Smoke - Cache particles? emFluids

[kampffmeyer]

Hello friends,
is anybody out there who still knows about Softimage / emFluids / Particles?
I'm struggling with caching smoke simulations. I'm using Smoke Basic compound by Eric Mootz. I'd like to cache the smoke so I can reuse it without simulating it again. And then import this into a new scene multiple times with time offset.
Is this possible? How can I do this?

Thanks for your help, guys!

Best
Wolfram

[Rork]

Maybe Owei can answer that one. He did a lot of smoke sims with Eric's tools for the Playmobil videos.

rob

[kampffmeyer]

Hello Rob,
thanks for the response! Who is Owei, how can I find him or is he reading this post too?
Thanks!
Wolfram

[Rork]

Pretty sure he will see this post, as he's the one that started this site
Just search for user owei

[Hirazi Blue]

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=2

[MKXSI]

Do you cache for example on playback and then lock cache?
It seems to work ok for me.Cache files are saved on project, simulation folder

[owei]

Hey Wolfram,

Oliver Weingarten here..sure it should work like this. We worked "together" on the Playmobil movies..back in the days I did all the sims with emFluid and handed over VDBs to Bart..sigh..good old days
I think Eric has still some tuts on his vineo site..
https://vimeo.com/mootzoid/videos

Cheers,
oli

[kampffmeyer]

Do you cache for example on playback and then lock cache?
It seems to work ok for me.Cache files are saved on project, simulation folder

Thank you so much for your answers!
I've used the Cache on File node (Alembic Cache node didn't do anything (or I didn't know how to use it)). Yes, files are being written. But once I disconnect the simulation (and set cache to Read Cache), I do see the smoke in view port, but not in render. Please see attached file.
What do you mean with "lock cache"? Do I have to do more than switching from "write" to "read"?

Hi Oliver, yes, I'm still in the Playmobil team, 1-2 times a year for the new animated shorts. And so far we animate with Softimage
I stick to this wonderful software as long as I can. But time's running out
I've watched all the videos, but I didn't find any cache example. And since Eric shut down his site (and I missed to download EVERYTHING before, not knowing he will close his site some day) I don't have all plugins maybe.
Best
Wolfram

[owei]

HEy Wolfram,

I think you are getting something wrong. You can´t load the caches with the normal cache reader nore write them. You need the emFluid cache reader for this. They are called "Save Grid! and "Load Grid" as the store voxel data, no particle data or geo..Maybe look at the manuals..the can be found here:
https://www.si-community.com/download/D ... lugins.rar
I´ll try to find a demo scene..

cheers,
oli

[owei]

and in this thread you´ll find all the backups..
https://www.si-community.com/community/ ... 3&start=32

hope this helps

[kampffmeyer]

Thanks, Oli, for the correction and tip with save and load grid.
Unfortunately I can't find where to plug those operators in. Do I need to put those into the smoke basic compound somewhere? And after writing the cache, how / where would I disconnect the simulation?
If you find a demo scene, that would be an awesome reference.
Best regards from last [softimage] man standing

Best
Wolfram

[owei]

A complete copy of Demoscene etc can be found in the thread I linked above..take a look in there..have you read the manuals? It says "Fbox Operator"...I can try to find an old scene of mie tomorrow..

[kampffmeyer]

Hi Oli,
I tried to plug together the various operators. Unfortunately in the help files (I've downloaded all) there are just a few notes to each plug. Like "Enable = enables the operator". So I'm not always sure how to actually use them.
I managed (by reading the error messages, the mouse-on hints etc) to successfully write cache files. Please see attached screenshot.
But once I try to plug / replace the "save grids" with "load grids" I don't get any further. I plug the Load Grid op into the fBox (just below the Save Grid op) and get the error message: ' ERROR : emFluid5(48372): error in "Grid 4": the operator "LoadGrids" may not be used with Grids.
I'm a bit confused with the 3 options "Load Grid" "Load Grids" and "Load Grid Adv". And the "Tag Load Grid" op which I don't know how to use...

It would be so kind of you if you could provide me a little test scene where I can learn the correct workflow. Or a screenshot with the ops.

Thank you so much!

Best regards
Wolfram

[owei]

Hey Wolfram,
yes, emFluid is a beast
Try to use new seperate pointcloud as a loader and put it together like this..I have not found a simple scene..will look again tomorrow
Like the error message say, the loader belongs into the grid as an grid operator..

[owei]

Hey Wolfram,
here is a quick scene based on the "smoke_basic" demo scene. First unhide the sim PC , ache the data. Hide the sim PC and unhide the read PC..here you go..
But i would recommend using Houdini instead of learning emFluid. It´s a dead plugin and a dead software, no matter what..sigh

[kampffmeyer]

Dear Oli,
you are my hero! I now set up a model including both the simulation and the point cloud which loads the cache.
I also exposed the node "Active" of the sim so I can turn that off easier.

Only thing I can't find now is: How can I offset the loaded cache? So if I want the cache to start 100 frames later?
I'm intending to load the same sim / cach multiple times into a scene so chimneys can start smoking with the same cache, but offsetted.

Thanks in advance!

Best
Wolfram