Export Issues Using "Send to Cinema 4D"

[MKehoe]

I have been using Vectorworks and Cinema4d for a number of years now. Previously, I have been using the 2009 version of Vectorworks and been exporting to Cinema4d, R11.5 via the "File" > "Export" > "Cinema4D Export". Through this process, a .vw4d file would be created which I could then imported into C4D. When exporting from VW, I export via textures. I assign all my objects with a texture (instead of a class) in Vectorworks to group/organize all my objects.

Once in C4D, I can create/add all my texture maps, adjust any scaling/tiling, etc. I use C4D strictly for rendering. All my 3D modeling is done in Vectorworks. If I ever needed to make a change, I would go into VW, make any necessary 3D changes, and re-export. I would then "Merge" the revised .vw4d file with my current C4D file. All my textures remained as originally assigned/scaled. The only change would be the 3D objects I modified/deleted/created in VW.

With the upgrade to Vectorworks 2014, the only export option for C4D is "Send to Cinema 4D." I have found no way to export via "Texture." The way I work may be more complex, but it is necessary for the type of modeling/rendering that I need to do.

Is there anyway to export from VW 2014 via texture classifications? Also, once I have a working C4D file with textures assigned, if I make a 3D change in VW, is there anyway to merge the two files as you were able to do with the previous versions?

Thanks,

Mike

[Kevin McAllister]

Mike,

As far as I know you can use the same plugin you used to use to export to Cinema 4D. I believe it still works in VW2014 and I think that other users on here are still doing that. You just need to find an installer for it if you don't have it. (You would have installed it originally as it wasn't included with VW.)

Kevin

[MKehoe]

Kevin,

When I upgraded from VW 2009 to VW2013, this "File" > "Export" > "Cinema4D Export" was missing. We contacted C4D/VW and Maxon(C4D) was able to write a plugin for us to use. However, they noted that it was the last time they would be able to write any export plugins due to they way the next version of VW was formatted/written.

When we received VW2014, we tried to use the sample plugin, and it did not work. When we contacted VW/C4D, we were told that VW has full control over all export settings, and C4D would be unable to write any plugins.

The problem I have noticed with the "Send to Cinema 4D" export, is that it is only works "1-way." It does not seem like you can export to C4D, set your textures/lights/cameras and render. Then a day later, make a physical change to the model in VW, and re-export to C4D, updating the C4D model while preserving all textures/scaling/tiling etc.

I hope this makes sense?

[Kevin Beacham]

I used the same work flow too. It is far more efficient than the send to C4D. It would be much appreciated if the plugin could be updated!

[Sleuth]

Has there been any update to the plugin for this?

I used the same method for VW to C4d also. Having upgraded to Vectorworks 2015 and Cinema R16 I tried using the old plugins but to no avail. It's slowing me down substantially!

[PVA - Admin]

No changes so far, I have submitted requests to have this functionality brought into the replacement Export to C4D command.

[zoomer]

we were told that VW has full control over all export settings,

VW may have, we don't so far

I don't understand the many export modules though.

Export is for me one option window where I chose what and how to export,

(2D/3D, w/o cameras lights, By class, by layer,w/o references, ....)

than I choose a file format.

May be some of the options will get grayed out if not applicable for a special

format plus a warning.

Edited January 23, 2015 by zoomer

[PVA - Admin]

There is only one now. Originally there was a plugin that I am fairly confident was written by Maxon, which was "Send to Cinema4D" but then some versions also had "Export to Cinema4D" which was written by us. The older plugin by them is no longer maintained, the only option is the built-in export option now, so it is the one that will have to be improved to get users what they want.

Edited January 23, 2015 by JimW

[zoomer]

The "Send to Cinema" is still there.

But it doesn't much else as the Export > Cinema,

beside that it puts the file in a hidden temp location and

expects a path to a Cinema.exe/app to directly open it.

And it has the ability to "update" that imported geometry,

with options, in Cinema.

(Why doesn't VW remebre that path to Cinema.exe ?)

The normal export to Cinema does an export and create a

Cinema file in the desired location.

I use both !

But as I said,

I don't need 2 entries for C4D (and other file formats) in the File Menu.

[zoomer]

As far as I remember,

don't know if that was the case for VW at any time,

the old export Plugin, at least for Archicad,

was two way :

Put your Archicad file lossless into C4D,

do your free form modeling in C4D,

put these additions and changes back to Archicad

for creating your plans.

[PVA - Admin]

I didnt mean to say it wasnt there, just that it isn't maintained any longer and wont get any upgrades as far as I know.

[zoomer]

Really ?

the "send to" is the only way to bring updates into the already

imported model in Cinema without loosing the settings done in C4D.

The export quality of the current export/send to is great.

It really looks and works like the VW model.

Don't know if you put it already as a request on the wishlist,

but I often read that people want a way to bring Cinema models

into VW.

Not so important for me but a nice option though.

[PVA - Admin]

Oh yeah people want the round-trip. Its been requested heavily and while I can't speak to details, interest has been taken in that task.

[Kevin McAllister]

Jim,

I think you may have the two reversed. My understanding is "Send to Cinema 4D" is the Vectorworks built version, added when the rendering engine was moved over. Export C4D was the old Maxon plugin.....it used to be downloadable from the Maxon website for non-Renderworks users (http://www.maxon.net/en/support/updates/plugins.html) but became part of the VW install package somewhere along the way.

