The "Road by Sections" interface provides a structured workflow for semi-automatic road vectorization by applying a template along an alignment at specified intervals. This tool ensures efficient and accurate road modeling while minimizing manual interventions.
1. Interface Overview
✔ The interface is divided into key sections:
Alignment selection (dropdown list of available alignments).
Cross-section dimensions (defines section width, height, and interval).
Station management (controls section placement and editing).
Template grid (stores and applies predefined templates).
Exporting tools (saves, loads, and exports the vectorized data).
2. Alignment Selection & Dimensions
✔ Select an alignment → Dropdown list of all alignments in the Vision database.
✔ Set the alignment range → Start and end values default to the full alignment, but can be adjusted.
✔ Cross-section dimensions → Defines the view area for extracted sections:
Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
Offset (Left/Right) | Width of the section on both sides of the alignment. |
Height / Height Down | Vertical range of the section from the alignment. |
Interval | Distance between sections along the alignment. |
Thickness | Defines the depth of the section (typically kept small). |
✔ Processing optimization options:
"Draw in cloud" → Prevents unnecessary redrawing to reduce processing time.
"Apply template" → Automatically applies the current template to empty stations.
3. Station Management
The left grid in the interface lists all stations along the alignment.
✔ Each station displays:
Distance along the alignment.
Number of picked points.
A button to edit the cross-section view.
✔ Additional options for station management:
Button/Option | Function |
|---|---|
Create all sections | Generates stations along the alignment using the interval value. If a template is set, it applies the template automatically. |
Set perpendicular view | Aligns the cross-section view perpendicular to the alignment axis. |
Pick new section | Allows users to manually place a new station in the point cloud. |
Edit points | Enables moving vectorized points within a section (CTRL+Click). |
Previous / Next buttons | Navigates between sections (shortcuts: CTRL+1 and CTRL+2). |
Text box (between Next/Previous) | Allows direct input of station values to create or modify sections. |
4. Template Management
The right grid stores the active template (not necessarily from the selected station).
✔ Key features of the template grid:
Allows modification, insertion, or deletion of template points.
Points can be assigned PCodes via text input or dropdown selection.
✔ Template editing options:
Button | Function |
|---|---|
Open | Loads a previously saved template. |
Save | Saves the current template for reuse. |
Insert before/after | Adds a new or copied point in the template. |
Copy | Allows copying points from an existing template. |
Pick points | Enables selecting points from the secondary view. |
Sort by offset | Automatically sorts points by offset (useful for linear elements). |
Apply to section | Applies the current template to the selected station. |
Recreate template | Loads the selected section’s template into the grid. |
Sort by offset activated Sort by offset not activated
5. Exporting & Saving Results
The bottom section provides options for saving, exporting, and drawing vectorized sections.
✔ Drawing and Surface Management:
Option | Function |
|---|---|
Draw sections | Displays generated sections in the main viewer. |
Erase sections | Removes displayed sections from the main viewer. |
Create surface | Generates a surface in the Explorer (Objects tab). |
Erase surface | Deletes the surface from the Explorer and main view. |
✔ File Management and Export Options:
Option | Function |
|---|---|
Save | Exports results as CSV or TXT for reuse. |
Load | Imports a CSV or JSON file (.rsec & .json) to modify stations and templates. |
Export | Saves the surface as DXF, SHP, GeoJSON, KML, or MapInfo. |
Close | Exits the "Road by Sections" tool. |
6. Best Practices for Efficient Road Vectorization
✔ Ensure alignment is precise before generating sections.
✔ Use templates for consistency and speed.
✔ Manually adjust critical sections (e.g., intersections, road widenings).
✔ Preview results before final export to ensure accuracy.
🚀 Automate Road Vectorization with Precision in VisionLidar!
By leveraging "Road by Sections", you can efficiently model, visualize, and export road networks with high accuracy and minimal effort. Perfect for surveying, transportation planning, and civil engineering projects! 🌍🚧🏗️
