CUBIZEN: Global Mapper, CityEngine & Creative Tech

We will learn how to assign height values to the vertices of a Line or Area feature in Global Mapper.

Video demonstration of the vertex height assignment process

In various development and road design plans, design heights (Planned Elevations) are typically designated at major nodal points, with slopes indicated for the sections in between. However, since most CAD or design data is drawn in 2D (plan view), you must manually apply elevation values to each vertex to use them effectively in landscape simulations or 3D modeling.

Open the practice file and let's get started. Vertex_Height.zip (Verified and safe file for Global Mapper.)

As shown above, the road centerline is displayed along with planned elevations for major points, distances between points, and slope gradients.

Opening the Feature Vertex Editor in Global Mapper

Let's check this in 3D first. Select the Show 3D View icon from the toolbar.

The 3D Viewer window appears. If you rotate the view by right-clicking and dragging, you'll notice that the line is perfectly flat—no height has been applied yet.

Now, let's check the actual vertex information for this line.

Select the line on the main screen, then go to Vertex Editing -> Edit Feature Vertices.

Understanding Vertex Indexes and Elevation Fields

The green dot at the right end of the line represents the starting point (Idx 1), and the red dot at the left end is the terminal point (Idx 21). Looking at the table, you can see the vertex information, but the height values (Z) are missing.

To assign heights to each vertex, click on Add Elevations....

A window will pop up asking if you would like to add elevation values.

If you have a terrain layer loaded, Global Mapper can automatically apply the heights from that terrain to the vertices. Click 'Yes'.

Click OK.

An 'Elevation' column is added. If a terrain layer were active, the height of each vertex's location would be applied. In this case, since we are working from a design plan, the values are initially 0. Without closing the window, let's input our design heights.

How to Assign Elevation Values to Individual Vertices

Double-click Idx 1 in the list and click Edit Elevation.

Enter the planned elevation (e.g., 80) and click OK.

The elevation for Vertex 1 has changed to 80. Now, find the vertices corresponding to the other major points (FH: 95.0, FH: 100.0, FH: 115.0).

In this example, Vertex 8 corresponds to FH: 95.0. Just like before, click Edit Elevation and enter 95.

Repeat this process for all major control points. Once you've entered the key heights, right-click anywhere within the list area.

Interpolating Elevation Values Between Vertices

Select Interpolate Elevations to Replace 0 Values. This will naturally distribute the elevation values for all intermediate vertices between the ones you manually set.

As you can see, the values for the vertices between our fixed points have been distributed smoothly. Click OK.

Viewing the Final 3D Road Geometry

Now, let's verify the results in the 3D Viewer.

Because the slope values are relatively gradual compared to the total length, the elevation change may appear subtle in the 3D Viewer.

You can now export this road centerline to CityEngine or other 3D software for further modeling.

That's all for today!