Manual Data Entry

You can enter data directly into the program and manually create a terrain model. This is useful where DEM files are not available or where you need higher resolution. Normally, this is done by reading elevations directly from a topographic map.

Entering Data. To enter data manually, click on the "Manual Entry Grid" button. This will take you to the Cave To Surface Linker. Now switch to the "Actions/Parameters" page, then just click on the "Edit Grid" button at the top of the page. This will bring up an edit grid. Just enter the data into the grid. The cell in the upper left corner of the grid is the northwest corner of the data. You can also copy or paste data between the grid and the Windows Clipboard.

When you have finished entering data, press the "OK" button. The program will return to the Cave To Surface Linker and display a contour map of the data. Normally, at this point, you would save the data to disk so that data you entered won’t be lost.

Grid Spacing. Normally, you do not need to set the "Grid Spacing" since it is set by the DEM file. However, If you are entering data manually, you must set the spacing based on the way you have sampled the data.