Got a new 3D scanner, models are now much more complex, AM hanging

[MAYAman]

So I got a new Shining 3D EinScan scanner and the models are much more complex, in the range of a million polys.  Very smooth and detailed and orders of magnitude larger than my old scans with the Xbox Kinect.  So I'm trying to load the 3D files (mostly scans of automotive parts I replicate) and it will initially load, say it's around 1.4 million polys and then go to 30% and never load.  I've left it for over 3 hours and it never loads, but doesn't crash.  

What is the limitation of importing OBJ or STL files to AM from the plugins utility?

Thanks!

[robcat2075]

How are you using this scan? Are you trying to edit the polygon mesh down or are you drawing new splines on top of the polygons?

[MAYAman]

The scanner software creates both an OBJ and STL file.  I'm importing those into AM to model at scale so I can model hash splines over this model.  It won't load it chokes at 30%.  The great thing is that the scans are to scale, all I have to do is model splines over that model as a framework.

[robcat2075]

Import the OBJ as a Prop.

[robcat2075]

After you import the Prop, you can put it in a Chor and model new splines there, I recall.

Drag the Prop into a Chor.

Create a new empty Model and drag that into the Chor.

Select the Shortcut to Model, then choose Modeling Model to begin editing the Model with new splines.

Snap to Surface (Shift + 9), which attempts to place new CPs on the surface of a Prop or other object already in the Chor was made for endeavors such as yours.

[MAYAman]

2 hours ago, robcat2075 said:

Import the OBJ as a Prop.

Oh wow, didn't even know that did that.  LOL

[MAYAman]

2 hours ago, robcat2075 said:

After you import the Prop, you can put it in a Chor and model new splines there, I recall.

Drag the Prop into a Chor.

Create a new empty Model and drag that into the Chor.

Select the Shortcut to Model, then choose Modeling Model to begin editing the Model with new splines.

Snap to Surface (Shift + 9), which attempts to place new CPs on the surface of a Prop or other object already in the Chor was made for endeavors such as yours.

This is absolutely HUGE!  Thank you!  I was loading and then spinning around the model eye balling it.  

[MAYAman]

2 hours ago, robcat2075 said:

Import the OBJ as a Prop.

Out of curiosity, why do you think the import of STL and OBJ hangs?  Is it the size of the model?

[robcat2075]

36 minutes ago, MAYAman said:

Out of curiosity, why do you think the import of STL and OBJ hangs?  Is it the size of the model?

The information that has to be processed for a CP and the splines that intersect it and the patches they make is much greater than for a vertex and a facet in a polygon model.

But now you're converting all those vertexes and facets into full CPs and patches and there is something A:M has to do called "finding" after every CP is added to a spline that seems to take exponentially longer as the CP count increases.

My experience is that any model above 10,000 CPs is probably impractically tedious to edit.

It's possible that if you wait long enough a 1.5 million vertex model might finish importing but the same can be said about a killer asteroid strike happening or the Sun running out of fuel.

[MAYAman]

9 hours ago, robcat2075 said:

After you import the Prop, you can put it in a Chor and model new splines there, I recall.

Drag the Prop into a Chor.

Create a new empty Model and drag that into the Chor.

Select the Shortcut to Model, then choose Modeling Model to begin editing the Model with new splines.

Snap to Surface (Shift + 9), which attempts to place new CPs on the surface of a Prop or other object already in the Chor was made for endeavors such as yours.

OK so this worked great, I can see the .stl model and it manipulates quite nicely with 30,000 polys which is surprising.  I've dragged the new model into the chor. after doing what you said.  How do I actually start modeling?  I don't see "Choose Modeling Model" to begin editing.  I'm confused.  lol

[robcat2075]

You dragged the STL Prop into the Chor but did you start a new A:M model in the Objects foIder and drag that into the Chor also?

After you do that... in the PWS, in the Chor, there is a "Shortcut to [your A:M model name here]", the empty model you dragged into the Chor.

Selecting that enables the Modeling Mode icon. Turn that ON.

Turning Modeling Mode ON enables regular splining tools in the Chor except... you can not use simple left-click-drag bounding boxes to select groups of CPs, you must use lasso tools.

[Fuchur]

You may want to use A:M's retopology feature:
https://www.patchwork3d.de/am-retopology-69-de

Best regards
*Fuchur*

[R Reynolds]

I've left a large poly model running for days and could never get beyond 30%.

I've had success with installing Blender and reading just enough of the on-line manuals to reduce poly count and in some cases convert triangle polygons to rectangles (or quads in their jargon).

The foot on the left is the imported prop and one the right is the .mdl converted from a reduced poly version. 

I find there's an advantage to having your template model in .mdl format in that I can easily isolate an area and eliminate the "snap to surface" choosing the wrong side.