The 3D Grid Display shows multiple three dimensional objects simultaneously, i.e. DTMs with surface Texture, Static Objects, Water Surface, Range Markers, Survey Lines, and Vessels (objects such as dredgers, dredge heads).
Vessels are seen moving in real-time updating DTM depths as dredging proceeds, both excavation and dumping.
3D object models must be created with 3rd party software as Direct X (*.x) files before they can be visualized here.
Opening a Display
Take the following steps to create and configure a 3D Grid Display:
Go to “Options” on the menu bar of the Controller and select “Displays”,
or click on the Displays icon . This opens the Display Manager.
Click on to open the Add Display dialog:
Select type “3D Grid Display” and enter a title name.
Pressing OK opens an initially empty display. You have to configure 3D vessel/object models and terrains (DTMs).
Orienting the Display
Button
Description
Left button
Hold the left mouse button down. Move the mouse left and right spins the scene about a pivot point. Move the mouse up and down rotates the scene vertically about the same pivot point.
Right button
Right click in the scene to set a new pivot point. If the click is on an object the pivot point is located on the object itself. Otherwise the pivot is located on the DTM surface.
Scroll wheel
Zooms in toward and out from the pivot point.
Alternatively use the commands available in the View menu: Rotate, Pan Horizontally, Pan Vertically, and Recenter.
or clicking on the 3D Objects menu item opens the same dialog box as does View Properties
The page has three buttons in the left pane each with icons displayed beneath.
Icons in the Red box above open the View page. Icons in the Blue box above open the Objects page. Icons in the Yellow box above open the Vessels page:
Vessels
Click on and then on each 'vessel' object in turn.
For each object, decide whether it should be shown. If Yes, select the Computation from which its position is drawn.
Then click on to link the 3D File (*.x) from the standard Windows File Open dialog.
The 3D model can be manipulated as follows:
File offsets
Translation
Sometimes because of the way the *.X files were configured, the connections between the objects may not have a perfect match. Translation can be used to shift an object on any axis. Translation is also useful when shifting location of Static objects. Leaving the values for translation and rotation at zero will result in the visualization of the original 3D File.
Rotation
Sometimes the orientation of the original file may not match reality. A 180 degree reversal is quite common (see image below where the backhoe is reversed). Enter a value in degrees to rotate the model about any of the three axes. For example entering Y=90 rotates the object 90 degrees to starboard. Leaving the values for translation and rotation at zero will result in the visualization of the original 3D file.
Scale
It may be necessary to re-scale the object, sometimes because the units used in the original file are not real world units, or to convert meters to feet or vice versa.. Leaving the scale value at 1 will result in the visualization of the original 3D file.
Select the data to be used to build a 3D wireframe. A wireframe model represents the shape of a solid object by its characteristic lines and points.
Click on and then on DTM.
The currently active sounding grid (loaded in Controller-Settings-Session Setup-Sounding Grid) is loaded by default.
Additional terrains can also be loaded.
DTM
Additional terrain
In the Controller's Session Setup - Planning you can add Additional Terrains as an alternative. One of up to 10 of these can be selected. A warning message (Not a DTM) is displayed when the additional terrain is not recognized as valid.
<currently active file>.grd
The grid file selected in the Session Setup of the Controller is automatically added with its name displayed here. Switch it on or off. If no grid file is selected in the Controller it shows No File.
Create flat surface DTM
This option creates an infinite horizontal plane when no data from the other selected DTM files is available. A data entry field is displayed under Settings below. This is meant as a visual aid only.
Select one of the Layers from the DTM Terrains list and set the properties of this layer in the Settings pane below.
The type of layer selected dictates which settings need to be set.
Settings
Model settings
Press the [+] sign to open the tree structure menu.
Layer
From the drop down menu, select which Layer to show in the 3D Grid Display.
Attribute
From the drop down menu, select the Attribute of the selected Layer to show. Only attributes already set in creating the sounding grid are available to select.
Improve coverage
The sounding grid is built up from multiple resolution levels (e.g. 1x1, 2x2, 4x4, etc). With the Improve Coverage option data from a lower resolution level is used to fill gaps in the grid.
Vertical scale
By default this is set to 1. Increase this value to exaggerate the Vertical Scale of the grid.
Height
When a flat surface DTM was selected, the Height of this surface is shown here.
Press Apply to see the effects of changed settings without having to leave this menu item.
