OctaneRender for Modo (Windows) 2.06 [OBSOLETE]

[face_off]

This is the recommended thread for downloading, and posting any questions, suggestions or support queries for OctaneRender for Modo 2.0 - TEST RELEASE.

Modo Version
This version requires Modo701 SR4 or later, or Modo801 on Window Vista, 7 or 8. See separate thread of the OS X version.

Backward Compatibility
Scenes saved with this build of the plugin cannot be loaded with the 1.5 build of the plugin

Nvidia Driver Version
This release requires Nvidia drivers 335.23 or later.

Network Rendering
For Network Rendering, you must use the Octane slave release 2.06 available from the Commercial Product News & Releases subforum.

If you have a support issue, pls provide the following information:
- Operating System (ie. Win XP, Vista, 7, 8)
- 32 or 64 bit
- Amount of RAM
- Graphics Card(s) - model (ie. GTX 580, 3GB)
- Nvidia driver version
- Modo version and SR number
- OctaneRender for Modo version (ie. 2.0.10.16)
- List what other plugins you have installed for Modo
- The most important part of resolving a problem is me being able to re-produce that problem. So pls provide as much detail as possible in order for me to do this, and if the problem is specific to the scene, send me the scene.

Known Issues
- Background image compression (ie. when the Viewport is smaller than the background image) is displaying artifacts on the background. This is will be rectified.
- The Modo command Export Selected Layers (rightclick option on a Mesh item) will crash Modo AFTER the export has finished whilst the Octane plugin is enabled. It is a Modo bug, which is being rectified by the Modo developers.

For more information...
- Check the specific Octane 2.0 features in this plugin http://render.otoy.com/manuals/Modo/?page_id=977
- Check the details for running the plugin on Modo801 at http://render.otoy.com/manuals/Modo/?page_id=959
- Read the on-line manual
- Watch the "Getting Started" video http://vimeo.com/87048593
- Read the FAQ
- Read the Troubleshooting guide
- Post your question on this forum thread

Limitations
Refer to the on-line manual

Download Links
Download the plugin from the following links:
- OctaneRender for Modo 2.6.0.29 (64 bit)

Paul

[face_off]

I have posted the installer at the top of this thread. It contains some significant changes to the exportAlembic command, so posting this as a TEST release, and the previous test release is now tagged as STABLE.

2.6.0.24
- Compiled gainst Octane 2.06
- Fixed performance issue when exporting an amination to ABC ORBX/OCS
- IMPORTANT: when using "octane.command exportAlembic", export to OCS format if possible, since that uses much less disk space (because the ABC file does not need to be stored inside the ORBX container)
- "octane.command exportAlembic" now only exports the following animated Octane camera node pins: pos, target, up, fov, focalDepth. So aperture is not animated (let me know if you need it animated)
- "octane.command exportAlembic" now no longer stores the camera animation in the ABC file - it instead stores it in the Octane Camera node of th ORBX/OCS file
- Added potential fix for the minor lag issue when navigation the Modo preview window when the plugin Setup window is open
* KNOWN ISSUE: Running out of disk space during the "octane.command exportAlembic" process will crash Modo. This has been reported to Otoy.

Paul

[hdrmaps]

I am having problems with setting up hdri - it's flipped
http://youtu.be/5harRLl9gSc

OctaneRender for Modo 2.6.0.24 (64 bit) Windows 8, Modo 801 SP2

[face_off]

I am having problems with setting up hdri - it's flipped
http://youtu.be/5harRLl9gSc

OctaneRender for Modo 2.6.0.24 (64 bit) Windows 8, Modo 801 SP2

Woul it be possible to send me that scene and hdr map pls? (email = paul at physicalc-software dot com).

Thanks

Paul

[face_off]

I am having problems with setting up hdri - it's flipped

I have now answered this question in the manual - pls refer to http://render.otoy.com/manuals/Modo/?page_id=466.

Thank

Paul

[face_off]

I have refreshed the installer at the top of this thread with:

2.6.0.25
- Added GI Clamp in the Kernel settings
- If the Modo environment map has been mirrored (ie. the texture locator Horizontal Wrap = -1), the Octane environment will also be mirrored
- Made code changes to hopefully finally fix the occasional lockup occurring when clicking the Refresh button

Paul

[v1adut]

Hi Paul,

This is my idea, of the workflow today, letting me to use modo,octane, and hdr all in 2 monitors.
The main reason for this GUI setup is to not have windows overlapping. I use modo to setup the camera,
it is just more fluent for me, and with this setup I do have access to modo shader tree,images, etc withut
having to go back to modo from Octane Setup window.

