Topics

1

General / What is best practice if final mesh has unwanted surroundings next to it ?

« on: September 22, 2022, 04:24:20 PM »

Hi,
metashape 1.8.2
I had 20 mins to photo something I had planned for 40 mins at. Even so what I have is good and perhaps enough to model from in CAD.

I have aligned photos in Photoscan, as metashape rejected 19 of them. (it most often fails on quite a few, photoscan never fails), imported the project then to Metashape 1.8.2
deleted most of the scene which was background and unwanted.
I also removed the unwanted points visible in the open parts of the object, an old window frame without glass.
next step I chose was create mesh from depth maps, skipping the Dense Point Cloud stage, its better at detail and quicker.
Result sees some background next to the item I wish to remove., also the items visible through the window frame despite deleting those points has been modelled !

Should I delete the unwanted mesh adjacent and touching the window frame then run make mesh, but surely that will look at same data source and put back in those bits.

What are the exact steps to get rid of parts I can only see when mesh is made, and not have them reoccur ?

Cheers

Steve003

2

General / which buttons to turn on or off to view result merge chunks ?

« on: August 14, 2022, 01:14:47 AM »

Hi,

Is the result of 'merge chunks' to be viewed with the 'show aligned chunks' button on or off ?

see results attached.

following agisoft article 'manual chunk alignment'.
I have added chunk, turned on 'show aligned chunks' *layered blue icon far right of toolbar.
I see both chunks.
I had to scale down by 30% one to match size of other, rotate and align them and then one sat within the other with bits of newspaper and a shadow edge visible .
I ran merge chunks selecting 'model' (as I had made model from depth maps), not used dense point cloud at all.

result looks like the view just before I ran merge chunks !
I turn off the 'show aligned chunks' and double click 3d model in chunk 1, then look at chunk 2, and by doing a screen grab in photoshop I see no change in these two when viewing merged chunk, the messy face of chunk 2 is still there, it didnt take the better face of chunk 1. it didnt remove the newspaper,

Is the result to be viewed with the 'show aligned chunks' on or off ?

Its not taken the best of both, it probably doesnt know whats best, having no eyes as such. However its impossible to delete out the bad bits as the tool doesnt seem to have a limiter for mesh face nearest 'me' see other post.
I dont even see any movement in the meshes as I compare those photoshop screen grabs.

Steve003

3

General / What method to limit deletion to mesh face nearest me ?

« on: August 14, 2022, 12:29:53 AM »

Hi,
a square section W shape tube.
photos set1 lying on its side for its underside , side and topside, set 2 standing upright for its 2 sides and top.
set 1 will provide the underside for set 2.

merge chunks, set 1 sees an edge with shadow and remains of newspaper, I delete the mesh BUT it is not limited to the side nearest me, however much I try to move it around my selection is seen as also being on the far face.

see attached. when I moved the object I saw the far wall had been pinked up as well !

How do we select polys on the object face 'nearest me' ?

Basic need but I fear it doesnt exist in which case in any stage of the operation, its impossible to remove the meshes that are not required and may mess up the merge chunks.

please tell me we have a way to delete on face nearest us as we will all come across this problem.

Is there a better program that can do all this bringing chinks together and editing parts away that are not needed  ? The scale tool is atrocious, 2D rotate of a chunk , no tool does that, taken ages to keep my ortho correct chunks as they were .

Is there a better prog for bringing chunks together ?

Steve003

4

General / How does one set the scaling start point of the model resize tool ?

« on: August 13, 2022, 11:40:02 PM »

Hi,
How does one use the scale tool, placing the start point of the scale where its needed and then I presume its a drag operation.

I have two chunks open , same item one is 30% size of other, I select the 'scale model' tool (one of the drop down along with move model, rotate model.)
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH SETTING A MODEL SCALE, which would be useful but I cannot find that anywhere (Standard).

I have my two items with their ends together and wish to place origin of scaling at that end and make the one same length as the other.

I click to place the origin for the scale and the model grows larger, an orange line goes from my click to a square dot somewhere on its top, not at any sensible location.

I never put that dot there.

FURTHERMORE ITS GONE MASSIVE, I CANT TELL WHICH MODEL I JUST WRECKED, THERE IS NO EDIT UNDO ON RESIZING THE MODEL,  >:(WHY NOT ? I AM FORCED TO CLOSE THE PROJECT, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, WHY NO EDIT UNDO ON ENLARGING THE MODEL ?

Start again..
I try to find a way of resiting that dot which is the origin, I fail,

I google scale tool, fail, its all about setting a scale such as 1:10 or 1:1 etc....slaps face.
try to find tutorial...fail
click on help at top of screen..select search tab, type scale,,,no topics found.
contents then, find the page showing tools, it just shows the tool, nothing about it at all.

OMG..it shouldnt be this tough, its a scale tool, normally intuitive.

and I am defeated.

How does one use the scale tool, placing the start point of the scale where its needed and then I presume its a drag operation.

Steve003

5

General / help search facility says no topics found even on things that should be there.

