Liquid Life Span

[zdravko_pavlov1]

Well,. you need to remove the bottom of the pool and simulate without it. You can use a slice modifier and cut away the bottom part. Make sure you enable Cap so you don't end with geometry with open edges. Or even better, hide the entire pool and simulate without it. Then you can use a cutter geometry option that is in the rendering rollout.
Here's the doc page where you can read about how to use the cutter geometry.
https://docs.chaos.com/display/PHX4MAX/Liquid+Rendering

[zdravko_pavlov1]

Well,. you need to remove the bottom of the pool and simulate without it. You can use a slice modifier and cut away the bottom part. Make sure you enable Cap so you don't end with geometry with open edges. Or even better, hide the entire pool and simulate without it. Then you can use a cutter geometry option that is in the rendering rollout.
Here's the doc page where you can read about how to use the cutter geometry.
https://docs.chaos.com/display/PHX4MAX/Liquid+Rendering

[dj_buckley]

I'm not sure I understand why I need to remove the bottom of the pool? Or how I'd get the correct shape (with the steps) if I simulate without it? The pool is filling fine, and the water jet can be tweaked, I just need the pool itself to stop filling up even more when the water jet is turned on

[zdravko_pavlov1]

When you enable Fill Up for Ocean, Phoenix creates a simulator that is infinitely wide and infinitely deep. Doesn't matter how much liquid you pour into it, the water level won't change.
https://gyazo.com/3264a780e5b391d179e1ece0b711ced9

If you put some geometry that has a bottom and can collect the water and you start pouring water into it, it will fill up and start spilling to the sides. If it spills into the infinite ocean, the ocean's level still won't change
https://gyazo.com/8521c0048def7165acc94057f5ee679a

If the simulator is shallower and it doesn't reach the bottom of the geometry (the pool) it will be as if the bottom of the pool doesn't exist. So it wont spill and overflow.
https://gyazo.com/8cade5616c049ffdac2b9a99bf0c9b64

It is not necessary to simulate the entire depth of the pool. And it is not necessary to have the mesh all the way to the bottom. You can switch the mesh generation from Mesh to Cap Mesh.
https://gyazo.com/ae2b132513d601a510e15d40aa1b6e69

It is possible to achieve a good looking water with having only the surface. Here is a quick example of a water surface created with a single plane:
https://gyazo.com/d5c852410a3e2dc8ca5a0ea3d0395394

[dj_buckley]

I see now, thats a great help and makes a lot of sense, thank you.

[dj_buckley]

So just to recap -

• Initial Fill Up - On
• Fill Up for Ocean - On
• Change Mesh to Cap Mesh
• Add Cutter

Is that correct? If so which 'level' should I be using to control the water level? Should I use the Initial Fill Level or the Ocean Level?

Also the page you linked to about cutters doesn't give much insight. I've tried adding a cutter (extruded spline) and it doesn't work as expected ...

[zdravko_pavlov1]

Yes, that's pretty much it. You can skip the cutter part if you make a some shape that follows the walls of the pool. Just no bottom or move the simulator up, so it doesn't reach the bottom. Perhaps it would be better to have the walls and have the ripples interact with it.
If you want to use the cutter though, you can make a screenshot and we can figure out what kind of issue you are getting.

[dj_buckley]

Ok so this was the issue with the cutter, shown with and without the cutter object (cutter object is set to display as box)

[zdravko_pavlov1]

Which version of Phoenix are you using?

[dj_buckley]

It's version 52000

[dj_buckley]

You can skip the cutter part if you make a some shape that follows the walls of the pool. Just no bottom or move the simulator up, so it doesn't reach the bottom. Perhaps it would be better to have the walls and have the ripples interact with it.

Yes this is what I want - but I don't understand how to get the liquid to follow the shape of the walls without using the cutter.

I think what's confusing me is all of the various 'fill up' options.

If I make the shape of the walls, then I guess I need to use Fill up in the Phoenix properties of that object right? Does the object need to be a solid mesh? Do I still need to use the fill up option in the sim grid? Etc etc Also creating dummy geometry and using Fill Up in the Phoenix Properties seems to have a lot less control i.e. water level and it stops me using the cap mesh feature right? Hence why I've been trying to simulate the entire volume this whole time

[zdravko_pavlov1]

Yes, I can see the issue now. The Cap Mash doesn't play well with the cutter. You may want to set a V-ray Clipper instead. I'll send you a scene in a minute.

[dj_buckley]

I'm using Corona if that helps

[zdravko_pavlov1]

Ok, here it is with the V-ray clipper.
https://gyazo.com/3dc3585ff113e25381439a34437178d5

In corona, the same thing is called Slicer I believe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibDU0bk1kuI

Do you still need the V-ray scene then?

[dj_buckley]

That looks great, but that's not interacting with the walls right? The walls are literally just slicing the cap mesh?

Is it possible to get it interacting with the walls whilst still keeping it efficient?

Also yes, the scene would be really helpful. I do have Vray so I can decipher it and break it down.