Feature Spotlight, VentusAR

Feature Spotlight: Renders and PDFs


One of the new features we introduced in VentusAR 2.0 was the ability to produce a PDF file to download. The creation of a document makes it easier to share and save the visualisations created by VentusAR. As I have just been out to a viewpoint with VentusAR, I thought I would share the process to setup the project, create the visualisations in VentusAR, upload the results to the portal and create a PDF.

1. Project Setup

Within the portal, set up the project as required. In this example I am going to be assessing what adding a single turbine to Spottiswood Farm would look like.

portal - setup
Portal Setup for Spottiswoode Farm Project

On the device, run the bulk download process to ensure that all data is downloaded. Then head out to the viewpoint and take a few captures.

Gallery For Spottisewood Farm
Gallery For Spottisewood Farm

2. Publish the Captures

This will ensure we can publish all the metadata about the images. Steps:

  • Click Select in top right corner of the gallery grid screen
  • Select (click) the captures you want to publish
  • Click Publish (top right of gallery grid screen)

This will take a few seconds to complete. An ‘OK’ box will display once the images and data have been successfully published (uploaded). You will then be able to see it in the ‘Published’ images tab in the gallery.

The Published section of the gallery
The Published section of the gallery

3. Generate Renders

From the My Images tab, choose the image you want to view and generate as many renders as you require. Renders are full-screen images generated from the current view (camera view, turbine and wirelines) but not VentusAR controls. This is the difference between a VentusAR image render and a device hardware screen-grab.

Renders are generated using the Generate Render button in the options tab in the right panel.  have generated 2 renders: photo + turbine and wireline + turbine. All the renders will be stored in the renders tab in the gallery.

Pro Tip: The wireline + turbine render can be generated by: setting the overlay to wireline  and turning off the camera feed.

Renders in the Gallery
Renders in the Gallery

Pro Tip: make sure you use the red / white colour scheme in the settings tab as this will be printable.

4. Upload the Renders

PDF generation is done on the portal, so the renders you want to include in your PDF must be uploaded to the portal. This is done by:

  • Choose Select in the top right of the renders tab
  • Select (click) the renders to upload
  • Click Publish (in the top right of renders tab)

It will take a few seconds to upload the renders to the portal. Once they are all uploaded a message will popup saying “Publish Renders Process Complete”

5. View the project in the portal

The renders that have been uploaded to the portal will be shown in a FilmStrip view in the Renders section on the View Project page in the portal. To get to the film strip view:

  • From the main projects list, click View of the project you are interested in
View project link on project details page
View project link on project details page
  • Scroll down to see the FilmStrip view (from the top, the sections are: Layout versions, Viewpoints, Overlays, Reference Structures, Renders, Nearby Cumulative Projects)

6. Publish Images to PDF

Publish Images to PDF button on Project details page
Publish Images to PDF button on Project details page
  • Click on the Publish Images to PDF button to start the PDF production process.
  • On this page, you must choose two images to be included in the pdf (a Wireline and a Visualisation) and the source image with the metadata in it. Choices are made by selecting the highlighted radio buttons. One Visualisaiton image, one wireline image and one metadata image are required.
Choose which Images to use
Choose which Images to use
  • Choose Publish to PDF to produce the PDF. A two-page PDF file will be generated that can be saved or shared as required.
  • An example PDF file can be seen at Clyde_-_Spottieswood_Farm

Future Enhancements

This export to PDF process is an early look at the documentation and output capabilities that we are working on and thinking about. It is by no means final and we are working on simplifying and streamlining this with coming releases. If you have thoughts, suggestions or feedback on how this works, please get in touch as we would love to hear from you.