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SCTF information How to configure RGB scale for Global mapper 8

Started by moganite, December 21, 2006, 01:48:01 PM

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moganite

This is the tutorial and readme for the how to use the SCTF  RGB importer tool on the STEX.
The RGB import is a new feature and has been tested by NHP and been used to import several maps into SCTF their files have been uploaded th the STEX in recent weeks ant this enables ANYONE to create thier own map for simcity 4 without using Photoshop 10 which is the only program that can handle 16 bit greyscales.

The Readme and tutorial are mostly the same thing and there maybe some redundant information this is to ensure that everything has been covered..

RGB Importing Readme.Html

This readme file contains instructions on the use of the RGB feature developed for SCTF. Other elements of this package are 2 513x513 files that have been used to test the scale they are segments of the Mount Kaputar and Mount Everest maps released by moganite.

What is the RGB importer?

The RGB importer is a tool used for importing terrains to a precision of 0.1 m. It was developed as a means to bypass requiring photoshop 10 which at the time was the only program capable of  reading and saving 16 bit greyscales. The RGB  importer calculator released by moganite of NHP at simtropolis.com is a tool designed so that a colour scale is importable to third party programs such as global mapper 8 via a text file rather than having to type it out.


What is required ?
The use of the  import calculator is  the same scale used as RGB importing in  Wouanagaine's SCTF.

The import calculator uses  MSExcel 97 and as such any spread sheet  program will be able to read these files.

Wordpad or a convenient text editor to convert the Msexcel .prn file which is readable to a .clr file for import to global mapper 8 or higher. Although any program that uses DEM or terrain models would probably  have a similar feature for importing text files.

You need to be able to understand how to use the copy and paste functions in your spreadsheet program.

Usage
This tool comes with 3 spread sheets  they are
Computaion: calculates and defines the colour scale

Values only: Format of a .clr file for global mapper 8 refer to technical specifications] and data sheet
Reverse calculation: calculates a RGB value for any elevation  this is useful for anyone who wants to make an area of one colour/elevation possibly useful for people who wish to create a contour map

Instructions
These instructions are for using MsExcel for other spreadsheets you may need to use equivalent instructions. Also the .clr file is for global mapper 8 and above.

1.  To generate a colour scale change your value in the Orange box This represents the absolute lowest elevation. In SC4 and SCTF.


Link http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/240/excelvaluescx2.jpg

2. copy and paste the values to the spreadsheet titled  Values only in excel right click and select paste values only. You only want the elevation values . there is no need for copy pasting the RGB values as they are correct.

3. Save Values only as a text delimited by spaces. For other programs that use DEM/terrain files another file type may be more apropiate. It will be a prn file if you use MSExcel

4.Now you need use to Word pad or any other text editor to open and save the file as a clr file change the file to Name.clr

5. Open Global Mapper 8 or higher and import colour scale, select initialize from clr file and navigate to your file and click ok. You are then able to do screen captures or export  as Geotiff depending on your version of global mapper.

The yellow circle highlights the button you press
Before


Link : http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1737/globalmapperaeu9.jpg
After


Link : http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/4462/globalmapperbuj4.jpg

Notes: This type of image is not good for rescaling after capture image as you will get a lot of noise that defaults to zero.  Do not resize images for RGB importing as this will destroy your terrain. For this reason get your scale right before you capture or export images for use, any resizing will create holes in your terrain. It may be possible to rescale by integer multiples, or by integer divisors, but has not been tested yet. Either way, ensure that your image has all red and green values divisible by  16.


Using The back calculator
The back calculator is a tool used for the determination of a RGB value for a given elevation. Its main use is for touching up images with some noise.
The back calculator refers back to the sheet computation  as that the scale used matches the scale calculated.


Usage
1. Change the RGB 0,0,0 elevation to the number you are using as your lowest terrain point. This will be 250 below water level in SCTF

2. input the elevation into the aqua square Values below water level are negative.

3. The calculator will calculate the values for red and green and blue and display them in a boxed area.

4. Change your colour in your image editor to match that colour.

This is a tedious way to create fantasy maps and we are experimenting with being able to import in colour images. At the time of writing this feature is only embryonic and exists in no version of SCTF.
Its best use is for touching up areas that are "noisy" or not complying with the standard for RGB import.

In an image editor best method to remove noise in the Red and Green channels is to force  all values to be divisible by 16.
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