Best workflow between Desktop and Online?

PIX4Dmapper PIX4Dmapper Questions/Troubleshooting
1

Hi, im trying to understand wich is the best workflow between Desktop processing and online.

I,ve uploaded files to the cloud, processed them, but need to do lots of corrections, (like changing procesing area, retouching 3d holes, adding GCP) So I downloaded the project so i can begin retouching.

My questions are;

a) After I do all the enhacements on the Desktop version, will be my project be updated with all this new corrections? or a whole new project will appear?

b) Why do I have to re-upload the images, if they are already online? its a lot of time and the desktop version doesnt allow me to bypass this.

c) What happens when i have a finished projected done in the Desktop, how can I upload it with out proccesing so it shows in the timeline for my client to see it? I dont want the default templates from the Online to interfere with my own corrections.

Thank you very much for your hard work.

2

Hello Kevin,

 

Thank you for your interest in Pix4D Desktop and Cloud. Our goal is having an optimal integration between the two platforms that will allow users to benefit from the best features of both. However, we’re still working on it and improvements to make the Desktop - Cloud workflow smoother will be released regularly during this year.

 

Going back to your questions:

 

a) It really depends on the enhancements you want to be applied to the project you’re uploading to the cloud, I’ll try to go through all of them singularly:

 

  • Processing area: YES , the processing area you define in your project with Pix4D Desktop will be honoured also for the Cloud processing. Those regions that you excluded from the processing area in the Desktop software will be excluded also during the cloud processing.

 

More information on how the processing area can be used on the Cloud here: 215858503

 

  • GCPs: YES , if you’re adding GCPs to your project with Pix4D Desktop and you upload it to the Cloud, they will be used for the cloud processing and will affect the quality of your cloud project. The easiest way is to process step 1 locally on your computer and to add the GCPs, after you’re done, upload your project to the cloud.

 

Follow this steps to process with GCPs on the cloud:

  1. Run step 1. Initial Processing.

  2. Import and mark GCPs.

  3. Reoptimize the project.

  4. Select steps 1, 2, and 3 and upload your project to the cloud.

 

More info about using GCPs on the Cloud here: 215858503

 

  • Retouching 3D holes: NO , point cloud and mesh editing that has been done using Pix4D Desktop won’t be applied to the project after it has been processed in the Cloud.

 

b) At the moment, uploading your images to the Cloud is required every time you submit (or re-submit) a project for cloud processing.

 

c) GCPs, processing area and processing settings you define in Pix4D Desktop will be taken into account for the cloud processing and they will reflect the quality of the output your clients will see in their cloud timeline. However, manual corrections (e.g. point cloud cleaning, mesh improvements) you have done using Pix4D Desktop before uploading your project won’t be available on the Cloud.

 

So, as a general rule, remember that at the moment when you’re uploading a project to the Cloud from Pix4D Desktop, it’s going to be fully processed. Settings and enhancements that are stored in the .p4d  (e.g. processing settings, GCPs, and processing area) will be taken into account during the cloud processing but you’re going to lose all the eventual manual edits you did to your mesh or point cloud.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Have a great day

 

Mattia