FSX Photoreal scenery

[Guest Maxim]

Hi all!I'm form Italy and I'd like create an Italy region in photoreal for FSX.I've some questions: I found an ortophoto image about region (Piedmont) but resolution is about 1 mt/pixel; image is GeoTiff. With FWTools I dowload a small part of the image, but size is very big!There is a possibility with SDK Resample tool to reduce pixel definiton of this image (about 2,5 mt/pixel), or how can I reduced image Gb size?If I dowmload entire image (some Gb !) how can I divided it in a small images without lost GeoTIFF coordinates?Another, I think to use SbuilderX for photoscenery creation: is it a good idea ??Thanks!Max

[scott967 62]

Try it without SBX. Edit the .inf file destination section:Create output file tiles:SplitFileLOD = 8 try between 8 (fewer, bigger files) and 13 (more, smaller files).Control output resolution:LOD =7,14 (13 = 4,8 14 = 2,4, 15 = 1,2)Control compression level:CompressionQuality = 90 (experiment between 50 and 100)scott s..

[arno 1]

Hi Max,Don't split your source image. Just edit your INF file so that it splits the BGL file into LOD pieces of the size you want. And if you do not want to use the maximum resolution, you can also specify what the maximum LOD is that it should create. If you use LOD 14 for that you should get about 2.4 meter resolution.

[Guest Maxim]

Hi!I've modify my file .inf with this parameters:[source]Type = GeoTIFFSourceDir = "D:Documenti condivisi"SourceFile = "Piem_01.Tif"Layer = ImageryVariation = DayNullValue = 255,255,255[Destination]DestDir = "D:Documenti condivisi"SplitFileLOD = 8LOD = 14 DestFileType = BGLLOD = Auto...but problem is:"Unable to open data source D:.................""Failed to create data source"I checked file directory and file name and all is ok.Is it possible that data file "Piem_01.Tif" is too big for Resample (about 1,5 Gb)??Another, when I download image from server, I use "Exort Geotiff" from software menu (Global Mapper), and I select 24bit RGB: is it right ?I'm waiting for your replay !Max

[arno 1]

Hi Max,Is that your complete INF file? The lines you posted don't look wrong, so I have no idea why the files can not be found during compilation. In the destination section I miss the DestBaseFileName for example. And you have the LOD option twice.A 1.5 GB TIFF file should not be a problem. Until 2 GB they have worked fine for me. The same is true for the produced BGL file, that should remain below 2 GB as well.

[Guest Maxim]

Hi Arno!I correct LOD part double!But Resample don't start!I've origin image file in a second partition ( D: ) in my HD meanwhile Resample is in C: : can it be a problem?...but now I think to understand the problem: when I export GeoTIFF image with Global Mapper, I use UTM coordinates, but I see in SDK examples image, that right image format is GEO (Geographic lat-lon system). I hope that it's right!Thanks!Max

[arno 1]

Hi Max,I don't think it should matter on which harddisk your files are, as long as you specify it correctly in the INF file.You are right that the GeoTIFF must be reprojected to WGS84 before you can use it in FS.

[scott967 62]

I have been "bit" in the past where I exported my data in geo, but left it in NAD83 datum, which is the same positions, but resample is looking for WGS84 in the geotiff tags and won't run without it.scott s..

[nudata 10]

First I would simplify the environment. Put the TIF file in the same folder as a copy of Resample.exe. Put your INF in that folder also. In the INF Source field simply put the name of the source file xxxxx.tif, no pathway such as d:/xxxx. Put a period/full stop in the Source DIR. The example is below. This always works for me. I simply drag/drop the INI file over Resample.exe. Resample.exe reads it and away you go. If it flashes, but does not start, use the CMD command to bring up an old fashioned DOS window. Enter where resample is SPACE and where the INF file is ENTER. Now you will see the the step-by-step results.[source]Type = GeoTIFFSourceDir = "."SourceFile = "wva1.tif"Layer = ImageryVariation = DayNullValue = 255,255,255Channel_BlendMask = 3[Destination]DestDir = "."DestBaseFileName = "wva1.tif"DestFileType = BGLLOD = autoRegards,Dick BoleyA PC, an LCD, speakers, CH yoke

[Guest Maxim]

Thanks a lot guys !Problem was geographical coordinates: GeoTIFF with UTM standard was an error for Resample software !I download directly GeoTIFF images in GEO format and now all is OK !One question: GeoTIFF images are very big (some Gb) but I read on some forums that ECW images are very compressed.For storage an entire italian region ( 1 mt/pixel)on my HD, is it possible to download single part in GeoTIFF format, and convert it in ECW or are there other solutions ?Bye!Max

[scott967 62]

I think there is ECW, MrSID, and Jpeg2000, but I'm not sure if any of these might be a lossy compression.scott s..

[Guest Maxim]

Hi !Now I'm downloading by Global Mapper Piedmont region, direct in ECW format file.When download will be finish, I open every single file and convert it in GeoTIFF format with GEO coordinates.My idea is to obtain with Resample software, many .bgl files with water mask: how can make a water mask only with Resample and a .ini file ?I read in another forum about SbuilderX and construction of water mask: is more difficult than Resample file .ini or is it a good idea ??!!Please, correct me if I wrong : with Resample software, water mask is create in automatic method, Resample "know" where water is on image and convert it in a real water mask. With SbuilderX, the procedure method is manual: I open .bgl file, localized water part and I make a polygon for water mask.Is it correct ??Thanks!Max

[scott967 62]

I don't think that SBuilderX can create the water mask. Water mask is a feature of a photo scenery (imagery). It is a grayscale version of your source image. The only allowed color is black (0) or white (255). When viewed in FSX, the photoscenery will appear as before. Any area where the water mask is black, will be displayed with a water effect. The exact appearance is different depending on your water slider. At least on my machine, with water effect 1.X, the photo looks "milky", even from top-down. In 2.X, the photo is very clear from top-down. Either way, the water mask area works like "water" (waves, float planes sit on it).An alternative is "blend mask". Blend mask is also a grayscale version of your source photo, this time it can vary from 0-255. In this case black is "allow default terrain to show" and white is "allow photo to show". In this situation, where you have black area, any default terrain water polygons will show and act as water in that area.Either way, you have to create the masks before you can use resample to create the scenery file. If you want to try this, when you export the GeoTIFF from Global Mapper, have it also save a tfw world file. Make a copy of the GeoTiff and use a graphics program to edit it and convert to grayscale (8 bit). Save this as a separate file. Most graphics programs will not keep GeoTIFF data. It is simple though since you have Global Mapper to change the name of the tfw file from earlier to the name of your new mask file so that you can import into Global Mapper, then reexport it as GeoTIFF to restore the tag data.then create a multi-source inf file for resample.scott s..

[Guest luissa]

>I don't think that SBuilderX can create the water mask. Hi Scott,If the main image (that should exist in ../Tools/Work) has the name, say, my_image.bmp and if there exists in the same folder the file my_image_W.tif, SBuilderX will create an INF that "calls for a water mask". I never tested it but it is supposed to work in that manner.Regards,Luis