dbf shp shx ??

[Dune]

I've received some files to make a heightmap, but they are the extensions as in the title. I don't suppose TG can handle these? Does anyone know of an easy (and free) method to convert them? Otherwise I'll have to ask the client for new files.

[Oshyan]

I believe those are Autocad (or similar) shape/vector files, which Terragen indeed cannot load. The files need to be in a raster format if they're intended to be heightmaps. I don't know of a specific converter, but I imagine Landserf or GRASS GIS might do.

- Oshyan

[RArcher]

They've definitely sent you the wrong type of files, unless they expect you to build the heightmap yourself?  The shapefile format (made up of three files .shp, .shx, and .dbf) generally does not deal with height data at all, it is typically used as vector points, lines, or polygons.

[Oshyan]

It could be contours, of course. Or profiles, or other vector descriptions of "height", but yes it's not a representation of height that can be used as-is, that's for sure.

- Oshyan

[Dune]

Clear, thanks. I'll request some other filetype.

[Dune]

OK, got an .img file, but TG can't read it as there seems no extra data attached, like the information below:

Raster band 1: Units unknown
NODATA value = -3.40282e+038

Coordinate system:
PROJCS["Double Stereographic",
    GEOGCS["Amersfoort-1",
        DATUM["Amersfoort-1",
            SPHEROID["Bessel",6377397.155,299.1528131060786],
            TOWGS84[593.16,26.15,478.54,6.3239e-006,5.008e-007,5.5487e-006,4.0775e-006]],
        PRIMEM["Greenwich",0],
        UNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433]],
    PROJECTION["Double_Stereographic"],
    PARAMETER["latitude_of_origin",52.15616055555557],
    PARAMETER["central_meridian",5.387638888888891],
    PARAMETER["scale_factor",0.9999079],
    PARAMETER["false_easting",155000],
    PARAMETER["false_northing",463000],
    UNIT["meters",1]]

This kind of data is missing, so are 'they' doing something wrong?

[RArcher]

Generally the metadata is embedded within the .img file and no outside calibration and projection data files are needed.  When you load the .IMG file using the Heightfield (Load DEM) option do you get an error, or does it just seem like nothing happens? 

[Dune]

I've got a new file where they 'added' some Lambert 72 something. It loads alright, but with a previous file, the 'color by height' worked and I only needed to render topdown. Now color by gradient didn't work. But I added a surface shader with a height restriction and got a nice gradient, because the heights were there alright. So I'm fine. Thanks!

[TheBadger]

Lambert 72 something

Lambert is a standard material shader, the number refers to how many lambert shaders were applied to objects in the file (even if some were removed). Like a PS document, when you delete an earlier layer, the newer layer keep the numbering.

The lambert surface shader should cause you no problems at all in TG. It is just surface between edges on an object.

Blinn is the other primary surface shader you may run into. OF course there are more, but most objects start with lambert or blinn.

[Oshyan]

Ulco may be talking about Lambert Projection:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambert_projection

- Oshyan

[TheBadger]

  and he wasn't talking about an objet either, so thats fun  (face palm)