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Exporting from Gmax to 3ds Max with FFG - a new tool

Hi Tom,

I have a small question on ffg_pp.EXE ... Is this EXE a 32b version or 64b ?
When I click on this EXE ... "Windows 7 64b answer that this version is not compatible with your version of Windows"

The second question: do you use this workflow on Windows 64b ?
Note: my 3DS Max 2012 is a 32b version.

Thanks very much
 
Bonjour Didier, ca va?

I do use this workflow in Windows 7 64-bit and 32-bit 3ds Max. You drag and drop the text file produced by the script on to FFG-pp.bat, not the .exe. I get the same error message as you if I try the .exe!

Hope this helps.
 
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;) Ca va bien ! :wave:

Well, I wrote my question too fast ... I use also ULE0.9 and it is based on the same "workflow" not the same exe but it's similiar.

At the moment, I tried to transform a model Gmax to Max reading with carefully your PDF and I succeed :stirthepo

So, this workflow run perfectly ... "Milles excuses from Paris/LFPO"
 
I may have found a bug, unfortunately.

If anyone would like to verify this.

When I export a selected area of a model, and I add 'animations' with the 'export selected', I find that the animations of at least some parts are removed. When viewed in the Animation Manager 'in Gmax', the parts no longer have animations on them. Meaning that when you export a model in Gmax to TXT file via Grabber, during the process, at least some of the animations are taken off of parts in the Gmax master file.

I hope its only my system.


Bill
LHC
 
Well, I tried a few things. With Build 2.0, I have had issues running the exporter but never had a chance to really dig into things and try out different ways, etc. Today I tried a few. Nothing seemed to work.

I get a couple of crash windows in the RUN window, screenshots attached.

I tried exporting now with no animations, did no good.

I found that the Iconx program does not like my version of Windows; Win7 Ultimate (has x86 in the Programs folder name, but is called Win7 64 Ultimate, so could that be an issue?).

The PostProcess also is still stalling, stating crash signs. Runtime error is 105 on these last few tries.

The number of parts is quite low, the tail dragger landing gear of a humble Piper Pacer. Should have worked.

I might reinstall the version 1 FFG and see if that works again.

I also tried clearing the Listener window, which was asked for in the version one Beta. Did nothing. Same crashes.


:(

Worked the first time so easily and smoothly. why me.... :S
 
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lionheart said:
...When viewed in the Animation Manager 'in Gmax', the parts no longer have animations on them. Meaning that when you export a model in Gmax to TXT file via Grabber, during the process, at least some of the animations are taken off of parts in the Gmax master file
Click to expand...

As I read it Bill, the Gmax original is losing animations on running the script? I often see a request to save a model on closing Gmax after doing an FFG export, but have always said no. The same would happen after exporting from Max to Gmax and again I'd say no out of habit.

I've got to have a look at this and I'll get back to you: thanks for the feedback!


Regarding the version 1 beta you originally had, the only differences between that and the public beta is the Listener window is automatically cleared by the script when starting and when finished the public beta says "Export finished". There are no other differences. Well, there had better not be...
 
hairyspin said:
As I read it Bill, the Gmax original is losing animations on running the script? I often see a request to save a model on closing Gmax after doing an FFG export, but have always said no. The same would happen after exporting from Max to Gmax and again I'd say no out of habit.
...
Click to expand...

After a few tries on doing this, I learned quickly to say no on this also, but it only seemed to happen during the 'animation also' exports.


hairyspin said:
Regarding the version 1 beta you originally had, the only differences between that and the public beta is the Listener window is automatically cleared by the script when starting and when finished the public beta says "Export finished". There are no other differences. Well, there had better not be...
Click to expand...

ahhhh so.. Ok.


Thanks Tom.

I'll try a few more tricks over here and see if I can get it to work. Surely I am doing something wrong now, different from what I had originally had done.

