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Avi's and glueing up and back again
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Avi's and glueing up and back again // New Users
Post by weaveribm // Mar 6, 2007, 1:14am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Saving up questions not to spam :)
Is it possible please to have an avi running in a picture frame or TV screen?
I read that this is possible using animated textures but I can't work out how to get this function into a 30fps animation
How can I safely glue objects together and then unglue them again at a later stage please?
A window frame and the glass panes and window catch for example where I need to texture the frame down the line but not the glass panes. Unglue is legacy now I see and the Glue As Child etc again I can't work it out
Thanks in advance
Peter |
Post by Bobbins // Mar 6, 2007, 1:58am
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Bobbins
Total Posts: 506
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Is it possible please to have an avi running in a picture frame or TV screen?
I read that this is possible using animated textures but I can't work out how to get this function into a 30fps animation
Yes, it's easy. If you've worked out how to use the Texture Map colour shader then you know how. Select an AVI or a numbered sequence of still BMP/JPG/TIF/etc and check the Anim box. Paint the object with the shader and it will automatically animate as tS renders frames.
How can I safely glue objects together and then unglue them again at a later stage please?
A window frame and the glass panes and window catch for example where I need to texture the frame down the line but not the glass panes. Unglue is legacy now I see and the Glue As Child etc again I can't work it out
I see you've already found the other thread with info on this. |
Post by weaveribm // Mar 6, 2007, 2:53am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Thanks Bobbins, yes I did see that one right after I posted sorry - will inwardly digest :)
Texture map color shader more manual section printouts ta mate
I've started at page 19 in Tech Support forum here and working my way backwards through everything
Peter |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 3, 2007, 6:40am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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7.11 and having trouble getting an avi to run as an animated texture on either a plane object or cube object, the object will texture in colour. I can select the avi and it looks as if it's going to render (and the Animate selector ticked) but no animated avi in test runs.
The avi's are captured in Fraps and run ok from Media Player
Ah- sorry on checking VirtualLight runs avi's ok but no show under Vray1.0/7.11
I should have said that I need the animation to run under VRay... oh no please tell me it can be done :)
Peter |
Post by Délé // Jun 3, 2007, 7:08am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but animated textures are not supported with Vray yet. :(
I have a script that will animate a series of stills onto a texture, but that only works with 7.5. |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 3, 2007, 11:21am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Thanks Délé. It's not too bad it can be a background still if all else fails but you offer hope
If you could please allow me to get a copy of your script I'd be very thankful...
I'm working in 7.5 more now, now Tomas told us about the application error logfile we have a parachute :) And I do like 7.5 very much the speedy realtime workspace view is wonderful
I am working on a flythrough and 12 hour avi renders so I am planning eventually to render as dot tga frames so that all is not lost if something bad happens (but 7.11 is very robust and no problems so far). I will take the 7.11 scene and bring it into 7.5 then, save as frames using your script (if it can be tied to an animation) if I may please and then use VirtualDub to create the final avi from the Targa files
Thanks again you are a lifesaver Délé
Peter |
Post by Délé // Jun 4, 2007, 3:37am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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I'm going to try to make some changes to the script so that it works better with keyframing. I'll upload the script later today with a mini-tut to show how to use it. |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 4, 2007, 5:34am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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That's extremely kind of you Délé thanks
Peter |
Post by Délé // Jun 4, 2007, 12:11pm
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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NP, I hope it works for you. Here's a link to the script and an explanation on how to use it:
http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?p=36915#post36915 |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 4, 2007, 10:36pm
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Lovely ta Délé, very much appreciated!
Peter |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 5, 2007, 8:12am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Sorry some questions Délé
I've created 30 sequentially numbered filename tga images
How to run the script please? I have your script file in the /Scripts folder but I can't see anything on this in the 7.5 manual
'From a library...'
I see the Library browser and I saw someone having trouble creating a library earlier - how to find/create the library please?
