Animated text object dies in V-Ray

[rcollett]

So, I have a text object ($Text01) with a simple extrude modifier in my scene. It has a scripted controller in it's kerning property that randomizes between 0.0 and 0.0. (this is done so that 3DS considers it an animated object, thus forcing an update each frame. See the Max Scripting manual for more info on this FAQ>Practical Questions>Accessing Object Properties>How do I change the text in a Text Shape dynamically?)

I also have a box in my scene with a scripted scale controller that modifies the text value of $Text01. It's really simple: $Text01.text = F as string. (F is the current frame number in Scripted controllers.)

This rig works fine in scanline. I can submit this to the backburner farm and every slave renders the text with the correct frame number in the text object. When I switch the renderer over to V-Ray, the first frame a slave renders is fine, the second frame it renders the text object is missing, and on the third frame V-Ray throws an error:

2007/06/26 16:04:39 INF Launching 'Autodesk 3ds Max 9.0'
2007/06/26 16:04:46 INF [V-Ray] ================================================== ==========
2007/06/26 16:04:46 INF [V-Ray] Console created, V-Ray Adv 1.5 RC3 for x86 from Oct 17 2006, 04:58:56
2007/06/26 16:04:46 INF [V-Ray] ================================================== ==========
2007/06/26 16:04:46 INF [V-Ray] Compiled with Intel C++ compiler, version 9.1
2007/06/26 16:04:46 INF [V-Ray] Host is 3dsmax, version 9.5
2007/06/26 16:04:46 INF [V-Ray] V-Ray DLL version is 1.49.80
2007/06/26 16:04:49 INF New task assigned: 21
2007/06/26 16:04:51 INF Block of 1 task(s) completed
2007/06/26 16:04:51 INF New task assigned: 22
2007/06/26 16:04:53 INF Block of 1 task(s) completed
2007/06/26 16:04:53 INF New task assigned: 23
2007/06/26 16:04:53 ERR Task error: [V-Ray] Mesh has no face array, but has non-zero number of faces in StaticMeshInfo::compileGeometry()
2007/06/26 16:04:53 ERR [V-Ray] Mesh has no face array, but has non-zero number of faces in StaticMeshInfo::compileGeometry()
2007/06/26 16:04:54 INF Application is down

Has anyone encountered this problem? Am I doing anything wrong?

Sample Scene (Max9)
http://www.newlands.cc/temp/TextCounter02.zip

-Ray

[vlado]

This is because V-Ray does not detect that the object is animated and tries to reuse the mesh it has remembered, although it has already been deleted and replaced by another one.

As a temporary work-around, apply a Bend modifier with animated Direction on the object so that V-Ray knows that it is animated.

Best regards,
Vlado