Maya to DirectX Exporter Problems

#1

Hello… trying to figure out this new sdk exporter for maya 6 and it seems to keep giving me major problems. I just downloaded the April 2005 DirectX SDK because the last version (Feb 2005) had problems exporting skinned meshes. The skinned mesh problem is solved not but unfortunately everything else is not working.

 For exporting very simple files things seem to work ok, but as soon as I try to export anything useful horrible things happen.... the exporter seems to just barf out random information about the mesh. Sometimes the output .X file is very small (less than a meg) for models whose files should be much larger.... but sometimes it outputs files that are TOO large (like more than 50 megs). At any rate it does not consistently export anything... at least the old problem was consistent. It exported a model almost correct once but all the materials were wrong and a single vertex was not connected to the skeleton.

I have no idea what the cause of these problems is… I am assuming it is the Exporter but if anyone else has had these problems and found a solution I would be very grateful to hear it.

Thanks in advance

#2

I have not tested it for version 6, but if you are exporting Bone animation, make sure there is no more than 4 influence per vertex. That is the limit at with DirectX configures its vertex structure. Some times, exporting non-supported data causes DirectX Exporter to behave unexpected. So make sure you are not exporting anything weired.

#3

How do I utilise it to export an object with Textures ?

Currently exhausted every option I can find, but still can’t get anything out with a texture applied to it ?

#4

The same problem.

I too have the basic problem of assigning textures to objects that I export to directX files.
Is there anyone who has a propper explanation to how to do so? I have searched the web several times, but still didn’t find a tutorial or something similar.

I would really appreciate any help or another suggestion to how to convert maya objects into directX objects without any difficulty (I really mean basic stuff here).

#5

I have the same problem. I just want to export a model with texture, but I can’t see to make it. Is there anyone who can guide and explain the steps in this process?
Sorry for writing it twice…

#6

As far as I can see, you need to make a .fx shader, and assign your textures that way, you will probably be able to create a .fx file via something like ATI’s Rendermonkey, it’s far too much of a ‘pissy’ way of doing something, so I’m now using Maya 5 (and the working - easy export - version) Direct X Export, it means for me modelling / texturing in Maya 6.5, and rigging / animation / export in Maya 5.

#7

I am not going to start programming FX files. I don’t want effects or anything.

Now, if I understand you correctly, you say that Maya 5 has no such problems with the exportation?
I can assign the textures and create the models in Maya 6, then open these files in Maya 5 and export them to DirectX files correctly?

#8

FX files aren’t just ‘effects’, typically an .fx file can hold nothing more than material and texture information, this is how the next generation of direct x ‘shaders’ (where shader refers only the fact that it used as a naming convention for an object’s ‘surface’ properties) will be created.

However, if your wanting ‘old school’ :), i.e. ‘working’ Direct X Export, I recommend this download : -

http://www.quest3d.com/download/Maya_5.0_X_Exporter_VertexColor.exe

because it supports Vertex Colours (:thumbsup:)

the goto highend3D.com and download the mayafileconverter, it converts maya 6 files so that they are compatible with Maya 5 (or alternately just use Maya 5 to start)

don’t know if this link will work for the mayafileconverter, but here’s a shot : -

http://highend3d.com/files/dl.3d?group=mayaplugins&file_loc=mayaFileConverter_10_WIN32_FREEWARE-v1.0-.zip&file_id=2936

good luck!

#9

Thank you very very much, I’ll try that!

:bounce:

#10

Im not sure exactly how long this has been here, but last time I downloaded the DirectX SDK It only included the Maya 6 X exporter plugin and not a maya 6.5 exporter plugin. Anyways this seems to tell you everything you need to know.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/directx9_c/directx/directxsdk/Tools/Content/DXExtensions/MayaPlugin.asp

#11

Yeah, we’ve tried the 6.5 exporter in the two latest SDK’s, I had to download both, because the recent one was an update and for some reason didn’t include the dxcc.dll that was included the previous version. Anyway, that aside, installing and getting the thing up and running hasn’t been a problem, the main thing is actually getting something you can ‘view’ inside Maya or export thereafter, you have to manually create your own .fx files, previously I’ve been able to manipulate one of the .fx shaders that come with the Direct X SDK to actually get an object appearing with a texture, but proved a pointless hack anyway due to the ‘excess’ crap in that .fx file, at the very (fu**ing) least, Microsft should include a very basic .fx file, i.e. plain lambert material (or phong / blinn, etc) with a texture assignment, or even better, something ‘visual’ for creating .fx files with, Nvidia’s FX Composer was too… programmer related, and ATI’s RenderMonkey I had trouble getting anything up and running due to confusing documentation, in my opinion I would prefer it to work like this : -

http://mtlstream02.discreet.com/streaming/qt/showdx_300k.mov

in fact (quick idea here), I think I’m going to create a .fx file in MAX and utilise it in Maya and see how it comes out, but then again, actual display of .fx files is also problematic, I’ve had ‘nothing’ beyond the initial ‘manipulated’ .fx file showcasing in Maya, and even then, ‘only’ in the Direct X Window Viewer, nothing in Maya, absolutely bloody rubbish.