I know the LE is involved but I'm stuck - apologies :(
I'll do something to get the script running inside the LE and then I can follow your AE Texture Animator guide Délé which I've got printed out beside me, sorry I'm an enthusiastic TS beginner only (but I know VB and OOP generally)
Peter |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 5, 2007, 8:23am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Library Browser
Objects - Script Objects
Now in that ^ panel
Import
/Scripts folder
AE Texture Animator
So you know I'm doing me bit. I'm not a tourist :)
Wow we need a Big Sign
Quick. Everyone Look At The Library Browser! :)
Mandelbrot, Landscape Generator
I saw someone saying that the other day in here and it must have stuck in my mind about Libraries and Importing... this place is dead cool :)
Peter |
Post by Délé // Jun 5, 2007, 9:08am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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Sorry, I should have clarified how to do that.
You can hold Ctrl and double click on each slot on the script to insert each image if you want.
OR
The way I prefer is to make a new library and drag and drop the images one by one from the library. To make a new library, just open the library browser and right click on the "Main Library Place" folder. Select "Create Library".
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Then Make sure you set the type of library from the dropdown list (in this case the default .bmp is correct). Name your library and click OK.
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Your new library will show up at the bottom of the list. Double click it to open it in the stack.
Now from here you can right click in the library in the stack and select "import" to import images.
OR
The way I prefer is to open the file where the images are located with a regular window outside of tS. Then you can just select all of the images and drag and drop them directly to the library with one drop.
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Lots of ways to use the libraries. They're very flexible. :) |
Post by Délé // Jun 5, 2007, 9:18am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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Oh yeah, once you get all of your stills into a library, you might want to change it's view to 1+2d so you can easily read the file names (hopefully you have them seqentially numbered).
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Post by weaveribm // Jun 5, 2007, 10:10am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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You are a diamond sir. I loaded the 5 of 30 images in by hand as in the shots below - thanks for the info on the quicker way if I'm reading it correctly
I hope that these shots will show you where I am up to and where I can go next please?
Very interesting indeed!
Peter
Making sure to follow your first step, plane with image texture
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/ExportedTextureNode-1.jpg
Coming back from exporting texture
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/ComingBackFromExportingTexture.jpg
I think I'm ready to link the bitmap series but not sure how
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/PlaneAndBitmapsReadyForNextStepM-2.jpg |
Post by Délé // Jun 5, 2007, 10:54am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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Ok, looks like you're getting there.
In that last image it looks like you have dragged the images into the LE and then linked them into the script. This is fine but it will get cluttered very quickly this way. You should either Ctrl + double click directly on the slot image input, OR drag the images directly onto each slot. This will place the images into the slots rather then linking them in. In the first image below, I have dragged images on to each of the 30 slots. For now, I think you can just delete each of those image nodes you have on the left side and the images will remain in the slots (see second image).
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The next thing is, it doesn't look like you've fully exported the bitmap input all the way out to the outer node yet. It looks like in your second to the last image, you still need to export the image input from the "material" node that is right under the "material list manager" node. The bitmap input should be on the outside of your object node when you're done exporting like below. It might help to know that red triangles on the left side of a node indicate inputs, and blue triangles on the right side of a node indicate outputs. Make sure that you're exporting the bitmap "input" which will have a red triangle on the left side.
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Post by weaveribm // Jun 5, 2007, 1:41pm
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Thanks Délé I'm trying to stay with it and meanwhile finding out lots.
In the shot below: I tried to delete the cluttering images but get left with the 5 image icons you see there which will not go away. But dragging the bitmaps to the slots directly works fine, major timesaver nice :)
Sorry to be a bore I hope I've got further along now and following your guidance with now an Export from the plane object but-
The bitmap input should be on the outside of your object node when you're done exporting like below... Make sure that you're exporting the bitmap "input" which will have a red triangle on the left side
I don't understand this sorry. Is the bitmap you refer to the image by the Material List in the shot below?
When everything is correctly set up although it may take a while for me right now, how does one get from the AE Texture Animator script object in the LE to the animation please?
I'll take a guess. I see the Play icon in the small toolbar maybe that's it?
Small wondering: Délé in the shot below there's a box, an encapsulation? of the selected Inflight in the scene. It's always puzzled me how to get back to the normal Inflight object like the one above the now-a-box icon in the LE in the shot... I usually give up at this point but my resolve is strengthened by your helping out thanks a million
The plane's material list output node is exported I think, I can see that white node now I Exported something (I exported everything that allowed er, exportation) but where is the Exported node going?