Use these options to set the colors and textures for the selected DTM files. A geo-referenced image file can be overlain on the DTM surface
Geo-referenced image files must be in *.ecw file format. These files are created with the ER Mapper Image Compressor. For files up to 50 MB a free version is available as part of the QINSy release.
Click on and then on DTM Textures.
Use the to add *.ECW files.
DTM Texture settings
Add one or more *.ecw files to drape on top of the DTM. For example an orthoimage like a sidescan mosaic or a satellite image.
Set the order of the layers using the up and down arrow buttons at the right hand side of the dialog. For example it makes more sense to draw the grid on top of the *.ecw file than the other way around. The file at the top of the list is drawn on top of the others.
Remove any *.ecw files no longer needed.
No file.grd
The active grid file selected in the Session Setup of the Controller is automatically added. It can be switched on or off. If no grid file is selected in the Controller it will show No File.
Create texture outside DTM
This option creates an infinite horizontal plane where no data from the other selected DTM files is available. This is meant as a visual aid only. DTM files selected in the DTM page are already visible in this list.
Make selections as follows:
Layer Setup
The setting of the layer selected in the Layers list above is visible. Which settings need to be set depends on the type of layer selected.
Color source settings
If necessary press the [+] sign to open the tree structure menu.
Use DTM settings
When the box is checked you are electing to use the same layer and attribute that was set in the DTM dialog. When unchecked additional options are added to the dialog to allow definition of an alternative Layer, Attribute, and Reference Layer if applicable. The latter could be the design layer used to show the difference between two layers in a selected color scheme.
Layer
Only available if 'Use DTM settings' is disabled. Select the Layer to be used for color coding.
Attribute
Only available if 'Use DTM settings' is disabled. Select the Attribute of the selected layer to be used for color coding.
Reference layer
Only available if 'Use DTM settings' is disabled. Optionally a Reference Layer can be selected to show the difference between it and the active layer. Select a color scheme to depict differences clearly.
Improve coverage
The sounding grid is built up using multiple resolution levels (i.e. if Level 0 has a cell size of 0.5x0.5m, Level 1 has cell size 1.0x1.0m, Level 2 has cell size 2.0x2.0m etc.). Activating Improve Coverage means that data from a lower resolution level is used to fill gaps in the grid of a higher resolution level.
Color map settings
Use range from
Project Settings -The color range set under the Global Settings option in the Console is used. When the Project Settings are used Color map options are disabled. User Defined -Enter values for Maximum and Minimum to set a range. If the values you enter are not accepted, check above to make sure 'Project settings' is NOT selected. When User Defined is chosen, use the button to automatically scale the color map according to detected Minimum and Maximum depths for the attribute selected in the active grid layer. Color map -A predefined coloring file can be selected to color the grid.
Color map
A number of maps are predefined in the software.
You can make your own Color Map using the Color Scale Editor utility found in the lower panel of the Console. You may have to right click in the lower pane and select Add/Remove QPS Programs.
Color Map settings apply to the currently active Layer. When switching to a different active Layer the settings are stored for the original Layer and new settings can be set for the new Layer.
Note: Color Maps are typically used to visualize a range of bathymetric depths or a range of backscatter intensity values.
Maximum / Minimum
Set the upper and lower extents for the color map. For depths this is a negative number, for elevations it is a positive number. When Color Map is selected as range source these values will be set to the default values for the selected color map. Enter values manually if needed.
Transparency
Set the Transparency level for the grid layer in order to better see underlying features.
Swap color map
The colors for deep and shallow will be reversed. For example when using the qps.clr map, white represents the shallower depths of the depth range and black represents the deepest. These can be switched with this option so white is shallow and black is deep.
Draw over- / underflow
All data shallower than the maximum value are colored with the Overflow color; all data deeper than the minimum value are colored with the Underflow color. Underflow color can be useful as a guide to show when design depth is reached.
Refer to Sounding Grid Preparation and Importing Design Model for help with creating a grid. Note that soundings can be imported into the sounding grid or soundings are written to the sounding grid during recording.
Press Apply to see the effects of changed settings without having to leave this menu.
On occasion there may be a need to display objects within the 3D scene that do not move. For example, offshore structures like wind turbines or pipelines. If 3D models of static objects are available, they can be added to the scene.
Click on and then on Static Objects.
Use the button to select object model Direct X meshes (*.x) and/or *.PRO/*.QGF files, i.e. designs created with Terramodel or in the QINSy graphical format.
Enter parameter values:
Settings
Link to
Select whether the object should be linked to:
Manual - a manually entered position, which is entered in the Offsets fields.
