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SBX - Appending SHP file from Global Mapper?

Rotornut44

Rotornut44

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Greetings all,
I have spent a great part of my day today troubleshooting the reason SBuilderX doesn't seem to like to import Global Mapper .shp files. I have read on another thread that you must define a Name and Type for each poly, which I have done to no avail. Everything else I have read suggests that the user in question was able to append the file, but had issues with the appended data, due to the wrong Projection and Datum settings.

I myself have not made it to this stage yet. That is why I am posting here. ;)

I am using this Global waterbody data provided by OpenStreetMap:
http://openstreetmapdata.com/data/water-polygons

Perhaps I am missing a small step that one could fill me in on. Or perhaps, I'm just using the wrong data, although I don't believe so..

As always, any help is appreciated.

-CB
 
In the shapefile export window, make sure the export elevation values box/z-values (or something to that extent) is unticked.
 
Spitz said:
In the shapefile export window, make sure the export elevation values box/z-values (or something to that extent) is unticked.
Click to expand...
I'm not seeing anything of this nature in the export window. Could it be located elsewhere? Using Global Mapper v13, so it is an older version..
 
Hello:

[EDITED]

The OpenStreetMap-derived data for water polygons linked in your OP above must first be opened as a GIS data file in ex: Global Mapper in its native internally-specified projection / datum.

Next, if the Metadata for that GIS data file indicates that it is not already in Geographic (Lat-Lon) projection / WGS84 datum, it then should be manually re-projected to Geographic (Lat-Lon) projection / WGS84 datum.

[END_EDIT]


Example "Global Mapper" workflow for your GIS water body data:


NOTE: If you use more detailed versions of the files cited below from the linked OSM data web site, modify this example procedure as needed to immediately change the ZIP and internally-packaged file names to correctly reflect the actual original GIS projection / datum which you downloaded. ;)


1.) Download ex: http://data.openstreetmapdata.com/simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857.zip

a.) Re-name a COPY of that file to ex: "OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Mercator.zip"

b.) Un-ZIP that file to a sub-folder named ex: "OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Mercator.zip"

c.) Re-name (ALL) the GIS data file names inside that sub-folder to ex:

* OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Mercator.cpg"
* OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Mercator.dbf"
* OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Mercator.shp"
* OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Mercator.shx"


2.) Global Mapper Menu > File > Open Data File(s)... > Browse / select OSM simplified water-polygons from:

"OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Mercator.shp"


3.) Global Mapper Menu > Tools > Configure > [Projection Tab]

a.) Configure:

Projection: Geographic (Latitude/Longitude)

Datum: WGS84

Planar Units: Arc Degrees

Parameters > Attribute

Central Longitude = 0

b.) Click Apply > OK


4.) Global Mapper Menu > File > Export > Export Vector/LiDAR Format... > <"Select Export Format" dialog opens>


5.) In "Select Export Format" dialog pick-list, select "Shapefile"; click OK <"Shapefile Export Options" dialog opens>

a.) In "Shapefile Export Options" dialog > [File Selection Tab]: click "Export Areas" < "Save As" dialog opens>

b.) In "Save As" dialog, Browse / select filename of:

"OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Mercator.shp"


(1) modify file name to ex: "OSM_simplified-water-polygons-complete-3857_SHP_Geographic_WGS84.SHP"

(2) click [Save] <Global Mapper focus returns to Shapefile Export Options" dialog>


c.) Again in "Shapefile Export Options" dialog > [File Selection Tab], Configure only (leave all else "un-checked"):


(1) Split Export Based on: Do Not Split Export

(2) Select Character Set For Text: UTF-8 [CP: 65001]

(3) "Check": Generate Projection (PRJ) File for Each Exported Shape File


Next:

(4) In "Shapefile Export Options" dialog > [Attribute Setup Tab]: DO NOT CHANGE

(5) In "Shapefile Export Options" dialog > [Tiling Tab]: DO NOT CHANGE: (No Tiling - Just One Export File)

(6) In "Shapefile Export Options" dialog > [Export Bounds Tab]: DO NOT CHANGE: (All loaded data)


D.) Again in "Shapefile Export Options" dialog > [File Selection Tab], click [OK]


You should now have a ESRI SHP (Shapefile) in a GIS source file format compatible with the SBuilderX "Append" function. :wizard:


If you need additional clarification of this procedure, feel free to inquire further. :)

GaryGB
 
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GaryGB, seeing as we're on the topic, are you aware of any way to export shapefiles with their vertices' elevation from GM to append in SBX? This would be very useful for creating sloped flattens...
 
