Great White Void (Well, sorta anyway)

[Craig H]

I set up a new route. That worked fine. I created my series and named markers. That worked fine thanks to RS_Tools_TMB (thanks again, Mike). I downloaded my SRTM data and started to form the terrain along the route. Everything worked great until I hit the edge of one of the SRTM files - going from latitude 44.xxx to 43.xxx. At that point, I hit the "T" key and found myself staring at the desktop. :eek: Tried moving into the 43.xxx latitude file and the terrain formed without any problems. When I worked back to the "crossover", boom - back to the desktop. :(

Moved to the point where the terrain crosses from latitude 43.xxx to 42.xxx and the same thing happened. :mad: Redownloading the SRTM files didn't help. (I'm using the SRTM1 data).

I haven't had to cross a longitude line yet so don't know what would happen there.

I'm off to try the SRTM3 data and see if that will fill in the void without bombing RS.

[tomkat41]

Hi Craig,

I did mine with the SRTM3 and it works fine, never went to the edge of
the coordinates and don't know if it will cause errors. I did my markers first
then the terrain data so I know where I'm going with the terrain data.

[Craig H]

I like the detail you get with the SRTM1 data. Almost don't need markers in some places because the track bed is visible.

[Craig H]

I downloaded the SRTM3 data and tried it at that location. Hello desktop!

Thought that mixing SRTM1 with existing SRTM3 data might complicate things so, I started a new route with the same template, Tried terraforming at that location - Hello desktop.

Hate the thought of trying to form the terrain by hand when it takes sooo long to raise the terrain elevation (need to be over 3000 feet up). Suppose I could lay track across the void and snap the terrain to the track, forming details later. (Didn't I see an MSTS tutorial from 1800BD (before Demex) on how to use track to form terrain :rolleyes: )

Edit: I also tried terraforming at a longitude border - no problem there.

[tomkat41]

Hi Craig,

I never used the SRTM1 data, My route is going to travel up the mountains.
Will the STRM give a lot of detail for roadbed in the mountains?

The only thing I can think of, it might be a memory problem or Video Card problem
or download the latest drvers for you video card.

In MSTS you cau use 500m track and elevate the track and hit the "Y" key then use
the "F" to smooth it out. I used the four lane HighWay to do mine at first then
I used the terrain data. You probably can do the same thing here, you can take a
track and elevate it (you can elevate higher with these tracks) click on the snap
button then click on the smooth button to smooth the jagged edges.

[Craig H]

SRTM1 data contains a lot more detail. The files are 24.7 meg in size asa opposed to 2.5meg for the SRTM1 files. Can't say for certain that track bed will show everywhere but, It's entirely possible.

As for the inability to read the data, this is happening at a point where RS needs to read data from two different .hgt files and that's what it's choking on. Can't say yet if it's a bug without trying it with different sets of .hgt files. Doesn't seem to effect things when working east and west, though.

[Craig H]

Moved across the boundary, continued south with the terrain building, got to the next boundary (43.xxx and 42.xxx) and got dropped onto the desktop again.

Created another route much farther west and had the same thing happen at the north/south file boundaries. :(

East/West doesn't seem to be a problem.

[landnrailroader]

Colleagues,

I suspect we have just uncovered a major bug to be fixed whenever KUJU brings out a
mk2 upgrade or service pack.

I am working on a route starting at Clifton Forge, VA, going west toward Hinton, WV and this generall falls in the N37, W79-83 group of .hgt files. Whenever I go into the N36 or N38 areas, boom, back to the desktop. I installed the latest drivers for my Nvidia based card and this did not affect the situation, so I believe this is a bug for KUJU to repair.

Come on KUJUAdam, get out the bug repellant, we have found a major one.

J. H. Sullivan
aka landnrailroader

[Hack]

I mentioned problems when crossing and editing UTM zones several months back. I forgot about it until now, and thought the MK1 patch would have addressed this issue. I guess not. :(

[tomkat41]

Hi Jerry,

I took Craigs advice and downloaded some SRTM1 data, it is very good detail but,
I had the same thing happen, it would go back to the desktop with an error. My error
was at N39 W-77. My question is, are you using SRTM1 data or SRTM3 data? I went
back to SRTM3 because it doesn't lockup. It's a shame because this is the first time
I used SRTM1 data and it has better detail, now I'll have to go back to SRTM3 data.

