RockWorks | Utilities | EarthApps | Lines | Parabolas | Arrows
This program:
- Reads a listing of data from the Datasheet Editor: XY endpoint pairs (X1Y1, X2Y2) , radii, colors, and heights
- Creates a KML output file with 3D arrows forming parabolic arcs between these endpoints using the designated colors and sizes.
- Creates a KMZ (zip) output file, containing the KML file.
- Loads the KMZ file in Google Earth.
See also: Google Earth Parabola Maps - Lines, Google Earth Parabola Maps - Tubes
Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
Menu Options
- Input Columns: The prompts along the left side of the window tell RockWorks which columns in the input datasheet contain what 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 parabola in the Google Earth side panel.
- X1: Column that contains the X coordinates for the starting point for the parabolas.
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 parabolas.
- X2: Column that contains the X coordinates for the parabola endpoints.
- Y2: Column that contains the Y coordinates for the parabola endpoints.
- Height: Column that contains the values defining the height for the parabolas.
Be sure you've specified the units for this column.
- Color: Column that contains the color definitions for the parabolas.
- Radius: Column that contains the values which will define the radii of the 3D arrows.
Be sure you've specified the units for this column as well.
- Segment Length (Meters): Click here to type in how long each arrow segment is to be, in meters. If you're plotting the parabolas across long distances (e.g. between cities), don't make this number too small (1000 meters = 1 kilometer, 10000 meters = 10 K, etc.)
Step-by-Step Summary
- Access the Utilities 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. (In this example, the sample file = "RockWorks17 Data\EarthApps Samples\Parabolic_Arrows_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.
- Select the RockWorks | Utilities | EarthApps | Lines | Parabolas | Arrows menu option.
- Enter the menu options as described above.
! Tip: If you're working with one of the sample .rwDat files, you can load its specific menu settings by (1) clicking on the Menu button at the top of the window, (2) clicking Load from RCL, and (3) browsing for the .rcl file with the same name as the .rwDat file you're working with.
- Click the Process button to continue.
The program will create a KML file with parabola segments between the coordinate pairs, using the color, radii, and height settings that were defined in the listing. It will create a KMZ (zip) file containing the KML file. The Google Earth KML and KMZ file names will be assigned automatically.
- If RockWorks displays the KMZ name in a popup window for your reference, you can confirm:
- Automatically load file into Google Earth: Be sure this is checked if you want to display the output at this time.
- Show this message every time a KMZ File is Created: If checked, this window will be displayed each time a Google Earth output is created. Uncheck this if you prefer not to see this window in the future.
(Both of these settings are also available via the Preferences menu.)
- Click OK to continue or Cancel to cancel the operation.
The resulting map will be displayed in Google Earth, if requested.
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