Fuchur

Hi Robert, a good starting point might be that: It is a shame, that the pdfs are not available anymore here, but there is still nice information in there. And here the PDFs are still available: Important: All computers need to be in the same network of cause! It is very helpful, if you have the render-data at a place where every computer can access it. Best is a NAS or another type of network drive. If you do not have something like that, you can still copy the data (A:M files, textures, etc.) over to each computer on the same position like for instance "C:/am_project/my_project.prj". Important: Do not copy it on your desktop, since the path will vary from computer to computer if the computer user name is different(!). In general it is pretty easy: 1.) Start RenderServer_64.exe on one of your computers. Make sure it has at least one Core assigned, which is not occupied by a Messenger/Slave. Theoretically it is not necessary, but I think it is the best option. 2.) Now you should read out the IP-address and Port of this computer / the Render Server. You should be able to see that by going to "Tools > Options > Connection". 3.) You can use the other cores of the computer (renderserver) to render too. 4.) Double-Click on RenderMessenger_64.exe in the A:M folder and use the wizard. There your NetRender Server should be automatically set to the IP address you got from step 2. If not, put it in. Same with the port. 5.) On "User defined data" you do not have to put something in, but it is a good idea to write something in that helps you to identify the computer with. That makes it easy to find out, if something is happening with that computer (this is not very hard to guess if you have only 1 or 2 computers in use, but I did it with 12 computers before and than this is really helpful). 6.) If the path of the project files (etc.) is different for the computers (so you could not use a NAS / network drive with the same letter (P:/, etc.) on the computers or you could not copy the files to the same position, the next step can help you. I would try to avoid it, but you can try it out here. 7.) Now start the next computer and install A:M on it. You do not need an own license for that computer or something. After install, just click on "RenderMessenger_64.exe" and follow the Wizard here too. Be sure to put in the right IP and Port of the RenderServer now. 8.) Check the connection of the Rendermessenger. You can see that, in the task bar (next to the clock on Windows). If the icon shows a connection (both "lines are next to eachother without a gab inbetween). If that worked, go back to the Renderserver and have a look. In the lower area of the RenderServer-Window you should now see the other computer-Netrenderslaves and the one of your own computer. 9.) If that is the case, the connection is working and you should be pretty ready to go :). After that just open Render Messenger on both computers as often as you've got cores (or virtual cores if you use HT/SMT). Only on the Netserver computer leave one to the server. So if you have a 4 core computer with HyperThreading (HT, Intel) or Simultaneous Multithreading(SMT, AMD) you can use 8 instances on the other computer and 7 on the the server (if the server is a 4 core too). 10.) Now on the Render Server go to "File > New". This will open a new window (Pool1 or something like that). In that at the top right-click and choose "New Job". A wizard will pop up. Give it a name (this is only for you if you render a couple of different jobs in a row for instance you can see what you do there... for instance "Peter's day out - Walk animation Scene 01 - Take 01" or something like that is a good idea, especially since I leave the jobs in there in general even if they have finished. Browse for the project-file (or chor) on the next button. Be sure, that the path is available on all computers in the same way (or use the option of 6.). Select which camera and chor in the project you want to use below that. In general you can leave OpenMP off and GPU is only needed if you use for instance FakeAO/SSAO or something like that. But first I would just try it with an very easy project. 11.) Next put in the render settings you want or use a preset. At the path at "Filename" make sure that the path is available for any computer. You can render to your own c:/ or a net-drive. For the net drive be sure you can access that from any computer. Anything else should be clear. It is mostly the normal render settings you already should know. 12.) After that the new job should be available in the Pool1-Wndows. Now save the job on the server somewhere. (or a net drive... this does not need to be available to other computers) 13.) Now drag and drop the Instances in the lower area of the Window to the lower part of the Pool1 window. After that, the Netmessengers on the computers should start Renderslaves and render the things. You should be able to watch that on the computer displays and you should be able to see that on the REnder Server too. It refreshes every few settings. If something is not working, you should get an information about errors and so on. If you get some, check what it might be on the computer or by having a look at the render server. Notice: In the Pool1 Window the right mouse button is key. There are a couple of different options there which are really helpful (and pretty straight forward). I hope I could help a little. If you have any kind of question or problems let us know. Best regards *Fuchur* PS: And this might be interesting for a lot of cores too: https://www.patchwork3d.de/start-am-netrender-185-en

