All profile tools are applied to the surface layers loaded in ArcMap. Surface layers supported by Profile Extractor are ESRI TIN, Raster, PolygonZ TIN created by ET Surface. If the PolygonZ TIN is created by ET GeoWizards or third party, it should be analyzed first using the Analyze TIN function of ET Surface.
When a profile tool is used, the resulting profile(s) are displayed in the Profile Window. If the Profile Window does not exist, profiles are created for all visible surfaces in the Map view. The user can add and remove surfaces from the Profile Window. If the Profile Window exists, when a tool is applied, profiles are created for all surfaces defined in the Profile Window.
Three tools are available to the user to input/identify the cross-section lines to be used for drawing a profile:
- Draw Cross-Section line tool
- the user draws free hand polyline on the view. If the Profile Window
is not open already, the profile for this
polyline is extracted from all visible surfaces in the Map view and
displayed in the Profile Window. If the Profile Window exists,
profiles are extracted from the surfaces defined in the Profile Viewer. - Draw profile for feature
.
The tool allows the user to point to a feature from a feature layer in
the Map and creates profiles for this feature. The tool is only
active, if there is a feature layer selected in the Surface Layer box on
the ET Surface Toolbar.
The selected feature should be of Polyline or Polygon type. With the profile window open, the user can change the
selection, the contents of the profile will be updated to display the
data for the newly selected feature. If the selected feature
layer has Z values, a profile will be created and displayed using the Z
values from the feature in addition to the surface profiles (with
profile name of PolylineZ). If the Profile Window is open and does
not contain PolylineZ profile, when the user selects a feature
with Z values, he can add the PolylineZ profile by selecting Add
Surface from the File Menu and selecting PolylineZ from the selection
list. - Draw profile for graphic
.
The tool allows the user to point to a graphic on the Map and creates
profiles for this graphic.
The selected graphic element should of Polyline or Polygon type. When
the tool is applied, the graphic is selected and the profile is extracted and displayed in the
Profile Window. With the profile window open, the user can change the
selection, move or reshape the graphic using the standard graphic
tools and the contents of the profile will be updated to display the data
for the newly selected or edited graphic.
Notes:
- In order to improve the performance of the tools, switch OFF the visibility of the surface layers for which you do not want to extract profiles.
- If any of the tools above is used when the Profile Window is closed several of the parameters are calculated based on the length of the cross-section polyline and the difference between the Min and Max Z values and the settings of the Profile Windows are adjusted accordingly.
Copyright © Ianko Tchoukanski