United3dArtists Archive

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 03:00

Guys this is a workspace obj importer exporter. You have to install the plugin using the plugin manager, load it, restart the truespace and then a toolbar with import / export buttons appears.

The zip contains the install instruction in folder Install. Just open the readme.txt and watch the jpeg images.

Please let the .pdb file just where you will put the .rsx plugin. The pdb file is the visual studio debug information. If the plugin crashes it emits the callstack and can help in debugging.

Current version limitations:
1. The export to obj will export in obj triangles and not faces. So the polygons are splitted in triangles
2. You can only import obj files that contains triangles as faces and not multi vertex polygons
3. Importing / exporting is done from the user interface thread and there is no progress report. So user interface will not work while importing or exporting large models
4. No properties will be displayed in panel stack to allow export / import parameter customization (like when exporting multiple objects to allow exporting in multiple files or exporting the geometry without applying the transform matrix, etc)

If you select multiple objects for export their geometry will collapse into a single file. To export multiple objects to multiple files you have to manually select and export each file or build a script for that.
Besides the current limitations expressed above I'm not aware of any bugs or problems. So if you see anything suspect I'd be happy to hear about it

I intend to spend the weekend adding face export / import and properties panel but in the meantime this is the plugin in it's state.

And expect the plugin to provide import / export to fbx soon

.

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 03 Jul 2009, 04:58

Hi, for some reason the rsx wont run, i mean it doesn't appear on the package manager.. any clue??

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 17:10

Prodigy I test it on another computer as soon as I got up. It works. Problems is that both computers are my dev computers so maybe is a library missing? What OS are you running? Are you running 32bits os or 64bits? And you mean the plugin will not show in package manager? or after you install it in pacakge manager it dose not shows the load option?

Thank for trying it.

froo · Post by **froo** » 03 Jul 2009, 17:13

Hi ChMar.
It's good to see another active developer here.

Are you using the Autodesk FBX SDK by chance? Just curious.

Have a good one!

Froo

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 03 Jul 2009, 17:17

xp sp3 / 32bits / Spanish Edition

I have dot net 1.1 / 2.1 and 3.5 installed..

kinda weird..

As soon as i load the rsx the package manager doesn't show the plug, so i can't do nothing..
has sense?

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 17:37

Has sends. If you load the install the plugin and it dose not show it meas either the plugin dose not export command, node and data object factories or you miss a library.
First try to load the rsx in to rgistry by doing regsvr32 testMatePlugin.rsx in the location where testMatePlugin.rsx resides. And if this fails please let me know as you may need to download visual studio redist files, the new c++ redist. The plugin is not made tiwh .NET so other redist files from microsoft may be required.

Yes Froo the Autodesk FBX SDK. I would not dream doing this otherwise. Problem is I decided I needed some functional code using the trueSpace SSK first and this is why I also developed an OBJ exchage plugin

Thanks for helping me Prodigy

froo · Post by **froo** » 03 Jul 2009, 17:46

Hi ChMar. That's good.
I finished an OBJ importer recently as well, currently working on the exporter.
I've learned a lot along the way.
Are you planning to provide material support?

Also, as v3rd3 mentioned before, please be sure to check out the truespaceplugins website.
It's a great place where the developers can share and learn for the future development of truespace.

Have a good one,

Froo

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 17:52

Well the obj file format is very limited in what it can support as material. I don't intend to offer import / export for other than geometry (vertices, normals, uvs, face indices).
But I will work hard to allow exporting of materials to .fx files. And also importing. but importing is a little trickier. I'm sure I can manage to do the exporting to fx files but importing I'm not sure.I don't think it is possible to import any king of fx files.

Having an fbx exporter and an .fx material exporter is a big step in making truespace part of artistic pipeline in game development

froo · Post by **froo** » 03 Jul 2009, 17:54

excellent. It'll be good to get more formats supported.
Hopefully with more developers making quality importers and
tools, more users will take notice and use TS more.

