Estimate: The ground estimate can be exported as a QTT gridded surface model. Please note thatthis is just a quick estimate, and not necessarily a true bare earth representation.

2) Exporting subset of Points based on AGL: To export a statistical band of points by AGL (e.g., all pointswith an AGL value greater than 3.5 meters), simply customize the palette as shown in AGL - Visualization,right click in a band of AGL values, then choose to export the points as LAS or ASCII. These points can alsobe decimated or cut. See image below.

3) Export Entire Point Cloud Including AGL and Absolute Z Values. Pressing the "Export Points" button willexport a file of ASCII points in the format of X, Y, Z, R, G, B, AGL. See sample below.

Example showing the export of points having an AGL value of 3.5m or greater. Note that only the roof topsand tree points (blue) will be exported:


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9.16 Area Statistics

Very Similar to the view model statistics function. The difference is that the Quick Terrain Modeler willgenerate statistics about a defined area. The user must first define an area with either the Select or SelectPolygon tool. Once the area is defined, the user simply selects this item from the menu and receivesdetailed information about the selected area. The histogram pulldown menu allows the user to selectamong the various point level parameters for its associated histogram (primarily for QTA data).

Two valuable statistics for point cloud areas are as follows:

Scale: Scale is the average spacing between points in the point cloud. A scale value of 1.2 in a point cloudmeasured in meters would indicate an average spacing between points of 1.2 meters. This is also referredto as "posting".

Density: Density is the number of points per square unit. If the model is measured in meters, a value of 1.8would indicate that, on average, there were 1.8 points per square meter.

Please note a QTA point cloud model will have a pulldown menu to select between different histograms.

An area selection and the associated Area Information window:

9.17 Find Highest Point in Area

Quick Terrain Modeler's Find Highest Point in Area tool permits users to quickly identify and place a markeron the very highest point in a selection area. This tool can be used to identify potential vertical obstructionsor to place a marker for line of sight analysis. This tool works on both gridded surface models and pointclouds. The steps to this process are as follows:

1. Build or load a model.2. Identify an area in which you need to find the highest point.

3. Use the Select Rectangle or Select Polygon tools to define a sub-area of the model.4. Go to the Analysis menu, choose "Find Highest Point in Area".5. A red square will appear on the highest point and the Point Interrogation Tool will pop up.6. Users can inspect the XYZ coordinates of the point, create a marker on the point, and/or delete the

point.

9.18 Model Manager

Model Manager is a tool that displays all loaded models, the model type, the number of points, the scale(i.e., average horizontal point spacing for point clouds, DEM resolution for surface models.DEM's) It is foundin the Analysis menu. Highlighting models in the list will perform the same function as show/hide models. Models can be sorted by model names or by point count.



9.19 Model Statistics

Users can obtain information and statistics on the currently loaded models by selecting Model Statisticsfrom the Analysis menu or by clicking on the View Model Statistics button. This will open a window listingthe total number of points, model extents in X, Y, and Z, the model origin in Geodetic/UTM space, the modelsize and type, and a histogram of all the Z values and/or point attributes in the model. The top of thewindow will contain a drop-down list allowing you to select for which model to display statistics. If multiplemodels are loaded one scale will be selected for all model histograms to make comparisons direct.

Some valuable statistics for point clouds are as follows:

Scale: Scale is the average spacing between points in the point cloud. A scale value of 1.2 in a point cloudmeasured in meters would indicate an average spacing between points of 1.2 meters. This is also referredto as "posting"

Density: Density is the number of points per square unit. If the model is measured in meters, a value of 1.8would indicate that, on average, there were 1.8 points per square meter.

Maximum Model Quantization Error: As Quick Terrain Modeler samples and stores values, there may besome loss to model precision. Maximum Model Quantization Error is the maximum possible impact tomodel precision that has been introduced by digitizing X, Y, and Z values. This quantization error will beproportional to the range of values in the X, Y, and Z axes. Larger ranges will have larger quantization errors. Compressing QTC models will increase the quantization error. Important Note: Maximum Model Quantization Error is not the accuracy of the model data. Modelaccuracy is dependent solely upon the accuracy of original survey data, and will be minimally impacted bycompressing model data. Do not use "Maximum Model Quantization Error" as an accuracy basis formaking critical spatial decisions (e.g., targeting, flight planning, etc.).

When working with QTA Models, the a histogram for all point attributes can be displayed by selecting thespecific attribute from the "Histogram" pull-down menu.

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9.20 Volume Calculations

The volume calculation tool enables the user to perform very accurate and fast calculations regarding thevolume of objects or terrain in the model. It can also be used in conjunction with other models to calculatethe difference in volume between the same areas of two different models (i.e., volume change analysis).

In order to use the tool, the user must: First define a subset of the model for which the volume calculation is needed. This selection can beperformed with either the Select or Select Polygon tool. Once the area has been defined, the user must decide what to compare the volume to in the Model 2field. The choices are:

1. Compare to a reference plane. This would be useful of excavation is required to a known levelplane (e.g., a new roadbed). The user can select this as "Model 2" in the Volume Calculationwindow. If the user selects a reference plane, the height (altitude) of the plane must be input intothe "Reference" window. In the example below, the input Reference was simply the altitude of thesurface of the water, 172 meters.

2. Compare to another model. This model must be loaded into the Quick Terrain Modeler prior toperforming the calculation. It may be useful to compare to other models for mining, forestry andgeology applications.

Once the comparison has been defined as above, the user must then choose how to measure thecomparison. The choices are as follows:

1. Signed Delta Volume: Calculates the net change in volume in the defined area. For example, if 100cubic meters was removed in one place and 100 cubic meters was added in another place, thesigned delta volume would be zero.

2. Unsigned Delta Volume: Calculates the absolute values of the change in volume in the definedarea. For example, if 100 cubic meters was removed in one place and 100 cubic meters was addedin another place, the signed delta volume would be 200 cubic meters.

3. Volume of 1 Above 2: Simply the amount of volume of Model 1 above Model 2 (or ReferencePlane).

4. Volume of 2 Above 1: Simply the amount of volume of Model 2 above Model 1 (or ReferencePlane).

The resulting volume calculation will be in the model's units. For example, if the model is built in feet,the result will be in cubic feet. If the model is built in meters, the result will be in cubic meters.

Example: Volume Calculation of hill based on comparison to a flat plane at an elevation of 172 meters.

9.21 Filtering



9.21.1 Set Alpha Filtering

Selecting Set Alpha Filtering allows the user to clip the displayed model by alpha value (if the model containsalpha values). This is typically used when importing data to allow models to be filtered by an additionaldata value outside the standard color, height, etc (collection time or detection probability, for instance). Note: this value will be scaled to an integer in the range 0-255, so this means is not suitable for filteringrequiring finer discrimination. Alpha Filtering is the mechanism for filtering by heights above ground level(AGL) that are established in the AGL Analyst.

See also: Import Alpha, AGL - Exploitation

9.21.2 Set Change Detection Filtering

The change detection filter allows users to filter changes in two ways: by volume or by vertical change. Forexample, users may want to discover changes in the terrain that are roughly the size of a house. Therefore,they may choose to filter out changes much smaller than a house that are just a visual distraction.

Instructions: Perform the binary change detection by selecting the Analysis menu, Add Vertex Colors toModel, Change Detection Map. Choose the comparison model. Choose Binary Color change detection. Select a noise threshold. Click OK. Once the change detection analysis is performed, use the Set ChangeDetection Filtering option from the Analysis menu. Adjust minimum and maximum volumes and/or theminimum and maximum differences (in altitude) as needed.

A Binary Change Detected Model and the Change Detection Filter Window:

9.21.3 Set Clipping Plane

Selecting Set Clipping Plane allows the user to specify an X, Y, and/or Z value above and/or below which allpoints will be clipped. This capability can, for example, make it easier to see features under overhangs inQTC files or to clip out erroneous data that is either above or below the correct model elevation range. Theuser simply chooses to clip above or below a specify altitude by sliding the appropriate X, Y, and/or Z sliderand choosing to "Clip Above" and/or Clip Below" or by manually entering a clipping altitude and using theleft and right arrows to raise and/or lower the clipping plane in increments of 1. The results will beimmediately displayed in the model.

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To display all points, uncheck all the clipping boxes.

Clipping is a temporary operation until the "Crop Model" button is pressed. "Crop Model" permanentlydeletes all points/vertices that have been visually clipped from the display. Caution: There is no "Undo"function, so use "Crop Model" with care.

Set Clipping Plane Window:

Related Topics: Above Ground Level (AGL) Analyst, Alpha Filtering

9.21.4 QTA Continuous Filtering

Overview:QTA continuous attribute filtering enables the selective viewing of points based on a given attribute'svalue. Examples of continuous LAS attributes (i.e., values in the LAS point data record) are intensity andscan angle rank. Examples of Quick Terrain Modeler’s calculated and appended continuous attributesare AGL and Grid Statistics results.

TO USE QTA CONTINUOUS ATTRIBUTE FILTERING:From the Analysis Menu > Filtering > QTA Continuous Attribute Filtering

1. From the pull-down menus, select the model name you wish to filter and the attribute on whichto apply the filter (e.g., intensity). Click “Pack Attribute into Filter Channel” and the Minimumand Maximum text boxes will populate with the min/max values of the selected attribute.

2. Select the type of filtering you wish to do by clicking the appropriate radio button (No Filtering,Filter Above, Filter Below, Filter Inside Band, Filter Outside Band).

3. If necessary, reset the Minimum and Maximum to better reflect where the bulk of the pointsare distributed using the histogram. Click Set Range Manually to reset the histogram.

4. The filter breakline can be adjusted by manually entering a number below the histogram and



clicking the Set Value 1 button. The breakline can also be moved by left clicking and draggingthe line left and right.

5. The palette and histogram can be right clicked for added customization. Right click to add orremove additional breaklines to create more filter classes. This context menu will also allowyou to show/hide (e.g., filter) and/or color the right clicked band. NOTE: the hatched patternmeans the band is hidden (filtered).

6. OPTIONAL, the histogram can be export by clicking the Export Histogram Button7. OPTIONAL, the Crop Model button can be pushed to permanently remove the filtered points.

NOTE: the original source data will remain unchanged. The crop is only “permanent” withinthe current Quick Terrain Modeler session. If needed, the original source data can be saved orexported over, but this is generally NOT RECOMMENDED.

Figure 1. QTA Continuous Filtering window is set to color every point with an intensity value (from LAS) lessthan 30 as red, and filter out all points with an intensity value greater than 30.

Figure 2. QTA Continuous Filtering window is set to filter the points outside a defined band of AGL (AboveGround Level) values, calculated by the AGL Analyst Tool. In this example, points with an AGL of between 5and 10 meters above the ground are green, while points below 5 and above 10 are filtered out.

9.21.5 Clear All Filters

The clear all filters function will remove any visual filters that are active. Points may have been visuallyfiltered (i.e, made temporarily invisible) due to QTA filtering, clipping planes, or alpha filtering. Use "Clear AllFilters" to quickly restore the rendering of all points.

9.22 Set Water Level

Users can simulate the effect of a rising water level. Note: This is a very simple analysis tool that simulatesrising water level in a terrain. It is not a substitute for complex hydrological models.

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Instructions: Open a model. From the "Analysis" menu, select "Set Water Level". The "Set Water Properties" Window will appear. Select your desired water level by using the Water Level slider. Select your desired water opacity by using the Water Opacity slider or by entering a numeric value. Decide whether to clip the resultant model (i.e., eliminate areas above or below a certain threshold.) The water level will rise and fall in real time as you move the slider. Click "OK" The terrain will show the simulated rise in water level

Once the desired water level is achieved, the user may draw a contour line representing everywhere the"water" hits the model. To do this, simply click the contour button. The contour line will be drawn. Oncedrawn, the contour line can be exported to an Auto CAD .dxf file. using the export tool.

Example:The user needs to know what impact a flood stage at 173 meters has on the Serpent Mound Model. The"Set Water Properties" Tool shows the user-input water elevation of 173 meters and the resulting impact onthe terrain. The user can now press the "Contour" button to draw a contour around the flooded area:

In addition, the user can perform a volume and/or area calculation on impacted regions by selecting an areawith either the Select Polygon or the Select Rectangle tool, then clicking the volume and/or area calculationbutton. The volume calculation represents the volume of "water" above the surface of the model, below thesurface of the "water", and bounded in X and Y by the selection rectangle or polygon. The area calculationrepresents the X-Y area occupied by "water" in the simulated flood. Both results will be in the units of themodel (e.g., for a model in meters, volume results will be in cubic meters and area results will be in squaremeters). Note that water level will appear on the profile window (bottom).


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10 Menu - Display

10.1 Display - Show/Hide

Show/Hide offers the user many options for turning specific display items on and off.

10.1.1 Show/Hide Models

Displays or hides open models. This is a very useful tool for isolating individual models or groups of modelswithout closing them. Users must click on the individual model names to display or hide each individualmodel. Users can press the "Show All" button to quickly display all models simultaneously, "Hide All" tostart with no models loaded, or "Invert All" to quickly toggle between the visible and hidden models.

To Use the Show/Hide Models Tool:

1. Load more than one model2. Select show/hide models either by selecting "Show/Hide" from the Display Menu or by right clicking

in the layer tree.3. The "Select Visible Models" GUI will appear.4. Choose whether to "Operate in Models" (i.e., without manually grouping them - this is the simplest

method) or to "Operate on Groups" (i.e., manually group certain models together to turn them on/offin distinct, user-defined groupings).

5. Checking "Automate/Flicker" will turn individual models or groups of models on/off automatically. Slide the slider to speed up or slow down the flicker rate.

6. Select which models should be visible by clicking on them and highlighting them.7. Use the Show, Hide, Invert, and Advance All button to change the display. Automated flicker will

flicker based on the last chosen operation (i.e., if "Invert All" is chosen last, automated flicker willcontinue to "invert all" visible models).

8. To assign groups, highlight specific models, then click "Assign Selected Models to Group". A Groupnumber will appear in the "Groups" list. Click the "Operate on Groups" radio button to scroll throughgroups instead of models.

Note: When a subset of loaded models are visible, resetting the view (from the primary button bar )will only reset the view to the extents of the visible model(s), rather than to the extents of all loadedmodels.

10.1.2 Show/Hide Textures

This function turns the display of textures (e.g., overlaid imagery) on and off. A texture is an overlaid image(e.g., a photograph) that is displayed as a texture in OpenGL.

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10.1.3 Use Height Coloration

Toggles the height coloration on and off.

10.1.4 Hide Markers

Removes markers from visibility in the open model (s).

10.2 Display - Options

The Display Options menu provides access to useful option settings.

10.2.1 Use Compressed Normals

Use Compressed Normals determines the manner in which the Quick Terrain Modeler sends normal vectorsto the video card. This option speeds up rendering on some video cards (notably most Nvidia based cards)and slows rendering on others. By default it is on for Nvidia cards and off for other chipsets. Once set, thisoption will persist even after you close and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

10.2.2 Shiny Terrain

Shiny Terrain will alter the reflectivity of the model surface, enhancing contrast at the cost of making thesurface appear "plastic". Once set, this option will persist even after you close and restart the Quick TerrainModeler.

10.2.3 Smooth Normals

Smooth Normals determines the manner in which sun-shading is applied to QTT surface models. WhenSmooth Normals is active, all triangles in the model will be shaded as if they were curved surfaces, basedupon the surface normals of the vertices comprising them. When Smooth Normals is disabled, the triangleswill be shaded as flat triangles. Once set, this option will persist even after you close and restart the QuickTerrain Modeler. For QTC point cloud models, this option determines whether or not normal vector shadingwill be applied to the point cloud (if the point cloud was generated with normal vectors).

10.2.4 Show Wireframe

Show Wireframe will display surfaced models as wire-frames. This will enable you to see the actual trianglesbeing drawn at various levels of detail.

