Cage:

i didn't feel that you were taking the thread off topic at all. i was starting to feel a little guilty about taking up your time when i am not certain how i would implement my idea in my software. i would like to know about what you have in mind and would like to get to know you better. it is unclear whether philc has any better idea than you do. he doesn't have a batch solution.

once i get my system to beta, i will have more time to get into the technical aspects of poser. i want to get it to market and generate some income and get some artist types to deal with creating content that works so it doesn't have to be fixed. i find the technical to be the most interesting but now there is only me and my computers to create the first library.

if you feel like you are arriving at something interesting, then please go on and include me in. i am always up for exploring new things. i really appreciate the interest you have shown and help you have extended to me and to others.
 

Cage:

i appreciate all your efforts. my real problem that started the thread was that i had some content with oak trees sitting in a mound of earth with roots hanging down. since i am making clipart, i couldn't use the trees. flattening the bottom took care of that. that is my real practical use. you have saved 28 oak trees. there are other instances where this will come in handy, i'm sure.

the idea of splitting the prop is a fantasy that occurred along the way. it may or may not be useful. considering the difficulty, i don't think it's worth your time unless it's a problem you just have to solve. if you do, i will certainly put it to good use if i can.  

i appreciate the conversation and looking at your code because it gives me a little more insight into the innerworkings. however, my mission is creating clipart and not making poser masterpieces or content.

i put some details about my 2d system in my second post above and a link to a partial sample (http://www.bestlogic.com/collage/default.asp). i have explained most everything on the pages but those who have seen them don't seem to get it. all the images can be moved, rotated, resized, cloned and other things.

i have not done any documentation because i am still working on the content library and when that is done, i will make a better UI. i am not an artist. i am trying to use some of the quality of poser in the clipart and it doesn't have to be perfect because the target audience is kids. however, when i get my render factors and lighting down, the quality will be pretty good. some of the collage pictures look as good as some of the uploads i've seen on rendo and since everything is done post-poser, i can have as many objects as i want in a scene.

since i am using 2d objects, everything has a unique z-order. with the fish example, i can put fish in front of a bowl or behind it but not in it. if i have a fish bowl in 2 parts, i can put the fish between them and it will appear inside. i could make fish bowls with fish inside, but it would seem better to me for the kids to make their own combinations if possible.

i have seen lots of your posts and am happy to be having a conversation. i just got your message that you were going into a thunderstorm. i live on bainbridge island, across from seattle. we don't have real lightning here. i lived in cincinnati for a while and after losing data and some equipment, i ended up putting everything on ups. instead, we have rain and clouds and no sun.
 

Cage:

ok. i tried it and it works and i can apply the materials to it. cool. the code looks pretty clear to me although the subject matter is new.

i understand little of this or where it's going. if i transfer only the vertices i want to retain, does that then create a new geometry that works and if so are the groups retained? am i getting the gist of this at all?

my purpose would be what i mentioned above, for example to create a fishbowl in 2 parts so that they could be positioned around the fish (in the 2d rendered versions).
 

Cage:
sounds pretty difficult to me.
you've solved my immediate problem. thanks.

Cage: your script accomplished what i needed to do. thanks.

i would be interested in what would be involved in deleting the vertices. i am not asking for a script but would like to get a better understanding.

EnglishBob: thanks for the suggestion.

philc: hi, thanks for your input. that it is possible is a good start.

you have provided some ideas as where one might begin. even better.

i downloaded your poserpython reference. i was up all night, so i didn't get a chance to view it in depth but it looks really great. the idea for moving the vertices came from what i saw.

i am thinking that another possibility is operating directly on the .obj file. maybe someone who understands the file structure will show up and enlighten us.
 

hi markschum. thanks for your interest.

why do i want to do this? i am working on a graphics program for kids called collage. i am using poser to create a clip art library. i use the ground as a shadow catcher only and i don't really build any scenes as such in poser.

i have no documentation except for some basic preliminary pages that show a small portion of what collage can do. the link to it is: http://www.bestlogic.com/collage/default.asp. the pages only work on ie. there are tool tips for the commands for the image toolbar but that and the dialogue are the only documentation.

collage creates a composite of individual images that are moveable. various characteristics such as rotation and size can be changed. what i have shown is just a small peek at the full system. i achieve the illusion of rotation by rendering each base image in 14 rotations.

as you can see from the sample, each collage can be used on web pages or processed into a single jpeg image. the image library is online or can run from a local computer. each collage is described by a small text file and constructed dynamically so that those who share the same library could transmit a small file instead of a full image. i am providing a library but local images can be used and a link to an image on a webpage will display it in collage without even having a local copy.

i am processing a large amount of content and making lots or renders, so i can't afford the effort it takes to do each piece manually. there are other things i want to do that would use the same process but in the example i mentioned, i have about 50 props that need to be processed this way in order to be really usable. currently, i have more than more than 2000 base images and most get rendered in 54 variations.

i was looking at the syntax for moving vertices and perhaps i can move the ones i don't want up to the level where i want to have a visible object. i have hexagon and it appears to be able to do what i want but not in an automated way. i would like to do something like i have described but it is not essential. there is a vast amount of available content.

another possible use would require splitting a prop in two. since i am working in 2d, i have no way to create for example, fish in a fish bowl. all images in collage have a z-order. if i split the fish bowl, i can place half of it first, then the fish and then the front. i am not sure if i am making sense. i have been proceeding to the final product and thinking that seeing it in action will be obvious. when kids see me do it, they catch on right away so i am planning to use screen capture videos for documentation.
 

thanks. sounds good. i'll give that a try.

very cool. that was more straight forward than i thought. thanks a lot for the solutions, guys.

svdl: (Steven) you were the solution to the first part of the adventure. i used your script for setting normals forward in case you didn't read that thread. i am using more and more of your scripts. i must owe you dinner at least....

thanks Acadia for the light set. it seems to make the images clearer and gives me a starting point to develop from. i am believing that there are problems with the content itself, but with the normals forward thing fixed, i think they will be good enough for my project. i think i will buy the plants that i don't already have. that covers a lot of plant types and variations at low cost.

the real bonus for me was getting the script you suggested. i took the code and put it into my pz3 creation script and it fixed all the props automatically. i have 339 lisa prop files and i would never have enough time to fix them the regular way. it took about a half hour of computer time while i did something else.
 

it would seem that this content was converted from some other graphics program(??). i am not sure how a newbie is supposed to handle this without help from the forum. i applaud the patience you have had.

i was using the default lighting to have a reference point. i searched for suggestions on plant lighting but couldn't find any. getting a start in the right direction would be most helpful but i need something simple.

i am rendering clipart for a program i have developed for kids and i can't afford long render times. in the case where content takes to long, i am presently not using it. there is plenty to choose from that works fairly well.

i have several packages in the lisa series and i will have to check them out. fortunately i have a script i use that makes pz3's from props in the library and renders them according to what i want to try. otherwise, i would never have the patience.

thanks for your help to you both. and again, thanks to svdl.

congratulations !!!

thanks acadia for starting this conversation and to those who provided all the information. otherwise, i would have overlooked it. the forum has been useful in many ways and also  very entertaining.

i did the download and hope to get to know daz studio better when i have more free time. i think i already had the free stuff but i downloaded it anyway.

i bypassed the mil dog package, although i wanted it , but instead went for the safari package and added a set of poses for $2. i have been trying to get all the animals i can for my library of clipart and that filled some blanks.

what fun!

there hasn't been anything new for a while...
maybe you could ask on their forum if you haven't already.