VDB files not loading into Max

[Zirnworks]

I'm running Vray 5/3DS Max 2020, and am new to loading and rendering volumetric clouds. I bought/downloaded some existing .VDB files to try out. They were labeled as being compatible with V-Ray.

However, when I create a VrayVolumeGrid object, and select the .vdb file to load in, I almost always get empty boxes, regardless of which preset I choose. Nothing shows up in the viewport or renderer. I get a "No Frame Loaded" message in the "Frame Info" rollout in the object properties.

That said, I know this workflow is possible, since I was able to open one of the .vdb files and it worked great (when I used the Houdini smoke preset). So I don't understand why most of the files I'm trying to open don't work, including the ones I paid for. Any insights?

Thanks.

[nikoleta.garkova]

Hi Zirnworks

Can you let us know where did you get the files from, or even better - forward some of them through our contact form so we can test and see what might be the issue. Make sure to mention this thread in the email, thanks!

[super gnu]

was this ever resolved? im revisiting a set of openvdb clouds i got a couple of years ago for a quick project.. i remember playing with them before, but now, loading any of them into a volumegrid, gives "no frame loaded" and an empty grid..

attached is a single file.

[^Lele^]

Thanks for sharing this!
That loads for me (Houdini Fire/Smoke Preset. The preset shouldn't make any difference at all with the loading.).
What version of V-Ray is the one you're having issues with?
If you type "vrayVersion()" without "" in the listener and press enter, what's the return value it prints?

[broad_briollet]

Hello,

I'm on 3ds Max 2022 and i have the same problem.
I use vray 5 and when I load a vdb file for my volumetric grid my volumetric box is empty.

Can you help me please?

[^Lele^]

It does say "no frame loaded".
You may be loading a sequence, and the frame you're looking at may be empty (f.e. a sequence that goes from 1 to 100, and you're looking at frame 0).
Verify what the filename is, and in case force it to single file (removing the #).

[broad_briollet]

I tried to move around the timeline and still nothing.
And I don't have a # on the file, do you have any other idea where the problem could be?

[^Lele^]

Looking at the screenshot, the only odd thing seems to be the "time bend controls" "mode" setting: try and set that back to its default of "linear", see if it fixes your issue.
I could probably do better if you sent me one VDB file via mail.

[broad_briollet]

I try to change this, but nothing... I send the project on your adress.

[^Lele^]

For future reference, the issue was with a path with a special character in it, which threw Max off.
Moving the VDB to a readable path worked fine.