FlexScan3D modified Version (perfect support for Directshow and WebCam)

[greenskynet]

hi friends
I have some thing new and very interesting

We know FlexScan3D is one of the best and most professional software in 3d Scanning filed. As it is a high end professional software, it is not designed to work with low and moderately priced equipment (like webcam or common industrial cameras). Actually this is the decision of its company to keep it limited to work only with expensive equipment.

As you may know, in original version of FlexScan3D, its manufacturer start to add some very limited support for directshow, how ever it doesn't have a good support for Directshow and webcams, and only supports some expensive industrial cameras (like PointGray camera).

Actually I tested it with some moderate Basler cameras too (Dart series), and I had same problem. the software can recognize my camera, but I couldn't change its settings.So in fact it was unusable.

But good news is that I've modified FlexScan to support any kind of Directshow cameras and WebCams perfectly

Actually I've added some corrections to it to solve this major problem.

You can see the following video to understand how my new modified version work.
https://vimeo.com/645829331
....

in the original version, user can't access to all settings of webcam (like resolution and encoding and ...). This means we can't adjust our camera settings for a 3d scanner.

but in my modified version, as you can see in the above video, all settings are accessible and working perfectly. So we can use any kind of Directshow camera and webcam with this new modified version

You can download modified Files From here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/z69wc8e7 ... 9.zip/file.

The zip file contain four .dll files which must be replaced with original ones in installation folder (get a backup of original files before replacing). It is free for all.

Also the modified files work only with FlexScan3D version 3.3.22.12 (Released Date 21-07-2021). Not with any other versions or release date (version 3.3.22.12 has several releases too. Release Date is some thing different from version number).
For Flex users, you can ask the manufacturer to give you this exact version setup. (I have setup by myself, but due to forum rules and copyright laws, I can't share it here).
Any version mismatching can cause errors as following photos:

[bigbomber]

Hi
how can I make sure I have the correct version of version 3.3.22.12? can you make modified files for version 3.3.21.16? because I can't get newer version.

[greenskynet]

You can ask the 3dSolution or Polyga for the correct version. maybe they can give you that exact version.
Also you can contact me via telegram to help you too. https://t.me/DIY_3D_Scanner

Actually currently I'm trying to create modified files to work with all version of Flex.

I will ask the admin of the forum if it is possible to share setup file here or not.

[greenskynet]

Hi Friends.
I found a bug in Flex v3.3.22.12 which sometimes lead to program crashing and closing during calibration without any message. This is not from my modified files, it is something from original Flex software.
So I will create modified files for version 3.3.21.16. I tested it and it is a stable version. I will post it soon.

[greenskynet]

Hi every Friends
I have something new
I complete my modifications and it starts working perfectly
A tutorial video to show you how to calibrate your scanner and scan an object
Also in this video I use Markers for alignment. they are great and really fast

video Link: https://vimeo.com/650835164

in the above video I use two simple Logitech webcam (with 12mm lenses) on a USB2 port.
I set the resolution of cameras at their maximum (1600*1200 = 2MP) and frame rate at 10 FPS. but I know my USB hub don't let them to go higher than 7 FPS.

you can see how easily I can calibrate and scan the part


Also the calibration panel is a simple print of chessboard using a home printer and adhered on a flat wood (this was for test and I don't expect it for a high accuracy result. For excellent results I will create a separate post about creating a high accuracy Calib Panel in future).

[greenskynet]

Hi
Today I fixed another bug of FlexScan3D!

FlexScan3D, has a big bug with Basler cameras. The software will override some of Important camera's setting s

By using Basler cameras, we use Pylon software to adjust the camera settings and save them in "User Set 1".

When the camera is loaded in Flex, all settings will be loaded from "User select 1". but some parameters will be overridden and they are not set as you set and saved them in "User select 1".


The overridden parameters are:

1- Resolution: Flex always set the maximum possible resolution of camera. So user can't crop or change camera resolution any more. (Also setting resolution at highest value influences Framerate and cause low frame rate).

2- Gamma: Flex always set the Gamma value to 1.0

3- Gain: Flex always set the Gait to 0.0. it is bad, because we need Gain adjustment for different situation.

4- Trigger Source: Flex always set Trigger to "Software".

5- Black Level: Flex always set Black Level to a very unrelated value. I can't understand why the company did this


So I've fixed these bugs in my new modified files.

in Modified files all mentioned overridden parameters (except Trigger Source) are not be overridden more and they will be loaded with the value which are saved in "User Set 1".

