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• Glovis Next Tutorial

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• GloVis Questions Answered

• GloVis Release Notes

Contact Information for Registration and User Assistance

Business Hours:  Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., CDT

U.S. Geological Survey
Earth Resources Observation and Science Center
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001

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GloVis Questions Answered

Q. What does GloVis stand for?

A. GloVis stands for the Global Visualization Viewer. Since 2001, GloVis has been a tool for accessing remote sensing data.

Q. Are all products available to public users?

A. GloVis hosts only publicly available data. The data sets are all federally created and therefore in the public domain, which means there are no copyright or licensing restrictions.

Q. How can I change the base map and customize my view?

A. Click on gear icon to access the Configure Layer Tool in the right side corner of the map. Choose between Select A Basemap or Layer Settings. The Select A Basemap option lists layers to choose for display on the map. The Layer Settings give users control over the colors used in the interface.

Q. Will GloVis remember my customizations?

A. Yes. To save your settings, you must be registered and logged into GloVis. Use the Preferences option in the menu on the upper right side of the webpage. General Preferences, Map Preferences, and Map Layer Preferences include multiple options.

Q. Are there plans to include other metadata filter options, in addition to Acquisition Date and Scene Cloud Cover?

A. Yes. GloVis is developed in an agile framework that allows for new features to be added on a continuous basis. Please use the Feedback button in the menu to express interest in new features.

Q. Landsat 4-5 and 7 data sets on the GloVis interface browse images have a black jagged edge. Why does this occur?

A. There is an underlying architectural difference in the way browse images are stored. The development team is exploring ways to remove them.
 

Q. Where can I find more information about ASTER Level-1 Precision Terrain Corrected (AST L1T) data?

A. The ASTER Level-1 Precision Terrain Corrected (AST L1T) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be found at https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/products/ast_l1tv003/

Q. What happened to the classic version of GloVis?

A. The classic version of GloVis used an outdated Java browser plugin, which was discontinued by Java’s parent company, Oracle. The present version was developed to take its place.

Q. I can’t see any filters. Where did they go?

A. Go to the Preferences option in the upper right side and check to see that the box next to Advanced Geographic Filters is checked.

Q. I can’t see the basemap.

A. GloVis uses OpenStreetMap for its basemap. If you cannot see the map, please check to see if there are any restrictions in your country that may be preventing access.

Q. I am on a federal computer and I cannot get GloVis to work in Internet Explorer.

A. Check to see that compatibility mode is turned off. Click the gear in the upper right to open the Options menu. Select Compatibility View settings and make sure the box next to “Display intranet sites in Compatibility View” is unchecked.

Q. I tried to export my scene list and got a *.gv file. How does this work?

A. The Export Scenes tool is a way to save scenes from your current session so you can import them into a new session later.

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GloVis Release Notes

September 2018
Significant Changes:

• Switched dynamically generated coverage layers (based on filters) to static coverage layers for improved performance

August 2018
Significant Changes:

• Applied new required USGS VisID to GloVis.usgs.gov

July 2018
Significant Changes:

• Hosted ASTER L1T Overlays - Completed population
• SRTM Void Filled Level 2 added to the list of available datasets

May 2018
Significant Changes:

• Added Download Queue Integration code to improve downloads times.
• Incorporated changes in metadata to accommodate for the switch to Landsat Multi-Mission datasets.

December 27, 2017 – GloVis 1.2 Release Notes
Significant Changes:

• A new Landing Page highlights new features and allows the user to launch in full-screen or normal
• The Interface Controls sidebar has been adjusted to be in a static position on the screen, so data will not be covered by it. The crosshair has been centralized to better fit in the viewing window.
• Users can now Jump to a Scene ID directly under the map pin button icon in the upper right.
• The Scene Navigator box formerly in the lower right hand corner has evolved into a timeline control panel for easier manipulation of the data
• The Timeline Tool works in co-discovery mode to compare the range in coverage between the data sets
• A list of Keyboard Shortcuts can be found under the gear icon by clicking View Shortcuts

May 15, 2017 - GloVis Next 1.1.1 Release Notes
Significant changes:

• The display for the map can be changed to Full Screen mode by enabling the Full Screen mode icon in the upper right corner of the map.
• The Default Data Set option is added to the General Preferences section. Default Data Set determines which data sets to use when first loading GloVis Next.
• When the Predefined Layers is enabled, the Configure Layer Icon is added allowing a displays option to position the system and user defined WMS layers above or below the scene imagery.

March 15, 2017 - GloVis Next 1.1 Release Notes
Significant changes:

• The default display mode includes a Map Center Point crosshair icon, and the display only shows scenes that intersect that point. This should make previous/next temporal navigation more like classic GloVis functionality. To restore GloVis 1.0 functionality, log in and update General Preferences to enable Advanced Geographic Filters.
• The default display mode allows only one data set to be selected. Limiting the number of data sets improves the display speed. To select several data sets at once, log in and update General Preferences to enable Co-discovery Mode. You may also want to increase the number of Rolling Browse that show before and after the date of the current scene.
• Landsat 8 is here! The Landsat team continues to process Landsat 8 data to Collection 1 standards, which means the data set is incomplete, but we encourage users to utilize Landsat Collection 1 data. Please see https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/nli/landsat/landsat-8 for more information.
• Download scenes directly from the Selected Scenes panel across the top or the Scene Navigation panel in the lower right.
• The Selected Scenes list has moved slightly, to a drop-down panel across the top of the map view area.

The site includes many improvements in the speed of the display and elimination of expired session errors. Please use the Feedback link in the black bar at the top of the page to report errors or provide other feedback on the site.

Tip: for users who would like to upload a KML or Shapefile, apply a WMS layer, draw a reference polygon, or add a point marker with a label, those features are available in the Reference Layers panel of the Interface Controls. Don't see the Reference Layers panel? In your Preferences, under General Preferences, enable the Reference Layer Panel.

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