Problem exporting in Houdini with AutoRig
by Vijay · in Artist Corner · 09/22/2009 (1:30 am) · 3 replies
Hi, I took a working model I have into Houdini (FBX import). The model exports fine. However, after I create an auto rig and try to export again (without doing much work on rigging at all), I keep getting this error from the exporter:
Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Thanks in advance,
Vijay
First pass: enumerate scene... Processing Node base01 with parent ROOT Found subtree starting at Node "base01" Processing Node bounds with parent ROOT Bounding box found Second pass: put shape structure together... Adding detail named "detail2" of size 2 to subtree "base01". Adding node "base01" with parent "base01" to subtree rooted on node "base01". Adding node "start01" with parent "base01" to subtree rooted on node "base01". Adding node "rig_line2" with parent "start01" to subtree rooted on node "base01". Attaching object to node. Adding object named "rig_line". Adding mesh of size 2 to object "rig_line". Adding node "cut_control2" with parent "start01" to subtree rooted on node "base01". Attaching object to node. Adding object named "cut_control". Adding mesh of size 2 to object "cut_control". Adding node "cut_control2" with parent "start01" to subtree rooted on node "base01". Attaching object to node. Adding mesh of size 2 to object "cut_control". Found two meshes named "cut_control" of size 2.
Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Thanks in advance,
Vijay
#2
Thanks Rex!
09/22/2009 (7:03 pm)
Ah, that's a bummer! I was really impressed with the auto rig capabilities of Houdini. I'm still learning this stuff but I couldn't find any good tutorial or links to doing character animation in houdini without using the auto rig tools. Do you have any pointers?Thanks Rex!
#3
Always Export:
*_bone*
This will ensure that only the bones are exported. The hierarchy in the dts gets flattened because of the complex setup between animation and deform rig. I think it might be fine as long as you are animating in houdini with the animation rig. It essentially bakes the overall transformation for each bone in the deform rig on export, so it doesn't need the hierarchy anymore. I did a couple of quick tests of this and the animation seemed to come over properly, but I'm interested to see how it works in a real scenario for you.
3dbuzz.com has some great houdini rigging training, although you do have to pay for it.
09/23/2009 (3:13 am)
Vijay, it looks like you were trying to export the animation rig to dts, but I think you should export the deform rig. In the Torque ROP set the Export root to the deform rig. Also, there are a bunch of nodes that will be put into the dts that you don't want. You can create a cfg file with something like this in it:Always Export:
*_bone*
This will ensure that only the bones are exported. The hierarchy in the dts gets flattened because of the complex setup between animation and deform rig. I think it might be fine as long as you are animating in houdini with the animation rig. It essentially bakes the overall transformation for each bone in the deform rig on export, so it doesn't need the hierarchy anymore. I did a couple of quick tests of this and the animation seemed to come over properly, but I'm interested to see how it works in a real scenario for you.
3dbuzz.com has some great houdini rigging training, although you do have to pay for it.
Torque Owner Rex
BrokeAss Games
By it's nature, the AutoRig tool uses ~ 3 'rigs' to accomplish the task of character creation and the various components of the rigs don't export well....basically what you 'want' exporting, doesn't. And what you don't want exporting, does....all those 'controls'.
At the time of my evaluation, I found that particular set of tools[AutoRig] to not be a viable part of an art pipeline from Houdini.
Now, I may be incorrect at this point in time, although I doubt SideFX has changed much in that feature....it was great to weight a figure with, but didn't export very well. I would say you will probably get quicker, working results constructing your rig from the 'ground up' in Houdini and forget the 'AutoRig' tools.
Good luck!