Floating an Image at a Defined Elevation

RockWorks | Graphics | Images | Float | Single

This program floats a single raster image at a specified elevation. Supported raster formats include: BMP, JPG, EMF and WMF, PCX, PNG, TGA, and TIFF.

! The raster image file must reside in the current project folder.

Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary

Menu Options

• Float Image
  • Image Source
    
    • Project Image: Choose this option if you wish to float the current Project Image.
    • Other Image: Click this option to float a different image. You will need to define which image and its locations.
      • File Name: Click here to browse for the name of the bitmap image you want to float. Supported formats are listed above.
      • Image Location Defined By: You have several options for entering the coordinates at which the bitmap is to be displayed in RockPlot3D.
        • Project Dimensions: Choose this option if the current output dimensions represent the border coordinates for the image you've selected.
        • World File: Choose this option if there is an accompanying World File which defines the image extents.
          • Automatic: Choose this option if the program is to search automatically for a World File with the same file name as the Image File, above, and with either world file name extensions: *.bmpw or *.bpw (italicized letters are replaced by the extension characters of the Image File, as in *.pngw or *.pgw, etc.)
          • Manual: Choose this option to manually browse for the World file to be used for georeferencing the selected image.
        • Manually Specified: Choose this option to type in the coordinates for the edges of the image.
          • X-Minimum: X or Easting coordinate represented by the left edge of the image.
          • X-Maximum: X or Easting coordinate represented by the right edge of the image.
          • Y-Minimum: Y or Northing coordinate represented by the bottom edge of the image.
          • Y-Maximum: Y or Northing coordinate represented by the top edge of the image.

        • 

  • Float Options
    • Elevation: Enter here the elevation at which the bitmap is to be floated.
    • Set Transparent Color: Check this box to specify a specific color in the bitmap image to be displayed transparent. For example if the image has a white background and you would like that part to be see-through, you would select white.
      If activated, click on the color box to choose the image color that is to be set to transparent.
    • Layer Name: Type in a name for this layer; it will simply be used to label the floating bitmap in RockPlot3D. For example, if the image represents a satellite image, you might name this layer "Satellite Image."
    • 
      
• Other 3D Diagram Options
  Use these checkboxes to append other layers to your 3D scene.
  Click each tab to set up the 3D diagram layers (infrastructure, reference cage, etc.).
• 
  
• Output Options
  
  • Save Output File: Check this to assign a name for the scene in advance, rather than displaying it as Untitled.
    • 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 ".Rw3D" file name extension.
    • Manual: Choose this option to type in a name of your own for this file.
  • Display Output: Check this option to have the resulting scene displayed in RockPlot3D once it is created.

Step-by-Step Summary

1. Select the Graphics | Images | Float | Single option from the RockWorks menu ribbon.
2. Enter the requested menu settings, described above.
3. Click the Process button to continue.

   The program will read the indicated bitmap image, and, if manually specified, assign its corners the indicated coordinates. The image will be displayed in a RockPlot3D tab in the Options window.

   If you requested use of an automatically-determined World file, the program will do this:

   • It will search for a file in the project folder that uses the 4-character world file extension (such as ".bmpw" or ".pngw").  If that file exists, it becomes the World file.
   • The program then searches for a file that uses the 3-character extension (such as ".bpw" or ".pgw"). If that file exists, it becomes the World file and supersedes the 4-character file (if it existed).

   The floating image will be displayed in a RockPlot3D tab.

   ! If neither the 4-character nor the 3-character version of the World file exists, the program will present the user with the following error message: "Unable to locate a "World" file that corresponds to the following raster image: (file name). Neither World file naming convention was found (examples shown)."

4. You can adjust any of the options along the left (such as elevation or transparent color) and click the Process button to regenerate the 3D scene.
5. View / manipulate the image in RockPlot3D.

Tip

• Use RockPlot3D’s File | Append to append an existing RockPlot3D scene to this image.
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See also

• Rectifying Images if you need to rotate and/or crop the image prior to floating the image. This tool also offers creation of a world file.
• Adding this program to your Playlist
• Adding this program to your Favorites
• Save/load/view menu settings
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Back to Image Menu Summary

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