XSI DTS Exporter Beta Download
by Matt Summers · in Artist Corner · 01/31/2007 (11:24 am) · 181 replies
We are still working on a few things in the core XSI DTS exporter but I wanted to at least get something out into the hands of current XSI owners so they can begin the process of exporting their content from XSI to Torque.
This is last beta version that was sent out to our small group of beta testers. Its relatively stable, and has almost full DTS feature support. Its still missing: material properties, dsq export and a few other miscellaneous things. Also no UI is included in this build as it is still a bit in flux.
Scene setup needs to be done manually, which involves creating a DTS shape using nulls, a bounds mesh, detail markers, and a mesh object with a detail number at the end of its name, etc, in an almost identical way to how the Max, GameSpace and Maya exporters work.
Basic Setup:
create two null objects named "start01" and "base01" parent them so that "start01" is the parent node and "base01" is the child node. Parent the root node of your mesh object to "base01" and then add a bounding box around your object and name it "bounds" the bounds mesh should be either at the scene root or parented to your mesh object as needed. You then need to add a detail marker to the scene named "detail(x)" where (x) = the pixel size value that this detail level should be displayed. The detail maker is just a named null object that is parented to the "start01" node. You will also need to make sure your mesh objects have a detail size at the end of their name. You can then go to file menu / export and choose export DTS.
Example scene setup:
Note: make sure to freeze the transforms on your bounds and mesh objects before exporting. Because the exporter supports scale animation object scale is read by the exporter as a result if there are scale transforms on the exported shape when the object is loaded as a static shape it will appear at its un-scaled state and If it is loaded as an animated shape it would shrink down to its scaled size.
This build is compiled using the XSI 4.2 SDK, the next round of builds will also be compiled using the XSI 5.x-6 SDKs, the performance optimizations in the new SDK will equal faster export speeds than the 4.2 version. Something to note for complex shapes.
Download The Exporter
or
Download the updated exporter
This is last beta version that was sent out to our small group of beta testers. Its relatively stable, and has almost full DTS feature support. Its still missing: material properties, dsq export and a few other miscellaneous things. Also no UI is included in this build as it is still a bit in flux.
Scene setup needs to be done manually, which involves creating a DTS shape using nulls, a bounds mesh, detail markers, and a mesh object with a detail number at the end of its name, etc, in an almost identical way to how the Max, GameSpace and Maya exporters work.
Basic Setup:
create two null objects named "start01" and "base01" parent them so that "start01" is the parent node and "base01" is the child node. Parent the root node of your mesh object to "base01" and then add a bounding box around your object and name it "bounds" the bounds mesh should be either at the scene root or parented to your mesh object as needed. You then need to add a detail marker to the scene named "detail(x)" where (x) = the pixel size value that this detail level should be displayed. The detail maker is just a named null object that is parented to the "start01" node. You will also need to make sure your mesh objects have a detail size at the end of their name. You can then go to file menu / export and choose export DTS.
Example scene setup:
Scene Root
|
+ -bounds (mesh)
|
+ -Start01 (null)
|
+ -Base01 (null)
| |
| + -mesh2 (mesh)(detail size 2)
|
+ -detail2 (null)(detail marker for size 2)Note: make sure to freeze the transforms on your bounds and mesh objects before exporting. Because the exporter supports scale animation object scale is read by the exporter as a result if there are scale transforms on the exported shape when the object is loaded as a static shape it will appear at its un-scaled state and If it is loaded as an animated shape it would shrink down to its scaled size.
This build is compiled using the XSI 4.2 SDK, the next round of builds will also be compiled using the XSI 5.x-6 SDKs, the performance optimizations in the new SDK will equal faster export speeds than the 4.2 version. Something to note for complex shapes.
Download The Exporter
or
Download the updated exporter
About the author
#2
01/31/2007 (3:48 pm)
Thank You Matt. Greatly appreciate ALL your exporter work in the past and especially now with XSI:)
#3
I've been using Gamespace and your exporter for it.
I just got my XSI 6 registration in today so this is perfect timing!