#12

Sorry for interrupting you thread. What is the most appropriate (working) X exporter for Maya 6.01 ?
Thanks you.

#13

It took me a while to find the time to try it, but it works!!!:bounce:
I greatly thank you again for your help!:applause:

#14

Hi just thought i would chip in with this kind of related thread i started over on the 3ds max board.

http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=235549

In this thread 3dQuest gets a mentions and there is a great link to some work by a guy called alfred (post #20) who has used it to create an app to view mis model and allow the user to move around it in real time.

I am really looking at getting into creating real-time .fx shaders and would really like to be able to get a viewer like alberts up and running that is capable of showing off my shaders over models I have made.

I think benzoate’s shows that it is more than possible to export from maya to directX. however how difficult would it be to get a viewer up and running once you have your file exported. (ie: will it be an extreme coding challenge or does something like this already exisist?)

thanks in advance. Will.

#15

Hi all,
I use maya 6 to create 3d object and some spot light to light on the object
from maya i want to export the scene into X file format (include property of light, for example
Red Green Blue color and intensity… ) .
now i use D3Dmaya6ExportX.mll from Microsoft DirectX 9.0 SDK (April 2005) but no option to choose for exporting ! I do not know Why? Anyone can help me?
I need any plugin for maya 6 that allow export X file format and light
the reason i want to use the light’s properties to render correctly.
Now, it is very very importance with me.
hope you will ignore for me if i have any wrong in English.
Hope i will receive some help from you as soon as posible.
Thanks for any help.

#16

Hi all,

I use maya 6 to create 3d object and some spot light to light on the object

from maya i want to export the scene into X file format (include property of light, for example

Red Green Blue color and intensity… ) .

now i use D3Dmaya6ExportX.mll from Microsoft DirectX 9.0 SDK (April 2005) but no option to choose for exporting ! I do not know Why? Anyone can help me?

I need any plugin for maya 6 that allow export X file format and light

the reason i want to use the light’s properties to render correctly.

Now, it is very very importance with me.

hope you will ignore for me if i have any wrong in English.

Hope i will receive some help from you as soon as posible.

Thanks for any help.

#17

.x is a model format and does not store lights.

For additional .x exporters, you can check the quest3d.com site, they have a bunch of .x exporters for various programs on their site.

#18

Hello,

I’ve read the thread on x-file export problems. I’m still stuck. Bear over with me.

Previously, with my Maya 5.0 I make my geometry, I attach materials, textures as external files, skeletons etc., use my downloaded x-file plugin and off I go. My normal mesh displaying direct3d code does its thing (like the DirectX tutorial 6) displaying it nicely. I also incidentally get it to look quite nice with a simple effects file (e.g with the BasicHLSL sample).

–

Now, with my maya 6.5 it’s all hairy. I do see the tutorial given by DirectX on maya exporting with a DirectX material and attached effects.

I’m not always interested in exporting my models with effects though, and I’m looking for a simple way to export my old models from Maya 6.5 for the good-old fashioned fixed rendering pipeline.

If I export my models with the directx exporter all my materials are null and the texture references are null.

(I do see from previous entries on this thread that some claim the .x format doesn’t include light/materials. That might be, but at least there was light and materials back with the maya 5 exporter).

How are you other maya modellers coping with this? Any hint is appreciated.

:slight_smile:

Battuta.

#19

when i first went to install it i ran into a few problems like that, and it is probably because not all the files were copied over, so find the file with the mll mel and the other things and copy all the files to the places are in the delete list for reinstalling in the readme file which can be found in the source file

#20

This is really f**ed up , I have been having ALOT of problems with the microsoft exporter , and it seams the user made exporter made for maya 5 is waaaaaaaay better than the microsoft one (how the hell is that possible??).I am making a game that uses .x files and I model in maya 6 and export as obj , then I import in maya 5 , animate and export in x.(this is verry crappy workflow).I followed all the steps form the tutorials I found on the net and when I do a bone animation (with rigid bind , that means the vertexes aren’t influenced by many bones) it shows up lyke crap , I would really love to find somebody that actualy managed to do something animated with this exporter , and then use it. I REALY AM ASTONISHED THAT MICROSOFT MADE A MUCH CRAPPIER EXPORTER THAN AN ENTHUSIAST.