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10 May 2006:

• 4.2.7. (Multiresolution Image Fusion) I saw impressive results from other people using this tool, but I can not run the process as I keep getting "Must be same size or integer reduction of high-resolution raster" message. How can I prepare my dataset for this operation?

30 January 2006:

• 2.2.6. When I render my layout to SVG, my rasters lose their transparency. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?

06 January 2006:

• 1.4.12. I have problem with focusing the windows on Mac. Is there an option for no-click-to-focus for X11? (MAC Only)

03 January 2006:

• 1.3.7. Are there any files that can assist MicroImages technical support in understanding what is happening on my system?

29 August 2005:

• 1.4.10. I have installed my TNT product for MAC. When I try to run it, I am getting a message saying that I should have an X-server installed. Where can I find an X-server? (MAC Only)
• 1.4.11. I purchased a new system. Although I plugged the hardware key and installed the drivers provided with the installation CD, I am getting "Installation of device drivers failed. Failed to write the USB driver to the disk. Can not create file." message. How can I fix the problem? (Windows Only)

04 August 2005:

• 6.1.2. Is there a way to extract files from TNTatlas projects? Is my data safe even when I distribute the copy to professional TNTmips users?
• 6.1.3. My data set is very large and I want to start the atlas in a specific location and zoom level. Is there a way to manage starting coordinates for the atlas?
• 6.1.4. Is it possible for multiple concurrent users to view and work with an atlas on a network drive?
• 6.1.5. I am planning to distribute the atlas I created to a non-English base of possible clients. Is it possible to change the default interface language for TNTatlas?

03 August 2005:

• 1.1.3. I need to contact experienced users and get some advices on some tasks using TNT products. Is there a discussion group for TNT products?
• 6.1.1. I need to contact experienced users about my current TNTatlas designs and publications for some advices. Is there a discussion group for TNT geodata publishing?

16 June 2005:

• 4.4.6. I am trying to import my TIFF file as a GeoTIFF, but the program does not recognize it although it has the *.tfw file that includes projection parameters. What is wrong?

20 April 2005:

• 1.6.1. I did not receive my CD and additional documentation although the release of the new version is already announced on your web site. Did you forget to send me the update package?
• 1.6.2. I have a floating license key on a server. Although I got the new release and installed it on all of the client machines, I cannot run the new version. What should I do to run the new version?
• 2.1.4. I am adding some rasters in my group, then using Group / Render to Raster to create a mosaic. This process is extremely fast and efficient (OR slow / inefficient) compared to Raster Mosaicking. Why?
• 3.2.5. I need to orthorectify a Landsat / SPOT image, but I do not have the proper software to do it. Can TNT products orthorectify such satellite imagery using a DEM and 3D ground control points?
• 4.4.5. Although I can export a small file, I cannot export my large raster to BMP / TIFF / GeoTIFF format. Is this an error?

19 April 2005:

• 5.1.1. While I am browsing my rvc files, I sometimes see that some project files are colored (red-magenta-blue). What does this coloring indicate?
• 5.1.2. I have a file from another computer. When I try to open the file, I get "cannot locate linked object..." message. Is there a way to resolve this problem?
•  5.1.3. I can understand the limits that are set for TNTlite. Are there any limits for the object sizes in the professional products?
•  5.1.4. When I try to open an object, I get the message "illegal inode number specified" and cannot access the object. What can I do to open the objects inside my project file?

06 April 2005:

• 1.5.1. I have a problem with MicroImages X server (MI/X), how can I get help?
• 1.5.2. Which algorithm is used in [any] process?
• 1.5.3. I sent an email to technical support one week ago, but I did not get a reply. What should I do?
• 1.5.4. What is the response time of your technical support department to my problems?
• 1.5.5. What type of questions can I ask technical support? Do TNTlite users have a limit?
• 1.5.6. I have a data set for a project and need to find a way to get a specific result. How can I do this in TNT products?
• 1.5.7. I have an SML project to finish, can you help me to complete it?
• 3.1.4. When I create a new vector object, in the New Object Values window there are four database related buttons. What does each of these do?