Gary,
When you say: "must first be opened as a GIS data file in ex: Global Mapper, then re-projected to Geographic (Lat-Lon) projection / WGS84 datum" what does this mean? I downloaded the data that is already projected in WGS84 datum, so it didn't need to be re-projected. Is there some quirk where I must download the Mercator datum first? Would this make any difference on import? I have tried exporting with your step-by-step instructions, but I have yet to have any success. I followed your instructions all except for on 2 occasions..

1. "c.) Again in "Shapefile Export Options" dialog > [File SelectionTab], Configureonly (leave all else "un-checked"):" - I was unable to find this option. No checkbox present.
2. In the export bounds tab, I drew a rectangle to export just the data I needed.

Everything else was done exactly as instructed. Any ideas?

-CB
 
Spitz said:
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/th...p-file-from-global-mapper.438580/#post-756996

GaryGB, seeing as we're on the topic, are you aware of any way to export shapefiles with their vertices' elevation from GM to append in SBX? This would be very useful for creating sloped flattens...
Click to expand...

Hello:

One would first need to load another layer of (only) elevation data underneath the "2D" Lat-Lon (X-Y) data for the SHP file.

Next, one would add / update the elevation (Z) values to each Lat-Lon (X-Y) point coordinate of the SHP layer

Then one could export another version of the SHP file with the added / updated elevation data as a true "3D" X,Y,Z SHP file.


See if this is reasonably comprehensible: :idea:

http://forum.globalmapperforum.com/discussion/9059/struggling-with-dem-elevations-and-shapefile

https://www.google.com/search?q=Glo...=0ahUKEwi0iL-DvfbPAhVG5yYKHe5UB0AQrQIINigEMAI


If you need additional clarification of the procedure for this somewhat related sub-topic, feel free to inquire further. :)

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
That's exactly what I have been doing, but SBuilder fails to append every time. Once I export without these elevation values, though, it works like a charm :scratchch

I will however now attempt it while following your extensive guide above to a T, and see if I get satisfactory results, thanks!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
christopherbritton said:
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/th...p-file-from-global-mapper.438580/#post-757000

Gary,
When you say: "must first be opened as a GIS data file in ex: Global Mapper, then re-projected to Geographic (Lat-Lon) projection / WGS84 datum" what does this mean? I downloaded the data that is already projected in WGS84 datum, so it didn't need to be re-projected. Is there some quirk where I must download the Mercator datum first? Would this make any difference on import? I have tried exporting with your step-by-step instructions, but I have yet to have any success. I followed your instructions all except for on 2 occasions..

1. "c.) Again in "Shapefile Export Options" dialog > [File SelectionTab], Configureonly (leave all else "un-checked"):" - I was unable to find this option. No checkbox present.
2. In the export bounds tab, I drew a rectangle to export just the data I needed.

Everything else was done exactly as instructed. Any ideas?

-CB
Click to expand...

Hi Christopher:

That was an example of how one must work with Global Mapper version 17 when opening / importing GIS data files.


IIRC, if only (1) GIS file is opened in Global Mapper, it automatically displays in its own native internally-specified projection / datum; if it does not have one, Global Mapper submits a pick-list using a default value in this dialog (normally accessed via):

Global Mapper Menu > Tools > Configure > [Projection Tab]


And, IIRC, all subsequent GIS files opened in Global Mapper (within that same 'workspace' session) automatically display in the manually specified projection / datum assigned by the end user when the very first GIS file was opened / imported.


