Hi all,

I have just installed Vue 7.4. When I opened an existing file which contains a Poser character, the materials on the figure, clothing and hair were not displayed normally in the preview (they were simply grey). The picture does render normally, so the materials are loaded.
The same thing happens if I create a new scene in Vue7 and import a poser figure; ie, only grey materials in preview.

I assume that this is something to do with the settings. I have OpenGL on hardware acceleration, OpenGL lighting and atmosphere preview are checked. Enable background draw is checked. Display is set to Smooth shaded.

I am using a 64 bit system with Windows Vista and Nvidia GeForce 8800GT video card (latest drivers loaded).

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can get full colour display in the preview panels?

Cheers,

IsaacNewton

How is the setting about automatic material preview update in the preferences (first tab)?

Hi Wabe,

In Options:General Preferences I found the following option:
"Disable automatic material preview rendering"
This was checked. I just unchecked it and restarted Vue7 and reloaded a file. However, the result is the same; grey materials on all Poser objects.

By the way on the Poser Import Options popup window when importing an object, I have the option: "Render materials using Poser shader tree" checked.

More suggestions welcome :)

Isaac

I have had lots of bugs with V7.4 and a 8800 GTS board, including this one. I ultimately went back to 7.21.

Maybe try to push the instand draw/background draw quality to the max in the preferences?

Ok, this was not it. You indeed should try to change the "enable background draw thread" in the preferences too, it might change some things. To push the sliders to the maximum probably will not do the trick because this is not something that influences the material previews, as far as I know.

The "Render materials using Poser shader tree" indeed - when I remember it right (I never use that) - gives only icons as material previews and does not show the actual material. To see whether this is part of the problem, you can try to import another format - obj or 3DS for example. And see whether you have the same phenomena.

It seems that the materials of any object, even Vue primatives are not being displayed in preview windows, however they do appear when rendered.

For clarity, here are my options settings: Options

... and Display Options:

I have now a case where this happens too - and have heard from another user who has this issue. In my eyes it is a bug. Not too serious but however, a bug.

I have encountered a bug with the material preview -I cant decide if it is the same problem as that isaacnewton has...  anyhow this is what I reported to e-on, just in case it helps someone else: ------------- I import 2 .obj items. After the first (3ballsbottle) there is no sign of any problem. After reading the second (Cylbottle): (See corresponding section in attached file) A. The object that isnt selected turns green, The material preview window (top left corner) turns black completely (the material should be shown on a sphere, there is no sphere at all) B. I select the other material, the selected object turns red,as it should, but the other turns green. Preview window is black. C. I open the material editor, The preview window in it (top part) is a black square. The color production preview is correct. (it's the default material). D. I click x to close the material editor, without changing or saving anything, now the material preview in the top corner is correct! Not only that, the material preview of the other object, which I have not edited at all, is now correct too!

Note: the scene render in the little window in the world browser and any full renders I make at any stage are all correct.

PS - I am sending you the objects too but the problem is general, not just with these 2 objects. It happened with some poser objects too.

Update: Lee Randall said today that she reproduced the bug and forwarded it to the developers. Not a solution yet, but a step in the right direction.

Since not all Vue7 users are shouting at E-ON about this issue, I can only assume it is related to the video card or Vista itself.
If that is the case then I am frankly surprised E-ON has not identified and dealt with the problem before.
I know that they cannot test their software on every possible hardware/software combination, but neither Vista 64 bit or GeForce 8800 series cards are unusual or uncommon.

I have the 8800 GTX with the latest driver too and this problem is in Vue 7.4 beta only. The 7.5 Pre release did Not have that problem. It is not a problem by Nvidea it is a problem by e-on.

Mazak

Sorry to see you have had the same problem Mazak, but it is also something of a relief.

What I find strange is that I bought Vue7inf and downloaded the latest upgrade (Build 40761) [which btw I can't even find on the e-on site now!], and my version of Vue still says:

Vue7.21-04 Build 40761   NOT Vue7.4

I did also try the beta upgrade available from e-on (Vue 7 Infinite 7.4 - Build 42554) but if I remember correctly, that also says Vue7.2xxxxx)

In either case, the problem remains the same.

My Vue 7.4 is 7.40-04 Build 42554
My Vue 7.5 is 7.50-04 Build 42184
Windows Vista 64bit. Both run on same machine.

Mazak

edit: I use 7.5 almost because the 7.4 version cause to much trouble.

I just loaded the beta upgrade on top of the previous one and indeed it does say:
Vue7.4-04 Build 42554
The problem remains.

Is Vue 7.5 a free upgrade? I don't see it on the e-on site either way?

7.5 is not free. I get it with maintenance plan.

Mazak

That's nice of e-on, they sell 7.4 which doesn't work and then you have to buy maintenence to get 7.5 which might work.

Please ... Vue 7.4 is a beta. Windows users will get a stable and useful version 100%. 

Mazak

I hope what you say is true Mazak. However, the problem of the preview display not using materials is present in Vue 7.2 which is supposed to be the present stable version.
This does not give me much hope for the final version of Vue 7.4!
Unless of course E-ON can say to me "Silly boy, you need to check this option in this tab!"

I finally find out why Vue was so stubburnly refusing to use any materials in the Preview windows. The answer is simple because the default setting is set to use grey. At least on my system it was set to default grey.
This option is not in the Options menu window as far as I can see but in the top panel of the tool panel on the right of the screen.
When an object is selected and the Aspect tab (left most tab) is selected in the top panel there is a small pull down menu for selecting the colour you want objects to be in the preview window. This was set to grey. There is an option A which I assume stands for Automatic. When I selected this all objects in the scene suddenly appeared in full colour with the correct materials applied. This setting is remembered for other scenes that may be loaded.
Problem solved.

Now, what amazes me is that E-ON did'n't know about this option. If they had then surely they would have told me to check it. Also, why on earth was the default set to grey and not automatic??

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions guys :)

regards,
Isaac

Ahh yes Auto Color that's it. Always this little tiny icons.... in Vue :glare: :biggrin:

Mazak