1. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Moscow, Idaho
May 18-21, 2008
Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Kent D. Brown, and J. Buck Ehler
Utah Geological Survey
Warning: Sensible discretion is advised. Any resemblance to a Global Mapper shill is purely coincidental!

2. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Global Mapper includes powerful data manipulation and translation tools at significant performance increases over other “traditional” methods, and at a very low cost!

3. Global Mapper: Mosaic Elevation and Raster Data
Mosaic any number of digital orthos, topo maps, shaded relief maps, elevation models, etc., very quickly.
Let’s review some of the tools!
Global Mapper

4. Mosaic Elevation Data: “Traditional Method”

5. Mosaic Elevation Data: “Traditional Method”
Standard ArcMap display of multiple elevation data sets, using same color ramp.
ArcMap renders each layer based on its elevation range causing conspicuous seams between layers

6. Global Mapper: Mosaic Elevation and Raster Data
Now you can export the seamless data as one of these formats:
* Arc ASCII Grid
* BIL
* BT (Binary Terrain)
* DTED
* DXF
* Erdas Imagine
* Float/Grid file
* Geosoft Grid
* GeoTIFF DEM
* Gravsoft Grid
* Idrisi
* Leveller Heightfield
* Lidar LAS
* MapMaker Terrain file
* Optimi Terrain file
* PGM Grayscale Grid file
* PLS CADD XYZ Grid file
* RockWorks Grid
* STL
* Surfer Grid
* Terragen Terrain file
* USGS DEM
* VRML
* Vulcan3D Triangulation
* XYZ ASCII Grid
* Zmap Plus Grid
Here we are viewing the same elevation grids in Global Mapper using a similar color ramp.
Global Mapper automatically merges all loaded elevation datasets together regardless of type, projection, or resolution.

7. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Mosaic any number of digital orthos, topo maps, shaded relief maps, elevation models, etc., very quickly.
Create better quality shaded relief maps from any elevation data.
Global Mapper

8. Creating Shaded Relief Maps: “Traditional Method”
Only limited settings available, and only one hillshade can be created at a time. Rendering of hillshade is not shown until calculations are complete. Changes to settings require creation of new hillshade.
Output formats limited to:
ERDAS Imagine, GRID, and GeoTIFF

9. Global Mapper: Improved Shaded-Relief Maps
Global Mapper settings:
sun angle
azimuth
ambient lighting
vertical exaggeration
hill shading shadow darkness
water display at a specific elevation
water transparency
color intensity
transparency

10. Global Mapper: Improved Shaded-Relief Maps
On-the-fly shaded-relief rendering of any number of elevation data sets.
No need to calculate multiple shaded relief images to get a feel for the best settings of an area.
A wide variety of shaded relief settings allow the user more control over the look of their shaded relief, including rendering water levels.
Raster export formats:
* BIL/BIP/BSQ
* ECW
* Erdas Imagine
* GeoTIFF
* KML/KMZ raster tiles
* Google Maps tiles
* Idrisi
* JPG
* JPG2000
* PNG

11. Global Mapper: Improved Shaded-Relief Maps
Comparison:
The result from Global Mapper is more appropriate for display under geologic data, and will compliment the topographic base map. Also, the ability to model water elevations can be useful for “what-if” scenarios and inundation maps.
The example from ArcMap will obscure the GIS data themes in the shadow areas.
Global Mapper
ArcMap
Sun angle and azimuth are the same in both examples

12. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Mosaic any number of digital orthos, topo maps, shaded relief maps, elevation models, etc., very quickly.
Create better quality shaded relief maps from any elevation data.
Easy mass-clipping of rectified images to quad boundaries (crop collars from topos instantly!).
Global Mapper

13. Global Mapper: Mass-Clipping Raster Data
Easily remove DRG collars, in a snap!

14. Global Mapper: Mass-Clipping Raster Data
These four quads were clipped in less than 3 seconds; no need need to select clip features!

15. Zoom in to inspect results.
Global Mapper: Mass-Clipping Raster Data
Zoom in to inspect results.
Now you can export the image as one of these raster formats:
* BIL/BIP/BSQ
* ECW
* Erdas Imagine
* GeoTIFF
* KML/KMZ raster tiles
* Google Maps tiles
* Idrisi
* JPG
* JPG2000
* PNG

16. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Mosaic any number of digital orthos, topo maps, shaded relief maps, elevation models, etc., very quickly.
Create better quality shaded relief maps from any elevation data.
Easy mass-clipping of rectified images to quad boundaries (crop collars from topos instantly!).
Raster blending of multiple raster images using the “multiple” tool.
Global Mapper

17. Global Mapper: Raster Blending
Start with the DRGs.
Now add the shaded-relief.
Setup the blending options for the raster layers. Choose “multiple”.

18. Global Mapper: Raster Blending
Now we have a nice shaded-relief base for use under polygons!
Or...
We can blend the DRGs with the orthos.
Or...
We can blend the DRGs, orthos, and the shaded relief.
Or..?

