What's New Version 21.4

The recorded What's New presentation can be watched on-demand
https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/3082939/45A3F025778059FFA5CB5F3EB624E8EA/2216242

This version forms the balance between improving existing features and introducing new tools and extensions. The goal was to improve the navigation in the software and through the data, align the management of different mapping resources and update our supported formats.

Converting 2D data to 3D data, clustering objects, and stripping attributes are three new tools that help to manage data before passing it through to the users.

The integration of Microsoft Bing geocoding and base maps can be found in all 3DM Products.

The functionalities for mobile, aerial and oblique mapping are made conform for the extensions Blur & Erase, Consolidation and Post Collection Calibration. The catalog tab and extension have been simplified and display more detailed information.

Connecting to ContextShare and switching between projects has been improved. Via multi-threading, uploading your data to 3DM Cloud or ContextShare will go much faster.

The new extension 'Point Cloud Change detection' makes it possible to compare pointclouds over time and visualize the added or removed points.

Improvements on existing features: cable detection, pole attachments, trees, image annotation to objects and box measurements.

Add hyperlink to annotations, save annotations in publication, download snapshots via URL, download full images and pointcloud and set the image play-through quality are some of the new improvements that allow building a platform where data can be consulted.

A lot of effort was done to improve navigation using shortkeys and the possibility to lock the rotating point.

See blogpost on https://communities.bentley.com/products/3d_imaging_and_point_cloud_software/b/weblog/posts/orbit-3d-mapping-solutions---new-version-21-4

• Bing Implementation
  • The object search field can be switched to Microsoft Bing geocoding service. This can also be saved in a workspace.
  • The Aerial and Roads Bing basemaps are supported and by default available in all installations.
• New Tool 'Cluster Objects'
  
  • Objects can be clustered by distance. The cluster point is the average of the objects or the center of the cluster.
  • Objects can be clustered by attributes: group by attribute and/or distinct attribute.
• New Tool 'Convert 2D to 3D'
  
  • A point, line or area vector file with 2D coordinates can be converted to 3D coordinates.
  • A point, line or area vector file with 2D/3D coordinates can be converted to a line, area or box vector file.
  • The fill color can be applied to the 3D box objects.
• New Tool 'Strip Attributes
  Retain or remove the selected attributes or Orbit attributes from a vector file. The source can be a ovt, ovf or mapping run.

• Chinese & Japanese Translations
  Chinese and Japanese have been added as a language to use. The text buttons are not set to bold anymore.
• Shortcut to Save All Edited Datasets
  The shortcut CTRL+S has been moved from saving the current workspace to saving all edited datasets.
• Improvements on Editing and Creating Vector File Structure
  • Previously added attributes can be modified by selecting them and using the set icon button.
  • Change the order of attributes in the structure panel.
  • New icon buttons to add, remove, set, move an attribute up or down.
• Set CRS for Import & Geocode
  The CRS of the source file of Import & Geocode can be defined in the wizard.
• Save Import & Geocode at End of Procedure
  The result vector file after import & geocode will be directly saved to a location. This eliminates the step to save the result via the datasetlist after import & geocode.
• Open All Datasets of Mapping Run
  At open mapping run, all datasets part of that run are opened. This includes the trajectory, the trajectory_simplified..
• Edit and Save Descriptor and Legend File from Run Datasets in Datasetlist
  The legend and descriptor file can be modified and saved for run datasets. Except for camera photo position files.
• Update Osl File at Saving Legend
  Changing the symbol library will update the osl next to the vector file at saving the legend.
• Open File Location of Dataset
  In the inspect panel of the dataset properties, the file location of the dataset can be directly opened.
• Open File Location of Original Imagery
  During the import or edit procedure of a run, the file location can be directly opened where the original images should be copied.
• Import and Export Tags
  A text file with a list of tags can be imported and exported.
• Highlight Alternative Photo Positions
  Opening or moving a mapping view to focus location, will highlight the alternative photo positions in white.
• New Template Parameter to Define Imported Photo Position Lines
  In the import_locations.csv.import.ini file of a camera, two new parameters can be added to define which lines of the photo position file represent one photo position. 'StartFrom' is the index of the first line that represents a photo position. 'SkipX' is the number of lines to be skipped until the next photo position.
• Feedback on Out-Of-Memory Event During Optimize Imagery
  When an out-of-memory event occurs during the optimization of images, a message will appear to increase the allocated memory.
• Use Tilt to Define Field Of View Appearance
  Depending on the tilt value of the opened, a pizza field of view or trapezium footprint will be displayed.
• Disable Removing Objects from Ovt
  The delete button to remove objects via the object inspector is greyed out for objects from an ovt file.
• Slice View Improvements
  • The slice view can be displayed and drawn in Map 2D and Map GL.
  • The cursor position is used to draw a slice view in Map 2D.
  • The slice view settings from the previously created slice view are remembered in the next slice view.
  • The labels of the slice view settings are also clickable.
• Display Pixel X and Y in Mapping Views
  The pixel X and pixel Y value of the cursor are overlayed on the opened image.
• Restrict Object Overlay by Image Attribute
  The new setting overlays the objects that have an attribute 'OrbitFilename', 'OrbitPhotoID', 'Filename' or 'ID' of which the value corresponds with the photo position attribute 'OrbitFilename' or 'OrbitPhotoID' of the opened image.
• Source Options for Convert/Optimize Data
  In the source options, the format of the source files can be selected when giving up a source directory. The files of that format will be converted/optimized. The selected file format for browsing to source directory is automatically filled in as source option format.
• Support Las 1.4 Structure 4
  The already supported Las 1.4 includes structure 4 now.
• Extended Import/Export of E57 files
  • Import of e57 file with missing image list
  • Import of e57 file with different attributes for every section
  • Export of e57 file
• Pointcloud Filtering On by Default
  At convert/optimize of a pointcloud, the filtering is enabled by default.
• New Ground Detector to Clear Ground
  The parameters in this detector are used in the pointcloud selection tool.
• Support of SnakeGrid CRS
  
