Features of world wind 1.4
In this article, we will discuss about how to activate the new features of this version. In this version of world wind, many add-ons and plug-ins are added. This version has the feature of sun shading. For enabling this feature first we should go to ‘view’ menu and then click on ‘sun shading’. This version also has the atmospheric scattering feature, which provides world wind atmosphere and also provides realistic sunrises and sunsets as well. for enabling this feature first we must go into ‘view menu’ and then click on atmospheric scattering’.
This version also includes some advanced options like CPU/GPU rendering. This option allows you for selecting CPU rendering or GPU rendering for atmospheric scattering. If we observe CPU, rendering is much precise but it requires a much powerful CPU and CPU rendering can slow down your system. Comparing GPU rendering with CPU rendering, GPU rendering is much faster but it needs modern graphics card having pixel shader 2.0 supports.
For enabling GPU rendering first you have to go to ‘tools menu. And then click on options and then go to ‘atmosphere, section, and then select ‘false’ from drop down menu which is placed near ‘ForceCpuAtmosphere. Now you can close options dialog box. There is one dialog box called sun light control, which helps us to alter the position of sun. This dialog box includes manual placement option, which is useful to create shaded relief maps through layers such as virtual earth road maps, USGS topographic.
In order to open this dialog box first you must go to ‘Tools’ menu and then click on ‘sunlight control’. This new version of world wind also includes time controller feature, which sets the position of sun accurately while using sun shading. For using this time controller feature first, you should open Time controller widget and then click on click icon from world wind’s toolbar. The tome controller widget includes numerous buttons for controlling the sun. The time controller widget shows useful information like the date on which world wind is recently set to and below this, there is time at which world wind is recently set to and next to time, latest zoom or speed is displayed.
This new version also includes the WMS Importer feature, which permits us for requesting images of maps of a particular area. WW permits you for viewing imagery layers from servers. For using this feature first, you have to launch WMS importer through ‘tools’ menu. Then find out the URL to your server, which you wish to view. After this, you must paste URL into URL bar and then click on ‘Get WMS tree’ option. It contacts with the server and then downloads the collection of layers. If you will select any layer, it shows a little preview of the layer. For adding the contents of server in the form of world wind layer you have to insert the xml file name, layer title and then click on” save as xml’ option. It saves a WW xml file in to your \config\Earth directory and adds the layer manager.
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