Return to Singapore

After 16 years and 11 months, I am returning to Singapore. In September 1992 I traveled to Singapore with Karen Willoughby, Bruce Rado and Jack Dangermond; followed up by Adelaide, Australia. The trip was to attend the 1992 South Asia and OZRI User Group Meetings (UGM). In those days, ERDAS and ESRI held joint international UGMs as most of our distributors sold both companies products and the companies were considered business partners.

At the UGMs I presented a pre–release version of ERDAS IMAGINE 8.0.2. The products I presented were the recently released IMAGINE Digital Ortho and the soon to be released WYSIWYG Map Composer, IMAGINE Vector Module, and the graphic flow chart model builder enhancement to Spatial Modeler script language, Model Maker.

During the same meetings, Jack presented ESRI’s soon to be released product, ArcView. This was ESRI’s move to a graphical user interface. While ERDAS IMAGINE had already made the jump in 1991, ESRI was making the jump in 1992.

When we had some quiet time, Jack demoed ArcView to me and answered my questions. I was impressed at the simplicity of the product. I recognized it a difficult task to take niche technology and create a product to reach out to a wider, non-geospatial trained community. As I discussed ArcView with him, I saw that the product could make that transition.

After we finished looking and discussing ArcView, Jack said he wanted to see IMAGINE Model Maker. Of course, I ran the models that I had planned to run and knew the models would run. Then, as I did to Jack, he asked me to do things that were not planned. He wanted a specific model built from the beginning. I cannot remember the models, but I built and ran them… no problems (ArcView had crashed all over the place on Jack when I asked for specific things).

Almost 17 years later, ArcView has grown up to ArcGIS. For the release of ArcGIS 9.0 in 2004, ESRI copied the Model Maker idea to create Model Builder. ArcView targeted a horizontal expansion of the market and Model Maker targeted a deeper penetration in the existing market. Both product ideas are powerful and have succeeded.

Where will geo-processing be in another 16 years and 11 months? As for ERDAS IMAGINE, imagine that ERDAS IMAGINE 2010 is just the beginning.

Fill Holes and Slivers in Imagery (Table of Values)

Here is a graphic Spatial Model (PaulBeaty_HoleFiller_Table.gmd) I created when I was at Georgia Tech. It fills DEM and other raster data (including imagery) holes and slivers with data calculated values from surrounding pixel values. These 1, 2 and sometimes 3 pixel wide artifacts are common to users who have reprojected butt-matched raster data. This model finds the "to-be-replaced" values from a table of values and determines whether a 3 x 3 or 5 x 5 focal mean should be applied. The model ignores the replacement values when calculating the focal mean.

Copy and paste the text below into a text editor and save as ANSI text file without the text editor's formatting. Save as PaulBeaty_HoleFiller_Table.gmd and open in Model Maker.

