Export camera path

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

is there a workflow for exporting camera path from Infraworks along the model to 3dsMax or Lumion for higher quality renders? 

The reason I'm looking into this is that I'm making a visualization video and I have grown very accustomed to Infraworks video editor which is absolutely great. I'd like to use Infraworks video for iteration (while editing the clip with aftereffects) and then drop it for high quality renders when it's finished. 

Does FBX export bring camera paths, too? 

Thanks!

[copper.chadwick]

Hi @oikeajussipartanen,     

Thank you for your recent forum post. First, I see your question about exporting camera paths to (in part), Autodesk 3DsMax. This was a really great question, to which the answer "explicitly", is "not really", or more over "not directly", with a clear intentional workflow.

Second, FBX format does not include in an explicit manner camera paths, however it does include roads or other objects that might be usable as camera paths.

However once inside Infraworks, there are ways to export the story board as a '.JSON' file as I show below below:

1. Open the Storyboard Creator in the 'Create and conduct infrastructure design presentations' icon 
2. Review your Paths & Animations and click 'play' to review the storyboard movie that has been created in Infraworks
3. Move to the 'Export Current Storyboard' icon and select it
4. Type in the filename to be saved as note the location of the file
5. It will be saved as a .JSON 'JavaScript Object Notation' filetype.

In theory, using data inside the '.JSON' file, it could emulate, inside 3DSMax, the same storyboard created and exported from Infaworks, to be used on the same model.

The forum post, describing the process using maxscript and python from the 3dsMax forums can address the potential workflow for the .JSON re-format inside 3DsMax:

Read Json file 

This might seem a indirect method to achieve similar end results of what you are looking to accomplish.

If someone on the forums here has any other points of advice or reports on performance, in regards to this workflow, it might be very useful.

Please let me know if this is answers your question by selecting 'accept solution'.

[Anonymous]

Awesome idea, I will absolutely give this a go. I expect issues with the
coordinate systems. Prehaps i could make a spline from the JSON in civil3d
or something?

[copper.chadwick]

@Anonymous,

I just tried the spline idea with no positive results and unless it's an object such as a corridor, however I could not get a spline to move across from Civil 3d to Infraworks.

That being said, there are a multitude of ways to define a corridor style inside Civil 3D and in turn, Infraworks that then would be transferable via FBX in 3dsMax and in turn, made to be useful as a camera path while using it as an invisible roadway.

[copper.chadwick · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

I am checking back to see if my post helped you with your problem or question. Please mark my post as the solution if it resolved the issue or give me a bit more detail on this issue so we can continue to work towards getting this solved. Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post or posts solves your issue or answers your question.