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 03 Jul 2009, 18:02

ChMar wrote: First try to load the rsx in to rgistry by doing regsvr32 testMatePlugin.rsx in the location where testMatePlugin.rsx resides. And if this fails please let me know as you may need to download visual studio redist files, the new c++ redist. The plugin is not made tiwh .NET so other redist files from microsoft may be required.

Chmar, i tried "regsvr32 c:\testMatePlugin.rsx" and i get this error.

Translation from spanish:
"Error in LoadLibrary ("testMatePlugin.rsx") the application won't start the cos your configuration is icorrect,
Reinstall the application could solve the problem

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 18:07

Prodigy this is the link for Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en

Please try to install this and see if it works. It seams that I must make an installer to ease with plugin installation in case not all libraries are presented in the system

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 03 Jul 2009, 18:19

direct link for the Visual c++ 2008

Perfect.. that solve the problem

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 18:22

Thank Prodigy for helping me out. I'll make sure next version will have an installer so no more clicking links and walking in the shadows

froo · Post by **froo** » 03 Jul 2009, 18:39

Augusto, does that also solve your problem with the other plugins?
I could swear you had that redist!

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 03 Jul 2009, 18:40

Nop doesn't solve the other problem. :S

froo · Post by **froo** » 03 Jul 2009, 18:45

Say, ChMar; one thing I have not been able to do yet, though I'd like to, is make an installer which
automatically installs and loads the plugin in the plugin manager. Do you know how to do that?
I think that would add a nice polished professional touch.

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 19:33

Have a look in the truespace folder at the location: <truespace install folder>/tS/Scripts/Plugins.xml
THis file is accessed from init.js situated in the same location. I guess adding an entry in both files allows you to install and load your plugin. Problem with this kind of solution is that you have to back-up those files and give the uninstaller posibility to restore these files. If your installer crashes while modifying those files (computer gose in standby, bug, etc) then you preety much broke the user truespace installation.

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 19:40

Prodigy give me any rsx that you can't load and I may be able to tell you what files you need to install to make them work. Visual studio uses depends to look into dll files (rsx is just a dll file) and reports any missing dlls and gives a complete list of needed dll filenames. Maybe looking at those names I can tell you what you need to install

First Light · Post by **First Light** » 03 Jul 2009, 19:58

Hi ChMar, Prodigy, and froo...

I'm learning a lot from this discussion (particularly installation issues) and appreciate it very much. If I ever get time, I'd like to tackle making a tS plugin also.

Regarding dependencies, I've used the same technique too---ferreting out dependencies to track down missing system components. It's forced me to meticulously document the dependencies of the applications that I develop so I can help users quickly identify problems. In fact, I publish a full list of dependencies and their default location for every app that I create in its tech support docs. It's easy for me to forget them, myself, after I've been away from a project for a while and am forced to return to it later after many months and try to remember what I did.

It also helps me identify potential problems when the next version of Windows rolls out because Microsoft will often identify which system files will have trouble and I can quickly check my dependency list for them.

Best regards, First Light

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 03 Jul 2009, 20:42

If interest in developping pluings increases we could all draw some documents explaining the pitfalls and making some helper code libraries to ease the process of creating plugins. Right now a lot of research is needed to get results done. Maybe creating starter kits for plugin developpers could decrease the plugin development time and the need to reasearch solutions.

