RockWorks | Utilities | Earth | Tubes
This program:
- Reads a listing of data from the datasheet: XYZ endpoint pairs (X1Y1Z1, X2Y2Z2), colors and radii.
- Creates a KML output file with 3D tube segments drawn between these endpoints using the listed colors and radii, clamped to the ground, at elevations relative to the ground, or using absolute elevations.
- Creates a KMZ (zip) output file, containing the KML file.
- Loads the KMZ file in Google Earth.
See also: Google Earth Pipeline Maps for multi-segmented 3D tubes.
Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
- Data Columns: These prompts tell RockWorks which columns in the current datasheet contain the input data.
Click on an existing name to select a different name from the drop-down list. See a sample data layout below.
- Name: Select the column that contains the text to label the lines in the Google Earth side panel.
- Color: Column that contains the colors for the tube segments.
- X1: Column that contains the X coordinates for the starting point for the tubes.
These can be Eastings in meters or feet, decimal longitudes, etc. See Defining your Datasheet Coordinates for more information.
- Y1: Column that contains the Y coordinates for the starting point for the tubes.
- Z1: Column that contains the Z or elevation coordinates for the starting point for the tubes.
These can be defined in meters or feet. Be sure you've defined the units in the column heading.
- Radius-1: Column that contains the radius, in feet or meters, for the start of the tube. As above, be sure you've defined the units in the column heading.
- X2: Column that contains the X coordinates for the tube endpoints.
- Y1: Column that contains the Y coordinates for the tube endpoints.
- Z2: Column that contains the Z coordinates for the tube endpoints.
- Radius-2: Column that contains the radius, in feet or meters, for the end of the tube.
- Altitude Mode: These settings determine the vertical placement of the tubes.
- Clamp to Ground: Choose this for the tube segments to lie along the ground topography (ignoring the Z column data above). Note that long segments will be subdivided automatically to hug the ground.
- Relative to Ground: Choose this for the tube segments to plot a specified distance above ground, based on the values in the Z column defined above. Note that this offset is assigned to the line endpoints, so that short tibes will mirror the topography but long tubes will not.
- Absolute: Choose this to float the lines at a specific elevation, listed in the Z columns above.
- Group Name: Type in the name to assign to the tube map, which will be displayed in the Google Earth data tree.
- Output Options: Click on this tab to define the output file and display settings.
- Output File Name
- Automatic: Choose this option to have RockWorks assign the name automatically. 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 other information into the datasheet.
Or, open one of the sample files and replace that data with your own.
! Click the Example button at the top of the window to load a sample file that is installed with the program.
Here is an example of how a data file might look.
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.
- Select the RockWorks | Utilities | Earth | Tubes menu option.
- Enter the menu options as described above.
- Click the Continue button to proceed.
RockWorks will create a KML file with tube segments between the coordinate pairs, in the color, radius, and elevation mode you specified. It will create a KMZ (zip) file containing the KML file. The Google Earth KML and KMZ file names will be assigned as you specified.
The resulting map will be displayed in Google Earth, if requested.
Back to Earth Menu Summary
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