Area Generator

Owned by Erlend Kvinnesland
Last updated: Sept 05, 2019 by Stein Midtvaage
3 min read

The Area Generator (AG) is an automatic project generator that is used to chop out portions of the world from a database of global or regional data. Select an area by latitude and longitude, select data to include, select datum and coordinate system and click one button to automatically produce a Geocap project.

The Area Generator (AG) is a set of scripts combined with a folder structure of datasets. The system fits into the Geocap User Scripts. Whether it is small or full version, depends on the data collection, the set of scripts will be the same.

1. Download the Area Generator Database

Download the Area Generator Database HERE.

Unzip the file and put it somewhere on the disk.

These data are in a folder called master_data. The layout of the subfolders are something like this:

master_data
  |
  +--Coastline
  +--ECS
  +--Geodas
  +--Global_Grids
  +--Global_Point_DB
  +--Industry
  (and more if you have the full version)

Note that you may also add you own global data in Global_Grids or Global_Point_DB.

2. Download the Area Generator System

Download the Area Generator System HERE.

This download of the Area Generator is only valid for Geocap 6.0.6 and newer versions.

Unzip the file and put it somewhere on the disk.

In order to use the Area Generator, do the following:

  •  Go to Area Generator subfolder Area_Generator/Dev/copy_to_userscripts_AreaGenerator

  •  Open file index.tcl in an editor (WordPad, for example)
  •  Edit the path in the file to reflect the correct location on your computer.
set init_src_dir "D:/src/Area_Generator/Dev"
  • Save the file and close the editor
  • Copy the two files in the directory to the User Scripts' Area_Generator folder. If the Area_Generator folder exists, backup and remove existing folder content; if you do not have an Area_Generator folder, create it.

The User Script folder is called userscripts and usually located in a location similar to this:

C:/Users/Harald/geocaprc-7/userscripts    (for Geocap 7.0)

In order to find the userscript folder on your machine, do

Tools > User Scripts > Help
(Note that User Scripts will be a top level menu from 6.2)

After you have created the Area_Generator folder in userscripts, and copied the two files, the situation should be similar to this:

C:/Users/Harald/geocaprc-7/userscripts/Area_Generator
	=> AreaGenerator.png
	=> index.tcl
3. Restart Geocap

After having put Area_Generator in the userscripts you should restart Geocap and find the Area Generator under Tools > User Scripts > Area_Generator. Start the Area Generator.
 (Note that User Scripts is a top level menu from Geocap 6.2 and onwards.)

4. Output folder (Area)

You also need a folder for output. That folder MUST be called Area or area.

Create that folder (Area) somewhere on your disk.

In Area root directory (output) on the AG panel, browse for the Area folder you created above.

5. Locate the master_data folder

You need to locate the master_data folder.

In Master data directory on the AG panel, browse for the master_data folder you downloaded earlier. At this point the Area generator dialog may Close; just re-open it.

6. Save directory setup

Almost ready, just for convenience (on the AG panel) go to Tools > Save directory setup ...

Then it will be remembered, and you do not have to browse over again in every Geocap session.

7. Enter coordinates

Type in a coordinate range, e.g.

  North : 10
  South : -10
  West  : -10
  East  : 10

and set the projection e.g. to Mercator, Central Meridian 0, WGS-84.

8. Create a preview

Go to View > Preview topographic view to create an on-the-fly visulization of the selected area.

9. Select all data

Now - If you want to create a project, click the Global Select/Deselect to toggle on all data. Note that some of the listed data categories may be unavailable (unavailable data will have red text).

10. Project name

In New Area name on the AG panel, type in a name for your project, avoid special characters, but 'space' and - and _ are OK.

11. Generate Area

Press the Generate Area to start producing the files that are used for the build. (Observe the Abort button).

12. Build Project

When the Area is generated (fully or partially) you may click the Build Project button and a Geocap Project is produced from the .../Area/Area Name/

13. View Project

When the build has finished the project will automatically open in Geocap, and you can start using it.