So now user can select any Resolution, Frame rate, Gamma, Black level and Gain value.

be aware that up to FlexScan3D 3.3.22.12, you must install "pylon version 5.0.12.11830" for camera adjustment. Any other version (higher or lower version) will cause software crash.


The Following photos show the result of the modification. Using a 5MP Basler camera (max res= 2592x1944), we can adjust resolution to any desired resolution and frame rate.

[hoffybeefe]

OMG thank you ver much for this! I can't wait to try this!

When i first bought FS3D after they officially supported them i was excited to have full functionally... only to find out i pretty much had zero functionality because as you said... it really didn't support them in the proper sense of the word. It was frustrating because why claim to support a camera when you can't even bring up... and then save.. the settings of the camera!! THATS THE WHOLE POINT OF SUPPORTING IT!

It would be good to have polyga give some feedback as to why they don't actually support Basler even though they claim to!

As soon as i manage to rebuild my Computer and not lose a FlexScan3D Licence activation, i will try this! (i took my computer apart to build a new one, motherboard, cpu only) and couldn't build the new one as the CPU cooling fan mounting kit was incompatible due to the manufacturer not givng me the correct one) so i put my previous one back together and FS3D is now unregistered and wants to activate again even though the system is identical! I will lose an activation! This is a bad way to manage activation. It should be like DaVinci Resolve where the customer can never be without an activation they paid for.

Sorry for the rant! My cameras are Basler ace acA3088-57um. They max out at full resolution 57.5 fps which is not great for matching the refresh rate of a 60hz projector so i have to leave the performance underutilized and do 30fps because i couldn't get FS3d (nor HP3DS) to "remember" the settings like being able to lower the resolution slightly to gain enough fps to hit 60fps so i had less issues with projector frequency.

Thanks again for this, hopefully i can try it soon.

[greenskynet]

OMG thank you ver much for this! I can't wait to try this!

When i first bought FS3D after they officially supported them i was excited to have full functionally... only to find out i pretty much had zero functionality because as you said... it really didn't support them in the proper sense of the word. It was frustrating because why claim to support a camera when you can't even bring up... and then save.. the settings of the camera!! THATS THE WHOLE POINT OF SUPPORTING IT!

It would be good to have polyga give some feedback as to why they don't actually support Basler even though they claim to!

As soon as i manage to rebuild my Computer and not lose a FlexScan3D Licence activation, i will try this! (i took my computer apart to build a new one, motherboard, cpu only) and couldn't build the new one as the CPU cooling fan mounting kit was incompatible due to the manufacturer not givng me the correct one) so i put my previous one back together and FS3D is now unregistered and wants to activate again even though the system is identical! I will lose an activation! This is a bad way to manage activation. It should be like DaVinci Resolve where the customer can never be without an activation they paid for.

Sorry for the rant! My cameras are Basler ace acA3088-57um. They max out at full resolution 57.5 fps which is not great for matching the refresh rate of a 60hz projector so i have to leave the performance underutilized and do 30fps because i couldn't get FS3d (nor HP3DS) to "remember" the settings like being able to lower the resolution slightly to gain enough fps to hit 60fps so i had less issues with projector frequency.

Thanks again for this, hopefully i can try it soon.

Welcome friend.
For any new updated and consult around modifications, please join us in our telegram group: https://t.me/DIY_3D_Scanner

[hoffybeefe]

hello greenskynet,

Unfortunately i won't be using that program. Does the file named:

Modified for v3.3.22.12_E1 (Released Date 21-07-2021).zip

contain the updates you speak of?

[greenskynet]

Hi
I'm here with a new tool for FlexScan3D

One of the most important option of FS3D is "Marker Alignment". they are very important to speed up alignment and also essential for process of large object scanning!

sometimes we need to first scan markers and then use them in next scanning processes (specially for large object scanning, we scan the whole of markers with a wide lens, and then start to scan details with a narrow lens)
so importing and Exporting of markers in a 3D scanning software is very essential.

Fortunately Flex has the ability of Importing and exporting of markers.
But unfortunately Flex always export markers as ".txt" files, and in Import dialog box it doesn't support this format. so user can't export markers of some scans and reuse them in future.

So I written a small app to read, merge and convert the exported markers data to ".obj" format. The ".obj" format can be imported in Flex well

The merging method looks for points which their x,y,z values are closer than a certain threshold value, then create an average for their x,y,z and the result is a unique averaged point.

You can select infinite scans to merge and convert their markers to a single .obj file

See the following tutorial video

Tutorial Video: https://vimeo.com/652619335

Download the app: https://www.mediafire.com/file/z69wc8e7 ... 1%2529.zip