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Blender Applink


haikalle
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BUT data files should NEVER be stored on the same drive as the operating system. Data should be stored on a separate physical hard drive and  Windows folder "Documents" or "My Documents" should be moved from the C drive (or whatever hard drive the operating system resides on to a drive dedicated only for data.

This makes it easier to create a disk image of your operating system (via Macruim Reflect, Windows Backup, etc) and for regular backups of your data files.

And this is one of the reasons I had issues with the Blender Applink and refuse to use it until it stops insisting our data reside on the same disk as our operating system.

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Ian Thompson

This video looks at creating a simple asset in Blender and uses the App Link to geometry to 3D-Coat for UV changes and Texturing work. The asset then gets sent back to Blender to preview the results.

Its a basic pipeline which can speed up your work flow. 

An example of a basic path to the App Link exchange folder  

C:\Users\Admin\Documents\AppLinks\3D-Coat\Exchange\Textures

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upgraded to blender 2.93.5 with the .58 3dc... had to change path from "C:\Users\"you"\OneDrive\Documents\AppLinks\3D-Coat\Exchange\Blender" to "C:\Users\"you"\OneDrive\Documents\AppLinks\3D-Coat\Exchange\

with blender 2.92 either exchange itself or the added blender created within it would work fine, not so with the new release.

on a good note, the front stays the front, you dont need to rotate the camera or object to view correctly.

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  • 1 month later...
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Hello, this plugin is great!

Works if I send from Blender to 3DCoat, and after — but only after, having sent something to Blender, can I then send anything from 3DCoat to Blender. I cannot get the Export To... Blender  to show up at all in any 2021.XX build I've tried, also today pr the Blender 3.0 daily I'm currently using and 3DCoat 2021.70

Set my exchange folder on the Blender side to be ~\Documents\AppLinks\3D-Coat\Exchange, and Texture/Objects folder to be ~\Documents\AppLinks\3D-Coat\Exchange\Textures

"Export to" from 3DCoat never shows up, I've tried troubleshooting it for a good while now.
Send from Blender works perfectly. Sending something from Blender, and then texturing it, sending back, also works. Sending back sculpt objects also work. Haven't had any luck with sending Paint objects unfortunately.

IF anyone has had any luck resolving this type of issue with recent builds, not V4, please let me know how you did so.
Thanks for your time!

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After using the app for a few years I also lost the ability to export to. Out of nowhere it disappeared from the 3dcoat program. No upgrade to any OS or programs were done when this happened. Im still on widows 7.  Did the usual trouble shooting install fresh 3dcoat and Blender and still no menu to export to. Luckily the Open in original app (3dcoat) still works so I can still use the program with out the trouble of setting up the nodes in Blender. Currently only using 3dcoat for texturing and painting. Though open in original app needs the correct folder address with only the newest current work loaded into it for Blender to read correctly.

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There either an issue with 3dcoat or the app. Hard surface modeling with bevels or edge loops breaks the smart materials with edge detect in some instances. The pictures are of a simple object with one boolean cut.  Adding a small bevel to all edges breaks the edge detect. With No bevel theres no edge detect. Add one bevel and there edge detect on all edges. Add a edge loop cut breaks the smart material.  I havent determine why this happens.

Cube.JPG

Cube2.JPG

Cube3.JPG

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Blender 3.0 + 3DCoat 2021.70;

I'm missing something, I'm sure, but:

- editing the destination folder /exchange to a custom location in Blender gets constantly overwritten upon transfer
- 3DCoat also does not receive the file, BUT the file is saved as .fbx in C:\Users\[MyName]\Documents\3DC2Blender\ApplinkObjects

So:
1) I don't want to have the exchange files saved in my C: volume or Documents, is it possible to have a custom location working? Any help please?
2) If I want to send a mesh from Blender to 3DCoat to first sculpt, then retopo, then texture, what is the right process? 
  - if I send it as "per pixel painting", a entry with the mesh name is created in "paint objects" in 3DCoat, but the mesh is empty, with 0 polygons; if I send it as voxel mesh, there's no entry nor polygons anywhere.

Thanks!

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14 hours ago, Carlosan said:

Hi Metin

Please ask @mifth, he is working on Blender applink fork.

Hope it help

 

Thanks, but at the end of that thread, @mifth states that he hasn't updated his fork lately, and points to the regular version. :) I'll check that out.

Edited by Metin Seven
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Source...

Steps to get 3DCoat 2021 Blender Applink working by watercycles

I had to figure this out so here it is to help others:

  1. Go into Blender > Edit Preferences > Add ons > search for “3D-coat”. the dash is vital. enable it. Maybe restart Blender if 3Dcoat tab doesn’t pop up. The plugin is packaged with Blender so it should already be in the list. Nothing to download. If not there maybe update to latest Blender.

