Blender exporter

[Barry]

The Blender exporter support all materials the 3dsMax exporter does. Animations and attachement points are also supported. What's currently not possible is the creation of PM files; as they are marked as obsolete I'm not sure if I should invest in this, the only problem is that pantographs must be in PM format up to TRS2006, I don't know if this is still valid with TC.

You can take a look at the examples in the download section at sourceforge, all examples can be imported into Trainz. I have used them as test cases, so don't expect to much artistic expression .

Regards Torsten

Many Thanks Torsten will investigate further.

 

[AHSAN]

What's currently not possible is the creation of PM files; as they are marked as obsolete I'm not sure if I should invest in this, the only problem is that pantographs must be in PM format up to TRS2006, I don't know if this is still valid with TC.

Regards Torsten

Hello

It will be great to have the PM feature one day in the exporter.

Regards

Ahsan

 

[johnwhelan]

The Blender exporter support all materials the 3dsMax exporter does. Animations and attachement points are also supported. What's currently not possible is the creation of PM files; as they are marked as obsolete I'm not sure if I should invest in this, the only problem is that pantographs must be in PM format up to TRS2006, I don't know if this is still valid with TC.

You can take a look at the examples in the download section at sourceforge, all examples can be imported into Trainz. I have used them as test cases, so don't expect to much artistic expression .

Regards Torsten

I think we can live without PM files. Pantographs are probably done with attachment points so can be in PM created in 3ds or GMAX.

Cheerio John

 

[johnwhelan]

So how is the exporter working out with proper 3D content with a few photographic textures, etc for static items, etc, for a start, then attachment points, animation, etc.

If I get CMP to work with clasics 3, I intend to use just Blender and the exporter, so would be interesting to read how others are getting on.
Is anybody using it as no mention so far?

Pointless me trying to use gmax again, as I need the blend file for trainz and the sailing simulator eventually, as have been using Blender for about 5 years or so now I think and no no longer any interest in making the same content twice having to use gmax.

Barry

I think at the moment we have something basic working. What we don't have is tutorials and good documentation etc. In slowish time I'm trying to create a wagon but I keep getting distracted by domestic bits and pieces. I think I have the basic components done it's just a matter of cloning and sorting the mapping out.

Cheerio John

 

[Barry]

Hello John just had a look at and downloaded the examples.

Attachment points, I think are just done by adding an empty and naming the invisible bogeys as previous and the limfront and limback, etc?
Only need them for boats anyway and not used them since 2004.
Animation I would have to explore to understand more.

No idea about direction of the xyz arrows with attachment points as so long ago since I used them in trainz...but in no-mans land at present until classics 3 which I have ordered from Mike.

The animation example looks quite good for steam.
Alt plus A to start it, esc to stop.

Barry

 

[johnwhelan]

Hello John just had a look at and downloaded the examples.

Attachment points, I think are just done by adding an empty and naming the invisible bogeys as previous and the limfront and limback, etc?
Only need them for boats anyway and not used them since 2004.
Animation I would have to explore to understand more.

No idea about direction of the xyz arrows with attachment points as so long ago since I used them in trainz...but in no-mans land at present until classics 3 which I have ordered from Mike.

The animation example looks quite good for steam.
Alt plus A to start it, esc to stop.

Barry

The attachment points seem to work quite well. I took one of the houses added the attachment points and turned it into something that runs on the track, sort of mobile home?

The mechanics I'm more than happy with, my hang up at the moment is texturing a face but it will come I have a few done now its a matter of bringing them together.

Like you I'm awaiting TC3 at the moment.

Cheerio John

 

[Barry]

John select parts in object mode. Right click and hold down shift.
Control and J joins them together. Make a back up first just in case.

This is after settiing up F6 or the spotted symbol in the buttons window 2 bars symbol etc. I finished one part of castle, loaded a new texture F6 and did the next and so on. Join as detailed
If you change to the UV window after loading F6 image etc the image show in the UV window. Then use just UV or the U key as detailed below

For texface tab buttons window (2 bars). change to object view in Mesh window above. click globe in buttons window then second column along materials, click texface. When exporting to vrml2 etc no textures show unless this is clicked. Also I am using photo textures etc not material colours which doesn't need texface clicking. At least I don't think so.

