Rhino and HDR light studio

[Micha3D]

Hi,

I'm testing the demo and I found no way to get a live connection to Rhino. Is there a way? In HDRLS I can set the output path for the live rendered HDRI, but how to get it to the octane environment? If it isn't implemented yet, could it be done please? I'm coming from VfR and I would like to use the light paint feature from Vray.

Ciao,
Micha

[face_off]

I'm testing the demo and I found no way to get a live connection to Rhino. Is there a way? In HDRLS I can set the output path for the live rendered HDRI, but how to get it to the octane environment? If it isn't implemented yet, could it be done please? I'm coming from VfR and I would like to use the light paint feature from Vray.

Hi - this will be possible once https://www.lightmap.co.uk/hdrlightstud ... s/rhino3d/ is released. Just tick the "Sync Octane Enviro to Rhino Enviro" (unsure if this is in the demo version or not - since the demo release is quite old now).

Thanks

Paul

[Micha3D]

Hi Paul,

the dome light of Vray for Rhino is showing the live light, it's working today. Couldn't it be possible to add the same function for Octane? Maybe it's quick done, the live HDRI is saved at a defined directory and need to be read only.

Or could be added a watcher for the environment texture? Yesterday I fine tuned a HDRI per PS and it was cumbersome to get the current saved version from the disk reloaded (I need to select and load an other HDRI and than I can load the needed HDRI again (the new loading texture function of Octane doesn't work for the env tex)). It would be great if Octane would automatic update changed textures. Should be a standard feature for a real time renderer.

I consider to buy Octane for an animation project, if my client give me the go. I would like to fine tune the HDRI environment, so a quick solution could be great. Maybe the autoupdate could be easy added for textures or the env tex only.

Ciao,
Micha

[face_off]

Hi Micha.

Or could be added a watcher for the environment texture?

That's what the "Sync Octane Enviro to Rhino Enviro" function does - whenever the Rhino HDR texture changes, the plugin loads it into Octane. So you need the HDR map to be loaded into the Rhino environment map. I haven't tried this with the VRay plugin, but I have with https://www.lightmap.co.uk/hdrlightstud ... s/rhino3d/ and it works very nicely.

Paul

[Micha3D]

I own HDRLS 4 and I'm happy with the functionality, so I'm not interested to spend a lot of money for not needed features and to pay on a yearly period. I could pay several hundred euros and I can do the same like before. The new HDRLS 5 features maybe good if you work in the studio env and not per plugin. I hope you understand that I would like to spend the money for Octane power.

Doesn't sound it interesting for you to add an "automatic synchronize" feature for textures? Is it not useful, so like the user can change the colors in real time, to add a real time update for textures? A simple texture synchronize feature could help users to jump to Octane without a lot additional cost and it help to improve the general workflow.

How are you updating the env texture, if you changed something in Photoshop on it?

I haven't tried this with the VRay plugin, but I have with https://www.lightmap.co.uk/hdrlightstud ... s/rhino3d/ and it works very nicely.

Looks like the Rhino3D connection isn't available here. (I hope I could use the connection with HDRLS v4)

[face_off]

Doesn't sound it interesting for you to add an "automatic synchronize" feature for textures? Is it not useful, so like the user can change the colors in real time, to add a real time update for textures? A simple texture synchronize feature could help users to jump to Octane without a lot additional cost and it help to improve the general workflow.

I'm not sure I understand what you are suggesting. You can adjust colors in real time by creating an Octane material and changing the diffuse color. If you are changing texturemaps on disk, then use the plugin Settings tab rightclick option "Reload All Texturemaps", and all texturemaps used in the Octane scene will be reloaded.

How are you updating the env texture, if you changed something in Photoshop on it?

If you have "Sync Octane Enviro to Rhino Enviro" enabled, the Octane IBL is copied from the Rhino IBL bitmap (ie. from memory, not a file). So if HDR Light Studio changes the IBL, Rhino reloads it, and sends an "update" event to the plugin, which then reloads the bitmap into the IBL from Rhino.

Paul

[Micha3D]

Doesn't sound it interesting for you to add an "automatic synchronize" feature for textures? Is it not useful, so like the user can change the colors in real time, to add a real time update for textures? A simple texture synchronize feature could help users to jump to Octane without a lot additional cost and it help to improve the general workflow.