1.1.1. Where can I find information about TNT products and processes?

 

There are 4 different technical document types for the TNT products. All are distributed with the TNT products CD and shared on the web:

1. Getting Started Tutorials: This is the key documentation for learning the basics of geospatial analysis and TNT products' features. A new user should complete the exercises provided in these tutorials. The TNT CD also includes sample data to complete these exercises.

2. Color Plates: Documents on almost everything from new features to magazine advertisements. These are excellent sources of product information and small application implementations.

3. Quick Guides: This is the one-page summary with quick power tips that give information about surprising features included in the TNT products.

4. Reference Manual: 2500 page documentation that describes almost every button and its function on the TNT products' interface. Also provides background information and scientific references for processes and algorithms.

 

The Documentation page includes the above documents as well as presentations, flyers, promotional materials, new feature summaries, developments and other documents.

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1.1.2. There are many documents on your web site, and I cannot find what I want. Is there a way to search your web site? 

 

We have a Search page on our web site at http://www.microimages.com/search/, which you can use to find valuable information. We have thousands of pages of documentation available on our site, which not only includes the Tutorials and Reference Manual but also the Release Notes and hundreds of Color Plates. Questions you have about the TNT products are likely to be answered in this documentation.

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1.1.3. I need to contact experienced users and get some advices on some tasks using TNT products. Is there a discussion group for TNT products?

 

TNTtalk is a moderated broadcast discussion list by which you can communicate with other users with regard to your activities, news, ideas, tips and uses of TNT products. The moderator describes the objective of the group as follows:

The group is the meeting point for users of MicroImages' TNT products: TNTmips, TNTedit, TNTview, TNTserver, TNTsdk, TNTlite, and TNTsim3D. The aim of the group is sharing ideas and methods on accomplishing geospatial tasks.  Ask questions, provide information on your projects, and demonstrate your skills.

If you wish to join this discussion group, you can sign up at:

http://groups.google.com/group/tnttalk

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1.2.1. I cannot complete the download from your web/ftp site.

 

We have hundreds of successful downloads from our site each week. While we know there can be a problem with our web site or a link, most of the time the problem ends up being the result of an unreliable communication link to the Internet.

 

A download manager can continue a download after it fails, from the same place it stopped. A download manager can help you save days of trying to download very large files, even from unreliable sites or with unreliable Internet connections. Gozilla is one such download manager. It can be a little tricky to figure out, but works great once you know how to use it. Please look at our website "Download Managers" for more information. It will tell you how to resume interrupted downloads of large files.

2.2.3. I cannot print to paper sizes larger than A3. What should I do?

 

If you are able to print to small sizes (A4/A3), and the program does not let you select sizes larger than these values (like A1/A0), you need to purchase P15 printer support. P15 is an option for TNT products that enables you to use printers larger than 11 by 17 inches. Please contact MicroImages marketing department with your current software license key information for details.

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2.2.4. I can print to my printer using other software, but my TNT product cannot print to the same printer.

 

Unlike most of the other software, you are sending a massive amount of data to the printer from your TNT product. Therefore, some problems that you cannot observe with other products may exist in your system.

 

Printing problems are sometimes very hard to pin down since there are so many variables. Most of these problems are case specific and very hard to reproduce without actual data and the printer driver. Because of this, we need a lot of information and help from you to find out what is going on. For starters, what is happening or not happening for you? What printer settings are you using? There may be additional cases where you may not clearly explain your problem or your settings while you are having the problem. To avoid such problems, we suggest you use a screen recording utility that will help MicroImages to identify what is happening on your system.

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2.2.5. Is there general printer trouble shooting documentation that I can test myself before reporting the problem?

 

Yes, please do the following before contacting MicroImages technical support. If you still have problems, inform us about your findings:

 

In most of the cases, the problem you have is a memory problem. We recommend looking at the settings in the printer Properties window. The settings you have will depend on the printer driver and the operating system.

 

1. Turn on the "Avoid out of memory" toggle (may be located in Advanced panel of the Properties window). We also recommend checking your spooler settings. (For example, there may be a Spool Settings button on the Details (or Advanced) panel of the printer Properties window. Try:

 

2. Spool print jobs. This will enable programs to finish printing faster: Choose Start printing after first page is spooled OR Spool print jobs so program finishes printing faster, Start printing immediately.