Maybe you need to set the key color differently? Import your TGAs and if they do not have an alpha channel in them, you should find an Option "Key Color" below it in the Images folder. Try to set that to white. Best regards *Fuchur*

There is one option called "Compress (RLE)". Is that the problem? Best regards *Fuchur*

Anything like Let's Encrypt is not an option? If you are only after domain certification it really does the job pretty well and you have more or less full control over it especially if you use Plesk or any other server software that can handle re-issuing it automatically? Best regards *Fuchur*

You are very likely allowed to use v17 very likely but not v18 or up. I am not sure what Xnview does there, but I would try it out. It is free and available here. It might give you an option for that. Xnview is very different from Photoshop and a lot faster in what it can do but of cause it can not do what Photoshop can do often. In Photoshop you could use a Layer-Mask with the content of a alpha channel to get the data out fine, but the problem is it is a pretty manual process there. Best regards *Fuchur*

You could try to mass convert them with Xnview for instance to PNG. Best regards *Fuchur*

I would open a report and but the file in it. Steffen would than use yours instead of the current one very likely. Otherwise something like WinMerge might help a lot for that. Best regards *Fuchur*

Short answer: There is none at the moment. I thought to program a upload functionality for that on the website, but I got sidetracked. I'll see into that and what to do there, but it will very likely take a little time till I can come up with something. But you can always start changing it and we will then see what to do (in your case pretty sure that it will be approved anyway ;)) All the data is saved in the txt file in the A:M installation called "AMAindex.txt". Best regards *Fuchur*

One of the best line ups I've ever seen from them. They are very likely killing all intel has to offer in the desktop market now and they have been pretty nice since Ryzen (1) came out already. And now it seems like they can beat everything Intel has up to i9 even if we look at IPC. Very happy to see this :). *Fuchur*

Very pretty

Check your mail again ;). Best regards *Fuchur*

@john: I've been using Unity3d with A:M for quite some time now for smaller stuff... same workflow more or less and it can import and access the animations created with A:M and exported from Unwrap3d. @robert: A:M's directx-exporter can't do it and I think I asked the original developer way back if it would be possible to include vertex-/cp-/muscle-/morph-target-animations and he said it would not be possible with directX. It only supports bones and cp/vertex weights. It might be possible with DirectX 9, but the plugin can only export v8. But I am not sure if v9 would make any difference for that...

DirectX can not handle muscle animation. You can only use bone animation and CP weights. It is not Sketchfab, so I am not sure what they would support. Best regards *Fuchur*

That looks pretty cool John :). Well done! I just had a look with my VR headset on here and she really is looking great. Best regards *Fuchur*

Congratulations everybody, VERY well done – and as always very entertaining and very well done Robert :). Best regards *Fuchur*

Normals are facing the same way? Best regards *Fuchur*

In some cases you might want to copy the texture files over to where the *.x file is placed so they are just in the same folder. In general that should do it. UVs are saved with the directx file by default if you use decals. Best regards *Fuchur*

AR is short for Augmented Reality ;). I know SnapChat and have had to do with them, but I did not do any kind of lense for them till now. From what I have seen from them it is a platform, which is mostly used by teenagers who want to send nude pics to other teenagers more or less ;). SnapChat is all about being able to send something that can not be copied, made a screenshot from and which is only lasting a certain time before getting deleted. (at least they claim that) Snapchat has been bigger before but since FB, Instagramm, Whatsapp and Twitter all included a lot of features from them because they started to grow big, they lost market share quite a bit. I am personally very unhappy with Snapchat because they did boykott Windows Phone/Mobile because they got paid by Google to do so... that was a very bad/sneaky move and I really do not like that kind of behaviour. After that they tried to sell goggles branded by them and including a camera to take snapchat fotos with them but they heavily failed with that. They always tried to create an "AR" based experience but they did not name it like that but just used it for instance to use the selfi camera of the smartphone to put funny hats or masks over the users face. And now bring in the nude pics things and think about what you could put on funny hats additional to that. And that is more or less what I know about them... But I am still very interested because I really like everything about VR and AR today... Keep us updated on your progress and what the customer things about it please :). Best regards *Fuchur*

