FSX Mesh tutorial (xyz/csv to fsx mesh)

[jetta20162]

After many days of research i found a good solution to convert csv/text/xyz data to fsx mesh with opensource tools.

Maybe this tutorial is helpful for others too.

Prerequisites

• Data source (csv/txt/xyz with values x,y,z), in this example the data source is projected in EPSG:25833
• FSX SDK (resample.exe)
• VTBuilder (http://vterrain.org/)

Process

• open VTBuilder
• Click Layer->Import Data (or just the 'import data' icon)
• choose 'Elevation' as layer type
• select your data source
• VTBuilder will ask you for a reference coordinate projection, in this example the source data is in EPSG:25833 projection, so we click 'yes' for set the projection and in the next dialog we click 'Set EPSG' and then enter the projection '25833' and click 'OK' and 'OK' again to import the data source
• You should now see a green tainted image
• To work with FSX we need to flip the the image (be aware that this step might only be needed for UTM projected source data), to do this click 'Project', 'Spacial', 'Flip elevation north / south'
• the image is now flipped and we can set the target projection
• click 'Layer', 'Convert Coordinate System' and VTBuilder will ask you again, click 'Set EPSG' and then enter the projection '4326' and click 'OK'.
• The displayed image may now have some read or blue areas, caused by the re-projection
• click 'Elevation', 'Fill unknown areas', 'slow and smooth'
• now it is time to export the data for fsx
• click 'Elevation', 'Export to...' and select 'RAW/INF for MS Flight Simulator'
• now you get a *.raw and a *.inf file. the inf file can be dragged and dropped to the resample tool instantly but i suggest to set fraction bits, LOD, compression quality, etc. first

EDIT:

• after you created the RAW/INF for MS Flight Simulator file, ...don't use it, just keep the INF file and export again as GeoTIFF, because the RAW format is only in 16 bit and you might get terracing effects even if you use fraction bits in the inf file
• after export to GeoTiff, just change the source filename in the inf file and add under source: Layer = Elevation and change the type to GeoTiff
• for 32bit GeoTIFF and 1m Data i suggest to add LOD = 4,16 to the destination section and CompressionQuality = 100
• FractionBits depends on the maximum altitude of your terrain, please refer to the MSDN documentation

 

[bina]

Hi there,

Thanks for the tutorial! The new tool also looks quite sexy at first glance, will try it today - may come in handy for the project I'm currently working on.
Btw, does it also allow to deal with void pixels in source DEM data (TIFF).

Thanks!

 

[jetta20162]

Hi there,

Thanks for the tutorial! The new tool also looks quite sexy at first glance, will try it today - may come in handy for the project I'm currently working on.
Btw, does it also allow to deal with void pixels in source DEM data (TIFF).

Thanks!

You mean if the tool can interpolate missing pixels of a tiff file after import?

 

[bina]

Yes, I have a Tif file where the actual lake is misinterpreted as an elevation and looks very bright on the image. Resample tool also gives an error. I thought maybe VTBuilder can somehow help to heal that void area through interpolation.

PS: Enviro is also cool!

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

 

[GaryGB]

Thanks for sharing the freeware solution you found and presented in the OP !


PS: Some info relative to back-filling SRTM voids:

https://www.google.com/#q=VTBuilder+void+fill


Note that intermediate use of contours (when and where available) may be helpful for achieving a more satisfactory result.

GaryGB

 

[jetta20162]

Yes, I have a Tif file where the actual lake is misinterpreted as an elevation and looks very bright on the image. Resample tool also gives an error. I thought maybe VTBuilder can somehow help to heal that void area through interpolation.

PS: Enviro is also cool!

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

Sorry for my late answer I think resample.exe doesn't give an error because of a bright spot on the image. Can you post the output please? However AFAIK VTBuilder can try to interpolate missing areas that may be in the image after converting between different projections (caused by rotation for example) and the result is not bad
In your case i would try to add a flattening polygon with the shape of the lake and it's altitude with SBuilderX, maybe it helps

Thomas