error loading heightfields

Started by digitalguru, January 25, 2022, 04:50:38 PM

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digitalguru

I'm getting an error when loading OpenExr files in the heightfield load:

An unknown error occurred in trBucketRender: RenderMore() rasterised pass

I'm testing loading multiple tiled heightfields and this happens with OpenExr output from both Gaea and World Machine. Sometimes I get the warning and the files eventually load, otherwise Terragen just hangs.

This is on Windows 10 x64 / Terragen 4.5.71

Anyone else experiencing similar errors?

WAS

#1
Interestingly, I am getting: XXX is not a file format that can be loaded - XXX loader

I don't think EXR is supported for heightfield load.


Scratch that... that was in Geog heightfield load.

Heightfield load seems to load all the EXRs I am tryng.

How big are they? Biggest I tried is 32k at almost 2gb.

Dune

I only had this once the last years or so, and that was after an extensive working period on one file (many changes, loading of extra's, and croprenders) and then trying to render it big. I think it had to do with needing to flush memory, because the same file went fine after reloading TG and rendering straight away.

digitalguru

#3
Quote from: WAS on January 25, 2022, 06:57:33 PMHow big are they? Biggest I tried is 32k at almost 2gb.
Not big files as I'm tiling - 2k mostly and I've tested the script I've written with various combinations up to 64 tiled heightfield loads, but I get the same error if I load 4 exrs or 64.

I thought it might be Gaea as I'm using the latest Bleeding Edge and sometimes the exr export can be a bit iffy in the beta versions, but I was getting the same with World Machine. It will eventually load without error after a number of restarts of Terragen, but that seems random so I'm not sure (or can reproduce) what causes that error.

Need to try it with .tif next, maybe that will work better, prefer to work with exrs though

sboerner

Here's an old thread about a possibly related issue: https://planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,23487.0.html.

I'm pretty sure the trBucketRender error has to do with drawing the 3D preview. So maybe try disabling the preview before loading and see if that helps. (It won't fix the problem but might help isolate it.)

Probably should turn off RTP if you are using it.

I'm curious to see if the loads succeed if you use tiffs. I've loaded heightfield scenes containing dozens of geotiffs with no problem. If you save them out as 32 bit they should be no different than exrs, right?

Edit: Just noticed this:
QuoteI've tested the script I've written with various combinations up to 64 tiled heightfield loads

You're scripting Terragen?

digitalguru

Quote from: sboerner on January 26, 2022, 10:16:58 AMI'm pretty sure the trBucketRender error has to do with drawing the 3D preview. So maybe try disabling the preview before loading and see if that helps. (It won't fix the problem but might help isolate it.)
Good tip, will try that next.

Quote from: sboerner on January 26, 2022, 10:16:58 AMI'm curious to see if the loads succeed if you use tiffs. I've loaded heightfield scenes containing dozens of geotiffs with no problem. If you save them out as 32 bit they should be no different than exrs, right?
This is to work with World Machine and Gaea, and WM doesn't have 32bit tif, (not sure about Gaea till I test it either).

Quote from: sboerner on January 26, 2022, 10:16:58 AMYou're scripting Terragen?
That would be nice :), but no, this will be a standalone Python script, a bit like aKnight's Terraroad. It would be great to have scripting in Terragen or some kind of parameter wiring.

digitalguru

Quote from: sboerner on January 26, 2022, 10:16:58 AMI'm curious to see if the loads succeed if you use tiffs.
I get the same error with tifs. Pausing the preview helps though.

Matt

Just because milk is white doesn't mean that clouds are made of milk.

pclavett

Hi....am getting the same problem with a tiff file exported from Gaea ! That same error "bucket" message and no 3D preview ! Is there a way to fix this and recuperate that file. Have rebuilt it from exporting all the shaders and other components, rebuilt the terrain from scratch with the 2 tiffs and then reconnected all the components..... got the whole thing up and running but a gathered export of this second project opens with the same error messages and no 3D view in the 3D preview..... just a blank screen on that portion of the interface. Deleting the terrain and putting in a procedural terrain does not bring back a preview or anything !
Is there a solution to this ???
Am at a point where I am thinking of simply going back and re-exporting the terrain in another format.... and Gaea does not export .ter...... so would have to pass into WorldMachine first......starting to be tedious !
Thanks for any info and take care all !
Paul

digitalguru

I would try OpenExr from Gaea, it's fast becoming the go-to format for heightfield export and is much better than .tif
I've all but retired the .ter format (it's 16bit anyway) it did have the advantage of correctly scaling in TG but you only need a couple of nodes to correctly scale the .exrs

A workaround that Matt suggested is not to have the entire terrain visible in the viewport when you load the heightfield (i.e. from a high vantage point) - sounds weird but it does work :)
I just loaded the heightfield with the default camera position, then it could be moved to wherever. Not exhaustively tested though, though I did try this method with my script for loading multi-tiled output form Gaea and it did work when leaving the cam at default position and loading 16 heightfields from a clip file.

Don't know if you gathered the project just to test or to send it off to render?

I wonder if you save the file successfully and then try a render from the command line if that would work?

pclavett

Thanks for the info..... reexported as .exr and reconfigured the 2 .exr files as I had done with the .tiffs........all looked good and again saved the file and did a gathered export. When I reopen the file, still get the same errors and nothing visualized in the the 3D preview. So there seems to be a bug here with these terrains whether they are tiff or exr files. The suggestion with the camera position...... do you save a different camera view that looks elsewhere and reopen with this...... and then readjust your camera..... not exactly sure what was meant on the previous message ??? I also updated to the latest version for Mac and get the same results !
I have made it simpler to reconstruct by saving the terrains as a clip file and reimporting it as such.....still makes things more tedious ! Below is a view of what happens when I open the file (note the totally empty 3D view above the error box). Take care ! Paul

pclavett

After toying with the file I have figured out that the problem can be averted by keeping a spare Terrain group with a generic PF terrain connected at the time of the Save or Export Gathered. The terrain desired for the project is simply disconnected and the PF terrain connected and you can now export the gathered project and it will reopen fine with no errors and simply reconnect the desired terrain to the entry point in the shaders group ! Have no idea what the problem is with these terrains to generate this error but the workaround appears to be relatively easy ! The Planetside staff  possibly can enlighten us on this ! Take care all ! Paul