First Whack at Custom Layer Import

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First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 5:15:46 PM

Combatengineerjrgmail

Posts: 77
Joined: 9/24/2013
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I imported the facilities, i.e. pre-made installations already in the game, then I followed the instructions for creating and importing a custom layer. Here is Bandar Abbas. Facilities line up perfectly with custom layer. Took about 15 min to learn how and now takes about 5 min per airfield. Very nice functionality. Thanks!

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 5:40:15 PM

MitchRapp

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Joined: 9/24/2013
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wow that looks really cool, nice job

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 5:53:07 PM

smudge56

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From: UK
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Excellent work is there a step by step guide to this anywhere?

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 5:57:47 PM

Combatengineerjrgmail

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Joined: 9/24/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Blighty56

Excellent work is there a step by step guide to this anywhere?

Yes Second 8.3 explains how to capture the image and world data using a Google download and 8.4 explains creating Airfields.

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Post #: 4

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 5:59:31 PM

juanchopancho

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Joined: 3/18/2009
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Can these be attached with custom scenarios and shared?

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 6:10:41 PM

Combatengineerjrgmail

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Joined: 9/24/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: juancho

Can these be attached with custom scenarios and shared?

The Facilities etc load when the scenario loads, the custom layers are that, custom and it appears that they need to be loaded after the scenario starts. Since I've already 'made them' it takes about 5 min to load the 10 or so I'm playing with in a small training scenario I'm playing around with. The images are fairly large, 65MB to 10BM for the ones I'm playing with. Not an easy thing to ship around.

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 7:46:04 PM

smudge56

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From: UK
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Great thanks for that not reached 8.3 yet. I'm impressed with that image though.

quote:

ORIGINAL: combatengineerjr

quote:

ORIGINAL: Blighty56

Excellent work is there a step by step guide to this anywhere?

Yes Second 8.3 explains how to capture the image and world data using a Google download and 8.4 explains creating Airfields.

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Post #: 7

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 10:44:59 PM

funkymuppet

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Joined: 8/30/2013
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I had a shot at this and tried to import one of the islands for Tutorial #3 - just as a sample exercise - did everything with GMap and got the png and pgw files - the png was about 500Mb. Tried to upload it to Command and got an error. I used the make worldfile option.

Is there a max limit on file size for the custom layers?

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/27/2013 11:36:08 PM

smudge56

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From: UK
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I haven't got to the section in the manual yet, does it only do facilities?

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 2:47:55 AM

TheWombat_matrixforum

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I tried following the instructions, but I am pretty baffled. The program they mention in the manual, for me, doesn't have any imagery in it at all, just basic map imagery. I'd love an actual step by step guide, from downloading what software you need through all the steps, to make this happen. So far I've been baffled.

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Post #: 10

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 3:13:37 AM

mikmykWS

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Joined: 3/22/2005
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It has imagery. Just pick the type you of imagery you would like in type field on the right.

I'll do a video on this sometime in the near future.

Quick click through

Open GMAP app
Select Type (half way down on right).
Pick Bing Satellite Map Imagery (seems to have the best imagery)
Hold Alt button and left click and drag out the blue area you want to grab. Please keep it down to an air base, city, port sized image.
Press Get Static Button (on right)
When static Marker Map appears Change the zoom to 17, check off make worldfile and then click generate.
You'll notice it will take a few moments to save and you will have two files (.png and .pngw).
Before importing make sure to edit the pngw extension to pgw.
You can then import in.

Hope this helps

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 9:55:54 AM

smudge56

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From: UK
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I'd appreciate when you get chance a video of how you do this. Very good work so far.

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Post #: 12

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 1:34:25 PM

TheWombat_matrixforum

Posts: 469
Joined: 8/2/2003
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: mikmyk

It has imagery. Just pick the type you of imagery you would like in type field on the right.

I'll do a video on this sometime in the near future.

Quick click through

Open GMAP app
Select Type (half way down on right).
Pick Bing Satellite Map Imagery (seems to have the best imagery)
Hold Alt button and left click and drag out the blue area you want to grab. Please keep it down to an air base, city, port sized image.
Press Get Static Button (on right)
When static Marker Map appears Change the zoom to 17, check off make worldfile and then click generate.
You'll notice it will take a few moments to save and you will have two files (.png and .pngw).
Before importing make sure to edit the pngw extension to pgw.
You can then import in.

Hope this helps

Wow, thanks! This makes more sense. I appreciate it. I'll give it a shot!

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Post #: 13

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 3:27:43 PM

LuckyJim1010

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Can we create new facilities ?

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Post #: 14

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 3:36:01 PM

mikmykWS

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You can build new bases (groups of facilities) and save them using the import feature.

You can modify existing facilities (add a SSM launcher to a truck etc) by using the add mount or add sensor feature in the scenario editor.

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Post #: 15

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 10:37:05 PM

TheWombat_matrixforum

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Never mind. It worked as advertised! I was trying to import the .pgw, not the .png, file, and wasn't waiting long enough. Works fine. Thanks for the help!