 

3. Incidentally, there is a way to create a .PRN file instead of printing directly to the printer. You can then print the job (file) at a later time or even print it from another computer (which doesn't have to have TNTmips). This can also be useful for troubleshooting printing problems by seeing if you can print outside of TNTmips. This can also overcome spooler or memory problems since the print job is already computed and the printer doesn't have to wait for the print file to be created.

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2.2.6. When I render my layout to SVG, my rasters lose their transparency. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?

 

You need to toggle on the "Use only PNGs" button in the Raster Controls panel to overcome this problem.

 

SVG rendering process has the capability of auto-detecting raster transparency so that it can decide whether to use JPEGs or PNGs for the SVG rendering automatically. However, it is not able to detect whether a given render will need raster transparency or not until it finishes rendering. Therefore, if the user knows for sure that he wants transparency in his raster, it is recommended to use PNGs in SVG rendering.

 

Please note that it is not appropriate to always default to using PNGs because JPEGs are smaller than PNGs for output that targets the web, and there are cases where auto detection for transparency works better. In the case of transparent null cells, whether user defined or coming from georeferencing, the automatic detection works fine. However, if the image is rotated in a layout and then rendered to SVG, the black triangles occur at the edges in the SVG output unless the Use only PNGs button is toggled on. This is also the reason you encounter this problem when you use a linked JPEG file. The process is able to detect the null cells that are generated by warping the data to projection. When you import the JPEG file and georeference it, the SVG rendering is able to detect the null cells. When you link to this JPEG file and georeference it, the process is not able to detect the null cells since the georeferencing is done on the fly. In such cases, the user needs to toggle on the Use only PNGs button.

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3.1.1. I would like to add some Z values to my contour lines. What is the best way to do this?

 

In the Spatial Data Editor, open your vector as an editable layer, and toggle on the "Set Contour Z Values" icon in the Vector Tools window. This tool automates the assignment of the Z values, so long as you know the contour intervals of the data. Once you set the interval in the tool, you can click and drag the tool across multiple contours, and all of the contours within the span of the line will be assigned Z values automatically.

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3.1.2. I imported some data as lines, but I would now like to edit the data as polygons. Is there any way to do this?

 

You have to set your object topology to polygonal, as opposed to the planar level it is probably in. To do this, add your vector as an editable layer in the Spatial Data Editor, and then choose Layer / Properties. Here you can choose a polygonal topology level, and then apply it by clicking OK.

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3.1.3. I saved a region in the Display process during some analysis I was doing. Is there any way I can change the region into a vector, or add it to an already existing vector?

 

Once you have created a new vector, or added a vector as an editable layer, you can add the region with the Add Region icon button in the vector tools menu of the Spatial Data Editor. After you have done this and saved the vector, the region will be included in the object.

 

Additionally, you can use Process / Convert / Geometric to Vector... for converting your region to a single vector object.

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3.1.4. When I create a new vector object, in the New Object Values window there are four database related buttons. What does each of these do?

 

Object Scale Values: These scale values are used only if the object is not georeferenced. The scale value represents one unit in object coordinates. For instance, if the object had a scale ratio of 1:1,000 (1 unit in the vector object equals 1,000 units in real life), you would set the scale to "1000." You can change the units used for elements in the object by clicking the Units option button and selecting new units from the standard selection.

 

Element ID Values: This is the ID value created for each element. When you create a new object, the default values are set to 1 since the next element you will create will be assigned an ID value of 1. This value is automatically assigned unless you assign a different value for the Next element in the Object properties window before creating the element (Object properties window opens if you select Layer/Properties from the SD Editor menu).

 

Maintain element ID Values: If you toggle on this button, you will be able to have an Element ID database table, which keeps the element ID values assigned for each element you create. Please note that editing or validating a vector object can change the element ID number of existing elements.

 

Maintain Standard Attribute Tables: Enables you to have a standard attribute database table (called POLYSTATS for polygon elements and LINESTATS for line elements) which has descriptive statistics for each element (the attributes such as length, area, etc. take place in this table).

