Troubleshooting
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      2D/3D output is missing / functionality is not available - PIX4Dcloud

       

      This article serves as a troubleshooter for cases when an output is missing from the 2D/3D view or when a functionality is not enabled on PIX4Dcloud / PIX4Dcloud Advanced.

      IN THIS ARTICLE

      The missing output is:

      Orthomosaic and/or DSM
      Index Map (NDVI)
      Point cloud
      3D Textured Mesh

      The unavailable functionality is:

      3D view
      Project view
      Virtual inspector
      Elevation profile
      Volume calculation
      Timeline / Cannot add a dataset to a site

      Orthomosaic and/or DSM

      • Error description 1: After uploading from PIX4Dmapper for processing, the Orthomosaic and/or DSM are not displayed in the 2D view. In the Files > Results section the DSM and/or Orthomosaic show the EMPTY status.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          The correct output format was not selected before uploading.

          1. In PIX4Dmapper, re-open the project. On the menu bar, click Process > Processing Options...
          2. Select the processing step 3. DSM, Orthomosaic and Index.
          3. Mark the checkbox corresponding to Step 3. DSM, Orthomosaic and Index.
          4. Select the tab DSM and Orthomosaic.
          5. Check the GeoTIFF box for the desired output. The Merge Tiles box does not matter.
          For more information: Menu Process > Processing Options... > 3. DSM, Orthomosaic and Index > DSM and Orthomosaic.
          6. Re-upload the project to PIX4Dcloud.

      • Error description 2: The Orthomosaic and/or DSM are not displayed in the 2D view. The Orthomosaic layer has a warning message "This layer can't be displayed". In the Files > Results section, the Orthomosaic and/or DSM show the PROCESSED status. They can be considered having a significant size and/or a complex geometry.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          This error is expected for outputs having a significant size and/or a complex geometry. In this case, the tiling process failed, meaning that the generated 2D output could not be split into smaller web maps (tiles) for several zoom levels and, for this reason, the output cannot be displayed. The output has been generated and indeed it can be downloaded from the Results page, but the file is too big to be displayed on the 2D view of PIX4Dcloud.

          So far, these are the variables that seem to be impacting the tile generation speed:

          • The significant size of the file (large surface and/or high resolution, a large number of points).
          • The complex geographic transformation from the project coordinate system to WGS84 that is used on web maps.
          • Corridor projects.
          • The multiple-block project, with no homogeneous tiles.

          Some proposed solutions:

          • The resolution of the output file can be reduced.
          • The file can be split into multiple parts with some third-party software and then uploaded again in different separate projects on PIX4Dcloud.
          • The file can be replaced with a smaller one.
          • A processing area can be defined in PIX4Dmapper before uploading the project to PIX4Dcloud for processing.

          There is no precise file dimension that prevents the failure of the tiling process as this depends on different factors among which the number of the images, the image content and texture, the complexity of the geometry of the model, the geographic transformations, etc.

      Index Map (NDVI)

      • Error description 1: After uploading from PIX4Dmapper for processing, the NDVI is not displayed in the 2D view. In the Files > Results section the NDVI shows the EMPTY status.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          The correct output format was not selected before uploading.

          1. In PIX4Dmapper, re-open the project. On the menu bar, click Process > Processing Options...
          2. Select the processing step 3. DSM, Orthomosaic and Index.
          3. Mark the checkbox corresponding to Step 3. DSM, Orthomosaic and Index.
          4. Select the tab Index Calculator.
          5. Under Reflectance Map, check the GeoTIFF box to generate the Reflectance Maps. The Merge Tiles box does not matter.
          6. Check the box of the NDVI formula to generate the NDVI Index Map.
          For more information: Menu Process > Processing Options... > 3. DSM, Orthomosaic and Index > Index Calculator.
          7. Re-upload the project to PIX4Dcloud.

      Point cloud

      • Error description 1: After uploading from PIX4Dmapper for processing, the Point Cloud is not displayed in the 3D view. In the Files > Results section the Point Cloud shows the EMPTY status.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          The correct output format was not selected before uploading.

          1. In PIX4Dmapper, re-open the project. On the menu bar, click Process > Processing Options...
          2. Select the processing step 2. Point Cloud and Mesh.
          3. Mark the checkbox corresponding to Step 2. Point Cloud and Mesh.
          4. Select the tab Point Cloud.
          5. Check the LAS box.
          For more information: Menu Process > Processing Options... > 2. Point Cloud and Mesh > Point Cloud.
          6. Re-upload the project to PIX4Dcloud.

      • Error description 2: After uploading the file as a result, the Point Cloud is partially displayed. Multiple LAS tile files were generated locally and uploaded.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          Only one LAS file can be uploaded as a result to PIX4Dcloud.

          What is happening is that PIX4Dcloud is only able to load one file at a time, so it's choosing to display one tile only.

          Check How to merge the Tiles of the Point Cloud to merge the tiles that were created in PIX4Dmapper and then upload the merged LAS file or use some third-party software to merge the tiles.

      • Error description 3: After a point cloud is uploaded from PIX4Dmatic, PIX4Dsurvey or directly uploaded to PIX4Dcloud generated in other third-party software.
        • Cause / How to solve:
          The point cloud is too large to be supported by PIX4Dcloud, especially if it exceeds 1GB.

          Downsample the file with third-party software and then re-import the simplified version into the PIX4Dcloud project.

      3D Textured Mesh

      • Error description 1: After uploading from PIX4Dmapper for processing, the 3D Textured Mesh is not displayed in the 3D view. In the Files > Results section the Mesh OBJ shows the EMPTY status.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          The correct output format was not selected before uploading.