  2. In Bender go to Properties Panel > Scene > 3D Coat Applink Settings needs to be set to the “Documents\AppLinks\3D-Coat\Exchange” folder. This is vital. In old versions it would be “Documents\3DCoat-2021\Exchange” which changes depending on version. This new folder seems more general so it will work for all new versions of 3dcoat.

  3. Setting Object/Textures folder to any location. This will be where the textures objects are stored when reimporting from 3dcoat

  4. Select something. go to 3dcoat tab in blender. Hit send.

  5. Open 3Dcoat if you didn’t have it open already. 3dcoat should have a pop up.

  6. Make changes wanted in 3dcoat.

  7. Go to File > Open In Original App in 3dcoat. In pop up under Export presets probably will be set to Blender Cycles. If not setting it to Blender Cycles or BlenderAppLink probably would be good.

  8. In Blender hit GetBack in the 3DCoat plugin tab.

 

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On 1/8/2022 at 1:44 PM, Metin Seven said:

Thanks, but at the end of that thread, @mifth states that he hasn't updated his fork lately, and points to the regular version. :) I'll check that out.

Ok, I revived the addon for Blender 2.93+.

  • Export/Import meshes to Blender/3DCoat
  • Export textures to a folder from 3DCoat.
  • No materials support.

https://github.com/mifth/mifthtools/tree/master/blender/addons/2.8/io_simple_3dcoat

 

I updated the first page. Please write to this thread:

 

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I have the file paths set up correctly. Able to "Send" to 3dcoat no problem. bringbacktoapp does not work. It exports the geo from 3dcoat ok into the appropriate Obj/textures folder as .fbx. But it fails when using "Get Back" in Blender. It has to be done manually using import/export in Blender. There is no error message or warning. Nothing happens when pressing "Get Back" button. Using Linux. Blender 3.0

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Just tested on 2021.91, Blender 3.0 (not sure which build)

I can receive from Blender and send anything back in all rooms now :good:Pog! very happy abt this

Have not tried with textures/node setup yet

Some scale issues, enormous initially in 3DCoat, then small in Blender and small on get-back to 3DCoat again. I'll try to resolve it with some of the settings 

Edit: Seems like I might have jumped the gun, while I can't identify how or why, sometimes I get send back (3dcoat→blender) problems with Paint room in particular 
Edit2: Yup, sorry after all, after a few successes now it unpredictably works or doesn't work. Sculpt room always works but retopo room and paint works only sometimes, nothing on getback in Blender but files definitely manifest in exchange folder. Which becomes ~\Documents\3DC2Blender\ApplinkObjects
Edit3: 
Mifth's applink which I just tried, works! Exchange folder set to ~\Documents\3DCoat-2021\Exchange

On 12/3/2013 at 10:47 AM, mifth said:

Hi all,

Simple3DCoat addon is for Blender+3DCoat production. This is a fork of the official one made by Haikaikalle .

Blender 2.93+

3DCoat4+

 

Features:

  • Set the Exchange Folder of 3DCoat manually.
  • Custom Textures Path for export/import.
  • Export/Import through Obj/Fbx formats.
  • ExportMaterials, ApplyModifiers checkboxes.
  • No PBR Materials support. Sorry.
  • Simple to Use :)

 

Screenshots:

1R2ihSA.png

 

image.thumb.png.55c043169fe19f63a4cf2052d9b98b9d.png

image.thumb.png.4bbaa65b08d4c7d04f0dc548e367b261.png

 

image.thumb.png.955a4097c633a63d4a1f6c264e4187fd.png

image.thumb.png.633d32deb7fcc91269ff3940bbdbdaba.png

 

How To Use:

- Enable the Addon and set the Exchange Folder.

- Export/Import models back and forth. :)

 

Download:

Sources: https://github.com/mifth/mifthtools/tree/master/blender/addons/2.8/io_simple_3dcoat

Latest MifthTools Master Download (ZIP): https://github.com/mifth/mifthtools/archive/master.zip

 

Enjoy.

 

Edited by poeboi
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  • 4 weeks later...
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8 hours ago, liok said:

Hi @poeboi, how did you manage to instal Mifth's applink, he has 2 Py files on github, but they can't be installed as they are not zipped and don't ceate a folder in AppData/blender... so the simple applink does not appear in the addons in blender when installing the py files..

Hey, I think this is what I did (it's been a while)
1. got the .py files from https://github.com/mifth/mifthtools/tree/master/blender/addons/2.8/io_simple_3dcoat

2. put them in a folder, zipped the folder

3. in Blender, used the preferences→addons , install addon button — the one with which you can pick a .zip and install from

Hope it helps

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Carlosan
This post was recognized by Carlosan!

liok was awarded the badge 'Great Support' and 1 points.

