Controlling VrayObjectProperties in Xrefs?

[MoonDoggie]

Yes, if the entire scene is xref'ed it renders perfectly on my end, I found a bug though where objects in groups are being assigned the wrong properties and will investigate during lunch today, expect an update then.

[MoonDoggie]

Update, works perfectly on my end with a simple scene. Works with groups etc.

Here is the download link, certainly not perfect, but it's easier to just post it on script spot!

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/mp...a-testing-vray

[m_hinks]

Great!, I have downloaded it, Ill test it now

[MoonDoggie]

Let me know and I'll do some work at lunch.

[MoonDoggie]

Please test this if you get the chance on real-life scenes anyone. I would appreciate your feedback.

This is a nice script because it does allow you to do matte passes with xrefs and control them on a per-layer basis which you would be unable to do manually, and allows you to network render changing vrayproperties on a layer basis even in xrefs. So you won't have to global override a material to render matte passes on scenes with xrefs.

I would love some more ideas to make this more valuable to all of you.

[m_hinks]

Im testing again this morning Colin, so far VERY good! But not tested across the network yet.

Am I correct in thinking that you're not going to add a select by xref, to override all layers in an xref, you just have to select all the layers in the xref?

Thanks

edit:
All is very good, really happy with the job you have done, well done. BUT....!
- Its not working with DR I don't think. A minor issue!

Its working nicely across a network of 10 machines.
And its working with grouped objects where the contained objects are on different layers.

Id say you have hit the nail on the head with this one. Its precisely what I wanted! and more importantly, I reckon most people will use this loads.

[MoonDoggie]

In regards to this

Am I correct in thinking that you're not going to add a select by xref, to override all layers in an xref, you just have to select all the layers in the xref?

It will automatically override the layers included in the xref. So let's say you have an xref with 10 objects on layer "sphere", if you don't select the sphere layer you've automatically overridden the entire xref. Perhaps I'm not understanding the exception or when you would want to do something else, let me know.

I'll check with DR sometime today at lunch.

[m_hinks]

Ok, Ill try to give an example because I dont follow your explaination! Its me not you!

So I have a building with 10 layers, the objects are not important.

I also have a landscape with 5 layers.

I then xref them together and want to make a matte of the landscape against the building. Would I need to select all the layers in the landscape and override, or can you select only one of the layers in the xref, and it will use all in that file?

If this is true, then great, but if not I would need to select all the layers in the landscape, and not miss one. Of course naming the layers with a prefix would help, but if you could select by the xref file name, and it then uses all layers in the file that would fix it.

I hope I make sense!! I might have just repeated what you said!

Thanks

Ps, I've not tried the file with a couple of live projects, and have just rendered out an animation, using the script to render out glass seperatly, cars seperatly, and people. Its a great tool.

[MoonDoggie]

File 1: Building.max
File 2: Site.max
File 3: XRef them both into this file

If you select one of the building layers (maybe "awnings") in the mpmanager, and have override xrefs checked (if you don't it will ignore all xrefs always and never assign them properties), then it will matte out all of the site layers and all the other building.max layers (read: non-"awnings" layers). So you will have a matte pass of just the awnings. You have effectively matted out the entire Site.max xref.

Great to hear, some real life situations would be very helpful, maybe we could see some screenshots?

Also: In an effort to make life easier and easier, this doesn't change render settings or anything which one would usually have to do to setup a matte pass, perhaps you could tell me what you are changing them to before rendering? From a normal render to a matte render and I'll add some buttons.

[m_hinks]

Cool, so just get make it clear. If I wanted to matte out the site, and keep all the building, I do have to select all the layers coming in from the building file? Can this be made easier?

In terms of the render settings, I'm not changing anything other than the save file location, all the render setings are the same. This is based on rendering the lighting every frame. Of course I would need to render out the IR pass first for each pass in most cases. I cant think of any other btns/function for the time being.

I've just started comping the 3 rendered sequences I have been sending off, and a small issue seems to be coming up. I did a local test frame of each matte pass before sending to the network to make sure they were correct, but not they have rendered correctly. The building pass is correct, but in a glass pass and furniture pass, part of the building was not correctly set to matte properties. Do you think there is a issue with sending the same file to the network, but with different matte setting in each?

[MoonDoggie]

Cool, so just get make it clear. If I wanted to matte out the site, and keep all the building, I do have to select all the layers coming in from the building file? Can this be made easier?

Yes that is correct. It can be made easier I suppose. We always name our layers ARCH.--- or SITE.--- for different files. What would your suggestion be?

Post the images and we'll see what is going on. Also I'll turn on debugging so you can post your output and I'll see what's going on.

[MoonDoggie]

Any updates?

[m_hinks]

no sorry, I have tried it on a couple of stills and its seems ok, I think with animations, your going to be sending the same file with different matte settings at the same time, and they seem to be messing up in some instances.

Ill have more time soon to test again, but I think the network rendering area might need to be looked at.

Also, you were going to add a background colour swatch?

Many thanks for your help, it is already making life easier, just Im totally run of my feet this week!

[MoonDoggie]

I'll make a "debug" mode sometime today or tomorrow when I get home and allow you to see exactly what it's doing and paste the output here so we can look at it and make sure. Network rendering works great here on my local machine using BB. I'll also add the BG swatch.

[m_hinks]

Colin, I was wondering, when I send a render on the network, and use the script, where or what file is having the properties changed? Ie if I send a file with 2 xref files in, are the xref files having there settings change, or is the file getting sent to the manager storing the overrides?

Thanks

Edit:
I just tested, and it seems the script is somehow changing the xref properties when it loads them in the render scene, so I was wrong above!

But the reason I asked is because Im about to use the script for an important job over the weekend, I think this is a good test for it, money on the line!!

Ill let you know.

Edit:
Just ran some tests, it seems I can set up a matte pass locally and it render perfect, but I send the exact same file to the network, and one random object (not a full layer) is rendering without the override settings. Its very strange, and in fact its the exact same problem I mentioned early in this thread. One random object, how crazy is that! Its the same object if I resend the file tho, but nothing is wrong with this object, same as others in the scene.

Any chance you could take a look at this issue Colin?

Cheers