• Support for prj files with foot units
  

• The default extension has been renamed to primary mapping extension and has been moved to the Mapping preference panel.
• Drag & drop of a file has been enabled for Import & Geocode.
• Create panorama images from planar images had been moved to the Process Data procedure.
• Simplification of layout and labels in the structure panel of vector files.
• Tooltip texts are overall improved to be more clear.

• Set as Ground Height action in Map 3D opened the datasetlist.
• Import & Process run procedure didn't check for the name point_cloud.opc to make the procedure unavailable.

The 3DM Content Manager includes all 3DM Core improvements.

• Image Pixel Annotations as Input for Blur & Erase
  
• Multi-Threading Cloud and ContextShare Upload
  Multiple parallel threads can be run during the upload of data to 3DM Cloud and ProjectWise ContextShare, maximizing the network band width.
• Remove Image at Consolidation
• New Delivery Options
  • New option to copy, move or ignore the original and/or optimized images.
  • New checkbox to optimize the images. Existing optimized images will not be reprocessed.
• Apply Post Collection Calibration Result to Mapping Run
  The new button to Apply the calculated leverarms will automatically update the import_location.ord file and reimport the photo positions.

• Contextshare Upload Improvements
  • New dropdown list of project that can also be used to search on project name. Searching on %Value will display the projects that end with the entered value. Searching on Value% will display the projects that begin with the entered value.
  • The list of projects is cached after connecting to ContextShare. The list will not be reloaded at opening the dropdown list.
  • The new Refresh button will retrieve the list of projects again and change to the current Connection Client environment.
  • The button to open the console of 3DM Cloud or Projectwise Contextshare is no longer disabled during upload.
• Catalog Tab Improvements
  • Different mapping resource types are grouped under 'Mapping Resources'. The radio buttons filter the type of the displayed mapping resources.
  • The catalog columns are aligned for every mapping type. An empty field indicates that the resource isn't expected to be available in the mapping run.
  • Removed columns 'Job' and 'Template'
  • Removed labels from 'Status' and replaced with a tooltip.
  • The check to prepare data for the 3DM Viewer compares the crs from the pointcloud header with the crs in the pointcloud ord file. If they are not the same, the new context menu item 'Optimize Resource' can be used to optimize the pointcloud to the crs from the ord.
  • Calculate Data Volume has been disabled for unavailable reference resources.
• Catalog Extension Improvements
  • Re-arranged Tabs
    
  • New Tab Summary
    The summary gives the sum of the selected resources in the catalog. This gives an overview of the amount of data.
  • Save and Display Format Version
  • Display Pointcloud Resource Details
    Level information - CRS - CRS Header - Attributes
• Aerial and Oblique Mapping Integrations
  Post Collection Calibration, Consolidation and Blur & Erase are now integrated for aerial and oblique mapping resources. The used mapping extension is set via the Primary Mapping extension in the Mapping Preference.
• Mask Creator Improvements
  • Reference Image
    In this new block, navigating through or searching for different images is possible to use them in the mask creator.