Kevin

[zoomer]

interest has been taken in that task.

Nice to hear.

I think that VW + RW + Cinema Combo is important thing for the

Arch, Spot and Landscape Versions of VW in general.

The ability to produce decent Renderings or Comics directly from

VW (with RW) - and - the ability of a lossless export to a full render

and animation package with high end render engine (VRAY) with

the export update option.

Or 2 way for those who want to do their concepts in Cinema and

bring it back to VW for detailing etc.

Great would be a similar 2 way connection to Modo.

(The people there are very open minded)

A workaround could be an FBX import in VW.

What I really miss are detailed options about classes/layers/grouping

for C4D and FBX exchange.

As it is, sorted by layer only but all classes entities mixed without grouping

or even alphabetical order, it is very hard to select single parts for f.e.

assigning sub materials or further editing.

Also some kind of static meshes, to f.e. overwrite VW symbols in Cinema,

without loosing the VW settings, and vice versa f.e. bring some C4D plants

back into VW without loosing their VRAY settings in C4D,

would be a great help.

[PVA - Admin]

I may very well have it backwards, its been explained to me both ways and really, shouldn't exist the way it does now. The current implementation is not adequate to get models back and forth cleanly, please keep any ideas coming, i'm adding this thread to the submitted case for upgrading this feature.

[zoomer]

It is a real problem for my work now.

Is there any chance to get

- round solids in a lower mesh resolution from VW into Cinema

- get cameras with their VW positions into Cinema

Can someone remember if that was possible at any time ?

I'm not sure if I ever tried that before and was successful.

But converting the file to 2014 to export from there or use C4D R13 instead of R16

did not help in any way.

[zoomer]

I tried setting VW preferences > 3D > 3D conversion resolution => low

Export from a perspective isometric view in OpenGL > Detail => low

ans this is what I get (see attachment)

This is far away from a reasonable mesh resolution needed in a 3D Render App,

and I would want it even Lower Res than normal for my purposes.

The exported Camera Positions will all be at the same point, which I think

is just the "Camera" position of the current view window when exporting.

Edited March 6, 2015 by zoomer

[Kevin McAllister]

The mesh resolution of an object is determined by the setting for Final Renderworks quality unless you render your model in a lower quality using Custom Renderworks before exporting. It is possible to go quite low in quality. I know this to be true for Send to Cinema 4D. I am not using Export to Cinema 4D.

I also have no problems with camera positions using Send to Cinema 4D. If you're not changing cameras all the time I would suggest doing a separate Send to Cinema 4d from your main one and using cut/paste to move the proper cameras from this new C4D file to your working C4D file. Not great I know, but its a workaround.

Kevin

[zoomer]

Don't know if I got you right Kevin.

I have about a dozen RW Render stiles with different mesh resolutions

saved in my file. I will try to render a low res one befor export.

As for DXF export , I can control the mesh resolution by the,

Preferences > 3D setting.

I think that will control mesh resolution too when you convert a solid

to a mesh in the VW file.

(At least this may be a workaround to either export the solids as DXF

or convert them in a copy of the file before I export to Cinema)

As for the Cameras, I have created and duplicated over 20 cameras

in the file. All different positions, lens lenghts, ...

Have you exported succesfully more than one camera at once ?

The current view window is exported correctly as a un named camera.

[zoomer]

Kevin, you are my hero !

You saved me 1,1 GB of useless mesh data.

Rendering the model by a low poly level RW style gave me the reduced

low poly mesh. Funny that it must be at least half a year that I ever used

any RW styles set to highest poly res at all ...

But want to point out that I'm not satisfied with that behavior of VW at all.

BTW,

did not see any differences between "send to C4D" or "export as C4D",

beside that the second allows me to control where the export will be saved.

So I have to do some more tests with cameras.

[zoomer]

WTH,

you have to have rendered a view with RW before you get your Cameras out of VW.

At least all are there now ....

Thanks again Kevin.

Edited March 6, 2015 by zoomer

[zoomer]

Little correction.

Camera Export works after rendering a view by RW - only for the active Layer/Story.

All other cameras on visible only layers will still sit on one position.

To get all Cameras to C4D, I had to export all single Stories one after the other

[zoomer]

Camera Export VW to C4D

The Cameras come in with the wrong sensor size !

The view angle itself is correct but together with a wrong, much larger sensor size.

To be correct, the focal length is always 50 mm, but the view angle is then adjusted

by the sensor size.

As DOF (depth of field) is, beside aperture, distance, etc., dependent on sensor/

film size, this is not good.

I choose photo size for cameras in VW. To switch C4D Cam back to normal photo

size, I have to re-adjust focal length manually, which I can read from 35 mm

equivalent display only.

I work in VW in meters, C4D gets exported in standard centimeter units.

Scale is correct.

[zoomer]

May be more the problem of Maxon, but if you try to update your Geometry

with the send to C4D command,

and you had changed the order of the Layers (Groups/Null Objects) in C4D,

the new geometry will be inserted into the wrong Layer.

So it does not work by Layer/Group Name but by the Group Order !!!

I just recognized this as I had certain Layers set to invisible in C4D

and thought the Geometry would be missing after the update.

The deactivated Layer was just at the position where the desired Layer

was after import.

Also the deactivation of material update gets ignored.

You will get new materials with previous names in in any case.

Your older, updated materials lose their assignment in objects after import !