XRef problems
polycounter lvl 17
I am -trying- to learn more about Xrefs. My impression was that they were just references to other files in which you had objects.
For me I am using them to represent objects that repeat in my environment. The shell of the environment is one file, and all the bits and props are saved out separate files ( XXX_REF.3ds ).
I have one file where I have a table, a lamp, and a light source, and the lamp is an XRef to another file.
I can import it in and move it into place. When I make an instance, and the move that instance, the items stay grouped but change their orientation to one another. I inevitable fix them, regroup them, and then seemingly randomly when I reload the file sometime they are all exploded back, moved away from each other but not changing their rotations.
I don't know what to do.
Then in some files I will get long error list saying it can't find the referenced object, even though it displays it, and the name is what it expects. I have no clue.
Lastly, there are times when I want to tweak the materials on my XRefed objects (in the material editor); rather than being able to get the material that is on the object, it gives me a XRef material that explains the links between the two files.
I had assumed that XRefs were instances and that changing the object would change the instance in the scene, and that changing the one in the scene would change the one it its own file.
Any clues on what I am doing wrong? Care to reeducate me and clear up my misconceptions. If I am do it wrong when -are- XRefs useful? If you don't want to explain, links are good too (if they are thorough); I am willing to learn.
For me I am using them to represent objects that repeat in my environment. The shell of the environment is one file, and all the bits and props are saved out separate files ( XXX_REF.3ds ).
I have one file where I have a table, a lamp, and a light source, and the lamp is an XRef to another file.
I can import it in and move it into place. When I make an instance, and the move that instance, the items stay grouped but change their orientation to one another. I inevitable fix them, regroup them, and then seemingly randomly when I reload the file sometime they are all exploded back, moved away from each other but not changing their rotations.
I don't know what to do.
Then in some files I will get long error list saying it can't find the referenced object, even though it displays it, and the name is what it expects. I have no clue.
Lastly, there are times when I want to tweak the materials on my XRefed objects (in the material editor); rather than being able to get the material that is on the object, it gives me a XRef material that explains the links between the two files.
I had assumed that XRefs were instances and that changing the object would change the instance in the scene, and that changing the one in the scene would change the one it its own file.
Any clues on what I am doing wrong? Care to reeducate me and clear up my misconceptions. If I am do it wrong when -are- XRefs useful? If you don't want to explain, links are good too (if they are thorough); I am willing to learn.
Replies
yes
"and that changing the one in the scene would change the one it its own file."
no. It's a one way ticket
and anything you do to the xref itself, including grouping, linking, modifiers, trying to get at the material, expect to open up a whole new can of buggy worms. They're bad enough when used completely straight, forever unresolving, shifting out of position and so on. Best way of approaching them is to leave the references well alone apart from simple move and rotate (though cloning seems to work okay), and remember to lean heavily on the reset transform button when working on the source file
done two games that were heavily reliant on max's xref system, completely vanilla. Absolute bloody nightmare. For the current one we threw it away entirely and have written a completely proprietary referencing system from scratch, which is a joy.