McIDAS User's Guide
Version 2012.2

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DIST

Finds the distance on a navigated frame.


Formats

DIST CIR angle inc distance [keywords]
DIST ROT angle inc distance [keywords]
DIST STE angle din distance [keywords]
DIST E lat lon [keywords]
DIST I line ele [keywords]
DIST T raster pictel [keywords]


Parameters

CIR

draws a circle around the initial cursor location beginning at a specified distance and angle

ROT

draws all or part of a circle around the initial cursor location beginning at a specified distance and angle

STE

steps the cursor away from the initial cursor location at a specified distance and angle

E

steps the cursor away from the initial cursor location by the specified latitude and longitude increments

I

steps the cursor away from the initial cursor location by the specified line and element increments

T

steps the cursor away from the initial cursor location by the specified raster and pictel increments

angle

moves the cursor away from the original location by this angle, in degrees (default=0)

inc

increment (in degrees) to shift the cursor along its circular path

distance

distance to move the cursor from its original location

din

increment to step the cursor along its straight-line path

lat

degrees of latitude to move the cursor; northward is positive

lon

degrees of longitude to move the cursor; westward is positive

line

number of image lines to move the cursor; downward is positive

ele

number of image elements to move the cursor; rightward is positive

raster

number of TV lines (rasters) to move the cursor; downward is positive

pictel

number of TV elements (pictels) to move the cursor; rightward is positive


Keywords

Color=

graphics color level of the characters (default=2)

SIze=

height of the plotted characters, in pixels (default=5)

SYm=

.

a period marks off the distances (default)

 

+

a plus sign marks off the distances

 

*

an asterisk marks off the distances

 

o

a lowercase letter O marks off the distances

Unit=

KM

measures distance in kilometers (default)

 

MI

measures distance in statute miles

 

NMI

measures distance in nautical miles


Remarks

Command DIST will not run unless the satellite image is navigated or a MAP command is run.

Each cursor location marked on the graphics frame is indicated by a period (default) or a symbol chosen with keyword SYM. A symbol is plotted on the graphics frame at the new cursor location each time you press the middle mouse button.

DIST runs interactively when specified with no parameters, or with the ROT, STE, E, I or T parameter.


Examples

Position the cursor at the point on a navigated frame that is the starting point of the calculation. Then,

Type:  DIST

The program replies:

Press MIDDLE mouse button or ALT+G to measure point.
Press RIGHT button to reset the starting point.
Press BOTH mouse buttons or ALT+Q to exit DIST.

Move the cursor to the starting point from which you want to measure one or more other points, then press the middle mouse button or Alt G. Next move the cursor to the first point you want to measure and press the middle mouse button or Alt G. Move the cursor to all subsequent points you want to measure, pressing the middle mouse button or Alt G at each point. Press the middle and right mouse buttons or Alt Q after measuring all the points.

Each time you measure a point, the SYM keyword symbol and the distance to the starting point are plotted on the graphics frame. Also, the latitude and longitude of the point and its angle and distance to the starting and previous points are listed on the text frame.

DIST CIR 45 30 100 SYM=*

This entry draws a circle of asterisks on the graphics frame 100 km away from the original cursor location beginning at angle 45. The circle contains 12 asterisks since the increment is 30°.

DIST ROT 90 15 200 UNIT=NMI SYM=* SIZE=20 COLOR=4

This entry draws an arc or circle of asterisks on the graphics frame 200 nautical miles away from the original cursor location, beginning at an angle of 90°. The asterisks are 20 pixels high in graphics color level 4.


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