Forum: DAZ|Studio


Subject: Instances to Points

DocPhoton opened this issue on Nov 17, 2024 · 8 posts


DocPhoton posted Sun, 17 November 2024 at 10:24 AM

There's a script by Code66 (Instances to Objects), that converts items that are instanced in a scene into individual geometry objects. The result increases the scene size naturally, depending on what was de-instanced. Might there be a similar script that just gives just the point information where the instances are placed? Or even just outputs to points via OBJ as ultimately that's what I'm wanting.

Seems that UltraScatter already has to perform that calculation, but I'm not seeing a function that give the user access.

_____________________________________________________
There are though a few other options in UltraScatterâ„¢
when it comes to rotations that rotates using other positions
than the origin, and that information cannot be
obtained by Instances to Objects which causes those
scatters to not be correctly transformed, which right now
is nothing that can be fixed unless that information becomes
available in the resulting scatters.
_____________________________________________________


GGreen posted Sun, 17 November 2024 at 11:12 AM

I own several of Code55 products, can you explain what you mean by points. Does this mean a specific location?


GGreen posted Sun, 17 November 2024 at 11:47 AM

I own several of Code55 products, can you explain what you mean by points. Does this mean a specific location? Draagonstorm has a Instances Plus+ that gives you more control as far as the placement of the items. There is also a video you can watch to see how it works.


RHaseltine posted Sun, 17 November 2024 at 3:02 PM Online Now!

I think the request is to create something like a null at the location of each selected item, which should be scriptable - however, I am not sure what the final object of having those nulls would be since the instances are already using very little memory beyond that needed for the base item.


DocPhoton posted Sun, 17 November 2024 at 7:58 PM

Hi folk,

Yes, Richard's comment is what I'm after, but not for DS.  With the points info exported, (Daz has different terminology & ways of doing this I guess), but I can then use those in Lightwave to generate instances. i.e., I wouldn't have the convert to Objects in DS first. Ideally they'd have a surface or such to distinguish things.



GGreen posted Sun, 17 November 2024 at 11:02 PM

@DocPhoton- I always forget that you like to export your work and then import into Lightwave, and since I do not use Lightwave I know nothing about the processes in that program.  The thing about instances that I have become aware of in Daz Studio is once you create the instance any change you make to it changes all of the instances of that type, so basically you have to make multiple individual  instances of an object and change them. Example  You have two different types of trees. TreesA and TreesB. You will make instances of TreesA and apply shaders or whatever to the original of set, then you  make instances of TreesB and apply shader or whatever to the original of the set. All of Trees A will look the same and all of TreesB will look the same. Explaining this to people that may be following this thread.  You can not make changes to the instances, but just to the original item.


DocPhoton posted Mon, 18 November 2024 at 12:00 AM

No reason ya should remember really.

I'm looking for a method to NOT export the geometry but just the position information really. Scaling, rotation, etc., I can do in LW when it creates the instances.  That information has to be generated somewhere in order for the instances to be placed in DS initially. And as RHaseltine suggests, should be scriptable. But by someone adept at that sort of thing, not me.

Probably a product in there with that as Lightwave is making a resurgence and renewed interest in Daz products. Maybe Code55 would be interested.


WendyLuvsCatz posted Mon, 18 November 2024 at 2:47 AM

depending on the export format, you actually get nulls in some software for the instances, I know iClone 6 using FBX I can send duplicates to those "bones" if I export a whole scene
maybe Alienator will work otherwise replacing your instances with tiny triangles or plane primitives (a triangle is half a plane primitive created using the geometry editor if polycount an issue)

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