[Carrara]Help with FBX export - Polyloop

weed · 31st October 2007, 02:03

Hi, I have run into a little problem here. I am trying to export a DAZ model from Carrara in FBX and then import it to EIAS. I pose my model in Carrara and export it, but when I import the model to EIAS the pose has changed (it`s not even the default pose), and the eyes are all screwed up. Have looked at export settings and so on without any luck. I am probably doing something wrong here so any help would be appreciated.

bwtr · 31st October 2007, 03:20

My question is, why/what benefits do you get from going into that EIAS programme anyway?

Is there anything that you can not do to meet your needs in Carrara?

There is so much interapp difficulties anyway without going, what I would think, an obtuse track?

weed · 31st October 2007, 11:31

There are several reasons why. First, Electric Image doesn`t have an easy way of importing models with UVs. The solutions that are available usually involves using other apps or plugins (which means extra money). So I thought I could use Carrara as a file converter since I already have it. Just trying out the possibilities I have available before I spend any additional money.
Also, it would be another solution for people using EIAS, not only as a file converter, but also as a way of importing Poser/DAZ models, a good example would be people in archviz works (animated or stills). Would probably mean some additional sales for DAZ too.

Finally, it´s probably a matter of personal taste, but I like the rendered output from EIAS a lot better than Carraras.

rickei · 31st October 2007, 15:44

Weed, I think you and I may be the only people on this forum that have EI, and I have not attempted anything in with FBX. You may want to ask over at CGtalk, the EI forum is pretty active...small but active.
http://forums.cgsociety.org/forumdisplay.php?f=186
Right now everyones in a frenzy about V7 coming out in a few weeks, so I don't know if you will get much help or not.

Brian, EIAS is fast....very fast...WOW fast, and I think it can handle more polys that any other animator. Its renders are clean and sharp...very clean and sharp....WOW clean and sharp. oh did I mention that it is the animation/rendering package used for movies like Star Wars.
Sorry Brian, im just being a smart ass. It really is a very good 3D software, and I think version 7 may put it back in the VFX studios again.

weed · 31st October 2007, 16:15

Thanks, Rickei, but after having tested the same fbx file in a couple of other places, also exporting as an OBJ file from Carrara, running that through an FBX converter and ending up with the same result, I have to conclude that the problem lies within Carrara. So either I am doing something wrong here, or there is somethin wrong with Carrara.
Here is what I got so far in EIAS, pretty much straight out of the box. (The eyes are screwed up, and the pose is missing.) So close, and yet....so far

rickei · 31st October 2007, 18:07

I would say getting all of your textures and UV's in without any problems, is a fairly good start. I assume you are on a PC? I don't think Carrara even has an FBX output option for Mac, but I'm not at my studio, so I can't check. I'm afraid I will be of no help to you at this point.
Oh just so everybody that reads this thread knows....how long do you think it took to render your dino?...i'm guessing about 15 seconds

Couerl · 31st October 2007, 18:41

Who wants to do all that when you can go Clay Kitten shooting?

http://www.richsalter.btinternet.co.uk/cks2/index.html

rickei · 31st October 2007, 19:05

Dude that is sick and twisted

.....I'll be playing it all night!

markbremmer · 31st October 2007, 21:13

There are other "big name" programs that also have issues with FBX export. I don't know the programming issues but apparently it's not nice to play with.

Couerl · 31st October 2007, 21:34

I think the biggest issue is that FBX is proprietary whereas something like Collada is not.. The good news for Carrara users is there's a lot of pressure and demand on Daz to do better implementation of an animation import/export format. FBX like DXF has different flavors (versions) and although the FBX info may port out correctly, who is to say that all of the other information in the scene will or be well recieved by the recipient application? Is the rigging and boning code the same, skinning, physics, shading, hair etc? There's no real practical way for Devs to stay on top of all that. Bigger programs have some plugin dev create an importer for the whole thing, but I doubt the pipeline here is very extensively used and don't think anything is on the horizon for this. Even if they did workout Collada, FBX, BVH and perfect them all you'll still have the issue of file conversion for different portions of the application to contend with and it doesn't look good to me..

31st October 2007, 02:03	#1 (permalink)
weed Vertex Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 10 My Photos: (0)	[Carrara]Help with FBX export Hi, I have run into a little problem here. I am trying to export a DAZ model from Carrara in FBX and then import it to EIAS. I pose my model in Carrara and export it, but when I import the model to EIAS the pose has changed (it`s not even the default pose), and the eyes are all screwed up. Have looked at export settings and so on without any luck. I am probably doing something wrong here so any help would be appreciated.

