How To: Generate Superb Heightmaps :)

trainmaster611 · Post by **trainmaster611** » 29 Jan 2009 02:10

Cool! thaks man!

Just to save everyone grief and for the record, I did try to download data from the seamless USGS website but the downloads wouldn't work for some reason (when I got to the actual download page).

Moriarty · Post by **Moriarty** » 29 Jan 2009 21:50

To make life easier for folks. Here is a link to a mosaic of SRTM data at 1km pixel resolution for the entire world. However, as mentioned before, it's a 270MB and 1.4GB uncompressed. It's a geotiff file, if you're not sure if you can do stuff with them, download this small (48kbytes) little file that's in the same format and is of some atlantic island. If you can turn that into a heightmap, then you're good to go on the larger dataset (assuming you have the computing power

).

The small file:
ftp://ftp.glcf.umiacs.umd.edu/glcf/SRTM ... 032.tif.gz

The 270MB download (actually a link to a page with a link, I'm not that silly

).
http://glcfapp.umiacs.umd.edu:8080/esdi/ftp?id=68223

With this larger dataset, it's possible to easily create maps for entire countries or continents (not small countries admittedly, and antartica isn't on it

).

edit: The larger dataset has lots of junk data in it. You've been warned.

Just figure that may be of interest to someone.

Beardie · Post by **Beardie** » 29 Jan 2009 22:37

Look sorry to ask this but i am confused completely now when creating a map, i can't get the STRM3 to work in the latest version of Google Earth and your links gives me files i haven't a clue how to use or open. I managed to get a download of Swiss on the Server map stream page from the second link on this page, but the files are all complicated to me? Any help.

trainmaster611 · Post by **trainmaster611** » 30 Jan 2009 00:31

Moriarty wrote:To make life easier for folks. Here is a link to a mosaic of SRTM data at 1km pixel resolution for the entire world. However, as mentioned before, it's a 270MB and 1.4GB uncompressed. It's a geotiff file, if you're not sure if you can do stuff with them, download this small (48kbytes) little file that's in the same format and is of some atlantic island. If you can turn that into a heightmap, then you're good to go on the larger dataset (assuming you have the computing power ).

The small file:
ftp://ftp.glcf.umiacs.umd.edu/glcf/SRTM ... 032.tif.gz

The 270MB download (actually a link to a page with a link, I'm not that silly ).
http://glcfapp.umiacs.umd.edu:8080/esdi/ftp?id=68223

With this larger dataset, it's possible to easily create maps for entire countries or continents (not small countries admittedly, and antartica isn't on it ).

Just figure that may be of interest to someone.

I get a 'connection interrupted' error (according to firefox). I had that problem too with all of USGS's downloads.

Moriarty · Post by **Moriarty** » 30 Jan 2009 21:05

trainmaster - sounds like your ISP is giving you issues. Does it only happen with the big download or the small one too? Try using a different browser. I've never had issues downloadng from either site myself, be it from home or uni.

Beardie27 - As stated before, they're in geotiff format. Whilst there are plenty of programs that open them (they're basically normal tiff files with some extra meta data, so any good picture viewer can open them), I can't figure out how to "process" them using any of the normal software to end up with a heightmap. I'm looking into it though.

Moriarty · Post by **Moriarty** » 31 Jan 2009 10:59

On the matter of the world-srtm file I linked to above, I've eventually figured out why it wasn't doing much for me - much of the data in it is junk, especially the stuff at low sea-level. So bear that in mind if you're going to try and use it. I'm going to see if I can find another one.

Elukka · Post by **Elukka** » 31 Jan 2009 14:28

I'm having a problem following the guide in the first post. I can't get the plugin working. I've ticked all the boxes, but it only shows the banner, not the download links.

Do i need a particular version of Google Earth?

I'm looking for a heightmap of the Great Lakes area, just in case anyone happens to have one handy.

Beardie · Post by **Beardie** » 31 Jan 2009 15:08

Elukka wrote:I'm having a problem following the guide in the first post. I can't get the plugin working. I've ticked all the boxes, but it only shows the banner, not the download links.

Do i need a particular version of Google Earth?

I'm looking for a heightmap of the Great Lakes area, just in case anyone happens to have one handy.

Well i believe the latest version of Google Earth doesn't except the strm3 plugin, but older version i think do, but were can you get one of them?