PAGESIZE 6.04444, 8.73889 INCHES;
CELLSIZE MINIMUM;
PRINTERPAGESIZE 8.5, 11;
MARGINS 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5;
ORIENTATION PORTRAIT;
PRINTSCALE 100;
WINDOW INTERSECTION;
PROJECTION DEFAULT;
AOI NONE;
OPTIMIZE YES;
RASTER {
ID 1;
TITLE "n1_PROMPT_USER";
POSITION 0.855556, 1.4;
PROMPT;
IGNORE 0;
INTERPOLATION NEAREST;
ATHEMATIC;
DATATYPE UNSIGNED16;
DECLARE "Integer";
COMPRESSION UNCOMPRESSED;
COORDINATES MAP;
AREA RECT 26, -2.079167 : 26.628333, -5.184167;
AOI NONE;
RECODE NO;
CHILD 2;
}
FUNCTION {
ID 2;
TITLE "EITHER";
POSITION 2.18889, 3.21111;
VALUE "EITHER (FOCAL MEAN ( $n1_PROMPT_USER , $n6_Low_Pass , IGNORE_VALUE $n28_Custom_Integer , APPLY_AT_VALUE $n28_Custom_Integer ) ) IF ( (FOCAL MAJORITY ( $n1_PROMPT_USER , $n3_Low_Pass ) == $n28_Custom_Integer) ) OR (FOCAL MEAN ( $n1_PROMPT_USER , $n3_Low_Pass , IGNORE_VALUE $n28_Custom_Integer , APPLY_AT_VALUE $n28_Custom_Integer ) ) OTHERWISE";
AREA UNION;
CHILD 4;
}
MATRIX {
ID 3;
TITLE "n3_Low_Pass";
POSITION 3.42222, 5.36667;
SIZE 3, 3;
DATATYPE SIGNED32;
BUILTIN LOWPASS;
VALUE 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1;
NORMALIZE NO;
CHILD 2;
}
RASTER {
ID 4;
TITLE "n4_PROMPT_USER";
POSITION 0.944445, 5.24444;
PROMPT;
NEWFILE;
IGNORE 0;
INTERPOLATION NEAREST;
ATHEMATIC;
DATATYPE UNSIGNED16;
DECLARE "Integer";
COMPRESSION UNCOMPRESSED;
COORDINATES MAP;
RECODE NO;
}
MATRIX {
ID 6;
TITLE "n6_Low_Pass";
POSITION 3.26667, 1.68889;
SIZE 5, 5;
DATATYPE SIGNED32;
BUILTIN LOWPASS;
VALUE 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1;
NORMALIZE NO;
CHILD 2;
}
TEXT {
ID 7;
TITLE "Repair Holes and Slivers using a Table of Values";
POSITION 2.67778, 0.344445;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 18;
}
TEXT {
ID 8;
TITLE "5 x 5 filter";
POSITION 3.26667, 0.988889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 12;
}
TEXT {
ID 10;
TITLE "Value(s) to Replace";
POSITION 0.788889, 2.57778;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 12;
}
TEXT {
ID 11;
TITLE "3 x 3 filter";
POSITION 3.52222, 4.66667;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 12;
}
TEXT {
ID 13;
TITLE "Conditional statement to determine";
POSITION 3.8, 2.78889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 14;
TITLE "which filter is more appropriate. If a majority";
POSITION 4.06667, 2.96667;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 15;
TITLE "of the pixels are the \"Value(s) to Replace,\"";
POSITION 4.01111, 3.18889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 16;
TITLE "the 5 x 5 filter is used. Otherwise, ";
POSITION 3.8, 3.38889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 17;
TITLE "the 3 x 3 filter is used.";
POSITION 3.4, 3.58889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 18;
TITLE "Be sure to define the correct";
POSITION 1.03333, 6.23333;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 19;
TITLE "\"Data Type\" in the output file.";
POSITION 1.03333, 6.43333;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 20;
TITLE "Created in IMAGINE 8.4 - Developed by Paul Beaty";
POSITION 2.72222, 7.08889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 21;
TITLE "Center for Geographic Information Systems";
POSITION 2.72222, 7.47778;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 22;
TITLE "Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta Georgia, USA";
POSITION 2.82222, 7.65556;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 26;
TITLE "Both filters ignore the \"Value(s) to Replace\"";
POSITION 4.06667, 3.77778;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 27;
TITLE "when calculating the mean.";
POSITION 3.58889, 3.98889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TABLE {
ID 28;
TITLE "n28_Custom_Integer";
POSITION 0.744445, 3.21111;
SIZE 4;
DATATYPE SIGNED32;
VALUE 0, 10, 20, 30;
CHILD 2;
}
TEXT {
ID 29;
TITLE "Add and delete values";
POSITION 0.8, 4.08889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 30;
TITLE "Integer or float?";
POSITION 0.777778, 4.27778;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 31;
TITLE "Modified in IMAGINE 8.7 - Paul Beaty";
POSITION 2.71111, 7.27778;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}

Fill Holes and Slivers in Imagery (Single Value)

Here is a graphic Spatial Model (PaulBeaty_HoleFiller.gmd) I created when I was at Georgia Tech. It fills DEM and other raster data (including imagery) holes and slivers with data calculated values from surrounding pixel values. These 1, 2 and sometimes 3 pixel wide artifacts are common to users who have reprojected butt-matched raster data. This model finds the "to-be-replaced" value and determines whether a 3 x 3 or 5 x 5 focal mean should be applied. The model ignores the replacement value when calculating the focal mean.

Copy and paste the text below into a text editor and save as ANSI text file without the text editor's formatting. Save as PaulBeaty_HoleFiller.gmd and open in Model Maker.

