Creating 3D objects

You can create the following 3D objects in Echoview:

• Surfaces
  • Surface from line
  • Bottom surface
• 3D Regions
• 3D Region tracks
• 3D Single targets
• 3D Fish tracks
• Multibeam ping curtains
• Echogram curtains

Notes:

• Most 3D objects can only be created if position data are available in the EV file. You must select a position variable as Position source on the Position page of the Platform Properties dialog box (if only one position variable is available it will be selected by default.)
• 3D object types other than those listed above can be created automatically by Echoview (e.g. the water surface) or can be imported into Echoview (e.g. from model files). See About 3D objects for more information.
• You can create 3D objects of any type (not just those listed above) by copying an existing 3D object, see Scene Manager dialog box for more information.

Surfaces

You can create two types of surface 3D object in Echoview:

• Surface from line
• Bottom surface

Note: You can also import surfaces.

Surface from line

You can create 'Surface from line' 3D objects from any line (including sounder-detected bottom on any echogram) except for multibeam echograms. You can create the 3D object from the whole line or a selection of the line.  

To create a 'Surface from line' 3D object using the whole line:

1. On the Echogram menu, point to Create 3D object, and then click Surface From Line.
2. On the Create 3D Surface From Line dialog box, enter a name for the 3D object, choose the line on which it is based and enter other settings as required.
3. Click Create.

To create a 'Surface from line' 3D object using a selection of a line:

1. Make a selection using the Vertical band tool .
2. On the Shortcut menu (right-click), point to Create 3D object, and then click Surface From Line.
3. On the Create 3D Surface From Line dialog box, enter a name for the 3D object, choose the line on which it is based and enter other settings as required.
4. Click Create.

Notes:

• To view the surface you must add it to a scene, and select which surfaces are visible on the Surfaces page of the Variable Properties dialog box.
• Each surface has its own (3D Object) Properties dialog box where the name and display color can be edited and details about the 3D object are available.
• You can resample a surface with a different resolution using the Resample Surface dialog box available from the Scene Manager. This will build a new surface by rescanning the existing surface.
• The geographic position of the line from which the surface is created are the latitude and longitude of the GPS antenna at the time the pings were transmitted and have not been corrected for transducer geometry. As a result, the surface properties and position in the scene will not represent real world coordinates unless the transducer was located at the same point on the platform as the GPS antenna and was pointing straight down.

Bottom surface

You can create a 'Bottom Surface' 3D object from the bottom detection in a multibeam echogram. To achieve the best results for a 3D bottom surface, echogram data should be tightly transected.

To create a '3D Bottom surface' object:

1. On the Echogram menu, point to Create 3D object, then click Bottom Surface.
2. On the Detect Bottom Surface dialog box enter a name for the 3D object and enter other settings as required.
3. Click Detect.

Notes:

• To view the surface you must add it to a scene.
• Each surface has its own (3D Object) Properties dialog box where the name and appearance can be edited and details about the 3D object are available.
• You can resample a surface with a different resolution using the Resample Surface dialog box available from the Scene Manager. This will build a new surface by rescanning the existing surface.
• The geographic positions of the bottom detection from which the surface is created are corrected for transducer geometry. As a result, the surface properties and position in the scene represent real world coordinates.

3D Regions

You can create 3D regions from multibeam echograms by detecting schools.

See Detecting schools on multibeam data for instructions and 3D schools detection algorithm for an explanation of how schools are detected.

Notes:

• You can also create 3D regions by importing models.
• The internal structure of a 3D region can be viewed using 3D region inspection.

3D Region tracks

You can create 3D region tracks from multibeam echograms by detecting region tracks. All of the 3D region tracks detected in this way are placed in a single 3D Region track group created when the region tracks are detected.

See Detecting region tracks for instructions and Region tracking algorithm for an explanation of how 3D regions tracks are detected.

3D Single targets

You can create 3D single targets from single target echograms. Created 3D single targets are placed in a 3D Single target group.

