[JDHill]

Hi All,

Here is a new build for you to try out if you wish. First, the notes...

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Version 2.1.12 Release Notes

changes:

- Added support and installers for SketchUp 8.
- Searching for mxms at document load time has been improved.
- Added ‘Copy to All’ functionality for Image Based channels.
- Image Based channels Scale changed to use Studio-style value range.
- Added support for SketchUp’s Parallel and Two-Point perspective camera modes.

fixes:

- The wrong texture could be used at export-time in plugin materials.
- Image Based channel Scale was not handled correctly.

And here are the links -- as usual, please do not post these (or news about internal releases like this) outside of this forum:


[ edit: 2.1.12 is released, just go to the customer portal ]


Additionally, some supplementary materials for this build:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYSW73GWRUw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY9Xy9nuP-8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkSbncZyiGc

[stefan_kaplan]

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- Added support for SketchUp’s Parallel and Two-Point perspective camera modes.

Wow! This is AMAZING!

I did a couple of tests.

Quick render test/Concert Hall. Front view. Zorro2-plugin used for making the section cut:


Quick render test/Street view. Two-point perspective (wow, better than 'Shift Lens'!). Ground plane on. 'Z-Clip planes' used for making the section cut! Near-distance measured with the focus tool:


Thank you once again, JD!

/Stefan

[JDHill]

Just a note, if you push the 2-point perspective thing too hard, you can probably break it -- it does (it has to) work in terms of Maxwell's shift lens, and Google's method does not match up 1:1 here, so it should be possible to create views in SketchUp which do not translate properly.

[Half Life]

You are the best JD!

Thank-you,
Jason.

[numerobis]

- Added ‘Copy to All’ functionality for Image Based channels..
- Added support for SketchUp’s Parallel and Two-Point perspective camera modes.

WOW!!! this is awesome! Thank You JD!!!!

[fv]

I haven't been doing much with the JDHill plugin and SU8, lack of work really, crisis times....

But JD, did you tackle the problem with displaced SU-component geometry ?
We see the same thing happening with the Modo plugin btw. Displaced, sometimes upside dow exported instances.

Its good news to hear 2 point perspective working with shift. We render many architectural images at a Y-shift between -20 to -35. I wonder how that will work out with two point perspective once in Studio. I will let you know if I ran into problems.
TX
Francois

[JDHill]

Yes, I did quite alot of work with that, and was able to improve the situation greatly in the 2.1.1 build, but it is still not perfect in all cases. As far as I am aware though, this only applies to opening files in Studio -- I do not yet know whether the issue lies with my code, Studio's, or is simply a problem inherent to the decomposition of the compound transformations which locate your objects in SketchUp. I can guarantee that I could write all geometry (i.e. with no instances) into the file using absolute coordinates, and get around this problem that way, but this would bring us back to the situation where it is impossible to export large models, due to the memory limitations of SketchUp.

On the question of lens shift, just note if you are using a SketchUp 2-point perspective, that any explicit lens shift you have applied to the camera via the plugin's UI will not be used. As far as exporting a SketchUp 2-point perspective goes, note that in addition to lens shift values, SketchUp also uses a 'scale' value; this is roughly tied to the amount of zooming in/out you do once you have switched to 2-point perspective. In order to translate this idea into the MXS, it is necessary for me to alter the Maxwell camera's film size; so the best results will come when you do not zoom in/out much in your SketchUp 2-point perspective.

[brodie_geers]

For some reason SU was popping up an error and wasn't loading the plugin on my home computer (sorry, don't recall the error). So I uninstalled and reinstalled the plugin and it's back up and running. Unfortunately, the uninstall process seems to have completely erased everything in my plugins directory. I've got a backup so it's not a huge issue for me, but it may be something to look into if it's reproducible.

-Brodie

[Richard]

JD mate your a gem!

The reading of 2P and P cameras although as you suggest has some minor limitations is really still a blast of genius!

[JDHill]

Let me know if you get any more info on that Brodie -- I'm using Windows Installer, and I don't recall ever having seen it do anything like that before.

[Richard]

For some reason SU was popping up an error and wasn't loading the plugin on my home computer (sorry, don't recall the error). So I uninstalled and reinstalled the plugin and it's back up and running. Unfortunately, the uninstall process seems to have completely erased everything in my plugins directory. I've got a backup so it's not a huge issue for me, but it may be something to look into if it's reproducible.

-Brodie

Hmmm? Don't count on me for this one!

[brodie_geers]

Let me know if you get any more info on that Brodie -- I'm using Windows Installer, and I don't recall ever having seen it do anything like that before.

One more bit of info I should have mentioned was that to uninstall I double clicked the installer and since it found the plugin there already it gave me the option to either Repair or Uninstall. It may have just been a fluke thing, who knows.

-Brodie

[JDHill]

Yeah, that's what it is supposed to do -- Windows Installer keeps a full database with everything about the install; that's why it knows to ask you about Remove/Repair, and why it should know exactly which files are okay to remove. So who knows -- but I'll take a look and see if I can find some problem with how it's set up.

[thinkbuild]

Wow Rush is soooooo cool. Thanks for bringing that up JD.

[fv]

I have been using the latest plugin with SU7 for the past few days with a simple model. I am impressed with the ease of use and stability going from SU to Maxwell.
Its truly great to assign mxm-materials in SU and see them render properly. Also, the 2-point perspective works well. Very handy.
Also the whole idea of controlling the settings the way its set up now is much and much better than it ever was.

The only thing which is still a serious problem is the mess you get when exporting components to Studio. To Maxwell all is fine but to Studio the components are dislocated all over.

JD, can't you make a plugin for Vectorworks. Nemetchek has its new version out, Vectorworks 2011 and its much better in 3D as well. Vectorworks is a rather well concieved package for archictectural engineering and widely used for BIM purposes. It renders to Cinema 4D though and the proces of going from VW to Cinema and then to Maxwell is even for me a step to far.

Francois