[bob_p]

I'm building a real course from LIDAR and OSM that is too long in one direction to fit into the blank .course file generated by the Designer.  By using the TGC Designer tool's ability to rotate and shift the LIDAR/OSM data, I can get it to just barely fit, with a couple of holes skirting the edge of the editable .course file area in the Designer.

Since this is a LIDAR/OSM course, moving holes to get everything to fit better isn't an option.

Is there a way to extend the X or Y dimension of a .course file?

[mthunt]

If you map it all out properly in OSM and run the LiDAR tool it’ll make the plot as big as it needs to be automatically.  It’s the only way.

[bob_p]

Tried that - what happens is part of several holes are cutoff on the top and bottom of the editable area.

Using auto-rotate and position doesn't correct the problem - there are still several holes cutoff on the top and bottom.

I was able to manually rotate and shift the course using the tool and get the holes squeezed barely into the editable .course area - leaving out some trees that are populated outside of the editable area.

[Han]

I have to agree with mthunt......if everything is good with the lidar data, THE EPSG code  and your OSM tracing then as far as I know the tool should make the plot as big as it needs to be for the course to fit.

More often than not if some of a hole is missing when exported into the designer then it is an issue with part of a hole you have traced on OSM being outside the actual area that your lidar data covers. You will normally be able to tell that though whilst still in the tool as the same thing should show up on the course preview image before you export.

[bob_p]

I've completed 16 of the 18 holes in OSM - the remaining 2 holes are in the interior and shouldn't impact any calculations of the overall size of the course.

The mask for the LIDAR data encompasses all of the holes - and when I use the option to generate trees from the LIDAR, there are trees generated around the outside of each hole, confirming the LIDAR data completely contains the course.

I've attached the mask file I'm using.  The bottommost hole does get close to the edge, so the mask doesn't extend all of the way around that hole.  But the entire hole is present in the LIDAR - the extra area is just trees and outside of the OSM hole layout.

I could add the LIDAR data from the adjacent areas so the mask completely surrounded the holes.  Would that fix this issue?

[mthunt]

Likely missing lidar or OSM isn’t done right. Ive done it before and come across what is happening to you. I was missing lidar

[bob_p]

Tried using all of the LIDAR surrounding the course - and didn't change the mask so all of that data was used by the Designer tool.

Set "Auto Position and Rotate" on the OSM import screen.  And also completed the last two holes on the course, so there's a full 18 holes.

The generated course data still doesn't provide enough space for all of the course, cutting off portions of several holes that don't completely fit on the map.

When the tool says Adjusting course to fit on the map - it tries doing a rotate by .135 and then tries rotating in the opposite direction.  It also shifts the course by -.5 x -1.5

I've attached the course preview showing the holes being cut off on the top and bottom after the auto position and rotate.  I had the tool generate trees from the LIDAR (not from OSM) - so you can see there is LIDAR data being used for the entire course.

[bob_p]

In looking at the source code for the designer tool, it appears the .course file is fixed as a 2000 meter square.

Doesn't appear the designer tool increases the .course area size - instead it tries to rotate and shift the generated OSM/Lidar data to fit within that 2000x2000 meter square.

Auto rotation appears to be limited to 45 degrees - I have to manually rotate by 64 to get the course to work, which may be why my course isn't auto-positioning.

And even after manually rotating and shifting, some of the LIDAR generated trees around the edge of the course are cutoff, which is probably OK.

If a LIDAR course can't be squeezed into a 2000x2000 meter box, then it may not work with TGC 2019, unless there is a way to expand the .course size.

[mthunt]

I ran the country club at Castle Pines and it cut off holes. Then I messaged chad and he said make sure all liDAR is downloaded and everything is numbered in OSM properly.  I ran it again and all 18 holes were there and the plot was stretched. Pines takes up more than 2000x2000 for sure.  I don’t have the answer other than it didn’t work until I redid OSM then it did.

[bob_p]

Each of the holes is properly labelled with a unique name for the course (since there is an adjacent course) and the hole number.

All of the LIDAR is present.

Another step I can take is to start removing holes from the course - and see if I can determine which hole(s) may be causing the problem.

[bob_p]

Tried removing holes on the course and also tried changing the mask to cut close to the edge of all holes - and still have the same issues when only 9 holes are selected.

Since I've got a workaround - probably not worth chasing this issue any more - and get back to editing the course...

[Han]

You have always been able to manipulate the size of the plot since TGC1. To be honest though I haven't tried it in the 2019 version so it may not work anymore. Tested it and it does still work.

If you place a hole right at the edge of the plot the "border line" shifts over a bit to allow the hole to fit.





I know this may not help you in this situation as your holes are in pre-determined positions but you might be able to make it work somehow by temporarily moving one of them to expand the plot, although it will just reset to default as soon as you move it back.

 

[bob_p]

After hearing from Chad, the problem turns out not to be in the TGC, but in the tool's preview display, where some of the holes were being cutoff.

Even if the preview in the tool shows holes being cutoff, when the course is imported into TGC, TGC automatically expands to include all of the holes.

There isn't any need to do autopositioning in the tool, since the TGC import handles the course correctly.

I had finished the course by using the version I had manually rotated and shifted, with the edge of several holes on the edge of the editable area in TGC.  I've started over, after getting Chad's feedback, and now have more area around all of the holes, nothing is being cutoff - and will reassert all of my previous changes onto the new course.

Problem solved...