I followed those instructions and I got the two .png/pngw files. But the game won't import anything. I changed the pngw to pgw but when I use the overlay feature it won't recognize the file. What am I missing? For testing, I'm using an image of NAS Fallon, trying to import it as a layer for the tutorial scenario.

< Message edited by TheWombat -- 9/28/2013 10:40:01 PM >

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Post #: 16

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 10:46:11 PM

Grim.Reaper

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I also followed all these instructions and still having issues. Pretty sure I did every step correctly, up until the point of getting things into the game. Could you outline the detailed steps from all the things you have to do while inside the game to get your images imported? I choose customer layer and added it there, but even after that I still did not see it come up on my screen. Thoughts?

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Post #: 17

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 10:49:47 PM

mikmykWS

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Did you see it pop into the dialog?

If its a large image it could take a few to do and we definitely suggest keeping the images down to the size of a city at most.

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 10:50:47 PM

Grim.Reaper

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quote:

ORIGINAL: mikmyk

Did you see it pop into the dialog?

If its a large image it could take a few to do and we definitely suggest keeping the images down to the size of a city at most.

Yep, it said it was added, but nothing showed on the screen. I waited for minutes. I tried multiple versions and they were fairly small. What size of a file do you consider big?

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 11:03:29 PM

mikmykWS

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Can you attach the files (think you have to zip them). I'll take a look.

Mike

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Post #: 20

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 11:04:23 PM

Grim.Reaper

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quote:

ORIGINAL: mikmyk

Can you attach the files (think you have to zip them). I'll take a look.

Mike

Thanks Mike...I am trying one more thing and if that doesn't work, I will put them up here for you...thanks.

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 11:18:27 PM

Grim.Reaper

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Figured it out with the help from another forum friend....I just wasn't zooming in enough to see the image. Working well, thanks.

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Post #: 22

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/28/2013 11:36:23 PM

mikmykWS

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Great. One of my favorite features.

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/29/2013 12:09:30 AM

smudge56

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From: UK
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Sounds like you chaps had some difficulty. How hard is it to do?

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Post #: 24

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/29/2013 2:20:22 AM

Yankee66

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I made a quick video on how to add custom overlays to Command.
Only that I am not allowed to post links in the forum yet.

But you will find it on Youtube by searching for:
Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations - How to add custom Overlays

Maybe it's helpful for some of you. Just ignore my german accent and my butchering of the english language.

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Post #: 25

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/29/2013 2:29:15 AM

mikmykWS

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Thanks Yankee. Much appreciated.

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/29/2013 2:31:34 AM

Grim.Reaper

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Yankee66

I made a quick video on how to add custom overlays to Command.
Only that I am not allowed to post links in the forum yet.

But you will find it on Youtube by searching for:
Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations - How to add custom Overlays

Maybe it's helpful for some of you. Just ignore my german accent and my butchering of the english language.

Thought I would help you with the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdLfiLGKJwo

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/29/2013 2:35:44 AM

Yankee66

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quote:

ORIGINAL: mikmyk

Thanks Yankee. Much appreciated.

I am happy to help.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Grim.Reaper
Thought I would help you with the link.

Thanks a lot!

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Post #: 28

RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/29/2013 2:39:54 AM

Grim.Reaper

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Yankee66

quote:

ORIGINAL: mikmyk

Thanks Yankee. Much appreciated.

I am happy to help.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Grim.Reaper
Thought I would help you with the link.

Thanks a lot!

Sure, no problem. It was a nice quick video which should help people. I know it would have helped me if I didn't figure it out beforehand.

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RE: First Whack at Custom Layer Import - 9/29/2013 6:36:34 AM

blahblab

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I've used this a bit this weekend. Couple of things i found... BingSatellite is the best for those "Google Earth" type of images, (this is using the GMAP system). However the ArcGIS_topo_US_2 at zoom 10 look great, they of course are not photographic images but give a good "tactical" feel and also have lots of info about the area and of course have all the topo data . Command is however messing with these images a little and upon load they are a little blurred. They tend to be white so you may want to do an invert using an image package such as Gimp.
Also worth noting that GMAP is using little or no compression. Using Gimp and re-saving with compression set to '9' made a 112MB image into a 83MB image. Not massive but it's a single 'export as png' action.

Finally, just in case some folks didn't realise, you can load several layers at different levels of fidelity. Layers are drawn over each other in the order that you added them, last layer draws on top. However you can real simple burn transparent holes (using something like Gimp) so that you can see the layer underneath. So for instance on the first tutorial mission in Nevada (?) i have the standard layer showing a rough version of the whole of the US, a custom satellite layer showing the layer in good fidelity around the whole scenario area, this has a transparent section at the airbase, and i have have a final very detailed, very small satellite image of the airfield itself where you can see individual planes.

PS.. it would be neat if i could select a 'z' value for each layer when loading them to show the draw order.

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Post #: 30