Introduction

In this lab, you will use ERDAS Imagine’s Virtual GIS module to do 3D visualization and animation. This is another opportunity to learn and explore the ERDAS Imagine software and to get acquainted with the interface. Use the help system to learn about the different software options and functionality. Type the answers to all questions at the end of each task, attach your map, and submit them to the instructor.

Copy Lab5 folder in the I:\Students\Instructors\Geoffrey_Duh\GEOG4593\ folder to your workspace.

Instructions

You will use the Virtual GIS module of ERDAS Imagine to create 3D images and fly animation.

1. Open the online document of Virtual GIS. You can find it from the Windows Start menu -> Programs -> GIS -> ERDAS -> Geospatial Imaging 9.3 -> Documentation -> Tutorials & Manuals. Select IMAGINE Virtual GIS User’s Guide from the Internet Explorer page.

2. Browse the IMAGINE VirtualGIS section (pp 1 – 7) and do the exercises in the IMAGINE VirtualGIS Tour Guide section (pp 27 - 63). Please note that this lab requires a lot of patience and experiments to produce a good fly-through effect. Familiarity with the various options on the Animation Tool dialog window is the key to a smooth flight!

Additional Tips (provided by students):

1. To view the helicopter model, drop the speed of your camera by 25-100 meters lower than that of your model in the Timeline Editor > Set Timline Speed.

2. In the VirtualGIS Viewer > View > Scene Properties > Motion > Motion Speed turn the speed up high, others told me that 1000 meters worked best, so that is what I used.

3. In the VirtualGIS Viewer > Navigation > Animation Tool use the movie icon to record your video with your model. Save the file path in your working directory, select .avi for the format, and set the compression ratio to Microsoft Video 1.

4. Hit play on your animation tool and the movie will record.

Questions

Create and submit 3-5 screen shots of your animated flight over Palm Springs, California. Briefly describe the flight and the techniques you used to create the animation.
Use the Create Movie tool on the VirtualGIS icon menu to convert your project file (i.e., tour.vwp) to an .avi movie (accept the default width and heigh). Alternatively, use the additional tips above to generate the avi. Provide the filename of the avi, its path, and computer name in the space below, so that the instructor can have access to the move file. Make sure you put the file under the C:\Users folder. Click here to see a demo of the animated flight.

Computer name (e.g., ch469c42)
Path (e.g., C:\users\jduh\lab5)
File Name (e.g., lab5_tour.avi)