Exporting your data from RealityScan

Exporting your data from RealityScan

This guide explains how to export a tileset from RealityScan, formerly called RealityCapture, so it can be uploaded into Twinsity.

Required output files

File type Format Notes
3D tileset Zipped tileset Cesium 3D Tiles
Camera parameters .csv Twinsity ECEF export, which needs the one-time setup below
Original images .jpg or .png All images used in the reconstruction

All three are required.

RealityScan does not support local coordinate systems

Projects using a local coordinate system cannot be imported into Twinsity. Use a geo-referenced coordinate system when you align.

If you have already processed with local coordinates, you will need to realign geo-referenced before exporting.

A project aligned without location data still reports as georeferenced. RealityScan gives it a fixed default position and exports the tileset with that applied, so the upload wizard shows the model as georeferenced at coordinates that are not your site, while the cameras stay local. If the wizard reports Coordinate System Mismatch Detected, compare the coordinates it gives for the 3D model against where you actually captured. See Troubleshooting a coordinate system mismatch.

RealityScan's coordinate system settings with a geo-referenced EPSG code selected

One-time setup: enable the Twinsity ECEF export

RealityScan does not offer the export format Twinsity needs until you add it. You only do this once per installation.

  1. Download the Twinsity camera-export configuration file.
  2. Replace calibration.xml in your RealityScan installation directory, typically C:\Program Files\Epic Games\RealityScan_2.0.

Twinsity ECEF (.csv) then appears as an export type in step 3.

If you cannot find Twinsity ECEF in the export list later on, this step has not been done, or was done to a different RealityScan installation.

Check your images still carry their location data. If you edit, grade or convert your images before reconstruction, some image editors remove the location on export while keeping every other camera detail, so the files look complete. Without it the alignment can only produce a local coordinate system and the project cannot be imported. See Troubleshooting a coordinate system mismatch.

Step 1: Align the images

  1. Select the folder containing your project images.
  2. Choose a geo-referenced coordinate system, per the warning above. Any screenshot here shows one particular zone as an example; choose the georeferenced system that covers your own site.
  3. Run the alignment.

Step 2: Generate the 3D model

  1. Generate the 3D model.
  2. Generate the texture.

Both must finish, in that order, before you can export.

Step 3: Export camera parameters

  1. Go to the Alignment tab.
  2. Click Registration in the export panel.
  3. Choose where to save the file and give it a name.
  4. Set the export type to Twinsity ECEF.
  5. Leave the other parameters unchanged and confirm.

RealityScan's registration export dialog with Twinsity ECEF selected

Step 4: Export the 3D tileset

  1. Go to the Mesh Model tab.
  2. Click Levels of Detail.
  3. Choose where to save it and give it a name.
  4. Select Cesium 3D Tiles (.json).
  5. Set these options:
Setting Value
Initial simplification: Type None
Relative simplification: Type Relative
Relative simplification: Target triangle percentage 50
Export textures Yes
Texture format PNG (lossless)
Altitude Unmodified
Compression None
Primitive type Triangles

The save dialog for the Levels of Detail export, with Cesium 3D Tiles as the file type

Preparing for upload

Zip the export. You do not need to rename anything or flatten the folder structure. Twinsity finds the 3D Tiles root file inside your archive whatever it is called and wherever it sits.

Final check

  • The zipped tileset contains its root .json and the .b3dm files.
  • The camera parameter .csv lists all your images.
  • The original image folder is complete and unmodified.
  • The project was aligned in a geo-referenced coordinate system.

Next step

Preparing to upload a project.

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