I am new to Reefmaster and I want to import some maps that I have that have depth contours already defined. This is an SHP file. I have changed the format of the data to match IMC and it will create an at5 file.

When I import the SHP file into Reefmaster I get the tracks but I do not get the depth contours. What is the column name that Reefmaster is expecting depth to be in?

Here is the file layout.
gid integer NOT NULL DEFAULT nextval('gid_seq'::regclass),
recnum numeric(10,0),
bfr_color integer,
bfr_patter character varying(32),
bfr_width integer,
font character varying(5),
pattern character varying(32),
rtp_color integer,
rtp_limit integer,
width integer,
width_mult integer,
l_limit integer,
u_limit integer,
color integer,
icon character varying(50),
layer integer,
maj_cat character varying(50),
min_cat character varying(50),
mode character varying(1),
value character varying(50),
value2 character varying(50),
geom geometry(MultiLineString),
CONSTRAINT r_pkey PRIMARY KEY (gid)

This is a sample row.
113;100;1;"";1;"16";"";0;16;1;;0;19;1;"";1;"Nautical";"Depth Contours";"T";"25ft";"";<GEOM DATA>

I appreciate your advice.

Hello Matt,


as You remember, this is also my problem. RM need a shape import function with column selection (areas, lines and later points)!


Thanks and best wishes
fjordfisher

fjordfisher I agree this would be awesome feature. But I am willing to do a front end translation if I know what to translate to.

At the moment Shapefile import into RM is fairly basic. Shapefiles can be used as map shorelines or added as custome polygons/paths to a user map. There is no way at the moment to bring any attributes into ReefMaster.

What are you trying to achieve with these contours? Do you want to use them as depth data as part of a map project, or do you just want to add them "as is" to a finished map? If it's the latter, then you might be able to just combine them with a set of RM exported shapefiles (from your RM map) and build all of these shapefiles together with the IMC. If you want to use these contours as depth data, then you need to get them into another format - GPX with Humminbird/Garmin/Raymarine depth extensions, or (probably easier) CSV with LAT,LON,DEPTH per row - coordinates must be in decimal degrees WGS84 and depth must be specified in metres.

Matt

Matt,
I am trying to use the depth data as part of a map project.
I will try the CSV format by converting my GEOM (WSG84 data) into the format below.

Will RM link the point data and create new dept contours?

EG Do I have the process defined right? Going from a polygon (SHP GEOM) -> point data (CSV) -> polygon (RM)

I appreciate your assistance.

If you convert those polygons to CSV files, then they will be treated as tracks within RM. You would add them to a map project in the same way as any other track. RM will create it's own contours from the bathymetric model that is created from the track data, and you can then export these from RM. Take a look at the make a map tutorial to see the process.

One thing to be aware of in the current release is that the RM "define map view" does not render point clouds very well (this is improved in the current beta). RM expects tracks to be made of up (more or less) contiguous points and renders the track(s) as a simplfied line. If the points provided are not ordered in this way, then the simplify and rendering process can become very slow. If your conversion takes each contour in turn and writes the CSV file in point order, then you shouldn't have a problem.

Matt

The process would be:

Shapefile -> (ordered) points in CSV format -> Import as tracks into RM -> add to project -> build the project/adjust settings as required -> (add contours/isobaths to user map if further editing is required) -> export in AT5

edit: also - make sure your depths are +VE numbers in the CSV file (i.e. deeper areas are larger +ve numbers).