4 different photographic textures and 4 main parts on Conway castle.
These are photo textures I use not material colours, etc.

To put textures on use either just UV window after setting up F6 or use mouse pointer over mesh and U on keyboard. select faces on mesh first with triangle symbol face select at bottom of mesh window in edit mode. Hold down shift and right click to select.

By using U you can make smooth photo textured items or make say the exact shape of a boat deck over the texture. Try "Project from view" option with the U function select the faces first and leave the image showing in the UV window. Triangle symbol is face select. You can the scale the texture as with a mesh.

The 4 dot symbol in the UV window lets you select single vertices etc.
Best to hold the mouse over the symbols and see what they do or try each one in turn.

Seems to export to im file ok but no idea what happens with it in trainz yet


Barry

 

[johnwhelan]

I think I have it now. I created and textured a box from scratch this evening as a scenery object and it comes up correctly in Trainz.

Now to add sides, ends and wheels.

Cheerio John

 

[Barry]

I think I have it now. I created and textured a box from scratch this evening as a scenery object and it comes up correctly in Trainz.

Now to add sides, ends and wheels.

Cheerio John

The basics are the important part and the simple box.
Having trouble myself with exporting Beaumaris castle to im.
Think I need a tutorial myself using several photo textures on large object with several parts joined together.
The F6 side not the problem

Barry

 

[Pencil42]

The TrainzDev Wiki now has a sample importer for TRS2009; might this be of use for the blender plug-in?
http://www.trainzdev.com/index.php?option=com_mambowiki&Itemid=39 then go to the download page

 

[AHSAN]

Hello

Includes info on other beta exporters.

also more info here:
http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=27651
or
http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=27629

Regards

Ahsan:wave:

 

[Barry]

Regarding actual content making with Blender and using multiple photo textures on different parts of an object I am still unsure of some points as regards exporting the completed object to the im. file.

So far have exported to im file (can't test in trainz yet).
4 cubes with 4 seperate (photo) textures joined together.
Conway castle with 4 seperate textures on 4 parts joined together.
Caernarvon castle with 1 texture.
A few objects such as canal boat and beacon c1800 for new brighton but these only have one texture each.

I know about setting up the F6 settings with image and load texture etc.
For the 4 textures I worked my way down the boxes and loaded each texture up.
Also do you use the first setting mat or the second which is world in the preview column?.

Also clicked texface for each part (does not export texture with vrml2 if not clicked but don't know what applies to the im file)

The other part which I am totally unsure of is setting up the "links and materials", or "links and pipelines" columns if using a few textures (photo) not just material colours. globe and edit symbols in the buttons window. With vrml2 and direct.x files I don't use these as exports with no problems

I came unstuck trying to export beaumaris castle with 2 seperate textures.

I made the blend files a while ago before looking at trainz exporter though.
But the main problem is what else as well as F6 setting need setting up as detailed if using a few texure maps. Again photo types and not just material colours.

Thanks

Barry

 

[johnwhelan]

Regarding actual content making with Blender and using multiple photo textures on different parts of an object I am still unsure of some points as regards exporting the completed object to the im. file.

So far have exported to im file (can't test in trainz yet).
4 cubes with 4 seperate (photo) textures joined together.
Conway castle with 4 seperate textures on 4 parts joined together.
Caernarvon castle with 1 texture.
A few objects such as canal boat and beacon c1800 for new brighton but these only have one texture each.

I know about setting up the F6 settings with image and load texture etc.
For the 4 textures I worked my way down the boxes and loaded each texture up.
Also do you use the first setting mat or the second which is world in the preview column?.

Also clicked texface for each part (does not export texture with vrml2 if not clicked but don't know what applies to the im file)

The other part which I am totally unsure of is setting up the "links and materials", or "links and pipelines" columns if using a few textures (photo) not just material colours. globe and edit symbols in the buttons window. With vrml2 and direct.x files I don't use these as exports with no problems

I came unstuck trying to export beaumaris castle with 2 seperate textures.

I made the blend files a while ago before looking at trainz exporter though.
But the main problem is what else as well as F6 setting need setting up as detailed if using a few texure maps. Again photo types and not just material colours.