10.2.5 Stereo Display Settings

Display > Options > Stereo Display Settings

Quick Terrain Modeler enables the output of a 3D stereo display signal. In order to enable and configure 3Dstereo output:

Hardware RequirementsQT Modeler's 3D stereo output capability requires a graphics card that support quad buffered stereo inOpenGL, such as the NVIDIA Quadro series of video cards.

Close Quick Terrain ModelerIn order for Quick Terrain Modeler to recognize a 3D Stereo display, the display hardware must beattached upon QT Modeler start up. It cannot be attached once QT Modeler is already running.

Attach 3D Stereo Display & Restart QT Modeler



Attach the 3D stereo display to the computer. Restart QT Modeler. In Display > Options, the selection for"Use 3D Stereo Display" should no longer be grayed out.

Adjust 3D Stereo Display SettingsThere are two adjustments possible to optimize the 3D Stereo output:

Separation: Establishes a multiplier for the distance that separates the left and right eye viewingpositions. The baseline eye separation is 1. Use the slider to increase eye separation by multiplying bya factor greater than 1 (maximum = 2) or decrease separation by adjusting to a separation multiplierless than 1 (smallest multiplier = 0.1). See diagram below.Parallax: Changes the parallax angle by multiplying the baseline parallax angle by the multiplierrepresented in the slider bar. It can be helpful also to think of this as moving the focus nearer/fartherto the observer, thus impacting the parallax angle of the two "eyes" shown in the diagram below. Maximum = 2, minimum = -2.

10.2.6 Show XYZ Axes

The Show Axes tool displays a tool which orients the user in 3-D space. The axes are labeled North-South (Xaxis), East-West (Y axis), and th blue arrow represents up-down (Z axis). The axes rotate with the model in3D space.

10.2.7 Show Compass

Show Compass activates two instruments in the upper portion of the screen that will display the currentcamera position and orientation with respect to the model center. The compass on the left displays nadir,while the compass on the right displays azimuth. The green arrows represent the orientation of the camera,

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while the red arrows represent the direction from the camera to the model center. Thus, aligning the greenarrows with the red will point the camera at the model center. Once set, this option will persist even afteryou close and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

10.2.8 Show Crosshairs

Show Crosshairs activates or deactivates red cross hairs in the center of the rendering window. Once set,this option will persist even after you close and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

10.2.9 Show Haze

Show Haze will allow you to add haze to the model display. Once you have activated this option, you mayset the visibility distance by selecting Set Haze Distance from the Display...Settings menu. This will summona dialog window with a slider ranging from "0" to twice the current model radius. Adding haze can alsospeed up rendering, as the renderer need not display any features further away from the Modeler than thecurrent visibility.

10.2.10 Show Legend

Legends appear in the lower left corner of the model space for many purposes. Among them are:

Altitude Legend (shown below): The altitude legend displays relationship between altitude and color. These colors can be set automatically with a pre-built palette (earth tones or blue-to-red) or can becustomized by the user. In any case, the altitude legend will be displayed in the lower left corner of theQuick Terrain Modeler window. Change Detection Legend: The change detection legend displays the relationship between the color ofthe model surface and the change in altitude that was detected in the Change Detection analysis. QTA Quick ColorationHelicopter Landing Zone (HLZ) AnalysisGrid StatisticsLine of Sight Analysis

Instructions: To turn the legend on or off, simply check/uncheck the "Show Legend" selection in the Displaymenu, Options settings.

Altitude Color Legend and Change Detection Legend:

10.2.11 Show Light

Show Light will provide a graphical representation of the light direction while you are changing it using "Ctrl"plus the right mouse button. Once set, this option will persist even after you close and restart the QuickTerrain Modeler.



10.2.12 Show Minimap

QT Modeler's Mini Map tool provides quick spatial context for all loaded data. While it may appear similarto QTM's primary 3D model space, it differs in several ways:

Mini Map is always zoomed to full extents. You cannot zoom in.Mini Map is always a 2D viewMini Map cannot be rotated or tilted.Mini Map is dockable. It can be undocked from the main window and enlarged to create a full-size 2Dcontext window, possibly on a secondary monitor. Simply click the "Undock" button contained

within the minimap button bar - Mini Map shows a footprint of the visible model area (white vector outline) that is being visualized inthe primary window. Rather than the model and view moving, the model/view stays static and theview footprint moves dynamically.The diamond visible in the mini map is the position of the "camera" - i.e., where your "eyes" are asyou look into the primary 3D sceneCreate markers (hold down 'M' and click)Place mensuration line (type S, E, C, and click) Place Vectors (Press V) now works on the minimapCoordinate Conversion: Left click in Mini Map, press 'P' to call up coordinate converterCreate range rings: Left click in Mini Map, press 'R' to create range rings

Things you can do in the Mini Map:

Double Click on a location in the mini map to zoom to that location in the main view. Your currentcamera position and orientation will be preserved.Right click and drag a rectangle in the mini map to zoom to that rectangle in the primary viewToggle height coloration, overlaid textures, vertex colors, vectors, and markers to make them visible/invisible in the mini map

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10.2.13 Show Model Names/Outlines

Many users have terrain models built from dozens or hundreds of individual models and/or data sets. When these are loaded together, it is useful to display the outline of each model as well as the file name. With the outlines and names displayed, users can reference individual tiles of data and easily refer back tothem.

Instructions: Simply go to the Display menu, Options submenu and check the "Show Model Names/Outlines". Note: Quick Terrain Modeler's "Show Model Names/Outlines" function works continuously in 2-D mode, but only works in 3-D mode if the user "Resets Display". In 3-D mode, as soon as the model movesout of the original position, the tile map will disappear. The tile map will reappear after clicking the "ResetDisplay" button.

10.2.14 Show Sky

Show Sky will add a colored sky dome about the current model. This dome will be colored to represent thetime of day indicated by the current light direction. It will fade from deep blues and white at noon to darkblue and black at night. A sun will also be drawn at the position corresponding to the current light direction. Once set, this option will persist even after you close and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

10.2.15 Set Display Units

Display > Options > Set Display Units

QT Modeler can display measurements in a number of display units, regardless of the native units of themodel. For example, it may be useful to display measurements in feet, even if the native units of the modelare in meter. This conversion is for display purposes only and will not affect the underlying units of thedata. This tool can be accessed from the Display Menu > Options > Set Display Units. Use the pulldownmenu to select the desired display units. Use "Global Default" to display all measurements in the nativeunits of the model.

Display units will impact the following displays in QT Modeler:

Mensuration LineScale Bar (2D Mode only)Range RingsAGL AnalystLOS AnalystParade Route LOSPoint to Point LOSHLZ AnalystZ in status bar



10.3 Display - Settings

10.3.1 Cloud Point Settings

Changing the size of the points in a point cloud is one of the most useful visualization settings. The "CloudPoint Settings" interface is in the Display...Settings menu.

There are three basic ways to render the points of a point cloud:

1. Fixed Size: This setting will render all points the same size, regardless of zoom level or relative position tothe viewing plane. Use this in conjunction with the "Base Size" slider to optimize viewing of the pointcloud.

2. Point Autosize: This setting renders all points the same size, but will automatically adjust the size of thepoints based on zoom level. As the user zooms in, the points become larger, and as the user zooms out,the points become smaller. Point Autosizing should also be used in conjunction with he "Base Size" sliderto establish a preferred base size for the points.

3. Voxel Autosize: Voxel autosize will render points at different sizes, based on their relative position to theviewing plane. Points that are close the viewing plane will be rendered large, whereas points that are farfrom the viewing plane will be rendered small.

Checking the "Antialias (Circular Points)" button will do two things when in Voxel mode: First, the pointswill become circular instead of square. Second, the delineation between "rings" of different sized points willbe eliminated. Please note that anti-aliasing happens on the graphics card, so very old versions of OpenGLor cards with integrated graphics chips may see a significant rendering speed hit when using this feature. Ifthis is the case, simply uncheck the box.

It can be useful to toggle between these modes by clicking between the three radio buttons. Adjusting thebase size slider can also help achieve the desired point viewing effect.

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10.3.2 DisplaySettingsMensurationOptions

Display > Settings > Mensuration Settings (Also accessed by pressing the "Options" button in the mensuration data window after a line has beenplaced

The appearance of the mensuration line can be changed significantly as desired. The items that can bechanged on the mensuration line are:

1. Real Time Display (Readout): The real time readout on the end of the line can display one of thefollowing:

3D: displays the distance in 3 dimensions (XYZ distance), taking elevation change into accountwhen calculating the distance2D: calculates and displays the distance in 2 dimensions (XY distance only). Z: calculates and displays only the change in elevation from the beginning of the line to thecursor position.Slope: The slope between the two end points of the line. This is not an average slopecalculation. It is simply point to point.Az: Displays the azimuth (heading) in degrees of the line from start to end.Combo: Displays 3D distance, slope, and azimuth together. Good for documenting HelicopterLanding Zones (HLZ).None - no display.

2. Real Time Display (Calculation Methodology):From Start - calculates the distance/Z/Slope/Azimuth chosen above from the start to the endof a multi-segmented line, disregarding any interim vertices/nodes in the line. Literally fromthe start point to the end point.Cumulative: calculates the distance/Z/Slope/Azimuth chosen above from the start to the endof a multi segmented line - following the track of any interim vertices/nodes in the line. Usefulto think of this as the "walking route" along the entire measurement line.From Last Point - calculates either the 3D, 2D, or Z change only from the last vertex/node of amulti segmented line.

3. Line Height: Only applicable to "floating" line. Sets the height above the terrain/point cloud thatthe measurement line will be displayed.

4. Line Color: Click the line color button to change the color of the measurement line.

5. Line Display: Floating: Mensuration line connects line nodes with a single, straight line.Terrain Hugging: Mensuration line is sampled at roughly the data resolution, thus creating aline that hugs the terrain.Both: Display both floating and terrain hugging at the same time.

Images show the Mensuration Options Interface and terrain hugging/floating mensuration lines.



10.3.3 Set Background Color

Selecting Set Background Color allows the user to specify the background "empty space" color for therendering window.

10.3.4 Set Haze Distance

This setting allows you to set the distance at which terrain becomes indistinguishable when haze is active.

10.3.5 Set Height Scale

This setting allows you to apply a multiplier to all of the Z-values in the currently displayed models. This issometimes useful for exaggerating features in relatively flat data sets. The Elevation (Z) value in the statusbar will not change if height scales are exaggerated (i.e., elevation measurements will still be accurate.) TheSet Height Scale function can be accessed from the "Set Height Scale" button:

Note: Exaggerating height scale can impact lighting conditions. The user may need to reset lighting to makethe terrain brighter.

The Serpent Mound Model before and after scaling the height by a factor of 4. Note the change in thestatus bar:

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10.3.6 Set Lighting

This setting allows you to manipulate model lighting in two ways. First, you can directly control theintensity of the ambient and direct lighting. These settings will persist even after you close and restart theQuick Terrain Modeler. Second, you can set the current lighting angle to a given time and date (assumingthe current model has been appropriately positioned and labeled geographically). These tools can be helpfulin predicting the appearance of terrain at some future date or to help line up with aerial photographs takenat a known (or unknown) time and date.

Note: While setting the lighting directions impacts the real time display of the model, it may also be helpfulto create a shadow map for specific lighting conditions. A shadow map will cast geo-correct shadows thatare not a normal part of the real-time lighting/shading. Shadow maps will not work on a point cloud.

10.3.7 Set Vector Line Size

Set Vector Line Size enables the user to adjust the thickness of vector overlays. Simply move the slider barright to make vector lines thicker and left to make them thinner. Please note that vector lines are createdfrom tools such as contour line generation and grid lines. Vector lines are also the result of importingshapefile vectors. Once the vector line size is set, it will persist at the new thickness until set to a differentthickness.



10.4 Layer Opacity Control

Layer Opacity

Display > Layer Opacity (Also Accessed by Right Clicking "Special Overlays" Folder in Layer Tree) Overview:Layer Transparency allows for user defined customization of varying coloration. The Quick TerrainModeler has different color channels for variables such as Vertex Channel, Base Model, Height, FilterChannel, Texture Imagery, and Lighting. These variables can be set for different transparency/opacityfor better visualization. Examples of use would be to configure the slider bars to show a vertex colorsuch as Intensity (when in the vertex channel), along with AGL (when in the filter channel) with overlaidimagery (when in the texture slot). NOTE: Layer Transparency can also be accessed by left clicking theSpecial Overlay line item in the layer tree.

TO USE Layer Transparency:From the Display Menu > Layer Transparency

1. Drag the Slider Bars for each variable toward the right to decrease their Transparency

2. Drag the Slider Bars for each variable toward the left to increase their Transparency

3. Check the check box at the top of the interface to reset the transparency after clearing allmodels. This can be useful if transparency controls are set to meet specific conditions of agiven model/analysis/texture combination, but are generally not needed. Furthermore, finelytuned layer opacity settings may not be as useful in the next project, and are easily overlooked. Unless there is a specific need to remember layer opacity settings, this check box is best leftchecked.

4. NOTE: there must be an attribute or data loaded for the slider bars to change opacity. Forexample, if the vertex channel of the model is empty, the vertex color slider bar will have noeffect on the coloration.

5. NOTE: most of these variables are additive so that, in some combinations, the display of anindividual point may appear black. If this occurs, change the color band of the original attributein a place such as Analysis > QTA Attribute Analysis > Color By QTA Attribute

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Figure 1. Layer transparency window in the default settings.

10.5 Set Base Model Color

Sets the default color of the underlying model. This can be useful when comparing two models orperforming change analysis between models. It is sometimes very helpful to load a point cloud and asurface model of the same data set together. In the example below, the user has created a gridded surfacemodel (QTT) and an ungridded point cloud (QTC) of the same data set. By setting the base model color ofthe point cloud to blue, the user can easily see where the original data exists and where the data is sparse. Note the area of no data below, which is normal for a LiDAR survey over water.

Note that base model colors will be reflected in terrain profiles (shown on the right below). If multiplemodels are set with different base colors, all of these colors will be reflected in the terrain profile window.

10.6 Status Bar Options

Status Bar Options enables two basic settings for the readout of the position under the cursor:

1. Change the coordinate system that reads out in the status bar. In order for this real time coordinateconversion to occur, data must be in UTM or geodetic (lat/long) coordinates. At this time, QTM cannotconvert between state plane and other coordinate systems.

2. Show the range from the "camera" (i.e., simulating where the user's eyes are relative to the terrain) andthe model itself. This can be useful to understand what a scene may look like from a given distance. This isthe range from the camera to the point underneath the cursor.

Note that when the coordinates displayed in the status bar are no longer the native coordinates of themodel, the status bar will be colored yellow. In the example below, the range to the model at the pointunder the cursor is 177.87 meters.



10.7 Toggle Clouds/Surface

Toggles between point cloud and surface models. This function can toggle a gridded surface model to apoint cloud, but not vice versa.

10.8 Autocolor Model

Autocolor Model allows the user to assign a unique base model color to every loaded model. This is a usefultool if many models are loaded and the user needs to distinguish between them. This can be particularlyuseful when evaluating multiple overlapping point clouds. Autocoloration can be quickly removed by themenu selection "Remove Model Colors" Note that model colors will be reflected in the terrain profilewindow (i.e, each profile will take the color of the respective model).

Example: Four adjacent tiles of point cloud data with no model coloration:

Example: The same four adjacent tiles of point cloud data with model autocoloration and Show ModelNames/Outlines Activated:

10.9 Configure Vector Models

Display > Configure Vector Models

The Configure Vector Models tool provides an interface to set display preferences for any loaded vectormodel. In addition, the user can set the default display parameters for all vector models. Typical vectormodels are:

Contour LinesGrid LinesRange RingsSampled/Unsampled Vector AnnotationImported Vectors

The basic functions in this tool are:

1. Select vector model to configure. Use the "Vector Model" pull down menu. A vector model must beloaded in the scene to appear in the list.

