NVil Forum
General Category => Feature Requests => Topic started by: Mason on February 04, 2017, 11:32:45 am
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FBX provides support for Crease Edges and Splines
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Can you create a fbx file from Maya? I need a sample file to understand how fbx stores edge crease info.
1. Create a 6 polygon box.
2. Make all edges hard edges.
3. Crease 4 of the edges.
4. Save the object to a FBX6.0 ascii format. If can't save to this specific format, just save it to any fbx format you can. Make sure when you load this file back into Maya, the edge crease info is maintained.
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https://www.dropbox.com/s/mqujihpewfvrqgx/creasedCube.fbx?dl=0
Just saw your email!
For the creases to export, the geometry needs to be in smooth preview before export.
It uses FBX 2016 format. FBX is typically updated at least once a year by Autodesk because their other products are updated on a fixed schedule.
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Thanks! It's exactly what I wanted.
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that would be awesome (and roundtrip without losing the creases ;)
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Try this
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/NVil-Apr-14-17.rar
* Spline can not be exported/imported because the types are different.
* Edge crease support is limited in fbx format. It only has one value for edge creasing. But in Nvil, there four values to control creasing. So if you use radial creasing, the information will be lost on exporting.
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Hi IStonia,
What is the reason for exporting FBX to file version 6.1? (which I think is Autodesk 2009 applications)
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I tried to find from the net the difference between fbx and fbx 6.0 but no luck. So I just pick one from the fbx sdk which has 6 fbx versions.
Can you test the dxf file format as well?
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My quick tests where just to see if I could import the FBX(from Nvil) into Blender (I wanted to see if Instancies/orientations where transfered), but there was an error from Blender:- "Version 6100 unsupported, must be 7100 or later"
Using Autodest "FBX Converter 2013.2"(latest version available), I can convert the file to "FBX 2013" which is file version 7.3 and will import to Blender.
It is not a major problem, just that I thought if you are creating a new plugin(FBX exporter), you would create a more up to date file version export.
What FBX versions does the SDK show you?
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They are
FBX binary, FBX ascii, FBX encrypted.
and
FBX 6.0 binary, FBX 6.0 ascii, FBX6.0 encrypted.
They are available in fbx 2012 sdk which is the only one I can use because I use vs 1012. I use FBX 6.0 binary for exporting format.
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Maybe you need to choose option "FBX Binary"?
Looking through (using converter) FBX versions.
FBX 2011 = 7.1
FBX 2012 = 7.2
FBX 2013 = 7.3
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I don't know. I am confused about these fbx versions. In the sdk I use, v2012, there is no 7.2.
I just keep it as is now until I know more information.
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I don't know. I am confused about these fbx versions. In the sdk I use, v2012, there is no 7.2.
For FBX/SDK 2012, the default file output is 7.2 (as I put forward in my last post). That information in within the "Autodesk FBX 2012 SDK Documentation" -> Supported file formats:-
The FBX SDK can:
Import FBX files compatible with FBX file format versions 7.2, 7.1, 7.0, 6.1, and 6.0
Export FBX files compatible with FBX file format versions 7.2 (default), 7.1, 7.0, and 6.1.
I just keep it as is now until I know more information.
Check the SDK documentation.
I have already come across an issue with export time/file size when expoting instancies. For simple example:-
I created a sphere, made 999 instancies, exported (from Nvil) as FBX, Nvil gave the "Not responding" for quite a while, but eventually exported an FBX file of 447.37 MB. I converted that file to FBX 2012(file version 7.2), the file size was then 1.39 MB
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FBX versions update about once a year. Version number is the year, so latest version is 2017, with 2018 probably being released within a few weeks.
Autodesk products: Maya, Max, Mudbox will always ship with a current version.
Creases was introduced in the later versions (not sure wich)
http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2016/ENU/?guid=GUID-AA3B8EA4-DDFB-4B0F-9654-2BF6B8781AE7
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A couple of other issues from quick test.
1: Objects are having thier pivot rotated 90deg around Y axis.
2: When creating instance array where 2/3 axis are used to generate array, the "Instance Source" moves location within the array. For example:- Create box at world 0,0,0. Create "Instance array with 5 along X and 5 along Z. Export as FBX, then import the FBX to new scene. Although the array is in correct position, the "Instance source" is no longer at 0,0,0
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Try this. Now it's version 7.5.
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/NVil-Apr-16-17.rar
A couple of other issues from quick test.
1: Objects are having thier pivot rotated 90deg around Y axis.
2: When creating instance array where 2/3 axis are used to generate array, the "Instance Source" moves location within the array. For example:- Create box at world 0,0,0. Create "Instance array with 5 along X and 5 along Z. Export as FBX, then import the FBX to new scene. Although the array is in correct position, the "Instance source" is no longer at 0,0,0
1. Is the mesh's orientation still correct?
2. Should be fixed.
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Try this. Now it's version 7.5.
How did you manage to get file version 7.5? FBX SDK 2012 will only output up to 7.2
Have you changed SDK?
