adjusting panoramas 2

[Kurt M 12]

Greetings. I am having issues with manipulating panorama background images.  When I import a background created with a Samsung gear 360 camera it comes in ok ( see attached) but when I want to rotate it to be in the correct ordination, the background turns all yellow ?  What am I doing wrong ?  Also the +/- rotation function in the background panorama dialog box is not very smooth at all (when it doesn't turn all yellow).  Values of rotation inputted make it jump around not very accurately.  Is there a trick to it ? 

[Kurt M 12]

FYI this happens in 2019. I exported to 2018 and the panorama adjusts fine 😞

[Luis M Ruiz 262]

v2019 and v2020 panoramas got more demanding. If it was not made with the Maxon requirements then these turn yellow. Until further notice, do not use the ones that give you that ugly result.

 

I have a few that I can share from my personal collection.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/txgd6n0wturbwzm/Backgrounds %26 HDRI collection.vwx?dl=0

 

[rDesign 479]

1 hour ago, Luis M Ruiz said:

If it was not made with the Maxon requirements then these turn yellow.

 

What are the “Maxon requirements” for panoramas? Are they described in the Vw2019 & 2020 Help file somewhere? Thanks.

[Andy Broomell 1,152]

@Luis M Ruiz Can we please get more details on this?

 

I need to be able to make custom RW backgrounds of locations that we've photographed. It used to be easy, now I keep getting yellow backgrounds... Urgh.

[Kurt M 12]

I called tech support.  I was using jpeg files, they said thats the problem , use png files.  

So that works !  I converted my jpeg files to png files in Preview.

 

 

Edited October 3, 2019 by Kurt M

[Andy Broomell 1,152]

I also learned today that in Photoshop you can set a file to "Image<Mode<32 bits/Channel" - then when you go to Save As, you can now choose "Radiance" which will save out a .hdr file. Obviously it's not saving multiple exposure information like a true HDR, but it got me closer and it's now working in Vectorworks 👍

 

 

[Kurt M 12]

Hmm I just tried to import another panorama image in .png format and got the dreaded yellow background. Using 2020 version.  now what gives  ?  What is the Maxon requirements ?

[Luis M Ruiz 262]

Hi Kurt.
Let me share with you my collection of hdri backgrounds, I think I purged most of the ones that trigger that yellow light. Let me know what you think:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bg2ub4y8o8cfrw8/Backgrounds %26 HDRI collection v2020.vwx?dl=0

 

 

[Kevin K 182]

Speaking of HDRI Pano backgrounds....

Is there a way to rotate the Pano in realtime to get the alignment you want?  It is always a crapshoot to know how the HDRI will orient itself when imported into a file. Honestly, it drives me nuts having to mess with it hit and miss.  It can be rotated, fortunately,  after importing it, but you never really know how that rotation will affect the view. It is kinda trial and error.

Thoughts?

[Kurt M 12]

not that I know of. Yes a crap shoot and angle inputting is not that accurate either.

 

[Kurt M 12]

Luis:

Nice backgrounds but I need to be able to use site specific ones of the individual projects.  You being a vectorworks employee can you address the reason this is happening or what Maxon requirements are ?  Or contact somebody in the company who does know ? Thanks, Kurt

[rDesign 479]

@Kurt M - I don’t know if this helps with the ‘yellow’ panorama issue at all, but I found this post by former Vw employee @PVA - Jim :

 

It would still be very good to have a Vw employee weigh in on what is the proposed solution to this problem: It’s been requested several times in this thread with no direct response.

Edited November 10, 2020 by rDesign

[Kevin K 182]

Luis

Did you have time to respond to my question about rotating an HDRI hemispheric Pano in realtime?

I thought since you were a VW employee, that you may be able to run that by someone there at VW, if you did not have the answer.

 

Thanks

-Kev

[Kurt M 12]

I sent a email to wks tech support and after they tried my file out they said that there was a bug in 2019 & 2020.  She told me that it worked in 2021 so I am waiting for my main computer to be returned to me before I can try out 2021 (other twisted tale of woe ) 

[Luis M Ruiz 262]

Sorry Kevin. I was hoping someone else from the Rendering team would take on that question and add more info. Short answer is no, currently there is no feature that allows you to just rotate the HDRI (dome). As you know, inside the settings of the background we can change the angle, then hit OK, check the background and see if it is close to the desire location, typically I don't get it right until the third try.  Should we have this? absolutely, I am with you on that one, it'd save a few clicks and window dialogs.  I am sure my friends here are taking notes.

[Kevin K 182]

Luis

Thanks for looking into it.  Much appreciated.

And yes, it would be helpful if that could be facilitated in the future. 
Like you, it usually takes me 3-4 tries before I get the results I want.  🙂

[Kurt M 12]

Well I got my computer issue resolved and downloaded 2021 and opened up my file, re created my panorama photo background and.... it works now !  many thanks to  tech support.  it also works way more smoothly when adjusting the angle too. Go figure.  So if you want to do these panorama backgrounds I would highly suggest downloading 2021. 

[Kevin K 182]

You may want to tone down your ambient occlusion settings a bit.  Those intersecting corners look a bit dark and heavy.

That said, perhaps you prefer that look.

just a thought.

[Kurt M 12]

thanks for the tip.  I wondered what that setting did 😉