FESRetopo - retopology tool for Softimage

[diissar]

Thanks a lot for sharing Angel 07
really appreciate it

[Bravlin Pechatnik]

already said it. This tool have great potential.

[gaboraa]

Great!

[FXDude]

Great indeed,

And nice to see fairly complex Fabric things working in soft!

One of the recent Fabric clips (presented by Mr Mootz) shown a fabric genereated mesh deformed by a lattice, so at first glance it seems to play well with layered operators (most probably including ICE 'operators')

In any event Congratz and useful indeed! (in whatever app )

[izze]

Working great! Thank you so much for this tool. Its very exciting to see Fabric tools keeping the community alive.

[Mootzoid]

nice work, Angel!

[anhungxadieu]

nice tool, keep it up!
thank you very much Angel

[druitre]

I'm trying to get this to work - first trying to get Fabric installed, as well - and no luck so far. Am I missing something?

I unzipped the fabric download, moved the directory to C:\Program Files, ran prompt.bat and followed its instructions:
- created environment variable 'FABRIC_DIR' and set value to 'C:\Program Files\FabricEngine-1.15.3-Windows-x86_64'
- created environment variable 'FABRIC_EXT_PATH' and set value to 'C:\Program Files\FabricEngine-1.15.3-Windows-x86_64\Exts'
- added 'C:\Program Files\FabricEngine-1.15.3-Windows-x86_64\bin;' to PATH variable
- added a 'PYTHON_VERSION' variable set to '2.7'
- added 'C:\Program Files\FabricEngine-1.15.3-Windows-x86_64\Python\2.7;' to PYTHONPATH variable

Then I unzipped the retopoarchive:
- copied the FESRetopo-folder to G:\Jaspers XSI Workgroup\Fabric_Extensions and added ';G:\Jaspers XSI Workgroup\Fabric_Extensions' to the FABRIC_EXT_PATH variable
- installed the addon (to 'Jaspers XSI Workgroup')

Then restart Soft, open model>create>polymesh>FESretopo, point reference to .obj I've prepped, click 'start retopo'.

I get the material ppg and a red error line, script editor log shows

Code: Select all

// ERROR : Property Page Script Logic Error (Python ActiveX Scripting Engine)
// ERROR :    [166] 
// ERROR :    [167] 		#apply splice operator
// ERROR :   >[168] 		p = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(Application.Plugins("FESRetopoPlugin").OriginPath, "FESRetopo.splice"))
// ERROR :    [169] 		Application.fabricSplice("loadSplice", "{\"fileName\":\"" + p.replace('\\', '/') + "\", \"hideUI\": true,\"mesh0\":\"" + mesh.FullName + ".polymsh\"}", "", "")
// ERROR :    [170] 		Application.SetValue(mesh.FullName + ".polymsh.SpliceOp.pathToIcons",  os.path.join(Application.Plugins("FESRetopoPlugin").OriginPath, "icons"), "")
// ERROR :    [171] 		Application.SetValue(mesh.FullName + ".polymsh.SpliceOp.spatialQueryType",  sqNum, "")
// ERROR : 	Traceback (most recent call last):
//   File "<Script Block 2>", line 169, in FESRetopo_startRetopo_OnClicked
//     Application.fabricSplice("loadSplice", "{\"fileName\":\"" + p.replace('\\', '/') + "\", \"hideUI\": true,\"mesh0\":\"" + mesh.FullName + ".polymsh\"}", "", "")
//   File "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage 2015\Application\python\Lib\site-packages\win32comext\axscript\client\pyscript.py", line 105, in __getattr__
//     return getattr(self._scriptItem_.dispatchContainer,attr)
//   File "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage 2015\Application\python\Lib\site-packages\win32com\client\dynamic.py", line 516, in __getattr__
//     raise AttributeError("%s.%s" % (self._username_, attr))
// AttributeError: Application.fabricSplice
// 

What is going wrong here? Nothing to see in viewport, no tools or menu. Empty polymesh without any operator.

Help appreciated!
Jasper

[Angel 07]

Try the following:

1. Check, is FabricEngine installed correctly. For example, try to open standard examples. For Softimage toy should connect as workgroup the folder FabricEngine-1.15.3-Windows-x86_64\SpliceIntegrations\FabricSpliceSoftimage2015\

2. If FE installed correctly, try to load FESRetopo.splice operator manualy, as described in the manual.

[druitre]

Angel,
thanks. It was the workgroup, I didn't know it had to be connected. Just now first time installing Fabric... Anyway, it's working now!

regards,
Jasper

[EricTRocks]

Just a word of advice, I would steer away from setting the variables by hand and instead, set them using a .bat file. I have some examples of how I do this for Kraken but it's the same without. I'd copy the code out of the prompt.bat that ships with Fabric and just add the call to launch Softimage after it.

http://fabric-engine.github.io/Kraken/d ... er-scripts

[druitre]

Hi Eric,

I actually would like to stay far away from environment variables. BUT the doc says to run the prompt.bat file, I did and Fabric didn't work after. I then checked the variables and saw nothing was set there, so I figured I had to do it manually.

So, when you say 'set them using a .bat file', what do you actually mean, step by step? What should happen?

-Jasper

[Pooby]

I'd be interested in an idiot-proof guide to getting Fabric Canvas working.

I don't get the prompt.bat thing either. All I know is that nothing is working on my machine so far.

[EricTRocks]

@Pooby: If you are having issues with Fabric 2.0, you should email support@fabricengine.com

Simple Setup:
In general, if you're not going to be doing any custom KL Extensions or custom Canvas nodes, you don't need to set any variables. You just need to connect to the Softimage workgroup in that ships with the Fabric releases:

Example:
C:\Users\Eric\Documents\workgroups\FabricEngine\splice\FabricEngine-1.15.3-Windows-x86_64\SpliceIntegrations\FabricSpliceSoftimage2015

One thing to note is that you should NOT move this folder outside of this folder structure. It is essential that it stays relative to the Fabric folder. I made that mistake a few times and it caused many issues. Also I would not put it in your C:\Program Files folder either.

Intermediate Setup:
The prompt.bat file simply launches a command prompt with the standard environment variables set so you can run Fabric from the command line. Most of us won't need that. However, this file provides a very good template on what variables need to be setup.

If you open up the prompt.bat by right clicking and going to 'Edit' or by opening it in a text editor you will see something like:

Code: Select all

REM
REM Example environment setup file for Fabric Engine
REM
REM - Optional: update FABRIC_DIR to point to the chosen installation dir
REM
REM - Optional: update FABRIC_PYTHON_VERSION to the version of Python you
REM   are using (eg. 2.7, 2.6)
REM

set FABRIC_DIR=%~dp0

set PATH=%FABRIC_DIR%\bin;%PATH%

set _OLD_PYTHON_VERSION=%PYTHON_VERSION%
set PYTHON_VERSION=2.7
set PYTHONPATH=%FABRIC_DIR%\Python\%PYTHON_VERSION%;%PYTHONPATH%
set PYTHON_VERSION=%_OLD_PYTHON_VERSION%

set FABRIC_EXTS_PATH=%FABRIC_DIR%\Exts

call cmd

This file is setup to run from the main Fabric directory. If you are going to setup your own, you need to change the FABRIC_DIR variable to point to the full path to the main Fabric directory. This way you can put the .bat file anywhere and run it. You'll also want to change the last few lines to not open a command prompt (cmd) but to launch Softimage:

Code: Select all

set FABRIC_DIR=C:\PATH\TO\YOUR\FABRIC\DIRECTORY

set PATH=%FABRIC_DIR%\bin;%PATH%

set _OLD_PYTHON_VERSION=%PYTHON_VERSION%
set PYTHON_VERSION=2.7
set PYTHONPATH=%FABRIC_DIR%\Python\%PYTHON_VERSION%;%PYTHONPATH%
set PYTHON_VERSION=%_OLD_PYTHON_VERSION%

set FABRIC_EXTS_PATH=%FABRIC_DIR%\Exts

call "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage 2015 SP1\Application\bin\XSI.bat"

Once you save the above text to a new .bat file and launch it (double click), you'll still need to connect to the workgroup that ships with Fabric as mentioned above. You should get a Fabric Splice menu at the top and you're all set. If you need to add custom KL Extensions that people are sharing, simply add that path to the FABRIC_EXTS_PATH variable in the .bat file and it will be accessible through Splice when you launch Softimage.

Running Fabric 2.0 will look very similar but you'll want to double check the variables as I believe new ones were added.

[druitre]

Thanks Eric for the lengthy reply. I'm with Pooby on the idiot-proof thing, is it at all possible to just have an install.exe that takes care of everything apart from connecting the workgroup?

If I get what you're saying, for a 'user', not TD/programmer like me it's enough to just unzip the package to wherever and connect to the workgroup, right? After that Splice will work inside Soft? No prompt.bat stuff necessary?

(...) Also I would not put it in your C:\Program Files folder either.

Well, Fabric is a program so that's exactly where I put it. It works now, so I'll just keep it there, but that is a point the docs should mention. I guess most people would put it just there?

Once you save the above text to a new .bat file and launch it (double click), you'll still need to connect to the workgroup that ships with Fabric as mentioned above. You should get a Fabric Splice menu at the top and you're all set. If you need to add custom KL Extensions that people are sharing, simply add that path to the FABRIC_EXTS_PATH variable in the .bat file and it will be accessible through Splice when you launch Softimage.

Still confused about the .bat thing. As said, I double-clicked it, I got a cmd-window but I could see no environment variables being added/changed when I looked under system properties/advanced/etc. Does the .bat put those variables temporarily in RAM or something? And not actually change them? And is the .bat file automatically run when I launch Soft? Or when I start Splice?

regards,
Jasper

[EricTRocks]

Thanks Eric for the lengthy reply. I'm with Pooby on the idiot-proof thing, is it at all possible to just have an install.exe that takes care of everything apart from connecting the workgroup?

You'll have to ask Fabric Support about that one.

If I get what you're saying, for a 'user', not TD/programmer like me it's enough to just unzip the package to wherever and connect to the workgroup, right? After that Splice will work inside Soft? No prompt.bat stuff necessary?

That's correct.

Well, Fabric is a program so that's exactly where I put it. It works now, so I'll just keep it there, but that is a point the docs should mention. I guess most people would put it just there?

Well, it's a framework not a traditional application. The reason I suggest not putting it there is that you may have to replace the folder / have multiple versions of Fabric on the machine at one time. I usually put it in a folder named 'D:\Fabric\splice\' and then unzip each version in there. Do as you wish.

Still confused about the .bat thing. As said, I double-clicked it, I got a cmd-window but I could see no environment variables being added/changed when I looked under system properties/advanced/etc. Does the .bat put those variables temporarily in RAM or something? And not actually change them? And is the .bat file automatically run when I launch Soft? Or when I start Splice?

I don't think you created your own using the code I posted above. If you do, when you double click the custom one, it should launch Softimage after setting the environment variables. Note the line where it points to the "XSI.bat" file. The prompt.bat or the custom.bat you create will not set the variables permanently. Only for that session which is probably preferred since you may need to switch versions / update them once a new version comes out.