For example, my test used the smaller 22-MB data file from the OSM web sited linked above (...supplied in "Mercator" projection).

When opened, that GIS SHP was initially displayed in its own native internally-specified "Mercator" projection; when that original un-altered SHP file in Mercator format was tested for an "Append" with SBuilderX in that format, a "SBuilderX cannot read this Shapefile !" error was generated.


When I re-projected that file via Global Mapper (as described in my step-by-step guide above), and an exported SHP file re-projected to "Geographic (Lat-Lon) projection / WGS84 datum" format was tested for an "Append" with SBuilderX in that format, SBuilderX was able to read that Shapefile successfully.


Hope this helps better explain what I was referring to in my step-by-step guide above. :)

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Spitz said:
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/th...p-file-from-global-mapper.438580/#post-757002

That's exactly what I have been doing, but SBuilder fails to append every time. Once I export without these elevation values, though, it works like a charm :scratchch

I will however now attempt it while following your extensive guide above to a T, and see if I get satisfactory results, thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi Spitz:

Sorry that didn't work for you based on the work-flow I had originally described above; I'll have to test this again to refresh my memory as to whether SBuilderX 3.14 (64-bit) is able to "Append" '3D' SHP files. :oops:

[EDITED]

Just to be clear, before I posted that step-by-step guide, I did personally test the work-flow above on the smaller 22-MB "Mercator"-projected OSM water body SHP file I cited, by re-projecting it to "Geographic (Lat-Lon) projection / WGS84 datum"; that resulting GIS SHP output file did "Append" to SBuilderX 3.14 (64-bit) successfully. :pushpin:

Thus, one might wonder what other factors may have compelled the SBuilderX "Append" to fail on import of your (larger) SHP file; perhaps the greater file size and/or vertex count may have been an issue ? :scratchch

[END_EDIT]


FYI: I do recall that attempted "Appends" of 'certain' GIS input source files in SBuilder 2.05 for FS9 and SBuilder 3.13 (32-bit) for FSX only successfully accepted / imported "2D" (X-Y) Geographic coordinates for 'certain' target vector scenery content creation, and required use of 'original legacy-format' Surfer Blanking *.BLN files in order to "Append" / import "3D" (Lat-Lon-Alt / X-Y-Z) data successfully.


BTW: Global Mapper is able to output that specific GIS *.BLN file format. ;)


NOTE: AFAIK, SBuilderX will only perform internal re-projection of aerial imagery when one "Adds a Map" from background via its web server tile feature, or from tiles already saved to disk in the commonly-used Google / Bing / Here {aka "Nokia"} / ESRI {aka "ArcGis"} World Imagery file format ...referred to as "Spherical Web Mercator" projection.

Spherical Web Mercator is a modified Mercator-derived GIS projection format that is close to (but slightly different from) a "UTM" projection format.

IIUC, Spherical Web Mercator is only accurate- and therefore only useful- for (1) Kilometer-sized GIS data "chunks" at a time ...with regards to 'relative' Geographic coordinate positions. :pushpin:


CAVEAT: All other GIS source data types which are not aerial imagery that are otherwise 'Appended' / imported to SBuilder, must be re-projected to "Geographic (Lat-Lon) projection / WGS84 datum" format prior to attempting to 'Append' / import it to SBuilder; otherwise SBuilder will either reject it, ...or if accepted, one may have incorrectly-projected results. :alert:



PS: To make a sloped flatten, one might find that it is easier to let Global Mapper do the initial work by setting only the desired elevation data layer 'active' in Control Center, then:

Global Mapper Menu > Analysis > Generate Contours (from Terrain Grid)...

One can also specify output of a TIN vector layer for export as a GIS data file compatible with SBuilderX via the "Append" function. :idea:



Hope this helps as an initial answer; I'll have to do some other tests to refresh my memory before I post another step-by-step guide on the BLN "Append" option for 3D GIS data with SBuilderX 3.14 (64-bit). :)

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Gary,
I ended up going through your instructions again and was unable to append the shp file into SBuilderX 3.14 (x64), but I was able to append it into v3.13. I'm unsure why SBuilderX 3.14 refuses to allow me to append these files, but I guess I will just export them out of 3.13 and append into 3.14..

