(Newbie Help) Where Are My Trees?!?

[jmpeterson70]

[UPDATE: Resolved -- message #7 has an explanation of my newbie mistake]

Hi everyone! First of all, this is an amazing resource and a great community. I've taken my first stab at a Lidar course (Lyon Oaks in Wixom, MI -- jpotas might be familiar with it?), and everything worked perfectly -- with one exception: The tool does not insert any trees! I've run the tool a couple of times, and it clearly finds the trees (over 24,000), and processes their heights, but for whatever reason they don't make it into the course file. So I assume the Lidar file works, the OSM works (I've confirmed the elevations of the features in game). Just no trees!

I've attached some screenshots below to show you what I'm seeing in the tool. I'm hoping/assuming I'm just missing something very easy. If any of you kind people have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it. It's a pretty treed-up course, and I don't relish the idea of planting them all myself! Thank you!

[sirish19]

Hmm. that's strange. You said that you tried running the tool a couple of times, do you mean you tried running from the very beginning to reprocess the LiDAR? Did you try running the "import terrain and features" part again? Did you notice any error messages in the black window?

My only guess is that the trees are not classified, but in that case, I wouldn't think they would be identified in the first place. I tried to download the LiDAR to have a look but it doesn't seem to be downloading (perhaps the site is down again).

I am not really much of a fan of importing LiDAR trees anyway. They generally all end up as the same type of tree (and not my favorite type of tree at that), they aren't always perfect in terms of size, number and location, and they are resource hogs as well. I generally prefer to auto-generate trees to 100% and leave those for the densely populated areas and then just remove those from around the course and just manually plant the right trees where you want them.

[jmpeterson70]

Thank you for your reply sirish19. I have run the entire process through from scratch three times (and the import terrain and features portion several other times within those attempts). I did not see any error messages.

I hadn't considered the 100% auto generation, but that definitely sounds like an option! Will all of the OSM features automatically remove trees in those areas (including something like "rough")?

I wasn't able to download the Lidar from the TNM site (the laz files all had a red exclamation point icon, and clicking on the links would not download the files). However, I was able to get the lidar from the NOAA data access viewer. (I'm happy to share the files I received from the Digital Coast service).

Thanks again.

[jpotas]

jmpeterson70 , just for the heck of it try unchecking the lh column bottom box that says "import marked trees" . Also, with the high number of trees, what is the course object meter at? I am wondering if the meter is so high that it can't bring the trees in?? Just a thought but the number of trees is pretty big.

[jpotas]

I just ran the NOAA lidar with no problem. Used EPSG 2253.
I selected as little area as I could surrounding the course. Mask is attached as well as the preview.

[jpotas]

Also, this is how I ran the import screen.

[jpotas]

jmpeterson70 , PM me your email address and I will send you the Lidar file. Either version of the Lidar tool should work, just make sure that you red mask out as much as possible.

Also, yes it is the same Lidar.

[jmpeterson70]

Thanks, jpotas -- I will. I just tried again and got the same result -- even with a pretty substantial red mask. The trees just don't show up, either on the preview or in the game.

Appreciate the help.

[jpotas]

jmpeterson70 , Email sent with the Lidar. I also just reran the course plus shifted the course to match the Lidar. It was off by about 10 yards, the most I have ever had to shift a course! It is amazing how the courses just pop once you get the bunkers placed right into their pockets. The updated course file will also be on your email.

Good luck.

[wbond]

Awesome can’t wait to play it. Love seeing local courses get added. Make sure to list it when you publish and what you name it in TGC

[jmpeterson70]

Will do! I figured I'd take the time to make some local courses while waiting for my Skytrak to arrive!

[jmpeterson70]

Just wanted to let everyone know I figured out what I did wrong -- I failed to change from "Ground" to "All" under the "Data Classes" option in the NOAA Data Access Viewer! All good now.

Thanks to jpotas and sirish19 for their help!

[wbond]

You should give moose ridge a shot I dont think there is a good version or cattails or huntmore.

[jmpeterson70]

Will consider all of those. Surprisingly enough I've never played Cattails. I also thought about Shepherd's Hollow and Pheasant Run (and Western and Plum Hollow private courses). Need to get this first one right, though!

[wbond]

jmpeterson70 then definitely start with Western. Two of my kids caddy there and we play it every Monday, would love to see that on the sim.

[sirish19]

Great, glad you got it figured out.