2015 - Export to C4D + FBX

[zoomer]

In FBX and Cinema Export we get Layers separated as a Locator/Group.

But Classes get ignored.

Each part comes in separate in its Layer Group named like this :

"Mesh CLASSNAME"

It is possible to divide and group these Parts again by

Cinemas Level Visibility or Item Search in other Software.

It is still more tedious to select f.e. all Walls at once as there

mostly is no alphabetical order.

Normally in a 3D Viz application only 1 mesh per Class/Layer

is needed anyway as Faces can be selected and edited that

way very good.

Nevertheless it is a pity that the order a user did by grouping

Geometry into Layers and Classes gets lost.

So would it be possible to put all Meshes from 1 Class into an

additional Locator/Group ?

[zoomer]

It's a pity as 2015 FBX comes much better into my other

3D package, just with the loss of Class Structure.

(And stairs geometry)

[PVA - Admin]

Submitting request now.

[zoomer]

Thanks

[zoomer]

One other thing,

is it right that invisible Layers don't get exported ?

I thought these were exported as inactive/invisible in the past.

That way it needs very much concentration when exporting.

[zoomer]

After first VW to C4D exchange under real world conditions :

1.

It would be nice if Export would be a general element of the Publish Tool.

With all options for resolution, Class/Layer visibility etc. no matter which

export format, of course Cinema4D/FBX exchange too.

2.

It would be nice if there would be an Option (!) to export all Parts of 1 Class

as 1 single Mesh object. As an Option only,

as it will not be compatible with usage Symbol/Render instances.

But it is the only way to keep the CAD-like order of geometry used in VW

to control objects by the Layer+Class separation.

3.

It would be nice if there could be an option to export Render Textures that

are assigned to multiple Classes as 1 single Material into C4D, like in VW.

As it is now there will be multiple copies of the same Render Texture/Material

for each Class it was assigned to.

This way it is hard to manipulate that single Material in C4D.

4.

VW Materials come into C4D named by "CLASS classname"

That way you can't recognize or read your Material Names in typical Preview Mode

in C4D, as you can't see, depending on Preview size, none up to only parts of your

Class Name.

I even think it would be more useful to name the C4D Materials same as the VW

Render Texture name. Maybe the class name appended when separate copies

of the Material for each Class/Group in C4D is prefered.

5.

When updating/reloading Geometry from VW to C4D

(Very important feature !)

if Material update is deactivated or not, C4D will create a new set of the

Materials with the same name. (at least in C4D R13)

You can delete the old material copies manual at one time of course, as the new

materials are assigned to objects. But this way you will lose the subobject

assignments of Materials.

F.E. you have a chair on one Layer that has a different material assigned to the

chair legs. These subobject material assignments also tend often to get mixed up

in general while VW/C4D exchange.

6.

The new Reflexion Chanel System in C4D R16, although it has some legacy mode,

does not really fit to the way VW and earlier C4D releases describe Material definition.

It would be nice if there could be an adaption of the VW/RW material system to the

new standard soon,

without (!) losing the ability to exchange VW with older versions of C4D.

7.

Meanwhile I worked a while with VW's C4D exchange I also would really like a 2-way

material exchange, or better even geometry exchange, between the two Apps.

[PVA - Admin]

Submitting requests now.

[grant_PD]

Export to C4d should also by default take the images used to create materials out of VW and have them available to C4D. Right now the process of getting the materials is very convoluted.

It would be nice if parts of plug in objects (windows) would come into C4D with their parts named (sill, glazing, stool, jamb, etc).

Flipped symbols in VW come in as identically named objects with identically named children in C4D. This can create some headaches when importing (think about a seating layout of 1000 chairs, divided into 10 sections, that was created by the user making 1 section, and then mirroring the rest, then wanting to change globally the texture of the parent chair).

[zoomer]

Thanks Jim !

Grant,

I thought the texture images are exported too (!?)

At least when Export > as a C4D file, not send to Cinema command.

But I think that way too.

It is just that the TEX folder may be in that deep temp cache folder where a

"send to" file will be created. And it may not be copied to the final folder

where you will save your C4D working file.

Try export as a C4D file, and there should be the TEX folder containing all

image textures that were used.

If not, export a DWG and activate "save images", and you can copy these

textures to your TEX folder or any other folder in your C4D image search paths.

[grant_PD]

Zoomer,

Like I said. Convoluted. Textures should go with the file, when it's exported, no matter how you do it. Better yet, give me a dialog box to control what goes and how, where.

[Ethan R.]

I really need to IMPORT FBX files ...

There are alot of models that are in FBX / MAX and I can't get them into vWorks 2015

Is there a good workflow on Mac ??

[zoomer]

I really need to IMPORT FBX files ...

++1

[PVA - Admin]

I really need to IMPORT FBX files ...

There are a lot of models that are in FBX / MAX and I can't get them into vWorks 2015

Is there a good workflow on Mac ??

As a workaround for the time being, you may be able to use Blender (which is Free as in Beer) to convert the models. Blender, which runs on Mac, Windows and Linux can import FBX and export 3DS, which Vectorworks will import.

http://www.blender.org/download/

If you have a sample FBX feel free to send it my way at tech@vectorworks.net and I can test it here.

Edited March 23, 2015 by JimW

[zoomer]

The problem with 3DS are the missing (?) units and that it cuts Layer/Class names like DOS.

But at least it contains cameras and materials (?)

[zoomer]

C4D Export :

Again one thing that is a real problem.

The Instances of Symbols don't get assigned to a Layer in C4D.

So you can't control their Visibility.

All other elements, including the parent Symbol, are assigned to their

VW Classes/C4D Layers.

Edited May 29, 2015 by zoomer

[zoomer]

FBX VW 2016

I have a small project and get a useful FBX out.

And I have a larger project, currently either just IFC or DWG imported elements,

exporting FBX does "something" - but saves a 0 kb FBX out.

Possible that that has to do with the fact that their Classes and Symbol Names

use a lot of special characters like ä/ö/ü ?

[Art V]

Autodesk has a converter for FBX files, to convert the file to older FBX versions as well as OBJ, DAE (Collada) and DXF file.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775920

I have not tried it myself yet, but it may be an alternative to Blender for some, or useful to convert to older FBX files in case your software cannot import the most recent FBX version.

Edited December 23, 2015 by Art V

[Art V]

btw, +1 for FBX import as well though I hope Vectorworks can handle large (100+ MB) FBX files fairly quickly if it will support FBX file import.