41 replies to this topic

[haikalle]

3D-Coat/Blender applink manual

Applink Version: 1.55
Updated: 25.9.2010

1. Download latest trunk from http://www.graphicall.org/builds This script dosen't work if the blender version is too old.

2. Download rar file and Copy "coat" folder into your /.blender/scripts/io/ Download the script

3. Open blender. Now you should be able to see 3d-coat applink area under the scene tab.

4. This video shows the right settings. http://www.vimeo.com/14602884

5. Here is brief demo how to use this http://www.vimeo.com/14604805

6. Better video tutorial is WIP...

Export Settings:
--------------------
Export Obj = If this is on. It will export your model everytime you press "export". If this is off, It only export your model if it dosen't find object. Also if you
set only a folder into object path, the script exports the model and adds automaticly the name of the object into "object path".
Modifiers = This export your model with modifiers. Be careful if this is on you might want to turn off Import -> Modifiers.
No Import File = If this is on. The script dosen't write import.txt file. It brings some advantages in some situations. For example when working with Microvert or Ptex.
You can use this when you don't want to take models into 3d-coat, you just want to seek and updates all the textures that are linked into object quickly.


Import Settings:
--------------------
Mesh = Updates base mesh
Modifiers = Keep and updates object modifiers.
Bring Textures = Seek new textures and bring them into your active material.

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My future plan is to add some special features into script that will make the script work better with Vray renderer in blender.
Also one interesting idea is to make exchange bridge where you don't need to click any buttons. Bridge would work automaticly.
I think that in blender API there is already tools to make this but It needs some brain work.

If you have any questions or problems with this script, you can email them or write them down here.

[digman]

Thank you haiklle, I will test it out,as I'm still learning Blender. I need your opinion too, is it better to learn 2.49 to get a firm hold on Blender or go completely with the 2.5 alpha version.

[haikalle]

I would say..it's better to learn 2.5. 2.5 and 2.49 are two totally different programs. If you decide to learn first 2.49 then you have to learn 2.5 again.
But 2.5 is still in Alpha stage so If you are taking that road there can be some bumps on the way. but the speed of the blender coders is amazing... so
we don't have to wait for long for solid version.

It's a little bit risky to develop something like this script. When they fix something, it's most likely that my script stops
working until I change the code. But It's nice to live on the edge

[michalis]

Thanks haikalle, I'll test it soon. Great work, wow...
BTW about v2.49b and v2.5.2, multi res meshes with UV mapping are incompatible, try to remember, here's what coders answered to my report.

>Comment By: Nicholas Bishop (nicholasbishop)
Date: 2010-06-06 23:50

Message:
Fixed in SVN, thanks for reporting.

Usage note: your old UV data will now be imported on a separate layer. So, in the example file provided, it will still appear to load incorrectly, but you can go to the UV Texture selector and choose the newly added UV layer, which should contain the correct UV coords.

[Digital777]

This seems like it would be great however i cannot get it working. Looking at the blender console i think due to it using a path from your computer rather than the users path and also in the 3dc share folder a text file missing. Possibly a option to select a folder might be better as then it would always work.

Do you have better installation instructions if possible? what exactly do i have to change in the scripts? I found the path and changed it to the location of the folder i had but it just causes errors still so i deleted it as i couldn't get it to work.

Btw - If you haven't already it might be worth posting about on the blender artists forums.

[Digital777]

Thanks, i will test this when i get time. The new option should hopefully fix the error i was getting.

[Giuseppe]

haikalle , thank you very much, very useful script

[haikalle]

Script update. Let's say that this is version 1.0



There was some nasty bugs that had to solve. The Script works much better now.

[Pimpmymonkey]

Thanks for your time and hard work haikalle,
this looks awesome!!!

P. Monk

[GeeJay]

This is really nice! A linux/osx version would be nice, I guess it's just a matter of different path naming?

[haikalle]

That's right. It shouldn't be too difficult. There is so many people really liking this so I will do Linux/Mac support very soon. I need a little help about macs. Where
is 3d-coat exchange folder located. Does it have similar folder tree with windows. For example c:\temp\mesh.obj

[haikalle]

Version 1.1 Release.



-Support for win, linux and mac.

Linux: The script is seeking 3d-coat folder from /home/username/ or /home/username/Desktop (Tested and should works)
Mac: The script is seeking 3d-coat folder from /Users/username or /Users/username/Desktop (Not tested, not sure how folder structure works in macs)

[GeeJay]

Wow that was fast! I can't test it right now tough because I am going to Helsinki (yeah!) for 9 days, but I will when I get back.

Thanks!

[haikalle]

Nice. I hope you like it here. I have heard that the weather here has been amazing Maybe it's time for me to get some fresh air too.

[Digital777]

This is actually broken for me still because it uses the C drive, for most people this will definitely be ok but others like me might use something like E:\ instead and for that it is broken. That is actually what i meant when i suggested choosing the path however the option to choose the model path is also very useful.

When i open blender by default it doesn't actually appear, if however i add a user folder (it said it could not find in blenders consoles) then it shows. When it shows though and i try to get it running i can't at the moment unfortunately as it can find the paths it needs on the E drive. Hopefully if it is ok you could maybe add a option to select another drive or the 3DC exchange folder so it will work with other drives that have 3DC and blender installed on. Hopefully this info is useful and you like this suggestion, many thanks

[haikalle]

good point. Didn't even crossed my mind when I was coding this script. Maybe the easy fix could be that if the script looks for address where the blender
is installed and use that same drive letter to find exchange folder. This wouldn't be 100% bullet broof for errors but could work better than it's now.

[haikalle]

Script update 1.2

-Now it will check where is your blender located and use the same drive letter to search exchange folder.
-Code cleaning in many areas.

[Digital777]

Thanks, it always shows in blender now however the Exchange Bridge is not connected still. Not sure if it helps but on my computer the folder paths are like this -

E:\Documents and Settings\Username\My Documents\3D-CoatV3\Exchange

E:\Program Files\3D-Coat-V3

E:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\scripts\io

With one of the recent graphicall builds i got the blender folder setup seems to have changed slightly now so this might have something to do with it also maybe. I think when i was trying to run it though it saved a file to the E:\ however but i think that it might need to save to the exchange folder instead so another possible reason maybe. Many thanks

[GeeJay]

I've also got problems with the script finding the path, and I've got the "3D-Coat" folder in my home directory. If generating the paths is a problem why not give the user the ability to override them, at least with a variable in the script. So you can edit the script and insert the correct path. Not optimally user friendly but at least it works.

[haikalle]

You are right. I was busy but now I have some time to update the script again. The problem I have with blender API is that I can't create new find path boxes. I can only use ones that are built into blender. I already use one path finder to set your object path. that same path finder is used to set your scene folder in blender. And when you change one, the other one is changed too. If I add one more path finder it can start to be very confusing. I could add just a text box, but then you have type the path manually and that's not fun in a long run. hmm... Maybe I could add save button, that way you need to type it only ones...
Thanks for feedback GeeJay and Digital777. It has been very helpful

GeeJay. Do you use Win XP? Soon I will update the script that it works in Xp too.