[w i l l]

There is another post about this but the problem wasn't solved. When i do 'file' > 'export all' I get the error...

Error: Cannot export Maxwell scene into file 'C:/Documents and .../test.mxs':
Error: Could not save file.

I can render out a single frame ok though.

Also, with the batch render option can you render an avi? This doesn't seem to work unless I use tga.

[w i l l]

Ok then if no one can help with that how can I convert all the tga files into an animation in the format of something that I can show the everyday person, i.e. an avi?

[DrMerman]

Hey Will.

If you turn on echo all commands in the script window, do you get any other error messages when you try to export?

For converting the images into avi, try virtualDub. You can open an image sequence and save as a video as long as you have the correct codecs. Another alternative is Quicktime Pro, which to be fair is pretty cheap, and probably worth it in the long run.

Cheers,
Dr Merman

[Boris Ulzibat]

Yes, QuickTime Pro is very good! Definitely worth it's money!

[w i l l]

Cheers Doctor... I assumed that Maya would be able to save the sequence as a video without having to use other software. This is the error that I get when echo all commands is turned on (error 'could not save file' is shown at the bottom)...

optionVar -exists maxwellVerbose;
// Result: 1 //
optionVar -q maxwellVerbose;
// Result: 1 //
currentTime -q;
// Result: 1 //
currentTime -q;
// Result: 1 //
file -q -exn;
// Result: C:/Documents and Settings/will usher/Desktop/maya tests/bouncing ball.mb //
currentUnit -query -time;
// Result: film //
progressBar -e -beginProgress -isInterruptable true -status "Exporting scene" -max 100 $gMainProgressBar;
// Result: MayaWindow|mayaMainWindowForm|formLayout6|formLayout22|formLayout23|frameLayout5|formLayout51|mainProgressBar //
progressBar -e -progress 0 $gMainProgressBar;
// Result: MayaWindow|mayaMainWindowForm|formLayout6|formLayout22|formLayout23|frameLayout5|formLayout51|mainProgressBar //
progressBar -q -isCancelled $gMainProgressBar;
// Result: 0 //
maxwellObjLayerVisible |pPlane1;
// Result: 1 //
progressBar -q -isCancelled $gMainProgressBar;
// Result: 0 //
progressBar -e -progress 50 $gMainProgressBar;
// Result: MayaWindow|mayaMainWindowForm|formLayout6|formLayout22|formLayout23|frameLayout5|formLayout51|mainProgressBar //
maxwellObjLayerVisible |pSphere1;
// Result: 1 //
progressBar -q -isCancelled $gMainProgressBar;
// Result: 0 //
progressBar -e -progress 100 $gMainProgressBar;
// Result: MayaWindow|mayaMainWindowForm|formLayout6|formLayout22|formLayout23|frameLayout5|formLayout51|mainProgressBar //
progressBar -e -endProgress $gMainProgressBar;
// Result: MayaWindow|mayaMainWindowForm|formLayout6|formLayout22|formLayout23|frameLayout5|formLayout51|mainProgressBar //
// Error: Cannot export Maxwell scene into file 'C:/My Documents/maya/my stuff/1/images/a.mxs': //
// Error: Could not save file. //
HfSaveSceneCallback false 1;
// Result: 1 //
updateMayaSoftwareTargetFilePreview;
changeToolIcon;
HfDeleteExtraFurGlobals;
HfDeleteExtraFurGlobals;
editMenuUpdate MayaWindow|mainEditMenu;
updateMayaSoftwareFileNamePrefixControl;
updateMayaSoftwareTargetFilePreview;

[Boris Ulzibat]

If you were Russian i'd suggest you to check the save path fot non-english characters - though you doubtfully have cyrillic layout installed, check the export using folders without _spaces_. Like
C:/animation.

Hope it works!

[Mihnea Balta]

Hi.

Does the directory C:/My Documents/maya/my stuff/1/images/ exist?

What's set in Render Settings -> Frame/Animation ext? You should have something like name_#.ext. Animation export won't work if you have a single-frame naming scheme set in there.

Maya just tells the renderer which file format to use, it doesn't produce the output files itself. Maxwell doesn't support AVI output right now, so you can't render directly to an AVI file. If you choose an output format that Maxwell doesn't support, the plug-in will force TGA output.

Can you run "getenv MAXWELL_ROOT" in the maya command line or script editor, and post the output here? If there's no output, you need to reinstall Maxwell (not the plug-in) or set the environment variable MAXWELL_ROOT to "C:/Program Files/Next Limit/Maxwell" (or wherever you installed Maxwell).

Can you provide a test scene where you get the problem?