WIP Fixing the dotXSI 3.0 Exporter for 3ds Max...

[Archangel35757]

 

It's possible the capabilities of the Crosswalk SDK, and the Crosswalk plugin for Max are different. I would recommend you try Crosswalk 5 because as I understand it, the plugin (which you are writing if I'm correct) chooses how to export the scene data, and in what format to output it as. Looking through the SDK files, there's files for the dotXSI 3.0 format which I doubt were left in there by mistake.

Crosswalk 2.6 has those 3.0 templates as well... I'll try and do a clean compile against 2.6 rather than include the paths to the XSIFTK 3.6.3 headers, etc. If that fails then I'll try 5.0. It also looks like in SDK 5.0 they give you all files you need to recompile the Crosswalk plugin, no?

[Xycaleth]

.\MAXHelpers.cpp(1114) : warning C4172: returning address of local variable or temporary

This definitely flags up a problem for me. You want to fix this warning

[eezstreet]

About 90% of those warnings are easily fixed also (unreferenced local variable u_u )

[Psyk0Sith]

Still not able to export. The Max 9 XSI file is missing a lot of data compared to the working version exported from max 7. Carcass simply reports "Bad XSI in file" I tried to import it back to see what's inside but it crashes max.

[lervish]

This is really cool stuff, keep up the good work!

[CommonRider]

Glad to see this is coming along, I really need that plugin haha. Thanks for the update.

[Archangel35757]

Glad to see this is coming along, I really need that plugin haha. Thanks for the update.

 What version of 3ds Max are you using?

 

Also, to all those following this thread... does anyone see any benifit to changing the default projectName:  "3ds Max Scene", in the file info section, to something useful?  And it would only be useful if you look at the dotXSI file in a text editor or XSI Dump v1.3...

[Archangel35757]

Hmm... my file submission to the Utilities section is still pending approval.

[Szico VII]

 

[Archangel35757]

Thanks!

 

FYI...

 

3ds Max 9 plugins usually work in 3ds Max 2008.

 

The 32-bit plugin will only work with 32-bit Max 9 (and 32-bit Max 2008), and the 64-bit plugin will only work with 64-bit Max 9 (and 64-bit Max 2008).

 

So if anyone has, or knows of someone with, 3ds Max 2008-- please give this plugin a try and post your results with it!

[Psyk0Sith]

Keeping track of current issues & testing (tested under XP with Max 9 and Max 2010, x64 versions):

 

Max 2010 x64 / Max 9 x64: Possible "file contains cubic scale keys" error - this apparently wasn't present in the recompile for max 6 / 7.

It somehow fixed itself, or changing the decimal symbol to a period instead of a comma fixed it (under regional settings).

This error might pop up for non U.S. residents, don't forget to reboot or at least restart max after you change your regional settings.

 

Max 2010 x64 - export dialog box hangs when exporting animations, a simple glitch that won't create problems.

 

Max 9 & 2010: Player model & vehicle / animations test successful.

[minilogoguy18]

Maybe now we'll see some new content from a JA veteran @@Psyk0Sith? =p

[DT.]

I've tested the latest Max 2010 32-bit plugin (runs in 2011 also) and it works fine for animation/model export. Shape animation also appears to export fine (though not needed for JKA) when using the autodetect option.

[AshuraDX]

I've tested the latest Max 2010 32-bit plugin (runs in 2011 also) and it works fine for animation/model export. Shape animation also appears to export fine (though not needed for JKA) when using the autodetect option.

 

Yep works for me aswell

[Psyk0Sith]

Maybe now we'll see some new content from a JA veteran @@Psyk0Sith? =p

 

Haha maybe, altho request section is awfully quiet and sometimes weird.

[minilogoguy18]

Yeah, I guess they don't always realize that they have better chances of requests being picked up if they are interesting and actually feasible.

[Archangel35757]

"Export Selected" still has Softimage's original flaws... it is high on the list of things to fix. If you run into this issue then the only workaround (though I've not tested it... but should work) would be to save out your selection as an XML Animation File. Load back up this file and export to dotXSI.

 

Please report if you run into this and explain what the offending object is, how you're using it and how it's tied into your hierarchy.

[AshuraDX]

ran into this issue today , any ideas whats causing it ?

http://youtu.be/8WYcBmJK8MY

most likely my settings as other animations exported fine....

but I havn't changed the settings

 

@@Psyk0Sith any chances you could help me here ?

[ChalklYne]

in relations there should be a box to check to be able to export the constraints in the xsi file.. if your model is using restraints and yer not exporting their info it does something like that to me too if i dont have that constraints box checked

 

thats my guess

 

maybe try to crosswalk me an fbx and see if i export it with the constraints checked in xsi see if it changes? or if u got xsi id try that

[AshuraDX]

 

in relations there should be a box to check to be able to export the constraints in the xsi file.. if your model is using restraints and yer not exporting their info it does something like that to me too if i dont have that constraints box checked

 

thats my guess

 

well that's fine mate but i'M exporting from max , which delviers a compeltely different exporter with a different interface

[ChalklYne]

yeah thats what im saying dude i looked at yer exporter settings and didnt see it exporting the constraint info and i exported without constraints checked on a custom skele and the anims were janky too.. that fixed it... so id see if in those options there it has some info about the constraints?

[Archangel35757]

yeah thats what im saying dude i looked at yer exporter settings and didnt see it exporting the constraint info and i exported without constraints checked on a custom skele and the anims were janky too.. that fixed it... so id see if in those options there it has some info about the constraints?

Thanks for your XSI screenshots... The plugin code should have automatically handled the constraints... I'll need to dig into the code and see what's going on... I'm thankful to have you guys beta testing it to find issues like this.

[Psyk0Sith]

@@AshuraDX I could test the max scene file if you want (or the XSI file).

 

If the problem is not plugin related: it's possible the bone pivot points are not being exported correctly because of how they were created in max, i've experienced this in earlier max versions.

[Archangel35757]

@@AshuraDX

 

First off, Frame 0 must be your root pose (i.e., neutral pose where you add the skin modifier and weight your mesh objects to the bones).  The exporter expects this basepose to be Frame 0.  Every animation must have the root pose on Frame 0... perhaps @@DT85 or @@Psyk0Sith can expound more on the reason for this...

 

Also, it's good practive to Freeze Transforms on your Control Objects before you start connecting them up to the hierarchy so that you can easily get back to zero after doing any animations (Refer to 3ds Max documentation and rigging tutorials for freezing transforms).

 

Still something going on with plugin... but not having the root pose on Frame 0 is a contributing factor.

[minilogoguy18]

You shouldn't be exporting constraints, the option you want to have the most when it comes to dealing with a model that has a custom biped or rig is to have plot animations on export. With that the bones that are constrained to control objects will inherit the animation from the control object even though the controlers aren't exported or even in the heirarchy. Have all controllers for the rig under a separate node and not model_root, they'll move the bones through constraints and not parent-child relationships.

 

Most people call it "baking" an animation, this was probaly the case, the controllers for the character are animated but the actual bones that the model is weighed to and exported have no animation. In the mean time you can fix this by manually keying the bones at the same frames that thier controllers are keyed or just plot the animation in max before export.

 

I never freeze control objects in Softimage, it isn't necesarry since they shouldn't be in the same heirarchy as the exported model in the first place.

 

Also, any frame can be the root pose, doesn't matter, unless it's something max specific but I doubt it, I've had them the last frame, just like in the _humanoid animations.