Mapping Hacks

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Chapter 5, Mapping with Gadgets

#53 Visualize Your Tracks in Three Dimensions

HACK

Wissenbach Map3D is a GPL-licensed Windows application that reads track-

logs in GPX format and then plots them over aerial photos and three-dimen-

sional terrain models. 3DEM is a Windows program that allows you to

quickly explore elevation models in many different formats and to overlay

images on these terrain models. You can also export views and terrain mod-

els, and create fly-by animations. One of the best parts about it is that it

“just works” to open and display digital elevation model (DEM) files.

Loading the Example

Wissenbach Map3D is available at http://www.gpstrailmaps.com/map3d/.

Download http://www.gpstrailmaps.com/map3d/SetupYosemite3D.exe to get

a copy of the program with sample data from Yosemite National Park in

California.

Following the instructions in the Readme file, you can open the sample GPX

file by going to the File menu and selecting Yosemite.gpx. A Map Descrip-

tion dialog will load; you can just click OK. Wissenbach Map3D will then

attempt to fetch the aerial photography for Yosemite from Microsoft’s Ter-

raserver service —so you’ll need to be connected to the Internet. When it’s

done, you should see tracklogs and waypoints from that GPX file displayed

over the aerial photography. Neat, huh? You ain’t seen nothing yet!

Figure 5-7. Terrabrowser waypoint display and editing