About vismat file format - scripting it

[skysurfer]

Hi All,
I would try to create a simple material creator using RhinoPy.
I saw that the new vismat file format it's a XMl file.

There's anything do I have to consider to create my custom vismat file?
For example is there any sintax rules (other than XML), is there's anything that must be first or before others?

Thanks
Riccardo Gatti

[fooprobe]

Great!! Best of luck. I took a look at this and also visopts a while back but never got into it in detail. I didnt feel up to doing all the file IO and text parsing. But the format seems pretty straightforward. I'd love to help, let me know if I can.

[skysurfer]

Thanks!
You are so kind.
I started give your script to my students, it Rocks!

.... It look like this forum it's all for you and me
Chaos is too much involved in V3 for Max to help us, poor sons, doing better.

[skysurfer]

I have success in writing custom interface for material creation.
Vrmat (xml) it's so great improvement.

Thanks guys.

I will share my "simplemat" asap

[mgibeault]

Hey, skysurfer and fooprobe! You're not alone!
I read every post here and contribute whenever I can!
I find the material editor in V-Ray 2.0 unnecessarily complicated and not intuitive. There's a lot of room for improvement. Let us know if we can bring some help!

[fooprobe]

Skysurfer, I simply cannot wait to see it!! Please share!

Mgibeault, glad to have some company on the scripting side

im totally stalled on my own work until chaosgroup issues a new release with more scripting functionality.

[corey]

Hello everyone,

Revamping our material and texture editors are both on our to do list. So, in short, I'm more than happy to help him facilitate where I can.

[skysurfer]

Here the preview of the interface, feel free to comment.
The idea it's to have only 3 parameter to control, than some alchemy... and voilà.

Of course it's a night time job, so I can't promise any release date. but I have an alpha version already working.



Hope you like it.

[skysurfer]

Hello everyone,

Revamping our material and texture editors are both on our to do list. So, in short, I'm more than happy to help him facilitate where I can.

I have a main issue:
I can create a custom vrmat, and pointing at it I'm able to assign it at the selection. the problem come with the material interface of rhino that ignore my custom material saying it's the default. Is it normal?

[fooprobe]

Here the preview of the interface, feel free to comment.

I like the look and simplicity!

My only thought is it's probably a little too simple for an intermediate user. Maybe not what you are trying to accomplish, but if i were looking for an interface to handle 90% of my daily needs, it would be something like this:

Show minimal parameters for each render layer (gray out the ones it doesn't have, button to add etc):

Emissive: - (the existing panel for this is actually pretty good)
color/map
transparency/map
intensity
double-sided checkbox (default=on)

Reflection:
Reflection color/map
->Fresnel map IOR slider (if Fresnel map is applied)
Filter color/map
Glossiness Highlight and Reflect slider/map, values always the same
Glossiness subdivs slider

Diffuse:
color/map
transparency/map

Refraction:
color/map
glossiness slider/map
glossines subdivs slider
IOR input box
fog color & multiplier
(i suppose someone is going to ask for translucency options, but i rarely use them as i'm rendering spaces, not objects)

Maps: bump and displacement maps (map, multiplier)


anyway, i know this isn't what you're trying to do right now, not trying to criticize, you've done a lot of hard work! keep it up!

[skysurfer]

thanks Emil,
you are right, this are for very very BASIC users
the idea it's to finish this and then have another for middle users. The "middlemat" editor it's lot more complex and need much time to be writed.
I'll take in count your suggestion, that's very similar to my need.

bye!

[mgibeault]

Yes, Emil, that would be just enough for 99% of the materials I create.

-Marc

[fooprobe]

Can't wait! Keep up the great work!

[corey]

These are all great ideas. Stay tuned to the private beta forums for more thoughts and ideas from our side.

[mgibeault]

Corey,
I have access to the nightlies but I don't know where to look for the private beta forum... I asked support but they replied "There is no separate section for the nighties. Please feel free to post in "V-Ray for Rhino forums" or send feedback via e-mail."