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 05 Jul 2009, 21:55

I know I said I will add properties panels and I did by they are useless at this point. Anyway I rewritten entirely the obj importer exporter in order to be able to support multiple meshes in the same file as opposed to export multiple files for a selection. Also a lot of previous import / export shortcomings are resolved. I added fbx import export for static geometry also and it works very well(tested in both 3DMax and Quicktime FBX player). I wasn’t able yet to create a friendlier installer so you still have to go to the install folder and follow the instructions. I also had to remove the .pdb file from the arhive as I added the needed libraries in the plugin and the zip become a little too fat. If you have the previous plugin installed you have to go to package manager right click the plugin select uninstall exit truespace and then install the new plugin

So here is the current status of the plugin:
1. Import / export obj with UV and normals allowing for multiple objects to be saved in the same obj file.
2. Import / export fbx with UV and normals
3. Geometry is imported / exported by polygons and not by triangles anymore

Current version limitations:
1. Still importing / exporting from the user interface thread and still no progress report. So user interface will not work while importing or exporting large models but import / export should be faster though
4. The properties displayed in panel stack to allow export / import parameter customization don’t do anything are will not even remain the same in final version
5. No material or animation support for fbx. Obj file will never have material support
6. Can only import / export meshes from fbx files (no cameras, no lights, no materials, no animations)
7. When importing / exporting multiple meshes there are no parent / child relationships. This means each mesh is independent and moves independently from other meshes.
8. No install kit
9. Some imported models will not appear on the screen if their positions or scale is very big or out of camera view. You have to go to LE select the imported model and set new scale or position for it

I expect to soon solve the limitations along with adding new formats expect for number 9 of course.
If you find any problems or you fell something should be improved please tell.

froo · Post by **froo** » 05 Jul 2009, 22:40

Hey ChMar.
I believe the other thread options, found in _kernel.h, are shown here:

typedef
enum _tagRtCmdDescFlags
{ CMDFLAG_MASTER = 0,
CMDFLAG_SHARED = 1,
CMDFLAG_INTERFACE = 2,
CMDFLAG_PRIORITY_HIGH = 4
} RtCmdDescFlags;

So maybe you'd want it to run in the MASTER thread.

v3rd3 · Post by **v3rd3** » 06 Jul 2009, 03:53

That is pretty much what Jack started the Truespaceplugins.com site for. Sign up for the developers forum. I am sure if we get the head count up you wise, sage-like, beings can help us neophytes a great deal and we can start putting some good stuff out there.

The SDK is kinda lean so everyone who wants to get in is dependent on those who were already there.

froo · Post by **froo** » 06 Jul 2009, 16:29

I tried a few objects ChMar; it looks like all geometry is still exported as triangles for OBJ export.

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 06 Jul 2009, 23:41

ups

Thankf froo you found a bug. I will correct this at the next iterration

Jack Edwards · Post by **Jack Edwards** » 07 Jul 2009, 17:23

LOL, wow, looks like I'm gonna get beat on the FBX plugin.

Great work ChMar! If you get the FBX import/Export done then I can move on to Kerkythea support and other things like modeling tools.

Tiles · Post by **Tiles** » 07 Jul 2009, 17:48

... and other things like modeling tools.

... and Installers ... hint hint

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 07 Jul 2009, 20:12

Thanks for the kind words guys.

I just added import / support for 3ds, dxf and collada and I'll probably release a new version with material and parent / child relashionship in the next couple of days. The darkest part will be animation support but until then there is some work still to be done.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 08 Jul 2009, 11:25

Good job !
If you could ever get around it multiple obj file would be cool (1 obj per frame) both for import and export.
Would be cool to get particle simulations in and out of Truespace that way and some applications even Blender support that ...
Here is a short anim of TS trueparticles imported into Vue Inf.
had to do the multiple obj export manualy from model side....

Peter

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 08 Jul 2009, 14:01

rayman making an export all objects by frame is a niche feature. It is not something for a general export plugin as this is the intend here. Anyway what you are asking could be far more easily and faster achieved by scripting the plugin even at this stage. The plugin is fully scriptable so making a script to export all geometry from scene frame by frame to new obj should be easy. So if you are interested in this feature I'll make a short Script to do this for you.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 08 Jul 2009, 14:41

ChMar that would be great !
As we are moving most of our animations into Vue inf. for our community project
and that has a python script that reassembles them together to a full animation...
thanks
Peter

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 13 Jul 2009, 16:04

I updated and made some changes to the plugin and even if I don’t consider it to be in its final state I don’t think it requires lot more changes. In the attachement zip file you'll find the setup that installs the plugin.

