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Geespot
09-03-2003, 11:35 PM
Hiya

Due to time restrictions I have trouble working on my SurfaceManager I was making like 2 months ago. So I decided to release the latest build (its stable as far as I know), hopefully other developers with spare time can continue with it and make it a more useful plugin. There are some things I was trying to do but couldn't get it working, maybe you can.

What is SurfaceManager?
As the name suggests, SurfaceManager is a plugin that works like any of the other managers found in Cinema4D. That means that it does not add any modeling, shading or deformation tools, it rather offers a convenient way of managing certain properties of your objects, specifically the interaction between selection and material tags. In the same way as you would use the standard material manager to deal with the numerous materials needed for your scene, you will use SurfaceManager to handle multiple materials within single objects.

Downloads:

For non-programmers you can get it at
http://www.geearea.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/sm/SurfaceManager.zip

For Programmers who wish to continue with its development
http://www.geearea.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/sm/SurfaceManagerSource.zip

Please note those links are temporary, for how long I don't know (but at least a few weeks/months)

For usage please read the surfacemanager.html inside the zip file, it contains instructions on how to use it.

Special thanks to JamesMK for writing the document (it hasn't gone to waste which you may of thought by now) and mnu for offering a download place for SurfaceManager (even though it doesn't matter now, thanks anyway)

The following is for developers who wish to continue its development
If you continue it, could you please offer it FREE for download. I had no intention on selling it or making any profit for it whatsoever, I would be grateful if you respect my generosity.

Theres hardly any comments, sorry about that but I wrote (and learn't) it in 2 days and was rushing to test it out!

Built using the SDK as a template, so you will find information from the SDK in there too.

Theres commented code in there, i was trying to add new features, some things just did not work and I couldn't work out why :(

The features I was trying to implement
1. Clicking a surface name in SurfaceManager selects the corresponding selection tag and becomes active in the AM
2. Buttons to de/select polygons (so you dont need to use the AM)

So the interface would be something like

[R][S][D] SurfaceName [Material]

Where
[R] is the rename button
[S] is select polygons button
[D] is de-select polygons button

Anyway I leave it up to you if you interested

Thanks for looking!
Kotayus
09-04-2003, 12:17 AM
Thank you for offering the plugin, i think its very admirable to share what you have compiled thus far. I will be checking it out shortly, thanks again!
Kotayus
09-04-2003, 12:27 AM
this is pretty cool..though simple, i can see it helping greatly...as i have messed up on selections before...thanks!

Me is thinking squid will like this one...
JamesMK
09-04-2003, 12:33 AM
Great stuff, Geespot! Yes, I almost started thinking you quit on this - good to see you didn't! *downloading...*
artdude12
09-04-2003, 12:44 AM
This doesn't seem to be working for me.
Have any other Mac people been able to get this
to work?
Geespot
09-04-2003, 12:49 AM
Sorry, forgot to mention its windows only. If anyone out there knows how to compile it for Mac, feel free :beer:

Also im not sure what versions of C4D it works for, sorry about that

Great stuff, Geespot! Yes, I almost started thinking you quit on this - good to see you didn't! *downloading...*

Quit is such a strong word, more like.... slow development? :shrug:

Kotayus: Yea, I made it simple on purpose. Just wanted a way to put materials on imported objects quickly (Poser models are a nightmare when imported)
flingster
09-06-2003, 11:52 AM
sounds interesting will take a look.
thanks for sharing your efforts and hopefully some of the other plugin developers can take a look at it also.
:beer: :beer:
JIII
09-06-2003, 05:34 PM
calling all mac complier people.

You are sorely needed.
astrofish
10-05-2003, 11:18 AM
Thanks for this Geespot, it's a nice little plugin.

Since no one else has done it yet, I've compiled it for the Mac. I've not made any changes to the code, just made a Mac project file and ran it through Codewarrior.

The zipfile also contains the Codewarrior project file. If you want to do development of the plugin then you'll still need Geespot's original source download.

If you just want to use the plugin on the mac, you can ignore the project file.

Let me know if it doesn't work, I haven't got a Mac to test it on (compiled under windows)...

Mac Surface Manager (http://www.astrofish.com/stuff/MacSurfaceManager.zip)

Remember, I didn't write this - Geespot did. All I've done is run it through a Mac compiler.

Cheers - Steve
Geespot
10-05-2003, 12:02 PM
Thanks for that astrofish

Actually Im having trouble using Surface Manager for 8.2, it was ok for 8.1 - i think :shrug: (it was my first plugin so i didn't know what I was really doing)

Now I got my own C4D I might go and continue with it, thats of-course in between several other plugins im *attempting* to make :p
astrofish
10-05-2003, 12:13 PM
I've not tested it much, but I've built it and ran it (Windows) under 8.2. The only thing I noticed is that when you drag a material into the manager it doesn't update the manager display with the material name until there is a redraw - e.g. move the view camera slightly, etc.

Cheers - Steve
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