2. Rename Vector Model: This is an optional step that can make it easier to identify loaded vectors. Forexample, there may be several vectors called "Mensuration1", "Mensuration2", etc. It may be helpfulto name the something more descriptive (e.g., building roofline, road, etc.)

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3. Set Line Style: Current choices are solid, dashed, dotted, dash-dot, and mensuration.4. Set Line Color: Click the Set Color button and choose a color from the palette.5. Choose an end style: Currently there is only a choice to apply arrows to either end.6. Choose a Line Size: Alters the thickness of the vector line.7. Add a caption by checking the "Display Caption" box, editing caption text, and choosing how/where

the caption should be displayed.8. Set Defaults: Applied current choices to all future vectors placed in the model.9. Sample Z from Models will sample a Z value from the loaded model at each vertex of a vector. These

sampled vectors can subsequently be exported as a 3D shapefile.

10.10 Remove Model Colors

Remove Model Colors resets the base model color of all loaded models to gray. Very useful in conjunctionwith the Autocolor Models and Set Base Model Color functions.

10.11 Layer Transparency

Layer Opacity

Display > Layer Opacity (Also Accessed by Right Clicking "Special Overlays" Folder in Layer Tree) Overview:Layer Transparency allows for user defined customization of varying coloration. The Quick TerrainModeler has different color channels for variables such as Vertex Channel, Base Model, Height, FilterChannel, Texture Imagery, and Lighting. These variables can be set for different transparency/opacityfor better visualization. Examples of use would be to configure the slider bars to show a vertex colorsuch as Intensity (when in the vertex channel), along with AGL (when in the filter channel) with overlaidimagery (when in the texture slot). NOTE: Layer Transparency can also be accessed by left clicking theSpecial Overlay line item in the layer tree.

TO USE Layer Transparency:From the Display Menu > Layer Transparency

1. Drag the Slider Bars for each variable toward the right to increase their Transparency

2. Drag the Slider Bars for each variable toward the left to increase their Transparency



3. NOTE: there must be an attribute or data loaded for the slider bars to change opacity. Forexample, if the vertex channel of the model is empty, the vertex color slider bar will have noeffect on the coloration.

4. NOTE: most of these variables are additive so that, in some combinations, the display of anindividual point may appear black. If this occurs, change the color band of the original attributein a place such as Analysis > QTA Attribute Analysis > Color By QTA Attribute


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11 Menu - Control

11.1 Edit Camera Settings

The camera configuration - including position, orientation, and Field of View (FOV) may be altered directlyby selecting Edit Camera Settings from the Control menu. This allows the user to enter values numericallyor with sliders rather than by graphically moving about the model.

11.2 Face Center

This command forces the display to face the center of the model, regardless of its current orientation. It ishelpful to quickly reorient towards the center.

11.3 Go to Point

The "Go to Point" function performs the same function as the coordinate conversion utility which is asfollows:

Provides a simple way to convert a single point between five coordinate systems - UTM, Geodetic(decimal degrees), Geodetic (Degrees/minutes), Geodetic (degrees/minutes/seconds), and MilitaryGrid Reference System (MGRS).Allows the user to quickly zoom to the location specified in the interface or to pre-placed markers.Create markers in specific locations.Convert existing marker positions between the five coordinate systems mentioned above.Determine elevation values for specific X-Y positions.


Manually: To manually go to a specific location, simply type in the coordinates in one of the fiveavailable coordinate system input fields. Regardless of which coordinate system is entered, all fivewill be immediately updated to the new position.From a Marker: If markers are loaded, the user can select a marker from the "Marker" pull downmenu. Once a marker is selected, the position of the marker will be populated in the five coordinatesystems.From a Position in the model: To convert the coordinates of any position in the model, simply pointthe cursor to that position, left click the mouse, and type "P" on the keyboard. The position under

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the cursor will be populated in all five coordinate systems.




"Look Here": This function brings the location (or marker) to the center of the screen, but using thecurrent camera position. This operation is equivalent to rotating one's head to put an object in thecenter of the field of view. The head (camera) is rotated (camera heading) and/or tilted (camerapitch), but the head (camera) stays in the same position. For this reason, Zoom level is irrelevantwith respect to "Look Here". To "Look" at a point, simply enter the position manually or by typing"P", then click "Look Here". To "Look" at a marker, simply select the appropriate marker from thepull down menu and click "Look Here""Go Here": This function reorients the model so the user is looking straight down (nadir view) on theposition or marker. In contrast to the "Look Here" function, the "Go Here" function moves thecamera position, points it straight down at the marker, and orients the model north-up. The ZoomLevel is important when using the "Go Here" function, as it will determine how closely the user iszoomed in when the "Go Here" button is pressed"Zoom Level": Zoom Level determines how closely the user will be zoomed in when using the "GoHere" function. The zoom level is irrelevant when using the "Look Here" function.

Using Coordinate Conversion Utility with "Cartesian" CoordinatesAt this time, the Quick Terrain Modeler can not convert between Cartesian coordinates and the fivecoordinate systems noted above. The functionality of "Look Here", "Go Here", and marker creation stillapply.



11.4 Point to Point Viewing

Analysis Menu > Visibility Analysis > Point to Point Viewing

Control Menu > Point to Point Viewing

Point to point viewing enables the user to "become" a marker (i.e., position QTM's camera right at themarker location and look out across the 3D scene) and look at other markers in the scene. The controlmode will shift to "free flight mode" while performing point to point viewing. This means the camera willlook right/left/up/down from the position of the marker. In addition, the user can see distances, changes inelevation, angles of inclination, line of sight vectors, and optionally look at the terrain profile between themarkers.

Instructions are as follows:

Open a model and imagery.Open 3D data - DEM's, surface models, point clouds, etc. Drape imagery (i.e., textures) over the model fora more realistic view. Please note that opening imagery by itself will not provide satisfactory results, asthere is no elevation component (i.e., everything will be perfectly flat - with no readout of elevations).

Establish two or more markers in the terrain. This can be done by placing markers, importing markers, or creating markers from a point. It may also behelpful to use the "find highest point" tool in the analysis menu to place the marker precisely in the veryhighest point in an area.

Open Point Viewing from the Control Menu or Analysis > Visibility Analysis Menu

Select a marker to "Go To" and "Look At". The "Go To" marker is the marker from which the viewer's perspective will originate (i.e., the start point). The "Look At" marker is the marker to which the view will be directed (i.e., the end point).

Click "Show Me"

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The viewing perspective will change to being "on top of" the marker and looking at the "Look At" marker.

Look Around (Free Flight Mode)As long as the "Point to Point Viewing" interface is open, the control mode will be Flight Mode. Therefore, to rotate around the "start" marker, simply left click and drag the mouse. To move forward,hold down the right mouse button.

Set Observer/Target HeightsIt may be useful to adjust heights of both the observer and target in the scene. Simply slide the sliders ortype in a new height value in the text input window. You will need to click "Show Me" again to reset theview. changing the target height will not impact the view, but changing the observer height will.

Analysis: Distances, Changes in Elevation, Profile Line, etc.The Vector Info section will display the distance (both air and ground), change in elevation, inclination,and azimuth between the observer and the target.

Use the radio buttons to show the Line of Sight (LOS) vectors between the observer and the target("selected") or between the observer and every other marker in the scene ("All"). Note that these vectorsmay not be visible from the original perspective after clicking "Show Me".

Click "View Profile" to call up the terrain profile analysis window and "refresh list" to update list ofavailable markers (if new markers were placed after opening the Point to Point LOS window).

11.5 Reset Viewer

Reset viewer is a helpful command if you get disoriented when navigating through a large model and justneed to start over. Disorientation can occur if significant changes are made to lighting, clipping planes,model positions, alpha filtering, and/or height scales. The reset viewer function performs the followingfunctions:

Zooms the display to the full extents of the loaded model(s).Resets Lighting intensity (both ambient and direct) and lighting direction to the default settings.Resets height scale to 1.Resets elevation clipping planes.Resets alpha filtering.Turns all loaded models back on, even if they have been turned off in the show/hide models function.



Note, simply zooming to the extents of the model without resetting the parameters above can be achievedby pressing the reset display button.

11.6 Control Mode

The Quick Terrain Modeler provides six modes in which you can interact with your models: IndependentRotation, Model mode, Flight mode, Terrain Following mode, Constant Altitude mode, and Targeted Pointmode. The default mode is Model mode, but you may change the mode at any time using the Controlmenu. The last-used mode will be remembered even after you close and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

While you manipulate the Modeler in any mode, it will adjust the refinement level at which it displays themodel to maintain the current target frame rate - which defaults to 8 frames per second. This value may bealtered by selecting Set Frame rate from the Control...Options menu.

In all modes except Model Mode collision detection will be enforced unless you disable it in the Optionsmenu. Pressing the "Space bar" will always rotate the camera to face the center of the model, whileselecting Reset Viewer from the Commands menu will return the camera to its initial position andorientation. Pressing "T" (for Transport) will automatically move the camera to the position on the surfaceof the model indicated by the current mouse position.

In all modes you may change the lighting angle by holding down the "Ctrl" key and the Right mouse buttonand dragging the mouse. If you have selected Show Light from the Options menu, you will be provided witha graphical indication of the light direction while you change the lighting angle.

11.6.1 Constant Altitude

This mode functions just like Terrain Following mode except that you are fixed at a constant absolutealtitude rather than at a constant altitude with respect to the ground. Whereas in Terrain Following modeyou will automatically rise and sink as you pass over hills. In Constant Altitude mode your motion will berestricted to a flat plane.

11.6.2 Flight Mode

This mode allows you to interact with the model as if you were an aircraft moving about a fixed terrain. InFlight mode, the following commands control your motion:

Holding down the left mouse button and dragging the mouse will rotate your view in space (the samemay be accomplished using the arrow keys). Motion in Flight mode is cylindrical - you will rotate withrespect to the absolute z-axis rather than with respect to your view direction (as in the Model mode). Holding down the right button will cause you to begin moving forward until you release the button (thesame may be accomplished using "Home" and "End" on the keyboard, or using the mouse-wheel onwheel-mice). Holding down "Shift" and the right mouse button and dragging cause you to slide in space - sideways forhorizontal mouse motion and up/down for vertical mouse motion. Holding down "Shift" and the left mouse button and dragging will cause you to roll with respect to theterrain. Movement speed may be altered by selecting Set Moving Speed from the Control...Options menu.

11.6.3 Model Mode

Model mode allows you to manipulate the loaded model as if it were an object in space. In Model mode,the following actions control your motion:

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Holding down the left mouse button and dragging the mouse will rotate the model in space (the samemay be accomplished using the arrow keys). Holding down the right button and dragging will translate the model's position in space. Holding down both buttons and dragging will zoom in and out (the same may be accomplished using"Home" and "End" on the keyboard, or using the mouse-wheel on wheel-mice).

11.6.4 Terrain Following

This mode functions much like Flight mode save that your altitude above the ground is fixed. Whateveraltitude you are at when you switch to Terrain Following mode will be maintained as you move about themodel. All motion will be translated into X-Y motion, enabling you to move forward regardless of yourcurrent look angle.

11.6.5 Targeted Point

This mode functions similarly to Model mode, but allows you to rotate about while keeping the view fixedon a "target point". You can pan as normal for Model mode, but when rotating and zooming your center-of-view on the terrain is kept fixed.

Holding down the left mouse button and dragging the mouse will rotate your view about the target point(the same may be accomplished using the arrow keys). Holding down the right button and dragging will pan the camera, allowing you to move to a new targetpoint. Holding down both buttons and dragging will zoom in and out (the same may be accomplished using"Home" and "End" on the keyboard, or using the mouse-wheel on wheel-mice).

11.6.6 Enforce Collisions

Enforce Collisions determines whether or not the Modeler will be prevented from moving through theterrain in Flight Mode, Terrain Following Mode, and Constant Altitude Mode. Once set, this option willpersist even after you close and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

11.6.7 Independent Rotation

When multiple models are loaded, independent rotation allows two models to be rotated semiindependently of each other. This may be useful to compare two models that would otherwise be right nextto each other. This must be used in conjunction with model mode.

11.6.8 Orbit Mode

Typing "O" on the keyboard causes the model to rotate about its center. Any other control input will endthe orbit mode.

11.6.9 Google Earth Style Zoom

Control > Control Mode > Google Earth Style Zoom

Checking the "Google Earth Style Zoom" simply reverses the functionality of the mouse scroll wheel withrespect to zooming. The default behavior is to pull the wheel towards you to zoom in, push the wheel awayfrom you to zoom out. Checking this choice reverses the functionality, thus making the scroll wheel behaveidentically to Google Earth and some other geospatial software packages. To change the functionality, go toControl Menu > Control Mode > Google Earth Style Zoom and check/uncheck the feature as desired.



11.6.10 Synchronize Google Earth

Synchronizing Google Earth enables model positional commands to be sent continuously and in real time toGoogle Earth, thus synchronizing zooming, panning, rotation, and tilt. Synchronization of movementenables an intuitive context for generally smaller areas of elevation data. This tool combined with exportingmodel outlines to KML permits a simple, interactive understanding of where survey areas are. Synchronizing Google Earth is found in the Control...Control Mode... Menu

A non-continuous synchronization with Google Earth can be achieved by unchecking "Synchronize GoogleEarth" and simply typing "G" on the keyboard whenever a periodic synchronization of views is desired.

11.7 Display Mode

Quick Terrain Modeler users can select a 2-D display mode as well as the normal 3-D display mode. Someuseful notes are as follows:

In 2-D mode, the model will always stay oriented North-South. In 2-D mode, the user can zoom and pan, but can not rotate or tilt.Display of shape files is sometimes more effective in 2-D mode. If shape files extend beyond the 3-Dmodel surface, they may not be visible when in 3-D mode (e.g., they may "fall off" the edges of a modelsince 2-D shape files have no inherent elevation values). In 2-D mode, Quick Terrain Modeler will "push" vectors to the top of the display. 2-D shape files aredifficult to project into 3-D space, thus they may weave in and out of the 3-D surface, limiting visibilityin 3-D mode. After loading 2D vectors into a 3D model, toggling to 2D mode may be the best way tovisualize the entire shape files.

11.7.1 Display Mode 2D

2-D mode allows users to display and manipulate models in 2-D. Simply click the 2-D mode button toenter this mode. 2D mode does not permit tilting of the model, but does permit zoom, rotation, andpanning.

11.7.2 Display Mode 3D

3-D mode allows users to display and manipulate models in 3-D. Simply click the 3-D mode button toenter this mode.

11.8 Control - Options

There are two Control options - Set Framerate and Set Moving Speed.

11.8.1 Set Framerate

This setting allows you to set the target frame rate that the Modeler will attempt to maintain as youmanipulate models. Whenever you move about the model the refinement level will be dropped as far asnecessary to maintain the requested frame rate. The setting will be remembered even after you close andrestart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

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11.8.2 Set Moving Speed

This setting controls the speed at which you move about the model. It will be remembered even after youclose and restart the Quick Terrain Modeler.

11.9 Load View/Position

Loads Presaved position files (.qtv files previously saved by user).

11.10 Save View/Position

Saves a specific perspective on a model. This is particularly useful if a given vantage point or perspectiveprovides a unique insight (e.g., illustrates visibility to a critical infrastructure facility) that needs to berepeated for a variety of audiences. The position will be saved as a .qtv file and named as the user desires.


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12 Menu - Markers

12.1 Place Marker

Provides the same functionality as the Place Marker Pin button . The user can add custom labeled andcolored markers to indicate positions of important features and to create Line-of-Sight maps. To place amarker, the user can click on the "Place Marker Pin" button in the toolbar, left-clicking and dragging themouse on the model to the desired position. The user can then edit markers positions, names, sizes andcolors by selecting Edit Marker, Set Marker Size and Show Labels from the Markers menu.

