Blue Marble Releases Global Mapper v15.2 with New Automation

A flattened terrain surface model with 3D Vector features using Global Mapper.

Blue Marble Geographics has released Global Mapper version 15.2, a minor release that adds functionality to automate the New Feature Creation process, as well as the addition of new online datasources, including OpenStreetMap vector data links via Web Mapping Services (WMS).

Blue Marble’s geospatial data manipulation, visualization and conversion solutions are used worldwide by GIS analysts at software, oil and gas, mining, civil engineering, surveying, and technology companies, as well as governmental and university organizations.

The minor release features updates to both the Global Mapper base product and the Global Mapper LiDAR Module. In particular, new functionality has been added to allow the user to automate the New Feature Creation process. Users can now create a series of features that share the same attribute structure, target layer, and other characteristics without having to repeatedly confirm these settings in the Modify Feature Info dialog box. This release also features the addition of free online datasources including full access to the Maine GIS catalog, as well as access to Aviation Charts and OpenStreetMap vector data via WMS.

Other enhancements include support for creating buffer areas around line features with variable width from beginning to end and for creating buffers on just one side of a selected line feature. New scripting functionality has been added to allow conditional (IF/THEN/ELSE) processing within a script file. 3D models from Collada DAE files have been updated with the option to load BMP, JPG, PNG, and TIFF images with no geo-position information directly, improved 3DPDF support, and enhancements to CityGML.

“These great new features and functions will streamline the user’s workflow, as well as save them time and money with the ease-of-access to a growing list of cloud based publicly available data,” stated Blue Marble President, Patrick Cunningham “This release is another great example of our mission to deliver a low-cost and easy-to-use GIS solution for everyone.”

Enhancements to the LiDAR Module in v15.2 include added support for the transformation (shift/rotate/scale) of LiDAR point clouds and the option to filter selected LiDAR points to a certain elevation range and/or set of colors. A new LIDAR_CLASSIFY script command for classifying ground points in a script has been added. Users now have the option to keep the original file offset/scale, or to specify a new one when exporting to LiDAR LAS/LAZ files. They also now have the ability to crop to a selected area when specifying the bounds to import from a LiDAR point cloud and the ability to export point cloud to Esri File Geodatabases (GDB) as normal 3D point features. These LiDAR enhancements are a great addition to an already powerful module for those interested in adding advanced LiDAR functionality to Global Mapper.