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3.2.1. I would like to Georeference using raster to raster overlay, but I cannot figure out how to do it.  Can you help?

 

All that you need to do is to open your ungeoreferenced raster with File / Open, and then add your reference raster to the Georeference Input Layer Controls with Add Raster... Once this is done, you can specify which colors are used in the overlay through Options / Raster / Raster Overlay.

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3.2.2. I would like to lower my residual values for my control points, but I cannot seem to no matter how hard I try. What am I doing wrong?

 

Remember, residuals are only the values of the distances between the control points that you have defined, and their predicted location based on the warping model selected. You may need to select a different warping model more suited to your data. It's also important to note that many types of data will have high residuals by nature. As an example, aerial photos have systematic distortion within them , and properly placed control points may have high residuals, especially over highly variable terrain.

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3.2.3. I georeferenced a raster very accurately in the Georeference process. When I display it with other data, it appears to be off or shifted. What happened?

 

Make sure that you resample your rasters after you georeference them. Georeferencing only saves the control point list to the raster. For the raster to be truly accurate, the entire raster should be resampled to accurately fit those control points. This can be done through Process / Raster / Resample and Reproject / Automatic.

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3.2.4. I have a Landsat 7 satellite image that has the same cell size and extents for each band. Do I have to georeference every band? Is there a way to copy the georeference from one band to another? What about the 15-meter panchromatic band?

 

Once you georeference one of the bands, you can copy that georeference information to other bands, if the number of rows and columns and extents are identical. This case is true for 30-meter cell size Landsat images. Just georeference Band1 (Blue), and copy this georeference to Band2, Band3, Band4 etc. Use Project File Maintenance to copy the georeference object from one raster band to another.

If you have georeferenced one of the 30-meter bands, and need to georeference the 15-meter panchromatic band, the case gets tricky. This time, you can save the control points to a text file, then open it with a spread sheet editor (like Excel). Now you must multiply the row and column values by 2, and then save the text file with the same exact format with re-computed values. When you add this georeference from text file to your pan band, you will save lots of time for entering the control points to known locations.

Please note that the best results (and the least ground error) can be achieved by entering control points to the panchromatic band, and then assigning the values to other bands. As panchromatic is more precise, you can find more accurate references on the ground. In such an application, you have to do the reverse of the operation discussed in above paragraph.

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3.2.5. I need to orthorectify a Landsat / SPOT image, but I do not have the proper software to do it. Can TNT products orthorectify such satellite imagery using a DEM and 3D ground control points?

 

We do not support orthorectification of satellite imagery of any kind in the Photogrammetric Modeling process. We have implemented Rational Polynomial Orthorectification of IKONOS, QuickBird, and OrbView images using the Georeference process. If you're interested, look at color plates and the tutorial for Orthorectification using Rational Polynomials.

 

Many different sensing and analysis approaches are being experimented with and tested for the production of DEM and orthoimages. As a result, each of you need and request a highly technical solution tailored to fit your unique imagery. In addition, you would like it to operate nearly automatically with a minimum of training and effort. MicroImages has gradually learned that low-cost, generic software approaches are not going to work well for this kind of situation. It represents a type of software application where the technical approach must be carefully tailored to a single or relatively unique situation. This is why the price of professional software for this purpose remains very high. As a result, the best solution to the extraction of DEMs and orthophoto production is going to come from the manufacturer of that system (aircraft or satellite). In fact, their image or other acquisition system will be measured by how well they produce DEMs or orthoimages. While they may not be willing or able to produce or sell these products cheaply, the clear trend is that you will buy or contract for the best products of these kinds directly from the manufacturer/operator of the acquisition system and their authorized technical partners.

 

The purpose of TNTmips is to perform geospatial analysis. It will not be able to assist you in reaching your specialized photogrammetric objectives to extract DEMs or produce orthophotos from a wide variety of images, except where your objectives can be addressed via the SML or TNTsdk extensions. There may be other specialized soft photogrammetry products that can assist you in your application. However, good generalized solutions to this class of applications are oriented toward production work and are expensive. Low-cost products that claim to provide generic application to many sensor systems should be carefully reviewed with skepticism. MicroImages does not do production work or use any such products and, thus, is not in a position to advise you as to which soft photogrammetry product to purchase.

