topic Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget in ArcGIS Viewer for Flex Questions

Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

Anonymous User — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 14:37:04 GMT

Hi, I've created a widget to create a simulated terrain model of our LiDAR data. Please, try it and let me know if the user interface - tilt, rotation and freeze is user friendly, thanks!

gis.macombgov.org/flexviewer2

The widget is under "I want to..." Render Terrain.

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

GISDev1 — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:46:59 GMT

Hi, I've created a widget to create a simulated terrain model of our LiDAR data. Please, try it and let me know if the user interface - tilt, rotation and freeze is user friendly, thanks!

gis.macombgov.org/flexviewer2

The widget is under "I want to..." Render Terrain.

Locked up my Flash plugin on initial load.
Can you share the source code for your widget or application?

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

Anonymous User — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:54:55 GMT

Locked up my Flash plugin on initial load.
Can you share the source code for your widget or application?

Did the entire flexviewer lock your flash player or the widget?
What browser? What type of device and OS?
I guess if you can't even look at it - feedback is impossible.
This widget is under development and I'm still making it.

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

RhettZufelt — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 22:00:07 GMT

I too would be interested in the source once you get it working correctly.

for now, on initial load:

TypeError: Error #1034: Type Coercion failed: cannot convert mx.controls::VSlider@192b20a1 to spark.components.supportClasses.SliderBase.
 at spark.components.supportClasses::SkinnableComponent/skin_propertyChangeHandler()
 at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
 at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
 at mx.core::UIComponent/dispatchEvent()
 at widgets.Navigation::NavigationSkin/set slider()
 at widgets.Navigation::NavigationSkin/_NavigationSkin_VSlider1_i()
 at mx.core::DeferredInstanceFromFunction/getInstance()
 at mx.states::AddItems/createInstance()
 at mx.states::AddItems/initialize()
 at mx.states::State/http://www.adobe.com/2006/flex/mx/internal::initialize()
 at mx.core::UIComponent/initializeState()
 at mx.core::UIComponent/commitCurrentState()
 at mx.core::UIComponent/commitProperties()
 at spark.components.supportClasses::GroupBase/commitProperties()
 at spark.components::Group/commitProperties()
 at mx.core::UIComponent/validateProperties()
 at mx.managers::LayoutManager/validateProperties()
 at mx.managers::LayoutManager/doPhasedInstantiation()
 at mx.managers::LayoutManager/doPhasedInstantiationCallback()
 at flash.utils::Timer/_timerDispatch()
 at flash.utils::Timer/tick()

TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
 at widgets.Search::SearchWidget/clear()
 at widgets.Search::SearchWidget/widgetOpenedHandler()
 at widgets.Search::SearchWidget/__wTemplate_open()
 at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
 at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
 at mx.core::UIComponent/dispatchEvent()
 at com.esri.viewer::WidgetTemplate/set widgetState()
 at com.esri.viewer::BaseWidget/initWidgetTemplate()
 at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
 at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
 at mx.core::UIComponent/dispatchEvent()
 at mx.core::UIComponent/set initialized()
 at mx.managers::LayoutManager/doPhasedInstantiation()
 at mx.managers::LayoutManager/doPhasedInstantiationCallback()

Then, if I continue with the debugger window, once I click "Build Rendering", I get:

TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
 at widgets.App3d::App3dWidget/show3D()
 at widgets.App3d::App3dWidget/__showBtn_click()

Then it renders the layer..

R_

IE version 8.

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

Anonymous User — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:53:01 GMT

I too would be interested in the source once you get it working correctly.

for now, on initial load:

I think I fixed those errors. How do I get to see those debug errors? I never see them. I'm compiling actionscript on a test webserver . . . debug mode has issues. Sorry, I'm just a self taught programmer. But, I do understand 3 dimensional math.

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

GISDev1 — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:02:07 GMT

I think I fixed those errors. How do I get to see those debug errors? I never see them. I'm compiling actionscript on a test webserver . . . debug mode has issues. Sorry, I'm just a self taught programmer. But, I do understand 3 dimensional math.

Yes you fixed the initial load issue. I'm checking out your app. now.