• Removing an opened run from the catalog now also closes the run.
• HTML5 column renamed to 3DM Viewer to indicate that the resource is ready to be used in the 3DM Viewer.

• A black mask couldn't be used for colorizing a pointcloud.

The 3DM Feature Extraction includes all 3DM Core improvements.

• New Extension 'Point Cloud Change Detection'
  This extension makes it possible to compare two pointcloud datasets The result are two pointclouds with added and removed points together with two vector files with the voxels and cluster voxels.
• Box Measurements
  • The Volume measurements are renamed to Box measurements.
  • Highlight the pointcloud selection inside the measured box. The clear ground parameter can be toggled on the box detector preferences.

• Improvements on Manage Themes
  • Searching on Tags
    
  • Refresh Themes
    
  • Archive Themes
    
• Cable Detection Aerial Dataset
  The cable detectors have been cleaned up and improved to work on aerial datasets. There's a checkbox for parallel and extended cable detection so that they also can be used without the shortkeys.
• Improvements on Pole Attachments measurement
  
  • Print the measured coordinate of the pole, the bottom of the pole or/and the top of the pole.
  • Always display the pole height line.
  • Save attachments as individual objects. Via the ParentSOID attribute, attachments can be linked to the measured pole. The childtype attribute displays the type of the object.
  • Snap attachments to pole or pole branch.
  • Apply cable detector to pole attachments.
• Improvements on Tree measurement
  
  • Three new attributes for the inclination of the tree: TreeInclination, TrunkInclination and DeltaInclination
  • Display preferences: Tree Height, Tree Diameter, Trunk Height, Trunk Diameter
• Box Measurements
  • The Volume measurements are renamed to Box measurements.
  • Highlight the pointcloud selection inside the measured box. The clear ground parameter can be toggled on the box detector preferences.
• Display Image Annotations as Overlay on Mapping Views
  

• Renamed 'Image Pixel Detection' to 'Image Annotations to Objects'

• Asset inventory didn't display the attributes for a database theme with a boolean attribute.
• When adding an inventory item to a theme with an attribute that is a FLOAT8, INT4 or Boolean AND a valuelist, a value from the valuelist could be selected but wasn't being filled in.

The 3DM Viewer includes all 3DM Core improvements.

• Add Hyperlink and Comment to Annotations
  
• Save Annotations in Publication
  
• Download Snapshots via Publication URL
  The download of a snapshot of a specific view can be triggered via the URL. Add the attributes 'snapshot=true&view=2' to the URL to download for example the snapshot of view with the number 2.
• Download Full Images and Pointcloud
  Mapping resource images and pointcloud can be downloaded via the view action menu. The action becomes available when the setting 'Add Download to View Action Menu' is enabled.
• Thumbnail Carousel for Alternative Images
  The viewer setting to get alternative images will now open a carousel with thumbnails of the alternative images at open/move view. Other thumbnails can be selected to open other alternative images.
• Supported Microsoft Bing
  • Geocoding
    The default geocoding service is now Microsoft Bing.
  • Basemaps
    The Aerial and Roads basemap of Microsoft Bing has been added to the installation and can be added as a basemap.
• New Viewer Settings
  • View Action Menu Position
    Change the position of the view action menu: center or left.
  • Viewer Menu Position
    Change the position of the viewer menu: left or right.
  • Display Nearby Photo Positions at All-Time
    Display all the photo positions of the opened mapping resources.
  • Limit Decimals to
    Set the number of decimals to be displayed for measurements.

• Add Oblique View with Directions
  For every direction (North, East, South and West), there is an action to add an oblique view in that direction.
• Possibility for Publication with Only Reference View
  
• Lock Rotating Point in 3D View
  The rotating point can be locked by double-clicking in a 3D View. Zooming and rotating will be fixed around the locked position. The rotating point is unlocked at panning, clicking on the point or double-clicking for a new rotating point.
• Shortkeys to Navigate in Active 3D View
  
  • The left and right arrow can be used to rotate 90 degrees to the left and right in 3D view.
  • The up and down arrow can be used to move 1 meter forward and backward in the viewing direction
• Shortkeys to Navigate in Active Image View
  
  • The left and right arrow can be used to rotate 90 degrees to the left and right in spherical views.
  • The left and right arrow can be used to change the viewing direction to the left and right in oblique views.
  • A and Shft-A can be used to navigate between the alternative images (if setting 'Get alternative images' on)
• Highlight Active View with White Outline Color
• Make View Active at Selecting View Action Menu and Alternative Images
  