Markers can also be placed by holding down "M" on the keyboard and left clicking on the location where amarker needs to be placed.

NOTE: Markers will NOT be automatically saved when saving a model. Markers must be saved separately inthe Markers pull-down menu and loaded as a Tile Set later.

12.2 Create Marker

Similar to the place marker functionality, but the user selects all parameters about the marker prior toplacing it in the model. This tool is useful if the user knows precisely where markers need to be placed.

12.3 Create at Point

The "Create at Point" function performs the same function as the coordinate conversion utility which is asfollows:

Provides a simple way to convert a single point between five coordinate systems - UTM, Geodetic(decimal degrees), Geodetic (Degrees/minutes), Geodetic (degrees/minutes/seconds), and MilitaryGrid Reference System (MGRS).Allows the user to quickly zoom to the location specified in the interface or to pre-placed markers.Create markers in specific locations.Convert existing marker positions between the five coordinate systems mentioned above.Determine elevation values for specific X-Y positions.




Manually: To manually go to a specific location, simply type in the coordinates in one of the fiveavailable coordinate system input fields. Regardless of which coordinate system is entered, all fivewill be immediately updated to the new position.From a Marker: If markers are loaded, the user can select a marker from the "Marker" pull downmenu. Once a marker is selected, the position of the marker will be populated in the five coordinatesystems.From a Position in the model: To convert the coordinates of any position in the model, simply pointthe cursor to that position, left click the mouse, and type "P" on the keyboard. The position underthe cursor will be populated in all five coordinate systems.




"Look Here": This function brings the location (or marker) to the center of the screen, but using thecurrent camera position. This operation is equivalent to rotating one's head to put an object in thecenter of the field of view. The head (camera) is rotated (camera heading) and/or tilted (camerapitch), but the head (camera) stays in the same position. For this reason, Zoom level is irrelevantwith respect to "Look Here". To "Look" at a point, simply enter the position manually or by typing"P", then click "Look Here". To "Look" at a marker, simply select the appropriate marker from thepull down menu and click "Look Here""Go Here": This function reorients the model so the user is looking straight down (nadir view) on theposition or marker. In contrast to the "Look Here" function, the "Go Here" function moves thecamera position, points it straight down at the marker, and orients the model north-up. The ZoomLevel is important when using the "Go Here" function, as it will determine how closely the user iszoomed in when the "Go Here" button is pressed"Zoom Level": Zoom Level determines how closely the user will be zoomed in when using the "GoHere" function. The zoom level is irrelevant when using the "Look Here" function.

Using Coordinate Conversion Utility with "Cartesian" CoordinatesAt this time, the Quick Terrain Modeler can not convert between Cartesian coordinates and the fivecoordinate systems noted above. The functionality of "Look Here", "Go Here", and marker creation stillapply.

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12.4 Edit Marker

Allows the user to change any attribute about a marker, including its name, color and position. In addition,the user can attach a sensor model to the marker or attach additional information to a marker throughimporting from a CSV file. Attaching a sensor model enables a variety of Line of Sight Analyses that mayinvolve sensors at or near the terrain, or may involve sensors very far from the terrain.

If a user enters an altitude Above Ground Level (AGL), Quick Terrain Modeler will query the model and resetthe altitude value to that distance above the model.

12.5 Marker - Sensor Model

Adding a sensor simulates both the position and visibility characteristics of sensors, thus enabling a widevariety of Line of Sight (LOS) Analysis. The following are several examples of potential needs for a sensormodel:

Video surveillance camera placed at or near the model surface.Directional communications antenna placed at or near the surface.Airborne photographic sensor at some distance away from the model surface.

The sensor is defined relative to the marker position. The following parameters must be specified by theuser:

Boresight Angle: Boresight is defined as the line that begins at the center of the sensor and ends at themarker the user has created and to which the sensor model is attached. All parameters defined in thesensor are relative to this boresight which becomes the centerline for the angles defined below:

Sensor Azimuth: Azimuth is measured in degrees clockwise from north (north as defined in the model). Note that this angle is relative to the sensor. If the user has defined the sensor position relative to theground point, simply add 180 degrees to the ground azimuth.Sensor Elevation: Elevation is defined as degrees up from horizontal relative to the sensor. Because it



is defined relative to the sensor, most airborne sensors will have a negative value for elevation. If theuser wishes to convert a "grazing angle" to sensor elevation angle, simply insert a negative sign in frontof the elevation angle (e.g., 30 degree grazing angle becomes -35 degree sensor elevation angle).Sensor Roll: Roll is defined as degrees clockwise relative to the boresight that starts at the sensor andends at the marker.

Field of View:Horizontal Field of View (FOV): This is defined in degrees of total field horizontal of view centered alongthe sensor boresight.Vertical Field of View (FOV): This is defined in degrees of total field vertical of view centered along thesensor boresight.

Range:Range: Range is defined as the distance from the sensor to the marker along the boresight. The settingof range will likely fall into one of two categories:

a.) Sensors which are intended to be mounted on top of the marker (e.g., video surveillance camera,microwave communications antenna): These sensors should have their range set to zero.

b.) Sensors that will be relatively far from the markers (e.g., airborne camera, LiDAR sensor, etc.) shouldhave their range set to the distance between the sensor and the marker.

Save/Load Sensor Profile: Marker profiles can be saved and reloaded later by simply clicking the "Save"button, naming the file, and "Loading" later.

Two potential scenarios: The first (left) shows a potential setup for a surveillance camera that is intended tobe mounted "on top of" the marker. The second (right) illustrated a hypothetical airborne sensor that is 10km from the marker and has a 2 degree field of view. Note the negative elevation value.

Note that the marker changes shape if a sensor is attached:

12.6 Import Markers

Load MarkerImport Markers from ASCII FileImport Markers from CSV FileImport Markers from KMLImport Markers from Shape File

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12.6.1 Load Marker

Calls up previously saved markers which have been saved in Quick Terrain Modeler's proprietary MRKformat.

12.6.2 Markers - Import from ASCII File

The purpose of this function is to take an ASCII file that contains many individual points of interest (e.g.,seismic sources, ground control points, etc.), then create markers in the terrain by simply importing the fileonce. This will avoid repeatedly creating individual markers. Note: The Marker file must be in ASCII format

Instructions: Select Import From ASCII File from the Markers Menu. Select the ASCII file in which the markers are stored. An import window will appear. It will have apreview of the marker file in the "Sample Text from File" window. Note: if importing from a CSV file,please refer to the "Import marker from CSV File" Topic. Select the column to be used for the MarkerName. This is the text value that will be displayed as the marker label. It can be any column available.Specify the appropriate number of header lines as well as the column number for X (Easting), Y(Northing), Z (Altitude).If specific colors are associated with the data files, specify the columns for RGB by pressing the"Import RGB" button and specify the columns in which the colors are stored. If no specific colors arerequired, leave the "Import RGB" checkbox unchecked.Specify the coordinate system and UTM Zone (if applicable). Choosing the "Interpolate Z From Models" radio button allows the user to derive an elevation valuefrom the loaded model instead of from the marker information table. Choosing "Interpret Z as AGL" will place the markers above the terrain at the height specified in theelevation column. Use this if importing markers for use in Line of Sight Analysis.Click OK.Markers should appear immediately in the terrain.

Notes:If you require specific names for markers, specify the appropriate column of the ASCII data. The QuickTerrain Modeler will automatically name the markers based on the specified column. Do not includespaces in the names, as this will alter the column structure. It is helpful to think of the marker as a point in space. Therefore, it only has one elevation value. Theuser must decide if this elevation value should be on the surface (interpolated from the model), abovethe surface (AGL), or at a specific elevation (e.g., ground truth points).The "Strip Zone from Easting" checkbox should only be checked if the raw data has a UTM zoneprepended to the easting value (e.g., Optech REALM data). Otherwise, leave this box unchecked.If markers are categorized in broad groups (e.g., seismic sources, geophones, cell phone towers, powertransmission towers, etc.), it may be helpful for all markers in each group to be colored identically. For example, all cell phone towers could be red and all power transmission towers could be green. These values must be set in the source data file. In the source data file, red, green and blue valuesshould be in separate columns. If you desire markers to be the same color, make sure the same colorvalue is specified for each one in the source data file. If no colors are specified, the Quick TerrainModeler will assign a different color to each marker.The user may still edit markers once imported.

The two figures below show the Serpent Mound Model before and after importing four marker files from anASCII text file. The figure below shows the ASCII Text file import window.



The examples below show three possible configurations for importing markers. The first shows aconfiguration that will place the markers at a specific elevation in the terrain. The second configurationinterpolated the marker elevation value from the model. The third interprets the elevation value as heightAbove Ground Level (AGL), used primarily for Line of Sight Analysis.

12.6.3 Markers - Import from CSV File

The concept of importing markers from a CSV file is to enable users to attach much more information toeach marker than the standard X, Y, Z, R, G, B, and name currently available. For example, if a user wantedto catalog an inventory of power line poles, the attributes of pole height, capacity, last safety inspection, etc.may be desirable to attach to each marker. Quick Terrain Modeler can import this information, attach it toeach marker, and display it upon request.

To create markers from a CSV (Comma Separated Variable) file, follow these steps:

Load a model.Choose import markers from ASCII in the Marker Menu.Choose a CSV file to import from. This file must consist of a simple format with attribute labels in thefirst line, each separated by commas (no spaces).In the ASCII Import window, import as normal, but check the box "Import CSV Format Metadata" Box.Note that any column can be used as the marker label, but this can not be changed later.

Once the markers are imported, users can access the data associated with each marker by selecting EditMarker from the Marker Menu, selecting the appropriate marker, and clicking the "Info" button. A separatetext window will appear to display the marker information.

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12.6.4 Import Marker from KML

Importing markers from KML can be done by selecting "Import Markers from KML" from the markers menuand selecting a marker file. Multiple markers can be saved in the same KML file.

12.6.5 Markers - Import from SHP File

Users can import markers from 2D or 3D Point shapefiles. These shapefiles can either be created in QT byexporting markers to SHP or created in ESRI or other GIS packages by creating a point shapefile. QuickTerrain Modeler will use the first attribute after Feature ID (FID) and Shape as the marker label.

After selecting the appropriate file, choose the coordinate system from the pop-up menu, then selectwhether to interpret the height field as absolute, AGL (Above Ground Level), or to let Quick Terrain Modelerinterpolate an elevation from the loaded model. Markers will appear in the correct location.

12.7 Export Markers

Export Markers to KMLSave Markers

12.7.1 Export Marker to KML

Exporting markers to KML immediately export all loaded markers to KML and displays them in Google Earth. The markers will retain the user set name as the marker name in KML. See also Import Markers from KML



12.7.2 Save Markers

The "Save Markers" function allows the user to save markers for future reference. There arethree options for saving markers:

MRK Marker File: This is Quick Terrain Modeler's proprietary marker format. Markers inMRK format can simply be loaded with the "Load Marker" command and/or included in atile set.ESRI SHP File: This format exports specific marker locations in ESRI shape file format. Exporting in SHP format permits the rapid import of locations into ESRI GIS products andother software that can read shape files.ASCII File: This format creates a single ASCII file of marker names, locations, and colorattributes. The ASCII marker export format will contain one line for each marker. Each linewill have the following fields separated by a space: Marker Name, X, Y, Z, R, G, B (R, G, andB represent the color values for each marker). The following is an example of four markersexported in ASCII format:

Marker_4 289474.841781 4322520.553375 173.012600 0.000000 1.000000 1.000000Marker_3 289469.433626 4322337.827757 173.275339 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000Marker_2 289648.625381 4322430.345899 200.126480 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000Marker_1 289507.911077 4322461.531472 172.699119 1.000000 0.000000 0.000000

To save markers, highlight the markers to be saved, select the output type, and click OK.

Note: Markers are not automatically saved as part of a model.

12.8 Remove Markers

Allows the user to remove one or all markers from the display. Simply highlight the markers you wish toeliminate and click "OK". Each marker name will be preceded by the marker ID in order to differentiateidentically named markers from each other.

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12.9 Hide All Markers

Checking the Hide All Markers menu selection removes markers from the display. Unchecking Hide Markersplaces the markers in the display again.

12.10 Inspect Markers

Inspect Markers is a very specialized tool that allows users to methodically inspect markers one by one,visualize the loaded model near the marker, decide if the marker is valid (or marking something valid suchas a Vertical Obstruction, area of sparse LiDAR coverage, LiDAR data anomaly, or other feature of interest),and export the resulting "inspected marker list". In addition, users can edit, sort, export, Go To/Look At themarker, Export the marker(s), and search for models based on the marker coordinate. Show/Hide Markersis found in the Markers menu.

Instructions:

Create, Load, or Import MarkersFor the Inspect Markers capability to work, there must be markers in the scene. Markers can be placed inthe scene either by placing markers, creating markers, or importing markers. Some Notes relative tomarkers:

Place Markers by using the marker button or by holding down "M" and left clicking.Markers can also be created from point interrogation (hold down "SHIFT", then left click) or the GoTo window.Import markers from ASCII, KML, or shape file (SHP).Markers with attributes can be imported from an ASCII CSV file.

Open Inspect Markers Window (Markers Menu)Go to the Markers menu and select "Inspect Markers". A spreadsheet-like table will appear.

Set Visualization Options: Look At/Go To, Sync Google Earth, Display Only TargetThere are several choices to make regarding visualization of the inspected markers:

Look at vs. Go TO: As the user progresses through the list of markers, the view will shift to the nextmarker. The two choices for the visualization are:

Look At: Rotates the model at the current camera position to bring the marker to the centerof the view.Go To: Moves the view to directly above the marker (nadir view, i.e., straight down).

Sync Google Earth: Google Earth can be a valuable context tool when performing the markerinspection. It can give additional clues for objects like vertical obstructions, presence of water, orother contextual information. Check this box to ensure Google Earth "follows" each marker. NOTE: Google Earth synchronization only works in 32-bit mode.Display only Target: Only displays the marker being inspected. Prevents display of huge numbers of



loaded markers.

Sort Markers: Clicking an Attribute Name to Sort by that AttributeClick a column header to sort markers based on a specific attribute. During the inspection process, it maybe very beneficial to sort based on a specific attribute (e.g., vertical obstruction height, data density, etc.)to begin the marker inspection process.

Highlight a Marker to Begin Inspection processSince the marker inspection process is a one-by-one procedure, select the first marker to begin theprocess.

Enter Inspector Initials (Mandatory)Entering the inspector's initials is mandatory. This will serve not only to preserve the identity of theperson inspecting the markers, but also the status of marker inspection (i.e., has the marker beeninspected or not).

List All vs. List Local: Showing Only the Markers that Correspond to the Loaded ModelsUse the "List Local" button to display only markers that overlap the spatial extents of the loaded models. Markers may have been imported from a text file that contains markers for a large area, but only asubset of that area is currently loaded.

Advance to Next Uninspected MarkerAdvancing to the next uninspected marker advances the marker selection to the next marker in the listthat has not been inspected yet. It will skip any markers that have already been inspected.

Edit MarkersEdit marker values and attributes by clicking in a table "cell" and manually entering the new value.

Right Click on a Marker to Report, Remove, Edit, Find Models. Look At, or Go ToRight clicking on a selected marker or markers will display a context menu offering the followingfunctions:

Export: Select KML, SHP, or ASCIISet Color: Change the color of a marker(s)Remove: Delete the marker permanentlyFind Models: Activates the Find Model/Model Search window and populates the coordinates withthe coordinates of the marker.Look At: Rotates the model at the current camera position to bring the marker to the center of theview.Go To: Moves the view to directly above the marker (nadir view, i.e., straight down).

