TransDEM Forum

I know this is not a Transdem problem. I frankly gave up on this program some moths ago because I guess I am too dense. Thought I would give another try - and found I cannot even get DEMS data at the server - instead of a map I just get a yellow blank box. I searched google for a solution and guess I am the only person on earth who cannot get the map to show.
Anyone else had this problem?

G'day philabos,

...certainly, you aren't alone in having a few difficulties with your initial 'use' of TransDEM - there are some very 'heavy' concepts to get your head around in order to understand what the program is doing. However, having said that the "good Doctor" has (to his credit) developed a program that can be used by just about anyone without any really intimate knowledge of things geographical, outside of the basics of Latitude and Longitude (which most people should have)...

...have you followed TO THE LETTER, the process espoused in the excellent tutorial provided by TransDEM user; steamboateng, in this thread?...

http://forum.transdem.de/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=57&sid=06fd95683b4263de2cdc92d1b9dd5807

...specifically, in your case, you need to click on the link to the "creating DEM maps for a route", which will take you to a step by step guide on how to do exactly what you want to do. Bear in mind, that the USGS Seamless Server, as such, no longer exists and has been taken over by Microsoft (and is now known as the Microsoft Research Maps - or MSR Maps) but that notwithstanding, the new URLs required are covered in the tutorial but the process is otherwise unchanged...

Jerker {:)}

I did read the first tutorial - the second does not do me any good because I can't even reach the DEMS data in the first place.
I followed the first tutorial to the USGS seemless server, clicked on the "seemless Viewer" as instructed and - nothing. No map appears - only a blank yellow box.
I have turned off all pop up blockers in the IE9, toolbars, and Trend Micro - same result.

Well, I finally got so frustrated I installed Firefox - and presto - map appears. Something in IE9 is preventing the map display so I am on my way to the tutorials again.
Thanks for responding - I am sure I will be back later.

It could be server maintenance, excess demand, or evil people trying DoS attacks.

Tested myself a few minutes ago and it worked for me.

I have had several sessions on the Seamless Server in the past few days.
The first, on September 21, yielded five successful downloads; unfortunately, they were the wrong format.

The second session, September 22, gave one successful download.
After blocking out the adjacent area with the green rectangle, the server replied: "There are no available products in the area that you indicated."

This is odd since the overlay shows both NED 1/9 arc second and NED 1 arc second data in the inventory for the area.

What does this message mean?

That is the same response I get.

However I am processing the BNSF Big Horn Subdivision at this time, so I have to suggest the server gets busy without a dialogue box to tell you go away...for now...

You have no idea how many millions of downloads the USGS Server does every year!

I agree with Backyard that the message from the seamless server was an indication that it was busy. I received the following in a reply to a note to the USGS customer service:

"The Seamless Data Warehouse had intermittent issues the last couple of weeks. We have resolved the issues and all services are back operating. Please try the download again."

My problems occurred on September 23, 2011. Attempts to download since that time have all been successful, so they certainly must have had problems and corrected them.

As Dr. Ziegler points out, the 1/9 arc second NED data leads to beautifully-detailed DEMs and easy track location in TRAINZ. They are fit rewards for patience and perseverance.