Build the Project, Define the Final Project Area and Check Camera Coverage

In this article:   

• Building the Project
• Defining the Final Project Area and Checking Camera Coverage
• Starting the Build

Building the Project

In this section, we finalize project preparations by setting build parameters, and then begin the build.

1. On the Home tab, in the Build group, click Build. The Build Parameters dialog is displayed. 
   Note: There are four main options in the Build Parameters dialog: 
   • The default option is set to start from "Auto" to automatically perform only the steps that are required to complete the project, and to build until "Project Output".
   • Build AT only
   • Perform a Custom build that enables you to customize build parameters such as parameters at the AT and Reconstruction tile levels, and export options.
   • Use one of the Build Presets  to automatically set the required parameters to generate the optimum output for the project’s data. 
2. Click the Build button. The New build description (Build_1) dialog is displayed.

New Build Description Dialog

3. Type “Preview Area” and then click Ok. The PhotoMesh Build Manager dialog is displayed.
4. Click the Browse button and change the Build Manager’s Working Folder path to “.\7.7.0 - Quick Start Tutorial\WorkingFolder” (full path is required), e.g., “C:\7.7.0 - Quick Start Tutorial\WorkingFolder” (the same location as the one set for the fusers).
5. Select the check boxes of all available fusers, and then click Build.

Monitoring and Checking the Results of the Build    

Note: As the build process is progressing, the 3D Window displays the interim build results and PhotoMesh Build Manager displays information about the current step and active fusers. You can also monitor progress in the Item List by selecting AT Tiles or Reconstruction Tiles in the Project Tree. The respective AT/Reconstruction tile is listed in the Item List with information about the number of photos in the tile, error status, etc. When the build is finished, you can also set the select the applicable User Status, indicating what actions still need to be performed on the tile, e.g., rebuild, editing or external retouch.

6. When the preview build is finished, the Build Finish dialog is displayed. Select the Show 3DML check box to add the 3DML to the Project Tree, and then click OK.
7. Close PhotoMesh Build Manager.

Build Finish Dialog

8. On the Home tab, in the Tiles group, click AT Tiles. The finished AT tile is displayed in the 3D Window.
9. In the 3D Window, hover anywhere on the AT tile to display the number of photos used and successfully calculated.
10. In the 3D Window, click the AT tile. The Tile tab is displayed.
11. In the Calculated Photos group, toggle on Calculated to view the photos in their calculated positions.
12. On the Tile tab, in the Original Photos group, toggle on Original to view the photos’ original positions.

Original and Calculated Photos after AT Calculation    

Note: The yellow and green pyramids symbolize the original and calculated cameras, respectively. A cuboctahedron  indicates a rotation that could not be calculated or was set to be ignored by the user.

13. On the Home tab, in the Tiles group click Reconstruction Tiles. The finished reconstruction tile is displayed in the 3D Window.
14. In the 3D Window, hover over the reconstruction tile to display the number of photos used.
15. Click the reconstruction tile. The Tile tab is displayed.
16. On the Tile tab, in the Show group, click Point Cloud. The point cloud is displayed in the 3D Window.
17. On the Tile tab, in the Show group click Model. The model is displayed in the 3D Window.
18. On the Tile tab, in the Show group click Textured Model. The textured model is displayed in the 3D Window.

Defining the Final Project Area and Checking Camera Coverage

1. On the Home tab, in the Review group click Review Mode. The Review mode is toggled off.
2. On the Home tab, in the Photos group, from the Coverage Map drop-down list select Coverage Map from Original. The original coverage map is projected on the terrain and a coverage map legend is displayed as a screen overlay. 
   Note: The coverage map is a color-coded map that indicates the directions of camera coverage in every point of the AT area. This enables you to identify which areas of the project have full coverage and which are lacking coverage, and from which directions.   

3. Toggle off the Coverage Map to hide the map.
4. On the Home tab, in the Area group, from the AT Area drop-down list, select Redraw AT Area.
5. In the 3D Window, draw an AT Area polygon around the area indicated in the figure below (Click in the required locations and right-click to finish editing the polygon).
6. On the Home tab, in the Area group, from the Reconstruction Area drop-down list toggle on the Same as AT Area check box.

Final Project Area

7. On the Home tab, in the Photos group, toggle on the Coverage Map.
8. To ensure proper coverage of the project area, check that the reconstruction area’s boundaries are within the green area of the Coverage Map, indicating “full coverage”.
9. Toggle off the Coverage Map.

Starting the Build

1. On the Home tab, in the Build group, click Build. The Build Parameters dialog is displayed. Click the Build button. The New build description (Build_2) dialog is displayed.
2. Type “Entire Area” and then click Ok. The PhotoMesh Build Manager dialog is displayed.
3. Select the check boxes of all available fusers and then click Build. 
   Note: The expected production times for a 9 gigapixel project (0.06 km² and 3 cm GSD) on an i7 10th generation, 8 core CPU, with 16 GB RAM, and a local SSD drive are as follows:
   • Approximately 20 minutes for photo preparation (207 photos)
   • 2 minutes for a single AT tile
   • 7 hours and 30 minutes for the reconstruction tiles

   The total machine time adds up to 7 hours and 55 minutes (approximately 52 minutes per gigapixel).

4. A dialog is displayed when the build is finished. Select the Show 3DML check box to add the 3DML to the Project Tree.
5. In the Project Tree, double-click the newly added 3DML to fly to it.

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