14 replies to this topic

[Bernhard Jenny]

Terrain Bender is a new freeware application that applies progressive bending to digital terrain models for 3D cartography. It offers interactive tools to add a progressively bent base to a digital terrain model.

http://www.terrainca.../terrainbender/

3D maps with progressive bending show the landscape using a varying viewing angle from steep in the foreground to flat in the background. The result is similar to the way in which passengers in a plane perceive the landscape, first looking straight downwards and then raising their gaze towards the horizon.

With progressive bending, 3D maps gain display depth, and landscape elements in the foreground are less obstructed from view than on 3D maps using a central perspective.

Terrain Bender was developed by Helen and Bernhard Jenny of the Institute of Cartography of ETH Zurich.

Bernhard Jenny
Institute of Cartography, ETH Zurich

[Mike Boruta]

Another great tool. I've tried doing this by modifying the DEM in Photoshop and it never seemed to work right for me. This program does exactly what it sets out to do - and more. Very intuitive, easy to use. Thanks!

[Crischan]

Hi Bernhard,

I just checked the site and see it is a Java app, but only available for Windows and Mac. What's the reason it wont run on Linux?

Other than that a great looking tool!

[Bernhard Jenny]

Dear Crischan,

I have added two versions for Linux. I don't have Linux installed on my computer, so please let me know if this works for you.

Bernie

Hi Bernhard,

I just checked the site and see it is a Java app, but only available for Windows and Mac. What's the reason it wont run on Linux?

Other than that a great looking tool!

[Nick H]

Hi Bernhard, just to say thanks. It's good when people who put big efforts into making software like TerrainBender offer the results as open source.

Regards, N.

[David Deis]

Fantastic work. Thanks for sharing!

[Crischan]

Hi Bernie,

the linux version is packaged without org/jdesktop/swingworker/SwingWorker. And maybe the javax classes are missing too?

[Matthew Hampton]

Thanks a whole lot! I am always impressed by your tools and am looking forward to some terrain-bending (Berann-ing).

[Bernhard Jenny]

Hi Bernie,

the linux version is packaged without org/jdesktop/swingworker/SwingWorker. And maybe the javax classes are missing too?

The Linux version of Terrain Bender has been updated and should work now. Thanks to Crischan for testing and providing a shell script.
Bernie

[Lui]

Ah Bernhard!

Masterpiece as always. This is very very useful tool indeed. Thank you!

Lui

[canvas101]

Hello Helen and Bernhard Jenny,

Thank you for sharing Terrain Bender; it is a very intriguing addition to the cartographers’ palette. Is there any way to increase the output resolution for the final image that is rendered?

[Bernhard Jenny]

Hello Helen and Bernhard Jenny,

Thank you for sharing Terrain Bender; it is a very intriguing addition to the cartographers’ palette. Is there any way to increase the output resolution for the final image that is rendered?

Hello,

Terrain Bender currently saves a simple screenshot. A possible workaround is to first increase the size of the window and then save the image.
Terrain Bender uses OpenGL for rendering the views, and is not a ray tracer. The final rendering of high-quality maps is best done with external ray-tracing software.

Bernie

[canvas101]

Hello Helen and Bernhard Jenny,

I have been running your application for a few days and ran into a couple issues. First and foremost the application will no longer run. When I attempt to run the application I receive an error stating an error occurred and terrainbender cannot run. I checked my task manger and noticed the javaw.exe still running. Any thoughts as to what would cause the software to quit functioning? I have tried the application on two different computers (winXP, win7) (Nvidia video drivers) (Java 1.6.0_15-b03) and now neither will run the application.

Second, I tried to bring in a DTM that was around 20mb and the terrain would never display. I then tried a smaller area and the image appeared. I have 4gb of RAM and did not know if there was any other factor that would prevent the DTM from displaying. The DTM was exported from GlobalMapper in ARC ASCII grid.

Let me know if you need any further supporting data. Thank you.

[Bernhard Jenny]

This bug should now be fixed, a new version is online. Thanks to canvas101 and Patrick for helping identify the reason.
Bernie

Hello Helen and Bernhard Jenny,

I have been running your application for a few days and ran into a couple issues. First and foremost the application will no longer run. When I attempt to run the application I receive an error stating an error occurred and terrainbender cannot run. I checked my task manger and noticed the javaw.exe still running. Any thoughts as to what would cause the software to quit functioning? I have tried the application on two different computers (winXP, win7) (Nvidia video drivers) (Java 1.6.0_15-b03) and now neither will run the application.

Second, I tried to bring in a DTM that was around 20mb and the terrain would never display. I then tried a smaller area and the image appeared. I have 4gb of RAM and did not know if there was any other factor that would prevent the DTM from displaying. The DTM was exported from GlobalMapper in ARC ASCII grid.

Let me know if you need any further supporting data. Thank you.

[EOSGIS]

Great tool. I'm going to test it rifht know.
Fernando J Sanchez Menendez
EOSGIS SL
http://www.carto-grafia.com

This bug should now be fixed, a new version is online. Thanks to canvas101 and Patrick for helping identify the reason.
Bernie

Hello Helen and Bernhard Jenny,

I have been running your application for a few days and ran into a couple issues. First and foremost the application will no longer run. When I attempt to run the application I receive an error stating an error occurred and terrainbender cannot run. I checked my task manger and noticed the javaw.exe still running. Any thoughts as to what would cause the software to quit functioning? I have tried the application on two different computers (winXP, win7) (Nvidia video drivers) (Java 1.6.0_15-b03) and now neither will run the application.

Second, I tried to bring in a DTM that was around 20mb and the terrain would never display. I then tried a smaller area and the image appeared. I have 4gb of RAM and did not know if there was any other factor that would prevent the DTM from displaying. The DTM was exported from GlobalMapper in ARC ASCII grid.

Let me know if you need any further supporting data. Thank you.