Hi,
 
I just downloaded the IM 4 and I have to build alot of realtime environments. Normally I use 3ds max/XSi to buidl these environments. Now I want to give IM a shot to see if it can speedup the process. Normally I only get 1 image from each row of buildings so my question is if you can build models from 1 still?
 
Any help would be appreciated
 
Thanks
 
Aydin

Hello,
 
  Directly in IM, the answer is no.  IM needs 2 or more images due to its calibration engine based on feature correspondances in several images.
 
But, using antother Realviz app called SW, you can achieve quick perspective calibration. IM (version 4.0 only) imports SW files, and you can start some modeling/texturing.
 
See the example below.

Wow that looks promising. I will try to download SW and try that.
 
Thanks for the clear explanation
 
Aydin

oups....
 
SW = SceneWeaver

Hi,
 
I'm using IM 4 and have been taking a look at SW, mostly because of the Art Gourmand example file that comes with IM and that uses a file from SW as the basis for modelling the interior of a shop.  I'm interested in whether SW might help me to do previz for film and tv more effectively than just using stitcher and IM.   What I don't understand is that there are no real modelling points other than the outline of the room that are part of the art gourmand project once the file is brought into IM, and there doesn't seem to be any way of creating them since you can't get two views of any point to lay down locators (at least I don't think you can).  How was such a detailed model done without a whole bunch of modelling locators?  
 
Also once you've calibrated in SW and you bring it into IM I've experimented and found I can establish the scale by using the room locators that come from SW in one corner going from floor to ceiling.  This exports to my 3d application very nicely. So I'm assuming that if you want to establish realworld scale you would do this in IM and not SW and that you would need to have the measurement between two of the corners used in your original SW file.  Is that correct? Given I'm doing previz where I'm integrating cameras and characters,  scale is essential.  It seems to me the strength of SW as an additional tool is that it would allow me to quickly model and texture interior or exterior locations with a single image or panorama.  I'm just trying to figure out if I then lose some potential in terms of modelling or other aspects if I'm bringing the file from SW to IM rather than creating an IM file from scratch with multiple photos.  Thanks for any help.  I've just started integrating IM and stitcher into my work and am really impressed.
 
John

Hello,
 
  About locators and SW projects.
 
Note : a calibrated SW project generates 6 locators.
The first 4 locators (origin, end of X, Y, Z axis line) can be used for modeling. The two last locators have no sense for IM; you should not use them in the modeling phase.  One should delete them after loading the SW projects.
 
You cannot create new locators in that case, for the reason you told (only one shot).  
But, with the axis constraints you can reach every point in space !
Start from an existing locator, and follow the contraints to reach your destination.  I suggest to create the floor or a wall first.  When objects are created you can then stack on them.  
 
Shortcuts that are very important:
"a" : displays the axis lines under the mouse position.
"shift": lock/unlock activated constraint
"TAB": switches between axis constaints
 
Hope it helps,
 
Stef

 
Yes its better to do it in IM, as SW sets the ref distance on the perspective edge, which is not good.
Set a reference distance in IM between two locators among the first 4 locators.  
 
But, don't expect the same precision as if you would use several photographs in IM.
 
Stef

Hi Stef,
 
Thanks for your comments.  They clarify a lot for me.  I wondered about the two locators that were out in space.  For now I'll play with trying to model using the art gourmand file as I learn other aspects of IM. I can see Sceneweaver being an added tool that would help in situations where I don't have access to multiple images/panoramas.  Thanks also for the "a" key function - I missed that in my reading of the manual.
 
John