Given a shapefile, all Polygon objects are read and rendered as Prisms.
Here is the result:
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Prism objects on Balloon
Today I have dedicated a couple of hours to integrate my funny Prism objects into Balloon.
Given a shapefile, all Polygon objects are read and rendered as Prisms.
Here is the result:
Given a shapefile, all Polygon objects are read and rendered as Prisms.
Here is the result:
Friday, July 18, 2008
Using Polyline for shapefiles
I just tested the use of Polyline to render polygons and lines (from a shapefile) into WWJ, to achieve to power of "follow terrain" property.
Unfortunately it is very slow, at least in my ancient laptop.
Another solution I test is the use of SurfacePolygon to render the shapefile polygon elements. It have a good performance but you lost precision transforming vectorial data into a bitmap.
Depending on your needs you can chose between the two options.
Unfortunately it is very slow, at least in my ancient laptop.
Another solution I test is the use of SurfacePolygon to render the shapefile polygon elements. It have a good performance but you lost precision transforming vectorial data into a bitmap.
Depending on your needs you can chose between the two options.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Basic shapefile support on Balloon
Some time ago I have created a set of classes, using OpenGL primitives, to render efficiently shapefiles in WWJ.
Now, I have spend some time integrating it into Balloon. Here is the result:
The classes has veru good performance but has some important limitation:
Now, I have spend some time integrating it into Balloon. Here is the result:
The classes has veru good performance but has some important limitation:
- First, it must be used with vertical exaggeration set to zero, that is, no relieve (and it is not much usefull a virtual globe without relive).
- Second, there are no filled polygons, polygons are rendered has line loops.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Prism (themathic) maps on WWJ
This is the first implementation of prism objects for WWJ.
Also, I have build a data file with world limits (extracted from a shapefile) and prepared an example application.
The example is far away to become a thematic application like UUorld but a second prism object version could have more improvement and utilities, like show text on top of prism.
Every prism goes from globe surface (from zero elevation) to the specified top elevation.
You can render it in a wire or filled mode, change the fill and wire color and transparency and modify the top elevation.
You can get the source code here.
Next video shows the example in action. Sorry for the poor quality but executing WWJ while capturing screen is too much for my ancient laptop :(
Also, I have build a data file with world limits (extracted from a shapefile) and prepared an example application.
The example is far away to become a thematic application like UUorld but a second prism object version could have more improvement and utilities, like show text on top of prism.
Every prism goes from globe surface (from zero elevation) to the specified top elevation.
You can render it in a wire or filled mode, change the fill and wire color and transparency and modify the top elevation.
You can get the source code here.
Next video shows the example in action. Sorry for the poor quality but executing WWJ while capturing screen is too much for my ancient laptop :(
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Prism objects for WWJ
Looking at the thematic mapping blog some time ago I saw a beautifulies KML examples of animated prism maps.
Prisms are goods to represent amounts with different shapes like countries or cylinders.
A couple of days ago I have started to work on a new renderable object Prism for WWJ, to allow WWJ community have this useful things. It is still in development but looks very well :)
Given a set of lat/lon positions you can create a prism object specifying the top elevation, color, etc.
It looks great, for to be honest has the same problem as the big brother GE has, the hole problem.
The vertex of polygon are extruded from globe surface to the specified height, but only the vertex not the polygon itself. Then, for big shapes, like China or Australia and using little heights, a hole can appear.
Prisms are goods to represent amounts with different shapes like countries or cylinders.
A couple of days ago I have started to work on a new renderable object Prism for WWJ, to allow WWJ community have this useful things. It is still in development but looks very well :)
Given a set of lat/lon positions you can create a prism object specifying the top elevation, color, etc.
It looks great, for to be honest has the same problem as the big brother GE has, the hole problem.
The vertex of polygon are extruded from globe surface to the specified height, but only the vertex not the polygon itself. Then, for big shapes, like China or Australia and using little heights, a hole can appear.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Google Earth Browser plugin
I was thinking about blogging not only about The Balloon Project but also about GIS things. And here is my first post.
