Adding External Data

3D models in CSM 3D Vis™  are centered around the point (0,0,0). This is standard for 3D modelling software, but not for geological software. However, it can still represent your data accurately.

The following are recommended for best results:

• Ensure your data is in coordinates with a 1:1:1 ratio for X:Y:Z (ie Northing and Easting, not Longitude and Latitude)
• Center your data around (0,0,0), instead of using true northing, easting and elevation data.
• When importing models from other geological software, make sure to adjust their coordinates so they appear correctly (relative to 0,0,0).

Adding Images #

Individual reference images can also be added to objects. These images do not show up on the model, but can be viewed, added or removed using the ‘Add Image’ button.

Terrain (Digital Elevation Model) #

You can import terrain into the model in the form of a Digital Elevation Model.

Supported formats #

Digital Elevation Model/heightmap #

Note that all Digital Elevation Models must be in a geographic coordinate system.

*.Tiff : DEM 64Bit, 32Bit, 16Bit ((Tiled + Not Tiled),(Compressed + Not Compressed)); Multi-Bands
8Bit, 32Bit ((Tiled + Not Tiled),(Compressed + Not Compressed));
GrayScale Raster as DEM Model:
*.Asc : Arc ASCII Grid format
*.Hgt : Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Data
*.Flt : Floating Point Raster File
*.Bil : Band Interleaved by Line (BIL) Image File
*.Bin : Binary Floating point
*.Las : Lidar Point Cloud Format
*.Ter : Terragen File
*.Raw : Unity Heightmap data
*.Png Grayscale : Grayscale Pixel File

Raster/color Data #

*.GeoTiff,
*.jpg
*.Png

Sources #

If you don’t have a DEM for your site, there are a couple of methods to obtain one for free.

Publicly Available DEMs #

There are several online sites which have publicly available DEMs. These are often low-resolution but sufficient for a visualization purpose such as CSM3DVis.  Some countries, provinces or municipalities may have public DEMs, so check and see what is available.

Below are links to some free worldwide sources of DEMs.

EarthData (NASA)

Earthdata Search | Earthdata Search (nasa.gov)

To filter to the DEM Model, use filter collections, and select:

• Instruments>ASTER
• Data Format>Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG)

To select the area of your site, select the rectangle/polygon tool and draw a box to search for tiles

Note that the accuracy of this model is 2 metres at best

Earth Explorer (USGS)

EarthExplorer (usgs.gov)

To filter for the DEM Model, under Data Sets, select:

Digital Elevation>SRTM>SRTM 1-ArcSecond Global

To select the area of your site, under Search Criteria, you can either manually place coordinates or select Use Map to use the current map extent to search

Note that the accuracy of this model is 2 metres at best

Preparing a DEM for CSM 3D Vis™  #

Once you’ve found your DEM, the next step is to ensure it’s in a format that the CSM 3D Vis™  software can read. CSM 3D Vis™   requires DEMS to be:

• Geographic Coordinate System
• Formatted as a DEM rather than an image
• No more than 512×512 pixels (recommended)

Tutorial – Exporting a DEM from QGIS to CSM 3D Vis™  #

The following are step-by-step instructions to export a DEM in the correct format from QGIS, the open-source GIS software. If you are using ArcGIS, the same principles would apply but things may not appear exactly the same.

Open the DEM in QGIS. The easiest way to find the DEM is by saving your QGIS file in the same folder as your DEM. From here you should find it under ‘Project Home’

Right-click on the DEM and select ‘Export’, then ‘Save As…’

You should see the following window:

• Select ‘ Raw data’ as the output mode
• Enter a desired File name
• Select the Coordinate System as WGS-84, or any other geographic coordinate system. Note that projected coordinate systems such as NAD-83 do not currently work.
• Under ‘Resolution’, select ‘Columns’/’Rows’. Reducing the number to 512×512 or less is recommended, as too detailed DEMs can take a long time to load or even crash the software.
• Select OK

Tutorial- Exporting from Global Mapper #

Exporting DEM #

• Select your DEM layer in Control Center.
• Go to File > Export > Export Elevation Grid Format menu.
• In the Select Export Format dialog that opens, select GeoTiff in the dropdown and press Ok.
• In the GeoTiff Export options dialog, go to the Export bounds tab.
• Click Use Layer Bounds… button and select your desired lay
• Press Ok to export.
• Choose where to export the file and name it something relevant.

Exporting Colour Data #

• Disable your DEM in Control center by by unchecking its visibility box.
• Go to File > Export > Export Raster/Image Format menu.
• In the Select Export Format dialog, choose GeoTiff and press Ok.
• In the GeoTiff Export Options dialog, go to the Export Bounds tab.
• Click Use Layer Bounds button and choose the desired layer.
• Go to the Tiling tab.
• Click on the Specify Rows and Columns radio button.
• Choose the number of rows and columns.
• Press Ok.
• Then you need to choose where to store the file. If your dem is named terrain.tiff then you should
• make a folder called terrain_Textures beside it and save these raster/color images there with the
• name Tile. Global Mapper will automatically name the files Tile__0__0 and Tile__0__1 and so on.

Importing a DEM #

Under Asset Library, select Import Terrain. The following dialogue box will appear.

Browse to select your DEM, and specify the X,Y plane scale and Elevation scale. Entering 1 for these values will provide a DEM at its original scale.

Adding an Image or Texture #

CSM 3D Vis™  allows for one or more images/textures to be added to a DEM using a tile system, as shown below.

Images should be saved in a subfolder in the same location as the DEM. Name the folder “DEM Name”Textures, where “DEM Name” is the name of the DEM.

If there is only one image, it should be named Tile__0__0.

Additional images should be named corresponding to their respective tile locations, such as Tile__0__1, Tile__1__0, Tile__1__1.

Note that there are two underscores before each number, not one.

Importing 3D Models #

You are not limited to the built-in 3d objects in the software. You can import any GLTF or GLB 3d models
to CSM 3D VIS and use them in your models.

How to import and use a model in CSM 3D VIS #

Click the Import GLTF Lib button under Asset Library to import 3d models to your project. You should prepare your GLTF
and/or GLB files in folders which indicate their categories. The folder containing the category folders
should be given to the CSM 3D VIS to import.

Let’s say you have a folder called Models on your machine which contains two other folders called Trees
and Houses.

Houses and Trees can contain gltf and GLB files and their related files and folders. The files in Houses and
Trees should not be nested in another folder again. Nested ones will not be recognized.

If you give the Models folder to CSM to import, You’ll have two categories added to your list of 3d assets
called Trees and Houses with all their respective GLTF and GLB models available to use in the project.

How to Export GLTF Files #

Most 3D models can be exported to gltf from 3D modelling software available online. Some require additional plugins, while others have built-in functionality. There are also online converters, but the quality of the model may be affected using these. Below are a couple of options for software that can export gltf files.

Blender: Open-source (free) 3D Modelling software: How to Export glTF Files From Blender

3ds Max: Autodesk software designed to work with .fbx files, AutoCAD and Civil3d: 3ds Max 2023 Help | Exporting to glTF

Rhino: Versatile 3D Modelling software: GL Transmission Format (.glb, .gltf) Import/Export

Accurate Scaling of Existing Objects #

The following table contains the initial size in X, Y and Z dimensions of the objects in the Asset Library. Use these to scale objects to more accurate sizes.