02/02/2007 (10:16 am)
Big thanks Matt. I've been using Gamespace and your exporter for it.
I just got my XSI 6 registration in today so this is perfect timing!
#4
02/15/2007 (12:14 pm)
Having trouble installing the plugin, I placed it in the plugins folder and it shows up under the Export menu, but I dont get a Torque DTS Utility window.
#5
The 'utility' UI stuff isn't in this version of the XSI exporter (see Matt's second paragraph). It will probably be added later, though. You should still be able to export with it, however.
02/15/2007 (1:08 pm)
Michael,The 'utility' UI stuff isn't in this version of the XSI exporter (see Matt's second paragraph). It will probably be added later, though. You should still be able to export with it, however.
#7
so here's what you do
In the View menu go to New Custom Toolbar and click on it. A small floating toolbar shows up, named Toolbar[0]user. Now, open the Script editor (the little papirus next to the Playback button at the bottom of the screen) and paste this in the Script editor field:
What this does is to create start01 and base01 nulls (parented correctly) as well as one detail and one collision node. In the last step it creates a bounds model 2x2 m witch you can modify to suit your model.
Now select the whole thing inside the Script editor and drag it onto the new Toolbar you just created. A new dialog pops up, the 'Script button' dialog.
Leave the option to Script button and press Ok. In the next dialog, The Customize Buttondialog, add the name of the button, tooltip, button size (only if you use bitmap image instead text button).
All there's left to do is to save the toolbar. Right click somewhere in the toolbar and choose save as...
If you can't find your toolbar next time you fire up XSI go to View/Toolbars and shold be the last in the menu..
Happy exporting!
if you want to do this without making a toolbar, just copy/paste the code in the script editor and run it
02/16/2007 (12:45 pm)
Fy, if you export simple stuff, it's good to have some automated process to setting up the scene :)so here's what you do
In the View menu go to New Custom Toolbar and click on it. A small floating toolbar shows up, named Toolbar[0]user. Now, open the Script editor (the little papirus next to the Playback button at the bottom of the screen) and paste this in the Script editor field:
GetPrim "Null" SetValue "null.Name", "start01" GetPrim "Null" SetValue "null.Name", "base01" GetPrim "Null" SetValue "null.Name", "collision-" SetValue "collision-.Name", "collision-1" GetPrim "Null" SetValue "null.Name", "detail2" CreatePrim "Cube", "MeshSurface" SetValue "cube.cube.length", 2 SetValue "cube.Name", "bounds" SelectObj "detail2" ToggleSelection "collision-1" ToggleSelection "base01" CopyPaste "detail2", , "start01", 1 CopyPaste "collision-1", , "start01", 1 CopyPaste "base01", , "start01", 1 SelectObj "start01" SelectObj "base01"
What this does is to create start01 and base01 nulls (parented correctly) as well as one detail and one collision node. In the last step it creates a bounds model 2x2 m witch you can modify to suit your model.
Now select the whole thing inside the Script editor and drag it onto the new Toolbar you just created. A new dialog pops up, the 'Script button' dialog.
Leave the option to Script button and press Ok. In the next dialog, The Customize Buttondialog, add the name of the button, tooltip, button size (only if you use bitmap image instead text button).
All there's left to do is to save the toolbar. Right click somewhere in the toolbar and choose save as...
If you can't find your toolbar next time you fire up XSI go to View/Toolbars and shold be the last in the menu..
Happy exporting!
if you want to do this without making a toolbar, just copy/paste the code in the script editor and run it
#8
I have been using XSI at a job and learned a great deal.
Imagine trying to simulate Chains without the aid of rigid bodies.
The company I work for bought Foundation which has soft bodies and no rigid.
I did overcome the issue using cloth. ;)
Stephen
02/17/2007 (3:50 am)
Nice work Matt!I have been using XSI at a job and learned a great deal.
Imagine trying to simulate Chains without the aid of rigid bodies.
The company I work for bought Foundation which has soft bodies and no rigid.
