GRASS GIS manual: v.out.vtk

Note: A new GRASS GIS stable version has been released: GRASS GIS 7. Go directly to the new manual page here

NAME

v.out.vtk - Converts a GRASS binary vector map to VTK ASCII output.

KEYWORDS

vector, export

SYNOPSIS

v.out.vtk
v.out.vtk help
v.out.vtk [-cn] input=name [output=string] [type=string[,string,...]] [dp=integer] [scale=float] [layer=integer] [--verbose] [--quiet]

Flags:

-c: Correct the coordinates to fit the VTK-OpenGL precision
-n: Export numeric attribute table fields as VTK scalar variables
--verbose: Verbose module output
--quiet: Quiet module output

Parameters:

input=name: Name of input vector map
output=string: Path to resulting VTK file
type=string[,string,...]: Feature type; Options: point,kernel,centroid,line,boundary,area,face; Default: point,kernel,centroid,line,boundary,area,face
dp=integer: Number of significant digits (floating point only)
scale=float: Scale factor for elevation; Default: 1.0
layer=integer: Layer number; Default: 1

DESCRIPTION

v.out.vtk converts a GRASS vector map in binary format to the VTK ASCII output.

If the output parameter is not given, the output will be send to stdout.

NOTES

The following vector types can be exported together in one VTK ascii file:

point

line

centroid

boundary

area

face

Category data (cat) for the selected vector type and layer will be written as scalar data with name "cat_{vectorname}". If no cat exists, the value will set to -1 as normal cat's are always positive. If a vector has more categories in one layer, only the first category will be exported.

All numeric attribute fields of a given layer of the input map can be exported as scalar VTK variables using the "-n" flag.

3d vectors are supported by default. The created VTK data always includes x, y and z coordinates (z = 0 if not a 3d vector map). Note that you can easily convert your 2d vectors into 3d vectors with v.drape.

Because of the 32bit limits of OpenGL which is used by VTK, visualisation errors may occure if the grass region contains coordinates greater than 1.000.000 and vector coordinates with 0.01 - 0.001 meters precisison. For this reason, the flag "-c" was added. The coordinates are transformed to smaller coordinates (by decreasing the coordinates with the region center).

If the "-c" flag is used and the data should be visualised together with other data exported via *.out.vtk modules, be sure the "-c" flag was also set in these modules. But this will only work with data from the SAME location (The reference point for the coordinates transformation is based on the default region).

The GRASS vector data is converted into the polydata format of VTK:

vtk Vertices -- representing points and centroids

vtk lines -- representing lines and boundaries

vtk polygons -- representing areas and faces

The VTK file can be visualized with VTK Toolkit, Paraview and MayaVi.

Attention

If areas or faces are exported, the data have to be triangulated within Paraview or MayaVi.

EXAMPLE

Spearfish example:

Export the soils with cats in layer 1:

v.out.vtk input=soils type=area layer=1 output=/tmp/soils.vtk

Export the streams with cats in layer 1:

v.out.vtk input=streams type=line layer=1 output=/tmp/streams.vtk

Write the archsite vtk output to stdout with cats in layer 1:

v.out.vtk input=archsites type=point layer=1

AUTHOR

Soeren Gebbert

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