19. Global Mapper: Raster Blending
Now we can save these blended images as a single file in any of these formats:
* BIL/BIP/BSQ
* ECW
* Erdas Imagine
* GeoTIFF
* KML/KMZ raster tiles
* Google Maps tiles
* Idrisi
* JPG
* JPG2000
* PNG

20. Global Mapper: Raster Blending - Comparison
ArcMap
Global Mapper
Here we compare the results exported from both ArcMap and Global Mapper.
Notice the difference in quality with the contours and text.

21. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Mosaic any number of digital orthos, topo maps, shaded relief maps, elevation models, etc., very quickly.
Create better quality shaded relief maps from any elevation data.
Easy mass-clipping of rectified images to quad boundaries (crop collars from topos instantly!).
Raster blending of multiple raster images using the “multiple” tool.
Batch re-projection and format conversion.
Global Mapper

22. Global Mapper: Data Re-projection and Conversion
Here we batch process DRGs, changing image format and projection.
This can be done with any raster, vector, or elevation data, to any projection or supported data format.

23. Global Mapper: Data Re-projection and Conversion
Result:
JPEG2000 files in Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection.
This batch processing works for all raster, vector, and elevation data.

24. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Mosaic any number of digital orthos, topo maps, shaded relief maps, elevation models, etc., very quickly.
Create better quality shaded relief maps from any elevation data.
Easy mass-clipping of rectified images to quad boundaries (crop collars from topos instantly!).
Raster blending of multiple raster images using the “multiple” tool.
Batch re-projection and format conversion.
Export raster and vector data to KML/KMZ files.
Global Mapper

25. Global Mapper: Export to Google Earth KML/KMZ
We started with a raster of the polygon fills. Over this we add symbolized geology lines exploded from CAD vectors.

26. Global Mapper: Export to Google Earth KML/KMZ
Now we export the raster as a JPG, TIFF, or PNG tiled KMZ format image.

27. Global Mapper: Export to Google Earth KML/KMZ
Next is the geology vectors, exported as KML format.

28. Global Mapper: Export to Google Earth KML/KMZ
View the results in Google Earth.

29. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Mosaic any number of digital orthos, topo maps, shaded relief maps, elevation models, etc., very quickly.
Create better quality shaded relief maps from any elevation data.
Easy mass-clipping of rectified images to quad boundaries (crop collars from topos instantly!).
Raster blending of multiple raster images using the “multiple” tool.
Batch re-projection and format conversion.
Export raster and vector data to KML/KMZ files.
3-D surface profile generation.
Global Mapper

30. Global Mapper: 3-D surface profile generation
Profile of imported cross-section line
Create 3D profiles of cross-section lines, roads, trails, etc., from loaded elevation data.
Import your own lines or create them with the digitizer tool.
Run the profile tool to create an image of the profile that can be saved out as a raster.
Or…
Profile of irregular, digitized line

31. Global Mapper: 3-D surface profile generation
Save the profile line as an ASCII text file with XY (distance/elevation) values that can be used as the basis for creating a cross-section.
Now you can import the XY ASCII text file to create this vector profile.
A grid display can be configured with the profile. The result can then be used for drawing the geologic cross-section.

32. Global Mapper: The Swiss Army Knife For GIS!
Mosaic any number of digital orthos, topo maps, shaded relief maps, elevation models, etc., very quickly.
Create better quality shaded relief maps from any elevation data.
Easy mass-clipping of rectified images to quad boundaries (crop collars from topos instantly!).
Raster blending of multiple raster images using the “multiple” tool.
Batch re-projection and format conversion.
Export raster and vector data to KML/KMZ files.
3-D surface profile generation.
Global Mapper

33. Other Features
Opens ESRI shape files, .E00 files, and coverages, without conversion!!
Maintains data table attributes from imported features.
Open files directly from tar.gz or .zip archives, even straight from the Web without downloading (awesome for SDTS data!).
Supports on-the-fly re-projection.
Geospatial rectification of raster and vector data.
Access data directly from any Web Map Service (WMS), e.g., DigitalGlobe, Microsoft TerraServer-USA.
Generate contours from elevation data.
Create elevation data (grids) from contours or 3-D points.
View your data layers in 3-D using the included 3-D viewer.
…and so much more!

34. What Global Mapper does NOT do!
Is not a GIS, per se.
Does not read or write geodatabase feature classes, yet!
Weak on searching and editing feature data tables.
Limited point, line, and area symbolization.
Does not provide a print layout tool.
Very simplified vector creation and editing tools.
Postscript_ : These facts were current as of Global Mapper version 9. The current version 11 now supports many of these former weak points and ESRI personal geodatabases are now supported; let’s hope file geodatabase support follows soon!

35. Thank you!
Contact info:
Kent Brown
Utah Geological Survey
Buck Ehler
Utah Geological Survey
Global Mapper LLC -
Under $300!!