To create a '3D Single target group' 3D object from the whole single target echogram:

1. Display the single target echogram from which you wish to create the 3D single targets.
2. On the Echogram menu, point to Create 3D object, then click Single targets.

To create a '3D Single target group' 3D object from a selection on a single target echogram:

1. Make a selection using the Rectangle tool , the Vertical band tool , the Horizontal band tool or the Fish track tool .
2. On the Shortcut menu (right-click), point to Create 3D object, then click Single targets.

Note: To view a 3D Single target group you must add it to a scene. See the Objects page of the Scene Properties dialog box for more information.

3D Fish tracks

You can create 3D fish tracks from valid fish track regions on single target echograms. Created 3D fish tracks are placed in a 3D Fish track group.

To create a '3D Fish track group' 3D object from the whole single target echogram:

1. Display the single target echogram containing valid fish tracks from which you wish to create the 3D fish tracks.
2. On the Echogram menu, point to Create 3D object, then click Fish tracks.

To create a '3D Fish track group' 3D object from a selection on a single target echogram:

1. Make a selection using the Rectangle tool , the Vertical band tool , the Horizontal band tool or the Fish track tool .
2. On the Shortcut menu (right-click), point to Create 3D object, then click Fish tracks.

Note: To view a 3D Fish track group you must add it to a scene. See the Objects page of the Scene Properties dialog box for more information.

Multibeam ping curtains

You can create Multibeam ping curtains from multibeam echograms. One or more curtains are created at a time and contained in a Multibeam ping curtain group.

To create a 'Multibeam ping curtain group' 3D object:

1. Display the multibeam echogram from which you wish to create the multiple multibeam ping curtain(s).

2. On the Echogram menu, point to Create 3D object, then click Curtain.

3. On the Create 3D Multibeam Curtain dialog box, enter a name for the 3D object and enter other settings as required.

4. Click Create.

Notes:

• To view the multibeam ping curtain group you must add it to a scene. See the Objects page of the Scene Properties dialog box for more information.
• Each multibeam ping curtain group has its own (3D Object) Properties dialog box.
• Positions in a scene are calculated using geographic coordinates that have been corrected for transducer geometry.
• You can view details about multibeam ping curtains in a multibeam ping curtain group and delete multibeam ping curtains from a multibeam ping curtain group on the Multibeam curtains page of the (3D Object) Properties dialog box.
• Curtains are created for pings with valid GPS positions and for fixed platforms. See Processing GPS data for further information.
• Shortcut menu > Inspect Region contains two multibeam ping curtains.

Echogram curtains

You can create an echogram curtain from most single-beam echograms (for multibeam echograms see see Multibeam ping curtain groups). An echogram curtain is useful for adding details that appear on an echogram, such as fish marks, to a scene. You can create an echogram curtain from the whole echogram or a selection of the echogram and echogram curtains can be updated automatically during live viewing if desired.

To create an echogram curtain using the whole echogram:

1. On the Echogram menu, point to Create 3D object, then click Curtain.
2. On the Create 3D Curtain dialog box, set the desired options.
3. Click Create.

To create an echogram curtain using a selection of an echogram:

1. Make a selection using the Rectangle tool , the Vertical band tool or the Horizontal band tool .
2. On the Shortcut menu (right-click), point to Create 3D object, then click Curtain.
3. On the Create 3D Curtain dialog box, set the desired options.
4. Click Create.

Notes:

• To view the echogram curtain you must add it to a scene.
• Each echogram curtain has its own (3D Object) Properties dialog box where the name can be edited and details about the 3D object are available.
• Echogram curtain details and position in a scene are calculated using geographic coordinates that have been corrected for transducer geometry.
• Echogram curtains cannot currently be generated from all types of single-beam echogram.

See also

About 3D objects
About scenes
Importing 3D objects
Exporting 3D objects
3D object problems

Echoview Help file 5.2.21 for Echoview 5.2.55 Monday 21st May 2012

Please report any errors or omissions to support@echoview.com.