There are four panels in the application:
The three view modes allow you to explore tracks in different ways:
FREE mode provides unconstrained viewing control. You use it to explore tracks and terrain from any angle and position.
FLY-IT mode simulates the pilot's view. Selecting this mode positions the view slightly above and behind the current track position indicated in the Position panel. The view's heading is to that from the first to last positions of the segment. Moving the current position, either manually via the position slider or timed via the player controls, moves the view along the segment either forward or backwards.
The speed of timed movement can be controlled via the Speed slider. The speed indicated is not currently accurate nor even nearly so. This will be fixed. There's a problem currently that when Fly-It mode is selected the view's heading is not always set correctly. This will be fixed. Using the slider, number box or player controls will set the heading correctly.
To use Fly-It mode effectively, World Wind's normal behavior of preventing view penetration of the surface must be disabled. The control for this is labeled Subsurface. When this item is set the view will penetrate the surface if necessary as it follows the track. The SubSurface flag is automatically turned on when the view mode is set to Fly-It.
EXAMINE mode is similar to Fly-It mode but the view follows the track from the side, at any angle and distance the user desires. This is the view a chaser aircraft would have. This mode attempts to keep the view focussed on the current position while the user manipulates the view to useful perspectives.
A 'pulldown' menu in the terrain profile panel determine the terrain cross section position. The yellow line in the graphics window shows the cross section's current position. At all times the terrain profile displays the elevations of the terrain intersected by this line. The "Follow" selection can have the following values:
Profile at Screen Center places the terrain cross section constantly at the center of the view. You manipulate the globe to change the terrain measured.
Profile Under Cursor places the center of the cross section at the cursor (mouse) position. Moving the cursor moves the cross section over the globe's surface.
Profile Under Eye is meant to be used in "Fly-It" view mode described in the View Modes section above. It positions the cross section on the surface directly below the pilot, perpendicular to the current heading and centered on the current track position. The profile graph displays the cross section directly to the pilot's left and right. This terrain profile mode is not intended to be used with view modes other than Fly-It.
Profile Under Aircraft positions the cross section perpendicular to and centered on the current track at the current track position. This mode enables you to watch the cross section move along the track while in Examine or Free view modes. In Examine mode the view will follow the current track position, therefore the cross section will remain centered in the graphics window while the view moves along the current track. In Free mode the view will be stationary but the cross section will move along the track, requiring the user to continually adjust the view to keep the cross section in sight.
No Profile Turn off the cross section and terrain profile.
The terrain profile contains toggle switches to control whether the width and height of the profile graph are to the same scale, whether the graph shows elevations relative to mean sea level or the current minimum elevation along the cross section, and whether the eye point of the view should be indicated in the profile. The eye point can be shown only when the terrain profile mode is Under Object or Under Eye.
The terrain profile graph size can be set to Small, Medium or Large. Anytime, one graph or the other can be either 'minimized' - and becomes an icon, or 'maximized' - it will then fill the whole screen, by clicking on the + and - buttons in the upper right corner of each graph display.