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Hey Styler, just a quick note. So, the 3D-CoatV4 folder in /Documents/, I tried to rename it to  3D-CoatV48 like you said. That did not seem to work. HOWEVER, I found 3 folders in the root of my user folder 3D-CoatV3, 3D-CoatV4, and 3D-CoatV48. So I set my Exchange folder to that one. and that SEEMS to work.

I tried it a few times and I got it to work twice, then I had to go to work. The second time it worked, in both directions. I need to experiment more, because it also didn't work a few times, but that is probably user error. 

Thank you for your help and your time, I really appreciate it. I'm sure I will have more questions in the future. 

Cheers

Brad 

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On 11/19/2017 at 3:34 PM, Styler said:

A new update

Version 2.0.1
****************
Fixed:
- Issue with platform detection on some Linux distributions (Linux)
- Applink now recognizes correctly when 3D-Coat is running (Linux/MacOS)
- Default location for 3D-Coat exchange files (MacOS)

3dcoat_for_modo_v2.0.1.zip

I tried to install the applink on Modo 11 exactly as the instructions state, yet all I get is this, when I click on the 3D Coat applink button in the UI...nothing usable. I don't find anything that even allows me to choose the exchange folder.

Untitled-1.jpg

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As I see, the exception occurs when the applink tries to read and sync presets. The applink assumes that there are no subfolders in "Documents\3D-CoatV48\Temp\TempPresets" but you have one named "Add". The quick solution is just to move all existing presets from "Add" to "TempPresets" and delete "Add". I'll support subfolders in "TempPresets" in the next release.

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1 hour ago, Styler said:

As I see, the exception occurs when the applink tries to read and sync presets. The applink assumes that there are no subfolders in "Documents\3D-CoatV48\Temp\TempPresets" but you have one named "Add". The quick solution is just to move all existing presets from "Add" to "TempPresets" and delete "Add". I'll support subfolders in "TempPresets" in the next release.

Disregard the last comment. I could swear I saw something in the Event list, about Temp\Temp Presets in the Exchange folder. I removed all the subfolders in the Exchange folder and the Temp Presets folder. The panel now appears.. Will test later to see if it works properly.

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it's not doing anything on my end too :(  . I'm on 12.1v1 (Linux version).

Clicking buttons does nothing except a minor blink of the menu.

I've set 3d Coat path and exchange folder path. Is there a way to change "User docs path" , "Modo project dir" and "Modo 3D Coat dir"? I'd like to use my own as those do not take into account locales (so I'm getting Documents directory, while in my locale it should be Dokumenty instead).

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sorry for not getting back sooner.

On my end I didn't see any bugs in the log. And here's the interesting part - after trying to make it work for an hour or so I gave up and removed the applink. To my surprise when I launched 3DC a bit later it started with a mesh I've wanted to transfer via applink.

So it seems I might have given up too early - I'll try to make it work again in a near future. It would come in handy as I've started using 3DC a bit more recently and a way to quickly move models between 3DC and Modo would come in handy.
In a future I hope that Foundry will open up a method they use for Unreal a bit and also hope 3DC would be able to use such option - of course if it will mean we'll get transfers from app to an app faster and more reliable ;) .

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the Unreal method uses a binary plugin, not a script. Doesn't make a difference really as AFAIK Python has full SDK access in Modo. I could use a working Modo applink as I am currently doing a tutorial series on Youtube and when i hit the UV mapping and texturing part, I'm going to be doing that in 3dcoat.

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Is it possible to Import Voxel back to Modo? Of course I do not want it to be Voxel, should be normal mesh. Same as exporting that as obj and than importing that obj in MODO. I have some geometry that I like to convert to Voxel, do some tweaking in 3dCoat and send it back as decimated mesh into Modo. Modo exports fine when I click 'Drop mesh to 3dCoat as voxel object'. But when I do BringVoxelsBacktToApp in 3dcoat, and hit 'Import' in Modo nothing happens. When I do Paint Pixel option in Modo, and OpeninOriginalApp in 3dCoat, Modo imports mesh with textures perfectly.

 

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11 hours ago, SreckoM said:

Is it possible to Import Voxel back to Modo? Of course I do not want it to be Voxel, should be normal mesh. Same as exporting that as obj and than importing that obj in MODO. I have some geometry that I like to convert to Voxel, do some tweaking in 3dCoat and send it back as decimated mesh into Modo. Modo exports fine when I click 'Drop mesh to 3dCoat as voxel object'. But when I do BringVoxelsBacktToApp in 3dcoat, and hit 'Import' in Modo nothing happens. When I do Paint Pixel option in Modo, and OpeninOriginalApp in 3dCoat, Modo imports mesh with textures perfectly.

