Blender instances "patch" for the unofficial exporter

[ROUBAL]

@matej :

I'll post an update that writes .obj automatically each time you export transforms.

Please leave the choice of not writing obj each time, because some complexe obj take a long time to export, when transforms often take only seconds.

When we export a new Dupliface mesh with just adjusted positions or added instances, there is absolutely no need of re-exporting the obj...

Thanks in advance !

[kavorka]

@matej:
Is there a better way of doing it? Actually, my "groups" are all single objects. I am only using group instances because when I use Alt+D to make an instance of the object, it doesnt seem to work if the object has a mesh smooth modifier.

[matej]

@Roubal, of course, its a checkbox option

@kavorka, no better ways to do it that I know of. I plan to add support for groups (I too mainly use groups), but as I said, dont know yet how to get that info from the API (some stuff I'm learning as I go)

[kavorka]

@Roubal, of course, its a checkbox option

@kavorka, no better ways to do it that I know of. I plan to add support for groups (I too mainly use groups), but as I said, dont know yet how to get that info from the API (some stuff I'm learning as I go)

Awesome, I'm in no rush, as long as it happens at some point. I'm not using the instance build for my production work yet cause its slower and buggy, but I want to get used to how to use it efficiently so when I choose to start using it, it will be an easy switch.

Thanks so much for all your work
maybe with the new file system, this will all get a lot easier.

[steveps3]

My bad, I didn't have the "use object rotation" option set.

[matej]

I've updated the first post with a new version (ont the top) and some hints / guidelines. Re-read it please and test the script.

It might seem there are a lot of limitations and yes the transforms don't work for arbitrary particle velocity, but the script is nonetheless usable. There's a whole bunch of PS parameters that affect particle size & rotation, alongside with a possible complex transform hierarchy of the emitter (parent etc), so it requires some work to port everything to Octane. Not to mention PS can be painted, combed, and whatnot...

For the time being this will do. I'll do small updates when I'll have time.

[kavorka]

I am now trying to use duplifaces. I was able to get the chair object duplicated on a mesh's faces. I rotated the individual faces of the mesh so the chair had the rotation I wanted.

I was able to produce a .csv File and load it into a scatter node. I got my single chair exported, but when I connect it to a scatter node with the .CSV file, the chair is not visible. The triangle count in octane shows me that it is there, but I cannot see the chairs. If I connect just the chair to my Geometry group, it shows up where it should be located.
Any ideas?

[ROUBAL]

Did you connect the scatter note to the geometry node ?

[matej]

I've uploaded the grass example scene by Roubal, exported with the 0.1.5 update (that corrects particle size). See first post.

As you can see on the screenshot, the grass is varied enough (rotation and declination around emitter normal, size varies) and the render in Octane corresponds exactly as the viewport in Blender (as long as you don't mess with forbidden parameters - read first post for guidelines). Also note the rotation of the dupli object in the wireframe view.

Render speed in Octane is damn slow though (only 1megasample wit DL & 500 instances on my GTX 460)... I hope this will improve.

[steveps3]

I am now trying to use duplifaces. I was able to get the chair object duplicated on a mesh's faces. I rotated the individual faces of the mesh so the chair had the rotation I wanted.

I was able to produce a .csv File and load it into a scatter node. I got my single chair exported, but when I connect it to a scatter node with the .CSV file, the chair is not visible. The triangle count in octane shows me that it is there, but I cannot see the chairs. If I connect just the chair to my Geometry group, it shows up where it should be located.
Any ideas?

Maybe you have a material that is invisible? Or maybe your scatter table has scattered the chair so far and wide that it is no longer visible. Try selecting the object node. Can you see the chair? If so then this rules out possibility 1, assuming that you camera isn't pointing to the back of beyond.