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I have to agree with some of Tim's frustration here. For over a year
I've been using the Model feature to "export" hierarchies, geometry,
pieces of this, pieces of that, even shaders and textures between scenes
and frankly I see his point. I'm finding myself more and more these days
putting stuff in a Model, exporting the Model, importing the Model in
another scene, extracting the stuff in the Model and placing it in
another Model in the new scene, and then deleting the empty Model node
which basically served as a vessel for the export. Something seems a bit
bizarre about this.
Don't get me wrong, I fully understand the purpose of Model and wouldn't
have it any other way, it is an elegant feature which has far exceeded
my expectations and is far more sophistaced than Maya's export command.
But in truth I don't think Model was intended as a simple export vessel
as much as it was a robust means of exporting finished geometries and
rigs complete with shaders, expressions, skeletons, custom properties,
etc, etc, etc. But to do a simple transfer of 1 or more basic pieces of
geometry it is the equivalant of using a Rolls Royce to haul sludge.
There are several things in regards to this process using Model which I
have noticed:
1. XSI does allow you to export an object as a Model by selecting that
object then using File>Export>Model. You give the Model export a name
and when you reimport the Model you find that the object you exported is
now a child of the Model.
2. Example #1 only appears to allow for one object to ever be exported
to Model in this manner. The first object selected prior to exporting
the Model.
3. While #1 makes perfect sense what does not make sense is if this
auto-parenting of one object into a Model during export is allowed and
established, why can't the user select multiple objects to be exported
in the new Model. It would seem that all of the mechanics for the
process is there except a multi-selection.
4. Yes, the user can parent multiple objects under a "new" Model then
export the Model, but this begs the question if this is the proper way
to do this then why is the user allowed to perform example #1. Which
ultimately begs the question why can't multiple objects be exported via
example #1.
5. As Tim has already noted there appears to be no error checking in
this process to alert the user that their expected export via example #1
will fail if they select more than 1 object. Subsequent closing of your
XSI modeling session without also saving the scene results in lost work.
A common workflow in Maya where export all or export selection is all
that is needed.
What this all suggests to me is that Model was intended not as an export
vessel but as a vehicle to implement a sophisticated mechanism for
saving highly detailed library elements. Things like rigs and complex
geometry which will be used over and over. Basically finished elements,
not simple pieces of this or that. The user is left with a mindset,
especially after reading the manual, that Model is intended for
something far more important and grander than just exporting simple
building elements.
In a nutshell, when you begin using XSI you build an anticipation that
Model is only properly used as a finishing tool to encapsulate your
completed element, not an export vessel for intermediary building
blocks.
Now I'm not necessarily suggesting that Soft implement a new export
feature, but Tim's reaction to Model is fairly understandable,
especially coming from a Maya viewpoint where "export" or "export
selection" serves both purposes, intermediary as well as finished
element export. Admittedly I had the sanme reaction when I started using
XSI on a steady basis over a year ago.
Keep in mind that in Maya little thought is often given to namespaces
because you build your elements in separate scenes then export.
Everything else is done for you underneath when you re-import the
export. The user does not have to think about whether I should put this
under a null or a Model. Model's don't exist. I've been known to have
6-8 Maya sessions open, each session with one piece of a model, each
piece being exported and reimported to the master scene. This is how you
prevent namespace problems with things like expressions and similar
naming conventions in Maya. In XSI you can do all this in one session if
you choose, because you can create a Model namespace on the fly without
exporting anything. It's very sophisticated in XSI.
But truth is, sometimes all you want is a simple export, no Model, no
nulls, no nothing. However, I'm willing to accept that I will have to
keep creating and tossing these Model vessels for simple exports, but I
still ponder the insanity of having a selection export to Model which
will only gather one object in the Model export. Further, it is very
reasonable to expect people who come to this from a Maya viewpoint to
view the selection export to Model to be broken. Because it is.
Joey Ponthieux
NCI Information Systems Inc.
NASA Langley Research Center
____________________________________________________________
Opinions stated here-in are strictly those of the author and
do not represent the opinions of NASA or any other party.
Tim Leydecker wrote:
>
> Still hijacking...
>
> >Unless of course you read the manual first, in which case you'd be familiar
> >with XSI's terminology and know better than to e-mail support about it...
> >The term "model" in XSI describes something very specific (a type of
> >object). So, "export model" does exactly what it says it does. It exports an
> >XSI model just not any old 3d model. The terminology can be confusing...
>
> We both don´t live in an ideal world. Otherwise, this list wouldn´t exist
> to post questions to, nor would there be a real requirement to share
> Tips&Tricks...
>
> I´ll look up on the model terminology. It´s true, one should be able
> to use the correct terminology when pointing something out that could
> benefit from an update -otherwise it´s difficult to follow it.
>
> The misconception on my part derived from my need to export a
> sceneelement (a couple of objects resembling a building block).
>
> To minimize any losses, like passes, materials, position and organization,
> I´d have clicked "export selection as *.scn", this isn´t available, so I´d
> resort to exporting to a model. But a model (in terms of workflow) is
> more geared towards referencing and such, expected to be organized
> cleanly and readily. I was trying toexpor snippets to work on seperately.
>
> In the future, I´ll just delete everything but the stuff needed and save
> that as "mybuildingblock.scn". Only once everything is really done
> and nailed down may I use *.emdll files.
>
> Cheers
>
> tim
>
>
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