Parameter

Activity

General

Tree Name

Type the description or name of the layer.

This text appears in the Project Tree as the name of the layer.

Activation Action

Select the action to perform when selecting the layer from the Project Tree.

Message

The message associated with the layer. The number displayed is the number of the message.

To create a new message, or update an existing message, open the Create Message dialog by clicking in this field and selecting Edit. See "Using the Create Message Dialog" in the "Working with Objects" chapter for more information.

Ground Object

Determines if the layer is calculated as part of the terrain’s elevation.

Replace Terrain With

Determines whether terrain imagery and elevation in the 3D layer area is replaced with the 3D layer's ground layer created by PhotoMesh or with the 3D layer's lower resolution data (Simplified Model), or not replaced at all.

3D Layer Ground Offset

Offset from the 3D layer ground for drawing and placement of "on terrain" and "relative to terrain" objects.

Oversampling

The 3D layer’s Level of Detail (LOD). When set to Normal, TerraExplorer determines the optimal quality to performance balance based on the current view. The "High" and "Best" settings will load higher quality blocks but are also more resource-intensive.

Display Style

Select a 3D layer display style. The model can include a wireframe and be textured, solid color, or semi-transparent (x-ray).

§  Texture

§  Texture + wireframe

§  Solid color

§  Solid color + wireframe

§  X-ray – Semi-transparent model, enabling you to see through all model walls

Note:   The Display Style can also be selected from the 3D Layer contextual tab.

Visibility

Default Viewing Distance

Determines the viewing distance of the camera from the layer.

This distance is used as a stop mark for any "Fly-to" or "View Object" operation. It is also used when selecting to edit the layer from the Project Tree.

When this value is set to the default of -1, TerraExplorer calculates and sets the ideal viewing distance for the layer based on its size.

Max. Visibility Distance

Sets the maximal distance from the camera above which the layer disappears.

Order

Set the Draw Order of the 3D layer. Objects with higher Order values are drawn on top of objects with lower values.

Position

Altitude Method

The altitude method used by the 3D layer. For 3DMLs, this property is read-only, always set to Absolute.

Absolute places the 3D layer's pivot point at a specified altitude above the terrain database vertical datum base ellipsoid.

Altitude

The altitude, as defined in Altitude Method, for the 3D layer's pivot point.

X

The X-coordinate for the 3D layer's pivot point.

Y

The Y-coordinate for the 3D layer's pivot point.

MGRS

The coordinates for the 3D layer's pivot point in Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) coordinates. This field is only available if Show MGRS Coordinates was selected in the Options dialog. See "View" in the "Using TerraExplorer Options" chapter for more information.

Yaw

The direction angle of the 3D layer along the vertical axis relative to north.

Pitch

The tilt angle of the 3D  layer along its lateral axis relative to the horizon.

Roll

The roll angle of the 3D  layer along its longitudinal (front-to-back) axis.

Default Location

Repositions the 3D  layer in its default location (according to the file’s geo-referencing information).

Geometry

Maintain Aspect Ratio

Maintain the 3D layer's proportional relationship between the width, length, and height.

If Yes is selected, when the scale factor in one axis is modified, the scale factor in the other two axes is automatically adjusted to maintain the original width:length:height ratio.

If No is selected, the scale factor in each axis can be modified independently of the other axis scale factors.

Scale X

Determines the length on the X axis of the 3D layer.

The actual X value of the 3D layer in the 3D World is the x value of the 3D layer in its internal coordinate system times the Scale X value. (i.e., if the 3D layer has an X value of 5 units and the Scale X is set to 10 meters per pixel, the X value of the 3D layer in the 3D World is 50 meters.)

Scale Y

Determines the length on the Y axis of the 3D layer.

The actual Y value of the 3D layer in the 3D World is the Y value of the 3D layer in its internal coordinate system times the Scale Y value. (i.e., if the 3D layer has a Y value of 10 units and the Scale Y is set to 10 meters per pixel, the Y value of the 3D layer in the 3D World is 100 meters.)

Scale Z

Determines the height (Z value) of the 3D layer.

The actual height of the 3D layer in the 3D World is the height of the 3D layer in its internal coordinate system times the Scale Z value. (i.e., if the 3D layer has a height of 5 units and the Scale Z is set to 10 meters per pixel, the height of the 3D layer in the 3D World is 50 meters.)

Connection

File Name

Path to the 3D layer file.

Mesh Layer Name

Name of the 3D layer (Read-only).

Projection

Reproject Elevation

Select the check box to reproject the layer’s elevation values to the terrain’s coordinate system. This option only applies when Altitude Method is set to Absolute. Geocentric layers are always reprojected.

Layer Coord Sys

The layer’s coordinate system (Read-only).

Layer Bounding Box

Upper Left X

The X coordinate of the upper left corner of the layer (Read-only).

Upper Left Y

The Y coordinate of the upper left corner of the layer (Read-only).

Upper Left MGRS

The coordinates for the upper left corner of the layer in Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) coordinates. This field is only available if Show MGRS Coordinates was selected in the Options dialog. See "View" in the "Using TerraExplorer Options" chapter for more information (read-only).

Lower Right X

The X coordinate of the lower right corner of the layer (Read-only).

Lower Right Y

The Y coordinate of the lower right corner of the layer (Read-only).

Lower Right MGRS

The coordinates for the lower right corner of the layer in Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) coordinates. This field is only available if Show MGRS Coordinates was selected in the Options dialog. See "View" in the "Using TerraExplorer Options" chapter for more information (Read-only).