Combining background image on export

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering if there is a way to combine the tiles that are created by model builder before or during the export 3d model phase. Currently I use model builder and generate the terrain and image using infraworks 360. Then I import the other shapefiles I need. After this the model is ready for the next program, I export this as a .dae (only file the second program uses) with merging same texture objects off, (I do not want to turn this on, it will significantly hamper the purpose of the second program). 

After the export to a .dae the second program sorts and groups theo bjects based on texture. For infraworks this typically means just showing me the color and asking me what it is, however the background tiles are broken up by image, in 100 sqkm + maps there will be hundreds of these long listed numbers and letters of just background tiles, and then the 7 things I actually need. 

If I group based on texture, then when I export I can't differentiate separate fences, buildings, etc. I just want the entire image to be one thing so I can just call it ground without labeling hundreds of spots as ground. if I decrease the image quality significantly I can get it to use huge tiles which isn't bad for clicking, but it's back visually, i don't view this as a solution.

Any help? 

[John_DeLeeuw]

@Anonymous, you can simply split the DAE outputs, during 3D Model export, by checking Multiple Files. Then you will have seperate files for ground, fences, buildings and whatever feature class you have in your model.

Try this and let me know if this helps?

[Anonymous]

One of us misunderstands something or.

I assume your suggestion was separate the image, merge the image, then merge the .daes. I don't know if there is any program that can combine the .dae and keep the same positioning.  


Problem:

Infraworks divides the background image into tiles. These tiles can number in the hundreds. 

Process:

The next program takes a .dae file and sorts by textures. (picture included)

Non-solutions:

Decreasing the image quality

Merging textures, then you can't do something like differentiate fences. 
Multiple .dae files in the end format (Not mentioned in OP, the program takes 1 .dae, if we could combine .dae effectively and quickly this is an option)

The picture below is a small sample model so the image tiles count isn't high.


Basic solution:
Is there a way to combine the image and only the image?

[Eduardo.Soethe]

@Anonymous

Maybe this video I created can help you!

http://autode.sk/2b99DIc

And if help you, click in YES, 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Eduardo, unfortunately it's not an fbx, not 3ds max, and not really applicable to my situation! The image has no issue other than it's really 100's of tiled images. I don't want to take it into 3ds, or photoshop, or fix it, otherwise why would I even use infraworks? I can just use another program to congregate the data.

I don't mind using another program if infraworks isn't what I need, I'll just find one and tell the company this is the new process.

[John_DeLeeuw]

@Anonymous, I do have some other suggestions for you but would first like to better understand what you exactly are trying to do?

• Can you tell me what your end goal is?
• Can you tell me what 2nd program you are using?

[Anonymous]

Thank you, I appreciate your time and persistence. 

The end goal is have the entire background image be 1 item. (Or at least as little as possible without sacrificing image quality)

The second program is AVERT. When you import geometry (it can only be 1 .dae) it sorts and groups the objects by texture name. (see previous images)

The issue is that the background image can take 30 - 60 minutes just to call it all grass. Made a mistake? Customer missed something? Start again!

Originally the modelers used Maya and photoshop to take a blanket of the site, paste together all the image fragments into one image, and lay it back over the terrain (20 - 40 minutes).

If I end up having to write a python script to auto assign for us, or something else of the sort I will, I just can't imagine a world where Infraworks can't just make the background image one large item. I'd rather not manually google images every site we do I would write a python script once rather than every project spend 20 minutes combining it all. 

[John_DeLeeuw]

@Anonymous, I'm still not entirely sure on your purpose of the 3D model you would like to use in AVERT? Do you need the arial pictures from BING or not?

If you don't need the arial pictures then just draw a Coverage feature using a unique texture on top of your complete project site and export to DAE with the option of merging same textures. That will give you just one ground texture accross all of your project site and should give you only one texture to map to grass in your 2nd program.

If you actually need the arial pictures from BING and need to combine them in one large image texture then I suggest you try the following workflow using 3DS MAX:

1. Export your project to FBX and import in MAX
2. Set your render engine to Scanline renderer
3. Use @neilcooper33 his bitmap blur script to get rid of the seams between tiles
4. Then render a topview of your project site in Max to get just one image of all tiles

Like this:

Project site in InfraWorks 360:

FBX imported in 3DS Max with tiled surface:

Rendered image in high resolution of project site. (alpha channel available to use as mask)

Does this help you?

[Anonymous]

I want the image. If I didn't want the image I could just delete it, there is a color texture associated with the elevation plane. 

"I just want the entire image to be one thing"

"if I decrease the image quality significantly ... i don't view this as a solution."

"...The picture below is a small sample model so the image tiles count isn't high."

"The end goal is have the entire background image be 1 item."

A few times I reference me wanting the image. 

---

@John_DeLeeuw wrote:

@Anonymous, I'm still not entirely sure on your purpose of the 3D model you would like to use in AVERT?.

 
___

I'm having issues phrasing the following sentence. So I have a 3D model. 



As for the rest. 

Infraworks 360 generates a model, it uses Bing Maps as the default Raster creator. I want the entire image created from Bing Maps to be 1 image. Not 784 images next to each other. If I can't do this that's a shame, talk about a low hanging fruit thread! I'm not using 3DS Max, or another script, Maya, or Photoshop, or Google Maps, or Blender, or any of that. Can Infraworks combine the image? The answer is clearly no. 

In case anyone reads this thread for the same purpose I have it's a much easier suggestion to just use Google Earth Pro or various websites that will stitch high res google maps images together for you and just import that as a raster.


(I do love though how your suggestion of merging textures - which isn't even necessary for the coverage area - was still included I've said no in the majority of my posts and said no to 3DS Max before as well). If you think that's picky there are literally an infinite number of solutions to this "problem" the only question is how much time, money, and accuracy do you want to spend. I tried to be clear about the problems conditions from the onset, please feel free to point out where you were confused and I'll try better the next time I come with a question! 

[John_DeLeeuw]

@bradleyw4UT9, If you already knew about using Google Earth Pro to get your image, then why try this in InfraWorks 360? Are Bing images an advantage to you?

[Anonymous]

Infraworks uses Bing Maps. I click MODEL BUILDER and it GIVES ME AN IMAGE. Why would I bother expanding a process until it's 70 products long? There's a point of diminishing returns. The model T wasn't made in 17 factories with specialized paint mechanics. I could bring it into 3D Max and I can get a major in game design for Maya to paint a wall in a project. That's pointless. I can use google maps for every project. 20 minutes every one eventually it'll probably come down to 5 minutes? Also then I need to teach everyone how to use the process. I can write a python script to automate my task. Maybe 30 minutes once (I'm not that good at programming 🙂 Tell them to click it open when they get to the screen. If there was a solution in Infraworks, tell them to click these 3 buttons. Which would you choose for YOUR business? That being said Infraworks uses Bing Map. ["Within InfraWorks 360, the source for the Satellite Imagery is Bing Maps."] That's why I use bing maps. I click a button, one that I need to click anyways and it's done. That's the advantage, us not paying some a dollar (normally quite a bit more) a minute to play around with pictures. Moral of the Story: Infraworks can't do this (or no one here knows how). I'll go put it in the suggestions box.

[Eduardo.Soethe]

Infraworks has been designed with the purpose of image creator! It works with grids for greater speed to regenerate the model, what you want is a Big image generator without paying for it. Request on Infraworks Idea Station this application! Good luck!