• Vector Legend Classification Support
  The symbol.name, outline.color and and fill.color legend parameters are supported to have classification in the 3DM Viewer. The legend editor is disabled in the 3DM Viewer when there's classification.
• Timeline Improvements
  • The time range of the opened image is indicated by highlighting the range in the color of the resource.
  • The time range of a resource group can be defined on the level of the parent (resource groups) or the children (individual resource in resource group)
  • The timeline setting is available when there are resource with a time range in the workspace.
• Floor Improvements
  • The floor can be set on resource group level.
  • The floor of a resource group can be defined on the level of the parent (resource groups) or the children (individual resource in resource group)
  • The floor setting is available when there are resource with a floor in the workspace.
• Highlight Selected Vector Object in Reference View
  A selected object is now also highlighted in blue in the reference view and not only in a 3D view or an image view.
• Remember the Resource Collapsed State
  At saving a publication, the collapsed state of a resource in the resource sidebar is saved in the publication.
• Filter Viewer Catalog on Active Resources
  The list of resources in the viewer catalog can be filtered on the availability in the opened workspace via toggling on the radio button 'Active'.
• Set the Quality of Image Play-Through
  
• Pointcloud and Vector Overlay View Depth on Oblique View
  The maximum view depth for point cloud and vector overlay on oblique views has been increased to 3500 meters.
• Display Multiple Mapping Resource in One Image
  Multiple mapping resources are displayed in one opened image. The visibility of the resource will be derived from the settings in the resource sidebar.
• Lock Reference Map Zoom Levels
  

• The message to indicate that no photo was found includes the type of image. For example, No West Oblique Planar Image was found.
• Volume measurements have been renamed to box measurements.

The 3D Mapping Viewer SDK and Plugins use the 3D Mapping Viewer. All improvements of the 3D Mapping Viewer are applicable for Viewer SDK and Plugins.

• Startup Option to Obtain Map Object Metadata
  Via a startup option the metadata of map objects can be loaded. The map objects are field of views, photo position resource footprints and trajectory resource footprints. The metadata includes the copyrights and the collection start and stop date.
• Full 3DM Cloud URL for Token/URL
  For a publication from the 3DM Cloud, the full URL can also be copied to the option 'Open Publication via Token or URL'

The 3DM Publisher includes the 3DM core and 3DM Viewer improvements.

• New Usage Table 'Sessions'
  The Sessions shows the closed and current session with information on the start, end, and duration of the session.
• Reserved Concurrent Publication Sessions
  For every publication, a number of concurrent sessions can be reserved. This number indicates the minimum amount of concurrent sessions that are always available for this publication.
• New Page 'Activity'
  This page displays all the active sessions on all the publications. It can be used to monitor the overall Publisher activity. The throughput table has been added to this page.
• New Page 'Tags'
  This page gives an overview of all that tags and how many are used on resources, resource groups, annotation objects and publications. The tags can be renamed and use to navigate to a list where the tag is filled in the search field.

• Add Thumbnails to Resources, Resource Groups and Publications
  
• Set Floor for Resource Groups
  The floor can be set on the level of resource groups. In the viewer, the floors setting 'Resource Group By' defines whether the parent floor is used (on resource group level) or the childrens floor (on resource level).
• Publication Setting to Enable/Disable Downloading Images/Pointcloud
  This settings enables the viewer setting to download images and pointcloud in the publication. By default, this setting is off.
• Alphabetically Sort Publications in Viewer
  The list of publications from the Publisher Console and EOS Console is merged together and sorted alphabetically.

• Tags with only integers gave errors in the console.
• The resource type wasn't updated when changing the file path to a different resource.
• The resource group CRS wasn't updated when changing the resources.

The 3DM Cloud includes the 3DM core and 3DM Viewer improvements.

• Set Floor for Resource Groups
  The floor can be set on the level of resource groups. In the viewer, the floors setting 'Resource Group By' defines whether the parent floor is used (on resource group level) or the childrens floor (on resource level).
• Publication Setting to Enable/Disable Downloading Images/Pointcloud
  This settings enables the viewer setting to download images and pointcloud in the publication. By default, this setting is off.
• Reserved Guest Sessions
  For every publication, a number of guest sessions can be reserved. This number indicates the minimum amount of guest sessions that are always available for this publication.
• Hidden Features for Non Admin Users
  Named users that don't have an administrator role have no access to Company Catalog, Company Lists, Users and Teams and Data Centers.

• 'Create Project' has been removed from the Viewer menu.
• The 3DMapping Cloud logo has been removed from the viewer settings and viewer catalog.

• Tags with only integers gave errors in the console.
• The resource group CRS wasn't updated when changing the resources.