I did overcome the issue using cloth. ;)
Stephen
#9
Thank you
03/01/2007 (11:24 pm)
Sorry I'm fairly new to this, does the final exporter will include DSQ exporting as well?Thank you
#10
03/01/2007 (11:32 pm)
It already does, al you have to do is learn how to add custom properties to the null sequence so the engine can read it
#11
03/06/2007 (8:01 pm)
One note on your script Apparatus; it seems to parent base01 to start01. Shouldn't Base01 be the parent of start01?
#12
03/06/2007 (11:28 pm)
Believe it or not, it works both ways around. i am willing to send you the scn file and the resulted export models, tested in show tool and in the engine. quite odd, wouldn't you say?
#13
All that really matters to the exporter is that at the root of the scene are two nodes that are parented together and that markers are parented to the first one and the highest detail meshes are parented to the second one. The nodes could be named "bill01" and "bob01" for all the exporter cares.
Example:
This allows you to be flexible with how you name your scene nodes so you can use them and name them however you need to for your games needs. Its just easier to teach people to use the default "start01" and "base01" names during the learning phases of working with DTS export.
03/07/2007 (8:13 am)
Actually the names start01 and base01 are just standard names that were given to the two root nodes in the scene from the Dynamix days Im guessing. Joe would probably know where it originated, possibly even a convention that he came up with.All that really matters to the exporter is that at the root of the scene are two nodes that are parented together and that markers are parented to the first one and the highest detail meshes are parented to the second one. The nodes could be named "bill01" and "bob01" for all the exporter cares.
Example:
Scene Root
|
+ -bounds (mesh)
|
+ -Bill01 (null)
|
+ -Bob01 (null)
| |
| + -mesh2 (mesh)(detail size 2)
|
+ -detail2 (null)(detail marker for size 2)This allows you to be flexible with how you name your scene nodes so you can use them and name them however you need to for your games needs. Its just easier to teach people to use the default "start01" and "base01" names during the learning phases of working with DTS export.
#14
I've been playing with nodes in the schematic view. The first error I was getting was a "nothing to export" error, even though I had set up the scene according to what I'd read on the Max / Maya exporters. Turns out, I had to delete the "ManSkeletonBasic" node and re-parent all of it's children to start01.
After that, the export progress further, but then I started to get "bone missing from shape" errors. Some of the bones exported, but others weren't. What I found out was that any bone that was a child of a Chain Effector node wouldn't export. So, grasping at straws, I simply reparented all such bones to its grandparent. Now, Chain Effectors were all leaf nodes on the schematic view, and when I re-ran the export, the dump file showed that all "bones" were exporting.
However, I was _still_ getting a "bone missing from shape" error. I had to assume that the Chain Effector nodes were still causing problems, so I removed the Mesh's Envelope, and re-created it, but I only attached it to the Bones and the Nulls in the Skeleton...I left the Effectors off.
When I re-ran the export, it worked! Which made me sad, actually, because without the Effectors in the Envelope, animation kinematics don't seem to work.
So, I know this is beta and all, so I don't expect everything to work, but that's what feedback is for. Does it sound like I'm doing something wrong? Should Chain Effector nodes actually properly export? Or is this something that's not supported right now but will be in the future? Or should I be animating differently (I noticed that the dwarf.scn that came with the exporter didn't seem to use bones at all...all the nodes looked like they were nulls?)
Oh, one other thing...when I exported successfully and loaded my dts up in ShowTool, the model was oriented correctly (with it's "base" at 0,0,0), but the nodes were all translated down on the Y-axis, so that the pelvis was actually at 0,0,0. Anything I can do about that?
THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!
03/13/2007 (6:00 pm)
I've been having a little trouble with this (granted, I'm a bit of a newbie). I'm just trying to get a character to export, and I've enveloped the mesh to the XSI Primitive "Model - Skeleton Man Basic". But I've been having a wicked time trying to get the export to work with this.I've been playing with nodes in the schematic view. The first error I was getting was a "nothing to export" error, even though I had set up the scene according to what I'd read on the Max / Maya exporters. Turns out, I had to delete the "ManSkeletonBasic" node and re-parent all of it's children to start01.
