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Author Topic: Suggestion: Importing ForestPack Scene (Missing data re-linking)  (Read 4546 times)

Sk-Films

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Suggestion: Importing ForestPack Scene (Missing data re-linking)
« on: December 07, 2017, 05:18:51 PM »
Hi,

Just got into a small problem with ForestPack:

Problem:
I have a large scene - about 20x20km. So to do a Forestpack setup I decided to cut a piece of land to work on as a test.
However it is still not efficient to save/load versions of that large maxfile.
So instead I've created separate maxfile with small piece of land and area splines to work on.

The problem comes from getting this testscene back into Main MaxFile.

Existing Options:

  • Make testfile as ForestPack item.
    In this case all geometry is saved, but you loose all areas and their settings!
  • Save settings in presets.
    In this case you have all areas, but you lose all geometry and any maps that used (e.g. Transform scale map) 

Kind of a existing workaround:

So far I found that if I save my testfile as both Preset and Library item. Then Loading  them one after another kind of brings all geometry maps and areas in.
But still not sure if all imports correctly.

Suggestion:

I suggest that creating a Library item user would have an option to tick following options:

  • Save Areas (with Splines, Paint  and/or  Objects)
  • Save Areas (!!!without Splines, Paint  and/or  Objects)

Last one is most interesting and needed  - as it would still save Area list and all it's setting, however on import (!that is actual suggestion) ForestPack checks for any missing Geometry, Splines, Maps and would offer a dialog (as a list) to re-link them (or ignore and delete this geometry or area from ForestObject list))!

I feel that would make it absolutely safe for users to copy/move ForestObjects between different scene files (versions).

Example of how this import dialog might look (attached). Additionally if missing data was ignored during import- then the same dialog can be evoked.


« Last Edit: December 07, 2017, 05:40:47 PM by Sk-Films »

Paul Roberts

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Re: Suggestion: Importing ForestPack Scene (Missing data re-linking)
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2017, 11:25:48 AM »
Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions and the detailed explanation, we will discuss this internally.

In the mean time the simplest solution is probably to ignore the presets and library systems and simply Merge your Forest Objects back into the scene. Just be sure to enable Select Influences and Display Influences in the Merge dialog. That will import all referenced assets, retaining the links.

I hope that helps,

All the best,

Paul
Paul Roberts
iToo Software

Sk-Films

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Re: Suggestion: Importing ForestPack Scene (Missing data re-linking)
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2017, 05:25:30 PM »
Merging kind of will do the job. But main scene needs to be cleaned before doing that (from old version).
Also some area splines that used in test scene, should be deselected - as main scene has full versions of them (e.g. spline that defines forest areas accross 20km, in test version I'm using simplified version of it).
So it's a lot of small things needs to be carefully watched while merging.

At the moment "Library item" option works kind of the best. It just lack of importing areas (not geometry itself, but just as settings/lists).

So to simplify suggestion:

1) Importing  Forest Item it imports all settings and lists. Regardless if the geometry missing.
2) Check button - that shows what's missing and needs to be reconnected.

iToo

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Re: Suggestion: Importing ForestPack Scene (Missing data re-linking)
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2017, 09:19:20 AM »
Hi, thanks for your suggestion. I've added them to our wishlist, to discuss it with our team.

In the past we tried to implement a way to import areas from Library presets. But we noticed it was problematic, because there is not a smart way to do it automatically.
Sometimes the user may want to preserve the areas in the FP object, and others not. So, the only way seems to be to include an option to select between both modes.

Carlos Quintero
iToo Software