Status of the plugin:
1. Import / export in the following formats: fbx, obj, collada dae, 3ds, dxf
2. Import / export lights, cameras, geometry and normal meshes, uv, materials and textures (no material or texturing support for obj format)
3. Supported parent / child relationship between node meshes.
4. Automatic installer. The plugin now has a setup file for automatic installation. Just choose the folder where you want to install it and that’s it.
5. Just 2 buttons in the toolbar. You can press either import button or export button and then in the file dialog choose you choose the import / export format.

Current limitations:
1. No stack panel properties for import / export. Didn’t decide yet what settings to allow. So what appears now in the panel stack is non functional and will change
2. No animation support
3. No measure unit and axis correlation support

Next step is working on animations so axis correlation and import / export settings panel will not be solved until animation is working properly

Edit: Changed the zip file with an new setup that allow for all supported type import / export and changed icon file

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 13 Jul 2009, 17:18

this is only for fbx files right? cos i only see a fbx import export icon.

from my tests few points.

1) The plug in loads fine on the P.M. but the icon doesn't appear until i restart truespace, that is expected??
2) takes tooooo long to import, that is expected??
3) Mesh was not imported properly, See the bridge is flat
4) The faces are triangulated and seems are not linked to other faces. Enter in Edit Mode select a triangle and pull to any direction..

Mat seems is working nice

Good work man!

This is the fbx object used on my tests, downloaded from turbosquid.
And pictures from the original File

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 13 Jul 2009, 18:13

Thanks for your review Prodigy. I'll look at that bridge and address the problems.

The plugin loads automatically into truespace and will start next time you open truespace. So if you run the setup while truespace was opened plugin installs but won't start. I'll modify the setup in next version to give user more info about this step.

Import time seams to be dependent of the model imported. I don't know how much can I improve here. It spends a lot of time in the FBX document parsing but I'll try to squeeze in mode speed

About just the fbx files actually it supports all listed formats. Problem is I forgot to change the icon image in something more appropiate (not that I know how to draw a more descriptive icon

but I can try ). So the bottom line is you can import just fbx and export all formats. I will fix this bug stupid mistake fast

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 13 Jul 2009, 21:40

This is a version with small correction. Using this version you will be able to import all supported files (fixed the dialog bug that only allowed for .fbx import) also I changed the button image to be more generic and not show *.fbx text in image.

Prodigy thank you so much for your feedback. I look at the bridge and it's the model not the plugin. In Quicktime it refuses to load. I also tested it in 3d max 2010 and it looks identical as in truespace. And the loading time in this particular case is because the model is made of 30 or so small boxes and in trueSpace you pay a price everytime you create an object.

If anyone finds any problems or have problem importing exporting any model plese let me know.

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 13 Jul 2009, 21:48

Thanks! hope you understand my intention is not criticize your work that is excellent, but yes report.

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 13 Jul 2009, 21:59

Prodigy you helped me alot with your review and I always appreciate criticism even if sometimes it iritates me

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 13 Jul 2009, 22:08

Glad you have that point of view..

hultek43 · Post by **hultek43** » 14 Jul 2009, 02:02

What would b awesome would be a tsx for TS 6.6 which did all of objects in the scene with one click and saved them to a folder of our choice in multiple formats if checked in the checkbox. dxf would be fne for starters

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 14 Jul 2009, 12:19

This plugin will remain only for ts7.6 and up. tS6.6 uses another sdk and if someone will want to port this plugin to 6.6 it will have to start from scratch again so I think seeing this plugin for 6.6 is preety much imposible

Prodigy · Post by **Prodigy** » 14 Jul 2009, 16:28

Man how i can import dxf?

i tried to import this but without luck.. support polylines for example? or just faces?