Exporting Markers and the "Save" ButtonThe "Inspect Markers" tool, in general, is a tool that treats all markers as part of a single, coherentproject. Therefore, the Export and Save functions will save all markers in the list. The "Save

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Show Hide Markers vs. Inspect MarkersQT Modeler also contains a similar tool called "Show/Hide Markers". While many functions are similar,the intent of "Inspect Markers" is to progress through the markers one-by-one and determine of themarker is valid, or needs to be edited/removed. The intent of Show/Hide markers is to offer a veryflexible tool to display, sort, and edit markers.

12.11 Show/Hide Markers

Show/Hide Markers allows the user to display or hide any combination of loaded markers. In addition,users can edit, sort, export, Go To/Look At the marker, Export the marker(s), and search for models basedon the marker coordinate. Show/Hide Markers is found in the Markers menu.

Instructions:

Create, Load, or Import MarkersFor the Show/Hide Markers capability to work, there must be markers in the scene. Markers can beplaced in the scene either by placing markers, creating markers, or importing markers. Some Notesrelative to markers:

Place Markers by using the marker button or by holding down "M" and left clicking.Markers can also be created from point interrogation (hold down "SHIFT", then left click) or the GoTo window.Import markers from ASCII, KML, or shape file (SHP).Markers with attributes can be imported from an ASCII CSV file.

Open Show/Hide Markers Window (Markers Menu)Go to the Markers menu and select "Show/Hide Markers". A spreadsheet-like table will appear.

Select Markers to Show/HideTo show or hide specific markers, simply highlight them in the table. Use "SHIFT" and "CONTROL" as youwould normally in Windows to select multiple files.

List All vs. List Local: Showing Only the Markers that Correspond to the Loaded ModelsUse the "List Local" button to display only markers that overlap the spatial extents of the loaded models. Markers may have been imported from a text file that contains markers for a large area, but only asubset of that area is currently loaded.

Sort Markers: Clicking an Attribute Name to Sort by that AttributeClick a column header to sort markers based on a specific attribute. Markers created in QT Modeler willonly have the attributes of Marker Name, X, Y, and Z. Markers imported from CSV files may haveconsiderably more attributes.

Edit Markers



Edit marker values and attributes by clicking in a table "cell" and manually entering the new value.

Right Click on a Marker to Report, Remove, Edit, Find Models. Look At, or Go ToRight clicking on a selected marker or markers will display a context menu offering the followingfunctions:

Export: Select KML, SHP, or ASCIISet Color: Change the color of a marker(s)Remove: Delete the marker permanentlyFind Models: Activates the Find Model/Model Search window and populates the coordinates withthe coordinates of the marker.Look At: Rotates the model at the current camera position to bring the marker to the center of theview.Go To: Moves the view to directly above the marker (nadir view, i.e., straight down).

Show All/Invert All/Hide all/Advance All ButtonsThe show/Hide Markers window contains several useful buttons:

Show All: Displays all loaded markersInvert All: Inverts the selected markers with the non-selected markers.Hide All: Hides all markersAdvance All: if one marker is selected, advances the visible marker to the next one in the list. Ifmultiple markers are selected, advances each selected marker, thus keeping the number of visiblemarkers constant.

Show Hide Markers vs. Inspect MarkersQT Modeler also contains a similar tool called "Inspect Markers". While many functions are similar, theintent of "Inspect Markers" is to progress through the markers one-by-one and determine of the markeris valid, or needs to be edited/removed.

12.12 Edit Route

High resolution terrain data provides an unprecedented ability to understand terrain features and planwalking or driving routes accordingly. For example, 1 meter resolution DEM’s permit users to see hazardousterrain (e.g., very steep terrain/cliffs) that may not be obvious on contour maps or in lower resolution 3Dterrain models (e.g., DTED). Route editor permits users to string together Markers into a sequential route,look at route terrain profiles, and export routes/waypoints to GPX directly onto handheld GPS devices. Furthermore, routes can be complemented by using other existing analytical tools such as slope/mobilityanalysis, line of sight analysis, and/or HLZ analysis. This new tool is in the Markers Menu.

The General Framework for Routes/Missions:

1. The base component is a Marker2. Multiple Markers are assembled into Routes. Unaffiliated markers become Waypoints. (in GPS

Menu - Markers 225

terminology)3. Multiple Routes become a Mission.4. Markers, Routes, and Missions can be saved in QTM-specific formats and reloaded and/or shared

with others.5. Markers, Routes, and Missions can be exported in a variety of vector formats (KML, SHP, GPX) either

as individual markers, individual routes, or entire missions.

Instructions:

Place MarkersUltimately, the markers placed in the terrain will either become components of a sequential route (or ofmultiple routes), or will remain a "standalone" waypoint. Markers can be placed in a variety of ways:

Manually one at a time from the marker button. Rapidly by holding down the "M" key and clicking the locations where the markers need to be (this isthe easiest and fastest way).Importing from a text file or vector. See Import MarkersHelpful hints when placing markers:

Use the Marker Options tool to set a naming and numbering scheme. It may be useful to call themarkers something more intuitive such as "WP_1" for waypoints.Use the Edit Marker tool to edit names, colors, and other attributes of individual markers.To move a marker, click on the marker button, then place the cursor crosshairs over the marker,then left click and drag to the new location.

Organize Markers into Routes & Waypoints (Markers Menu...Edit Route)Once all the necessary markers are placed, they need to be organized into sequential routes. The steps todo this are as follows:

Go to the Markers Menu and select "Define Mission Route"In the Edit Route Interface, the list of available markers will appear in the left column.Click the "Create Route" button.If desired, change the name of the route and the color that the route will be displayed.To move a marker to the "Route List", either double click on it or click "Add All Markers to Route" tomove all markers at once. Note that markers will not be removed from the marker list, as they may beneeded for other routes or could be used twice in the same route.Ultimately, the route may be exported to a GPS device. Please remember that the route sequence inthe GPS and all exported vector products will go from the top of the list to the bottom of the list.Use the "Move Up" and "Move Down" buttons to change the order of the markers and "Remove" toremove a marker from the route altogether.



Use the "Reverse Order" and "Rename" functions to reset the naming/numbering scheme. If the goal isto use a naming scheme (e.g., "CP" for check point) that counts down to the target location, type "CP"Any unused markers will be exported as a "waypoint" when exporting to GPX.If multiple routes are desired, simply "Create Route" and begin assembling the new route from thesame list of markers.Note: Markers can be used in more than one route (e.g., in alternate or ingress/egress routes)As markers are being placed into routes, colored lines will appear to indicate the route and therelationship of the markers in the sequence.Use the "Show/Hide Markers" tool to select which markers will be visible in QT Modeler, as well aswhich one will be visible when you export to GPS. Note that any markers associated with a route willbe exported as part of the route. However, any markers that are not visible will not be exported as alabeled route point.

Single Route - resetting numbering/sequence to count down to destination:

Multiple Routes:

View Route in ProfileTo view information about the route, click "View As Mensuration". The initial screen will give informationabout route distances and changes in elevation, etc. Clicking on "Examine Height Profile" will give aterrain profile along the planned route.

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Save/load routes as a “Mission”Selecting "Save Mission" from the Markers menu will save all markers, routes, and waypoints in a singleQMZ file. This file can be shared and/or reloaded using the "Load Mission" command in the MarkerMenu. Please note that users of the free Quick Terrain Reader will be able to load missions if they aresaved in QT Modeler's format. Users can download the free reader from here: Quick Terrain ReaderDownload

Export Mission to various vector formats – GPX, SHP, KMLMissions (collections of markers, routes, and waypoints) can also be saved as vector files in four popularformats: GPX (GPS Devices), KML (Google Earth) and SHP (Shapefile for GIS-related applications). Simplychoose "Export Mission" from the Markers menu, choose a format, and save the file.

Save GPX files directly onto handheld GPS devices (e.g., Garmin Colorado, Garmin Foretrex 401,etc.)To save the mission (Routes and Waypoints" directly onto a handheld GPS device, first plug your GPSdevice into the USB port on your computer. Choose "Export Mission" from the Markers menu, choose"GPX" as the format. When the file save dialog appears, go to "My Computer" and find the GPS devicewhich will appear as an external storage device (if Garmin, the folder "GARMIN" will appear). Navigate tothe GPS folder, find the folder labeled "GPX" and save the mission file in the GPX folder. When the GPS isturned back on, all routes and waypoints should be available on the device.

Helpful Hints & ShortcutsPlace markers quickly by holding down "M" on the keyboard and left clicking.Move markers interactively by holding down "K", then left clicking and dragging markers.To add points to routes, place marker, then go back to the route editor and move it to the right place inthe route sequence (move up/move down).Choose how markers are displayed and what information (e.g., MGRS grid, elevation) in the MarkerOptions interface (bottom of Markers Menu).Share route/mission information with users of the free Quick Terrain Reader.Export georegistered imagery onto hand held GPS devices by Rendering Screen to Registered Image. This exported imagery can show up "underneath" the route on a Garmin GPS by exporting theregistered imagery to Garmin's "Custom Map" directory.



12.13 Export Mission

Missions (collections of markers, routes, and waypoints) can also be saved as vector files in four popularformats: GPX (GPS Devices), KML (Google Earth) and SHP (Shapefile for GIS-related applications). Simplychoose "Export Mission" from the Markers menu, choose a format, and save the file.

12.14 Save Mission

Saving a mission in QTM's format will enable reloading in QTM as well as sharing with other users. Missionscan be loaded in the free QT Reader software.

12.15 Load Mission

Load missions that have been saved in QT Modeler's proprietary format. Missions will include all markers,routes, and waypoints.

12.16 Marker Options

Marker Options allows the user to customize marker names, count sequences, and colors. This can beuseful in quickly tagging objects or locations of interest. These settings will apply to all markers that arefollowing the Global Default marker settings (i.e., have not been individually customized). There are severalvariables for the user to set:

Marker Creation Defaults:1) Default Name: This is the base name, which will be followed by a number. For example, setting the

default name as "Building" will name all subsequent markers Building followed by the base number. Notethat the marker name will be saved as a marker attribute in the marker file.

2) Base Number: This is the starting number for the sequence of markers being placed in the model. Eachsuccessive marker name is incremented by 1.

3) Default Color: Users can make all markers the same color by selecting "Custom Color" and choosing acolor, or users can "autocolor" markers to have a different color for each marker.

4) Default Style: Styles can be created in the Individual Marker Customization interface, then used to defineall future markers placed.

Label Defaults:1) Font: Changes the font style and size displayed in the marker label, billboard, and ID display.2) Show/Hide: Chose to show the following in the marker display:

a) Name: This is the user-defined name of the marker.b) ID's: ID's are the internal index number of the marker. Each marker has a unique ID.c) Coordinate: Choose to display the marker coordinate. Use the radio buttons to define coordinate

system to use.d) Z: Choose to show the elevation of the marker.e) Info Text: Choose to show user-defined information associated with the marker.f) Billboards: Billboards display marker information with a white background. In addition, marker

billboards can have considerably more text attached than a standard marker label.g) Mouseover Text: Will only display billboards if the user moves mouse over the marker. Otherwise,

billboards will be hidden.h) Always on Top: Choose whether the marker billboards will always pop to the top of the display (e.g.,

will it show up when rotated "behind" a mountain, or will it disappear?)

Menu - Markers 229

Object Size:Fixed (meters): Define an absolute marker size in meters (or the units of the model if different thanmeters). This will achieve a sense of scale with other objects in the scene. Setting markers to 2m highcould be useful in understanding the scale of a human being relative to buildings or other 3D features.Fixed (Pixels): Define markers in absolute pixel size so the markers are always the same size, regardless ofzoom level or perspective.Autosize (Meters): Choose to autosize markers based on zoom level.

Marker Coordinates:The horizontal coordinates of each marker can be displayed along with the name, ID, and billboard. Choosea coordinate system to display by selecting the radio button. If a model is in Cartesian coordinates, the userwill not be able to convert between the various coordinate systems. Checking the "Z" box will display theelevation of the terrain at the point the marker is placed.

Shortcuts:M: Hold down "M", left click to quickly place markers in a model.K: Hold down “K”, move cursor to the vicinity of an existing marker, then left click and drag tomove the marker.

Exporting Markers: Markers can be exported to shapefiles, text or KML.

USER HINT: For GRG creation, it may be most useful to use the marker settings below. It will create asimple numeric tag on a white background with no marker pin.



12.17 Marker Options Individual

Customizing an individual marker means that the marker will no longer necessarily follow the global markersettings, i.e. different markers can have different appearance. The major groups of style decisions to makeare:

1. The Marker Itself: The basic styles are Default, None, Push Pin, Sign Post, and Point. Push Pins are thestandard way QTM's markers have always been represented. Sign Posts are a new marker object stylethat enables an image (any image) to be used as a marker.

2. Attach an Image (optional): QT Modeler's Markers enable the user to attach any image to the marker,thus enabling an infinite variety of markers in a scene. Some examples of images may be mappingsymbology, images associated with that location, or any other useful imagery. Simply click "AttachImage", select the file, and adjust the size if necessary. See example below in which a JPEG of a smileyface has been attached to a marker. In addition, the marker object was changed to a "sign post".

3. The Text Associated with Markers: Choose the content, style, and position of the marker text. Alsochoose whether the text will have a background ("Billboard").

4. Style: User defined and saved style for the marker. Use the "Store Marker as Style" button to rememberand return to a marker style.

12.18 Markers - Billboards

Marker “Billboards” enable the display of a larger amount of text (i.e., more than the existing “MarkerName” text) on a white background. Billboards will enable detailed descriptions of features and locations. Billboards are used to convey more than simple spatial or positional information. They are a tool forannotating a model with any information related to a location. To create a billboard:

1. Create a marker.2. Go to the Marker menu, select "Edit Marker".3. Choose the marker to which a billboard needs to be attached.4. Click the "Info Text" button.

Menu - Markers 231

5. Type informational text in the "Edit Marker Text" window.6. Click "Apply" and "OK"7. Go to the Marker...Marker Options window. Check the "Show Billboards" check box. Markers will

now display all information attached as a"Billboard".

12.19 Marker Point and Click

Marker Point and Click functionality allows users to either call up marker information interactively, or tomove markers graphically.

Instructions: Push marker button.Left Click on an existing marker. You will need to get very close to the existing marker or a newmarker will be created instead. Click and drag it to the new location.Right Click on marker to pull up the "Edit Marker" dialog box for that specific marker.Also, holding down the "K" key and left clicking on a marker enables interactive moving of themarker.


Version 8

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Measurement Line and Associated Tools 233

13 Measurement Line and Associated Tools

Quick Terrain Modeler's measurement line tool is the basis for a comprehensive suite of measurement,analysis, and editing capabilities. Some examples include:

Basic 3D Measurements - Measure distances, changes in elevation, slope, and azimuth directly fromthe scene. Choose from a variety of display options (e.g., terrain hugging vs. straight line) and dynamicinformational displays on the end of the line (e.g., display in feet vs. meters, display 3D distance vs.change in elevation), thus enabling quick, easy, and informative measurements.Profile Analysis: Use the Profile Analysis Tool to display cross sections of point clouds and/or DEM's,display the profiles as points or lines, and use the profile tool to alter the main 3D or the profiledisplay, correlate points between the profile and main 3D displays, and edit (e.g., cut, crop, reclassify)from within the profile window. Profile analysis tools will be of most used when working with pointclouds.Cross Sections: Use the measurement line to create customized cross sections and/or parallel profilesof both DEM's and point clouds.Route Planning: Use the interactive measurement line placement and editing capabilities to placeprecise routes in a terrain model and/or point cloud, then visualize and analyze the route with theTravel Route Analysis Tool (e.g. visibility along route, cross/along track slope analysis, displayingbuffers around routes, etc.). Export the route and vector to GPS devices as a GPX file.Create Vectors, Export Files: Convert the measurement line to easily shared file formats such as shapefile (.SHP), Google Earth (.KML), and/or CAD (.DXF).

