Author Topic: v3.75 - Elevation Caching!  (Read 8232 times)

ScottMorris

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v3.75 - Elevation Caching!
« on: April 30, 2009, 04:17:59 PM »





Alright, I just put out version 3.75 Beta featuring a long sought feature... elevation caching! 

Thanks to Lucian Plesea over at JPL, we now have rapid access to tiled DEM data.  As you pan around in TopoFusion now, you'll automatically be downloading DEM data, so it'll be there if you want to go to 3D mode, or if you want to add elevation to your tracks.

Now 3D works offline, if you've got the data and in general it's a whole lot faster and easier to use.  Gone are the days of getting "trouble contacting server" (due to overload) when switching to 3D data.

Also, I can't believe it took this long, but the "undo" command finally does a few things it should have back in version 1.05 or so. 

Full list of changes:

3.75 – [4/30/09]  (Beta)

Added local caching of DEM data
-   DEM data is automatically downloaded as map is panned
-   Fast downloads, using OnEarth’s tiled WMS
-   Stored in maps.dat structure, download once, always have
-   Elevation at cursor given in status bar
-   Faster 3D model generation.  Works offline.
-   Automatically uses NED (30m) data inside US, 90 SRTM elsewhere in world
-   Option for forcing SRTM available (useful for US border areas)
Climbing Analysis uses cached data
-   Increased accuracy for elevation gain and “Add Elevation to Track”
Added box filtering to Climbing Analysis (selectable filter width)
Added “Training Center” preset to Climbing Analysis
Added option to turn off 3D transition animation to 3d Options
Fixed alignment errors when switching between (eg) topo and color aerial tiles
   In 3d mode
Undo command now reverses the following actions:
-   Deleted points
-   Moved points
-   Cut track
-   Delete track
-   â€śclear all” when drawing a track
-   â€śclear all” when merging tracks
-   â€śremove last segment” when merging tracks
-   â€śremove last segment” when drawing a track
Fixed bug in realtime Multi Playback causing dots/names not to appear
Fixed problem with Australian Topos not downloading (due to server change)
Fixed lingering “download” tiles in both 2d and esp. 3d mode
Scott Morris - founder and co-author of TopoFusion
email: smorris@topofusion.com

KenF

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Re: v3.75 - Elevation Caching!
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2009, 07:47:37 PM »
I'm seeing an apparent bug in 3.75 when (1) going into 3d mode (2) doing a 3d redraw or (3) trying to change texture size  The error message pops up "Couldn't create surfaces for increasing texture size ..."
After the message appears everything seems to work fine.
KF

ScottMorris

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Re: v3.75 - Elevation Caching!
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2009, 07:52:55 PM »
Sounds like your video card might not have enough memory to go above, what 1, on the "multiply texture size" setting.

You don't get an error if it is set at 1, correct?

What video card do you have?   Is this a laptop?
Scott Morris - founder and co-author of TopoFusion
email: smorris@topofusion.com

KenF

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Re: v3.75 - Elevation Caching!
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2009, 08:12:42 PM »
Sounds like your video card might not have enough memory to go above, what 1, on the "multiply texture size" setting.

You don't get an error if it is set at 1, correct?

What video card do you have?   Is this a laptop?

That could be it. It seems to skip the error message when set to 1.
Never saw the message in earlier versions unless Google Earth was running at the same time, but I just tried with 3.74 and it does the same thing. 
NVIDIA FX5200 w/128MB - not a laptop.
Would increasing AGP aperture (shared memory) on the main board help?
I don't know how it's set right now but it can be changed in BIOS.
 
BTW, having elevation data for the cursor position is a GREAT addition.
KF

ScottMorris

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Re: v3.75 - Elevation Caching!
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2009, 08:36:36 PM »
Strange, that video card should be able to handle larger surfaces.

Can you send your TopoFusion.log file to us at support@topofusion.com ?  Perhaps an update of video drivers is in order.

The only other thing I can think of is if you are already running TF at a very high resolution (30"+ monitor?) or something...

Scott Morris - founder and co-author of TopoFusion
email: smorris@topofusion.com

ScottMorris

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Re: v3.75 - Elevation Caching!
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2009, 11:57:27 AM »
Looks like we're pretty sure this is just a video memory limitation not a bug.

V3.76 is out with a bug fix and an addition:

3.76 - [5/1/09] (Beta)                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                   
Drawn tracks now automatically assign elevation data, while drawing                                                                 
Fixed crash in climbing analysis when loading a track without elevation data
Scott Morris - founder and co-author of TopoFusion
email: smorris@topofusion.com