1. Is the mesh's orientation still correct?
On quick tests, yes. It is the object pivot rotating 90 clockwise around Y axis
2. Should be fixed.
Now (on quick test) looks correct.
A problem with file format:-
Blender will not import the file from Nvil (it looks like blender only supports files to 7.4), so loaded the FBX(from Nvil) into "FBX converter 2013.3", but that is informing me the file is corrupted, so will not convert.
I will see if I can find an application that supports file version 7.5 (currently, I cannot test file format, as although Nvil will export/import the FBX file, that does not mean the format is currently correct)
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On my end:
Maya --> Nvil creases work great and orientation is correct.
Nvil --> Maya object is smoothed and without creases, orientation is correct.
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On my end:
Maya --> Nvil creases work great and orientation is correct.
Nvil --> Maya object is smoothed and without creases, orientation is correct.
Which update did you use for the testing?
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April 16-17 using FBX 2016
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Mason, load this into Maya and see if any crease
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/FBXCreaseTest.rar
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Imports with crease data!! Looks perfect.
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I am still trying to pin point the problem.
Please test these two and see if the crease still there.
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/FBXCreaseTest - 2.rar
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/FBXCreaseTest - 3.rar
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I get a 404 error on the links
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Try this
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/FBXCreaseTest-2.rar
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/FBXCreaseTest-3.rar
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creasedCube7500_B - 2.fbx imports into Maya correctly with crease data
B-3 does not
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You can open the two files with Windows NotePad.
The only difference between these two files is
creasedCube7500_B - 2.fbx
EdgeCrease: *12 {
a: 0,0.7,0.7,0,0,0,0.7,0.7,0,0,0,0
}
creasedCube7500_B - 3.fbx
EdgeCrease: *12 {
a:
0,0,0.699999988079071,0,0.699999988079071,0.699999988079071,0.699999988079071,0,0,0,0,0
}
I have no idea why creasedCube7500_B - 3.fbx doesn't work. Maybe you have better thinking. You can edit creasedCube7500_B - 3.fbx to see in what situation it works.
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seems your formatting was wrong!
this works:
EdgeCrease: *12 {
a:0,0,0.699999988079071,0,0.699999988079071,0.699999988079071,0.699999988079071,0,0,0,0,0
}
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v3 doesnt work in Nvil either, but when correcting the formatting it also works in Nvil.
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Can you remove this portion and see if it still works?
LayerElementSmoothing: 0 {
Version: 102
Name: ""
MappingInformationType: "ByEdge"
ReferenceInformationType: "Direct"
Smoothing: *12 {
a: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
}
}
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Removing it, and the file does not import.
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Try remove this also
LayerElement: {
Type: "LayerElementSmoothing"
TypedIndex: 0
}
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Works. What is your train of thought?
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What we have been dealing with is the file you exported from Maya without going through Nvil.
Now here is the file which I imported from your Maya file into Nvil then exported to fbx.
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/FBXCreaseTest_Nvil.rar
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Geo imports correctly, but without crease data.
I had a look at it in notepad and it is without formatting so hard to read.
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Can you read any thing in it?
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Yeah, just doesnt have any word wrap, so is basically a single line of code. Ahh....I can read in sublime text.
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It opens in my NotePad fine.
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No. It is not NotePad. Use WordPad.
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I found what is missing:
Seems you need this header:
; Object properties
;------------------------------------------------------------------
Objects: {
Geometry: 140747960, "Geometry::pCube1", "Mesh" {
Smoothness: 3
PreviewDivisionLevels: 2
RenderDivisionLevels: 2
DisplaySubdivisions: 0
BoundaryRule: 1
PreserveBorders: 0
PreserveHardEdges: 0
PropagateEdgeHardness: 0
Vertices: *24 {
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These are the smooth preview settings that are needed for Creases.
Adding that to creasedCube7500_A.fbx, and it imports into Maya correctly.
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I suspect these settings too. Why Maya needs them? Do I need to set all of them?
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They are the smooth preview settings. To export creases, this preview mode has to be active (subdvisions). I will delete each setting to see when it breaks.
FYI, all of those settings are features Nvil already uses.
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Yeah, they are needed in order to support default functionality in Maya.
Somebody would have to test with Modo/Blender to verify those apps. They may not even support Creases in FBX regardless.
If it works correctly for Maya, it will work in Mudbox/3dsMax most likely.
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Try this
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/NVil-Apr-19-17.rar
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Yes, can now roundtrip, between Maya and Nvil with crease support! This is really cool!
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The same FBX works in Mudbox and 3ds Max.
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Hi IStonia,
Thank you for adding FBX export format options.
Is there a reason for removing the FBX import "coordinate system" options?
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There is coordinate system setting in the fbx file.
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There is coordinate system setting in the fbx file.
I presume you are refering to how the FBX importer will re-orient an object based on the applications AxisUp. It is that I want to stop/over-ride.
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There is coordinate system setting in the fbx file.
I presume you are refering to how the FBX importer will re-orient an object based on the applications AxisUp. It is that I want to stop/over-ride.
Try this
http://www.digitalfossils.com/Download/NVil-Apr-23-17.rar