[Paddington bear]

Hi,
Could somebody please tell me what UTM is, then what it has to do with anything . I ask because I have done the SRTM thing successfully for routes in Western Australia, Northern England, Austria and New Zealand and have had no problems past the basic getting it sorted in the first place , amazing how having SRMT instead of SRTM as the directory name makes for a lot of head scratching. Even figured out why 0,0 has no terrain LOL, is in the ocean off the West Coast of Africa but I digress. I have read no reference to UTM in relation to using SRTM in RS.

Ross
It's just a logic puzzle.

[tomkat41]

Ross,

UTM stands for "Universal Transverse Mercator" It's boundry lines
this was a problem in MSTS which caused White Voids in routes MSTSBin
fixed this. There's either a problem in the SRTM1 Data files or KRS has a
hard time reading the SRTM1 data files. The SRTM3 data files seem to be
alright, I haven't had any problems with it.

[Paddington bear]

hi,
Thanks.
Guess I have missed that issue :-) . I just used the *****.hgt files from the site RS mentioned in the manual, no idea which variety of srtm file they are and I have moved over lon/lat boundaries many times. Yip ran out of data a few times, figured that it was time to go download the next .hgt file and sure enough all was well for another few dozen miles.

Ross.

[landnrailroader]

I was using SRTM1 data when I noticed the lockup, or actually a crash to desktop without even a send/don't send error. I haven't looked at SRTM3 data yet, but if that is what has to be used, I'll scrap this simulator and stay with MSTS until I see what MSTS-X has to offer.
Not being able to use hi-res data is a show stopper as far as I am concerned - why, well, I have not figured out yet how to lay track starting at a specific elevation above sea level. On my Milwaukee Road profiles, these values are given every few hundred feet. CSX profiles do not show it, but it can be deduced from countour intervals, and I do get the gradients from CSX profiles.
The problem is at least partially solved with SRTM1 data because at least an irregularity shows where the track bed is located, so one can start at such a place and work forward and back from that spot, using the gradient data.

Jerry Sullivan
aka landnrailroader

[RSDLadam]

The format .hgt is what counts in Rail Simulator. We are not aware of issues between SRTM1 and SRTM3 series. We have used both ourselves for the European and US routes.

Thanks for the feedback on the terrain boundaries. We will look into this.

There was a thread I started back last year asking for feedback on other terrain data formats people would like. Its hardly fair to moan we dont support your prefered data set if you didnt respond to our question for such formats.

[Hack]

We certainly can't expect you to read minds, Adam. It's good to know you folks are keeping tabs on things, however. :D

[landnrailroader]

The data that I was using was the .hgt files which can be had at the ftp location
indicated in KUJU documentation. These files can also be generated through the use of
MicroDem and I found that the results from MicroDem are identical to those directly
downloaded. The advantage of the MicroDem method is that you can be more selective
about what you get.

J. H. Sullivan
(landnrailroader)

[MikeSimpson]

I was using SRTM1 data when I noticed the lockup, or actually a crash to desktop without even a send/don't send error. I haven't looked at SRTM3 data yet, but if that is what has to be used, I'll scrap this simulator and stay with MSTS until I see what MSTS-X has to offer.
Not being able to use hi-res data is a show stopper as far as I am concerned - why, well, I have not figured out yet how to lay track starting at a specific elevation above sea level. On my Milwaukee Road profiles, these values are given every few hundred feet. CSX profiles do not show it, but it can be deduced from countour intervals, and I do get the gradients from CSX profiles.
The problem is at least partially solved with SRTM1 data because at least an irregularity shows where the track bed is located, so one can start at such a place and work forward and back from that spot, using the gradient data.

Jerry Sullivan
aka landnrailroader

Hi Jerry,

Of course, building a route in the U.S. you have the great advantage of having SRTM1 in the first place. The other 99.5pct of countries in the world have to put up with SRTM3. So if you have to use SRTM3, they you are just like the rest of us poor mortals :-)

Mike