UNOFFICIAL plugin for 3ds Max 2010+

[tehfailsafe]

Now I'm having the issue with the script launching octane and exporting at the same time, so octane can't find the mesh. I have tried full render, render cache, 0-0, 0-100, same for all frames of a brand new file.

This octane error pops up immediately:
Automation Error: Node "OctaneRender_anim.obj" is no mesh node.


If I hit "render still" it seems to export the mesh and then launch octane just fine.
Strange, this wasn't happening a few days ago before I reformatted. I'm not sure what could have changed between installations? This is way more important to figure out than the mesh scale issue which only affects one file, and if I have to I can rebuild it. This bug doesn't let me render any animations.


BTW, how can I donate to your support? Your plugin has helped me immensely with animation!

[JimStar]

Now I'm having the issue with the script launching octane and exporting at the same time, so octane can't find the mesh. I have tried full render, render cache, 0-0, 0-100, same for all frames of a brand new file.

This octane error pops up immediately:
Automation Error: Node "OctaneRender_anim.obj" is no mesh node.


If I hit "render still" it seems to export the mesh and then launch octane just fine.
Strange, this wasn't happening a few days ago before I reformatted. I'm not sure what could have changed between installations? This is way more important to figure out than the mesh scale issue which only affects one file, and if I have to I can rebuild it. This bug doesn't let me render any animations.

This is not a bug I think. It seems you do something wrong...
I asked my wife to create a new scene in Max and to start "Full render" of first frame (I installed to her computer 1.74). She was creating the new scene with system and display units as mm, and then repeated the same with inches - all is OK, render starts, the scale is OK, and FOV and cam are OK.
The error that you got - is Octane error that means that the name of mesh node in existent opened Octane project NOT matches "OctaneRender_anim.obj" (the name that MaxOctaner gives to EACH node of each rendered frame). So, at first - try to start Octane by hand, and open OctaneRender_anim.ocs from "\Renders\Animation" folder of this Max project, and see what name has the mesh node in that Octane project.
And. I can't help if I don't have enough info about situation. So, take a look at my previous post, and give me please all these files to I can check them. In addition to the list I given, you can expose the OctaneRender_anim.ocs too.

BTW, how can I donate to your support? Your plugin has helped me immensely with animation!

Thank you very much for offer!
But no, do not worry about it. At my main work I earn a lot more than I can get as donations, so it is only my hobby.

[kivig]

Thanks for update.
One little thing - when exporting there is "render-project name". When exporting a new project in Octane i get two obj files. One named in my render-project name, and another OctaneRener.obj (that gets loaded from some old project). Can't say it's really bad - I just delete the second obj every time. But it happened that my OctaneRener.obj was a big file and I deleted it completely.
Now when creating a new project it asks where to find "OctaneRener.obj" even if my project is called OctaneRener. It loads the intended file normally though, but animation might be not possible because of error messages.

[JimStar]

Thanks for update.
One little thing - when exporting there is "render-project name". When exporting a new project in Octane i get two obj files. One named in my render-project name, and another OctaneRener.obj (that gets loaded from some old project). Can't say it's really bad - I just delete the second obj every time. But it happened that my OctaneRener.obj was a big file and I deleted it completely.
Now when creating a new project it asks where to find "OctaneRener.obj" even if my project is called OctaneRener. It loads the intended file normally though, but animation might be not possible because of error messages.

You gave me very little info to undestand what is the reason (places and full paths of all your activity is important). But one thing I think I understood: if you get intersecting .obj files between Max projects - you do something wrong, perhaps you don't understood the ideology of plugin described in the caption of the thread. Read please the caption - I tried to write there that it is intentionally made that every Max project must have OctaneRender target to automate and speedup the process of starting render, and additionally you can make another targets with another names... And all these files are supposed to sit in Max project folder (you can change it but it is the best case), and every Max project has its own folder.
Plugin does not delete all exchange files of previous Max project when you start a new project if you start this new in the same directory as previous... So this is one of cases when you can get intersections...
Check it please...

[tehfailsafe]

Ignore the scale issue for now. I can just rebuild that file if I have to.
Currently I can't get the animation tool to work at all for me, and I don't know what I'm doing wrong since I've used it many times before and it's been great.

I can send you a file but I'm guessing it wont have the problem for you, somethings seems wrong with either max, octane, or the plugin on my latest installation.

Here's what happens.

I start max, new file, make box, make camera, save file, open maxOctaner, click < arrow to set frames 0 to 0, checkbox export camera, edit first frame, hit "full render".

Obj export box opens, exports, and closes. few seconds go by, octane opens. Perfect! make material save octane scene, quit.
Now in max I hit "Full render" again and this time it pops up octane instantly while the obj export box is still open. Cannot find mesh OctaneRender_anim.obj with a browse to the file box. I hit cancel, octane error "Mesh Load Error cannot load mesh". I click OK. Octane quits. Few seconds go by, Octane RE-opens automatically with the correct mesh and my material correctly.



I've been using the plugin fine for quite some time and haven't had this issue, so I don't think I'm doing something wrong. I think something got installed wrong, or other problem, but I don't know what to try to fix it.

[JimStar]

I still need all the files I wrote about. And a list of files that you get in "Renders" directory after the first stage (after Octane project is first time saved and Octane closed).

[gabrielefx]

Hi Jimstar,

is possible with your plugin create a batch render?

For example I have 5 different 3ds Max scenes and I want to render all of them all night long.

is it possible?

Best regards.
Gabriele

[gabrielefx]

I'm testing just now your pluging, you did a fantastic work!

I think that the node-names helper could have some improvements, for example:

possibility to batch rename wrong names with spaces:

in the scene I have: white wood, wood black, wood 3, wooz (typing a wrong name)

I could select all the various wood names and then rename them with a padding: wood_###
your plugin will rename: wood_001, wood_002, wood_003, etc.
Or it could intercept spaces changing "white wood" name in "white_wood" for example


Best regards
Gabriele

[JimStar]

Hi Jimstar,

is possible with your plugin create a batch render?

For example I have 5 different 3ds Max scenes and I want to render all of them all night long.

"Different scenes" you mean different cam positions? Can you make it with camera animation? E.g. make 5 cam positions in first 5 frames, and start animation of these frames for all night?..

[gabrielefx]

Hi Jimstar,

is possible with your plugin create a batch render?

For example I have 5 different 3ds Max scenes and I want to render all of them all night long.

"Different scenes" you mean different cam positions? Can you make it with camera animation? E.g. make 5 cam positions in first 5 frames, and start animation of these frames for all night?..

no,

different Max scenes.