Loss of UV map(s) when importing Willi_plant_pack1 then export to LWO

[PabloMack]

I have Willi_plant_pack1 and have imported the fern models to TG2. I used a previous thread to figure out how to then export these to LWO files using the context menu from right clicking the objects in the node view. When I then load the models into Modeler, the only surface that is defined is [default] and there are no UV maps. But the pack contains images of plant parts so I must assume that these are supposed to be already mapped into the models. Did I do something wrong or am I going to have to do all of the UV mapping myself?

[attach=1]

[cbshort]

I believe UV's in Lightwave are not supported. Try exporting out the file as an obj file from LW.

[PabloMack]

The original files are TGO. By the time I get them into LW, the UV maps are already gone. Lightwave does indeed support UV maps. I have spent many an hour creating UV maps in LW. In fact, I bought Modo primarily to paint the UV maps to be rendered in LW. Perhaps you meant to say that UV's are not supported in TG2's export to LWO.

[Kadri]

I use Lightwave too (v10.1) . I just tried it  .
If you look at the exported LWO files from TG2 they become very small and without UV .
Exporting as OBJ doesn't destroy the UV maps.
Maybe the LWO export is a basic or-and old implementation .
I use primary OBJ files for import and exporting.

[Oshyan]

LWO support is basic and not recommended unless you have no other alternatives. OBJ is preferred, certainly.

- Oshyan

[PabloMack]

I tried exporting to OBJ from TG2 then loaded OBJ into Modeler. I get the same exact result. No surfaces (except for [default]) and no UV's.

[Kadri]

Maybe this ?
http://forums.newtek.com/showthread.php?130594-Obj-Import-Problem-11-x-anyone-able-to-help-this-guy

Edit: This looks more like a problem on TG2 side to me too now.
        I tried it with a different model and after i exported the OBJ from TG2
        the different surfaces and UV's on the object were gone in Poseray too for example.
        The exported TGO object from OBJ file had all surfaces intact.       
        Looks like only one surface and UV is exported from TG2 in OBJ files ?

       

[PabloMack]

Maybe this ?

In pursuing this I openned up Pandora's Box! I followed the procedure and loaded the object. Once the object loads, I see that the UV map is there but there is no image associated with the map. So I guessed which image goes with which model. Also, Smoothing and Double Sided Surfaces is turned off so that it is easy enough to fix by checking their boxes. I then try to save and LW reports:

"File load or save incomplete due to input/output error or incorrect file format"

I then did a "Save As" and it did allow me to overwrite the original file after answering "The File % already exists. Overwrite?"

Luckily, I will probably never want to edit these models so I will not get confused later on when I try to save the changes. Along the way, I made LW Modeler crash and I had to send a crash dump report to both the NT forum and to support. I then later found out that it only crashes when there is no geometry. Now my config file is corrupted and my UI is not right. I have to figure out how to delete the config file and make it go back to normal.

Apparently, LW can deal with the LWO file but something was not created correctly by the TG2 export so that everything is not as it would have been had the model been originally created in LW. Perhaps I could figure out what is wrong if I look at the script internals of the LWO file. Maybe if I get bored.

[Oshyan]

Sorry guys, my info was incomplete previously. We don't currently support export of materials for any format. Since TG2 is not intended as a modeling program, that functionality hasn't been added, and may not be in the future. We originally included TGO export capability to ease the inclusion of material networks with objects, but due to designed limitations in the format and exporter, it's actually not an ideal workflow. TGO is a good "destination" format, but if further changes to the model are desired, it is still best to use OBJ. If a modeler wants to include complex TG shading with a model they release, we would now suggest either publishing an OBJ with an accompanying clip file for the TG nodes, or publishing as *both* TGO and OBJ.

Sorry for the confusion and frustration.

- Oshyan

[PabloMack]

If it is any consolation, I later discovered that it is only the corrupted version of LW that fails to save the LWO that was generated by loading the OBJ then resaving as LWO. I fell back to LW ver 11.0 and it does not have the saving problem or the crashing problem. The only nagging mystery is "What made LW 11.5 crash in the first place?" I will let Newtek deal with that if only I can get my crippled internet connection to send such a large file. The ball is in their court.

I guess this problem arose from the models being distributed in the TGO format. If few software packages support importing this format then it is up to Terragen to convert it to another more common format. Looks like this is OBJ and it works well enough. Turning smoothing and double sided polys back on are trivial. The prospect of redoing the UV maps, on the other hand, was daunting.

No problem, Oshyan. I appreciate the help. Perhaps this experience will help drill OBJ into my memory. I have the mind of an engineer. i.e. little gray matter dedicated to raw data so I use as much as I can to remember principles. Understanding one principle is better than memorizing a thousand facts. 

[Kadri]

Opsss!
Pablo i only now saw that you got those problems after fallowing that link.
Sorry that you got that much trouble!

[PabloMack]

Opsss!
Pablo i only now saw that you got those problems after fallowing that link.
Sorry that you got that much trouble!

No worries, mate! I had just installed the newest version of LW and, honestly, I can't tell you what problems were already there after the install. Because I had forgotten to associate the icons with the new version, they were still pointing to the previous version so I had been using the older version for some time before trying to do the model conversion. I am sure that your help did me more good than harm.

[Kadri]

Nice to hear Pablo!
That new version looks very nice .
Would be nice to use but i think i will only upgrade to v12 or so only.