[JDHill]

Maxwell for SketchUp
Version 2.7.22 Release Notes

Changes

• Compatible with Maxwell Render 2.7.20.

Fixes

• Grass LOD checkbox was not correctly checked/unchecked.
• Camera was exported incorrectly when there was no Scene.

[fv]

Problem:
Texture mapping remains in rendering although deleted from material.

I made a material with a texture map. Later I changed the material removing the texture map and changed the material in the Maxwell pallete to plastic.
It rendered still with the texture map. I looked at it in Studio and saw that the map remained in the base layer. The plastic has two layer, the top layer being glossy.

I had to delete the material from the SU panel and make a new one. Just to make sure the texture map was removed properly.

Maybe a bug, or its just my system. OSX 10.6.8 with all latest versions of Maxwell and SU.
Francois

[JDHill]

So far, I'm not able to reproduce this. Is it something that only happened once, or can you make it happen at will?

[archigrafix]

JD

Today testing grass much further, I see we still cant rename the Grass object in the dialog box.

[JDHill]

You're not supposed to be able to, the Selection field (I assume that's what you're referring to) just shows the name(s) of selected group(s).

[fv]

Hi, sorry have not been able to test the bug I reported earlier. Have not exprienced it since though.


Another bug that is annoying is the "export failed" bug. I have been able to work around it. If I activate Maxwell Fire from the palette and then click it away again I can render normally again.

Hope this helps to debug the plgin.
Francois

OSX 10.6.8
Maxwell and Sketchup up to date.

[JDHill]

Sorry, but I don't know what you're referring to. If it is reproducible with a particular file, I would ask you to send me a copy of that file. Whether it seems related to a particular file or not, I would ask you to send me the export.log file, located at /Users/user/Maxwell/SketchUp/logs/export.log.

[fv]

Ok, my SU files and so of my collegue always fail to export after having activated Maxwell Fire.
Its not related to any file. Just always happens.

This week is very busy but I will send you a file and log as soon as possible. I think I remember this bug had also been posted about before by someone else. It was then analised as a memory bug or SU not being able to emty the cache memory. To me it looks like a plugin issue with Fire. Since the problem can be solved by clincking the Fire palette on and off.

I will try to help out but its incredibly hectic here.
Francois

[JDHill]

The only possible factor I can think of would be Scene Manager > Options > General > MXS Cache Policy being set to Use cache. But that doesn't have any effect here. So yeah, whenever you can find the time, I'll need the export log file.

[fv]

Hi,
The MXS cache Policy setting set to use cache causes my models to fail to export the second or third time after been doing Fire in SU. I have done all day test renders with and without Fire and now no more failings to export setting the cache policy to invalidate.

TX for this tip.

[fv]

Hi JD,
at times when I try to reference mxs models I get out of scale proxys in transparent red. Usually 100 x to big. Whatever I do they seem to stay out of scale. The actual render shows the right scale but the proxy is too big. Difficult to place a very big proxy for a small model.
It only happens with a few and certain mxs models of chairs.
Francois

[JDHill]

Does it happen consistently with a specific MXS? If so, I'd like to take a look at that MXS.

[fv]

Yes it did. I just took that particular mxs reference out of my file and replaced it with a new mxs. If I have more trouble with out of scale reference proxies in SU I will send you the file. So far it seemed to be just about one faulty mxs model.

I was wondering if its possible to program the reference proxy in way that you have a choice in how detailed the proxy can be. I am doing interiors for offices and its really hard to keep track of of how proxies are placed , rotated especially. The workaround is to change the proxy in sketchup but I need to switch on Fire to see how a chair for instance is rotated in SU. We never really have much time and I need to switch Fire on in huge models slowing down the proces of placing dozens of references.

My SU models color red with references like a horror movie ...
Francois

[JDHill]

You can't change the detail, but you can edit the material. It is named "MXS References" and you will find it in your material list, after you've added at least one reference. And of course you can also apply any material you like, though it will be switched back to "MXS References" if you use the Update Proxy function.

[fv]

Ok, clear. But the material is fine and its practical its transparent as well.

Its just that the orientation of the reference only becones clear when you use the Fire engine. And if a reference is made with instances you will not see the actual size of the complete reference but only the original instance is replaced by a volume in SU as a proxy. The duplicates inside the reference are not part of the dimension of the proxy.
Its helps though that there is a centre included in the proxy. Now if that centre had a x,y,z showing than the proxy would give some clues on how to place it in SU.

Anyhow, it works already better then anyone could have expected. Do you have any other plans for the mxs reference functionality ?
Francois