Elukka · Post by **Elukka** » 01 Feb 2009 12:46

I tried downloading Google Earth 3, which didn't work at all, and an older version of Google Earth 4, which just automatically updated it to the newest version. :/

Is there any workable alternative source of heightmaps?

trainmaster611 · Post by **trainmaster611** » 01 Feb 2009 16:27

Moriarty wrote:trainmaster - sounds like your ISP is giving you issues. Does it only happen with the big download or the small one too? Try using a different browser. I've never had issues downloadng from either site myself, be it from home or uni.

I tried both downloads on firefox, Google Chrome, and IE to no avail. It just gives me the page can not be displayed errors, etc. Is there an alternate source?

Moriarty · Post by **Moriarty** » 01 Feb 2009 20:50

Train - Alternately you can try getting the GTOPO low-res world data from here:
http://edc.usgs.gov/products/elevation/ ... opo30.html
That comes in a bunch of seperate pieces. I've glued them together (that took my computer 45 mins) and so I now have 1.6GB of world heightmapage. I just need to figure how to get it into an OTTD heightmap without losing the lowlands to water. :-/
Note - that data is in .dem file format.

Elukka - depends what you mean by "heightmaps". I'm guessing you mean elevation data. I've posted a couple of links a few days ago, different people have different luck with them and the data is in a different format.

dani.user · Post by **dani.user** » 02 Feb 2009 11:54

It seems SRTM doesn't work in google earth because the url to the overlay returns Not Found.
Could anyone create me a 1024x1024 or 2048x2048 heightmap of Romania with bit of the neighboring countries please?
Thank you

Beardie · Post by **Beardie** » 02 Feb 2009 19:10

dani.user wrote:It seems SRTM doesn't work in google earth because the url to the overlay returns Not Found.
Could anyone create me a 1024x1024 or 2048x2048 heightmap of Romania with bit of the neighboring countries please?
Thank you

Just wondering mate how is someone meant to make you a height map when clearly the STRM doesn't work? And at the moment is the only feasible way of making one.

mikeel · Post by **mikeel** » 02 Feb 2009 23:53

hi to all,
i've found the site with the same SRTM data of the kml files:
http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/SELECTION/inputCoord.asp
you open the site, click the squares of geodata you want on the map and then download!
maybe you can update the first link.

trainmaster611 · Post by **trainmaster611** » 03 Feb 2009 00:37

mikeel wrote:hi to all,
i've found the site with the same SRTM data of the kml files:
http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/SELECTION/inputCoord.asp
you open the site, click the squares of geodata you want on the map and then download!
maybe you can update the first link.

Nice find dude

(and the downloads work

)

Moriarty · Post by **Moriarty** » 04 Feb 2009 20:36

trainmaster611 wrote:Nice find dude (and the downloads work )

You just have a contrarian ISP.

mikeel - thanks, always happy to have another data source.

dani.user · Post by **dani.user** » 07 Feb 2009 20:09

Thanks for the new datasource.

Moriarty · Post by **Moriarty** » 07 Feb 2009 20:46

trainmaster - per your earlier request, better late than never and all that stuff, I think this should cover it. Two options.

SE USA (1024 square) and East Coast USA (2048 square).

trainmaster611 · Post by **trainmaster611** » 09 Feb 2009 23:09

Moriarty wrote:trainmaster - per your earlier request, better late than never and all that stuff, I think this should cover it. Two options.

SE USA (1024 square) and East Coast USA (2048 square).

No way thanks dude!

I was gonna make it myself but I was probably gonna screw it up

skummel · Post by **skummel** » 21 Feb 2009 15:29

Thanks for this guide to make hightmaps
First time was not the lucky one , but after reinstall of my OS i finally get it to works with GE and Mikrodem

Now I can get maked at great scenario of the region : NL - BE - Northern France and part of Germany and part of the English Canals

If some would like to se the result of my first hightmap

BENELUX.PNG: (1.07 MiB) Downloaded 362 times

Later i will post the scn file

Update
Need some help or good tips
I had follow the guide and works proper -- but --- anybody have a god tips or tool to get pointed out locations of the big city in the middel of the maps --- like a red point in the grey scale - ex capital of the country , instaed of guesing it out
Hope someone understand what I mean

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