Bill
 
Hi Bill,

sorry for replying belatedly but I was away on hols.

lionheart said:
Well, I tried a few things. With Build 2.0, I have had issues running the exporter but never had a chance to really dig into things and try out different ways, etc. Today I tried a few. Nothing seemed to work.

I get a couple of crash windows in the RUN window, screenshots attached.

I tried exporting now with no animations, did no good.

I found that the Iconx program does not like my version of Windows; Win7 Ultimate (has x86 in the Programs folder name, but is called Win7 64 Ultimate, so could that be an issue?).

The PostProcess also is still stalling, stating crash signs. Runtime error is 105 on these last few tries.
Click to expand...

Don't know what happens in your first screenshot though it seems iconx.exe cannot be found by a calling program. Once you drop a .txt file on the FFG_pp.bat desktop icon there is no problem running the postprocessor, as shown in your second shot.

Second screenshot shows that FFG_pp.bat has been activated correctly this time but cannot create the file "A Tail Dragger Landing Gear.bff" in the target directory. For lack of alternatives it dumps its output on screen (which is totally useless, of course).

Now at first I thought this might all be due to spaces in the file name, in fact I didn't even know that gmax allowed object names containing spaces. Meanwhile I have learned that it does. That doesn't throw the postprocessor either, but other factors might. Such as (check carefully):

a) target folder doesn't exist

b) target folder doesn't have permission to create files or subfolders (UAC etc)

So my current advice is to create a new target folder, make sure that you have full permission for it, and prime FFG_pp.bat to use it. If you click FFG_pp.bat on its own it will tell you which target folder it is aiming at currently.

If this is the root of the problem I'll do a new version that aborts the process at this point and produces an informative error message. Should have done so in the first place, as a matter of fact.
 
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Hey Manfred,

Welcome back home. Sorry you have to leave that beautiful Island paradise.


Thanks for the input. I'll apply your advice and see if that does it. Makes sense as I did use a different folder other then the target folder. I thought the target folder was the output only. arghh...



Bill
 
I downloaded the later version in the resources area - 0.1.4a uploaded 1/2/14 - but the pdf manual referred to in post #1 was not present in the zip file.
 
JamesN said:
I downloaded the later version in the resources area - 0.1.4a uploaded 1/2/14 - but the pdf manual referred to in post #1 was not present in the zip file.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that James, I'll get that uploaded tonight after work.
 
I've updated the resource to include the readme. Up when the admins clear it.
 
Thanks for this, guys!


Note #1: If anyone gets read-/write errors during the "FFG_PP" part of the operation, it indicates a broken object. In my case, a whole set of screws. No biggie to recreate, but a stumbling block for sure.

Note #2: All animations except those NOT involving any kind of rotation WILL BREAK!

Note #3: To recreate materials use "Pick from object" in the Material Editor and then just add the bitmaps.

Note #4: Visibility tags and clickspots are retained, animation tags, however, aren't.

Note #5: Pick the export chunks of your model carefully as hierarchies are retained!
 
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Thanks for the feedback Bjorn, good to know people are finding this handy.
 
Thanks. The lack of rotation animation support is a deal breaker for me though.

Note #7: The progress of the grabber can be monitored in Windows' Task manager. If you're exporting awfully huge chunks or the whole model in one go, open the task manager and watch the grabber's process. If it constantly uses a single CPU core and has steadily incresing memory usage, everything is fine and dandy. Just wait.

Note #8: Models with 75000 polygons and 200 parts or so export and import just fine in a single go. Just give the grabber timer to work.

Note #9: Despite apparent support for visbility tags and clickspots, there are will be errors related to them in the build log. Recommendation: REASSIGN ALL(!) CLICKSPOTS AND VISIBILITY TAGS!
 
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Just to let you know that this script works quite perfectly with Max 2015.

My gmax model has been exported/imported perfectly, only some minor part is not visible but I could rebuild it easy.

Thanks to all.
 
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