Tiles · Post by **Tiles** » 14 Jul 2009, 16:42

What would b awesome would be a tsx for TS 6.6 which did all of objects in the scene with one click and saved them to a folder of our choice in multiple formats if checked in the checkbox. dxf would be fne for starters

Doesn`t the Modeler already come with DXF im and export? I wouldn`t really recommend it though, It`s pretty old.

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 14 Jul 2009, 19:44

For DXF only faces are suported. I don't know how to treat polylines. If anyone has an ideea how to treat those please tell me because right now you can have nurbs but they will not display on workspace so maybe they will have to be first triangulated (extruded by a small amount or give them area so they van be viewed as 3d objects)

Jack Edwards · Post by **Jack Edwards** » 14 Jul 2009, 19:52

My approach was to just triangulate nurbs and patches. But if you want to put in the work you could use the control points as vertices for a poly mesh -- then generate the underlying tiangle mesh with the correct edge-flags to show as the poly mesh you solved for.

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 14 Jul 2009, 20:00

I do triangulate the NURBS patches but when you have a NURBS curve(spline curve on a plane, a collection of points) I don't know what to do with them because you can't make triangles from a curve without extruding it on an axis so I guess a very small extrusion is necessary to show such polylines in workspace

Jack Edwards · Post by **Jack Edwards** » 14 Jul 2009, 20:07

You'd need to create a new primitive type. Same for if you wanted to implement true nurbs. The mesh generator should probably have thickness and number of sides values then generate a cylinder along the curve. It's not a trivial undertaking, since you'd need to create all the tools for manipulating and using the new curves primitive as well.

Short-term you're probably better off just ignoring them.

BTW, you can create point clouds in trueSpace as long as there is one triangle in the mesh.

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 28 Jul 2009, 11:14

I have a problem that some files (most of them) that I save are only 33kb (obj format) size when I export them... and I dont get anything upon reimporting
pretty strange although I know that io have the object selected.
I installed both the visual 2005 and the 2008 files what am I missing ?

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 28 Jul 2009, 12:10

RAYMAN please post one or two models you use for test and I'll see what's with this strange behaviour.

Thanks

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 28 Jul 2009, 14:31

Here you go thats what comes out when I try to save tank girol and the horse from the Ts libraray
They both have a skeleton maybe thats the problem but they export well with luuv
or maybe i am missing some kind of library.
The head from the library worked well very strange ....
I opened the obj files with a text editor and there isnt much inside..

froo · Post by **froo** » 28 Jul 2009, 14:40

Hi Rayman.
Those 2 files only contain a comment.
There is no other data in there.
So it looks like the meshes were not acquired and exported.

Here; try this one on for size. The zip file contains the horse obj, mtl, and texture and bump map files.

ChMar · Post by **ChMar** » 28 Jul 2009, 14:45

Yes RAYMAN you are right rigged models (any king of models that were encapsulated in 3d actualy will not be exported). I'm working to fix that and release it when I will release the animation part maybe at the end of the week.

Thanks for spoting that out

RAYMAN · Post by **RAYMAN** » 28 Jul 2009, 14:46

thats the strange part of it !
exactly these words .....
P.S aha crossmailed thanks for clarifiing this !
I will wait for that then !
thanks
Peter

bkjernisted · Post by **bkjernisted** » 21 Aug 2009, 13:47

Trueblue is this included in trueSpace Beta 7.61 Unofficial Update762009.zip Thanks! Brent

Hicks · Post by **Hicks** » 06 May 2010, 18:09

Hi,

I install the plug-in in TS7.6, it can works, but it shows error everytime when I open TS7.6!

( p.s. I had installed both the old and new version of testMATEPlugin, and removed the old one. )

When I uninstall testMATEPlugin, the tool bar still appears, but the icon changes and no effect! Is that a bug or conflict between the old and new version of testMATEPlugin?

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