Export Plug-In

This chapter describes the use and features of the Export plug-in.

Export Plug-in Features
Usage
Setting the Automatic Save Destination of the Dialog Box
Script Command Output
Batch Export
Errors and Warnings

Export Plug-In Features

The Export plug-in includes a feature for outputting intermediate files to a specified folder.

Using the Tool

To output data for particular nodes only (including lower nodes in the hierarchy), select the nodes you want to output. Node selection is not required to output the entire scene.
To display the NW4C_ForBannerExport option window, click NW4C For Banner > NW4C_ForBanner Export with Setting....
Setting the appropriate options and clicking OK outputs an intermediate file.

Click NW4C for Banner > NW4R_ForBanner Export to output under current options without displaying the option window.

Option Settings

Output Options

This option specifies the output method for the intermediate file.

General Options

These are general options available for intermediate files.

Output File Selection

This option specifies the type of intermediate file to be output.
Set output on/off for the following files.

The value of HasSkinningMatrix in the intermediate file will differ depending on whether the CMDL file and the CSKLA file are output at the same time, or only the CSKLA file is output. This is because vertex processing is omitted when the CMDL file is not output in order to shorten the processing time. Nothing is affected by the differing values for HasSkinningMatrix.

Quantization Options

This option is for setting the degree of precision to use for vertex data when converting to binary data.
If a fixed-point number is used, the amount of data is less than when a floating-point number is used, but precision is lowered.

Model Options

These are model-related options.

Example of valid data: Node configuration on Softimage
     

Animation Options

These are animation-related options.

Tolerance Options

This option specifies the allowable range of errors when animation curve data is optimized.



Optimization Options

You can optimize data using CreativeStudio when outputting intermediate files from Softimage. Optimization-related options are specified here.
For detailed information, see the EffectMaker manual.

Softimage Options

An output option specific to Softimage.

How to Save Intermediate File Output Dialog Box Settings

Options set in the Export plug-in are automatically saved to a file during intermediate file output. The next time the dialog box is opened, the options are automatically reloaded as initial values.
Option settings are saved in $(NW4C_FORBANNER_ROOT)/tools/DccPlugin/softimage/ini. Although intermediate file output settings are saved in last_export_options.c3es, plug-in settings are saved in plugin_preference.txt. If these files are deleted and the Export Plug-in is run, the options are set to their default values.

Items that have been set can also be input or output as a C3ES (CTR 3D Export Settings) file.
For details on the format of the C3ES file, see c3esFileFormat.pdf.

Setting for the Automatic Save Destination of the Dialog

Select NW4C_ForBanner Auto Save Export Setting from the NW4C menu to open the dialog box and turn on/off the Auto_SaveLoad_Setting checkbox.

If the checkbox is selected:

If the checkbox is left unselected:

The default is On.

c3es File I/O
To control the input/output of the c3ES files, click Save or Load, located in the lower left of the intermediate file output dialog box.
Clicking Save displays a dialog box, and the following items can be set. (The same applies for the Load dialog box.)

Script Command Output

The Export plug-in can be executed from the script editor in the following command format.
This process is called Script Command Output.
The format of the script command NW4R_ForBannerExportSettingsFile is as follows.

NW4C_ForBannerExportSettingFile c3esFileName, [sceneName], [outputFolder]

c3esFileName:
Specifies the C3ES file to be used for option settings as a full path.

sceneName:
Specifies the name of the intermediate file to output.
If not specified, then OutputFileName of the C3ES file is applied.

outputFolder:
Specifies the folder to output intermediate files to.
If not specified, then OutputFolder of the C3ES file is applied.

Below are some execution examples:


Batch Export

Intermediate files can be output in Softimage by specifying a folder and batch exporting one or more scenes all at once, as well as one at a time.
This process is called batch export.

How to Run Batch Export

Click NW4C For Banner > NW4C_ForBanner Batch Export to display the Batch Export option window.
Specify an Input Folder and Output Folder and click OK to automatically load scn files in the specified Input Folder and output intermediate files to the specified Output Folder.

How to execute batch export from the command line

You cna perform batch export from the command line by creating a script file containing export commands arranged in order and then executing that script using Softimage.

An examples is shown below.

Create the scenes to be output and the script file containing the export commands to be executed as follows in batch_export.vbs:

OpenScene "C:\path\to\scene1.scn", false
NW4C_ForBannerExportSettingFile "C:\settings.c3es", "output_filename1", "C:\out"
OpenScene "C:\path\to\scene2.scn", false
NW4C_ForBannerExportSettingFile "C:\settings.c3es", "output_filename2", "C:\out"

From the command line, execute the script in batch mode by specifying -script option as follows:

C:\>C:\Softimage\Softimage_7.5\Applicatio\bin\XSI.exe -script C:\batch_export.vbs

This allows you to make all exports at once from the command line.

Errors and Warnings

Error Types and Handling Errors

If an error occurs during output, it is displayed by Script Editor and in the status line (at the bottom of the Softimage screen).

Errors that deserve particular attention are described in alphabetical order.

Warning Types and Handling Warnings

If a warning occurs during output, it is displayed by Script Editor.
Warnings which should be paid particular attention are described in alphabetical order.





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