Please enable JavaScript to view this site.

TerraPhoto User Guide

Navigation: Visualization Options > Creating Rendered Views and Movies > Rendered Views

TerraPhoto Rendering

Scroll Prev Top Next More

TerraPhoto Rendering

TerraPhoto is able to render vector models of objects in a CAD file. Rendered views can also include elevation models previewed in TerraModeler, images that are attached as TerraPhoto references, as well as laser data loaded in TerraScan.

Buildings and other vector models

To include buildings into rendered views, vector models of the buildings have to be created. This can be done, for example, by using the building vectorization tools in TerraScan, which enable the (half-)automatic creation of building models based on classified laser data. The resulting models consist of a roof top, roof sides, roof bottom, and walls.

However, 3D vector models of any objects that have been created by other methods can be included in TerraPhoto rendered views.

Orthophotos or other georeferenced images can be draped on 3D shapes of objects, such as building roofs or bridge surfaces. The usage of such 3D elements is defined by the Define Rendering Settings tool in the Render tools of TerraPhoto.

The walls of 3D building models can be textured by raster files. The wall textures have to be produced by the Rectify wall rasters command in TerraPhoto.

RPC cells for trees (Bentley CAD only)

An option to visualize trees in 3D scenes is the use of RPC cells. RPC cells are purchased by Archvision (www.archvision.com). These cells include texture maps of an object from different directions and angles. They can be used to render objects like trees, cars, road furniture etc. in a realistic way no matter from which direction the object is viewed.

To use RPC trees in a rendered view, cell elements have to be placed for the trees. This can be done, for example, by using the automatic tree detection tool in TerraScan, which detects trees from classified laser data. It utilizes predefined tree shapes for tree recognition in the point cloud. It places either cells or RPC cells which are both Bentley CAD cell elements. RPC cells include a link to the corresponding RPC file on a hard disk. The tree shape definitions, RPC file storage settings, and cell definitions are managed in TerraScan Settings. The default directory for RPC file storage is C:\TERRA64\RPC where TerraPhoto looks for the cells if a view is rendered.

Another possibility is to use TerraPhoto’s Place Rpc Tree tool in order to place RPC cells for trees manually based on laser and image data.

Digital elevation model

A digital elevation model (DEM) is usually the basis of 3D city or landscape models. In TerraModeler, a DEM is created from traditional survey data or from laser points of the ground and can be visualized using different methods.

An representative way to use the DEM in a rendered view is to drape orthophotos on it. The orthophotos (or any kind of other georeferenced images, e.g. maps) have to be attached as TerraPhoto references with the setting R for ‘Rendered views’ switched on. See Commands for Raster References for information about how to manage raster references in TerraPhoto. In addition, the DEM in TerraModeler has to be displayed as raster triangles, a specific display method for surface models.

Laser data

Laser points loaded in TerraScan can be included in rendered views as well. They are always rendered with the same point size and colored according to the display settings in TerraScan’s Display Mode dialog.

Use the data in rendered views

To use all the above mentioned options in a rendered view, tools from TerraPhoto (Lite), TerraModeler (Lite), and TerraScan (Lite) are required.

To create a rendered view using a DEM, vector models, and orthophotos:

1. Create a surface model using the Create Editable Model tool in TerraScan or using tools of TerraModeler.

2. Create raster triangles by using the Display Raster Triangles tool from the Display Regions tools in TerraModeler.

The raster triangles are not drawn as elements in the CAD file but only displayed temporarily. Therefore, the level set for triangle display appears to be empty in the Level Display dialog of Bentley CAD or the Layers dialog of Spatix. However, the level must be switched on in order to display the surface model in rendered views.

3. Attach raster files as TerraPhoto raster references. See commands of the File pulldown menu for a description of how to attach images in the TerraPhoto Manage Raster References window. It is essential, that the view setting R (= Render) for the reference images is switched on.

4. Switch on all CAD file levels that contain vector models of buildings, RPC cells for trees, or other objects. These objects are only included in rendered views if the level display is switched on for the respective CAD file view.

5. Attached raster references can be draped on one or more CAD file levels which consist elements like building roofs or bridge surfaces. Define such levels by using the Define Rendering Settings tool in the Render tools of TerraPhoto.

6. Select Display Rendered View tool from the Render tools in TerraPhoto.

7. Click inside the view to display the rendered view.

Rendered views are created by TerraPhoto tools Display Rendered ViewSave Rendered View, and Create Flythru Movie.

Examples

rendered_citymodel_example4

Rendered view including orthophotos draped on a DEM and building roofs, wall textures referenced on 3D building models, and RPC trees.

rendered_citymodel_example2

Rendered view without any imagery. Building models and RPC trees are displayed on top of a DEM that is colored by elevation and stored in TerraModeler.

TerraPhoto User Guide   01.01.2024   © 2024 Terrasolid Ltd