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4.1.1. I tried surface fitting using some data that I had, but the resulting raster had values of only 0. What is wrong?

 

The Surface Modeling program will pick Z values as specified in the internal table. If the values you would like to base your surface upon are elsewhere, you will have to specify this in the "By Query" option, and pick the appropriate Table.Field.

4.2.1. (Mosaic) I am trying to mosaic several rasters, but the resulting raster has a contrast and color that I do not like. What can I do?

 

Check your settings that you have applied, as there are many that can affect the outcome. Check the following:

1. Contrast settings in raster controls (double click on the rasters in the input to open this).

2. Check contrast settings under the Contrast tab.

3. Check the "Apply Contrast Tables" and "Apply Color Maps" toggle buttons under the Contrast tab.

4. Refer to the tutorial for Mosaicking Raster Geodata regarding how these setting affect the output.

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4.2.2. (Mosaic - Extract) I cannot set the null values of the output raster anymore. How can I do this now?

 

Starting with version 7.0 of TNT products, the Null Value concept is removed from various TNT processes. There used to be some processes that disabled the use of these specific values if they were set as null, which led to incorrect computations in the raster operations.

 

Now, there is a Null Mask for each raster object created that makes the raster cells transparent. The Null Mask does exactly what "Null Value" used to do in the Display process. This is mainly done because there are various cases where you will need to use a "null" value of the raster object as a real data value.

 

A brief discussion of this concept can be found on page 27 of the Mosaicking Raster Geodata booklet. Now processes look into previous null values of the input objects and create a null mask for these values for the output object.

 

We have also blocked users changing the null values if the raster has a null mask sub object. Therefore, you will need to use Process / Raster / Utilities / Set Null Cells... to modify the null mask of your raster. Please note that this process will no longer modify your null cells.

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4.2.3. (Hyperspectral Analysis) I wanted to go though some of the exercises in the tutorial for Analyzing Hyperspectral Images but do not have any good data. Where can I get some hyperspectral data?

 

Hyperspectral data is too large to be included on the TNTlite CD. We have posted the data on our website for your download. You can refer to the booklet and download the data from the Analyzing Hyperspectral Images page.

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4.2.4. (Photogrammetric Modeling) I am trying to create an orthophoto with a DEM and an aerial photo that I have. The process does not allow me to use the DEM that I have. Have I done something wrong?

 

We require that your DEM have control points on it with Z values. If your DEM doesn't, you'll have to add some before the process will allow it to be used. Other factors will limit the use of data in this program also, such as poor georeference control and great difference in cell size. Please refer to the tutorial for Making DEMs and Orthoimages for more information.

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4.2.5. (Automatic Resample and Reproject) I would like to convert a raster I have to a different projection. How can I do this?

 

You can resample your rasters to another projection system using Process / Raster / Resample and Reproject / Automatic. Simply select the input object, pick the output projection and cell size that you desire.

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4.2.6. (Raster Color Conversions) I have a 24-bit composite raster, and I would like to split it into RGB rasters. Can I do this? How do I convert RGBs into a composite?

 

Use the tools provided through Process / Raster / Combine / Convert Color.

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4.2.7. (Multiresolution Image Fusion) I saw impressive results from other people using this tool, but I can not run the process as I keep getting "Must be same size or integer reduction of high-resolution raster" message. How can I prepare my dataset for this operation?

 

Before running the process, you must preprocess your rasters to meet the following conditions:

 

- The cell size of the Multi-Spectral (MS) rasters must be an interger multiple of the cell size of the Pan raster. For example, for QuickBird satellite (QB) data, the Pan cell size might be 0.6-m x 0.6-m. In this case, the MS cell size would have to be 2.4-m by 2.4-m.

- The geographic extents of the Pan raster has to be the same as that of the MS rasters. 