Thanks

Barry

Want to zip up the .im file and the texture file and email it to me and I'll see if it imports OK? jwhelan0112 Gmail.com

Thanks John

 

[Barry]

Want to zip up the .im file and the texture file and email it to me and I'll see if it imports OK? jwhelan0112 Gmail.com

Thanks John

Hello John just sent the joined 4 boxes.
If that works maybe could send Conway Castle as in illus on this thread.
Unfortunately although this castle made the im file I can't get the same results with other items so we need to know whether the material or pipeline colums also need setting up?
Button window (2 bars), red globe and edit symbol at top.

 

[Barry]

Helllo John. Received all your emails. Just in case further problems with emails. Have just sent Conway castle as in illus in this thread, basic narrow boat, and new brighton beacon c1800..... By mistake I removed the texture file from test boxes and the Conway castle, sent so could you either re export the blend files to im, or make a new texture file for each...... So possibly the cause of im file not working in trainz.... Conway castle has 4 textures. The narrow boat and beacon just have one texture map each.... Mentioned in emails.. to put texture back on blend file. Mesh window edit mode. UV window open below and image symbol - fix broken path. Thanks Barry.

 

[Barry]

A very basic question. I no longer seem to be able to set double sided textures in version 2.46. This is using vrml2 and object editor viewer. Then clicking texface to enable the mesh to show texture. Is there only the one "double sided" button in buttons window and f9 editing. There used to be 2. This is using a photo texture. Maybe version 2.45 is easier as Blender 2.46 seems to have become more complex. Barry

 

[Barry]

Nope double sided textures in 2.46 don't seem to work as before at least when exporting to vrml2 which is all I can test at present.. So will use the other method of duplicate, then flip normals on the duplicate which gives us 2 sides back to back, which exports OK at least in vrml2... Regarding the trainz exporter a different system is used than when exporting to vrml2.... The same blend file with parts joined exports OK to vrml2 as in my illustration on the thread on conwy castle as vrml2. You used to have to keep them seperated..... I assume parts have to be kept seperated with trainz exporter? Trainz exporter...On each part a different material colour is made onto which is placed the image...... Where I loose the plot with the exporter is on the multiple textures and which columns are used to asign textures...... The same applies to say making a castle which is comparitively easiy in vrml2. Clone the towers and walls etc, texture one tower first before cloning and the same with the walls, the join all the bits and pieces.... Even joined rock base, floor, windows with different textures in the later Blender versions...Works fine for vrml2 and probably for direct.x but with the exporter this then brings up a list of objects with no material, etc. Maybe clone them in edit mode and make them all one as object as for castle towers and walls I only use one texture and a base material colour? Rocks below castle is a different texture,floor is different as cobbles texture. Windows and doors I make a sepeate items (basically a shaped cube) pushed them into the walls, and just joined them all together...Again works fine for vrml2... Single textured (one texture map) items in trainz exporter and one material colour seem to work fine..... The canal boat works OK and a coastal warning beacon c1800, etc, with the Blender exporter....Do you need to click the texface tab with the exporter with photo images, etc.... Essential when exporting to other file types otherwise mesh is just white. I think before versions 2.45 and 2.46 I never used that tab over the years, and it took me a few months and searches on the intenet to solve that problem.... No paragraphs due to using firefox without java etc. Barry

 

[johnwhelan]

Note to Barry,

We have managed to get your canal boat and beacon out, but I agree there is a need to build up the knowledge base on how to best apply textures in Blender to export into Trainz.

Cheerio John

 

[Barry]

Note to Barry,

We have managed to get your canal boat and beacon out, but I agree there is a need to build up the knowledge base on how to best apply textures in Blender to export into Trainz.

Cheerio John

John re your email.... It easy enough to seperate objects in edit mode, select vertices and P key. Then give each a seperate material colour. Seperate texture map put on each mesh with F6, material, load, etc. not sure of assigning material colour to textured mesh as there are a few seperate sections and not sure what to click. ...........Texface tab essential when exporting to vrml2 otherwise a white mesh........ Is it also required for the exporter for textures (photo, etc)........ Presumably then we don't join seperate textured meshes, but you can for vrml2, etc in later Blender versions as in the Conway castle as shown in vrml2 object viewer screenshot in this thread with the 4 seperate textured meshes joined together. Barry

 

[Barry]

Amended. See recent post. Barry.