Model Heightmap

[makafaka]

I have a heightmap (grayscale bitmap) that I want to use in FreeCAD. Is it possible to add that in as a model? I am fairly new to FreeCAD. Thanks in advance.

Version: 0.18
Rev Number:
OS: Debian 10 64-bit

[M4x]

"Latest version of FreeCAD" isn't detailed enough. Please have a look at the big red banner at the top.

[Roy_043]

Maybe with the Lithophane external workbench?:
https://github.com/furti/FreeCAD-Lithophane

[TheMarkster]

The macro FCBmpImport can import gray scale bmp as lithophane, too. Each pixel gets a height based on the level of black or white in that pixel. I haven't used the workbench, so I don't know which will give better results. If the resolution is too high the macro will probably bog down FreeCAD with too many objects. If you can post the file I'll give it a go with macro.

[makafaka]

Maybe with the Lithophane external workbench?:
https://github.com/furti/FreeCAD-Lithophane

This appears to be Windows only. I tried it, it will import the image, but won't convert it to a lithophane successfully. It returns an empty object when I click "create the geometry .. shape of box" button.

The macro FCBmpImport can import gray scale bmp as lithophane, too. Each pixel gets a height based on the level of black or white in that pixel. I haven't used the workbench, so I don't know which will give better results. If the resolution is too high the macro will probably bog down FreeCAD with too many objects. If you can post the file I'll give it a go with macro.

According to the git and my attempts with this addon, this will only work in BW images, which have 1-bit per pixel. This means that pixels must be one of two values: 0 or 1. Greyscale images have 8 bit precision, which means there are 256 values a pixel can take.

I don't really have a specific image file or FreeCAD document file, I am more just asking if any version of FreeCAD or any Addon/Macro supports this specific feature. If this doesn't exist, I will just create it. I am just new to the software, so I wanted to make sure that there is none existing in the community first.

[TheMarkster]

According to the git and my attempts with this addon, this will only work in BW images, which have 1-bit per pixel. This means that pixels must be one of two values: 0 or 1. Greyscale images have 8 bit precision, which means there are 256 values a pixel can take.

I don't really have a specific image file or FreeCAD document file, I am more just asking if any version of FreeCAD or any Addon/Macro supports this specific feature. If this doesn't exist, I will just create it. I am just new to the software, so I wanted to make sure that there is none existing in the community first.

[TheMarkster]

I doubt if the workbench is windows only. It might be just not compatible with 0.18, which is fairly outdated by this point. I suggest trying one of the AppImages of 0.20. I imported this a few minutes ago:

Snip macro screenshot-ac13fa.png (270.28 KiB) Viewed 1251 times

Original png was converted to grayscale bmp and resized down to around 200x230 or something like that. The FreeCAD file is too large for the forum.

I made a compound of the line objects, and then a draft clone of the compound, which I scaled up in the z direction to create more contrast.

A warning with the macro, if you start getting errors in the report view abort the operation immediately with the abort button. Force kill FreeCAD if you have to. I have had it crash not just FreeCAD, but the entire system. Save and save often.

[makafaka]

I doubt if the workbench is windows only. It might be just not compatible with 0.18, which is fairly outdated by this point. I suggest trying one of the AppImages of 0.20. I imported this a few minutes ago:

Snip macro screenshot-ac13fa.png

Original png was converted to grayscale bmp and resized down to around 200x230 or something like that. The FreeCAD file is too large for the forum.

I made a compound of the line objects, and then a draft clone of the compound, which I scaled up in the z direction to create more contrast.

A warning with the macro, if you start getting errors in the report view abort the operation immediately with the abort button. Force kill FreeCAD if you have to. I have had it crash not just FreeCAD, but the entire system. Save and save often.

This worked! Thank you!