PAGESIZE 6.04444, 8.83889 INCHES;
CELLSIZE MINIMUM;
PRINTERPAGESIZE 8.5, 11;
MARGINS 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5;
ORIENTATION PORTRAIT;
PRINTSCALE 100;
WINDOW INTERSECTION;
PROJECTION DEFAULT;
AOI NONE;
OPTIMIZE YES;
RASTER {
ID 1;
TITLE "n1_PROMPT_USER";
POSITION 0.8, 1.7;
PROMPT;
INTERPOLATION NEAREST;
ATHEMATIC;
DATATYPE SIGNED16;
DECLARE "Integer";
COMPRESSION UNCOMPRESSED;
COORDINATES MAP;
AOI NONE;
RECODE NO;
CHILD 2;
}
FUNCTION {
ID 2;
TITLE "EITHER";
POSITION 2, 3.3;
VALUE "EITHER (FOCAL MEAN ( $n1_PROMPT_USER , $n6_Low_Pass , IGNORE_VALUE $n5_Integer , APPLY_AT_VALUE $n5_Integer ) ) IF ( (FOCAL MAJORITY ( $n1_PROMPT_USER , $n3_Low_Pass ) == $n5_Integer) ) OR (FOCAL MEAN ( $n1_PROMPT_USER , $n3_Low_Pass , IGNORE_VALUE $n5_Integer , APPLY_AT_VALUE $n5_Integer ) ) OTHERWISE";
AREA UNION;
CHILD 4;
}
MATRIX {
ID 3;
TITLE "n3_Low_Pass";
POSITION 3.3, 5.9;
SIZE 3, 3;
DATATYPE SIGNED32;
BUILTIN LOWPASS;
VALUE 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1;
NORMALIZE NO;
CHILD 2;
}
RASTER {
ID 4;
TITLE "n4_PROMPT_USER";
POSITION 0.988889, 5.5;
PROMPT;
NEWFILE;
INTERPOLATION NEAREST;
ATHEMATIC;
DATATYPE SIGNED16;
DECLARE "Integer";
COMPRESSION UNCOMPRESSED;
COORDINATES MAP;
RECODE NO;
}
SCALAR {
ID 5;
TITLE "n5_Integer";
POSITION 0.6, 4;
DATATYPE SIGNED32;
VALUE -32767;
SHOW;
CHILD 2;
}
MATRIX {
ID 6;
TITLE "n6_Low_Pass";
POSITION 3.2, 1.8;
SIZE 5, 5;
DATATYPE SIGNED32;
BUILTIN LOWPASS;
VALUE 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1;
NORMALIZE NO;
CHILD 2;
}
TEXT {
ID 7;
TITLE "Repair DEM Holes and Slivers";
POSITION 2.4, 0.5;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 18;
}
TEXT {
ID 8;
TITLE "5 x 5 filter";
POSITION 3.2, 1.1;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 12;
}
TEXT {
ID 10;
TITLE "Value to Replace";
POSITION 0.644444, 3.4;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 12;
}
TEXT {
ID 11;
TITLE "3 x 3 filter";
POSITION 3.4, 5.2;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 12;
}
TEXT {
ID 13;
TITLE "Conditional statement to determine";
POSITION 3.7, 2.8;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 14;
TITLE "which filter is appropriate. If a majority";
POSITION 3.8, 3;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 15;
TITLE "of the pixels are the \"Value to Replace,\"";
POSITION 3.83333, 3.18889;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 16;
TITLE "the 5 x 5 filter is used. Otherwise, ";
POSITION 3.7, 3.4;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 17;
TITLE "the 3 x 3 filter is used.";
POSITION 3.3, 3.6;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 18;
TITLE "Be sure to define the correct";
POSITION 1.2, 6.4;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 19;
TITLE "\"Data Type\" in the output file.";
POSITION 1.2, 6.6;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 20;
TITLE "Created in IMAGINE 8.4 - Developed by Paul Beaty";
POSITION 2.7, 7.4;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 21;
TITLE "Center for Geographic Information Systems";
POSITION 2.7, 7.6;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 22;
TITLE "Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta Georgia, USA";
POSITION 2.8, 7.8;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 26;
TITLE "Both filters ignore the \"Value to Replace\"";
POSITION 3.9, 3.8;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}
TEXT {
ID 27;
TITLE "when calculating the mean.";
POSITION 3.48889, 4;
FONT "new century schoolbook";
SIZE 10;
}