Can you xref a simulation?

[DaniSan]

Hello,

I'm currently working on a project with phoenix FD that requires for the xref functionally inside of 3ds Max and I noticed that when I xref the scene that has the grid simulator my water doesn't render, the rest of the scene renders fine just not the water. However, I also noticed that once you take the xref out of the scene, it actually corrupts the file and I can no longer render anything.

I keep getting this pop up https://www.dropbox.com/s/pz2mty8x0u287mv/test.jpg?dl=0
The file also will not auto save on it's own and if you do save it it gives you an error and you can no longer open the file.

Using the xref functionally is vital to our pipeline and I would really like to see if there is away I could get it to work. Any thoughts on what might be causing this?

Thanks,
Dani

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Hey,

It's on the TODO list, but it's never been actually implemented so far. Will add a vote to it and I hope we can get to it soon.

Cheers!

[SnipeyX]

Wanted to check in on the status of this, and add another vote if possible.

[squintnic]

had this problem and ended up exporting .prt from the grid and then meshing with frost and xrefing that in

[ijzerman86]

Any updates on this? So far it doesnt seem to work?

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Working on it as we speak. Seems like currently you can xref objects and you can't xref scenes. If you xref simulators, make sure that their paths are absolute - if they contain the $(...) macros, they won't work.

Seems like all of this can be resolved, but it will take a few more days to finish.

Cheers!

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

An update on this - still work in progress, but it might be useful to note that as it is right now before my changes, xref-in objects is fine in a new scene, but crashes when opening a scene with saved object xrefs.

[m_hinks]

Ha, just started using Phoenix and the first thing I did was Xref a finished sim file into another scene, and its not rendering. I now know why. Be really helpful if this worked.

If I were to merge a sim from one scene to another to get round the issue, which helpers etc would have to be moved across?

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Hey,

You need the Simulator for rendering the volumes and mesh, Particle Shaders + the hidden "PG [] of ..." nodes for particles, and I think this should be all.

I hope it's a matter of days till xrefs support makes it into the nightly builds. Will bump the topic once it's done

Cheers!

[m_hinks]

Ok, great, thanks, I'll give it a go.

[m_hinks]

Hi, Any news, this would be a big workflow improvement for us, multiple images, with the same sim, but all having to be merged.

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Yup, I just finished implementing instancing today because it was a blocker for xrefs.

Will add some basic xref functionality to tomorrow's Phoenix nightlies so you should be able to do some basic stuff. Right now what I know is that liquids and foam/splash particles will have mismatched transforms if you xref them, but grid volumes should work.

Cheers!

[m_hinks]

Ok, great. Sounds like a good start.

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Hey, just checking - did you manage to try the builds? If you have any issues, please ping me. Right now a known issue apart from the particle positions rendering wrong is that you also cannot merge xrefs correctly.

Cheers!

[m_hinks]

Hi, no not yet, just finishing the project today so I'll get a nightly tomorrow (if I have access, I think I do!) and let you know. Thanks.