Correct location raster DEM lost after rectifying (Georeferencing)

[MaartenVan_Loo]

Hello,

When I rectify my DEM raster image after georeferencing it (I'm translating it to match another DEM) and open it again, the DEM appears somewhere below its correct possition. Yet, the rectified DEM seems to have the correct coordinate system and projection.

I do get a warning message when opening the rectified DEM that the coordinate system doesn't match the one used in the current data frame, although when I check this in properties, I does seem to be the same.

Thus, I can view the translated DEM image after it's transformation, but I would like to save it so that it can be used to derive a topographical profile from it using the 3D analyst profile toolbar.

Attached you can find a screenshot. The DEM in color is the transformed DEM which I can view. In grey scale below that you can see the rectified DEM which does not load on it's correct position (which should be on top of the color DEM).

Thanks in advance,

Maarten

[ATTACH=CONFIG]18467[/ATTACH]

PS: I read the comments from the topic "Georeferenced Tiffs displaying in the wrong location & scale when updating ArcGIS 10" and checked the 'use world file to define coordinates of the raster' option on in the Arcmap options, but that doesn't seem to help.

[JeffreySwain · Accepted solution]

There are several questions that I have based on your description.  First what service pack are you using with 10?  I would recommend upgrading to 4 or 5.  Also you mentioned that you receive a warning, which coordinate system are you rectifying to?  To make it simple, I would put the data frame into the coordinate system that you are looking to make the rectified image in. If you are mix and matching the coordinate systems then I would consider what coordinate system the output it is. 

Per the help documentation, "Rectifying or warping will create a new raster dataset that is georeferenced using the map coordinates and the spatial reference."

So make the data frame the coordinate system that you would like have the new raster in.  So check the properties of your current rectified raster to see if they match the data frame. If you really want to use the other raster, I would also consider projecting the DEM being used.

[MaartenVan_Loo]

There are several questions that I have based on your description.  First what service pack are you using with 10?  I would recommend upgrading to 4 or 5.  Also you mentioned that you receive a warning, which coordinate system are you rectifying to?  To make it simple, I would put the data frame into the coordinate system that you are looking to make the rectified image in. If you are mix and matching the coordinate systems then I would consider what coordinate system the output it is. 

Per the help documentation, "Rectifying or warping will create a new raster dataset that is georeferenced using the map coordinates and the spatial reference."

So make the data frame the coordinate system that you would like have the new raster in.  So check the properties of your current rectified raster to see if they match the data frame. If you really want to use the other raster, I would also consider projecting the DEM being used.

I did not have any service pack installed. Downloading + installing service pack 5 solved the problem, the new DEM now opens in place when opened.

Thanks for the help