          1. In PIX4Dmapper, re-open the project. On the menu bar, click Process > Processing Options...
          2. Select the processing step 2. Point Cloud and Mesh.
          3. Mark the checkbox corresponding to Step 2. Point Cloud and Mesh.
          4. Select the tab 3D Textured Mesh.
          5. Check the box Generate 3D Textured Mesh.
          6. Check the OBJ box.
          For more information: Menu Process > Processing Options... > 2. Point Cloud and Mesh > 3D Textured Mesh.
          7. Re-upload the project to PIX4Dcloud.

      • Error description 2: The 3D view doesn't render the Mesh file, and the OBJ 3D Textured Mesh exceeds 1 GB.
        • Cause / How to solve: PIX4Dcloud supports visualizing OBJ Mesh files that are smaller than 1 GB. Ensure that the OBJ 3D Textured Mesh is smaller than 1 GB before uploading it to PIX4Dcloud.
      • Error description 3: The 3D view doesn't render the Mesh file, and the JPG Texture file exceeds 16384 x 16384 pixels.
        • Cause / How to solve:  PIX4Dcloud supports 3D Textured Mesh files having a JPG texture image that is at maximum 16384 x 16384 pixels. Please ensure that your JPG Texture file is smaller than this size before uploading it to PIX4Dcloud.

      3D view

      • Error description 1: The Point Cloud and 3D Textured Mesh are uploaded as results and the 3D view has visualization issues.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          The issue is due to the merged viewer/editor that displays the non-georeferenced 3D Mesh and the georeferenced Point Cloud together. The mesh (.obj, .jpg and .mtl) uploaded as a result to the Cloud is indeed not georeferenced. However, there is an option for georeferencing the uploaded mesh:

          1. In the project, go to Files > Results.
          2. In the Mesh OBJ section, click Replace Files.
          3. Browse the project_name_offset.xyz file that can be found in the ..\1_initial\params folder. Select the file and click Open.
          4. Drag and drop the files of the mesh (.obj, .jpg and .mtl) into the uploader.

          Alternatively, copy the project_name_offset.xyz file into the folder ..\2_densification\3d_mesh, then drag and drop the four .obj, .jpg, .mtl and .xyz files into the Mesh OBJ section.

      • Error description 2: The 3D view doesn't render.
        • Cause / How ti solve: It is necessary that the web browser application supports optimized WebGL for rendering 3D graphics. This is a known issue for some iOS devices. For more information: ArcGIS help, Sketchfab help.

      Project view

      • Error description 1: 

        The project files were uploaded from PIX4Dmapper without selecting Start processing. Then, from the Files > Results section of the project, the results were uploaded.

        The project status is UPLOADED, the UI contains no layers.

        • Cause / How to solve: 

          In this way PIX4Dcloud receives both the images and the p4d file for the (photogrammetric) processing but also the results that need to be web-optimized to be displayed. The result of this workflow is that the status of the project is stuck because the app is not able to decide whether it should start processing the images or the results.

          If the goal is to upload the results without any processing, the p4d file and the images are of no use and should not be uploaded to PIX4Dcloud.

          Upload the results creating a new dataset, as explained here.

      • Error description 2: 

        The project files were uploaded from PIX4Dmapper for processing.

        The project status is PROCESSED, the UI contains no layers.

      Virtual inspector

      • Error description 1: When selecting the Inspect tool, the following message appears on the right panel: "The Virtual Inspector is not available. Make sure the project was processed in the cloud"
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          The Virtual Inspector is only available under these conditions:

          • The project has been processed on PIX4Dcloud.
          • The point cloud or/and the 3D textured mesh must have been generated on PIX4Dcloud, meaning the Virtual Inspector cannot be used on outputs that were uploaded to PIX4Dcloud.
          • The project images were not captured using a fisheye lens camera (e.g. Bebop 2, GoPro).
          • For projects uploaded from PIX4Dmapper for processing, ensure the box Camera Internals and Externals, AAT, BBA is checked (default) in Process > Processing Options... > 1. Initial Processing > Calibration.

      Elevation profile

      • Error description 1: The elevation profile is missing / doesn't work.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          One of these might be the reason:

          • No DSM is available.
          • The project results can be shared using the Share button in the upper-right corner. All the content of the 2D or 3D view together with the annotations are shared except the elevation profile, which has to be re-triggered every time.
          • If the 3D Mesh is uploaded as a result without the offset file, it is not georeferenced. The elevation profile generated on this output will not be available.
          • Once the project has been uploaded for processing or the results uploaded to PIX4Dcloud and one output is replaced with a new one with a different coordinate system than the project's one, the elevation profile is not available if generated on that replaced output.

      Volume calculation

      • Error description 1: There is an error calculating the volume.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          The occurrence of one of the following conditions prevents the volumes from being calculated:

          • No DSM is available
          • The 3D Mesh is uploaded as a result without the offset file and the volume is calculated on the 3D Mesh (the base surfaces that are being drawn on the mesh do not intersect any valid region of the DSM)
          • The coordinate system used is not one of those recognized as valid
          • The coordinate system is arbitrary

      Timeline / Cannot add a dataset to a site

      • Error description 1: The timeline is not displayed at the top of the project / I cannot add a CAD overlay / I cannot add a dataset from inside my project.
        • Cause / How to solve: 

          The dataset is not assigned to a site yet.

          Assign the dataset to a site first. Then, the timeline and the Add dataset option will appear in the project view.

      Design overlay

      • Error description 1:  DXF is not visible in 2D viewer.