Axes, Annotation and Scale bar

Owned by Erlend Kvinnesland
Last updated: Dec 09, 2013
3 min read

Introduction


Example of a scene with axes, annotation and scalebar

Geographical grids, axes annotation, scalebars and text are natural display features when working out displays and presentation graphics. This chapter gives a brief documentation of the standard menus for text and annotation graphics in the system.



In this section:

Geographical coordinates with axes

Use the command Geographical coordinates to display axes and coordinate annotation on a dataset.

Geographical coordinates can be accessed as a command (found in Shared Commands > Visualization) or as a stand alone menu from Tools > Geographical Management. In either case the rules for a correct display is the same.

  • Push Default display (older version only Display) under Default display to see the default values.
  • Type in Longitude/Latitude start, Long/Lat increment and Longitude/Latitude stop values to set a custom geographical grid.
  • Push Display or Execute to display geographical coordinates using the Lat / Lon values.
  • To get a nice placement of the annotation numbers use the tuning in Adjust annotation numbers.

Sometimes it may be useful to create an item command that will save your settings for a specific dataset. This will save you time next time you want to display axes over the same area. Read more about creating item commands.

A simple guide on how to achieve a good display

The geographical axes display will be within the graphical window. To see the graphical window push the Draw Frame icon on the toolbar.

  1. Make sure you have scaled to the dataset you want to display together with the axes.
  2. Check that the correct coordinate system is set under the Coordinates page.
  3. Go to get a Default display section and click Display.

Sometimes the algorithm get a good display, but normally the user must edit the settings in the Detailed display section.

  1. Push Update detailed to get the Lat / Lon values into the number fields.
  2. Adjust them and click Display to see the changes.

Continue this process until you have achieved a satisfactory result.

Scale bar

To display a scale bar open Tools > Scalebar display

  • Push Draw Scalebar to display the scalebar in default position and appearance.
  • To place the scalebar at specific position: 
    1. Set the screen in 2D mode.
    2. Tick the box Use XYZ coordinates
    3. Click in the graphic window where you want to place the scalebar.
    4. Click Update cursor to world coordinates to get the cursor coordinates.
    5. Redisplay scalebar by pushing Draw Scalebar

The default scalebar display will be within the graphical window and the drawing size is related to that window. To see the graphical window push the Draw Frame icon on the toolbar.

Text annotation

The Three dimensional text command lets you create text annotation anywhere in the graphical window. You can create 2D or 3D text, display the text in any angle or stick the text to a surface. All these things can be found out whith a little test and trying. When everything is fine save the command object. Optionally save it as an Item command or copy a present CO so you work with and save a copy of the command object.

A guide on drawing a text at an angle along a line.

  1. Write in the desired text in the text field.
  2. Set the screen in 2D mode and create two cursor positions: 
    1. First cursor position: at end of text
    2. Second cursor position: at start of text
  3. If the screen is in 3D mode use y to attach the cursor point to a surface.
  4. Push Update cursor to coordinates.
  5. Push Update dip and azimuth. Azimuth is for rotation around z axes. Dip is for 3D mode.
  6. Check in the Dip and Azimuth boxes.
  7. Select text attributes.
  8. Push Execute to display the text.


Example figure with geo grid, scale bar end 3D text