Bitmap converter to VRayHDRI

[wyszolmirski]

Hey,

Just a quick question. Is there any script for 3ds max that could convert all scene bitmaps to tiled .exr or .tx and update all shaders (bitmap -> vrayHDRI) ?

I can write it up but maybe someone beat me to it.

Best regards,

Tomasz

[Morbid Angel]

vray comes with tiled exr converter already, is that not what you are looking for? In regard to .tx, its not as simple I don't think there is a free tool out there to do that. Replacing bitmaps to vrayHdr is a separate process, perhaps there is something on scriptspot?

[wyszolmirski]

Yep, V-ray has good converter already. I'm thinking about .tx as on option, as from memory consumption and efficiency standpoint tx and exr are the way to go.

If it comes to converting tx, OpenImageIO has neat command line converter.

I couldn't find any script for Bitmap to vrayHDRI conversion on Scriptspot. I will write an simple script and share it If there isn't anything like that.

[Morbid Angel]

Yeah .tx is much better we use it all the time. It's less memory and .tx supports rang of 8-16-32 bits, where are exr is only 16 or 32. We used open image io to compile our own libs, so I think you would need to do the same.

[vlado]

maketx from OpenImageIO is free and you can find it compiled from a number of sources (f.e. here: https://code.google.com/p/osspack32/...exe&can=2&q=); I guess that you can look at the V-Ray bitmap converter script and replace the calls to our own img2tiledexr tool with calls to maketx - look for "vrayBitmap2VRayHDRI" in "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2014\scripts\Startup\vrayutils.ms"

Best regards,
Vlado

[wyszolmirski]

That's perfect Vlado. I totally missed that script inside max. Don't ask how... This is probably the one Morbid Angel was referring to, but I had this command line one in mind all the time

Anyway, I will expand it with tx support and it will do the job.

Best regards,
Tomasz Wyszolmirski

[trixian]

Max/VRay can read Tx files?
I thought that was an old Mentalray format that had to be "force" loaded into shaders circumventing the standard bitmap loader in max?

[vlado]

Max/VRay can read Tx files?

Through VRayHDRI, yes.

I thought that was an old Mentalray format that had to be "force" loaded into shaders circumventing the standard bitmap loader in max?

I don't think so; mental ray does have its own .map format (I think that's what it is called), but .tx/.tex (which is actually tiled TIFF) has been a RenderMan thing historically.

Best regards,
Vlado

[trixian]

Oh. yes. Sorry....I have totally forgotten. I haven't touched Renderman in quite a few years.
Though the .map format is aimed at exactly this use is it not?
Is there a way to save tx files from Photoshop, or would one need to use the command prompt for this every time?

[vlado]

This is the purpose of the .map format, yes. However it's a closed format specific to mental ray.

I doubt that PhotoShop can write tiled mip-mapped files though.

Best regards,
Vlado

[trixian]

Would you guys be willing to expand/transform the vrayhdrimap to become a more general purpose bitmap loader supporting all bit depths, and implement some kind of compression system for the tiled functionality (for the converter too obviously). The map's functionality seems to have outgrown its name now anyway.
As it is right now, some Exrs become gigantic when converted to tiled images, as if the original compression of the exr (which can be quite impressively effective) is discarded when tiled.

Edit: Hmm. Come to think of it, there a quite a few things I'd love to see added/updated/cleaned up regarding how things are done in max (and then in effect VRay), that One would probably be better off doing these types of things separately in a new node or similar.
Feel free to disregard this as nonsense

[vlado]

Would you guys be willing to expand/transform the vrayhdrimap to become a more general purpose bitmap loader supporting all bit depths

VRayHDRI is a general purpose bitmap loader supporting various bit depths.

The map's functionality seems to have outgrown its name now anyway.

This is quite true, yes. Too late to change the name though

As it is right now, some Exrs become gigantic when converted to tiled images, as if the original compression of the exr (which can be quite impressively effective) is discarded when tiled.

The compression is not discarded, however keep in mind that all mip-map levels are also stored in the file, which means it stores twice as much data as the original.

Edit: Hmm. Come to think of it, there a quite a few things I'd love to see added/updated/cleaned up regarding how things are done in max (and then in effect VRay), that One would probably be better off doing these types of things separately in a new node or similar.

Can you elaborate?

Best regards,
Vlado

[trixian]

Heh. Well I'll try to condense my rambling brain activity after the Christmas holidays. Planning on unloading all render-related stuff from my brain if possible this Christmas.

[vlado]

Heh. Well I'll try to condense my rambling brain activity after the Christmas holidays. Planning on unloading all render-related stuff from my brain if possible this Christmas.

Hehe very good approach! Have fun then

Best regards,
Vlado

[DPS]

After converting to tiled EXR, should this be viewable in Photoshop? I can't see the pyramid tiles.