The fundamental tasks for using the measurement line break down into the following categories:

Place Measurement Line

Edit Measurement Line

Change Display Preferences for Measurement Line

Perform Profile Analysis

Perform Travel Route Analysis

Use the Cross Section Tool

Display Measurement Line Info - Vector Info and End Point Info

Save and Export Measurement Line



The Quick Terrain Modeler provides several mensuration functions to provide information about points onthe models.

Pressing "S" will set the Start position of a mensuration line at the current position of the mouse over themodel. You may then drag the other end of the line about the model until you press "E" to set the Endposition. When this is done, a dialog window will appear listing the endpoint coordinates and the distanceand bearing between them. You may manipulate the model as normal while the line is visible to see it fromdifferent geometries and orientations. Pressing "L" will create a mensuration line from the camera positionto the point on the terrain corresponding to the current mouse position. Pressing "C" will erase the currentmensuration line. You may also view profiles of the models along the selected mensuration line. Use "S" and "E" to set amensuration line as above. You will notice that when the mensuration data box contains a button labeled"Examine Height Profile". Pressing this button will summon another window allowing you to graphicallyexamine the profiles of all loaded models over the selected line. This window will also show the heights atthe point(s) where the profile(s) intersect the position line, as well as the delta between two selectedmodels. You may move the position line using the slider at the bottom of the window. You may selectdifferent models to compare using the provided list boxes. "Examine Intensity Profile" and "Examine AlphaProfile" function similarly.

13.1 Place Measurement Line

Measurement lines can be placed several ways:

Using the Measurement Line Button

Click the measurement line button . A cross hair will appear in place of the cursor. Left click in thescene to begin placing the line. If multiple nodes are required, repeated left clicks will establish additionalnodes. Right click to end the line. The "Active Mensuration" vector will appear in the vector folder and acontext menu will appear on the screen


Using Hot Keys: S/E, V/V, SHIFT-V/SHIFT-VThere are several hot key combinations that establish a measurement line without clicking themeasurement line button:

S/E: Type "S" on the keyboard to begin the measurement line. The start point of the line will be under thecursor. If necessary, use the mouse left click to establish intermediate nodes. Type "E" to end the line. Theprofile tool will immediately open.

V/V: Type "V" on the keyboard. The start point of the line will be under the cursor. If necessary, use themouse left click to establish intermediate nodes. Type "V" to end the line. A sampled (i.e., "terrain hugging")vector will appear in the Layer Tree Vector folder.

SHIFT-V/SHIFT-V: Type "SHIFT-V" on the keyboard. The start point of the line will be under the cursor. Ifnecessary, use the mouse left click to establish intermediate nodes. Type "SHIFT-V" to end the line. Anunsampled (i.e., "straight line" or "floating") vector will appear in the Layer Tree Vector folder.

Converting an Existing Vector to a Mensuration LineIf a linear vector already exists in the Vector folder in the layer tree, simply right click on it and select "Showas Mensuration" to make the vector the "Active" measurement line.

Importing a Measurement Line from a Vector FileA linear vector can be imported from a file (e.g., KML, SHP) and immediately be turned into the activemeasurement line. Go to the Analysis Menu > Import Mensuration. Choose the vector file and it shouldimmediately appear as the "Active Mensuration" line in the Vector folder of the layer tree.

13.2 Edit Measurement Line

Measurement lines can be interactively edited during placement as well as after they are placed.

Editing During PlacementThe only measurement line editing capability that exists is the ability to type the "Backspace" key toremove the last node placed. Subsequent uses of backspace continue to remove nodes until all nodesexcept the first one are removed.

Suspending Line Placement Controls to Change View ExtentsDuring the measurement line placement, QT Modeler suspends all mouse movement controls. This canpotentially result in the need to extend the measurement line beyond the current view, but themovement controls are not working. If you are placing a long measurement line that needs to extendbeyond the extents of the current view, simply hold down the "ALT" key to temporarily restore mousemovement controls, reorient the scene, then release the "ALT" key to continue placing the measurementline.

Editing After PlacementMeasurement lines can be interactively edited after placement. To edit an existing "Active" measurementline:

1. Place Active measurement line.



2. Get into "Edit" Mode: Double click on measurement line. The nodes will become visible as circles,thus indicating that the line is now in Edit Mode.

3. Move Nodes: Left click on a node and drag it to a new location.4. Delete Nodes: Right click on a node and select "Remove Node"5. Add Nodes: Right click anywhere along the line and choose "Insert New Node" from the context

menu. This node can immediately be dragged around as in step 3 above.

13.3 Recover Measurement Line

If a Measurement line is accidentally deleted, it can be recovered by right clicking on the Vector folder andchoosing "Recover Mensuration Line". The last active mensuration line will be restored to the scene.

13.4 Measurement Line Display Preferences

Display > Settings > Mensuration Settings File > Options and Settings > Mensuration OptionsAlso accessible by right clicking on an "Active Mensuration" line in the layer tree.

The appearance of the mensuration line can be changed significantly as desired. The items that can bechanged on the mensuration line are:

1. Real Time Display (Readout): The real time readout on the end of the line can display one of thefollowing:

3D: displays the distance in 3 dimensions (XYZ distance), taking elevation change into accountwhen calculating the distance2D: calculates and displays the distance in 2 dimensions (XY distance only). Z: calculates and displays only the change in elevation from the beginning of the line to thecursor position.Slope: The slope between the two end points of the line. This is not an average slopecalculation. It is simply point to point.Az: Displays the azimuth (heading) in degrees of the line from start to end.Combo: Displays 3D distance, slope, and azimuth together. Good for documenting HelicopterLanding Zones (HLZ).None - no display.

2. Real Time Display (Calculation Methodology):From Start - calculates the distance/Z/Slope/Azimuth chosen above from the start to the endof a multi-segmented line, disregarding any interim vertices/nodes in the line. Literally fromthe start point to the end point.Cumulative: calculates the distance/Z/Slope/Azimuth chosen above from the start to the endof a multi segmented line - following the track of any interim vertices/nodes in the line. Usefulto think of this as the "walking route" along the entire measurement line.From Last Point - calculates either the 3D, 2D, or Z change only from the last vertex/node of amulti segmented line.

3. Line Height: Only applicable to "floating" line. Sets the height above the terrain/point cloud that


the measurement line will be displayed.

4. Line Color: Click the line color button to change the color of the measurement line.

5. Line Display: Floating: Mensuration line connects line nodes with a single, straight line.Terrain Hugging: Mensuration line is sampled at roughly the data resolution, thus creating aline that hugs the terrain.Both: Display both floating and terrain hugging at the same time.

Images show the Mensuration Options Interface and terrain hugging/floating mensuration lines.

13.5 Profile Analysis Tool

As of Version 8, the Profile Analysis tool as been dramatically revised to enable a wide variety ofvisualization, analysis, and editing capability. The Profile Analysis Tool can be accessed several ways:

1. Ending a measurement line placement by typing "E" on the keyboard. This will immediately displaythe Profile Analysis Tool.

2. Choosing "Profile Analysis Tool" from the context menu that appears when ending the placement of ameasurement line by right clicking with a mouse.

3. Right clicking on the "Active Mensuration" line in the layer tree and choosing "Profile Analysis Tool"4. Right clicking on a vector in the layer tree Vector folder and choosing "Shoe in Profile Analysis Tool"



The Profile Analysis Tool can be broken down into several basic sections:

The Profile Itself: Navigation and DisplayThe profile area itself is a 2D representation of the points/lines created when the 3D model was "sliced"by the measurement line. This area can be zoomed/panned with mouse controls (mouse wheel for zoom,right click/drag for pan). There are also several buttons to assist in zooming to a specific box and/orreturning to the previous zoom level. More info in Profile Zooming Tools.

Buffer Settings: Choose the "Thickness" of the Profile Line and "Slice and Step" Through theSceneWhen working with point clouds, it is necessary to define a width of the original measurement line inorder to determine which points should be included in the profile display. In QT Modeler, these pointsare called the "Buffer Points". Setting the width of the buffer can dramatically impact the appearance ofthe profile, as different points will be included. Using the "Offset" tool will move the position of thebuffer area, thus permitting a methodical "stepping" through a point cloud. More info in Profile BufferSettings.

Y Axis Display: More Than ElevationThe most common and intuitive way to display profiles is to have distance along the line represented inthe X Axis of the profile (i.e., along the horizontal axis), and elevation be represented on the Y Axis of theprofile. Given that LAS files contain multiple attributes per point, it can be very useful for anotherattribute (e.g., intensity) to be represented on the Y axis. Furthermore, points can easily be selected inEdit Mode, then toggled to another attribute to help correlate multiple attributes (e.g., intensity andelevation). More info in Profile Y Axis Attribute Selection.

Measurements and Cursor Position Display: The Dynamic Readouts in the Upper Right The position of the cursor in the profile display is continually displayed in the upper right corner. It is ahelpful way to determine elevations and distances along a line/route. When the measurement tool isused, this display is converted to length, height, and slope of the measurement triangle. More info in Profile Cursor Position Display and Profile Measurement Tool.

Basic Visualization, Display, and Measurement Buttons: Quick Ways to Evaluate Your DataThe Profile Analysis Tool contains a button bar that provides easy access to frequently used visualizationtools, zoom tools, and configuration tools. These tools impact not only the profile window, but the entire3D display as well. These tools outline the buffer area in the 3D window, crop to only the points beingdisplayed in the profile window, establish a red arrow along the measurement line in the 3D window,define the grid lines in the profile display, export to PowerPoint, and many other useful capabilities. Referto the individual sections in the help file.


Display Profiles as Points vs. Lines: Which is More Useful?Profiles can be displayed as points, lines or both. In general, point clouds should be displayed as pointsand DEM's or surface models as lines. There is sometimes value in seeing point cloud profiles displayedas lines, but there is rarely a good reason to visualize DEM's or surface models as points. See more infoin Profile - Display Points vs. Lines

Coloration Scheme: Get the Most Intuitive Coloration for ProfilesThe points in a profile display can be colored by model, LAS attribute, or vertex color. See moreinformation in Profile Color Scheme.

Model List: Working with Multiple Data SetsIf multiple 3D models are loaded simultaneously, there is a good chance that more than one model willcontribute points or lines to the profile display. The model list behaves like a table of contents or layertree similar to the primary QT Modeler window, although with much more limited functionality. Seemore in Profile Model List.

Edit Mode: Isolate, Cut, Crop, Reclassify, and Export PointsIn Edit Mode, the Profile Analysis Tool becomes a powerful tool to isolate, cut, export, changeclassification, and other editing functions. See more info in Profile Editing Tools.

13.5.1 Profile Buffer Settings

Profile Analysis Tool > Buffer Settings

The Profile Analysis Tool buffer settings establish a width to the profile line. This width will default to 3times the nominal point density of the loaded models/point clouds, but can be set to any value. To set thebuffer value, simply type a new value into the "Width" field and click "Get Buffer Points" to refresh theprofile display.

The buffer width will be the distance on either side of the original measurement line that the buffer extends. For example, setting the buffer width to "3" will extend the buffer 3 meters (or possibly feet, depending onthe units of the model and the user-set display units) on either side of the line, resulting in a 6-meter wideswath of points.

Once the buffer width is established or modified, it may also be useful to Outline Area in 3D, Mask to Area in3D, and/or Push Buffer to Selection



Setting Buffer Width Around Measurement Line

13.5.2 Profile Y Axis Attribute Selection

Profile Analysis Tool > Y Axis Attribute Setting

In LAS files, every point in the point cloud will have multiple attributes associated with it. In addition toeach point's XYZ value (i.e., its position), the point may also have intensity, return number, number ofreturns, point source ID, or many other attributes. While most users may want to see profiles traditionally-i.e., with the Y axis of the profile window displaying elevation (also known as "Z"), it can be very useful to seeother attributes in profile.

Profile Y-Axis Pull Down Menu

Changing Profile Y Axis from "Z" to Intensity

13.5.3 Profile Display Points vs Lines

Profile Analysis Tool > Points/Lines Pull-down Menu

Profiles can be displayed as a collection of points, as a line, or as both. In general, point clouds are best


displayed as points, surface models (e.g., DEM's, DSM's, DTM's) are best displayed as lines. The choices inthe pull-down menu are:

1. Default: Displays all profiles derived from point clouds as points and all profiles derived from surfacemodels as lines. If both point clouds and surface models are loaded together, the profile display willbe a mixture of points and lines.

2. All Lines: Displays all profiles as lines, regardless of whether the underlying model was a point cloudor surface model.

3. All Points: Displays all profiles as points, regardless of whether the underlying model was a pointcloud or surface model.

4. All Both: Displays both a point and a line profile for each model in the model list.

13.5.4 Profile Color Scheme

Profile Analysis Tool > Color Scheme Pull-Down Menu

When viewing LAS file-based point clouds in the profile tool, the user can choosemultiple color schemes to be used in the profile window. This function is similar to theQTA Quick Color button in function which works on point coloration in the 3D display. In contrast, Profile Color Scheme will alter the color display in the profile window only. The choices for coloration are Color By Model (Default), Vertex Colors, Classification,First/Last/Intermediate, Number of Returns, and Return Number.

13.5.5 Profile Cursor Position Display

Profile Analysis Tool > Cursor Position Display

The position under the cursor is displayed in the upper right corner of the Profile Analysis Tool. The topnumber corresponds to the Y axis, the bottom number corresponds to the X axis. The default value for the Yaxis is Elevation (represented by the letter "Z"), but can be configured differently by selecting a different Yaxis Attribute. The cursor Y axis "position" readout will correlate to the Y axis value, regardless of whetherthe value is elevation or an attribute such as Intensity, which may not have a spatial value (it is a spectralvalue).



13.5.6 Profile Model List

Profile Analysis Tool > Model List

The Model List is a list of the models that are contributing points or lines to the current profile display. NOTE: If models are loaded in the 3D display and are not contributing points or lines to the profile,

the model name will not be displayed.

Functions associated with the model list:

1. Show/Hide Model List: In the main profile button bar, the Show/Hide Model List button willdetermine if the model list is visible at all.

2. Select Individual Models: Click on individual model names in the list to display only points/lines fromthat model. Models being displayed will be highlighted. Holding down CTRL while clicking will enableselection of multiple models. Holding down SHIFT while clicking will select all models between theone currently highlighted in the list and the one being clicked on.

3. Buttons at the top of the Model List:a. Select All: Display information from all models in the Model List.b. Clear All: Clears all models from the selection.c. Reverse All: Inverts the selected models in the list.d. Advance All: Sequentially advances the selected model down the list.

4. Right Clicking Individual Models:a. Select Color: Selects the profile color associated with the display of a given model.b. Export Points: Exports the points associated with the profile of the selected model as a point file.c. Export Line: Exports a 3D vector file of the profile line.


13.5.7 Profile Outline Area in 3D

Profile Analysis Tool > Outline Area in 3D Button

The Outline Area button establishes a red outline in the 3D scene. This outlined area represents thebuffer area around the original measurement line. If points are relatively spares in the point cloud,

this red outline may be difficult to see. If so, it may be beneficial to increase point size.

13.5.8 Profile Mask to Area in 3D

Profile Analysis Tool > Mask to Area in 3D Button

The mask to area in 3D button crops the 3D display to only those points that are visible in the profilewindow. This will help to isolate the points that are being visualized and manipulated in the profile

window.

13.5.9 Profile Push Buffer to Selection

Profile Analysis Tool > Push Buffer to Selection Button

The Push Buffer to Selection button is similar to "Outline Area in 3D", but instead establishes aselection area around the perimeter of the buffer. Additional editing and analysis functions can be

performed in 3D that cannot be performed in the profile window.

13.5.10 Profile Mark Cursor in 3D

Profile Analysis Tool > Mark Cursor in 3D Button

The Mark Cursor in 3D button establishes a red arrow in the 3D scene at the point where the red linein the profile intersects the measurement line. After presing the button, drag the red cursor line left/

right to change the position of the arrow in the 3D scene.

