Get the Geometry, Don't Get the Point[s]

The Photo Scene Editor allows you to export a photo scene as a DWG. The content of the DWG is actually a collection of many, many individual points. Version 1.1 of the Photo Scene Editor does not use the AutoCAD point cloud object. Although we may update it to do so in a future release, point clouds are really just a means to an end. The low density collection of points are used by Project Photofly to compute the locations of the cameras in the 3D scene.

In the event that you do use the points in a DWG created by the Photo Scene Editor, the PDMODE system variable may be of interest.

Online AutoCAD help: POINT

Using Kyle Krewson's Mather Mansion, as an example, here is what it looks like with PDMODE=2 which is the default.

When I set PDMODE=0, I get something that is a smoother approximation of the structure of the mansion.

So although the PDMODE system variable is at your disposal, our thinking is that:

1. You upload photos to the Project Photofly server using the Photo Scene Editor.
2. You use the Photo Scene Editor to view the photo scene returned by Project Photofly.
3. You use the Photo Scene Editor to add reference geometry to the photo scene by drawing lines and taking measurements against the photos (not the points) in the scene.
4. You use the Photo Scene Editor to export to DWG.
5. You load the DWG into AutoCAD (or another design application) and continue with your project based on the reference geometry you created in step 3 instead of the point cloud points.

I hope you get my point.

Download the Photo Scene Editor to model for yourself using photos

Image-based modeling is alive in the lab.