sideshow47 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Hello, I'm using VW 10.5 w/ updated renderworks/spotlight (educational version). All of my texture files (gobos and the like) come up as empty files. example: GAM clouds.mcd - size: 9.75Mb Upon opening the file or attempting to use it as a gobo projector nothing shows up. If I go to help>about vectorworks, it shows up as 0 objects in layers. This has been a consistent problem since originally installing vw10.1. Am I missing something? S/S Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 If you open the gobo library file, you won't see anything in the drawing. The gobo's are not placed in the file. They are merely stored as a resource in the file. Placing an instance of the object in the library file will lead to unnecessary file size additions. You should be able to select it from the library list in the Resource Browser and expand the textures section to see all of the gobos. Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee klinzey Posted September 23, 2003 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted September 23, 2003 To see the texture you will have to: 1. Use it in the Gobo Projector and render 2. Draw a 2x2 square and apply ith gobo as a texture and render. 3. Edit the texture and view the image preview. 4. Look at the manufacture's website or catalog. All of the images for the gobos are provided to Nemetschek directly from the manufacture. Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 I'm having a similar problem. I am using 10.1.2 eduacational version. I have my design open and I am trying to add a gobo projector with a break-up. When i insert a gobo projector, the only 'gobos' it lets me choose are the textures (paint elevations) that I've created for my scenic elements. On the resource browser I went to Files and Folders- add new files and folders. I added the .MCD files that contained the gobos as resources. "I can go to favorites and find these gobos, but they don't have thumbnails (even in thumbnail view), and I have no clues as to how to get them into a projector. I read the help file about 100 times, and found it to be realitivly undetailed. Any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee klinzey Posted September 25, 2003 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted September 25, 2003 First you must import the texture into the active document. (You won't see the preview thumnail because a bug in the conversion process) Once you have imported the texture either enter the name of the texture in the Gobo 1 or Gobo 2 Field of the Gobo Projector, or click on the existing gobo projector with the gobo projector tool active to bring up a dialog and choose the texture from the list. Set your view and then render with final quality Renderworks using the settings in the manual. Quote Link to comment
william7 Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 I echo what Kevin is instructing you to do. Also I have noticed that I have had to "lower" the "z" level, or hanging height of the gobo projector about 1' to 1'6" below the lighting fixtures hanging height in order for the projector to actually project. Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 When I do this all I get is a white spotlight without a gobo in it. Also, I don't see a place where I can type the name of a patten... It has a pull down box when I first create the projector, but in the object info pallate, it has nothing about gobos. Will there be a patch released to fix the preview bug? it would be nice to not have to use an external catolog for gobo selections. Thanks, Nick Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Ok I figured out where you can type the gobo name to render... but it still isn't rendering them. I have 3D objects that are textured, with various other textures i have created using the "create new resource/ renderworks texture" option. If i try to change the texture of these objects to the texture of one of the gobos, it just turns a solid color (the color i have selected in the attributes pallate) It appears as if the gobo "textures" aren't really textures, or I'm importing them wrong or something. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee klinzey Posted September 26, 2003 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted September 26, 2003 A Gobo texture is a special texture. The only way to to create a gobo texture is from an image. If you have an image, bitmap, jpeg, gif etc, use the create gobo texture command. If you have existing geometry that you want to make into a gobo texture you will need to export it as an image then create the gobo. There may be other ways to create a transparent texture, but this is the easiest. Your final scaled image should be 2"x2" Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 I'm trying to use the stock gobos, that are in .MCD format Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 5, 2003 Share Posted October 5, 2003 There is definatly something wrong with the gobo libraary. All of the files are blank, in the resource browser, blank in the 'add texture' preview, and blank when projected. I add a texture by right clicking on it in the resource browser, and I select 'new resource in EDI.mcd' I click ok on the preview window (which is also blank). It adds the resource. Using the gobo projector tool, I add a projector with a hight of 15', and an angle of 19 deg. I choose a gobo from the 'gobo one' drop down menu, and click ok. I render it, using Renderworks, and I can see the pool of light cast by the gobo projector. There is no gobo projected, however. I need a copy of the gobo library, that acctually contains the gobos... Am I doing something wrong? I am starting to get woried because my project is due in about 14 days, and the gobos are critical to my design. Thanks, Nick M. Rahl Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 5, 2003 Share Posted October 5, 2003 Perhaps the problem lies in the gobo projector... I can't get the gobo projector to project anything other than an empty pool of light (no different than a standard light object). I tried importing pictures and projecting them, as well as creating a 2" by 2" texture in adobe illustrator and trying it. No luck. I am also having difficulties getting non-MCD textures (imported picture files) to render on extruded objects. The only time they show up is when I set the mapping to sphere, which warps it beyond recognition. Any help would be appreciated, -Nick Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 I downloaded the latest version of vector works, and the textures upgrade, but the problem still prosists. Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 The preview image of the thumbnails for the gobo's is a bug, however the gobos do work. To make the preview of the gobo appear properly in the thumbnail image in the RB, import the gobo into your drawing. Select the drawing you are working in from the drop down box at the top of the RB. Right click or option click on the gobo and select Edit. In the Edit Textures dialog box, change the Obj Size value from 4" to 2" under the Preview options section of the dialog (lower right corner). Also, change the Obj Type from Plane to either sphere or cube. Click OK. The preview should now show properly. To change this for all the gobo's, you'll need to open the gobo libary file and edit each gobo that is not showing any thumbnail image in the RB. As for them not showing when using the gobo projector tool in association wtih a light, there should not be a problem. To further investigate, please answer the following questions. What specific gobo and gobo library file are you working with that is not working? Please include the version of VW and Operating system as well. Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 I'm still not sure how the importing textures works... The gobo libraries are in .MCD format and are labled as brand and category, for example "Apollo Breakups 1000s". When I open this file, in the files' resources window, I can see the different individual gobos (with a box with an "X" instead of a preview). When I want to import a gobo, do I import the file with the gobo that I want, into my already existing file? I don't understand how to import textures. All of the files that contain gobos appear in the RB under "favorites". When I right click on one of the textures in these files I can choose: "new resource in test..." ------------or------------ "new new renderworks texture in test..." (Test Is the name of the document) Do I want to choose one of these options to import it? Thanks, Nick My OS is Win XP Pro, and I am running VW Spotlight, 10.5.0 [ 10-06-2003, 04:27 PM: Message edited by: lightnb ] Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 To use a texture or gobo in a document it first needs to be imported into your working document. THis is true for any resource - symbols, pre-made worksheets, hatches, etc. Select the file containing a gobo you wish you to use from the Favorites list in the Resource Browser. In the large white box, select the gobo you wish to use. Right click (if you have a two button mouse, otherwise Control+Click) and select IMPORT. This will import this resource into your current open document. To EDIT this item, the docuemnt you are working in needs to be selected from the Open Files. Click on the drop down box at the top of the Resource Browser, scroll all the way to the top where you see Open Files. THis will be in gray. Select the file you are working on. You should see the gobo you just imported listed somewhere below in the large white area. To edit this following the steps outlined in the previous post, you'll need to scroll down to the gobo and right click or control click on the gobo and select EDIT. Then follow the steps for editing the texture as described in earlier post. You are getting the new resource in * becuase you are not clicking on the gobo, you are clicking in an open area. Try to click on the name so it's highlighted. Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Ok, I've gotten them to import properly. The thumbnail preview (after changing the preview to 2") looks like the gobo, only it's on the side of a cube, instead of head on. Is this right? The gobos still aren't rendering though. Thanks, NMR Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Yes, the cube is how it's going to look. As I said earlier, you can use sphere or cube. If you want a head on view of the cube - switch to a front, right or left view, then edit the texture (right click in the RB and select edit) and click on Exit symbol. The view will now be switched to a front view of the cube. As for the gobo's not rendering - Do you have the light pointing in a direction so that the gobo can reflect off an existing object? For example - the floor will project the gobo if it's big enough, and the light with the gobo attached to it is pointing towards the floor and is far enough away. Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 I have an extruded rectangle as the floor. the light is hung 15 feet up and has a beam angle or 26 degrees. The light is showing up as a hard edged pool, on the floor. I just can't see the gobo in it. I am running the educational version, if it makes a difference. I think the other guy who was having this problem was running it as well. Nick M. Rahl Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 8, 2003 Share Posted October 8, 2003 Are you rendering with Final Quality RenderWorks or Custom RenderWorks rendering mode? Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 When I use Fast Renderworks, I get hard edged pools of light. When I use Final Quality Renderworks, the pools of light go away. When I use Custom, I don't see the pools either. My custom options is set to all options checked. I tried with both mapped, and ray-traced shadows. Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 The Gobo's will only render in Final Quality or Custom RW. If you want to email the file to me, I can take a look at it or refer it to Tech Support. katie@nemetschek.net Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 I think the problem is more program specific than a problem with the file. I have my main document that i couldn't get it to work in originally, and then I created a test file that has only a gobo projector, and an extruded rectangle as the floor. It doesn?t work in the test file either, so either there is a bug in VW Student Edition, or I am doing something wrong. Quote Link to comment
lightnb Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Where Can I email the file to? Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 katie@nemetschek.net I posted this in the previous message. Quote Link to comment
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