13.5.11 Profile Zooming Tools

Profile Analysis Tool > Profile Zooming Buttons

The profile zooming buttons establish quick ways to zoom out to the full extents, zoom to a box, or returnto the previous zoom level.

13.5.12 Profile Force Proportional Scaling

Profile Analysis Tool > Force Proportional Scaling Button

Proportional scaling forces the X and Y axis of the profile to be at the same scale. With proportionalscaling turned on, hills, trees, buildings, and other features will appear as they are in reality. Turningproportional scaling on may be helpful to realistically visualize slopes of a walking/driving route, to see treeheights in correct proportion to the terrain, etc. Turning proportional scaling off may be more useful whenperforming point cloud analysis, where the points themselves are more important than a proportionalrepresentation of the actual terrain.



Proportioanl Scaling Off (Left) and On (Right)

13.5.13 Profile Measurement Tool

Profile Analysis Tool > Measurement Tool Button

The Profile measurement tool enables measurements of slope, distance, and height within the profilewindow itself. Simply click the Measurement Tool Button, left click in the profile area, and drag the

blue triangle to the end point. The slope and distances will immediately be visible.

Measuring Within the Profile Window

13.5.14 Profile Configure Appearance

Profile Analysis Tool > Configure Appearance Button

The profile configuration appearance tool enables setting basic parameters about the appearance ofthe profile window. Settings include:

Points:o Use slider to set point sizeo Use check box to outline points with a black circle.Line Widtho Use slider to set line thicknesso Use check box to outline profile lines with a black border.Background Color: Sets the background color of the profile display window.Grid Lines:o Click the button to choose a different color for profile grid lines.o Use check box to show or hide grid lines altogether.3D Highlight Color: Sets the color with which QT Modeler's profile editing tool will highlight selectedpoints in the 3D scene.


13.5.15 Profile PowerPoint Export

Profile Analysis Tool > PowerPoint Export Button

Clicking he Profile PowerPoint Export button will send a screen grab of the profile window toPowerPoint. See more information on the QT Modeler PowerPoint Tool.

13.6 Profile Editing Tools

Profile Analysis Tool > Profile Editing Tool

The profile editing tools are a useful way to highlight, hide, delete, export, and/or reclassify points based oninteraction with the profile window - rather than with the point cloud itself. In some cases, interaction withthe points in the profile tool is much more intuitive and less cluttered.

Access to the profile editing tool requires that the profile analysis tool already be active. Simply press theProfile Editing button to access the editing tools. The profile will initially turn gray (i.e., no points have beenselected yet). The entire profile editing tool is based on the concept of selecting points and performingsome function on them. Thus, the first step in editing is always to select points.

Initial Profile Window - All Points Gray

Once the profile window is in Editing Mode, the key functions are as follows (see individual topics for moredetail):

1. Use the Select Area Tool to identify points -

2. Select Points and/or Unselect points using the selection buttons

3. Change how points are displayed in 3D by Hiding Selected Points ( ) or Highlighting Selected Points (

).

4. If desired, Operate on the selected points ( ) by cutting, permanently coloring in 3D, settingclassification, and/or exporting them.



13.6.1 Profile Edit Select Area

Use the select area tool to identify which points will be formally "selected". After the button ispressed, left click and drag in the profile window. The selection rectangle will appear. If the rectangle

is not exactly in the correct location, simply left click and drag again.

Points Being Selected in Profile Edit Mode

13.6.2 Profile Edit Select Points

There are two "Select Points" buttons. The first one (represented by a selection rectangle and a small greenplus sign) selects just the points contained in the rectangular selection area. The other one (represented bya large green plus sign) "Selects All" points in the profile window. Once points are selected, they will turnfrom gray to their original color in the profile window (i.e., the color the point was prior to entering editmode).

13.6.3 Profile Edit Unselect Points

There are two "Unselect Points" buttons. The first one (represented by a selection rectangle and a small redminus sign) selects just the points contained in the rectangular selection area. The other one (representedby a large red minus sign) "Unselects All" points in the profile window. Once points are unselected, they willturn gray.

13.6.4 Profile Edit Hide Points 3D

Once points are selected, they can be hidden in the 3D display by clicking the "Hide Points in 3D"button. Note that this function is only temporary and does not permanently edit the point cloud. To

permanently remove points, use the "Operate on Points" function and choose "Cut Active Points".


Hiding Points in 3D - Profile Editing Tools

13.6.5 Profile Edit Highlight Points 3D

Using the "Highlight Points in 3D" button will turn the selected points red in the 3D display. Note thatthis function is only temporary and does not permanently edit the point cloud. To permanently color

points, use the "Operate on Points" function and choose "Set Color of Active Points". The color with whichthe points are highlighted can be set in the Profile Configure Appearance interface.

Highlighting Points in 3D - Profile Editing Tools

13.6.6 Profile Edit Operate on Points

The Profile Analysis Editing Mode provides tools to permanently edit the original point cloud. Thefunctions currently included are:

Set Color of Active Points: Sets a vertex color of the active point. If there is already a vertex color (e.g.,grayscale from intensity values), the existing vertex color will be replaced by this function. Note that thiscolor can be exported in a LAS 1.2 file as well.Set Classification of Active Points: Changes the classification of the selected pointsCut Active Points from Models: Permanently deletes the selected points from the model.Cut Active Points from Profile: Permanently deletes the selected points from the profile only. The pointswill still remain in the 3D view as well as the point cloud.Export Active Points



Operating on Selected Points - Profile Edit Tool

13.7 Travel Route Analysis Tool

The Travel Route Analysis Tool offers a suite of helpful visualization and analysis tools to assist in theassessment of a route - either a walking route or driving route. The Travel Route Analysis Tool can beaccessed several ways:

1. Choosing "Travel Route Analysis Tool" from the context menu that appears when ending theplacement of a measurement line by right clicking with a mouse.

2. Right clicking on the "Active Mensuration" line in the layer tree and choosing "Travel Route AnalysisTool"

3. Right clicking on a vector in the layer tree Vector folder and choosing "Show in Travel Route AnalysisTool"

4. From the Define Mission Route window by clicking the "Travel Route Analysis" button

The Travel Route Analysis Tool can be broken down into several basic sections:

The Profile Itself: Navigation and DisplayThe profile area itself is a 2D representation of the line created when the 3D model was "sliced" by themeasurement/route line. This area can be zoomed/panned with mouse controls (mouse wheel for zoom,right click/drag for pan). There are also several buttons to assist in zooming to a specific box and/orreturning to the previous zoom level:


From Left to right:Zoom to Extents: Zooms the profile display to the full extents of the travel route.Zoom Tool: Enables the establishment of a zoom rectangle. Click the zoom tool button, then left click/drag to establish the area which is to be zoomed to.Return to Previous Zoom: Returns the zoom in the profile area to the previously established zoomarea.

Buffer Area: Define It, Display It, and Use ItIt is frequently useful to define a buffer area around a travel route. The key aspects of the buffer tool are:

Defining the Buffer: The buffer width setting is the distance on either side and the ends of the line that is of interest to theuser. Simply type in the buffer value into the input window.

Displaying the Buffer Area in the 3D Display: The buffer area can be displayed in the 3D scene by clicking the "Outline Area in 3D" button.

50m Buffer Displayed in the 3D Scene

Cropping the 3D Display to the buffer area: Masking to the buffer area in 3D will isolate the buffer area in 3D. Note that the blue route line will nolonger be visible.

50m Buffer: Masking to Area in 3D

Using the Buffer Area: Selection Area and Export: Creating a selection area around the buffer area will enable the export of imagery along the route. Inaddition, once the buffer area is a QT Modeler selection area, it can be saved and exported as variousvector file formats. To explore possibilities, hold down CTRL and right click on the selection area once it isestablished. A context menu will appear with multiple analysis and export functions. See also RenderSelection Area to GPS.



Converting Buffer to Selection Area

Traveler Definition: How Tall is the Traveler?...Above the Ground or the Vector?When performing Line of Sight (LOS) analysis along the travel route, it is mandatory to define the eyelevel height of the traveler - and whether this eye level height should be above the ground (i.e., "terrainhugging") or above the straight line vector connecting the nodes of the route (i.e., "floating"). Use eitherthe input box or the slider to define the height of the traveler. Choose whether the traveler's route ishugging the ground (e.g., a walking/driving route), or whether the route is a straight line above thestraight line vectors that connect the nodes of the mensuration line (e.g., a helicopter or airplane route). When using the "Above vector" setting, the traveler marker may appear at varying heights above theground and may "float" very high above the terrain.

Visibility Analysis: Line of Sight ToolsAs part of the Travel Route Analysis, it may be useful to visualize the line of sight from the route to theentire terrain (Virtual LOS) or to specific known locations marked by markers (LOS Vectors). Use the twocheck boxes in this section to enable either or both of these functions.

Terminology Clarification: In the Travel Route Analysis terminology, there are only two types of locations:The traveler and the observer. The traveler is a single location marked by where the slider intersects theprofile and represented by a marker labeled "LOS" in the 3D scene. Everything else - whether every pixelin the 3D scene or existing markers in the scene - are "observers". It may be helpful to think of every pixelattempting to "look at" the traveler as it moves down the route.

Useful settings include:Observer Height: Height above the ground of the observer (i.e., everywhere in the scene except thetraveler marker). Note that QT Modeler will simply add the observer height to the elevation of everylocation in the scene. I.e., QT Modeler has no way of knowing if a location is on the ground or on abuilding, tree, or other tall object. Limit Range?: Check the box to limit the distance of the LOS analysis. Use the slider or the input box toset the range from the traveler. Units will be in the current display units of the model.Show Virtual LOS: Will show a line of sight coverage map of the line of sight from the perspective ofthe traveler.Show LOS Vectors: Connects a red/green vector between the traveler and all existing markers in theterrain. These vectors can be useful in visualizing the exact line of sight between the traveler andspecific positions in the terrain that are represented by markers. However, if there are many markersin the terrain, the display can become very busy and therefore distracting, thus making it desirable touncheck this box and turn the vectors off. An alternative to turning vectors off entirely is to simplyuncheck some of the markers in the layer tree.


Travel Route LOS Interface

Travel Route Virtual and Vector LOS

Slope Analysis: Detailed Analysis of Cross Track and Down Track SlopeIf desired, the Travel Route Analysis Tool profile can be colored by slope - both Cross Track and DownTrack. To perform slope analysis:

Check the "Color Code by Slope Limits" check box.Choose whether to color code by Cross Track or Down Track slope limits by checking the appropriatecheck box.Define a width for which the analysis should be performed. o Cross Track Width - Think in terms of the width of a vehicle or road. QT Modeler will center this

width on the travel route line and calculate the slope perpendicular to the route.o Down Track - Think in terms of the length of a vehicle. QT Modeler will take successive slope

measurements based on a straight line the length of the down track "width" setting.Define a limit in degrees for both cross track and down track slope limits.The profile will turn from blue to a red and/or green line. Red indicates slope limits have beenexceeded (i.e., "Fail") and green indicates that the limit has not been exceeded (i.e., "Pass"). Note thatthe original travel route line in the 3D display will remain blue.The "Current" slope information box displays the slope at the point where the slider meets the profileline.

Travel Route Slope Analysis Example



Marker List: Evaluating Distance and Visibility to Other Positions (Markers)

The marker list is displayed/hidden by clicking the marker list button:

The marker list displays all visible markers (i.e., visible in terms of the QT Modeler layer tree - is it checkedor not in the layer tree) as well as their air and ground distance from the position of the traveler along theline. Additionally, if the marker name and distance is displayed in green, the traveler can see it from thecurrent slider position. If the marker name and information are red, the traveler cannot see it.

Travel Route Marker List

The Slider: Moving the Traveler Down the RouteTo move the traveler down the route, simply move the slider at the bottom of the profile display. The"LOS" marker will move down the path in the 3D display. The slider position information will display theposition of the slider in terms of a coordinate and the distance from the start and end of the travel route.

Virtual Line of Sight - Exporting Raster ResultSince Virtual LOS results are "virtual", they exist only on the graphics card (i.e., they are not a file). If youwould like to export Virtual LOS results as an image, right click on Special Overlays > Virtual LOS Map, and"Create LOS Map texture". A new texture will appear in the textures folder. Once the virtual texture hasbecome "real" (i.e., it is now a file), it can be exported, saved, etc. just like any texture.

Graphics & OpenGL ConsiderationsIn order for Virtual LOS to work, your video card must support OpenGL version 3.0 or higher. Discretegraphics cards (e.g., NVIDIA, ATI) will likely support this, but may need the driver upgraded. This is usuallya fairly straightforward process of downloading an upgraded driver from the manufacturer's website andinstalling it. Integrated graphics chipsets (e.g., Intel) will have a more difficult time supporting advancedgraphics capabilities.


13.8 Cross Section Tool

The Cross Section and Parallel profiles Tool offers several configurable parameters to visualize,generate, and export perpendicular and/or parallel lines to an active mensuration line. There areseveral ways to access this tool:

1. Choosing “Cross Section Tool” from the context menu that appears when ending the placement of ameasurement line by right clicking with a mouse.

2. Right clicking on the “Active Mensuration” line in the layer tree and choosing “Cross Section Tool”3. Right clicking on a vector in the layer tree Vector folder and choosing “Cross Section Tool”

The Cross Sections and Parallel Profiles can be broken down into several basic sections:

The Button BarExport Samples – This button allows for exporting the samples to ASCII, QT Vector, KML, or SHPformats.Show Lines in 3D – This button renders the cross sections and/or parallel profiles to the main 3D screen. This button should toggle on automatically when the “Apply” button is hit, but may have to be toggledmanually when settings are changed.Mask to Lines in 3D – This button will use the existing samples as a cropping boundary to mask theextent of the samples in the main 3D screen.Help – This button calls up the help file for the Cross Sections and Parallel Profiles Tool

Cross SectionsMode – Choose a method for Cross Section generationo None – No Cross Sections will be renderedo Centered On Line – The center of the Cross Section will be directly over the active mensuration lineo Left From Line – The Cross Sections will be wholly to the left of the active mensuration lineo Right From Line – The Cross Sections will be wholly to the right of the active mensuration lineWidth – Define the desired Cross Section widthSpacing – Define the distance between desired Cross Sections in data units

Parallel ProfilesMode – Choose a method for Parallel Profile generationo None – No Parallel Profiles will be renderedo Centered On Line – Parallel Profiles will be drawn on both sides of the active mensuration line

equallyo Left From Line – The Parallel Profiles will be wholly to the left of the active mensuration lineo Right From Line – The Parallel Profiles will be wholly to the right of the active mensuration lineProfiles – Define the number of desired profilesSpacing – Define the distance between desired Parallel Profiles in data units



AppearanceGlobal settings for how the linework should be drawn. Choosing “Floating” will render the linework at adefined height above the terrain. “Terrain Hugging” will render the linework at the surface height, butmay not render properly on point clouds. “Both” will render using both methods. Since these use globalsettings, the same settings will be applied in Mensuration Options and Travel Route Line of Sight.

SamplingSample Models individually? – This option allows the sampling of multiple models simultaneously. Forexample, if a Bare Earth DEM and a First Return DSM were loaded together and 5 cross sections weremade, then an export with Sample Models Individually selected would yield 10 cross sections (5 fromthe DEM and 5 from the DSM). If this option is unchecked, then the highest dataset would be used. Sample Spacing – This is to define the distance between samples along the Cross Section or ParallelProfiles.

Example

Example Cross Section Settings

Based on the settings above, the image below shows the active mensuration line along the streamcenterline. Cross sections are centered on this line, with a width of 100 meters across (50 meters outfrom the stream centerline in both directions) and 10 meters between cross sections. The results aredisplayed as terrain hugging. If one would export based on these settings, only the DEM that is displayedis being used for sampling and those samples are taken every 1 meter.

