VTST Format, version 1

A very preliminary XML-based file format to describe built structures, now obsolete.  See the VTST format for the current format definition.

Definition

'Built structure' is used here to mean any permanent or semi-permanent artificial structure with significant vertical extent above the ground.  Examples are buildings, walls, and fences.  Built surfaces such as roads are not be included since they are conceptually built into the ground, not above it, although roadside railings and road signs would qualify.

Hierarchy of Elements

Attributes

Entity Attribute Value(s)
<structures-file> file-format-version  1.0
<coordinates> type Can be one of:
  • "simple"
  • "wkt"
value
  • if type is "simple", then value should be a string in one of two formats:
    • "geo, datum datum" for Geographic
    • "utm, datum datum, zone zone" for UTM
  • where:
    • datum is a standard datum name, e.g. "NAD83" or "WGS84"
    • zone is the UTM Zone (1 to 60, or -1 to -60 for the southern hemisphere)
  • if type is "wkt", then value should be a string containing an OpenGIS Well-Known-Text description of a coordinate system
<structures> (none)
<structure> type Can be one of:
  • "building"
  • "linear"
  • "instance"
<height> abs The absolute height of the structure, in meters, from ground level. 
stories The number of 'stories' of a building-like structure.
<walls> color "r g b", where r, g, b are integers from 0 to 255
<trim> color "r g b", where r, g, b are integers from 0 to 255

If present, this entity indicates that the presence of "trim"/"moulding" and the attribute indicates its color.
<shapes> (none)
<rect> ref_point A reference point coordinate in the format "x y", representing a point within the structure's horizontal extents.
size The size of the rectangle, in meters, in the format "width, depth"
rot The rotation of the rectangle, around the reference point, in radians.
<circle> ref_point A reference point coordinate in the format "x y", representing the center of the structure's horizontal extents.
radius A radius in meters.
<poly> num Number of points in the polygonal outline.
coords A series of coordinates, in the format "x y x y x y..." containing the (x, y) coordinates of the polygonal outline.
<roof> type Can be one of:
  • "flat"
  • "shed"
  • "gable"
  • "hip"
color "r g b", where r, g, b are integers from 0 to 255
<points> num Number of points in a linear structure.
coords A series of coordinates, in the format "x y x y x y..." containing the (x, y) coordinates of the linear structure.
<posts> type Can be one of:
  • "wood"
  • "steel"
size Size of the post, in the format "width, depth"
spacing Typical spacing from one post to the next, in meters.
<connect> type Can be one of:
  • "wire"
  • "chain-link"
<placement> location A point coordinate in the format "x y"
rotation The rotation of the instance, around its center, in radians.
<filename> (none) A filename of an external model.  It can be either an absolute path or on any of the terrain data paths.
<scale> (none) Scale of the external model, in meters per unit.