After that, the export progress further, but then I started to get "bone missing from shape" errors. Some of the bones exported, but others weren't. What I found out was that any bone that was a child of a Chain Effector node wouldn't export. So, grasping at straws, I simply reparented all such bones to its grandparent. Now, Chain Effectors were all leaf nodes on the schematic view, and when I re-ran the export, the dump file showed that all "bones" were exporting.
However, I was _still_ getting a "bone missing from shape" error. I had to assume that the Chain Effector nodes were still causing problems, so I removed the Mesh's Envelope, and re-created it, but I only attached it to the Bones and the Nulls in the Skeleton...I left the Effectors off.
When I re-ran the export, it worked! Which made me sad, actually, because without the Effectors in the Envelope, animation kinematics don't seem to work.
So, I know this is beta and all, so I don't expect everything to work, but that's what feedback is for. Does it sound like I'm doing something wrong? Should Chain Effector nodes actually properly export? Or is this something that's not supported right now but will be in the future? Or should I be animating differently (I noticed that the dwarf.scn that came with the exporter didn't seem to use bones at all...all the nodes looked like they were nulls?)
Oh, one other thing...when I exported successfully and loaded my dts up in ShowTool, the model was oriented correctly (with it's "base" at 0,0,0), but the nodes were all translated down on the Y-axis, so that the pelvis was actually at 0,0,0. Anything I can do about that?
THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!
#15
I too am now at the same point as Jason - I get this message in my dump file:
Error #26:Error: bone missing from shape
After examining the scn file of the dwarf that is provided with the exporter, I am even more baffled. In the dwarf xsi file, there are no bones at all, just nulls. For example there is a null for the shoulder, then a null for the elbow and the vertices of the mesh are weighted to those. To be honest, I have never seen anything like it.
I am thinking that, whomever(whoever?) setup the file, must have had bones in at one time, to do the animations, and had those nulls parented to the roots and effectors of the bones. Then, for whatever reason, removed the bones after the animating was finished. I can't imagine that someone sat there and hand animated those nulls without any sort of bone setup...
Maybe I'm just being naive....
03/16/2007 (9:46 am)
After some trials and tribulations of my own: www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=59259I too am now at the same point as Jason - I get this message in my dump file:
Error #26:Error: bone missing from shape
After examining the scn file of the dwarf that is provided with the exporter, I am even more baffled. In the dwarf xsi file, there are no bones at all, just nulls. For example there is a null for the shoulder, then a null for the elbow and the vertices of the mesh are weighted to those. To be honest, I have never seen anything like it.
I am thinking that, whomever(whoever?) setup the file, must have had bones in at one time, to do the animations, and had those nulls parented to the roots and effectors of the bones. Then, for whatever reason, removed the bones after the animating was finished. I can't imagine that someone sat there and hand animated those nulls without any sort of bone setup...
Maybe I'm just being naive....
#16
03/19/2007 (2:26 pm)
I am really intrigued about how I can (or cannot) export transparent shapes yet. Does the current exporter support that? 
#17
msxml3.dll error '800c0005'
The system cannot locate the resource specified.
/xsi_beta.asp, line 11
When it doesn't return an error it times out. Can anyone post it somewhere else?
04/18/2007 (10:05 pm)
Hey there, the link to the exporter is returning an asp error:msxml3.dll error '800c0005'
The system cannot locate the resource specified.
/xsi_beta.asp, line 11
When it doesn't return an error it times out. Can anyone post it somewhere else?
#18
04/19/2007 (8:20 am)
The download URL should be working again.
#19
04/19/2007 (1:44 pm)
Yep, it works now. Thanks. I'll try it out and let you all know how it works in 5.0.
#20
Thanks for all your support Matt!
:)
04/30/2007 (1:16 pm)
I will need the exporter to work for vehicles soon!Thanks for all your support Matt!
:)
Torque Owner Aaron E
Default Studio Name
I just did a quick install and test and it seems to be working great with your example dwarf.
I can't thank you enough for all the time and effort you've put into this exporter. It will be a big help to a lot of people.