Ah is it to the Project er, window where your AE script sits next to a 'Windows Manager Space' object? And other scary objects :)
I've probably got into a real muddle and the developer's guide sent me into a major panic. Ok a minor panic :)
The drag-and-drop-ness of the 7.5 GUI is a bit special, very nice. Arthur Clarke said that the advanced technology of more advanced beings is indistinguishable from magic to less advanced beings. He's right but I think he meant voodoo magic in this case :)
Délé I think you are curing me of my fear of the Link Editor. I know that some highly complex programs become very familiar and almost simple to use after lots of study and practice. This cheers me up. That and the slight Irish whiskey cheers we both deserve it and you more than me <shoves a cold one over> :)
Ahah wait pre-edit: the AE has an output node but it's not attached (Exported?) to any other object... two output nodes. Hmm Matrix. The plot thickens lol
Peter
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/exportedthebitmapinputallthewayoutt.jpg |
Post by Délé // Jun 5, 2007, 3:03pm
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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Well, I'm glad to see that you're not giving up yet. A lot of people seem to shrug away from the LE right away. It does take a little time to get used to it, but once you do it's really not that difficult and can open up many more doors. I don't think you'll regret it. :)
First, here are two scenes showing how to set up the script. The first one shows how to set up one script (if you only need 30 or less stills). The second one shows how to daisy chain a few together (you can chain as many as you need).
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Ok, now I see that you are exporting the bitmap "output" not the "input". As shown in the image below, inputs have red triangles (usually on the left side of the node), outputs have blue triangles (usually on the right side of the node). You exported the bitmap output. Disconnect that link that I marked with an X by clicking on the wire. Now you'll have to go back inside of the object and find the bitmap "inputs" within the material nodes and export that all the way to the outside of the object node. See the attached scenes above for clarification.
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As for deleting nodes it's quite easy. Just select the node and hit delete on your keyboard. :) You can also click the X in the upper right corner of the node to delete it. Now, if you accidentally make a node an icon (like the small box you mentioned) you can get it back to normal by left clicking on the upper left corner of the node and selecting "minimize" (as shown in the image below). You can also just double click the title bar of the node.
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Also notice the tabs at the top of nodes. This allows you to change to different aspects. You usually have to set the node to "Exp" or "default" to get the X in the top right corner to show up.
Keep at it...you'll get the hang of it soon and things like this will be a piece of cake. :) |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 5, 2007, 11:22pm
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Many thanks :)
I've always found the LE interesting Délé but what swung it for me was Tomas posting that we can set up an error logfile on starting up the application so if anything goes wrong crashwise or elsewhere we can talk directly to Caligari support and help to fix any bugs or at least find out what crash-inducing buttons we're pressing at critical moments "Don't press that plunger!" :)
select the node and hit delete on your keyboard
Oh I was hitting the Delete key definitely, pounding it :)
'Select the node' - ah sorry mate that'll be where I don't know how to select a node, a triangle. I did left- and right-click on the triangles but nothing happened (so I tried to delete the hanging bitmap-objects-minus-their-output-triangles) there'll be something else I'm missing then- but some time in work today to get that sorted and printing out your guiding-replies and the Developer's Guide too
How to get the output from the AETA going somewhere useful please? I can see that that output is your Texture Animator's only output. It possibly is an input to the Plane object but the Plane object has many inputs... I suspect the Matrix hmm choose red or blue... no I'm kidding but not about the TA's output and where it should be linked to the Plane object's input please :)
From your Guide:
Select the Master script in the LE
That will be puzzling later I bet, I'm not sure what the Master script is? Ah sorry got it further down the Guide. The Master/Slave selections
Two AETA objects, one labelled 'AE Texture Animator v1.0' and the other simply 'Texture Animator AE v1.0,1'
Ahah this is for later after concentrating on getting 1-30 (0-29) frames working.
How is that object 'Texture Animator AE v1.0,1' created please? Sorry if you've already told me Délé, can't see it in your Guide, working with absolutely reams of printouts at home and in work :)
Ahah2 got it- add another AETA script to the LE and demote it to Slave status, chain the slaves together...
Ahah3 I get the metaphor now. Slaves of the Roman. And I'm Mr Christian running away from the LE wild animals. Or towards them in the current scenario. This makes you Spartacus :)
An early apology if I'm back again to drive you mad Délé because I'm in dog-with-bone mode but the LE fog is starting to clear cheers!
