Another Softimage to Mitsuba exporter
Posted: 30 Mar 2014, 11:49
This plugin is called Mitsuba and Softimage synchronizer (shortly MaSs). I start to develop it for understanding how the Mitsuba renderer (https://www.mitsuba-renderer.org/) works. So, some tool for export scenes needed. Of course, there are some other exporters from Softimage to Mitsuba. One of them here: http://www.si-community.com/community/v ... =13&t=3163 I try to understand how it works, but then decide to create my one exporter with Python and GUI.
Link for download (old version): https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/114 ... %200.2.zip
The latest version: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/114 ... ackage.zip
Post with description of the last version: http://www.si-community.com/community/v ... 517#p49517
After installation in the top menu will appear "MaSs menu" item. Let describe command from this menu:
1. In the Primitive group we can create primitives for Mitsuba. For example, mSphere is not a polygonal sphere but parametric.
2. In the Lights group we can create lights of different types for Mitsuba. In fact all of them are standard lights but with custom light shader
3. The command in Property group add property to the camera. In this property we can choose type of camera, different parameters of it and so on. If this property is not assign to exported camera it will be append automatically.
4. MaSs window open the main window with export settings.
The plugin form a xml file with description of a scene. It can export polygon geometry, lights, camera and point clouds (but with some limitations). Let describe properties of the main export window.
1. Sources - we can choose export whole scene, only selected model with sub-objects or only selected objects.
2. Path - is the path to folder where exported xml file will be saved.
3. File name - the name of exported xml file.
4. If the checkbox "Should increment" is on, then new xml file will be created in each export. The order number will be attached to the file's name. If this chekbox is off, the file will be rewrite.
5. If the checkbox "Should export geometry" is on, all polygon geometry will be export to ply-files. If the mesh contains UV-maps, then only the first of it will be export. Notice that process of export is not fast (because it written on Python). So, you should export all necessary geometry once, and then turn off this checkbox. All properties of meshes will be export to xml-file, but files with geometry information would not recreate.
6. Checkbox "Should export strands" is similar to the previous one. Strands exports as hair primitives. For example, the export of 1000 strands with 10 segments on each spend nearly 7 hours. So strands should export only one time, and after that this chekbox should be off.
7. Image properties set a resolution of image.
8. In the list of Cameras we can choose exported camera.
9. In the section "Types" we can chose tipes of object for export. If we turn off pPolymeshes (for example) then no polymesh will be export. In particular no mesh will be export to ply-files.
10. Export process start by pressing "Export XML" button.
Some words about export of point clouds. If this point cloud contains strands, then this strands will be export as hairs. In the other case, if point cloud has particles, and the type of these particles are sphere, cube, rectangle, cylinder or disc, then for each particle correspondiong primitive will be export. No other types of point clouds is supported.
All supported shaders appear in the Mitsuba section. But medium, volume or phase shaders are empty and can not be used. At present time I don't understand how it should works. The meaning of shader properties can be founded in Mitsuba manual.
Also some examples of scenes in Softimage and corresponding renders in Mitsuba:
Link for download (old version): https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/114 ... %200.2.zip
The latest version: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/114 ... ackage.zip
Post with description of the last version: http://www.si-community.com/community/v ... 517#p49517
After installation in the top menu will appear "MaSs menu" item. Let describe command from this menu:
1. In the Primitive group we can create primitives for Mitsuba. For example, mSphere is not a polygonal sphere but parametric.
2. In the Lights group we can create lights of different types for Mitsuba. In fact all of them are standard lights but with custom light shader
3. The command in Property group add property to the camera. In this property we can choose type of camera, different parameters of it and so on. If this property is not assign to exported camera it will be append automatically.
4. MaSs window open the main window with export settings.
The plugin form a xml file with description of a scene. It can export polygon geometry, lights, camera and point clouds (but with some limitations). Let describe properties of the main export window.
1. Sources - we can choose export whole scene, only selected model with sub-objects or only selected objects.
2. Path - is the path to folder where exported xml file will be saved.
3. File name - the name of exported xml file.
4. If the checkbox "Should increment" is on, then new xml file will be created in each export. The order number will be attached to the file's name. If this chekbox is off, the file will be rewrite.
5. If the checkbox "Should export geometry" is on, all polygon geometry will be export to ply-files. If the mesh contains UV-maps, then only the first of it will be export. Notice that process of export is not fast (because it written on Python). So, you should export all necessary geometry once, and then turn off this checkbox. All properties of meshes will be export to xml-file, but files with geometry information would not recreate.
6. Checkbox "Should export strands" is similar to the previous one. Strands exports as hair primitives. For example, the export of 1000 strands with 10 segments on each spend nearly 7 hours. So strands should export only one time, and after that this chekbox should be off.
7. Image properties set a resolution of image.
8. In the list of Cameras we can choose exported camera.
9. In the section "Types" we can chose tipes of object for export. If we turn off pPolymeshes (for example) then no polymesh will be export. In particular no mesh will be export to ply-files.
10. Export process start by pressing "Export XML" button.
Some words about export of point clouds. If this point cloud contains strands, then this strands will be export as hairs. In the other case, if point cloud has particles, and the type of these particles are sphere, cube, rectangle, cylinder or disc, then for each particle correspondiong primitive will be export. No other types of point clouds is supported.
All supported shaders appear in the Mitsuba section. But medium, volume or phase shaders are empty and can not be used. At present time I don't understand how it should works. The meaning of shader properties can be founded in Mitsuba manual.
Also some examples of scenes in Softimage and corresponding renders in Mitsuba: