Copy/paste blend shapes won't work

[mongin.alexis]

Hello,

I've been trying to solve this by myself for 3 days and now I know I won't make it alone. First of all, here is my workflow : 

- I record a mocap face animation via Rokoko studio

- I import it in Maya

- I import a genesis 8 character from DAZ too (with the official bridge)

- I copy the rokoko face blend shapes

- I paste them in the DAZ blend shapes

As you can see below, values are really copied but the genesis face remains still (unlike the rokoko one, smiling here). 

Please note when I import from DAZ a genesis 8 with the default morphs (ie LipTopOutIn instead of the standard mouthRollUpper), it works after having renaming some of them BUT there are still incompatible with the standards.

I followed all the steps below :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9MrOMWNd3U

[mongin.alexis]

OK, when I try to change the morphs values manually, it shows  this :

 Error: line 1: setAttr: The attribute 'Genesis8_1MaleBlends.mouthSmileRight' is locked or connected and cannot be modified.

How to unlock or disconnect an attribute ?

[hamsterHamster]

Ideally, the target blendshapes should be named and ordered in the same order as in Rokoko's face, matching in numbers. Then you'd be able to copy-paste them with ease, as in youtube video. Otherwise you'd copy in ordered portions or use a script.

Rokoko's face, depending on what version you use, might not match ARKit blendshapes - flipped and missing targets. Then they sent a fixed version, I suppose it should be included in the latest Studio.

Regarding the error message - it isn't obvious from your screenshot - we see just part of the targets.

As to being locked, it shouldn't be colored - here it seems you have some existing animation. Select all the channels and RMB > CutSelected , scroll through to ensure those are really free. For other kinds of locking you might use RMB > UnlockSeleted or BreakConnection.

Now, it should be safe to copy anim curves from Rokoko to Genesis8.

[mongin.alexis]

First, thank you for having answered. 

Well, I'm sorry because you got a bit confused by my second post. The screenshot is from another case. Let me detail this.

OPTION A : 

I import a genesis 8 character with non ARkit blendshapes via DAZ bridge. 

I rename a few compatible morphs with the ARKit standards.

I copy/paste : the animation works on the renamed non-ARkit blendshapes, but of course it's totally biased.

OPTION B : 

If I export from DAZ a genesis 8.1 or a genesis 8 character with ARKit morphs and no animation : 

The copy/paste won't work. All the blendshapes remains on 0. If I try to modify them mnually, the error message  "attributes locked or connected" shows up. If I unlock or disconnect, I can change the morphs values but it still won't change the animation at all. Note that the attributes won't show up in the graph editor.

OPTION C : 

If I export from DAZ a genesis 8.1 or a genesis 8 character with ARKit morphs and animation data is ticked : 

The copy/paste work. The blendshapes value are the same between rokoko and genesis BUT it won't be animated. As you can see in this pic, the genesis face is still despite all the morphs data (should be smiling like the rokoko face). 

 

[hamsterHamster]

I am unfamiliar to DAZ, so it is hard to suggest anything specific without seeing the meshes.

From your description, I'd vote for the option B, however, there you would approach step-by-step:

1. unlock the Genesis8MaleBlends blendshape channels;
2. test, if the changing Genesis8MaleBlends values affect the face shape at all;
3. test, if keying of those channels are possible;
4. copy-paste the anim from the Rokoko face.

As a last resort, post zipped MA scene file with both Genesis and animated Rokoko meshes.

[mongin.alexis]

Good luck with that! Being a total newbie, I've spent 4 days on this...

Here is a "raw version" with no modifications after importing si I don't delete anything that could help. 

[hamsterHamster]

Idk why, perhaps because of the version mismatch, the deformers (blendshapes and skin clusters) in your scene doesn't seem to work, even the influences are there. Even Rokoko's face is still. However, if I create a new blendshape, then it works. Were those deformations working in your Maya? What version?

Regarding the copying the blendshapes - those are really locked because you have this Morphs group, which has all the connections to the Genesis blendshapes.

Which basically means that you should paste the animation to there. I couldn't check how it is working, because no deformation there.

[mongin.alexis]

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@hamsterHamster wrote:

Even Rokoko's face is still. Were those deformations working in your Maya? What version?

The rokoko's face is animated in my Maya. That's weird. I use up-to-date Maya 2022.

About copying, it won't work in the morphs group as well. Nothing happens. But even if it did, the face wouldn't be affected by the data ; I tried it manually. I could have predicted it, though, because when the morphs don't show in the graph editor, I know they won't work.

[hamsterHamster]

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@mongin.alexis wrote:
I tried it manually.

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Wait, this I am not sure I got.. tried what manually?

It is good your deformations work.

The thing is, you should check if Genesis blendshapes are functioning - deforming the face. E.g. try setting Morphs.jawOpen to 1.ooo. If mouth opens, then you are good to go with pasting.

And, I wouldn't use the GraphEditor to paste the curves, as it is rather easier to select those animations in the ChannelBox and use RMB > CopySelection, then select the Morphs, and select the channels again and RMB>PasteSelection (ensure the animation starting frames match). Sequentially, the GraphEditor will show animation curves in both.

[mongin.alexis]

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@hamsterHamster wrote:
Wait, this I am not sure I got.. tried what manually?

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Exactly what you say right after :  "try setting Morphs.jawOpen to 1.ooo. If mouth opens, then you are good to go with pasting."
The jaw didn't open. The deformations work only on the rokoko face.

I don't use the graph editor to copy/paste but the timeline. I'm just saying the graph editor seems to give a clue about my problem : if the blendshapes can't be displayed there, they will be inactive, somehow. 

OK, let's do this another way : as i can't rely on the imported blendshapes, I have to create new ones. Is there a quick way to set ARKit blendshapes on a face ? 

[hamsterHamster]

There isn't one, afaik. If only you could export the blendshape targets from the DAZ, then you'd be able to recreate blendshape node within Maya easily.

Regarding the GraphEd, not so true - if there are animation curves, then it should display the animation.

[mongin.alexis]

It's ok, it's working now. I had to change the kind of morphs I imported from DAZ. But there is one last obstacle : how to sort the blendshapes list in the channel box editor ? I can sort them alphabetically in the shape window, but it won't affect the channel editor order at all. I can only copy/paste there but the morphs are all mixed up.   

[hamsterHamster]

Weren't the Morphs group's attributes in necessary order? I bet they were.

If you are missing that node, then import it from the test.mb file you were sharing before - load it and the blendshape in ConnectionEditor and join both sides.

Reordering the attributes, UI-wise, not possible. Possible with some scripts, yet for a single time, you'd be good to go manually in a 5 mins.

[mongin.alexis]

Isn't the necessary order from the copied data ? My test.mb has those orders : rokoko is alphabetical and genesis is the reverse order.

JEEZ, I was so close. I have to find that script. It's endless. 

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[mongin.alexis]

OH.

MY.

GOD.

It will never stop. Each time a new problem pops out. I tried to save my project in ascii verison and edit the file with notepad to sort the morph in an alphabetical order. It did in the channel box, but the morphs effects are still the same. ie : jawOpen is now jawRight : 

I thought it was the right piece of code to edit as I didn't find anything else related to the display order.

setAttr ".aal" -type "attributeAlias" {"facs_jnt_JawOpen","weight[0]",...