Peter |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 5, 2007, 11:25pm
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Forgot to thank you very much for the example scenes!
Peter |
Post by Délé // Jun 6, 2007, 4:14am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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Oh I was hitting the Delete key definitely, pounding it
'Select the node' - ah sorry mate that'll be where I don't know how to select a node, a triangle. I did left- and right-click on the triangles but nothing happened (so I tried to delete the hanging bitmap-objects-minus-their-output-triangles) there'll be something else I'm missing then- but some time in work today to get that sorted and printing out your guiding-replies and the Developer's Guide too
OK, when I refer to node, I'm talking about the entire 2d box that represents the object. The triangles are just link inputs and outputs. So just select the object (node) you want to delete and press the delete key. Or as I mentioned above, if you set the node to the "Exp" or "Default" aspect by selecting the tabs at the top of the node, an X will appear at the top right. You can also click that X to delete a node.
How to get the output from the AETA going somewhere useful please? I can see that that output is your Texture Animator's only output. It possibly is an input to the Plane object but the Plane object has many inputs... I suspect the Matrix hmm choose red or blue... no I'm kidding but not about the TA's output and where it should be linked to the Plane object's input please
The Script has 2 outputs; FrameOUT and BitmapOUT. If you are only using one script then the BitmapOUT will connect into the bitmap input on your object. This is the bitmap input which you have to go inside of the objects material nodes and export to the outside of the object node. If you go inside of the cube object in one of the example scenes provided, you can see how the bitmap input is exported to the outside of the node from deep in the material nodes.
Now if you are daisy chaining multiple scripts together, then you will link the FrameOUT of the first script into the FrameIN on the second script. You will also link the BitmapOUT from the first script into the "Bitmap00 Chain IN" on the second script. This transfers the frame number and bitmap from the first script in the chain to the second script in the chain. Then you would link the BitmapOUT from the last script in the chain into the objects bitmap input.
Examine sample scenes for reference.
That will be puzzling later I bet, I'm not sure what the Master script is? Ah sorry got it further down the Guide. The Master/Slave selections
Master and Slave are just settings on the script. If you're only using one script it should be set to Master. If you daisy chain multiple scripts together the first one should be set to Master and the rest set to Slave. The Master script (or first script in the chain) will have control over the Slave scripts. |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 6, 2007, 5:45am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Thanks Dele printing that out for later
I misled you (and myself) earlier sorry when I said that I had selected a node and hit Delete. I found out today that I had not been hitting Delete and that it does work ok just as you said it would, I was looking for a Delete option rather than hitting the key. I don't like to hit any Delete keys when studying... too scary. That would account for it.
when I refer to node, I'm talking about the entire 2d box that represents the object
Got it now :)
Creating the Library went well after you explained that last time Dele and I found that I could mass-copy in (standard Windows file operation) any amount of bitmaps to the folder that's created. Very nice, I'm very pleased with the GUI and nothing seems as brittle as it once did.
I've run your examples and all is ok and I see Vray renders to avi but at the moment in my attenuated state <g> I'm pressing on with an awkward problem, bashing away at it as usual with a very blunt object. My brain.
I can't get the Diffuse Texture field in the Cube's properties for some reason. I saw it last time but starting with a fresh scene after creating some bitmaps for testing the Diffuse Texture field is not there in the Cube's properties...
I dug down into the Material nodes as you indicated and below I think I did that ok but coming back, still no Diffuse Texture field. I'm also wondering why there must be a Diffuse Texture field rather than a Texture field?
I hope that the shots below will allow you to see what I'm missing. Must have coffee I've been working very hard at work on this work shhh! say nothing :)
The cube is textured from Vray shaders (which converts to LW shaders on-the-fly I think I read)
Next testing session run I will use a Cube, texture it from Vray textures/bitmap with an image as usual and just two bitmaps in your AETA to keep things very simple. AETA to rhyme with Rita the meter maid
LE is getting more familiar by the minute Dele and things may fall into place soon. I'm panicking though that you'll get bored with my pathetic efforts can you do Mastercard a bottle of something will be on the way :)
Dele on another disappearance and possibly bearing on this. I used to have another Toolbar that has disappeared, it had a Play button and other buttons. I've made quite sure that Display All Toolbars is selected in Settings. Should I go for Reset Defaults or something do you think please? I found the Play etc buttons on another toolbar when looking at your example in the Animation window. The Stop key is a Pause icon in case anyone else is looking for the Stop key there. This makes sense to me now I know about it.