31st October 2007, 19:05	#8 (permalink)
rickei Respect the Dawg! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: USA - Conway, South Carolina Posts: 763 My Photos: (13) Images: 1	Dude that is sick and twisted.....I'll be playing it all night!

31st October 2007, 21:13	#9 (permalink)
markbremmer Escaping to 3D worlds... Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 176 My Photos: (0) Images: 3	There are other "big name" programs that also have issues with FBX export. I don't know the programming issues but apparently it's not nice to play with. __________________ Mark Bremmer Beginner, intermediate and advanced Carrara tutorials are here.

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31st October 2007, 03:20	#2 (permalink)
bwtr Brian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 2,067 My Photos: (6) Images: 49	My question is, why/what benefits do you get from going into that EIAS programme anyway? Is there anything that you can not do to meet your needs in Carrara? There is so much interapp difficulties anyway without going, what I would think, an obtuse track?

31st October 2007, 11:31	#3 (permalink)
weed Vertex Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 10 My Photos: (0)	There are several reasons why. First, Electric Image doesn`t have an easy way of importing models with UVs. The solutions that are available usually involves using other apps or plugins (which means extra money). So I thought I could use Carrara as a file converter since I already have it. Just trying out the possibilities I have available before I spend any additional money. Also, it would be another solution for people using EIAS, not only as a file converter, but also as a way of importing Poser/DAZ models, a good example would be people in archviz works (animated or stills). Would probably mean some additional sales for DAZ too. Finally, it´s probably a matter of personal taste, but I like the rendered output from EIAS a lot better than Carraras.

31st October 2007, 15:44	#4 (permalink)
rickei Respect the Dawg! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: USA - Conway, South Carolina Posts: 763 My Photos: (13) Images: 1	Weed, I think you and I may be the only people on this forum that have EI, and I have not attempted anything in with FBX. You may want to ask over at CGtalk, the EI forum is pretty active...small but active. http://forums.cgsociety.org/forumdisplay.php?f=186 Right now everyones in a frenzy about V7 coming out in a few weeks, so I don't know if you will get much help or not. Brian, EIAS is fast....very fast...WOW fast, and I think it can handle more polys that any other animator. Its renders are clean and sharp...very clean and sharp....WOW clean and sharp. oh did I mention that it is the animation/rendering package used for movies like Star Wars. Sorry Brian, im just being a smart ass. It really is a very good 3D software, and I think version 7 may put it back in the VFX studios again.

31st October 2007, 16:15	#5 (permalink)
weed Vertex Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 10 My Photos: (0)	Thanks, Rickei, but after having tested the same fbx file in a couple of other places, also exporting as an OBJ file from Carrara, running that through an FBX converter and ending up with the same result, I have to conclude that the problem lies within Carrara. So either I am doing something wrong here, or there is somethin wrong with Carrara. Here is what I got so far in EIAS, pretty much straight out of the box. (The eyes are screwed up, and the pose is missing.) So close, and yet....so far

31st October 2007, 18:07	#6 (permalink)
rickei Respect the Dawg! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: USA - Conway, South Carolina Posts: 763 My Photos: (13) Images: 1	I would say getting all of your textures and UV's in without any problems, is a fairly good start. I assume you are on a PC? I don't think Carrara even has an FBX output option for Mac, but I'm not at my studio, so I can't check. I'm afraid I will be of no help to you at this point. Oh just so everybody that reads this thread knows....how long do you think it took to render your dino?...i'm guessing about 15 seconds

31st October 2007, 18:41	#7 (permalink)
Couerl Polygurbs Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 1,292 My Photos: (0) Images: 6	Who wants to do all that when you can go Clay Kitten shooting? http://www.richsalter.btinternet.co.uk/cks2/index.html

31st October 2007, 21:34	#10 (permalink)
Couerl Polygurbs Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 1,292 My Photos: (0) Images: 6	I think the biggest issue is that FBX is proprietary whereas something like Collada is not.. The good news for Carrara users is there's a lot of pressure and demand on Daz to do better implementation of an animation import/export format. FBX like DXF has different flavors (versions) and although the FBX info may port out correctly, who is to say that all of the other information in the scene will or be well recieved by the recipient application? Is the rigging and boning code the same, skinning, physics, shading, hair etc? There's no real practical way for Devs to stay on top of all that. Bigger programs have some plugin dev create an importer for the whole thing, but I doubt the pipeline here is very extensively used and don't think anything is on the horizon for this. Even if they did workout Collada, FBX, BVH and perfect them all you'll still have the issue of file conversion for different portions of the application to contend with and it doesn't look good to me..