 

What we really need is some Modonaught script writer, to step in and update it. I was going to try and record a "How To Use the Modo Applink" video a while back, but it needs some work. Especially with materials. And it seems you cannot originate a mesh from 3DCoat. It is designed to take a mesh from Modo and round trip it. What options are included in any applink is mainly up to the developer.

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For me it works as expected when I am using PerPixelPainting option.  important is to use 3DCoatV48 Exchange folder.

II could live without that option for mesh to originate from 3dCoat, I can always create some basic mesh in Modo and send to 3dCoat. Also there is option in 3dCoat to send mesh to Modo. (which is just basic exporter).

Yeah, I agree that would be great to have some Modo developer to update it. I know some python, I just do not have time for trying to figuring it out.

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On 1/28/2019 at 6:33 AM, SreckoM said:

For me it works as expected when I am using PerPixelPainting option.  important is to use 3DCoatV48 Exchange folder.

II could live without that option for mesh to originate from 3dCoat, I can always create some basic mesh in Modo and send to 3dCoat. Also there is option in 3dCoat to send mesh to Modo. (which is just basic exporter).

Yeah, I agree that would be great to have some Modo developer to update it. I know some python, I just do not have time for trying to figuring it out.

I'll check the applink again, with 12.2. I think the only real update needs to be materials. There is already a Modo export preset when exporting out of 3DCoat. If someone could enable the right maps to come back into Modo, correctly, that would pretty much nail it down. The guy that was working on it had to bow out, because of his main job workload.

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Also what I figured out that you need to disable constructor when exporting model and textures, cause importer than skips some textures.

Here is quick video of process

What does not work is sending to voxel, it sends but Modo does not pickup that object on importing (via applink).

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When the object is first imported into the Sculpt Workspace, try checking IMPORT W/O VOXELIZING in the Import dialog > APPLY. See if that works for you. I'm not sure why it's not sculpting in voxel mode. I'll check and see. But if you want it to come in as a Surface mode object, checking that option will do it.

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In my experience you can make it work with the constructor if you manually change some of the export maps that are set by default. To transfer the color map, the first map should be set to "Color (albedo)" instead of "Diffuse". Secondly, the app link currently seems to be focussed on a Specular/Glossiness workflow and Roughness maps don't get transferred into Modo yet afaik. But in the constructor you can get it working for Specular when replacing the Roughness map (set by default) with a "Specular Intensity" map as shown in the attached screenshot, complementing "Specular Color".

These maps should also be selected in the options of the applink in Modo.

You’ll get the same result like when using it without the constructor, just wanted to let you know for custom exports.

Btw it’s nice to see some first videos about the applink for Modo/3DCoat in action.
A "How To Use the Modo Applink" video would be great whenever the applink is ready for that.
 

modo-export-profile.png

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Okay, if I’m getting it right, the Modo applink currently supports Color (Albedo), Specular Color, Specular Amount and Normal Maps. 

The code gives me the idea though that things are more or less prepared for a Metalness/Roughness workflow and for Emissive/AO/displacement exchange too, but it isn't finished yet.
Let me know if it’s incorrect.

Getting these effect maps to work with the applink would be a first big step towards a deeper integration of Modo and 3DCoat. This would be a nice feature for all kinds of PBR workflows.

In a second step it’d be great if we could use all four kinds of Modo materials (default, Unreal, Unity, glTF) directly with the applink. This is mainly a question of texture assignment to effect layers in Modo.

On the one hand this would require at least four different Modo export profiles in 3DCoat with the assignments and channel packing tailored for the corresponding material kind.This appears to be rather easy to set up.

On the other hand the applink would have to be in state to import and assign the Metalness/Roughness/Emissive/AO (and possibly alpha) maps to corresponding effect layers in Modo, depending on the chosen material type/shader. Luckily there already is a dropdown for the Shader setting in the Import Options of the Applink with "advancedMaterial" as its single entry, which lets me think that different material types have been considered.

I can’t tell how complex these two steps (1: all map types, 2: all four material/shader types) are to achieve, but it’d be a pretty nice feature for us Modo+3DCoat users.
 

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