The Terrain module allows you to digitize profiles directly from contour maps. To do this the points where the profile intersects contour lines are digitized. Profiles don't have to be a straight lines in plan.
The following example assumes that you have already configured your digitizer (see Setting Up a Digitizer ) and you have determined the key mappings for SAME, UP, DOWN and END keys (see Digitizer Key Definitions). To follow along you will need a contour map with a profile line identified on it.
1.Select the normal.ilt layout using menu option File - Retrieve Screen Layout.
2.From menu Digitizing - Digitizing Options make sure that Coordinate Digitizing is not checked.
3.Activate the Status Window by clicking on it. Select View - Active Window (Status) Options - Display List, add and remove all items until the list consists of only Station and Elevation. Move and resize the profile and plan windows so that they are both visible.
4.From menu Digitizing - Sound check Full (full sound is useful for digitizing profiles because the tone will tell you if you are going up or down).
5.Attach the contour map on the digitizing surface.
6.Check to make sure the digitizer is in "point mode" by selecting Digitizing - Digitizing Options - Digitize in Point Mode.
7.Select menu item Edit - New Feature. The Feature Properties Dialog will appear. Name the feature and turn on the Connected and Elevations check boxes.
8.Press the Digitize button and enter the profile starting elevation and contour interval in the Elevations Dialog.
NOTE: We assume that the profile starts on a contour interval. If this is not the case, start digitizing at the nearest contour line and manually (using the mouse on the screen) adjust the profile later. The ENTER function key can also be used to enter an explicit elevation point (see Digitizer Key Definitions for more information).
9.The Mapsheet Setup Dialog will appear next. Mapsheet setup is required at the beginning of a digitizing session or whenever you change the mapsheet. Enter the scale of your drawing.
10.Trace the profile on the map sheet by digitizing the intersection points with contours. At each contour intersection, press the appropriate key (UP, DOWN, SAME) on the digitizer keypad depending on whether the contour is up, down or at the same interval as the previous. If you make a mistake the UNDO key will remove the last entered point.
11.Attributes, such as stream crossings, can be recorded at any point along the profile. A standard table of attributes is provided with TERRAIN Module (see ATTRIB.PRM).
12.When you have completed the profile press the END key. A prompt will appear to begin a new profile. Repeat steps 10,11 and 12 for each profile. Pressing END twice will return you to the TERRAIN main screen.