Example Cross Section Result

13.9 Measurement Vector Info


13.10 Measurement Endpoint Info

13.11 Vector Annotation

Vector Annotation allows users to mark up 3D scenes to document distances or call attention to specificfeatures. Vector Annotation simply turns a measurement line into a permanent 3D vector that can bedisplayed a variety of ways. Some examples are below, showing an HLZ, a 3D arrow, and an annotation ofbuilding height:



To create an annotation vector:

Place a Mensuration linePlace a mensuration lien in a variety of ways:

Use the Place mensuration line button in the bottom button bar.Import from a file. More Information HereType "S" on the keyboardFrom the Route Editor, click View as Mensuration

Click "Export Vector"

Choose Vector Display TypeOnce the mensuration line is placed and the mensuration window pops up, choose the type of vectorfrom the n"Export Vector" pulldown menu. The choices for annotation vector are:

QT Vector - Straight: Creates a point to point vector that does not sample the underlying terrain orpoint cloud. Very useful for point clouds.QT Vector Sampled: Creates a sampled (i.e., "terrain hugging") vector. Very useful for DEM's andsurface models. Can create very "noisy" lines in point clouds.QT Vector Mensuration: Creates a permanent "Mensuration" vector that annotates distances,slopes, or whatever is displayed in the mensuration options of the mensuration line. Very useful forannotating distances, road widths, building heights, and HLZ's.

Save VectorEach vector becomes its own model, so vectors must be saved as a model. Be careful to rename vectorssomething other than the default value of "Mensuration".

Configure Vector DisplayTo Configure the line types, colors, arrowheads, etc., go to the Configure Vector Display in the Displaymenu.


Vector Export OptionsVectors can be exported as SHP, KML, and a variety of other vector file types. Go to the export menu andchoose Export Model.

Related Topics: Configure Vector Display Options, HLZ Analysis, Measurement Lines

13.12 Point Interrogation Utility

Users can easily select an individual point in a .qtc point cloud or .qtt surface model and query its attributes. Once queried, users can delete the point Users have found that it is very difficult to "grab" one point anddetermine its attributes. It is hard to select the right point, the cursor jumps to the wrong point, etc. Themost common reason for querying a point is to determine if it is valid data or an "outlier" caused by a bird,atmospheric noise, etc.

Instructions: Open a .qtc point cloud model. Zoom in so you can see individual points Hold Down the "Shift" key A red square will appear to engulf the selected point. When you have selected the point in which you are interested, click the left mouse button. Apop-up window will appear giving you the x, y, z and r, g and b values for the point. If the point needs to be deleted, simply click Delete. Note: This tool works on a surface model as well. It can provide information about theunderlying data points. In the case of a .qtt surface model, the "data point" is a vertex in theunderlying grid, not the actual collected data point.

Example:The following screen captures are from a point cloud. While most of the points associated with the terrainform an apparent surface, a handful of points "float" above the terrain. As it turns out, these pointsconstitute the tops of power transmission line towers – obviously points of interest, particularly to userssearching for obstructions to flight patterns in the terrain.

To query the points, the user would align the view of the point cloud to try to visually isolate these points. This kind of isolation is helpful, but not absolutely mandatory. Zooming in can achieve a similar visualisolation. Once the points of interest are visually isolated, the user simply holds down the shift button andmoves the cursor until the point is engulfed in a red ball. At this point the user clicks the left mouse buttonand the Quick Terrain Modeler displays the point attributes in a pop-up window.

Users can also create a marker by clicking the "Create Marker" button. Markers can be saved and/orexported.

In addition, users can color an entire selection area (see select and select area tools) based on the RGB colorvalue of another point. This function only works on point clouds.

Visual Isolation of Points Associated with Transmission Line Towers and Selection of an Individual Point andPoint Interrogation Window:



QTA Data:When working with QTA models (i.e., QTC point cloud with a QTA attribute table), all of the point attributeswill be visible in the Point Query window. See example below:


Version 8

Part

XIV



14 Applied Imagery Contact Information

Technical Support: [email protected]

General Information: [email protected]

Web: www.appliedimagery.com

Phone: 301 589 4446

Fax: 301 589 4005

Mail:

Applied Imagery8070 Georgia AvenueSilver Spring, MD 20910USA



http://www.appliedimagery.com

Index 261

Index- . -.qsc 40

- 2 -2-D Image 93

2-D Mode 210

2D Only 114

- 3 -3-D Mode 210

3D Stereo Display 189

- A -Add Break Point 163

Add Image to Model 127

Add Model 34

Add Models with Offset 34

Add Normals 64

Add Vertex Colors from File 132

AGL 61, 174, 215, 217

AGL Analyst 174

AGL Calculation 175

AGL Clipping 174, 177

AGL Conversion 174

AGL Export 177

AGL Export Products 178

AGL Palette 176

Allow Rotated Grid 74

Alpha 83, 85, 174

alpha filtering 182

altitude legend 191

Always Copy QTA 43

Annotation 22

Annotation Tools 255

Applied Imagery 260

area 184

Area Statistics 179

ASCII 83, 92, 220

ASCII Export Setup 94

ASCII Selection 52

ASCII ZGrid 92

Aspect Ratio 22

Attribute 139

AutoCAD 92

auto-scale 84, 85

Autosize 194

avi 97, 98

Axes 190

azimuth 215

- B -background color 196

Bare Earth 175

Batch Import 70

Batch Scripting 40

Bathymetry 127

Beta 40

Blank Palette 163

Bookmark 22

boresight 215

Break Point 176

Buffer 239, 248

building models 69

Button Bar 24

Buttons 24

- C -Cache 39

Calculate Metrics 161

camera settings 204

Change detection 127, 182

change detection legend 191

Change Temp File Location 47

Chipping 103

Clear All Models 40

Clipping 177

clipping plane 182

Cloud Point Settings 194

color 72, 84

Color by Density 72

Color by LAS Attribute 134

color selection area 257

colorized DEM 123

colorized point cloud 123

Command Line 35



compass 190

compress models 69

compressed normals 189

Compression 44

Configure Vector Models 200

Consolidate Contour 168

constant altitude 208

contact information 260

Contour Lines 168

control mode 208

controls 11

Convert Meters to Feet 193

Convert Models 57

Coordinate Conversion 35, 57

Coordinate System 81, 95

create marker 213, 257

Crop 54, 56, 74

crosshairs 191

CSV File 218

Cut 54, 56

- D -Data Preview 32

datum 81

Decimation 50, 53, 74, 164

Decimation Level 73

Decimation/Crop Options 73

default Georegistration 85

Define Grid 160

Density 72

Directional Line of Sight 151

Directional LOS 143, 148

Display 189

Display Mode 210

Display Units 46

dongle 6

downsampling 88

Dropping a Coordinate 37

DTED 34, 43, 67

DXF 90, 92, 165, 168

- E -edit 50

edit marker 215

Edit Measurement Line 235

Edit Sensor 215

Editing 50

elevation 215

elevation legend 191

enforce collisions 209

ESRI 90, 93, 94

Exit 48

Export 90, 92, 93

Export GeoTIFF 93

Export Image Search to KML 118

Export LAS 91

Export Marker to KML 219

Export Markers 221, 223

Export Model Image 93

Export Outline to KML 107

Export to PowerPoint 99

Extents Outline 108

External Call 35

- F -face center 204

Feet to Meters Conversion 46

FEMA 172

file extension 40, 90

File Menu 32

Filter 139

Filtering 181, 182

filtering options 75

Flicker 188

flight mode 208

flood 184

FLT 90

Force Colors 162

frame rate 210

- G -Garmin 102, 224

Garmin Custom Map 100, 102

GeoKeys 95

Georegister 62

Georegistration 62, 81, 95

GeoTIFF 93, 94, 133

GeoTIFF DEM 67, 88, 92

GeoTIFF export 94

GeoTIFF Image Search 118

getting started 6

go fullscreen 44

Index 263

Go Here 35

Google Earth 93, 108, 210

Google Earth Export 107

Google Earth Keyboard Sync 210

Google Earth Preview 32

Google Earth Style Zoom 209

GPS 102, 103, 224

GPS - Imagery Export 100

Graze Angle 159

grazing angle 215

GRG 165

Grid 74, 160

Grid Lines 165

Grid Referenced Graphic 165

Grid Sampling 73

Grid Statistics 159

Grid Stats - Actions 159, 164

Grid Stats - Calculate 159, 161

Grid Stats - Configuration Options 159, 165

Grid Stats - Define Grid 159, 160

Grid Stats - Select Variable 159, 160

Grid Stats - Visualization 159, 162

Gridding Options 73

Ground Estimate 175

Ground truthing 172

- H -haze 191, 196

header lines 83

Header Preview 32

height coloration 124, 189

height scale 196

Helicopter Landing Zone 128

hide marker 189

Hide Markers 221

High-Low Palette 124

Histogram 162

HLZ 128

Hole Fill 75

Hot Keys 29

- I -Image Chipping 103

Image Formats 112

Image Registration 118

Image Search 118

Image Tiling 103

imagery overlay 114

Images 127

Import 69, 73, 75, 83, 86

import LAS 85

Import Marker from CSV File 218

Import Marker from KML 219

Import Marker from SHP 219

Import Markers 221, 223

Import Markers from ASCII 217

Import Mensuration from KML 171

Import Merged GeoTIFF DEM's 88

import vector data 87

In Range Color 131

independent rotation 209

individual marker options 230

INI File 46

Inspect Markers 221

Intensity 83, 84

Interpolation 75

IP Address 6

- K -keyboard controls 11

keys 6

KML 93, 105, 107, 108, 171, 172, 219

KML Index 105

KML Marker 219

KML Options 108

- L -LAS 85, 91

LAS 1.2 123

LAS Attribute 134

LAS Preview 32

LAS Quick Open 86

LAS RGB Values 123

Launching QT from External Applications 35

legend 191

light 191

lighting 197

Line of Sight 143, 145, 148, 149, 150, 151, 154,156

Line Size/Width Setting 197

load marker 217

Local Workspace 18



Log File 42

Log Files 46

Look Here 35

LOS 143, 145, 148, 149, 150

- M -marker 215, 230

Marker Attribute 228

marker export 220

Marker Import 218

Marker Import - SHP 219

marker name 217

Marker Options 228

Marker Quick Tagging 228

Marker Sensor Model 215

Marker Sort 221, 223

markers 213

match altitude 58

match report 58

max sample excursion 75

Maximum Model Quantization Error 180

measurement 233

Measurement Line Editing 235

Measurement Line Options 236

Measurement Line Placement 234

Measurement Options 195

Memory Management Options 44

Menu 32

Menus 14

Merge Models 59

Meters to Feet Conversion 46

minimap 192

Model 34, 67

Model Comparison 165

Model List 242

Model Manager 179

model mode 208

Model Overview 67

Model Search 37

Model Statistics 180

Model Subtraction 61

Model Types 34

mouse controls 11

movie 96, 97, 98

Moving Markers 231

moving speed 211

multiple models 71

- N -navigation 11

No Data Value 64, 90

Normals 43, 64

North-South Grid Orientation 74

- O -Obstructions 128

Omnidirectional LOS 143, 145

Open 34

Open New Model 34

OpenGL 17, 112, 151, 154

Orbit Mode. 209

Orthographic 117

Orthorectification 93

Orthorectified 114, 120

Out of Range Color 131

Overlay 22

Overview 67

- P -Palette 124

place marker 213

play movie 97

Point Cloud 73

point interrogation 50, 257

Point Query Utility 172

point to point viewing 206

Portable Workspace 18

position 211

Posting 73

PowerPoint 99

Preview - GeoTIFF 32

Preview - Google Earth 32

Preview - LAS 32

Primary Button Bar 24

processing options 71

Profile Analysis Tool 237

Profile Appearance 244

Profile Buffer 239

Profile Cursor Position Display 241

Profile Points vs. Lines 240

Profile Y Axis Attribute 240

progress bar 44

Index 265

Projective 117

Pseudo DTED 67

Pseudo-DTED 34

- Q -QA/QC 72, 172

QDT 34

QT Files Directory 46

QT Modeler Screen 14

QTA 43, 134, 139

QTA Discrete Attribute Filter 139

QTA Quick Color 134

QTC 34, 67

QTT 34, 67

qtvlog.txt 42

Quad Buffered Stereo 189

Quality 72

Quality Control 172

Quantization 180

- R -Range Rings 170

Real TIme Contour Lines 168

record movie 96

Recover Measurement Line 236

Registration points 62

Re-Import Model 86

Remove Alpha 134

Remove Image 133

remove marker 220

Remove Model 40

Remove Surface Normals 64

Rename Models 62

Rename QTA Attribute 143

Render Screen to GeoRegistered Image 100

Reneder Selection Area to GPS 103

Reset View 43

reset viewer 207

Restart Sentinel Driver 6

RGB 83, 84, 92

Rotated Grid 74

roughness 75

Route 224

- S -Sample 123

sample excursion 75

sample model 11

Sample Textures into vertex colors 123

Sampled Vector 255

sampling 112, 114

Sampling Shapefiles 200

Save 40

Save Image 133

save marker 220

Save Mensuration Line as KML 172

Save Selection to ASCII 52

Save Values 161

Screen 14

screen size 45

Script File 43

Script Log File 42

Scripting 40

Scripts - Add Action 41

Scripts - Editing Actions 42

Scripts - Running Scripts 42

Search 118

Search Cache 39

select 50

select area 51

Selection Area 50

Selection Area Editing Tools 53

Selection Area Export 52

Selection Area Import 52

Sensor 213, 215

Sensor Model 213, 215

Sensor View LOS 143, 149

Sentinel 6

Set Base Model Color 199

Set Display Units 193

Set Model Position 64

Set Vector Line Size 197

set water level 184

Shadow Map 131

Shadows 17

shape file 74, 90, 93, 219, 220

shapefile 87, 165, 168

shiny terrain 189

Shortcuts 29

Show/Hide Markers 221, 223

Show/Hide Models 188



sky 193

Slope 128

Slope Analysis 131

Slope Analysis - Travel Route 248

Slope Area Filtering 131

Slope Image 131

smooth normals 189

smoothing 75

Sort Markers 221, 223

Spike Filter 75

Spike/Well Filter 75

state plane 81

Statistical Model Comparison 165

statistics 160, 179, 180

Stereo Display Output 189

Subtract Models 61

Suppport 46

Surface Model 73

Surface Normals 44, 64

Synchronize Google Earth 210

- T -targeted point 209

Temp 47

Temp File 46, 47

terrain following 209

Terrain Hugging 195

Terrain Mask 159

texture 123, 188

texture slot 112

Textures 112, 114, 117, 120, 122

tfw 94, 114

TIFF 101

Tiling Images 103

tiling setting 75

TIN 172

Toggle Clouds/Surface 200

toolbar 44

traditional LOS calculations 151, 156

Travel Route Analysis Tool 248

Travel Route Line of Sight 156

Travel Route LOS 150

triangulation 75

Troubleshooting 46

- U -Undo 56

USGS DEM 69

UTM 43, 81

UTM Zone 81

- V -Variable 160

Variable Length Record 32

Variance 159

Vector 87, 200

Vector Annotation 255

Vector LOS 143, 150

Vector Models 170

Vertex Colors 112, 127, 132, 133, 134

View 43

Viewshed 143

Virtual Line of Sight 151, 154

Virtual Shadow Map 17

visualizing 11

VLR 32

volume 184

Volume Calculations 181

Volume Change Detection 181

Voxel 194

- W -Waypoint 224

What's New 2

Window Select 51

wireframe 189

Workspace 18

world file 94, 114

- X -XYZ Axes 190

- Z -Z Select 50, 51

zone 81

Zoom 209

Index 267

Zoom Level 35