TerraScene Shape files

[Guest Richard Hill]

I need help...

[Guest Colins2]

Hi Richard,You say that you have d/l all the data for your state.I am assuming here that the area covered is far bigger than a globe tile?The best way to 'see' your data is with AecExplorer or Global Mapper, both free viewers.A shapefile set consists of (at least) 3 files. You need them all.1) xxx.shp. This file contains the actual poly / line data.2) xxx.shx. This is the index file.3) xxx.dbf. This is a standard database file that contains the information about each poly / line.Make sure that you only use lines or polygons, the points files are meaningless to TS2 (and Fly!)The database file should be viewable using Access/Excel etc.Method:Create a TS project for a globe tile within your data coverage.Create a sub-durectory under TerraScene....manually-added and put all the shapefiles in there.Go to digital maps in TerraScene and add the shapefiles 1 at a time.As you add each one, TerraScene will ask you to 'map' the file.The dropdown box may come up blank - it often does.Just click on the arrow and you will get a list of fielda to choose from.There may be a field called 'description' if you are lucky, if not then there should be a POLY_TYPE or something like that.Select that and then TS will ask you to map it to a texture.Once you have done them all once, TS will save the info in the project file.When you render the project, be sure to turn off the USGS data option or else TS will try and d/l the USGS data to work with.I use shapefiles all the time, I have to, there's no other option in Europe. I generally don't find them detailled enough, certainly not up to the USGS standards.That's why I spend so much time editing them :DHope this helpsColin

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

Colins,Thanks a lot, very useful info :-)Cheers!Pascal