Thanks ! For anyone trying to install simple applink, I did something similar, typed %appdata% in windows explorer, then went to:
\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.1\scripts\addons
And here you have all your addons, you can manually create a folder called "io_simple_3dcoat" and paste the two Py files from Mifth's GitHub:
https://github.com/mifth/mifthtools/tree/master/blender/addons/2.8/io_simple_3dcoat
Then maybe restart blender and search for
"simple" in the addons, and mostly: SET THE EXCHANGE FOLDER in the addon prefs (to "\Documents\3DCoat\Exchange\")
Getting back the textures from paint room doesnt work but you can plug them manually.

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But, just found a message from haikale:
delete ../Documents/3DC2Blender/Exchange_folder.txt     and try again. (with exchange set to this 3DC2Blender folder, you can set this in the scene properties in blender at the bottom "3dCoat applink settings")
For me now the base applink works again in 3.1 alpha, behaves a bit differently, replaces the mesh that was exported, but does import and connect textures.

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I'm constantly using the applink, and constantly it stops working, I fix it somehow, then it stops, every day, isn't there any way to just make it work once and for all ?
The main issue is that the exchange fodler keeps changing in blender, if you open a new file, if you instal a new version, whatever you do, there is TOO MANY exchange folders:
3DC2Blender
3DCoat
3D-CoatV4
and on and on.. and there is two applinks with the simple fork one. And then there is also two button in 3DCoat to send back to blender, and to open in original app.
I keep changing all parameters, trying to send a cube and back, somedays I manage to fix it, and today like many days it just doesn't want to get fixed.

Isn't there one FAIL-PROOF method to make the applink work every single time?

Like opening a new scene, sending something, I don't know which exchange is the correct one, maybe it depends on the applink, the information varies depending on the youtube video, on the forum post ect..
Your work is amazing @haikalle and deserves praises, but I guess we're also all losing so much time with the way the applink is setup, it just never keep working for more than a day in my experience.

Thanks a lot !
 

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So managed to make it work again, posting here for memo in case it helps next time I look for answers on the forum or for some other person using the applink:
Create a blank blender scene and 3dcoat scene if needed, in blender check the exchange and content folder, somehow it was reset to this location:
C:\Users\Admin\Documents\Applinks\3D-Coat\Exchange
Send a cube to new voxel object, retopo by decimation, auto bake, in paint room do not use "send to original app" but use "Send to Blender" (the one not in yellow)
The destination folder should be the same as the one you defined in blender, use the preset Blender CYCLE, NOT BLENDER APPLINK !! then in blender gat back, the scale will probably always be off, but the cube should be back with textures. Then just open you actual scene with blender and Coat, and redo the exact same, send to blender, blender cycle.
pheww..

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The Developers really need to post a file structure for Windows, Mac and Linux. Where Exchange folder needs to be set, Do we need the 3DC2Blender folder where is that in hierarchy, what files it will generate and why they are needed, etc. We got Applinks folder, we got 3DCoat-2021 folder, we got 3DC2Blender folder, Blender Cycles, Blender Applink (in 3dcoat export presets). I've just been working manually setting things up, saving a lot of headaches and frustrations. It does export geo and textures to appropriate folder but it will not set them up in Blender. Some rock solid documentation is needed. This is for this, that is for that. From a coding point of view it may work but from a user experience POV its a nightmare.

Side note: Importing a .fbx file in Blender that was exported from 3DCoat using "Export objects & textures" under "File" menu will bring in the diffuse, roughness, and normal map into the image editor. I will not bring in metalness or ao or any other extra textrure specified in the export options of 3DCoat. However they are exported to the specified folder. Using linux.

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I am using Linux mint 20.03 for the 3d coat and blender exchange it just doesn't work at all on any Blender 3.1, 3.2 or 2.93.  I am trying to use it with 3d  coat 2021 or 2022 with no results.  I have found the 3d coat exchange folder in the Document folder but it has nothing in it.  I have tried several times before this to move the basic cube over and nothing happen.  3D coat has very poor documentation on these things and I don't think I will ever upgrade this software.  The software is very capable for doing a lot of things if you can get it to work.  I have had 3d coat since version 4 which is about 4 or 5 years now

 

Edited by foremancr
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3DCoat-2022-18 
Mon Apr 11 21:50:52 2022

- Blender applink essentially updated:

(1) It now kept on 3DCoat's side, as soon as I update it, 3DCoat offers to copy it to the Blender setup.

(2) Sculpt object covered by Factures may now be transferred to the Blender via AppLink. This is the HUGE step!

(3) The direct transfer 3DCoat->Blender works using the File->Open ... in->Blender, it creates nodes fpr ppp /sculpt/factures.

* The one feature still missing - shaders are transferred from coat to Blender, but it will be done too (at least in simplified form).

image.png

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