Peter
No Diffuse Texture field in the Cube's Properties...
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/tryingtoexport_theBitmapInputNoDiff.jpg
Burrowing down, Diffuse Texture in Material Chunk is right-clicked/Exported but looks to be on the input side (white dot means Exported?)
I click in the large area under 'Diffuse Texture' and hit 'Export'
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/tryingtoexport_theBitmapInput2.jpg
Diffuse Texture in LW Material is right-clicked/Exported but looks to be on the input side (white dot means Exported?)
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/tryingtoexport_theBitmapInput.jpg |
Post by Délé // Jun 6, 2007, 7:18am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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I misled you (and myself) earlier sorry when I said that I had selected a node and hit Delete. I found out today that I had not been hitting Delete and that it does work ok just as you said it would, I was looking for a Delete option rather than hitting the key. I don't like to hit any Delete keys when studying... too scary. That would account for it.
You can also just click the X in the upper right corner of a node to delete it. You'll have to select the "Exp" or "Default" tab at the top of the node to see it though.
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I can't get the Diffuse Texture field in the Cube's properties for some reason. I saw it last time but starting with a fresh scene after creating some bitmaps for testing the Diffuse Texture field is not there in the Cube's properties...
I dug down into the Material nodes as you indicated and below I think I did that ok but coming back, still no Diffuse Texture field.
If you don't see it on the outside of the node then you haven't exported it all the way out yet. My guess is that you still have to go inside of the object and on the "material list" node export it one more time. You have to make sure that you export it up through every level until it's at the outside of the node.
I'm also wondering why there must be a Diffuse Texture field rather than a Texture field?
A texture can be made up of many maps; diffuse, bump, reflectance, displacement, etc.. So the diffuse map is the color map for the object. You can indeed animate any or all of the maps. Animating the diffuse map is probably the most common though.
I want to clarify that the reason I didn't show a specific step by step process for exporting the diffuse map to the outside of the node is because different materials are assembled differently in the LE. If you apply a lightworks material it has different nodes then if you apply a Vray or DX material. If you apply different materials to an object and dig around inside the objects material nodes the LE, you'll get used to seeing how each is constructed.
Dele on another disappearance and possibly bearing on this. I used to have another Toolbar that has disappeared, it had a Play button and other buttons. I've made quite sure that Display All Toolbars is selected in Settings. Should I go for Reset Defaults or something do you think please? I found the Play etc buttons on another toolbar when looking at your example in the Animation window. The Stop key is a Pause icon in case anyone else is looking for the Stop key there. This makes sense to me now I know about it.
You don't have to reset to default context or anything like that. Each window has 4 contexts. 1D is the script view, 2D is the LE view, 3D is the workspace of course, and 4D is the animation view. All you have to do is switch your LE window from 2d to 4d via the dropdown list in the top right corner.
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You can also do what I do and create a new animation window and dock it above the LE. You can open a new window from the toolbar at the very bottom. Then if you hold Ctrl and drag it just above the LE window it will dock right above the LE. |
Post by weaveribm // Jun 6, 2007, 8:22am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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the diffuse map is the color map for the object
Ah got it thanks Dele
My plan now to minimise aggravating/disappointing :) you is to work my way thoroughly through your first simpler example in reverse-engineering mode and to take screenshots of the objects in the LE to make a mosaic that I can study, copy and run through a few times until I get a test run working, then buy you a few virtual cold beers which you richly deserve... I'll make you proud of me yet you see if I don't :)
After printing out your last reply that is and having a night out tonight with poker and music then back on the job tomorrow. I and very probably we are extremely grateful for all your help Dele cheers
Peter |
Post by Délé // Jun 6, 2007, 10:30am
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Délé
Total Posts: 1374
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It's no problem Peter. I remember when I first delved into the LE, it is a bit daunting at first. If you have any more questions or get stuck somewhere don't hesitate to ask. I'll be happy to help. :) |
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