StatMap Raster Loader

Owned by Robert Sikorski
Last updated: 07 Sept 2018 by Dima Andrusenko
4 min read

Below is a step-by-step guide for creating the raster pyramid ready to be used in Earthlight. Please execute RasterLoader.exe to run StatMap Raster Loader tool.

  1. Select pyramid type/Number of CPU threads to use 

    There are two pyramid types that can be created:

    • SMRaster – the old raster creation method. We suggest using SMPyramid method if there is no need to use SMRaster.
    • SMPyramid – the new method that has improved performance in comparison with SMRaster. SMPyramid method allows you to choose the number of CPU threads used by Raster Loader (this will control the data processing speed and usage of system resources). 
    • Number of CPU threads to use option (available only for SMPyramid method) gives an opportunity to set the number of CPU threads that should be used to build the Pyramid. Raster Loader allows to select up to ALL -1 CPU threads. It works in this way because at least one thread is required by the operating system and the remaining processes to work correctly.
  2. Select or create a raster layer. 

    Click Browse... and select the folder that holds Earthlight default raster repository [Usually, the default path to raster repository is EarthlightData\Raster Repository directory (when you create the layer in a different place, you will need to move pyramid files manually into default Raster Repository folder]. Type a new, non-existing name in the save dialog if you want to upload a completely new raster layer, or select an existing layer if you need to update an existing dataset. E.g. Raster50k.SMPyramid

  3. Add or remove raster layers.
      
    1. Click Add... and select all files from the folder containing your images. [To select multiple files hold Control (to select individual files) or SHIFT key (to select a range of files). Alternatively, you can press Control + A in order to select all files from the Open dialog.] Please note that geolocalization files are not displayed on the images list, however, they must be placed next to the image files and the file names must match. Click OPEN to load selected files to Raster Loader. You will see the list of loaded files.
    2. Click Images contain values (not colours) if your source files contain values (not colours). For instance: height data.
      If Raster Loader detects that at least one of the selected files has incorrect/missing geolocalization info the following window is displayed:

      You can scroll through the list to find which file has incorrect/missing geolocalization info.
  4. Set the tile output format

    You have two options here:
    • Lossless PNG format for scanned vector maps (Raster). Replace selected colour with transparency gives a possibility to replace some colour with transparency.
    • Lossy JPG format for aerial imagery. The quality is set to 90 which is enough for the majority of users.

  5. Generate raster layer tiles

    Each raster dataset created by Raster Loader is built of different number of scale levels (the number of scale levels depends on provided images) that helps to display images correctly at different scale levels in Earthlight. The original scale of image files is always used as level 0. Creating new scale levels is always a time and resource (disc space, memory, CPU) consuming process. In some cases there is a slight difference between level 0 and level 1 (for instance: level 0 = 1:3780 and level 1 = 1:4096). That's why Raster Loader gives an opportunity to decide if Level 1 should be created (it consumes the higher amount of resources). If Difference value is smaller than Threshold value (see below) – Raster Loader suggests skipping level 1. You can control this setting simply by changing the Threshold value.

    If you want to create Level 1, please change the Threshold (it must be smaller than the Difference value):

  6. Once you are happy with all the choices press Start to execute raster pyramid creation process (this may take a while depending on the amount of data). Once the process ends, you will get the confirmation from Raster Loader (see below).


Referencing raster imagery in Earthlight

To create references for raster images please use From Existing Table tool from Administration tab.

Select the images repository from the drop-down list (top-left corner)


As you can see in the screenshot below, in the left pane you can select one or more table to reference (raster tables are located in Raster Repository). In the right pane, you have to select a directory where you wish to place your reference. Once you are happy with all the choices, please click at the Create layer reference button under the left pane to create the reference.