This tutorial describes how to create a "one button" solution for a typical datasets. Metashape allows to assign several processing steps to be executed one by one without user intervention thanks to Batch Processing feature.
Batch Processing is available in both Professional and Standard editions. However some functions described in the article are available only in Metashape Professional edition.
This tutorial instructs how to set various stages of the workflow as part of batch processing, the example dataset is an aerial photography project.
Images must be imported in the project before the batch processing can be run. Select Workflow > Add Photos or Add Folder commands to add images to the project.
After the images are added to the project, you can proceed to creating a script for batch processing.
Creating a Batch Process
Select Batch Process... command from the Workflow menu. To create/add a command to Batch Processing, click Add... button in the Batch Process dialog window:
In the Job Type dropdown menu all jobs are divided into 3 sections: General Workflow, Import/Export and Miscellaneous. In the table below the list of all processing steps that can be set for batch processing in Metashape Professional edition is presented:
General Workflow | Import/Export | Miscellaneous | |
| Align Photos | Import Cameras | Align Chunks | Generate Masks |
| Build DEM | Import Markers | Calibrate Colors | Generate Prescription Map |
| Build Mesh | Import Masks | Calibrate Reflectance | Load Project |
| Build Orthomosaic | Import Shapes | Classify Ground Points | Locate Reflectance Panels |
| Build Panorama | Export Cameras | Classify Points | Merge Chunks |
| Build Point Cloud | Export DEM | Close Holes | Optimize Alignment |
| Build Texture | Export Model | Colorize Model | Refine Mesh |
| Build Tiled Model | Export Orthomosaic | Colorize Point Cloud | Remove Lighting |
| Export Point Cloud | Convert Images | Reset Region | |
| Export Texture | Decimate Mesh | Run Script | |
| Export Tiled Model | Detect Fiducials | Save Project | |
| Generate Report | Detect Markers | Smooth Model | |
In this tutorial the jobs that can be run in batch processing are listed in alphabetical order, while the order in the Job Type dropdown menu in Metashape GUI may differ.
In the Parameters section of the Add Job dialog all parameters that can be adjusted on the chosen processing step are displayed. The values can be adjusted or you may choose to use default values if preferable.
On the image below you may see the comparison of parameters visualization for Align Photos processing step in Batch processing > Add Job menu and in the Align Photos dialog box:
Please note that in the Parameters section of the Add Job dialog all possible values are displayed for the selected Job Type.
For example, on the left hand side of the image above the value is set for the parameter Key point limit per Mpx. This value should be changed only if you have enabled the Guided image matching parameter. Since the value for Guided image matching parameter in the example case is No, the value for Key point limit per Mpx will not be used during the Alignment step.
Batch processing can be applied to all chunks in the Workspace, to unprocessed chunks only, or to the chunks selected by the user. Each job will be run for each selected chunk before processing will move on to the next job.
How to process multiple chunks using batch is described in the following article: Batch processing of multiple chunks.
Once you have applied the desired parameters to the selected job, press OK button to return to the Batch Process dialog window. Here you may start Batch processing or add other jobs:
To add new jobs use the Add button:
To change the sequence of jobs select the job that you want to move and use Move up and Move down buttons. In the animation below we want to run the Optimize Alignment job before building a point cloud, so we use the Move up button to set the preferable sequence of jobs:
To edit the processing parameters, select the job and use the Edit... button:
Import/Export
Batch processing allows to import and export data. When exporting the processing results you need to specify the path and name for the file to export. On the image below the path and file name are specified for Orthomosaic:
Please note that the operation cannot create new folders, so if you'd like to save the processing results in a the folder corresponding the name of the chunks - the folder should be created on the machine first.
How to save a list of tasks for batch processing
The list of tasks for batch processing can be exported to XML structured file using Save button in the Batch processing dialog:
The list of tasks can be imported in a different project using Load button:
After installing new version of Agisoft Metashape please check your parameters in Batch processing before launching, as some parameters may change or new parameters may be added.