Proxies and Groups ?

[bernhard]

Hello friends !

I was thinking to use the vray proxies in my next scene file.
But after doing a little test I really get confused.

I've started a new scene file.
3 Objects included.

a) Teapot
b) Box
c) Sphere

Converting each of them into a proxy workes fine.

But usually, I do have a lot of GROUPS in my scene file.
So I've gouped the 3 meshes, and i've got really a strange result.

The 3 proxies were generated, but in my scene file, I do have still the teapot plus the sphere as full geometry.

Of course, I can delete these objects, after making the proxies - but if I do have a scene file with thousands of groups, I can't do that manually - or better: I really would appreciate if that works automaticly.

Did I something wrong in the process ?

thx for every little help,
bernhard

[bernhard]

another issue...

I do have now a Teapot as proxy - I wanted to copy it (select proxy, shift + click) ... the copy process was sucessfull, but you can't see the proxy mesh in the viewport.... but it does render....

[dlparisi]

AFAIK, creating proxies of groups doesn't work that well in that it does just what you describe. Not sure there is efficient workaround for this. Are you trying to replace each of the groups with one instance of the proxy? If so you'll need to convert one and then I think the "clone and Align" tool is your best bet.

For the second question, instead of "copy" choose "instance".

[bernhard]

reference..

instance didn't work in my case, but usign refrence worked to see the proxy in the viewport...

well, with groups it's a problem, I think the best idea: don' tuse groups... but that's really hard... needs extra time for preparing the whole scene file...

[brian451]

you can't create a proxy of a group of objects...you have to ungroup the objects, and do one of 2 things: attach all of the objects together (which automatically creates a multi/subobject mtl), or create multiple proxy files of the individual objects

[bernhard]

yes

my testings could bring me this result, you are right... well, would be something on my wishlist - generate proxies with groups....

that would rock,
bernhard

[Dynedain]

Groups are BAAAAD

They kill render times, because every time a ray hits a an object in a group, Max has to open up the group to identify the object... compound this with raytraced reflections, raytraced Global Illumination, etc...

Groups are BAAAAD!!

Use selection sets and layers instead.

[MoonDoggie]

before you proxy anything just select everything in the scene and type this into the max listener window, it will ungroup all levels of whatever groups you've setup

explodeGroup $

certainly alot quicker than Group->Ungroup, select all, Group->Ungroup etc

-Colin

[bernhard]

ungroup

thx for the ungroup tip, but I think with that alone, it will not be done.
because I have to get sure, to have all the materials in my scene files, etc...

I think the only way is, get sure, to have no groups, and make one mesh with a multi-/sub oject material......

that should work...
bernhard

[MoonDoggie]

Having one mesh with tons of IDs and one big Multi-sub material is just as inefficient working wise as the time you would lose rendering from having the groups in the first place. Just explode your groups, proxy, group, saveNewFile, merge, done.

Unless I'm missing something here.