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Author Topic: Custom Libraries with multiple object Max files  (Read 2024 times)

whisky

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Custom Libraries with multiple object Max files
« on: July 04, 2016, 10:15:43 PM »
Hello,

I'm trying to create custom libraries inside ForestPack from 3rd party plants models I've purchased, but their .max files contain multiple objects and I'm not sure how to manage this.  When I import these max files into a new library, each separate object inside the max file shows up as an independent object in the ForestPack library.  For example: leaves, branches, trunk, flowers are all acting as separate objects inside the ForestPack library.    Is there a way to merge these automatically inside ForestPack, or tell ForestPack to combine all objects so that they import correctly?  Or will I have to merge these manually and then re-export them as a new object?  Trying to avoid doing that for the few hundred plants I have!  Thanks.

iToo

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Re: Custom Libraries with multiple object Max files
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2016, 09:10:36 AM »
Hi, Forest needs that custom objects are a single mesh.
But to solve this issue in some third-party libraries (as Evermotion), we added a procedure to merge separate meshes automatically: just set the object's name in the library item as "*".

Please note this mechanism was created for our internal use, and may have some limitations. For example, there is no way to define what objects to merge, Forest takes all objects in the scene. It also creates a multi-sub with their materials.

We usually create our libraries editing the "index.xml" file directly (it's stored in the library folder). In case you cannot set "*" as object's name from the Library editor, do it editing the index.xml directly.

I hope that helps.
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

ML2660

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Re: Custom Libraries with multiple object Max files
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2017, 10:27:17 PM »
Hi, been Reading thru the forum and came across this subject.

Had the same problem in the past, it's too time consuming to attach objects of hundreds of items.

Can you please give a more detailed explanation how to import these objects?
This is something that could be very usefull for me and maybe other users too!

Thx!

iToo

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Re: Custom Libraries with multiple object Max files
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2017, 09:34:27 AM »
Hi, please try this:

1) Create your Library items as usual, selecting at "Item settings" any of the meshes included in the Max file.
2) Select the library in the left panel and use right click->Open in Shell. That will open the folder where is located the "index.xml" file.
3) Open the "index.xml" with any text editor.
4) Modify the name of each object, defined in the tag <object> with a '*'. In this way: <object>your object</object> to <object>*</object>

Doing this, Forest will load all meshes included in the max file, and attach them in a unique object.

Please note using this procedure it's not possible to mix different trees in a same max scene, just one by file.

Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

ML2660

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Re: Custom Libraries with multiple object Max files
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2017, 06:12:54 PM »
Thanks Carlos,

Will try this asap!