General

• File: Allows you to select the file to load. Capable of loading files in Collada format with the *.dae extension or *.kml/*.kmz extension (which has geographic information for the model and a link to a *.dae file inside).

• Fill Mode: Allows you to select the rendering mode; solid, wireframe or dotted.

• One Size: Allows you to recall the loaded model to a fixed size. Useful in non-georeferenced mode.

• Automatic Fetch: used when loading 3DCities rather than single models, this will enable fetching pieces of the city as you move around the map (Interactive) or animate (Streaming).

Advanced

The Advanced tab is more suitable for a "streaming" mode of the plugin, when the plugin loads/streams data out of a large data bank which cannot be loaded entirely due to it’s size.

• GPU Cache Size: Limits the amount of data that will be loaded to the GPU. (Loaded data may consume more size than expected on GPU).

• Model index: When more than one model is loaded, the parameter enables to ’run’ through loaded models (mostly for debug purposes). When a specific index is set, the model is in focus, so the bounding box is shown and ’Fly To’ and ’Info’ buttons can be used on that model.

• Level of Detail: Defines how many of the largest levels of the texture pyramid (dxt format) can be neglected during loading. May be useful in cases where the texture data is heavy and presents a higher resolution than that required to be shown.

• Height Offset: Height offset during fetch of the models.

• Show Coverage: When models are loaded/streamed from the large database, this shows the total available geo coverage in green color and currently loaded coverage in orange.

• Fetch Method: When models are fetched either by pressing the ’Fetch Locally’ button or in streaming mode, the plugin tries to load as much data around the fetch point as possible (the amount is limited by the ’GPU Cache Size’ parameter). The ’Navigator’ option defines the fetch point as the current Navigator position while the ’Manual’ option enables you to define the fetch point manually.

• Loading Type: Useful when more than one model is loaded. The Serial mode may be preferred for recording (using Viz Post) when you have to be sure that all the models were loaded up until the next frame.

• Fade Time (sec): Defines the time period during which a new model will be faded from transparent to opaque, to create a more pleasant looking effect on load.

Consolidation

The Consolidation tab is used for compiling a binary format of the plugin out of Collada files.

• Model Optimization: Defines the level of optimization for the model while the model is loading. More optimization may increase loading time while improving rendering performance in some models.

• Downscale Textures: Defines how much the first levels of a texture pyramid may be skipped.

Buttons

• Fly To: Used to take the camera to the model, if it is georeferenced (i.e. if the original Collada file had *.kml or *.kmz files containing the geolocation). Requires the presence of the NavFinder plugin on the container in order to work.

• Reload: Reloads the model.

• Info: Prints information about the model to the console. It prints information about the dataset in the case when more than one model is loaded, and prints information regarding a specific model if only one model is loaded or when the ’Model index’ parameter is not zero.

• Fetch Locally: A manual command to fetch models around the fetch point (defined with ’Fetch Method’ parameter). The number of models that will be fetched is limited either by dataset or by the ’GPU Cache Size’ parameter.

To add 3D models to a scene

1. Start Viz Artist

2. Add the 3D models plugin to an empty scene tree

3. Open the 3D models plugin editor and load a KMZ file

To add 3D models to a map

1. Start Viz Artist

2. Add the Navigator to an empty scene tree

3. Add the Atlas plugin to the GeoReferenceMap container

4. Open the Atlas editor and set it to use Mercator projection

5. Add a new group as a sub-container of the first container and name it position

6. Add the World Position plugin to the position group

7. Add a new group as a sub-container of the position group and name it model

8. Add the 3D models, Expert and NavFinder plugin to the model group

9. Open the 3D models plugin editor and load a KMZ file (e.g. Tower Bridge in London)

10. Click Go To Model

    • This should bring the model into view

11. Open the Navigator editor, select Advanced, and then enable(On) the Pan & Tilt Animation option

12. Open the 3D models plugin editor again and click Go To Model

13. Open the transformation editor for the model container

14. Open the NavFinder editor in order to adjust the distance, pan and tilt of the map

    Tip: Press Shift+CTRL while adjusting the Distance, and Shift while adjusting the Pan and Tilt.

See Also

• Viz Artist documentation for information on the Expert plugin