RockWorks | Utilities | Planes | Google Earth Strike & Dip Disks
Use this program to:
- Read a listing of data from the Datasheet: XY locations, elevations, strike or dip direction and dip angle of the geologic features (bedding plane, fault, etc.), colors, and radius and thickness values.
- Create a KML output file with the point locations illustrated with 3D disks with true orientation and angle displayed. The disks will plot using the color, size, and thickness as listed in the datasheet.
- Create a KMZ (zip) output file, containing the KML file.
- Loads the KMZ file in Google Earth.
See also: 2D Google Earth Strike & Dip Maps.
Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
- Data Columns: These prompts tell RockWorks which columns in the current datasheet contain the requested input data.
Click on an existing name to select a different name from the drop-down list. See a sample data layout below.
- Easting: Select the column that contains the X coordinates for the measurement locations.
These can be Eastings in meters or feet, decimal longitudes, etc. See Defining your Datasheet Coordinates for more information.
- Northing: Select the column that contains the Y coordinates for the points.
- Direction: Select the column that contains the strike direction or dip direction, in a 0 - 360 azimuth degree format. You can define which direction these measurements represent using the Direction Represents setting below.
- Dip: Select the column that contains the dip angle from horizontal.
- Directionality: Choose how the planar data are recorded in the datasheet.
- Declination
- Magnetic Declination Correction: Enter any declinaton correction as described in the program dialog.
- Azimuths (Direction) Represent...
- Inclination (Dip) Direction: Choose this option if the Direction measurements, defined in the column above, represent planar dip direction.
- Strike Direction: Choose this option if the Direction measurements represent strike azimuth bearing. This assumes a right-hand rule whereby the dip direction is 90 degrees clockwise from the strike bearing.
- Disk Attributes
- Radius: The radii of the disks can be defined in one of two ways:
- Uniform: Choose this option to plot all of the disks using the same, user-defined radius setting.
- Fixed Radius: Enter the radius for all disks in m3534w.
- Variable (Defined by Data Column): Choose this option to plot each disk using the radius setting which is defined within the datasheet.
- Column: Select the column in which the disk radii are listed. Be sure you've defined the data units (e.g. feet or meters) in the column heading.
- Thickness (Aperture): The thickness of the disks can be defined in one of two ways:
- Uniform: Choose this to plot all disks at the same thickness.
- Fixed Thickness: Enter the thickness for all disks, in meters.
- Variable (Defined by Data Column): Choose this option to plot each disk using thickness values which are listed within a column in the datasheet.
- Column: Select the column in which the disk thicknesses are listed. Be sure you've defined the data units (e.g. feet or meters) in the column heading.
- Color: The color of the disks can be defined as fixed or variable.
- Uniform: Choose this to plot all of the disks using the same, user-defined color. Click the color box to choose the color for all of the disks.
- Variable (Defined by Column): Choose this option to plot each disk using the colors which are listed in the datasheet.
- Color Column: Select the name of the column in which the colors are listed.
- Altitude: Column that contains the above ground altitudes where the measurements were taken and where the disks should plot. Be sure you've defined the elevation units in the column heading.
- Direction Represents...
- Strike: Choose this option if the input directions represent strike direction, assumed to be 90 degrees counter-clockwise from the dip direction (e.g. right hand rule).
- Dip Direction: Choose this option if the input directions represent the dip bearing.
- Declination Correction: Enter here any correction for the declination in positive or negative decimal degrees. These will be added to the listed direction values.
- Group Name: Click here to type in the name for the map grouping which will be displayed as the data heading in Google Earth.
- Output Options: Click on this tab to define the output file and display settings.
- Output File Name
- Automatic: Click this option to have RockWorks assign a name to the KMZ file which will be generated for display in Google Earth. It will use the name of the current program plus a numeric suffix, plus the ".KMZ" file name extension.
- Manual: Click this option to type in your own file name. The extension is ".KMZ".
- Display output within Google Earth: Check this box if you want to display the output at this time in Google Earth.
! Note that the actual program which will be used to display the KMZ file is determined by your Windows settings.
- Use Custom View: If unchecked, the starting viewpoint for the map will be determined automatically. If checked you can set a custom view.
- Longitude, Latitude: Type in the longitude and latitude coordinates where the viewpoint will be.
- Heading: Type in the 0 to 360 degree bearing from the viewpoint to the map.
- Tilt: Type in the angle downward from the viewpoint to the map.
- Range: Enter the distance in meters from the viewpoint to the map.
- Access the RockWorks Datasheet program tab.
- Create a new datasheet and enter or import your location coordinates and measurements into the datasheet.
Or, open one of the sample files and replace that data with your own. See Data Layout for datasheet examples.
! Click the Example button at the top of the window to load a sample file that is installed with the program.
This example illustrates the sample file "\Documents\RockWorks Data\Samples\StrikeDip_3D_Advanced_01.rwDat"
Longitude and latitude coordinates must be in decimal format. If you're using another coordinate system, be sure you've specified the Units and the Projection Settings as appropriate.
Strike direction or dip direction must be entered in a 0 - 360 degree azimuth format. (If you need to convert quadrant notations to azimuth, please refer to the Quadrant -> Azimuth tool in the Utilities.)
Dip angle must be entered as positive values from horizontal.
Radius and thickness values can represent the units you define here.
- Select the Utilities | Planes | Google Earth Strike & Dip Disks menu option.
- Enter the program settings as described above.
- Click the Continue button to proceed.
The program will create a KML file listing the disks at the point locations, using the color and size you've specified in the datasheet. It will create a KMZ (zip) file containing the KML file using the file naming scheme you selected
The resulting map will be displayed in Google Earth, if requested.
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