Hey everyone! I'm diving into programming as a hobby and I'm interested in creating a cut and fill calculator. This tool would help compare a terrain surface to a design surface, determining how much material needs to be cut or filled to achieve the desired design. I'm looking for guidance on where to start, especially considering I might want to expand this project with additional features later. I've seen that software like 'Virtual Surveyor' could provide insight into the types of code used for such calculations. Any advice on how to kick this off would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
You'll find libraries in several programming languages that can help you parse various file formats, including GeoTiff. If you want to work with a file type that's already supported, that should make things easier. However, if you're aiming to create something on par with existing tools, be prepared for some deeper architectural decisions, and you'll likely need a solid technical partner. But for a hobby project focusing on terrain comparison, that's probably not necessary!
Thanks for the input! I'm really looking at just creating a basic calculator that compares natural terrain models to design ones.