Importing Splines

[t_smith5]

Hi

How would you go about importing Splines into another 3D package, such as Maya? When I last tried exporting a bracelet I made, along with its Spline path for it to follow, the Spline and the bracelet came into Maya completely vertical, and not on my character model. I did try some of the Geometry preset options, but they didn't seem to help.

Thanks

[BenBisares]

I would need more detail like screenshots or the scene to be sure but at the moment I would suggest to collapse your objects to an Editable Poly before exporting. Some modifiers may not be compatible or interpreted incorrectly when exported as another format.

[t_smith5]

Hi

Everything has been collapsed down. Some parts are in Groups though, so I'm not sure if that's an issue. Other parts have a Path Deform Binding (WSM), which won't collapse down. I do get this pop up as I'm exporting, which might be related, but I don't know how to solve it:

When bringing it into Maya, some of the splines either do this, despite the path being there...

...or they don't show at all.

[leeminardi]

I would try exporting NURBS splines in a STEP and IGES format and then see how they import into Maya.

As for the objects with non-orthogonal matrices can you post a file with a few of the offending objects?  I would like to analyze them.

[t_smith5]

Sorry, I'm not sure how to export them as a STEP or as an IGES format. I can't find any options when exporting either. But I've attached my project file for you to have a look at. Thanks.

[leeminardi]

Note, it appears the ability to embed images in a reply is not working today!!! To export a spline in IGES format use File, Export, Export Selected, change Save As type to: ATF IGES (*.IGS). Rather than STEP try ACIS SAT (*.SAT) For example, select the object Rim Spline and delete its Path Deform Binding modifier so you can export just the spline. As for the non-orthogonal matrix problem I have found the following. Select, for example, Left_eye then turn on the MaxScript listener. Now type $.transform this outputs the matrix for the selected object. You should see: $.transform (matrix3 [1.29488,-0.0809239,0] [0,-2.81958e-07,1] [-0.166512,-0.999421,-2.84985e-07] [-6.01077,-33.88,150.473]) The first 3 numbers should define a unit vector in world coordinates of the local x axis of Left_eye. The fact that one of the coordinates is greater than 1 clearly indicates that it is not a unit vector. In addition, the next 3 number should define a unit vector for the eye's y axis and it should be perpendicular to the x axis. The number -2.81958e-07 is essentially 0 to the precision of 3ds Max so the y axis is [0,0,1]. This is not perpendicular to the x-axis vector [1.29488,-0.0809239,0]. To fix this you could enter: $.transform = (matrix3 [1,0,0] [0,1,0] [0,0,1] [-6.01077,-33.88,150.473]) This will make the pivot aligned with the world and orthogonal. Note that the 4th vector in the matrix is the location of the Left_eye. If this works a script could be made to change the pivots for selected objects.

[t_smith5]

Interesting... Nice find. How does the transform get like that? I think I get the general gist of it, though it is confusing to wrap my head around. Is there a way of resolving it without scripts? Does resetting the XForm not help? I'll have a play around with it. Thanks. 🙂

EDIT: Okay, I've tried exporting a braclet with its spline using the IGES format and Maya doesn't load anything up at all. 😕 If I try to use ACIS SAT on the Spline itself and try to import into Maya, it loads up something in the Outliner, but there's no object in the world. I've noticed the objects have the Deform modifier and not the Spline, but if I delete it, it makes the objects go back to being vertical. Also, I'm not seeing a STEP format in the list. Just IGES and ACIS SAT.

[t_smith5]

I tried adding an X-Form and collapsing it down for the left and right eye and they disappear from that list when exporting.

[leeminardi]

It sounds like you may have a solution for the non-orthogonal matrix problem.

As for the spline issue,  I do not have access to Maya.  Could you try creating a spline in Maya and then export it in a couple of formats and then import to Max and see what you get? This may provide a hint as to what to use to go the other direction.  

[t_smith5]

I can look into it at some point, but in truth, I've not had any practise at creating splines in Maya yet. Only Blender and 3ds Max.