I just started with Sbuilder - and I want to use it to make a mesh file using a free 10m NED DEM I downloaded from the USGS site. Unfortunately for me, SBuilder will not recognize the file as anything but a background map! SBuilder claims to need .bmp DEM maps to compile into bgls, so that's what I've tried to load. Are there any more particulars about the style of bmp that is needed? Monochrome? 24 bit? etc.? I wish it would just use something the rest of the GIS world recognizes, like GeoTiff, since that would be real easy for my needs right now.
Now it's my turn down the drain with SBuilder...
- Thread starter EMatheson
- Start date
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rdaniell
SOH-CM-2013
Where is Nigel when you need him? I'll tell you. Back home way out in the sticks somewhere he calls the wilderness. I'm sure he will try to help when he's back here at the Outhouse. Maybe someone else familar with sBuilder will come to your aid before his return.
Romeo-Delta
The only program I know of that will convert the tiles from the Seamless Site for use in Sbuilder/SbuilderX is called "GlobalMapper" and it's about $600. Having said that, either there are a lot of folks with a whole lot more money than I have or they have another program that works as well for free because every person, or just about, claims they get all their photo-imagery from the USGS site. I have yet to find that particular program and it seems to be a well guarded secret. You know, one of those that everyone seems to have and just assumes you do too, lol. . . .but when you ask, they can't seem to remember the name or where they got it, lol
I was actually using for conversion a free trial version of one called Total GIS Convertor. Obviously didn't work too well! I might be forced to use ArcGIS at the geology lab at my school for the conversion, but I'd rather keep school and play far from the other...
I got this problem fixed. Turns out that SBuilder can, though it doesn't recognize it openly, convert .bil files in addition to the .bsq that it spends so much breath on. I can download .bil 10m NED DEMs from the Seamless Server website and put them through Sbuilder to get elevation bitmaps that work properly with the program. I now have my first mesh output into FS - and it looks great! Now I just need to dig in the GIMP and mess with that elevation bitmap to get it lined up with my terrain!
nigel richards
Charter Member
Sounds like I could use some tutoring too Sir.
I've never used SBuilder for terrain mesh conversion work so this is all new to me too.
It sounds like you've hit on some good HU.
How about some step=by-step when you have the time.
I've never used SBuilder for terrain mesh conversion work so this is all new to me too.
It sounds like you've hit on some good HU.
How about some step=by-step when you have the time.