 

When you get an unmodified satellite image, these requirements are normally met by the delivered product. However, you may have extracted these rasters from the delivered product set in order to focus on an area of interest. When you did this, you may have changed the geographic extents of these rasters so that they are no longer the same. Or, you may have changed the cell sizes so that the cell size of the MS rasters are no longer an integer multiple of the cell size of the Pan raster. So, you have to fix the MS and/or Pan rasters before running the Multiresolution Image Fusion process. Here is how to use TNTmips (manually) to fix these rasters:

 

Extract a set of MS rasters so that the extents of these extracted rasters covers your area of interest. Call these extracted rasters as qb1, qb2, qb3, and qb4. It does not matter how many lines and columns are in these extracted rasters. But, their geographic extents should be inside of the geographic extents of the source Pan raster. When you do this, be sure that the Extract options are as follows:

- Zoom/Orient: Zoom Lines by: 1.000 (and) Columns by: 1.000.

- Method: Nearest Neighbor

- Rotate: 0.00000 degrees

- No Flip

- Transfer Georeference: Enabled

 

Without leaving the Raster Extract... tool, go to the Rasters tab. Remove All (of the rasters). Select... the qb1 raster that you made above. Go to the Zoom/Orient tab. The Zoom option will still be enabled. Change the Lines by: parameter from 1.000 to 4.000. Change the Columns by: parameter from 1.000 to 4.000. Run... the process. Call the output raster as PanRef, and exit when the run finishes. You can use the Manage Project Files... tool to verify that the cell sizes of qb1, qb2, qb3, and qb4 are 16-times (4 times in line size and 4 times in column size) the size of the PanRef raster. Also, the PanRef raster has four times as many lines and four times as many columns as the qb1, qb2, qb3, or qb4 rasters. Plus, qb1, qb2, qb3, qb4, and PanRef have the same geographic extents.

 

Now, open the Raster Resample and Reproject Automatic... tool. Use the Select Rasters... option to select the original (source) Pan raster in your QB set. Click the Settings... tab. Choose the following options:

- Model: From Georeference (or Affine)

- Method: Nearest Neighbor

- Extents: Match Reference. When asked, select the PanRef raster you produced above as the Reference Raster.

- Scale: To Reference

- Orient: To Reference

- Pyramid: Average

- Compression: Standard Lossless

 

When you Run... the process, put the output raster in the same Project file as the qb1, qb2, qb3, and qb4 rasters above. Call this the qbpan raster. The new rasters (qb1, qb2, qb3, qb4, and qbpan) are now ready to be fused.

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4.3.1. (Warp) I have a vector in a coordinate reference system. I can display it in other coordinate systems without any problems, but I need to change the internal coordinates also. Is there a way to convert the actual coordinate reference system of a vector?

 

Although TNT products support on the fly reprojection of objects, you may still need to change the actual projection system of the geometric objects for database computations and statistical analysis. You can do this using Process / Vector / Warp. Simply select your vector, and set the destination projection system, and run.

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4.3.2. (Standard Attributes) I want an easy way of obtaining statistics for my vector data. Is there a shortcut to doing this?

 

The Standard Attributes function will allow you to generate a table attached to your vector object that contains attributes for your vector. The table will contain information about polygon area, line length, polygon centroid, mid distance points, etc. You can reach this tool through Process / Vector / Attributes / Standard Attributes...

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4.4.1. I would like to import from or export to a file type that I don't see in the list. How do I go about doing this?

 

You have two options:

1. Attempt a user defined or simple array import (raster only). This will require you to specify the format of the file, so you will need some information about the file.

2. You can request that format be implemented. To do so, contact MicroImages Software Support staff, and provide a sample file, along with all pertinent information regarding that file. Any implementations are a management decision, so remember that this is a request and not a guarantee that the format will be supported.

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4.4.2. I am trying to import a TIFF file, but cannot specify the projection information. What am I doing wrong?

 

You are only allowed to specify the projection if a .tfw or .tab file (files with georeference information) are with the TIFF in the same directory. In this case, you must select the proper accompanying file under "Georeference", and then select the proper projection. If the file is a GeoTIFF, the projection information will automatically be imported.

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4.4.3. When I specified that I wanted to import my TIFF in UTM, the resulting georeference was in Geographic, or the file imported was garbage. What happened?

 

The import process will not convert projections during import. You must pick the appropriate projection and coordinate system for that file. Once you have imported that file in its original projection, you can resample it to a different one through Process / Raster / Resample and Reproject / Automatic.

