enjoyMentalRayStringOptions, a UI to easely use MR string options

#101

@InfernalDarkness

My script does not “activate” stuff when opening.

The checkbox on the left create/remove the string options. The checkbox (and others inputs) on the right set values for string options.

Irradiance particles options are always created by Maya in the miDefaultOptions node (check the String option tab of this node, you will see there is many string options present here).

When you open enjoyMentalRayStringOptions it will set his UI depending on string options you have in your scene.

So if Irradiance particles string options are presents, It “activate” them (checkbox on the left) in his UI. But if you look at the checkbox on the right just after “Irradiance Particles” you will see it is not ticked: Irradiance Particles is actually not “activated” (mental ray will not render with them).

If you remove Irradiance Particles string options (tick checkbox on the left) you will break you render setting panel (because it need this string options to be shown).

This script does not change your string options if you don’t ask him to do it. It’s not a workflow script that take decisions for you. :wink:

Hope this help. :slight_smile:

EDIT: Oh! I think I understand your problem. Maya seems to have callbacks that make what you see in my script wrong… I have no solution (as I never encountered this actually. I just suppose this could be the problem) Just be careful and don’t remove string options Maya need. :slight_smile:

#102

Very good to know, Narann! I hope you didn’t feel I was implying that your script had anything to do with me breaking a scene, and it was just a test-scene anyway. Managed to fix it so if I ever screw up again I know what to do…

But yeah, my issues are all user-error on my part. Good work on the script my friend.

#103

No problem. :wink:

Did you try to remove the miDefaultOptions node?

#104

I wonder why nobody changed the render settings mel to have these new features along the other stuff. Should be possible right? And would be a lot easier to see what’s going on in a scene :slight_smile:

#105

You can alter the mel controlling the render settings directly. This has been done recently and we’re testing it. Hoping we can release it. It would be like native integration. :slight_smile: We 're bug hunting for now.

#106

Please stand by. . . :applause: We want to be sure it’s solid. We’re also hoping to make it more future friendly (like using IP + FG without the Maya UI logic turning off IP.)

It will also be part of a blog we’re assembling to gather useful information from others in the industry. And using our connections to A.R.C. we’re going to provide information on usage as close to what was designed as we can. Then add practical approaches on top of that.

#107

Wow! Good game Bitter!

Is this using tools bart was talking about during siggraph or is this completely new?

#108

great Bitter, exactly what I was looking for :applause:

#109

This is different, the controls Bart mentioned are similar but designed to go from Maya to Standalone. That script allows for direct translation and rendering to Standalone so you can basically bypass Maya for rendering will all the tools mental ray has to offer (like iray)

We are trying to create a standard interface for Maya without standalone.

This means you should be able to use the Maya interface as you’ve always done “as if” the features were integrated. We trying to do some testing now and expect a few hiccups but want to minimize that.

In theory this will make other scripts that use Unified Controls easier, like enabling/disabling iRay, etc. And you can use it to control the Rasterizer etc if necessary.

You will have to remember how the tools work, if Unified is on then it can control the Rasterizer so you will have to disable it for the Rasterizer if you want to use Legacy controls, etc. Otherwise you can stick to the main controls for Unified and omit others.

Unified also means you can ignore Jitter and Time Samples (motion blur) further simplifying the workflow.

Distribution might be an issue, haven’t looked into that just yet. In the event it’s not possible we will try to show you how to alter the files yourself.

#110

Look great! Really impatient to test this.

Yes, this is the may prob when you want to “integrate” something to Maya…

#111

The .mel license states it can be used outside Maya, etc. But I am not sure how distribution of an altered .mel will fly if made available publicly.

That’s the part I am most interested in for now. Otherwise this may need to become something of a tutorial as opposed to: here, run with it!

#112

Awesome work David! This looks like a great workflow enhancement. Can’t wait to try it out. :thumbsup:

-Justin

#113

You will have to remember how the tools work, if Unified is on then it can control the Rasterizer so you will have to disable it for the Rasterizer if you want to use Legacy controls, etc. Otherwise you can stick to the main controls for Unified and omit others.

I know my script’s goal is not like your bu do you think Rasterizer and others string options (actually I mean ALL string options) should be integrated to my script?

#114

:applause:

#115

I know my script’s goal is not like your bu do you think Rasterizer and others string options (actually I mean ALL string options) should be integrated to my script?

Not all of them, some are actually not integrated as a string and are part of the translator itself. So the Rasterizer is under the hood.

My colleague (Brenton) that wrote this script is looking into the features we can use for now and then we hope to release it.

As with anything, support will be hit or miss because we’re both insanely busy, but we’re hoping it will solve a lot of your problems. And you can use the script as a tool to integrate your own choices (like iRay if you have the library files)

#116

Yes, I just saw all rast options was not string option actually…

What a mess… All this energy to get things works in Maya as it should… It’s so depressing… :sad:

#117

MR for Maya is a mess… but I can’t imagine using an other 3d app instead though… hotbox forever :shrug:

thanks god for this community and all these useful scripts, make everyone’s life much easier :applause:

btw. is there somewhere a good documentation for the new built-in IBL? I loveeeee it but I’d like to know what each parameter does and what’s the difference between “approximate” and “light”.

#118

The nice thing about Maya is the fact you can manipulate it as a pipeline tool easier than something like Max. So it’s a mixed bag. The .mel scripts exist for you to alter if necessary.

I might look into a tutorial for the Builtin IBL, but I’m not sure it will be the choice of the future. For now the Builtin IBL is generally used as “automatic” but keep in mind that bsdf and mia materials will react differently to it. mia might be too bright.

#119

great Bitter!
We’re doing some animations atm and I made the lightning etc. and I chose the new IBL because it looks great without FG and with SSS (two characters hugging each other). Quality was at 0.4 and it looked fine. I’d rather live with grain (which looks kinda cool) than with the FG troubles.

I used mia’s for the specular channel @fast_sss_simple and with the light setting I have almost none highlights on the character. Using automatic I have those but the light looks somehow more realistic with “light”. See…that’s why I’d like to know what the hell I’m doing after all :smiley:

looking forward to the tutorial…

#120

@moz
Try this:
http://docs.autodesk.com/MENTALRAY/2012/ENU/mental%20ray%203.9%20Help/files/manual/node76.html#ibl
:wink:

The bitter post about BSDF + IBL:

http://forum.mentalimages.com/showthread.php?7289-BSDF-BRDF-shaders-in-Maya-2011