I'm not sure I understand what you are suggesting. You can adjust colors in real time by creating an Octane material and changing the diffuse color. If you are changing texturemaps on disk, then use the plugin Settings tab rightclick option "Reload All Texturemaps", and all texturemaps used in the Octane scene will be reloaded.

It could be great if manual "reload all texturemaps" wouldn't be needed so like it is not needed to manual reload the colors after a change. Is it a problem to watch disk changes for the used textures and automatic reload it after a change?

The "Reload All Texturemaps isn't working for the env texture. Could it be fixed?

How are you updating the env texture, if you changed something in Photoshop on it?

If you have "Sync Octane Enviro to Rhino Enviro" enabled, the Octane IBL is copied from the Rhino IBL bitmap (ie. from memory, not a file). So if HDR Light Studio changes the IBL, Rhino reloads it, and sends an "update" event to the plugin, which then reloads the bitmap into the IBL from Rhino.

Ah, I found the option. I thought it's a HDRLS Rhino connection option. I understand for what you are waiting. So I hope I need a new Rhino connection plugin only and not the whole HDRLS 5 for several hundred euro.

[Micha3D]

A test of the Rhino env shows me, that Rhino is updating the viewport, if the HDRI at the disk is changed. Great, the first step is done. But if I enable "Sync Octane Enviro to Rhino Enviro" then Octane doesn't follow the changes of the Rhino env. Attached a screenshot. Could this be fixed please?

[face_off]

A test of the Rhino env shows me, that Rhino is updating the viewport, if the HDRI at the disk is changed. Great, the first step is done. But if I enable "Sync Octane Enviro to Rhino Enviro" then Octane doesn't follow the changes of the Rhino env. Attached a screenshot. Could this be fixed please?

I don't have VRay for Rhino - so cannot exactly match your workflow. However for me it appears to be working correctly. For example, set the Octane Environment to Texture Environment with a Texture = RGB Image and tick "Sync Octane Enviro to Rhino Enviro". Then assign different Rhino Environment Background Images and Octane picks up the new image automatically. I did have to set the Octane Environment Texture Spherical Project Y Rotation to 90 to get an exact match (but I don't think that's needed if using HDR Light Studio). See image below. I wonder if VRay is updating the Rhino environment in a way which is causing the "Update Environment" event to not be triggered....

It could be great if manual "reload all texturemaps" wouldn't be needed so like it is not needed to manual reload the colors after a change. Is it a problem to watch disk changes for the used textures and automatic reload it after a change?

Unfortunately, Yes, it is a problem to watch disk changes to texturemaps - this would be a significant additional load on the render process. If you change a texturemap, use "Reload All Texturemaps" to reload them.

The "Reload All Texturemaps isn't working for the env texture. Could it be fixed?

The "Reload All Texturemaps" works correctly if you have a texturemap in the Texture pin of a Texture Environment node. However when you have "Sync Octane Enviro to Rhino Enviro" ticked, the texturemap is coming directly from the Rhino IBL bitmap, and because Rhino is not detecting the file change, it's bitmap is not being reloaded, so the Octane plugin is not getting the updated bitmap in this case. There is nothing I can do in the plugin to get around this - you'll need to submit a feature request to the Rhino devs.

You shouldn't have any of these issue when you run the HDR Light Studio Rhino 3d connection.

Paul

[Micha3D]

The manual reload of the env textures works now, no idea why don't have seen effect yesterday. I use the Vray HDRLS plugin and the light paint feature and render to a HDRI output. The HDRI is reloaded to Rhino every time I rerender from HDRLS, I can automatic see the current version from the disk at Rhino. Nothing to do for the Rhino team. Only Octane isn't showing the refreshed env tex. Couldn't the Rhino-reload-event be used to trigger Octane reload of the env map? OK, it's the "poor mans" way to use HDRLS, but it would help to save some hundred euros during switching from Vray to Octane.

VfR in RT mode is using the live connection where a new HDRI file written at a temporary directory. A support of this would be the best way. But if it's no easy done, than I understand your restraint.