I mentioned in previous posts, CDB brings database developers flexibility in creating content that will be used in multiple environments from a single repository as well as only dealing in open source formats instead of dealing with information compiled in proprietary formats.
For STAGE, this new format is first supported with a World-Wide database that gets shipped with the product and that lets users create scenarios anywhere in the world within seconds. When the level of detail presented in the World database is not enough for your simulation, users can turn to the new CDBgen command-line utility. Similar in functionality to the legacy Genmap tool, CDBgen allows users to import imagery and elevation data and organize this information in a CDB repository. Specifically, CDBgen accepts imagery in GeoTIFF format (WGS84 and Geographic earth models) and Elevation data in DTED Levels 0, 1 and 2 format. Once a CDB has been created, users can point to the new database using the CDB Configuration tool that is provided with STAGE 6.0 and use the map data to create a new exercise.
When even more precision is necessary, getting down to the creation of roads, buildings, rivers and other high-fidelity details, Terra Vista can import an existing CDB database and use it as a starting point to create an enhanced data set. In addition to creating more interesting terrain, Terra Vista has the added benefit of being able to produce correlated outputs to multiple databases format, which might be a necessity for a larger simulation environment involving applications other than STAGE.
You can find more information on CDBgen in Appendix D of the STAGE User's Guide.