Fixed node - this node must be predefined in Database Setup.
Waypoint - a predefined point in a Line Database file.
The parameters displayed depend on which Link To option was chosen. In case of Manual enter the coordinate set. In case of a Fixed node, select the fixed node from the drop down list that shows all the fixed nodes defined in the template database. In case of a Waypoint first select the relevant Line Database file and the appropriate waypoint.
Drop on DTM
The Object origin receives the height of the DTM at that location. This overwrites the manually entered Z value. However, if the object origin is not located at the base of the object, it may be necessary to uncheck this box and use Offsets to place the bottom of the object on the DTM surface.
Offsets
These values shift the *.x file relative to the selected location, or they set the absolute position when Link To is set to Manual.
Rotation
The object is rotated around its own pivot point in one or more axes.
Scale
The object can be re-scaled if the original model is not created in real world coordinates. Using only Z scaling a vertical exaggeration of the scale is possible.
Press Apply to see the effects of changed settings without having to leave this menu.
A water surface can be visualized using either a horizontal plane or a DTM from a *.PRO / *.QGF file. The height of the plane is set using the Height options.
Click on and then on Water.
Define how the water plane is set up.
Setup
Water plane
Select either a Horizontal Plane or a Boundary. The Boundary option uses a DTM from a *.PRO / *.QGF file.
3D File
Only available for the Boundary option. Use the browse button to select the *.PRO / *.QGF file which contains the DTM.
Note that in the Line Db file, you must use the DTM Link check box in order to create a proper DTM file.
DTM Layer
Select the DTM Layer from the selected *.PRO / *.QGF file.
Color
Select the color for the water plane.
Transparency
A very high Transparency means the water plane is hardly visible. A very low water Transparency makes all layers underneath almost invisible.
Height
Height mode
The height of the water plane is determined by either a Manually entered height relative to Vertical Datum or by an Object height. In the latter case the Water Plane is drawn at the height of the reference point of the object but can be offset if that point is not at water level.
Link to
Only available if Object height is selected. Select which object the water plane should be drawn relative to.
Offset
In case of a Manual Height enter the Offset from survey datum to draw the Water Plane. In case of Object Height this is the offset from the height of the reference point on the object.
Press Apply to see the effects of changed settings without having to leave this menu.
Lines set in Controller-Settings-Session Setup-Line Planning can be made visible in the 3D grid display. Line heights are the same as those heights entered for each line when creating the Line Database file in the Processing Manager or Line Database Manager.
Click on and then on Line Planning.
Decide which lines to display.
Decide whether to show any line aids.
Parameters are self explanatory.If not....
Click here for a description of parameters...
Lines
Active line / main line
Switch on or off the visibility of the current Main Line as set in the Controller. Set the Thickness of the line in pixels as well as the Color.
Lines from planning
Switch on or off the visibility of all other lines set in the line planning. Set the Thickness of the line in pixels as well as the Color. Use Own Color leaves the line as it was defined in the program Line Database Manager or Processing Manager.
Active line aids
KPs
Show KP labels along the line. The Length represents the height of the text labels and the Offset how far they are shown from the Main Line.
Crossline
A single Crossline is drawn on the Main Line. The Length is the length of the Crossline itself. The Offset is the distance in-line of the Main Line, used for the location of the Crossline.
Run in/out
Extensions at both ends of the main line. The Length represents how long the Run In/Out lines will be.
Corridor
Wing lines at both sides of the main line used as a Corridor for navigation. Offset represents how wide the Corridor will be on each side of the Main Line.
Press Apply to see the effects of changed settings without having to leave this menu.
A Range Marker is a line between two selected points drawn with or without a label which indicates the range and bearing of the line, plus the height difference between the two points. Label content depends on the Setup selection made, as depicted in the following image.
Click on and then on Range Markers.
Click on to create a new marker.
Give the new marker a Name and Color. Decide whether to Show the marker and its Label.
Select which type of marker and then make the appropriate selections.
Setup
Description
Range marker between two nodes on different objects. This type could be used to show the distance between two vessels. Type A label.
Range marker between a node on a vessel and a fixed node as defined in the Database Setup. Type A label.
Vertical marker between a node on a vessel and the sounding grid DTM below. Type B label.
Vertical marker between a node on a vessel and the water plane as defined under option 'Water' above. Type B label.
Range marker between a node on a vessel and a predefined point in a Line Database File. Type A label.
Range marker between a node on a vessel and the location at which the left mouse button is clicked in the display. A new label is generated at each mouse click. Type A label.