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4.4.4. I cannot seem to get a file imported that you support. I either get errors or the resulting file is incorrect. What should I do?

 

We implement our import formats based upon industry standards at the time of implementation. Occasionally file formats will be changed without us knowing it, so a majority of the cases require the exact file for testing purposes. If you are having difficulty importing a file that we support, contact MicroImages Software Support, and provide the exact details of the error along with the sample file. The sample can quickly be tested, and we can let you know if you are doing something incorrectly, or what the status of the problem is. You also have the option of patching so that you have the most current Import / Export program, which in many cases solves the error.

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4.4.5. Although I can export a small file, I cannot export my large raster to BMP / TIFF / GeoTIFF format. Is this an error?

 

Some of the file formats that we are exporting to have limitations set by the format itself. Therefore, if the raster you are trying to export exceeds this limit, you may not be able to export your file (or the file you exported may not be readable). Such issues is discussed in the limitations section of this document.

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4.4.6. I am trying to import my TIFF file as a GeoTIFF, but the program does not recognize it although it has the *.tfw file that includes projection parameters. What is wrong?

 

A GeoTIFF file is a single file with *.TIF extension. The projection parameters of the image are embedded in the file itself. Therefore, you can not tell the difference between a GeoTIFF or TIFF image by just looking at the file, as they have the same extensions.

 

The *.tfw file is only a file for ARC-World products to understand the extents of the raster images. TNT products have the ability to read this extent information, but you still have to import it as a TIFF, and set the projection parameters to import it to the correct geographical location.

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5.1.1. While I am browsing my rvc files, I sometimes see that some project files are colored (red-magenta-blue). What does this coloring indicate?

 

Starting with version 7.0 of TNT products, we began enforcing more rigorous Project File rules in order to increase the stability of the RVC files. This feature is implemented with version 7.0 of TNT products in order to detect problems that occur in such files created in earlier versions of TNT products. This concept is covered in the Quick Guide titled Validating Project Files and the Understanding and Maintaining Project Files tutorial.  See this Quick Guide and tutorial for more information to resolve such problems.

 

The meanings of the colors are:

Red: Invalid Objects (i.e. implied georeference under a raster)

Magenta: Conflicting Subobjects (i.e. multiple style or affine georeference subobjects)

Blue: Missing Links to files or objects that cannot be located (i.e. style objects, *.jp2 files...)

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5.1.2. I have a file from another computer. When I try to open the file, I get "cannot locate linked object..." message. Is there a way to resolve this problem?

 

As mentioned in 5.1.1., we began enforcing more rigorous Project File rules in order to increase the stability of the RVC files. This concept is covered in the Quick Guide titled Validating Project Files. Also, page 13 of the Understanding and Maintaining Project Files tutorial is on this subject. See this documentation for details on recovering your files.

 

Briefly,

- Find the sub object with the missing link by clicking the Info button,

- Navigate to the object, and click on the Edit icon,

- If editing is allowed, click on the Change Link button and select the object to link to,

- If editing is not allowed, click on the Delete icon.

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5.1.3. I can understand the limits that are set for TNTlite. Are there any limits for the object sizes in the professional products?

 

No, your Project File can be as large as your Operating System and storage media allow. Thus you can use rasters of practically any dimension, and vectors with practically any number of nodes, lines and polygons. No TNT user has ever hit a size limit. Everyday, we are evolving the software more and more, and improving the performance to make use of the most powerful hardware available. Our current "defined" limits are:

16 TB per file, 4 TB per object (TB: terabyte: 1,000 gigabytes)

We commonly define vector objects bigger than 100 MB and raster objects bigger 2 GB as "large" objects. Such raster / vector objects normally take a few seconds to display in TNT products. This concept is explained in detail in the tutorial booklet: Working with Massive Geodata Objects.

On the other hand, some other products (or file formats) that we are exporting files to have limitations. These limits are NOT TNT products limits, but defined by the file format. Such limitations are:

TIFF / GeoTIFF: 4 GB

BMP: 4 GB

GIF: 2 GB

Erdas 7X Lan / GIS: 2 GB

NetCDF: 2 GB

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5.1.4. When I try to open an object, I get the message "illegal inode number specified" and cannot access the object. What can I do to open the objects inside my project file?

