Object Parameter

Activity

Appearance

Name

Type the description or name of the effect. This text appears in the Project Tree as the name of the object.

Activation Action

Select the action to perform when selecting the object from the Project Tree.

Line to Ground

Adds a line from the effect's pivot point either to the ground or to a custom length towards the ground.

Note:    A line to ground is displayed while the effect is being edited (i.e., as long as its property sheet is open), regardless of this property value. This property only determines whether a line to ground will continue to display even after the effect’s property sheet is closed.

Line Length

Determines the length of the line to the ground.

This property is available only when the “Line to Ground” parameter is set to “Custom Length”.

Line Color

Sets the color of the effect object's line to ground.

Click the Edit button to open the Color dialog, or type the color code in hexadecimal BBGGRR format (B = Blue channel 00-ff, G = Green channel 00-ff, R = Red channel 00-ff). This property is available only when the “Line to Ground” option is set to “To Ground” or “Custom Length”.

Effect

Effect Setting

Click Set to open the Particle Editor to modify particle parameters, such as base image, color, size, rotation, speed, and lifetime.

Timespan

Start Time

Click Edit and select the date and time when the effect object should first become visible.

End Time

Click Edit and select the date and time when the effect object should stop being visible. 

Position

Altitude Method

Sets the altitude method to be used by the effect object:

§  Select Relative to Terrain to place the effect object's pivot point at a specified altitude above the ground, defined by its “Point Altitude.”

§  Select Absolute to place the effect object's pivot point at a specified altitude above the terrain database vertical datum base ellipsoid. You can use this feature to create effect objects of known absolute altitude values that are not dependent on the terrain elevation values.

§  Select Relative to 3DML to place the effect object's pivot point at a specified altitude above the 3DML layer.

Altitude

Enter the altitude, as defined in the Altitude Method, for the pivot point.

The pivot’s altitude is the average altitude of all the points. This value is used as the initial altitude of the points when you create a new effect object. Changing the pivot altitude to an existing effect adjusts all the points according to the offset from the previous value.

X

Enter the X-coordinate for the effect object's pivot point.

The pivot is located at the center of the effect object. Change this value to move the entire effect object.

Y

Enter the Y-coordinate for the effect object's pivot point.

The pivot is located at the center of the effect object. Change this value to move the entire effect object.

MGRS

The coordinates of the effect object’s pivot point in Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) coordinates. This field is only available if Show MGRS Coordinates was selected in the Options dialog. See “View” in the “Using TerraExplorer Options” chapter for more information.

Yaw

Determines the direction angle of the effect object along the vertical axis relative to north.

Pitch

Determines the tilt angle of the effect object along its lateral axis relative to the horizon.

Roll

Determines the roll angle of the effect object along its longitudinal (front-to-back) axis.

Geometry

Scale

Determines the dimensions, in meters per pixel, of the effect object.

Limit Growth

If this property is set to Yes, the effect object keeps its original size in pixels (Text Size). It does not grow as you fly closer.

Visibility

Min. Viewing Height

Determines the minimum viewing height at which the effect object is visible.

The effect object disappears when flying lower than the “Min Viewing Height”.

Smallest Visible Size

Determines the minimum size in pixels, below which the effect object disappears as you fly away from it.

Default Viewing Distance

Determines the viewing distance of the camera from the effect object.

This distance is used as a stop mark for any “Fly-to” or “View Object” operation. It is also used when selecting to edit the object from the Project Tree.

When this value is set to the default of -1, TerraExplorer calculates and sets the ideal viewing distance for the effect object based on its size.

General

Show in Viewer

Determines if the effect object appears in the 3D Window when the file is viewed with the TerraExplorer Basic viewer.

Message

The message associated with the object. The number displayed is the number of the message.

To create a new message, or update an existing message, open the Create Message dialog by clicking in this field and selecting Edit. See “Using the Create Message DialogUsing the Create Message Dialog Box” in the “Working with Objects” chapter for more information.

Tooltip

Type a tooltip text to appear when the mouse cursor is placed over the effect object in the 3D Window.