problem loading image sequence

[Anonymous]

I am having an issue with max 2016 where it wont recognise a complete image sequence. For example in a 100 frame sequence it only wants to load 9 frames. It wont let me manually enter the end frame to the actual number. The sequences were created in AE and I have double checked all the namings every thing seems to be fine. I loads back up in AE fine.  I have been having this problem for a few days now. for some of the sequences I converted them to jpeg from PNG and that helped. For some it just started working after the 10 times I tried loading them. 

Any one have this issue before?

thanks

[kennyj]

Hi Zoubein,

The naming is critical here and I had a yellow flag pop up when you said only 9 would load - what is your numbering scheme for the sequence?

Name_001, Name_002, etc. is the standard.  If you have Name_1, Name_2, etc. you will run into a problem after Name_9, as Name_10 would appear earlier in the pattern it confuses 3ds Max, so you end up with Name_1, Name_10, Name_100 as the only files loaded.

We have also run into problems when the file names are really long, but I don't know if you have that issue.  So first thing to check would be leading zeros to ensure all 100 frames are seen in order by Max.

Hope that helps,

-Kenny

[Anonymous]

Thanks mate 

Saved me a lot of hair pulling I was using the standard AE mode of name_####. But it seems to only work with name_###. I had tried other combinations just not that. 

[Anonymous]

Ok this is happening again, sequences that were loading perfectly before stop loading, we have resorted to making the IFL file manually which is a pain and a half.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Would you please post a screenshot of the file names in windows explorer set to 'details'?  It may be easier to diagnose that way.  What @kennyj wrote is solid, and the term for this is called Frame Padding.  If you can give a bit more information it would make it easier to assist you properly.  Thank you for doing so!

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

So this is the sequence. So it worked once and thats when the IFL file was created. Now when I try to pick the frames as sequence it only picks up to frame 48. I also realised that the ram player has the same issue. 

These all the things we tried

Having shorter name.

Using one letter name

Using JPG.

Having different padding for the trailing number 1,3,4,5.

saving files locally rather on the network. 

Exporting the files from AE CC 2015 again.

We are using max 2016 but this also happens with 2017.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Thanks for the image, I appreciate it.  I created a scene and named my frames exactly as yours are here and wasn't able to reproduce this problem.  When you load your frames into the RAM player (not the ifl), what does this screen below look like for you?  Specifically, which frame does it "break" on?  (It'll show the frame it thinks is last under "End Frame".  Thanks for answering these questions for me.  

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

ram player stops at the same frame as well. 

Thanks

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

In that case it thinks frame 49 is invalid somehow.  On a hunch, can you move frame 49 out of that folder, make a copy of 48, and rename that copy to 49 to test this?  (Since we know 48 is valid and readable.)

If *that* doesn't work, are you by chance out of RAM to load it?  If you have no RAM to load the frames it will cut them short.  Thanks for keeping me posted.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

I am pretty sure we tried that also if you see the list of things we have
tried you can see we have tried re exporting the sequence a few times.

The system has 32gb should be more than enough.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Can you please try it again, just to be sure?  I'm less concerned with the exporting from AE and more concerned with the importing of these frames into 3ds Max.  

I have attached 100 frames with your exact naming convention to this message (at the bottom).  Do these load into the RAM player properly?  If so, AE may be exporting bad frames.  I have also included an .ifl which should also load into the RAM player just fine.  

Would you export some blank frames from AE and post them here for me to test the actual frames?  It would be nice to test them on my end to see if I also have this issue with them.  

Regarding RAM, 32 GB is fine but if AE is open and using all of it, the RAM player won't load your frames.  Lack of RAM or invalid images are the only reason I can think of why this could happen, but if I can somehow reproduce your problem it would go a long way toward helping here.

Maybe your config files have somehow been corrupted, this link may help in that case... but I have my doubts with this particular issue.  

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous

I just wanted to follow up here, any progress on your issue?

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

we are still having issues, the sequence that I sent you a screenshot off. I copied it to another location and then it started working. So not sure whats happening we are close to the end of the project so we are just living with it.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

I'm sorry to hear that your problem persists.  I wonder if your settings were corrupted somehow... it's about the only explanation I can think of except RAM already being full.  I have a link here that can show you how to reset them.  Otherwise I might recommend reinstalling 3ds Max on that machine if it refuses to read files like that, something is amiss and I don't think it's a checkbox or .ini tweak.

It may also be related to your paging file size in Windows, but it's hard to say.  A workaround might be to load them into Video Post instead of the RAM player, but it's hardly a fix.  I suspect a corrupted installation somehow, happens from time to time. 

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

well I seem to have the same problem. but it seems to be related to network paths.

If I copy the sequence to desktop it will work fine.

If I try to run it through network, it goes blanco.

Just remember to delete the ifl file created for network usage and create a new.

[Anonymous]

we never got to work predictably. was super annoying we resorted to creating the ifl file manually in extreme cases.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Did the image sequence I attached in an earlier message load without issues?   I do want to solve this... 

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Alfred, I had some issues like this today.  It was resolved by naming.  I used Photoshop to output an image sequence, and in addition to the frame number (name tag), photoshop would add the layer name, as a frame number.. (see attached).  The problem was resolved, by simple rename of files (removing the additional frame number i.d.

Unlike others, when I went to Material Editor and tried to load the bitmap sequence, I was not even presented with the IFL Manager dialog.. Max simply loaded a single image from within the set.

Best,

Sam

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Which version of 3ds Max was this please?  Were you trying over a network?  The evidence is piling up but I cannot seem to get this to happen on my end.  It seems png's are a commonality.  Thanks for reporting this.  Would it be possible to PM me a link to the frames so I can test them?  (or any frames that show the issue?)   I'd like to get my hands on frames where the problem occurs but when I recreate them myself I cannot get this issue to happen.  Thank you!

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

try these, Alfred.