« on: August 13, 2022, 11:09:17 PM »

Hi,
 I call up the help from top of Agisoft menu bar, I click the search tab, I type in scale and get nothing found, i type in a word i see on page 1, and get nothing found.

I type in point, no topics found, i click list topics, no topics found.


Aaaaaaaaargh !

I have yet to get it to find things I know are existing in agisoft, such as cloud or dense point cloud or depth or, and so on etc.

how are we supposed to use this help search facility ?

we have a program with no functional help function. Thats not good at all.

Steve003

6

General / Should two chunks see a massive size difference of same object ?

« on: August 13, 2022, 06:32:31 PM »

Hi,
I have several photo sets of the same object, taken at same time, same camera, same focal length, same lighting same everything !
one its on its side, set 1, set 2 its upright.
each has been modelled in metashape 1.8.2 in same day. using same ultra high settings, all from depth maps. (align photos then mesh from depth maps, delete base newspaper then build texture, yes I know texture was a waste of time as merge chunks does that, but I wanted to see it looking nice !)

I try for merge chunk, file append, select chunk, show aligned chunks, with them touching each other, one is 30% the size of the other, is that normal ?

I didnt expect to have to scale up the model so much.

That just doesnt seem right at all. Surely agisoft makes models roughly the same size if they are filling the photo .

Steve003

7

General / one chunk from multiple photo sets tutorial what if background changes though ?

« on: August 13, 2022, 05:58:59 PM »

Hi,
https://agisoft.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/31000155265-how-to-build-a-complete-360-degree-model-of-an-object

great tutorial on using multiple photo sessions of different sides of an object and combining into one chunk for better results, but how is this done if the camera was moved round the object then the object turned upside down and another photo session done, then another of a related part that had broken off.

Steve003

8

General / Agisoft article says make DensePointCloud even if use DepthMaps for Mesh Build.

« on: August 13, 2022, 05:20:21 PM »

Hi,
The tutorial on the basic steps of metashape at:-
https://agisoft.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/31000152092
(see attached)
Has the user doing:-
1. Align Photos
2. Make a Dense Point Cloud, remove points unwanted with delete tools.

3. Build mesh
AFTER THE DENSE POINT CLOUD IS MADE, it says a choice then exists, use either Dense Point Cloud or Depth maps.
Depth maps supports GPU acceleration (GPU being the video processor) and provides better results for minor details.
It then shows the panel and settings for the depth map approach.

Then the confusing bit, it says IF AT THE PREVIOUS STAGE DEPTH MAPS WERE BUILT AND SAVED IN PROJECT, WE RECOMMEND USING THE PARAMETER - ‘REUSE DEPTH MAPS’

Click OK to start the build.

I bring our attention to:-
AFTER THE DENSE POINT CLOUD IS MADE, it says a choice then exists, use either Dense Point Cloud or Depth maps.

As I wish to get better detail, exactly what are the steps I should be following ? It seems one has to make dense point cloud then save depth maps then make mesh using depth maps and choose reuse them !  Where is this option to save depth maps in the Dense Point Cloud build ?

conflicts with advice :- after align photos skip DensePoint Cloud, as its slow and if using depth maps you don’t need the Dense Point Cloud !
I like speed and detail, so why are we being told to go via Dense Point Cloud here ?

I am now puzzled, I have been aligning photos then choosing build mesh use depth maps.

Am I doing wrong ?

it even goes on to say:-
If after the previous stage – Depth maps were built and save in project, we recommend using the parameter – Reuse Depth maps. It shows the Build mesh panel with depth maps selected and reuse depth maps ticked.

so again its saying make the dense point cloud then save the depth maps, I wasn’t aware one had an option to save or not to save the depth maps.

my method by not making Dense point cloud wont be making depth maps and then seeing an option to save them or not it appears.

I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED NOW. just done 9 models my way.

As I wish to get better detail, exactly what are the steps I should be following ?

Steve003

9

General / Variable density of polygons to suit surface complexity..how ?

« on: August 12, 2022, 10:10:50 PM »

Hi,
It strikes me that its wrong to choose ultra high to get the detail of items that sit on an otherwise smooth or slightly undulating surfaces. Take a vintage tractor, many smooth areas such as bonnet, sides, wheel hubs and rims, tyre sides (except for the lettering) cab structure, etc, with fasteners, wiring, and more detailed components showing lower on the sides, tread, axle joints etc.

How can one choose a setting to see a low poly count get used on smooth and a high poly count on detail.

I choose ultra high and get far more than I need, decimate attacks ALL polys and I lose the detail.

This is a fundamental need of the entire process and world of meshes AND EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

How is this achieved, as I take the mesh into Rhino3D and its like wading through molasses, hellishly slow, when most of it doesnt need that density at all.

At times unworkable due to the speed hit, all for the detail parts I need on that tractor for example and I am looking at areas with far to many polys for what they need.

I dont see vids on this, everyone is doing rocks and aerial photos and fossils it seems.