At 25 micron I would say those steps are no longer really visible right? A very well printed 100 micron fdm layer height is already pretty hard to see/you have to focus on it to see it. I imagine at 4 times the resolution it should be pretty close to not visible with the eye only or am I wrong?

You can use chemicals for surface smoothing but especially for PLA that stuff is pretty toxic. If you are after jewel like surface finishing you need to go with a SLA or SLP printer. FDM is better for robust stuff where the perfect finish is not needed that much. Especially SLP printers are pretty affordable today but the build material is more expensive than for fdm printers (it is a resin so a little messier too). I am looking to get one in the near future. best regards *Fuchur*

That looks pretty nice :). You are not happy with it? Looks pretty solid to me... a little bit of a problem at the neck part, but still looks quite okay. Best regards *Fuchur*

Did you check "Tools > Options > Folders" as Ken said? Sounds like something messed up there... if that folder is not available and does not hold the HXT-files, you are very likely not seeing any plugins anymore. If there is no folder in there or the folder is wrong/not existent anymore on your system, you would have to click on the new button (upper right next to the delete button) and specify the right folder for your HXT-Plugins there. Best regards *Fuchur*

Ah, that explains it :). SLS/powderbased printers are really very expensive... even the one developed by Form Labs at the moment is pretty much out of my league... and that one is very inexpensive in comparision. Just to have said it again: The quality of the molten medal is pretty amazing :). Thanks for the hard work on that it really shines happily on a prominent spot here :). Best regards *Fuchur*

Oh and I just want to say sorry to you Pitcher, because I am really pretty much high jacking your thread here that much... maybe we should open another one for that? Best regards *Fuchur*

Dual extruders are nice (my replicator 2x is one) but as interesting as dissolvable supports are, they only have advantages if you are not able to reach the supports (for instance they are inside of an object or they are very small. The problem with supports for FDM is, that both are melting and get mixed a little. And like that they are not totally separated and will leave small marks too. I would have to try it out again because the last time I did that is years ago (some software updates could make a difference here) but my first tries can be seen here: https://www.patchwork3d.de/blog-5-en/abs-u-pva-print-on-my-makerbot-replicator-2x-514 I tried to make my replicator 2x a all-rounder-machine (it is in general meant to print ABS, not like my replicator 2 PLA) and ABS has a lot of problems with shrinking. But for PLA (which has close to no shrinking problems) you need different cooling mechanisms. For that I have build additional cooling fans next to my nossle and stuff like that but I never got it perfectly to run till now (have to admit that I did not try it extensively...) so I use my replicator 2 for most prints just because it is very, very dependable. I can shut it off for half a year, come back to it then and it will print as if it was half an hour later... I really like it. The moment I activate my replicator 2x and print something else then ABS with it, I have to invest a lot of time. That is, why I tend to just model stuff the way I need it to avoid overhangs... like these minions for a wedding cake: https://www.patchwork3d.de/blog-5-en/minion-mariage-or-what-you-should-put-on-a-cake-part-1-731 https://www.patchwork3d.de/blog-5-en/minion-mariage-or-what-you-should-put-on-a-cake-part-2-732 (when I printed them I was in the middle of reassembling my printer with a new nozzle/print head so the quality suffered a bit because it was not really done till then, but it had to be done very fast because the wedding was close and it was still fun to do and they liked it a lot ) In the images attached you can see how I've split up the male minion model for printing it and then I just glued those together afterwards and painted them (and yes, I am really not talented with painting models as you may see ) Best regards *Fuchur*