Range marker between an anchor wire and a selected waypoint. This option enables the monitoring of the separation between an anchor wire and any potentially hazardous object. Label shows the range between the wire and waypoint, plus the height separation value.
Press Apply to see the effects of changed settings without having to leave this menu.
Cameras provide preset views of the dredging operation. Multiple cameras may be defined and the view easily switched between them. A camera position determines from which direction and angle the data in the 3D grid display is viewed. Cameras may be fixed or they can track an object, usually with specific offsets from a specified node on the object..
Click on and then on Cameras.
Click on To add a Camera in addition to the Default camera.
Default is the camera you have used thus far to zoom and pan with. Its parameter values reflect the last position it was in before entering this dialog.
Give the Camera a name which makes it obvious what view is being captured, e.g. in the example Pontoon from Starboard Bow.
Enter the Setup parameters for the new camera.
Parameter
Description
Type = Track Type = Fixed
The Camera maintains a fixed position relativeto the object being tracked. The Camera maintains a fixed position in the absolutesense, i.e. its world position does not change as the object moves. When positioning is jumpy, it may be better to choose Fixed, which will create a more stable display.
Link to Track Link to Fixed
Select the vessel (object) which the Camera should track, e.g. dredge head. Select a fixed node from the template database.
Offsets
Press the [+] sign to open the tree structure menu. The readings in the left hand column change as you use the mouse inside the display or as you enter them manually. The readings in the right hand column are the saved home position readings.
Orientation
Option is only available for a tracking camera. Select the direction in which the camera is looking.
Object (Heading): Direction is relative to the heading of the object. In the example the Starboard Lateral camera is oriented at 64.25 deg. to the heading of the object, so in this case looking from starboard toward port. An orientation of 270 deg. means the camera is looking from port to starboard.
Object (CoG): Very similar to Object (Heading) except camera orientation changes with the course over ground, and hence can be more stable depending on settings in Computation Setup that determine how CoG is computed.
Line Bearing: If the current line has a bearing of 45 deg. and the orientation angle is set at 90 deg., the camera is on the starboard side of the line looking in the direction 315 deg.
Fixed: Camera orientation is relative to north. If orientation is set at 45 deg. the camera looks toward 225 deg.
Tilt Angle
The angle entered is relative to the horizontal. A negative angle means the camera is looking down.
View Distance
In case of a tracking camera: the distance between the camera and the object. In case of a fixed camera: the distance between the camera and the current pivot point of the scene.
X/Y/Z Offsets
For a tracking camera these are the offsets of the camera from the object's reference node. In the example, the pontoon reference point is on the keel directly below the rotation point of the backhoe. If the reference point were elsewhere you may need to enter an offset to shift the camera position to a different point.
For a fixed camera linked to a fixed node, the offsets entered determine where the camera is relative to the fixed node.
For a fixed camera Do Not Inherit offsets act like grid coordinates.
Highlight each Camera defined and the click on , the Save Home Position button.
This stores the settings which can be restored at any point by clicking on , the Restore Saved Home Position button. Alternatively you can Restore Saved Home Position by clicking on the Home toolbar button. This means that if you use the mouse to rotate, pan or zoom in a predefined camera view, you can always revert back to the original settings and recover the view.
Highlight a Camera and then click on to make it currently active.
Alternatively select a camera in the toolbar .
With the Restore Camera When Active Camera Changes' setting OFF:
You can save the camera offset settings with the button on the properties page.
You can restore the camera offset settings by using the restore button on the properties page and clicking apply.
you can restore the camera offset settings by clicking on the home button.
With the setting ON:
You can do the above
When you toggle from one camera to another and then back to the first camera offset, settings will be restored to saved settings.
This means that you do not have to enter the properties page to restore original settings. It can be done by switching to another camera and then back to the first one.
It is also possible to use the Restore, Save, Rotate and Pan functionality from the View menu to determine the location of the camera.
Press Apply to see the effects of changed settings without having to leave this menu.
Modify as necessary for clarity of purpose in the display.
Performance
Click on and then on Performance.
Model settings
Press the [+] sign to open the tree structure menu.
Display quality
Performance - Low quality of the scene but high performance. Balanced - A balance between the quality of the scene and the performance. Quality - The highest scene quality but the lowest performance.
Show reverse side of DTM
By default this option is switched Off because of the performance of the display. (The reverse side of a DTM is not shown as accurately as the top side.)
Press Apply to see the effects of changed settings without having to leave this menu.
