MtI 3.0.x

[CTZn]

One issue I should have mentionned is that Maya's behaviour has changed recently on viewport refresh, before it was supended automatically during script execution but now it must be forced for performances concerns.

On an unhandled exporting error the refresh will still be suspended, and that's a confusing thing.

Please add the following command to the Indigo shelf and click it after an exporting failure, this will be integrated before I find a more elegant way to manage the issue. Testing users are part of the elegant solution I bet

Code: Select all

if(`optionVar -ex mtiIsExporting`)
{
	optionVar -rm mtiIsExporting;
	refresh -su 0;
	refresh -f;
}

- - - -

And for instance if one parameter can have certain values in indigo renderer these values should be possible to assign to that specific parameter in maya without going outside the boundaries indigo can handle .

Indeed Indigo shouldn't produce a biased render or even raise an error with MtI outputs, but the renderer can slightly more than the UI is suggesting currently. These outputs are alright as long as within the technical specs, let me now if you find some wich are not.

That do not happen with scattering_coefficient_spectrum (scattering coefficient in maya) or at least I had some problems increasing this value

I'll check that. However it is up to the artist to set the required values. An high scattering is very costly indeed. You can use scientific notation for very high values (ie: 6.35e16) if the UI is choking. edit: this is not a suggested value for scattering coeff !!!

nor the precision that indigo render can handle is respected in the material parameters in MtI (for instance if indigo render can handle 0.000001 precision, maya should be able to increase the same value with the same precision).

Well there's something special with decimal precision, various factors.

If your concern is the precision error occuring at around the ninth decimal within the IGS then I can introduce an optional rounding. In the other hand, decimal precision in Maya is absolutely not limited by the displayed precision. You can enter directly a large number of decimals for a scalar value into the field, the Maya UI will round the display but the attribute value stored (and exported) will be the one feeded, unless it was altered again through other UI controls.

If you want to use such small values as 0.00001 then you should enter them directly into the numeric field and ignore the displayed result (0.000). The diplayed precision can only be changed for the channel editor, up to 6 decimals and that's a global Maya setting, not MtI related.

Let me know if I missed some point, cheers.

[CTZn]

I hope to fix soon the Indigo nodes feedback into the viewport, their current shading is some default one wich doesn't figure the material properties.

Also the next release will introduce major changes in the handling of Indigo nodes that will break backwards compatibility (introducing nonetheless a greater flexibility like the ability to assign one medium node to various materials - diffuse transmitter, specular, glossy transparent). I will provide example scenes illustrating various usages for them including the indigoText node, used for ISL code notably.

[saulybanez]

im really having a hard time on how to make the hdri work.. could you please tell me how to source out the hdri files?

[CTZn]

Yes this is unclear indeed, currently there are two very different methods depending on the type of file involved.

To start with, Indigo supports latlong EXR and spherical (probes) hdr formats only if I'm correct.

Granted, the environment panel is the one popping up when MtI is initialised. The last Environment Type is for the hdr probes specifically, you must specify a full path. I'm not sure that paths local to the project would work there, this method is being obsolete obviously.

The other method wich concerns EXR latlong envmaps is generic, in that it will allow an arbitrary emission to be specified, in addition to EXR. The slot here will take and indigoSpectrum, or a material with emission (black lambert warmly recommended).

So to put an EXR as background you need to create a black lambert, connect the file node to it's emission modulator and specify the right spectrum and scale (woops). You then drag the new material into the value slot, call again the Option windows while it's right there and you will find the whole material emission in place.

Hope this helps

[CTZn]

MtI 3.2.5.1 was granted a total absence of emission scale in the IGS, while the base emission can take supercolors and microvalues the practice will take sense with the lasting update.

Note that while posting I am referring to the current mti version wich is the only one I run.

What would your preferred object/method be to set an environment map up in a Maya scene ? I became quite Indigo-centric so I must ask...

[CTZn]

You then drag the new material into the value slot, call again the Option windows while it's right there and you will find the whole material emission in place.

Attached an extended display of a typical background material in the Options window. The attribute 'value' took 'lambert1' as input. Gain values are arbitrary.

[saulybanez]

i am currently using mtl 3.0... i then created a spherical polygon and then i mapped a exr file on to the emision options.. but upon exporting the scene to indigo a problem persist indicating that " error while building scene, error while loading diffuse"

[CTZn]

Hi saulybanez, I do not seem to be able to identify the error with this little information.

I warmly recommend that you install and use Indigo 3.2.5 and mti 3.2.5.2 together, and as a rule of thumb that you always use the latest mti update (downgrade is always possible eventually).

If the error persists I would like that you please do zip and attach that simple scene that you are trying to render. The error could as well be caused by a mti bug than by an incorrect material setting, the editor being quite permissive.

If attaching the file is too much trouble then the complete Indigo error would still help, thanks.

edit: Indigo 3.2.6 is just out, check the News and Announcements forum.