The next links talks about the new release of the Google Earth browser plugin:
and here is a bit summary of it:
and finally, I would like to note this is a great new for google product fans, but Google doesn't invent nothing, WWJ and MS VE arrives first, they can be the bastards brothers but arrives first ;)
The next links talks about the new release of the Google Earth browser plugin:
- http://earthissquare.com/2008/05/28/google-earth-in-a-web-page/
- http://bullsworld2007.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/another-google-idea-borrowed-from-world-wind/
- http://maps.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/ft/?p=238
and here is a bit summary of it:
- advantage
- it is another product of the google universe
- disadvantage
- only for windows (at the moment and like the initial release of GE)
- memory and processor eater
and finally, I would like to note this is a great new for google product fans, but Google doesn't invent nothing, WWJ and MS VE arrives first, they can be the bastards brothers but arrives first ;)
Friday, March 28, 2008
WWJ and using JWindow to improve annotations
Here is a screenshot about something I'm trying. I have created a new Renderable object that shows a JPanel into a JWindow at a specified Position (and also a little triangle using OpenGL). The object is responsible to move the JWindow when the globe is rotated and hide it when the position is outside the frustum.
It is not finished but is a easy way to create annotation with all the power of Java :) Also it has a great effect because JWindow annotation can exists and move out the Canvas.
It is not finished but is a easy way to create annotation with all the power of Java :) Also it has a great effect because JWindow annotation can exists and move out the Canvas.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Load/Save configurations
Yes, too much time without news about the Balloon project but, well I continue working on it ;) and currently I'm finishing the load/save configuration mechanism.
Imagine you have an amazing set of layers pointing some images, icons, WMS servers and a couple of views. Now you want to save this "configuration" state.
That's not all. Maybe you have installed a couple of future :) Balloon plugins and they need to be capable to store their information in the save file too.
Here is a little example of configuration file:
Note: The bad syntax is because the syntax highlighter and blogger api. There seems to be a problem with element open closed in the same line like:
It is far to be like a KML file, also it isn't my intention. The configuration file must store only the current layers (with the attributes needed to restore it later) and the views currently open in the application.
Imagine you have an amazing set of layers pointing some images, icons, WMS servers and a couple of views. Now you want to save this "configuration" state.
That's not all. Maybe you have installed a couple of future :) Balloon plugins and they need to be capable to store their information in the save file too.
Here is a little example of configuration file:
ROSAS
otro sitio
Note: The bad syntax is because the syntax highlighter and blogger api. There seems to be a problem with element open closed in the same line like:
<img ... />.It is far to be like a KML file, also it isn't my intention. The configuration file must store only the current layers (with the attributes needed to restore it later) and the views currently open in the application.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Using SurfacePolygon to render shapefiles
Today I a have working with SurfacePolygon to render shapefiles.
SurfacePolygon takes a set of Positions and creates a BufferedImage that is rendered as a normal tile. That has a good performance and the result image can beautifully overlap the terrain
The above polygons are configured to create images with 256x256 size. The results seems good, but all depends on how much good you want.
SurfacePolygon takes a set of Positions and creates a BufferedImage that is rendered as a normal tile. That has a good performance and the result image can beautifully overlap the terrain
The above polygons are configured to create images with 256x256 size. The results seems good, but all depends on how much good you want.
Monday, January 14, 2008
The day when Timeline becomes more graphical
This is the new Timeline layer. It is not completely finished but it is more graphical and (at least for me) more beautiful ;)
To create it, I was developed before a new little package called "Widgets" with a mini set of classes implementing: button, image and label.
All them are kinds of widgets and can receive mouse events: entered, exited, left pressed, left clicked, draw and draw end. Depending on these event you can change the properties of the objects: opacity, change its texture (to make feel the button is pressed), font, etc.
To create it, I was developed before a new little package called "Widgets" with a mini set of classes implementing: button, image and label.
All them are kinds of widgets and can receive mouse events: entered, exited, left pressed, left clicked, draw and draw end. Depending on these event you can change the properties of the objects: opacity, change its texture (to make feel the button is pressed), font, etc.
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