Everything related to the integration for SketchUp.
By JDHill
#332145
But, you are imagining a memory-savings where there is none -- the plugin still has to load all those high-poly MXS objects into memory in order to add them to the MXS you are exporting. It is true that it could help to keep the SketchUp viewport from bogging down, but that is really something to be improved by Google, and not exporter plugins. That would be different if this were a simple thing to do, but it is not.
By numerobis
#332147
yes, there would be no memory saving in maxwell but in sketchup and for the export, which would be very helpful
By JDHill
#332150
numerobis wrote:yes, there would be no memory saving in maxwell but in sketchup and for the export
No, it would help in SketchUp, but not for the export, since I cannot merge an MXS into the exporting scene without opening & reading the file.
By numerobis
#332155
for me the biggest problem with sketchup to maxwell export is the 32bit limitation (which has been greatly improved with the new plugin! :D ) and the bad high poly management.
To load the mxs object after the export into studio is no problem. So there is no way to do this operation automatically? :(
By fv
#332160
Hi JD, can you make a counter with a number added to the name for each export before the name of the image and mxs file. Would save me the hassle of every time renaming the files to prevent writing over my previous renders. My scanner does it. Each image I scan the app automatically puts a higher number before the name of the scanned image file.
Francois
By JDHill
#332181
numerobis wrote:To load the mxs object after the export into studio is no problem. So there is no way to do this operation automatically?
No, not that I'm aware of.
fv wrote:Hi JD, can you make a counter with a number added to the name for each export before the name of the image and mxs file. Would save me the hassle of every time renaming the files to prevent writing over my previous renders. My scanner does it. Each image I scan the app automatically puts a higher number before the name of the scanned image file.
Francois
Yes, sure, this has actually been on my list of things to do since the beginning.
By brodie_geers
#332222
JDHill wrote:Well, I did look into that, but I did not see enough benefits to justify the amount of work it would entail, since the MXS format and the Maxwell SDK both have no native referencing concept. I would be curious to know, what would be the primary benefits you see gaining by such a feature?
Let me explain where I'm coming from here. From what you've said, it sounds like something you're not eager to jump into and I can understand why. Nevertheless, here's the current situation as I see it....

Currently if I want to have a tree or even a low poly human with UV's that must be maintained in my rendering, it can't be done with the direct SU -> Maxwell Render workflow. You must export the SU model to Maxwell Studio (or another renderer, but that will require reassociating all of your textures with maxwell materials). There you'll need to bring in and place your trees, people, cars, etc. and then render. If you need to make a change to the SU model you must then reexport to Studio, open up your old file and delete everything except the trees, etc. that were placed in Studio, and then reimport the SU model before rendering.

I don't really mind longer export times because the extra 2 minutes would save me the 10 minutes it takes to manually go through and manually merge the files after any changes, not to mention the extra time it takes to place the objects in Studio rather than just placing them in SU.

Is it a SketchUp problem (as opposed to a Maxwell problem)? Mostly, sure. If SU handled high poly and had better importers it wouldn't be an issue Maxwell would need to have to solve. But what I'm suggesting is something very much like (in theory at least, if not in ease of implementation) what's already been implemented with the ability to link a SU material to a Maxwell material. SketchUp's materials are very limited compared to what's possible in, say, 3ds Max and NL could simply provide the ability to associate color and transparency to the SU texture (as it currently works in your plugin). But NL (you) has recognized that SU limitation and so has provided a workaround by being able to link any given SU material to any given .mxm file.

That's about the best argument I've got in favor of it I suppose. :)

-Brodie
By fv
#332234
Another thing is that Maxwell does multiple platforms and modeling applications. By having to import everything into SU before rendering you have limited access to what Maxwell is truly capable of. Photorealistic rendering depends greatly on detailed models. So especially trees, cars, people but furniture as well in the case of interieur renderings (think of offices with many desks, chairs etc). Even a basic funtionality would already help a lot. I can manually rotate a tree in Studio without much effort but placing, sometimes rescaling, and in general working with instances in Studio and so on is too mch of a hassle. I end up using photoshop a lot more then I want to place those instances.

Anyhow, its a big thing in Archviz. A good reason also to go for more specialized modelers and renderers for archviz. The building is one thing but the environment is these days equally important and so placing premade well textured componets has become a serious part of the workflow. Sketchup is a app that is used the most all around the world in Archviz right behind AutoCad. But as good SU is for modeling straight forward buildings its as bad for whats around and in the buidling.

Francois
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By stefan_kaplan
#332261
Would it possible to hide faces and not only groups and components?
The old plugin only did this (it could hide faces but not groups and components).
/Stefan
By JDHill
#332284
I'll check it out -- doing so should potentially take quite a bit of processing time, but if it's optional, that would be fine.
User avatar
By Richard
#333588
Hey JD just a few more little requests mate.

1. The option under ground plane to hide from camera. This so that upward light can be blocked yet the plane not contribute to the alpha channel.

2. A slider or check option to the output resolution settings for output as a percentage of the final to permit testing at lower res with loss of final proposed settings. I'm doing a host of renders at the moment that are needed at a final size but not wanting to lose those input values. Hence the final will be exported at 100% though the interim testing at say 50%.

Finally again I need to vote for the option Brodie bought up again as it would be SUCH a killer feature! I know this is something in the pipeline for Thea, I haven't kept up with any news there to know if it has developed further.

Thanks again JD!!
By fv
#333612
Yes, making lots of previews is a bit of a hassle changing the settings a lot. Even a renderbutton especially for a preview would work too with some predefined settings like a low res rendering, without any displacements and at the current windowview proportions. Image names and mxs files should have the prefix "preview". Well, to make it ideal....


I saw Felix render exchanging basic polygons for instances in their workflow. Very smart to provide this. Actually, Studio should have this functionality. That way I could do the final rendering from Studio and all the previews and testing straight from SU with the plugin.

Francois
By brodie_geers
#333672
I think that's a good idea with the slider for previews (although if the realtime render is able to work within SU somehow, it may make it irrelevant).

What would also be nice on a similar note is...well let me explain the problem. I've been using the 2 point perspective pretty much exclusively since JD was able to make it work with the plugin. But if you change the resolution output in the camera settings from say 1000x500 to 2000x1000 (or any change really), it knocks you out of 2 point perspective mode forcing you to hit the my Scene button again to get back to the appropriate 2 point perspective mode and camera location. It would be nice if resolution changes didn't kick you out of 2 point perspective mode.

-brodie
By JDHill
#333673
SketchUp's 2-point is a very temporary mode, where most any change deactivates it. At least for the time being, you will just have to re-activate the appropriate Scene.

And you are correct to infer that some of the previous requests evaporate with interactive preview; the size of the preview will naturally be independent of the viewport, and of the output resolution.
By brodie_geers
#333772
JD, how can I set default locations? For example, when I hit the folder icon to choose an .mxm it opens up C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwell 2\materials database\mxm files

How could I set that to a different location, where I actually keep my materials. Same issue for selecting an HDR map as well.

-Brodie
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