Using Globe Manager in STK

Overview

A tutorial guide to using Globe Manager features.

Note: You will need a valid STK Professional Edition license to complete this tutorial. This tutorial is designed for STK users only.

Set up:

1. Create a new scenario and name it GlobeManager.
2. Maximize the 3D Graphics window.

Using Globe Manager in STK

Adding and managing terrain and imagery

1. Open Globe Manager by selecting Globe Manager () in the Globe Manager Toolbar ().
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3. Globe Manager will open, displaying the Hierarchy window and its associated toolbar .
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5. Create a new set by selecting Add Set () and name it St. Helens. Click OK.
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7. With the new set selected in Globe Manager, select Add Terrain/Imagery ().
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9. In the Open Imagery/Terrain Data dialog, ensure Local Files is selected.
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11. Ensure the directory location is set to <install directory>\STKData\VO\Textures. This will display all the available textures in STK.
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13. Select St. Helens.jp2. Click Open to add the image to the set.
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15. Select St. Helens.jp2 in the Globe Manager.
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17. Click Zoom To (). The image of Mount St. Helens will now be displayed in the 3D Graphics window. Click checkbox next to the St Helens item to turn its visibility off. Check the checkbox again to show the image again.
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19. With the St. Helens.jp2 item selected in Globe Manager, click Toggle Extents (). The image of Mount St. Helens will become highlighted in green, showing the extent of the image. Select Toggle Extents to hide the item's extent.
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21. Select the St. Helens set in Globe Manager and click Add Terrain/Imagery.
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23. In the Open Imagery/Terrain Data dialog add St. Helens.pdtt. This is the terrain file for Mount St. Helens. Using your mouse, manipulate the globe in the 3D Graphics window to view the imagery and terrain together.
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25. In the hierarchy window uncheck and recheck the imagery and terrain items, and observe the effect of this in the 3D Graphics window.
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27. Select St. Helens.pdtt in the Globe Manager and select Show Extents. The pdtt of Mount St. Helens will become highlighted in green, showing the extent of the pdtt.
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    Note: More information on the importation, conversion, and utilization of terrain and imagery files in STK can be found here.

Controlling render order and transparency

1. Select Add Terrain/Imagery and browse to <install directory>\Help\STK\imagery; add the files named NPS_OrganPipeCactus_Map.pdttx and OrganPipeCactusNM_TerraColor_25m.jp2 to Globe Manager.
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3. Zoom to the OrganPipeCactusNM_TerraColor_25m.jp2 file in the 3D Graphics window. You should notice that only a small part of the NPS_OrganPipeCactus_Map image is visible under the desert image.
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5. Select the Render Order tab in Globe Manager. The OrganPipeCactusNM_TerraColor_25m.jp2 file appears at the top of the Render Order list. Imagery and Terrain are rendered on the globe in the order they are added to Globe Manager. Since OrganPipeCactusNM_TerraColor_25m.jp2 was the last image added, it is displayed as the top most item on the globe.
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7. To bring the map image in front of the desert image select OrganPipeCactusNM_TerraColor_25m.jp2 and drag it down over the top of NPS_OrganPipeCactus_Map.pdttx until a box appears around the NPS_OrganPipeCactus_Map file name. Let go of the file and you will see that in the 3D Graphics window it is now behind the map image.
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9. Now return to the Hierarchy window by clicking the Hierarchy tab. Right-click NPS_OrganPipe_Map.pdttx and select Properties... from the drop down menu. The Properties dialog box will appear.
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11. In the Visual Attributes section set the Translucency to 35% and click Apply. The map graphic is now translucent and the desert imagery below it shows through. Select OK to accept the change.
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13. Now create a new set and name it Organ Pipe. Select both images and drag them to the newly created set. Notice in the 3D Graphics window that the map image has again fallen below the desert image. This can occur when moving imagery around in Globe Manager. Return to the Render Order window and reorder the files to get the desired effect.

Changing the base globe and exporting and importing globe files

1. Select Earth in the Globe Manager.
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3. To save the current globe, select Export Globe (). Name your globe OrganPipe.glb in the Save As dialog box that appears and select Save. The .glb file can now be shared with other STK users and be imported into other STK scenarios.
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5. Zoom out in the 3D Graphics window to see more of the globe. The base image in Globe Manager is always the bottom-most item displayed on the globe. For Earth the default is the Earth_PE_b.jp2 file.
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7. To change the base image, right-click any Central Body in Globe Manager and select Change Base... from the pop up menu. In the Pick Base Texture dialog box that appears browse to <install directory>\STKData\VO\Textures and select TerraMetrics_Earth_8km.jp2 from the list of available base images. Select Open to apply the change. Observe the change in the globe image in the 3D Graphics window.
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9. Select Earth in the Globe Manager.
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11. Now import the globe you exported earlier by selecting Import Globe (). Because loading a .glb file eliminates any changes to the current globe, a dialog box will appear asking you to confirm the change. Select Yes to dismiss the dialog and then open the OrganPipe.glb file you exported earlier, using the dialog box that appears.

Managing ArcGIS Data in Globe Manager

Note: This section of the tutorial deals with the ArcGIS capabilities of Globe Manager. If you do not have an ArcGIS tab in your Globe Manager window then you do not have the required modules or licenses and cannot complete this section of the tutorial. Find out more about ArcGIS capabilities in Globe Manager and required licenses.

1. Select the 3D Graphics window to make it active and select Home View () in the 3D Graphics Toolbar.
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3. Select the ArcGIS tab in Globe Manager.
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5. Select Open Map Document (). In the Open dialog box that appears, browse to <install directory>\Help\STK\ArcGIS Data and select the border.mxd file to load it into STK.
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7. Once the map document is loaded, you will see it has populated the ArcGIS window with a table of contents. Right-click the Counties item in the table of contents and select Zoom To from the drop-down menu. The 3D Graphics window will zoom to the map.
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9. Check and uncheck items in the table of contents to turn them on and off in the 3D Graphics window. Notice that it may take time for the ArcGIS information to redraw as you check and uncheck items.

Using the Get Info Tool

The Get Info Tool () allows you to select an area on the 3D globe and get information on ArcGIS items within the selected area.

1. Select the Get Info Tool from the default toolbar.
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3. When the Get Info Tool window appears, click Pick ().
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5. Click and drag a selection box over the border map in the 3D Window. The Get Info Tool window will display information about the layers of ArcGIS information.
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7. Click the border station names to view the properties and values associated with each border station.
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9. Close the window when you have finished exploring the Get Info Tool window.
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11. Select the Close Map Document () to remove the ArcGIS map from the scenario.
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