Just need to download the debug version of flash player for you browser, either IE or non-IE basically.

http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html

Check out the ones that say Content Debugger.

Keep in mind, there's a lot of sites out there with Flash issues so it does get a little annoying sometimes having the Debug version installed.

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

MayJeff — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:58:42 GMT

I am using IE. When click on "Satellite" button I got following message. Would be nice move all your hotizontal years button to middle so won't cover the satellite button.
TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
at widgets.eMapSwitcher::MapSwitcherWidget/zoomEndHandler()
at widgets.eMapSwitcher::MapSwitcherWidget/widgetOpenedHandler()
at widgets.eMapSwitcher::MapSwitcherWidget/___MapSwitcherWidget_WidgetTemplate1_open()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
at mx.core::UIComponent/dispatchEvent()
at com.esri.viewer::WidgetTemplate/set widgetState()
at com.esri.viewer::BaseWidget/initWidgetTemplate()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
at mx.core::UIComponent/dispatchEvent()
at mx.core::UIComponent/set initialized()
at mx.managers::LayoutManager/doPhasedInstantiation()
at mx.managers::LayoutManager/doPhasedInstantiationCallback()
Thanks.

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

Anonymous User — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 19:55:50 GMT

Thanks for the feedback. I think I've fixed most of the errors. Now, as far as the http://gis.macombgov.org/flexviewer2

Using the "Render Terrain" widget - under "I want to ..."

For feedback - as far as ease of use, turn on the Satellite 2010 photo - zoom into some buildings - hover over ball, freeze, rotate, exaggerate height, unfreeze, hover - any suggestions - does it work without much effort? thanks again

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

ronaldmcfarlane — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:31:24 GMT

Running Firefox 21.0 and latest flash (content debugger). No problems performing all your requested activities. Interesting widget, also like the dropdown list of activities. Please post code when done.

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

RhettZufelt — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 23:54:39 GMT

Looking good.

If you build a rendering, then hide it, then build it again, you will get the TOC null values error.
If you pan/zoom some before re-rendering, the error does not pop up.
After this, in your Layers button, the spinner never stops "Loading Layers".

Other than that, nice job. I not only like the renderer, but the layout in general.

R_

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

Noah-Sager — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:47:18 GMT

Hi Dan,

I checked out the widget, very cool. Here's my feedback:

1) Pretty easy to figure out. It took me a minute to understand how the ball worked, but once I did I enjoyed playing around with it.

2) Rotate and Exaggerate height worked pretty well, but I found myself having to constantly reset the settings after I stopped rendering and moved onto a new area. Perhaps there could be a way to reset those settings to default? Like true north and middle (or low) height perhaps.

3) Sometimes the map "twitches" and moves very, very slowly after double-clicking to freeze, and this can become a bit unsettling.

4) The close button was missing (usually the little "x" in the top right).

Overall, this is a great widget and a very cool use of the Flex Viewer. Thanks for sharing!

Viewed in Chrome.

Re: Feedback please - Render Terrain Widget

Anonymous User — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:33:07 GMT

nsager;304124 wrote:
Hi Dan,

I checked out the widget, very cool. Here's my feedback:

...

QUOTE]

Great feedback Noah, as for #2, if you click the "N"(north) - rotation resets. Every "Build Rendering" will reset the height exaggeration silder to the default exaggeration for that scale. But, I will try a "reset to default" button.

I attempted having listeners for every change in the map - to rebuild the rendering on every extent or TOC change. But, I didn't like having so many listeners running. So, I thought the user should be in control and have "Build Rendering" and "Hide Rendering". But, maybe I will re-evaluate that, too.

as for #3, the dimensional math is pretty intensive and the computations can greatly task the users CPU. Some devices have no problem at all. Actually, three dimensional modeling on a web browser is not very common. I can make it run "smoother" - but the cost would be the quality. Maybe, I should give users a choice of "low resolution" or "high resolution".

as for #4, the missing "x" - this was a release-build compile issue and should be fixed.

Thanks for saying the widget is good. I'm not sure of the usefullness of the widget. But, like you said, I think it can give users another point of view to evaluate a map location(another perspective). And, make our GIS maps a little more entertaining to use.