Steve003

10

General / unable to see the thread I just replied to

« on: August 12, 2022, 03:22:44 PM »

https://www.agisoft.com/forum/index.php?topic=8012.0

I replied to this yet its not visible under general>masking which is the address is shows whilst doing so.

I expect to see a post called masking in the general section but nothing shows.

so as such no one especially Alexey will see it.

having thousands of views it was proving useful especially awaiting the answers.

Steve003

11

General / Should poor areas be trimmed off each chunk before merge chunks ?

« on: August 11, 2022, 10:34:39 PM »

Hi,
we all know those areas that look like the base board has a snow drift up to the model, covered in texture thats gone blurred.

I have a metal object photographed on a table. laid on its side then standing upright, so  have two chunks 1. top and sides, 2. underside and sides,

can I just go ahead and merge chunks, after first bringing them into the relationship they are, which in effect will see them intertwined with each other, and expect merge chunks to remove the not so good bits, or do I have to trim off the parts the other chunk will provide and repeat such trimming on the second chunk ?

What is the correct way ?

Steve003

12

General / when using mesh from depth maps deleted areas reappear

« on: August 11, 2022, 10:26:24 PM »

Hi,
Metashape 1.8.2
I like to tidy up the model, when after align photos I delete the base its sitting on for example, currently a newspaper is my victim !
I am using mesh from Depth maps to see if its better, HOWEVER the base (newspaper) keeps reappearing.

It is NOT POSSIBLE to delete an unwanted base a model sits on, when using workflow ' mesh from depth maps' is my conclusion.

Am I right ?

surely we dont want that tedious time spent erasing up to the model to be wasted,  what is the solution to this ?

Steve003

13

General / merge chunks does it work without dense point clouds ?

« on: August 10, 2022, 12:37:03 AM »

Hi,
http://www.re3dan.com/combiningchunks
says merge chunks uses dense point clouds, however making mesh from depth maps gives finer detail so an article proves, and agisoft has that ability after align photos one can choose build mesh source depth maps. skipping dense PointCloud making.

However if the project involves merge chunks, such merge CANNOT THEN WORK as the article above shows merge needs dense point clouds instead !

... then I find an Agisoft article which sheds some light on it.

https://agisoft.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/31000157701-manual-chunk-alignment-standard-edition-
which shows a choice of choosing dense point OR model OR depth maps.
so one needs such for BOTH chunks, either make a model from the dense point cloud and combine it with the model from the mesh from Dense Point cloud, or go and make a dense point cloud after having made the mesh ! more time and can one do that ?

so if merge chunk using mesh option, mesh from depth map will need a mesh making from the dense point cloud before merge chunk can be made.

or there is the depth map option which exists after align and before mesh is made, would that be as good ?

With that option though, how can one align the chunks when there is nothing model wise to rotate and place with the other chunk ?

surely a mesh or DPC is needed to view both and place together, such as in the tutorial I found on thee statue and stately home.

Steve003

14

General / Where are the video tutorials on metashape ?

« on: August 09, 2022, 10:56:15 PM »

Hi,
Where are the video tutorials on metashape ?
Does Agisoft not have any video tutorials its made about its program, Its no use relying on youtube as the tutorials are not structured to show the different options available.
They are whatever the user fancied and often their narrative is poor, or no voice at all. Either rocks or fossils, green screen background ot uniform colour. My backgrounds are real world, whatever happens to be surrounding an object in a museum or out of doors at an event if its a vintage vehicle. No one ever seems to do such, aerial views is common.

I have just photod a metal rusty object on a table in my lounge, 400 photos or more as it was in two broken pieces. So how to deal with photos that dont align. You tube videos always have everything aligning. Most times Metashape fails, and Photoscan always aligns ALL.

Use of mesh from two options and how to do so.

Basically a walk through including masking, but not of 400 photos ! How to deal with 'reality life' situations, cluttered backgrounds. best settings etc.
I find metashape will create a model with the background, which can then be erased out, its the few photos that wont align, despite reset align and try again., and that Photoscan WILL ALIGN them. Something fundamentally wrong with Metashape.

Every prog needs a tutorial, but where are they ?

Steve

15

General / Ortho where is 2D grid and a 2D rotate tool ?

« on: August 09, 2022, 05:57:35 PM »

Hi,
Q1. why is there no grid to align to when in ortho view side views ? we have grid in top/bottom but its vital it exists in all ortho views such as side.
Its the whole purpose of ortho, yet we have nothing to align to.

Q2. Tumbling is for perspective view, precise rotation is for ortho, how do we stop 3D rotation when in 2D ortho view ?

In other words where is the ability to rotate with mouse BUT NOT TUMBLE the item in 2D view when doing so ?

Using ortho is best way to align model and region , 3D tumbling and movement is not wanted , it spoils the alignment.
One is forever undoing the messed up alignment.

Q3. Also how do we get the rotate sphere to reset to the view that gives us a coloured ring on the outer edge of it when in ortho view ?
So as to be able to pull on the red outer ring when in ortho and avoid tumbling. ?

Cheers
Steve