topic Re: Object Processing Limit? in Modeling

Object Processing Limit?

Chadwick — Tue, 23 May 2023 15:17:39 GMT

I am trying to have an aerial view of a site with landscape elements in it - trees, flowers shrubs. When I marquee the entire site and try to open it in a wire frame view - the information window showing the process pops up and stops about 2/3 through the progress bar. Then the amount of minutes it will approx. take to finish keep going up and up - I let the computer try to calculate it for two days and it just kept going up. I then tried just half of the site and it only took about a minute to generate the wire frame. It seems like there is a point where there are too many objects in the view and the software cannot calculate them and just keeps working at it infinitely.

Does anyone know if this is true, that there is some kind of object amount/polygon limit to what ArchiCAD can process in the 3D window? If not, does anyone know a way around this? I cannot upload the file due to privacy reasons.

Thanks in advance

Note: - The site is rather large, I would say about 300,000 SQ FT. There are plants, shrubs and flowers scattered all around the green areas.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 16:13:21 GMT

The complexity of the plants could be pushing the machine past its limits. Perhaps 1GB RAM is not enough for this model (the processor certainly seems adequate).

It is also possible that there is some particular element (plant object or site mesh) that is hanging the process. You can check this by a binary search. Model half the site (as you have tried). If there is no problem model the other half. If the problem recurs keep cutting the remaining part in half until you zero in on the problem. If it does not occur in either half then maybe you do need more RAM.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Chadwick — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:25:19 GMT

Well, I don't think it has to do with the machine because everything runs fine. There is no reduction in speed for the machine. I can operate in all kinds of other programs while ArchiCAD is trying to generate a wireframe view. The machine doesn't really chug at all. The problem that scares me is that ArchiCAD will seem to try to generate this wireframe infinitely - I let it run for over 24 hours and the time estimate just kept going up. Thats what leads me to believe there is some kind of limit to the # of polygons it can process.

I tried the binary search method and it resulted in the tree objects that were slowing it down. I guess they have too many polygons or are way too complicated for mass use, which is weird because in close up views where you would only see 1 or 2 trees, they don't look that good. I guess its just a poor object. I will replace with other trees and see if that works.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:35:34 GMT

What you describe sounds like some sort of endless loop error, like REPEAT...UNTIL some condition that never occurs. Since you seem to have traced it to some particular trees, definitely replace them.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Dwight — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 18:11:59 GMT

Remember the words of the second-rate World War One poet Joyce Kilmer (Val's second cousin twice removed) interpreted as if he was a contemporary computer modeler:

"I think that I shall never see
As many polygons as in a tree."

Re: Object Processing Limit?

David Maudlin — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 16:02:02 GMT

Chadwick wrote:
I tried the binary search method and it resulted in the tree objects that were slowing it down. I guess they have too many polygons or are way too complicated for mass use, which is weird because in close up views where you would only see 1 or 2 trees, they don't look that good. I guess its just a poor object. I will replace with other trees and see if that works.

Chadwick:

Two related issues:
1. When ArchiCAD generates a 3D view it goes through 2 steps: first it calculates the entire model (or whatever has been selected), then it actually creates the specified view in the 3D window. Even if there are trees not showing in a particular 3D view, they will be calculated during the first step.
2. So if any trees will not be shown in the particular view you are creating, then use the various selection methods (layers, marquee tool, arrow tool, Image>Elements to Show in 3D...) to eliminate them from the model generation.

Replacement of some or all of the trees, or changing some of their parameters may also work best.

HTH

David

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Dwight — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 16:35:04 GMT

Let me plug ONYX TREE PRO as an excellent producer of fluffy, realistic trees. The Hoshino library also makes effective bushes.....

When combined with the secret translucent leaf material described on page 161 of my book, you can populate an entire city block with beautiful 3D trees and still have a reasonable rendering time.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 21:56:58 GMT

Dwight, I hope the Guy or Gal sitting down in the peach colored shirt talking to the Shirtless tan fella, has some sun-screen on.....

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Dwight — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 23:26:53 GMT

okay, mr perfectionist, so she's a little pale.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 19:38:42 GMT

Let me plug ONYX TREE PRO as an excellent producer of fluffy, realistic trees.

Dwight,

In what format do you import the objects from Onyx???
How large are the files??
How many of those trees can you realistically insert into the AC file?
It looks like a pretty good tree making software.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Chadwick — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 20:15:40 GMT

I would also be interested in the process Dwight. I am assuming you export them out of Onyx as a 3DS file and then import them into ArchiCAD?

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Dwight — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 20:33:16 GMT

You bring the foliage in separate from the trunk as two 3DS imports to create separate GDL objects - this allows for easy material changes and differential spinning of foliage on the trunk to induce the feeling of more variety.

ArchiCAD is XYZ and Onyx is XZY so the orientation of the import needs to change. You will see this when the tree comes in laying down.

The modeler makes many polygons, but in exporting, entire orders of polygonal elements can be eliminated or simplified.

I feel that I can put dozens of these trees {simple ones} into a scene without blowing the rendering time budget. But it does take longer to render....... so you need to clearly understand the benefits.....

Onyx Import 3DS Trees Re: Object Processing Limit?

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 07:48:26 GMT

Dwight, I hope you or someone else can help out.

I have just started using Onyx Palm Trees (also quite new to ArchiCAD) and attempted importing into ArchiCAD 10 as follows:
In Onyx, I loaded the parameters for an existing Palm Tree, saved the model as a 3D object, as 3DS and as dxf formats.
In ArchiCAD:
File, Libraries and Objects, Open Object, could only import as dxf file the 3DS was grayed out?
Once in ArchiCAD the Palm Tree from the dxf file was OK and upright except the leaves were the wrong color!
It took for ages to load up. (I will take the advice to limit the leaves & polygons etc. in future)

How is the 3DS import done correctly?
How are the 3DS files imported?
Is it the 3DS format that has orientation issues?

Once I have that figured out, how do you "You bring the foliage in separate from the trunk as two 3DS imports to create separate GDL objects"
ie. Are the two objects placed on the drawing separately at the appropriate elevations or are they made into one GDL Object?

When I get to the following stage, namely: "ArchiCAD is XYZ and Onyx is XZY so the orientation of the import needs to change. You will see this when the tree comes in laying down." How is this rectified?

Thanks Greg.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Dwight — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 08:24:21 GMT

Yes, these elements will take a lot of time, especially if you haven't stripped polygons.

When you export using 3Ds, you'll export the trunk separate from the foliage. Two separate objects. Bring them back together placing them in the Archicad model. This gives material control and more variation since you can rotate the foliage around the trunk.

Separation is done by controlling the visibility of the Onyx tree elements in Onyx. ie: show folliage save foliage.....

Foliage - save as "Foliage."
Trunk save as "trunk".
This solves material problems because you can apply anything to the foliage separate from the trunk.

Always reduce the number of polygons at export:

- only show flat planes for leaves
- simplify elements.
-hide all minor branches and stems. and seeds. Who needs stems and seeds?

For axis orientation correction, check your 3ds options in Archicad.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Dwight — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 08:28:08 GMT

You also need the 3ds import goodie from Graphisoft.
There's a link beneath the Help menu.

Re: Object Processing Limit?

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 19:00:42 GMT

Dwight,

Thanks very much for the quick response.

I will give it a try.

Thanks Greg.