This tool is designed to modify topographic maps according to project requirements or user preferences. Using this tool, it is possible to design and create dikes, channels, and even cross structures with custom dimensions directly on the topographic map.
Data Input #
To begin, simply select your topographic map and draw a polyline on the map. The drawn line represents the longitudinal path of the modifications. At each point along this line (station), a perpendicular line will be generated, allowing the user to perform lateral modifications and define cross-sections for data input.
On the first page, you can specify the number of input data points in each cross-section by setting the “Precision” parameter (the higher the value, the more detailed the cross-sections will be).
Using the Width field, you can define the initial width of the cross-sections. If the value is set to Auto, the software will automatically select and apply a default width based on the resolution of the topographic map.
In the Preset menu:
- Enabling the None option sets all depth values of the cross-sections to zero.
- Enabling Get values from DEM retrieves the elevation values of the cross-sections from the DEM.
- Enabling Trapezoidal Channel or Trapezoidal Dike generates trapezoidal-shaped cross-sections for all stations, with the maximum height set according to the value in the Height field.
Clicking the Next button will take you to the modification page.
Modification Page #
On this page, you can modify the values of the topographic map both along the main line and across the station lines. You can still edit the line and it’s stations. When you adjust the stations in the polyline or add/remove them, the values will be automatically updated on this page.
On the main line, parameters such as the bed elevation and the width of the cross-section can be adjusted. Additionally, the bed elevation can be set for each cross-section individually.
The left graph displays the modified bed elevation along the main channel in comparison with the existing topographic map values. The right graph shows the modified bed elevation across the selected station versus the original elevation values from the topographic map.
The data entered on this page is automatically saved within the polyline file, allowing you to reuse the input data later. Additionally, you can export the data independently as a separate file with the .dmt extension.
By right-clicking on the table and selecting Reset, you can remove all modifications and revert the data to its original state.
The Remove Selected Stations option deletes all selected stations.
With the Edit Stations option, you can precisely modify existing stations by changing their coordinates or distance.
The Insert Station > At Specific Point option allows you to add a new station at a defined distance from the first station.
The Insert Station > Between 2 Points option enables you to add a desired number of stations between two user-defined points by specifying the distances from the first station and the number of stations to insert.
The Interpolate Missing Values option automatically fills in any empty (missing) values by interpolation.
The Get Missing Elevation Values from DEM option retrieves and fills in any missing bed elevation values using the topographic map (DEM).
By clicking on the Get Elevation Values of Selected Stations from DEM option, the elevation values for the selected stations will be retrieved from the topographic map and updated accordingly. This option also allows you to fetch data separately for both the cross-sections and the registered bed elevation of each station.
Edit Cross Sections #
By clicking on the values in the Cross Sections column, you can view and edit the registered cross-section data for the selected station. Additionally, by right-clicking on the table and selecting Manage Cross Sections, you can review and edit all cross-sections at once.
On this page, by right-clicking and selecting either Depth or Elevation, you can choose whether the height data is displayed as depth from the station bed or as absolute elevation values.
If the minimum or maximum elevation in the cross-section does not match the station elevation, the software will warn the user to maintain consistency with the longitudinal slope. To automatically fix this issue, right-click on the table and select Fix Elevations.
- For channels, the Using Minimum (Channel) option adjusts the entered bed elevations proportionally so that the lowest elevation matches the station’s assigned bed elevation.
- For raised features like dikes, the Using Maximum (High Grounds) option adjusts the bed elevations proportionally so that the highest point matches the station’s elevation.
In both of these pages, the options Interpolate Missing Values and Get Missing Elevation Values from DEM can be used to fill in any empty or missing data.
By clicking the OK button, the changes made to the cross-sections will be saved.
Clicking Next on the modification page will save the current changes and take you to the Final Page and DEM Generation.
Final Page and DEM Generation #
On this page, you can choose to either create a new map based on the modifications or apply the changes directly to the selected topographic map and save the result as a new file.
- Create a New DEM
This option generates a completely new map using only the data entered in the tool. It allows you to set the cell size for the final map. By choosing smaller cell sizes, you can capture more detail. Afterwards, you can merge this high-resolution map with other maps using STE’s Merge Raster capabilities. - Modify Existing DEM
In this mode, your changes are applied to the selected topographic map, and the result is saved as a new file (the original topographic map remains unchanged).
You can also choose how to resample and blend the modified values with the topographic map.
- Min uses the minimum value
- Max uses the maximum value
- Nearest Neighbor uses the nearest available value.
In this case, the modified values are prioritized and overlaid onto the original topographic map values.
The Resampling Precision parameter determines the spatial accuracy used by the software when selecting values for the final map.
Click the Compute button to perform the calculations and generate the modified map.
