ObjectLoader Cancel Warning

[jaf]

This is a very minor irritant (at least for me.)  Every once in a while, I'll start to add an object to a scene, and then realize I need to cancel (I suddenly remember that the object isn't ready or some other reason.)  But then the warning "ObjectLoader: No object file specified  Obj reader 01" comes up when I click cancel and adds "Obj reader 0x" to the objects list.  I think, of course "no object file specified", I canceled the request. This happens with all the "readers" (at least in the "Add Object" section.) And if I don't delete those "empty object readers", they come up as warning the next time I load that tgd.

Anyway, does that message/warning on a cancel really serve any purpose?

[Dune]

Agreed. When it happens to me, I delete it immediately, but I can imagine it's annoying. There might be a reason for the 'empty' reader, though. Matt would surely know.

[WAS]

There might be a reason for the 'empty' reader, though.

Can't imagine there is with the crucial functionality of the parts shader and each object part corresponding uniqely per-object. You can't just go in and load an object with it manually. Like for example, take editing a object you'd loaded to change some bits, but you've added another material, if you reload the object in TG that new material will be black, and no part of the object to apply shaders too for that new addition.

It would be cool if loading a object with a reader just re-initiated the whole object shader. Especially preserving settings in the shader for updating an object/pop.

[sboerner]

Agree on all counts. I understand why Terragen was designed this way, so an object's shading network can be customized as needed in a scene. But for beginners, especially, the fact that the mesh is a dependency link while the shading network gets baked into the scene file can lead to confusion.

Sometimes I wonder if it might be possible to have true object references. The TGO format is very close to this but once placed the shading network still becomes part of the scene file. And as WAS says modifications to the shading assignments aren't updated when you select reload.

For now being careful works pretty well . . . using TGOs for everything and backing up shading networks as clip files. Remembering to create a new loader when replacing an object with one that contains new shading assignments.  And of course immediately deleting empty loaders. 

[amandas]

Agree on all counts. I understand why Terragen was designed this way, so an object's shading network can be customized as needed in a scene. But for beginners, especially, the fact that the mesh is a dependency link while the shading network gets baked into the scene file can lead to confusion.

Sometimes I wonder if it might be possible to have true object references. The TGO format is very close to this but once placed the shading network still becomes part of the scene file. And as WAS says modifications to the shading assignments aren't updated when you select reload.

For now being careful works pretty well . . . using TGOs for everything and backing up shading networks as clip files. Remembering to create a new loader when replacing an object with one that contains new shading assignments.  And of course immediately deleting empty loaders.

Totally agree. It would be good if TGN marked dirty all imported objects that changed on the drive and re-generated the appropriate shading network, maybe when having a switch like "Dynami Shading Networks" on.