Interactive visualization and evaluation
For communication with people who are no GIS experts and who do not daily engage themselves with the subject “forest and wood” the realistic three-dimensional demonstration offers inestimable advantages. By metaphors, i.e. only virtually existing objects, further information can be integrated to the graphical depiction in a simply conceivable way. Examples therefore are the borders of stand units or plots as “virtual wooden lattice fences” which many have probably hoped for their work on-place in reality.
In comparison to those “visualization metaphors”, the “interaction metaphors” as well as the so-called 3D cursor enable the intuitive and interactive analysis of the virtual surrounding, e.g. for evaluation of the slope. To this, the 3D cursor accompanied portrays the slope at the chosen place and changes its colour into red if the slope is too big for e.g. machine conversion. Therefore, the 4D-GIS supports the operation planner in “virtual on-place visits” with functions he does not have when visiting the corresponding place in reality.
In this way also complex connections become easily accessible. Another example to this is the vehicle in the following picture, above which the slope (degree note) - which is also noticeable at the vehicle slope itself – as well as the soil trafficability (visualization via icons, here green, i.e. passable) can be interrupted.