2251 replies to this topic

[Heffay]

The line it's erroring on is this:

[xml]$cdffile = get-content $cdffilelocation

This is a new error that I haven't seen. It looks like it found the cdf file, but the $mech variable is being set to "atlas atlas". Not really sure why it's trying to do that. Can you run it without the argument? It should work as long as you're in the directory where the .cdf file is.

[Guinness530]

Tried running it as suggested and got what to me looks like an identical error. Also, just to be sure i manually checked to see if the .mtl files were where they should be (since the script was saying it couldn't find them) and they are right where they belong.

Edited by Guinness530, 31 May 2015 - 10:13 AM.

[Heffay]

Do you have more than 1 .cdf file in that atlas directory?

[Guinness530]

There is an "atlas_movie.cdf" and an "atlas.cdf"

Should there only be one?

[Heffay]

Guinness530, on 31 May 2015 - 11:51 AM, said:

There is an "atlas_movie.cdf" and an "atlas.cdf"

Should there only be one?

Ah bugger. That's another bug in the script. That's why it's returning atlas twice, since it's searching for *.cdf and returning all the instances.

You can get it to work by renaming the atlas_movie.cdf to have a different extension. It won't break anything.

[Guinness530]

Yup, that did it. You sir are a genius. Looking at the other mech folders, i'm not seeing any more of those "_movie.cdf" files. I wonder what that was about. Thank you so much for the quick feedback by the way. I lost some sleep over this last night.

[Heffay]

Good news everyone! They found out the cause of Blender 2.73 and newer crashing on the import script. And the new version will work with mech importer!

Even better news: I have a work around for it as well! I'll be updating my script this weekend to automatically incorporate the work around!

And yet even BETTER news: You want to do it now, because you can't wait? Just do a global find/replace in your import.txt file. Replace:
clear()
with
clear(update_data=True)

And one more thing (in the spirit of Steve Jobs): The black texture material bug (where you have to unassign and reassign the material) has been identified too, and I may be able to fix that this weekend.

[Andreas80]

At this point, Heffay Thx for your continuous work on your importer script.

Below something that wouldn't be possible without your help






Please keep up your great work

[Lt Gravemind]

Just wanted to post and say my thanks for all you've done Heffay.

This is a link to a couple images of a Gauss Kitty I printed out about a year ago: http://imgur.com/a/t1qsz

[Heffay]

Lt Gravemind, on 09 June 2015 - 11:34 AM, said:

Just wanted to post and say my thanks for all you've done Heffay.

This is a link to a couple images of a Gauss Kitty I printed out about a year ago: http://imgur.com/a/t1qsz

You're welcome, and I'm happy to help! This pic... oh man. I really want to do this some day!

[Guinness530]

Yay, got my first fig back from Shapeways today. Hadn't read the entire thread and missed out on some basic 3D printing tips. Lost a few of the salvage bars, the launcher doors, and an entire shoulder armor plate (not sure what happened there. Model is the centurion scale upper torso married to a pair of imported rigged ones. What can i say, i'm a fan of the older A/C 10. Also, of all the mechs re-envisioned by the artists at MWO, the Centurion was my absolute favorite (Awesome is a close 2nd). In hind sight I think I'll increase its size from 35mm to 40mm as it's much smaller than I wanted it. Almost light mech size. Also here is my original centurion fig so people can see how much scrap it was.

Oops forgot the other pic:

[Level1Firebolt]

Lookin good!

Anybody else excited to get their hands on the Ebon Jag file tomorrow for 3d printing/art?

[Level1Firebolt]

Alright I guess I'll start..

Here's my next 3d metal printing project..first obviously I have to pick the right guns and then clean up the model!

There was a problem importing using Blender 2.74; I could import just fine but switching from the python console to the 3D view caused a crash to desktop. I uninstalled and put on 2.69 which was the last version I knew to work well.

<3 Heffay for the importer

[Heffay]

THATONE, on 16 June 2015 - 11:39 AM, said:

Alright I guess I'll start..

Here's my next 3d metal printing project..first obviously I have to pick the right guns and then clean up the model!

There was a problem importing using Blender 2.74; I could import just fine but switching from the python console to the 3D view caused a crash to desktop. I uninstalled and put on 2.69 which was the last version I knew to work well.

<3 Heffay for the importer

The 2.72 version works with importing, and we finally found the bug that was causing the crash. To fix your import.txt file, do a find/replace:

find: clear()
replace with: clear(update_data=True)

That way it'll work with 2.73 and newer.

Edited by Heffay, 16 June 2015 - 01:31 PM.

[Wonderdog]

Just posting to thank Heffay & co for all the time and effort you have put into compiling this process, tutorials and toolchain - it's allowed me to speedily and successfully export and setup my MWO models for 3d printing, something that would have been practically impossible where it not for your sage advice and scripting.

PS - for those of you using the models for 3d printing (rather than movie making), and are having issues with closing meshes in Netfabb Basic to make them watertight (and dont have access to Netfabb Private - which is awesome, but costs $300), be sure to try the free Netfabb cloud service - https://modelrepair.azurewebsites.net

This is a free cloud based Netfabb repair service, which uses many of the "pro version only" repair tools - and may be successful in fixing some issues that the limited tools in the Basic version couldn't. You just upload your files and it runs the full suite of repairs on them and lets you download the fixed files. YMMV but it worked well for me before I switched to netfabb private.

#Wonderdog

[Level1Firebolt]

There was a printing error- it's missing some of its L toes! Still my favorite mech released so far!

Edited by THATONE, 06 July 2015 - 01:23 PM.

[Wonderdog]

Printer arrived today (though the high end resin I want is still backordered!).

Here's my first 100% fixed mech model, ready to be layed out and have supports added to print

[Wonderdog]

Printer arrived and assembled - going to give this a go tomorrow to put it through its paces. Resin I have isn't the stuff I'd like to be using, but I'll see how it goes- wish me luck!

[Ovion]

Wonderdog, on 18 July 2015 - 02:25 PM, said:

Printer arrived and assembled - going to give this a go tomorrow to put it through its paces. Resin I have isn't the stuff I'd like to be using, but I'll see how it goes- wish me luck!

Spoiler

How about some advice?

Your layout is going to make it difficult to print (as by all that support material).
If you turn the parts and lay them flat, you'll need far less support material and get a better print at the end, with less finishing required.

Better yet, cut the parts in half along their longest axis, so you print 2 parts on a flat, then stick them together.

Edited by Ovion, 18 July 2015 - 02:41 PM.

[Wonderdog]

Hi Ovion,

For clarity - I'm using an SLA printer, not FDM - so the supports are like that intentionally (its also to print tall than wide on non tilt SLA printers to minimise warp and risk of shearing). Each support strut is only 0.25mm in diameter.

The parts are arranged to minimise the number of inverted overhangs that need special supporting, and to minimise shallow slope angles in general (which is why the torso is upside down, and the legs are angled as they are for example) Also - the parts are space to minimise shear required at each layer, again to avoid breakages while printing.

I'm printing for tabletop (~N scale), rather than action figure size - so its not practical to slice components in half, as the entire assembled mech will only be around 4cm tall, making split lines very visible for no real gain