Unexpected application of Pscan

[George]

I have an area for which I need to accomplish a modified 3D model at SketchUp and export it to PDF.
The problem is that I don't have an aerial imagery and 3D model produced but I do have a LIDAR point cloud and good enough ortho.
Seems like its the solution ... but NO!
Having ArcScene I easily produced triangulated model and exported it to .WRL format. At that stage Blender software could have been of a help but it failed - the area turned to be that big that the file exported to .3ds did not appear correctly at SketchUP and Collada file just crashed SketchUp each time I imported one.
The solution turned to be very intelligent.
Blender can export to .ply or .obj, which can be imported to Pscan.
I simply opened a ready project and Imported mesh in .ply then immediately exported 3D model to .3ds and got a perfect display at SketchUp.
That's it.
Now I wish Pscan could enable the function of Mesh Importing at any stage of post-processing - even at the very first (prior to Alignment).

[GPC]

Can you explain this process to me? I have a massive PLY that seems to be all points, I'd like to import it in to pscan pro but can't figure out the process.

[Wishgranter]

cs you must have already some model in pscan, generate lowest res and then import MESH data..... Alexey, work it with pointclouds too ??

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello,

PhotoScan doesn't support point cloud import (except importing in bundler format with cameras).

[GPC]

cs you must have already some model in pscan, generate lowest res and then import MESH data.....

I did this, and imported the mesh.. it takes a long time and when complete, there is nothing to see.  I wonder if this is due to the coordinate system? What coordinate system should I choose when I import? The project has ground control already set.. but I don't know if the PLY has a system set. Wishgranter, do you know what I should use for our project?

[George]

It may concern a video card issues. Coordinate system (from my experience) any or local.
Try exporting it to any format to check if you were correct.

[GPC]

I originally created the project in PSCAN, I set up the control in UTM17N and did a low camera alignment. Ground points are entered in to PSCAN. The imagery was huge so I sent the project file to Wishgranter for final mesh generation. He generated the PLY in PSCAN and sent it back to me, several giagabytes.

I'm now trying to import the PLY back into my PSCAN, but it doesn't seem to work. Every time I import it the points do not appear, all I see are camera positions and the bounding box.

I've tried to import the PLY as local coordinates (nothing shows), UTM17N (nothing shows).. I don't know what the correct option is to select when importing. Any help would be appreciated.

[Wishgranter]

Pscan is not for editing PClouds, just standard few things with mesh.. read the email please.....

[GPC]

I know PSCAN is not for editing point clouds, this is not my intent. PSCAN has a method for importing PLY files, I cannot get it to work. There must be instructions but the correct procedure is unclear.

I wish to view point cloud and create mesh in PSCAN, how is this done?

[FoodMan]

dunno, maybe that helps..

http://meshlabstuff.blogspot.com/2009/09/meshing-point-clouds.html

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello cs,

When importing georeferenced model you need to select the models coordinate system in the Import Mesh dialog. And chunk should be referenced (preferably in the same coordinate system).

[scanlab.ca]

Also, don't forget that George mentioned that he converted his pointcloud to a triangulated mesh using ArcScene before importing it int PScan.

[George]

exactly!

SketchUp eats only triangulated stuff so it had been done prior to all the conversions

[GPC]

What format did you use to import the point data into arcscene?

Looks like arcscene supports 3ds, skp, and wrl.

[George]

It was LAS data set tool and file extention .las
Actually, I also used LAStool to convert .las into DEM raster