My request is to consider this setup and to insert it into the octane new layout. Also it would be nice to have the camera under the current viewport as seen in second image. I can not use this second setup now with modo viewport under those tools because it resize back and snaps to octane window frame.

Cheers,
Vlad

[face_off]

Hi Vlad - that looks like a great layout. I particularly like the Modo preview window in the Octane Viewport controls. However for people on a smaller single monitors it will not work. And Modo does not allow options in the UI (so I cannot add a tickbox "Add Modo Preview Window to Viewport Controls Layout" in the preferences).

Is it viable for you to simply customise the UI as you have done for your own purposes? You can pull out the XML from the Modo801.CFG and dd it to your own CFG file and store it in the OctaneRender For Modo Config folder. Then attached to your own Open Setup and Open Viewport buttons.

EDIT: The Linux version of Modo allows plugins to place a viewport inside Modo panel - so that is a huge step forward. I've been working hard to integrate this in the Linux version of the plugin. Perhaps at some stage this will be possible to do on the Windows and OSX versions of Modo. Suggest you let TheFoundry know that this is important for you - the more people how give this feedback, the more likely it will be pushed up their priority list.

Paul

[v1adut]

Hi Vlad - that looks like a great layout. I particularly like the Modo preview window in the Octane Viewport controls. However for people on a smaller single monitors it will not work. And Modo does not allow options in the UI (so I cannot add a tickbox "Add Modo Preview Window to Viewport Controls Layout" in the preferences).

Is it viable for you to simply customise the UI as you have done for your own purposes? You can pull out the XML from the Modo801.CFG and dd it to your own CFG file and store it in the OctaneRender For Modo Config folder. Then attached to your own Open Setup and Open Viewport buttons.

EDIT: The Linux version of Modo allows plugins to place a viewport inside Modo panel - so that is a huge step forward. I've been working hard to integrate this in the Linux version of the plugin. Perhaps at some stage this will be possible to do on the Windows and OSX versions of Modo. Suggest you let TheFoundry know that this is important for you - the more people how give this feedback, the more likely it will be pushed up their priority list.

Paul

Hi Paul,

I think it will work for 1 monitor too, or for small monitor the modo viewport window can be deleted, and having the octane render window over will work, in modo we can expand the viewport, with 0 on numpad, or hitting the maximize icon on the interface.

I think we can put this to vote, on forums.

I configured the layout as you see now, my problem is that when I want to edit one material, that is octane based, the octane setup pops up and my tab makes it usless. Can you make an optional layout with a switch button on the octane setup. I am not talking about aesthetics now, just utility, too many windows.

I think one tab inside modo interface as I have now on those images, with the open preview window, that will be just preview window, with all the buttons on the octane tab will be just great, since we will not have to hassle arround with overlapping windows.

When I need to edit octane material, modo materials and I use octane for render, I just go to the octane tab, I press open preview window and I check it.
I do not think current layout is better in any way for 1 single monitor, can we integrate octane setup window on modo tabs near reander as default?

Folks , lets vote, lets see if this works better for you too.

Thanks for help Paul, lets make it simpler, please.

Cheers,
Vlad

[face_off]

I configured the layout as you see now, my problem is that when I want to edit one material, that is octane based, the octane setup pops up and my tab makes it usless. Can you make an optional layout with a switch button on the octane setup. I am not talking about aesthetics now, just utility, too many windows.

The reason for the pop is that Modo crashes if you add an Octane Override without the Schematic open. If there is no way in a Modo plugin to determine if the Schematic is actually open. So the solution it to open the Octane Setup layout (so the plugin can determine if the Setup layout is open, which it knows contains the Schematic). If the Schematic is in a panel or tab (rather than a popup), the plugin has no way to determine if the Schematic is actually open - so Modo may crash.

So, yes, I would love to incorporate your suggestions. However not at the risk of Modo crashing.

The current implementation is the most robust way I could implement the plugin. It is not perfect - but it is robust. I think to improve the plugin workflow from a UI perspective, it would need some improvements to the Modo API (which TheFoundry are providing all the time - so it will potentially possible in the future).

Sorry for putting a damper on your idea....it's just I have invested a lot of time getting the plugin to it's current state - and I need to be very careful to not regress.

Paul