Create and Export Contours

In this section:

Introduction

This command is executed from a grid (Structured Points) and will create contours as specified in the menu. The command can create a dataset in the project and/or export to different format types and to user specified disk locations.

The Create and Export Contours menu

The content of the menu

The upper part of the menu contains the project name and the name of the active dataset of type Structured Points.

The Contour settings part

Contouring methods:
- Increment
- Values
- AML contours (Additional Military Layers)

Specify values according to the chosen method.

For Increment the options are:

- Bold line every: Will be valid for the Dxf ASCII format only. Set the attribute Bathy_Major on (for instance) every 5th contour line and Bathy_Minor on the ordinary contours.
- Use min level: Define the shallowest contour level to create.
- Use max level: Define the deepest contour level to create.

For Values the options are:

- Contour value (m): Enter a value to enter in the list belov. Note that the decimal sign is dependent on the language settings for your computer (dot or comma).

- The Append value button: Click this button to add the contour value to the list. The list will automatically be sorted.

- The Remove Selected button: Select one or more contour values in the list and the remove by clicking this button.

- The Remove All button: Clicking this button will remove all the values in the list.

For AML contours the options are:

- Data compilation scale: Typical production scale for the AML. The contour lines are defined with different vertical increment for three dfined bands. The default values are for compilation scale 1:50,000.

Compilation scale	Contour range 1 (m)	Vertical Interval 1	Contour range 2 (m)	Vertical Interval 2	Contour range 3 (m)	Vertical Interval 3
1:50,000	0 - 100	5 m	101 - 400	10 m	401+	20 m
1:10,000	0 - 10	1 m	11 -100	5 m	101+	10 m
1:250,000	0 - 200	10 m	201 - 400	20 m	401+	50 m
1:1,000,000	0 - 500	50 m	501 - 3000	100 m	3001+	500 m

See this document for more information:

https://www.ukho.gov.uk/Defence/AML/Documents/Item%2025%20%20AML_Production_Spec_1.pdf

Other options:

- Invert Z: Will multiply the Z values with -1.
- Lat/Lon: Will convert coordinates from projected coordinates to geographic coordinates. Will not be valid for all export formats.

The Save to part:

The command can both create a dataset in the project tree and/or export the contours to a file on a disk on the computer.

File only: Will save to a disk disk file only, as specified in the Output file part.

File and project: Will save to both disk file (as above) and a projet item (as below).

Project only: Will save to a data item in the project only. The item will be saved in the same folder as the grid is located.

The Export Format part:

Select which format to export to.

The Contour export has the formats: VTK, Esri Shapefile Contours, ASCII Column, VTK ASCII, Dxf ASCII, KML

The Output File part:

Select where to do the export. The selected location is common for all export.

Filename: Shows the name which will be generated for the files.
If file already exists: The default method is to overwrite any existing files, but it is also possible to make a copy.