[mtripoli]

I've applied a "texure" to my SWX model. It's a simple cube with a Hessian Fabric applied. I did scale the texture up so that I would expect to get a very "bumpy" surface when rendered. I then make a Maxwell material (gold) and check the "bump" box.

When I render, nothing shows up; in scene data, no bitmaps are loaded.

Does this work at all? Is it exclusive of other parameters (in this case, I'm also using a UV setting to take the "highlights" down).

Please let me know as I feel like I'm wasting my time.

Mike Tripoli

[juan]

Hi Mike,

where are you applying the texture and the material? to the entire body? to single faces? If you have applied the texture to the entire body you must apply the maxwell material to the entire body too, not only to a group of faces.

Also, which format has the texture? Maxwell works with jpg, bmp,tga and png (but png could have some issues). If you still do not get good results, please send me the scene to maxwelltech@nextlimit.com

Juan

[mtripoli]

Texture and material? In SWX, I apply the texture - a hessian fabric texture. It is applied to the entire model (not single faces).

Then, in Maxwell, I make a new material - gold - and check the box for "bump". This then applies the hessian fabric texture as a bump map, does it not? So I should see a gold metal with a hessian bump, correct?

As far as the texture is concerned, I think it is a jpg, but I have to check (it is a SWX default texture).

Thanks.

Miek Tripoli

[juan]

what happens if you check the diffuse channel instead the bump channel? do you see the texture? If so, this is a problem with the range of the bump, increase the strengh value (which is close ot the check control where you enable the bump channel)

Remember that when you modify the parameters of the material you have to press "rewrite selected material with selected parameters" to set this new parameters.. if you just check the bump channel and then you press render, this bump is not stored with the material. Also check the format of the texture, the rest is ok, it must work.

Juan

[mtripoli]

Hi Juan,

I went back and tried it again; it doesn't work. I believe I have everything set correctly, however, in "Scene Data", no bitmaps are loaded.

On the off chance that it was the SWX texture, I created my own, making sure that it was a jpeg. I also made it RGB grayscale, 8 bits/color (I do not know if this is an issue with SWX and textures, I know in Lightwave it must be a RGB grayscale). I set the "strength" to 100 (!), just to make sure.

The files are posted here:

http://jfww.com/maxwell/solidworks/texture_test/

I'm very interested in what I am doing wrong.

Thank you.

Mike Tripoli

[JesperW]

The Beta version has problems with grayscale maps (A well known issue...). Save it as RGB instead.
/j

[tom]

... I know in Lightwave it must be a RGB grayscale)....

Hi Mike,

This is a core issue rather than the LW plugin. So, better keep all your textures RGB 24 bit.

Cheers,
Tom

[mtripoli]

Thanks guys... the maps are RGB... I thought I'd made that clear

Not doing this is Lightwave, was only using this as a comparison. Doing this in Solidworks.

Funny thing is, I have one scene that it looks like mapss are working exactly as it should. My test cube doesn't work at all... Hmmm...

Mike Tripoli

[juan]

Hi Mike,
You say to are applying the texture to the entire model.. are you applying it to a feature or to a solidbody? swmaxwell can not get textures applyied to features, the plugin can only get textures in faces, solidbodies and assemblies. You can send me the model if you want, I will check the issue easily.

Cheers,

Juan

[mtripoli]

It's applied to the entire model; not faces or features.

I posted the files... look two replies back, the link is there to the files. A single model, simple test.

Mike Tripoli

[juan]

Sorry Mike, I didn't see your link, too much work these days :S
I have render your model with the texture without problems. You can download a video showing the process here:

http://www.nextlimit.com/solidworks/mikescene.mov

Here I show the process with the diffuse texture channel enabled. I also post the render with the bump channel enabled. Just deselect the diffuse channel, select the bump one, put a strength value ( I put 900 ) and press "rewrite selected material..." To see a right bump channel I have changed the camera settings ( f-Stop = 12, shutter = 75 ), The sky ( physichal sky without sunlight, longitude = 2 , latitude = 74 , 7 am ) and the rgb color of the material (by default it is black, you won't see the bump inside, change it to grey for example).
I hope you fix your issues, sorry for the inconveniences.

Juan

[mtripoli]

Hi Juan,

Thanks for looking at this. I guess my only comment is, I didn't set the strength above 100 - I would have never thought to set it to 900! I guess my question on strength is "on what scale"? What is the highest value?

The secoind comment is, the map never showed in "scene data". I have one that worked, and it showed a map (value of 1). Did you see this as well with this scene?

I'll try it again.

Thanks again.

Mike Tripoli

[juan]

Hi Mike,

Yes, I always see the map in the scene data, with both diffuse and bump or any other map. If in the scene data tab you see bitmaps: 0 you do not have bitmaps in the scene. If you do the same I did in the video you always get a bitmap.

btw, the range of the bump is -1000-1000 I promise the new standalone will be so much easy to set.

Juan

[mick]

My answer would be Yes, textures do work although they can be quite difficult to work with...

Here's the SW screenshot - texture for the background, texture for the clock face and texture for the base and top ...



and some quick renders from a work in progress ( v1.2.2aBeta while waiting for v1.0 )

[Eric Lagman]

Looks good! So honestly how many swear words did you shout while trying to get the texture to look right, and in the right position? I became too frustrated with using textures in sw. I plan to just wait for the standalone, or until sw puts in some better texture mapping tools.