-CB
 
Another question. Since this data is split up, is there any way to merge those splits together into one poly? I'm not sure that I can use all this data to redo vector and such, since I would have to make a hole to define where the land is. It seems not all the islands are actually their own poly..

Edit: I think I solved my issue. For those curious, in Global Mapper, select all your data using the digitalizer tool, right click your data, hover over "Crop/Combine/Split Functions," and then select "Combine Selected Area Features." :)

-CB
 

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Last edited:
christopherbritton said:
Gary,
I ended up going through your instructions again and was unable to append the shp file into SBuilderX 3.14 (x64), but I was able to append it into v3.13. I'm unsure why SBuilderX 3.14 refuses to allow me to append these files, but I guess I will just export them out of 3.13 and append into 3.14..

-CB
Click to expand...

IIRC, subsequent to the SBuilderX version 3.14 (64-bit) Beta testing phase, there was a reported problem with the original 32-bit SHPLIB utility DLL (that, IIUC, had been re-compiled to work in 64-bit) failing in certain specific SHP processing scenarios.

I don't recall all the specifics, but Richard Ludowise (aka "rhumbaflappy") would likely know whether a solution was ever found that might be implemented by end-users.


BTW: AFAIK, one may be more successful porting "3D" data via export of a SBuilder SBX 'exchange' file from SBuilder 3.13, then:

SBuilderX 3.14 Menu > File > Append > SBuilder SBX...


Hope this latter tip helps a bit more ! :)



PS: I edited my posts above:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/th...p-file-from-global-mapper.438580/#post-756991

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/th...p-file-from-global-mapper.438580/#post-757008


GaryGB
 
Last edited:
First off. Why not attach a zipped shapefile set that won't append? That way we don't have to waste days guessing about the solution.
 
Hi All:

I just downloaded the larger (Hi-Res ?) WGS84-projected water polygon data file from:

http://openstreetmapdata.com/data/water-polygons


File info:

Download
Download
418 MB Format: Shapefile, Projection: WGS84, Last update: 2016-09-27 08:51
(Large polygons are split)

Download URL:

http://data.openstreetmapdata.com/water-polygons-split-4326.zip


I opened that SHP file in Global Mapper; the Metadata showed:

FILENAME=water_polygons.shp
DESCRIPTION=water_polygons.shp
AREA COUNT=39606
AREA VERTEX COUNT=24983030
LINE COUNT=0
POINT COUNT=0
MESH COUNT=0
UPPER LEFT X=-180.0000000000
UPPER LEFT Y=90.0000000000
LOWER RIGHT X=180.0000000000
LOWER RIGHT Y=-90.0000000000
WEST LONGITUDE=-180.00000000
NORTH LATITUDE=90.00000000
EAST LONGITUDE=180.00000000
SOUTH LATITUDE=-90.00000000
UL CORNER LONGITUDE=-180.00000000
UL CORNER LATITUDE=90.00000000
UR CORNER LONGITUDE=180.00000000
UR CORNER LATITUDE=90.00000000
LR CORNER LONGITUDE=180.00000000
LR CORNER LATITUDE=-90.00000000
LL CORNER LONGITUDE=-180.00000000
LL CORNER LATITUDE=-90.00000000
PROJ_DESC=Geographic (Latitude/Longitude) / WGS84 / arc degrees
PROJ_DATUM=WGS84
PROJ_UNITS=arc degrees
EPSG_CODE=EPSG:4326
COVERED AREA=803006693 sq km
CODE_PAGE=65001 (UTF-8)
LOAD TIME=13.03 s

I "Appended" that original (NOT reprojected) SHP file to SBuilderX version 3.14 (64-bit) with no errors. :pushpin:

Perhaps a review of steps in one's work-flow is in order, as this is working ...for me, at least. :scratchch

Hope this helps ! :)

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
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