Topics

1

General / Normal map visualization in Metashape Pro

« on: June 28, 2021, 08:33:44 AM »

I've generated normal maps of archaeological objects using Metashape Pro (v. 1.6.6) and I'm unable to see any detail when viewing the normal maps in the model window.  I used the arbitrary 3D mesh processed at "ultra-high" resolution as the source for the normal maps. The normal maps appear to be completely uniform in color, with no discernible features.  I'm trying to understand if there's a problem with the normal maps themselves or if it's just a problem with the visualization of the normals in the model window.  Has anyone had a similar experience viewing normal maps generated in Metashape and/or can you suggest a reason for the absence of any detail in the visualization?

2

General / Align model axes with coordinate system

« on: October 20, 2018, 12:28:41 AM »

Is there a way to ensure that the XYZ axes in the model window are aligned exactly with the model's coordinate system?  For example, I'm working with images captured in the WGS84 coordinate system.  After aligning the images, Photoscan generates a sparse point cloud and bounding box (region) with X, Y, and Z axes that seem randomly rotated relative to the coordinate system.   I would like to fix the X and Y axes to point to true North and East, and for the Z direction to be vertical, but I haven't found a way to rotate the axes so they're aligned exactly with the WGS84 coordinates.  I can select "rotate region" to rotate the model by eye until the axes look fairly close to alignment with the coordinate system, but this is just an approximation.  How can one actually specify the axes to align exactly with WGS84 or any other coordinate system (northing & easting, local coordinates, U.S. State Planes coordinates, etc.)?

3

General / What is the effect of "edge softness" when selecting points by masks?

« on: April 18, 2017, 05:17:47 AM »

The pull-down menu for Tools>Dense Cloud>Select Points by Masks opens a window with a parameter to choose "Edge softness" using a slider to select values between 0-10.  I've tried various settings for this parameter, but I couldn't detect any obvious difference in how the points are selected using masks.  Can someone describe what effect "edge softness" is supposed to have on point selection?

Thanks

4

General / Convert NAVD88 to NGVD29 vertical datum

« on: December 07, 2016, 10:47:31 AM »

Hi,

I'm trying to convert a model with a vertical datum of NAVD88 [specifically, NAD83(HARN) /California zone 2 (ftUS) (EPSG::2871)] to a vertical datum of NGVD29 by using the "Convert" button in the Reference pane.  When I select the coordinate system [NAD27 + NGVD29 height (EPSG::7406)], I get the error message, "Unsupported vertical datum."  Any help to convert this model to NGVD29 would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Limpopo River

5

General / Workflow for topographic map

« on: January 29, 2016, 01:35:04 AM »

Could someone point me to a workflow to generate a topographic map from a DEM or polygon mesh in Photoscan Pro with, for example, 1-foot contours?

Also, are there some examples of starting points for point classification settings that are useful for various types of vegetation (ground cover, sparse desert brush, undergrowth, tree canopy, or NDVI classification), water bodies, structures, roads, etc.?

Best regards,
LR

6

Bug Reports / Menus "grayed out" and not functioning, and problems with saving projects

« on: August 09, 2014, 06:49:19 PM »

After some PS operations are completed, e.g., dense point-cloud or mesh generation, the drop-down menus are grayed out and aren't functional.  This happens intermittently, without any apparent reason.  The console generally just says the operation is completed with exit code "1."  The only way I've found that allows me to access the menus is to use the "quit" PS drop-down command, and then cancel when the pop-up menu appears asking if you want to save the project before quitting, or to use the save button.  However, if for some reason you don't want to save the result of the last operation, don't "cancel" in the middle of the save--you will likely lose your photo-alignment, point-cloud, and mesh, or render the model unreadable.

Another issue I found when working on a model stored on a portable hard drive is that if you save a project to a drive that runs out of space, PS doesn't warn you that there isn't enough space on the drive and doesn't inform you that the model hasn't saved completely.  I thought I had saved a project, but when the next operation ran out of memory and PS crashed, I had to reboot the computer.  Only then I found out that the last save wasn't completed and the project file couldn't be opened, causing a loss of three days' of work.