 

This problem indicates that something is scrambled inside your RVC file, and you cannot access the contents of the file. In order to resolve this problem, first make a duplicate copy of the file (in case everything fails). Then use Support / Maintenance / Recover Project File.. utility, and select the original file. The program will output a new RVC file in which the problems are solved.

 

In case this process does not solve your problems (or you loose some valuable data in the file), contact MicroImages technical support with the original file copy that has the initial problem.

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6.1.1. I need to contact experienced users about my current TNTatlas designs and publications for some advices. Is there a discussion group for TNT geodata publishing?

 

There is a moderated discussion list about TNTmips users that create TNTatlas projects (ATLASTALK). This discussion list is not only used for advices about project development, but also shares tricks and "how-to"s. As the group moderator describes, "AtlasTalk is a moderated discussion group of TNTmips users who design and build atlases for publication and distribution with the FREE TNTatlas software for internal company use and for external customers. Tips, tricks, and suggestions for improving the usability of the atlases of geospatial information we create are the focus of Atlas Talk".

 

If you wish to join this discussion group, you can sign up at:

http://groups.google.com/group/atlastalk

 

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6.1.2. Is there a way to extract files from TNTatlas projects? Is my data safe even when I distribute the copy to professional TNTmips users?

 

Custom SML applications might be developed to export text data, as writing to text is not considered as an export. As an example, a display control script or a toolscript can be embedded to your layout that has the ability to read a certain raster / vector object, and write it as an ASCII formatted text file.

 

Even if you have developed an SML script that has export capability to a non-text format (like shape or GeoTIFF etc.), you will not be able to run that command unless you have a TNTedit or TNTmips key attached to your system. Therefore, using such abilities is not recommended if you are planning to distribute your data to non-tnt users. Also, if you are wondering that your data would be stolen by other TNT users, you can easily prevent others from accessing your files without your approval:

 

RVC files that are prepared using "TNTatlas Assembly Wizard" can be locked to be used by TNTatlas products only. This means, if the creator of the atlas has disabled TNTmips / TNTedit etc. to access the data, you will not be able to read and export the data even if you have a TNTmips installed. There is only one exception that could read this access-limited data, the key that has created the atlas.

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6.1.3. My data set is very large and I want to start the atlas in a specific location and zoom level. Is there a way to manage starting coordinates for the atlas?

 

You can customize your startup *.atl file for a location and zoom level in your atlas. Add parameters similar to the following to the text of the .atl file you are using to launch your atlas:

 

[TNTatlas]

StartZoomWidth=1500

StartCenterLon=-96.40122986

StartCenterLat=40.69585419

File=X:/data/Layouts.rvc

Object=Start

Title=Palmyra

 

The StartZoomWidth parameter is in meters of displayed extent width your opening layout will zoom in to. The StartCenterLon and StartCenterLon settings must be in decimal degrees.

Clicking on this example .atl file launches TNTatlas on the PC opening the layout titled "Start" zoomed in to a width of 1500 meters at this Lat/Long coordinate.

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6.1.4. Is it possible for multiple concurrent users to view and work with an atlas on a network drive?

 

Yes. As long as you make files "read only" on a shared network drive, multiple copies of TNTatlas on multiple PCs can access a common set of layouts in your atlases.

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6.1.5. I am planning to distribute the atlas I created to a non-English base of possible clients. Is it possible to change the default interface language for TNTatlas?

 

If you are planning to make an autorun CD (or DVD), just use Afghanistan Atlas as a template for you. We have provided all possible interface languages for the users, which can be selected from Options / General.

 

If you want to publish something that is completely [in a language] at startup, you will need to install TNTatlas/X to your hard drive, then change the language, and then copy the files under C:\Program Files\MicroImages\TNTatlasX_71 directory to the directory that you will include (which will be used for autorun for tntstart.exe, and include all the required files) in the CD. This directory refers to the \tntatlasX directory in the Afghanistan Atlas CD.

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This document maintained by MicroImages Technical Support Team.

Questions to: tech@microimages.com