Hello:
I'm hoping someone can help.
I am attempting to create a BAT in 3DSMax 9 using BatforMax ver 2. Everything is fine until I get to #14 in the Readme instructions
14. When it is finished with a successful rendering, you can now play with the Batch CMD rollout panel. The default is the Batch programs will not auto execute until you have successfully tested them (one step at a time).
15. If you have just rendered, do not click on Clear Outputfiles as this will clear out your newly rendered FSH files.> >
16. Test the FSH Batch Build, this runs the batch file created by the rendering.> >
17. If the model name in step 12 is valid, the "DAT FSH insert" button will call up DATCmd with the proper parameters; updating your sc4 model automatically.> >
18. Once you are satisfied that all three batch CMD buttons are working properly, click on the check box "AutoExecute". Next time you render, the output directories will be cleared, fsh files will be rendered, batch processed, and updated into the SC4Model file.
Once I AutoExe and hit the Render button again it says that I need the "Deltree file". Windows XP doesn't have deltree (or at least I can't find it, even on the CD)
How do I get around this? I don't wan't to use the Deltree file that came with the BatforMax program. I hear it doesn't work in NTFS anyway.
Is there another way around this?
Thanks..
Well, I use the Deltree.exe includet in BATforMax v.2. No problems yet. It works fine with NTFS, I use NTFS for all my partitions, so...
You dont need deltree. You can delete the files manually from time to time, they wont conflict with each other. the files are located under the MAX\gamepacks\BAT (the *.bat files) and everything under MAX\gamepacks\BAT\outputfiles (everything but not the folder itself ;) )
I hope this helps you and you can start BATting soon ;D
Fromtheashes:
Thanks for the help. I want to try to do it without the deltree if I am able first because I have heard some horror stories of what it can do.
jeronij:
Thanks but am I supposed to check the Autoexecute box? When I do and rehit render a message says I need to install deltree into my main 3dsmax9 folder.
Here is a pic of my setup just before I render. Note this is just a test scene, nothing more..
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg297.imageshack.us%2Fimg297%2F6006%2Fgmaxhelpaq1.jpg&hash=804b37e2240776b806cdcb24b815258e40a9de17)
Any more help would be appreciated thanks again...
Then dont use the autoexecute box $%Grinno$% ( you dont really need it)
Use only the FSH and the DATFSH buttons. That is all what you need to "skin" your model.
It works fine the way I say you ;D
I'm going to work at the moment but I'll give that a try as soon as I get home.
Thanks again for your quick response.
Cheers...
Hello again:
I tried to do what you said jeronij. However I get stuck on the Batch CMD rollout panel part (#14 above).
For example when I get to #17 I click on the DAT FSH button and it keeps sayingThe FSH files are created by the FSH batch Build after rendering the model. I'm not sure what this means. Is my SC4Model file now ready? There seems to be a bunch of FSH files in it that are completely blank (see pic).
I hope someone will be able to help me get this sorted out
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg177.imageshack.us%2Fimg177%2F2645%2Ffshfolderjo8.jpg&hash=72b1b51c709c4192b4b9f3528848af10b59d3257)
EDIT: One other thing I forgot to add: I only see in the plugins folder a SC4Model file, no DESC. file as is the case when rendering strinckly from GMAX BAT. Is there no desc. file anymore?
Thanks...
The FSH Batch Build button creates the FSH (textures) for the BAT model.
The DAT FSH Insert button applies the textures (FSH) to the BAT model.
Run the DATFSHInsert button inmediately after the FSHBatchBuild button, and that is all. You should see your model textured in the Reader.
Remember that you are creating a model. You must create also the descriptor/s you want for this model. You can use the SC4PluginManager for that purpose ;) .
Check there are no spaces in the install path to 3dsmax and there are no spaces in the model file name....
The FSH files are blank because the DAT Insert command has failed, most likely because the FSH files weren't converted properly
jeronij:Thanks for the help
callagrafx: the file name is "Test File-0x5ad0e817_0xf399c9b4_0x300000.SC4Model". Do you mean The "Test File" part should rather be something like"Test-File"?
Will that make a difference?
Thanks..
Yes, there should be no spaces...it's because the FSHTool cannot batch process filenames with spaces. You need to re-export the model from GMAX/BAT making sure you resave the gmax model file name with no spaces in. Most people use the underscore _ character instead of a space.
Well I have tried it again to no avail. My tech skills I guess arn't up to par. I have done everything I can (including taking out the spaces for the fsh files). There are no error messages in my 3dsmax9 but I still gt blank fsh files. Of note though is I looked at the s3d files that accompany the fsh files and got this wierd combo of buildings that have nothing to do with my render. Could it be something is conflicting with something else?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg49.imageshack.us%2Fimg49%2F9133%2Ffshfolder2if3.jpg&hash=87566f90ea82824255d12fa22145c28263951788)
Hmm... I'm not sure what else I can do. I could go back to GMAX but I find 3dsmax9 is much better to use.. :'(
That's a whole new problem, probably caused by a TGI naming problem. Simplest thing to do is to start clean:
1) Clear out the outputfiles folder
2) Delete the batch files in the BAT folder
3) Delete any sc4model files that you have created from BAT
4) Close down 3DSMax 9 and BAT
5) Re-open BAT and open the LOD file. Check there are no spaces in the file name. Export this again to give it a new name.
6) Go to the Simcity 4 Plugins folder in your ¨My Documents¨ folder. Copy the sc4model name of the file.
7) Open Max9. Do NOT open the file. Merge the model into a new scene.
8) You should select Render from the rendering top menu and click on the renderer tab. Where it says filter under the anti-alias setting, you should change it from ¨area¨ to ¨Catmull-rom¨ to get a crisper render. Only available with scanline renderer. Save the model.
9) Paste in the name into the render box and click Export. Ignore any save warnings (say NO) and click OK when the dialog asks you.
10) After the render, click on the Batch CMD rolldown and click on FSH Batch Build. There should be a DOS window with a load of text rapidly scrolling.
11) After this has completed, click on DAT FSH Insert. Another DOS window will appear plus a small progress window. This process should take around 10-15 secs to complete.
12) Check the size of the model in the plugins folder. It should now be a lot bigger than before.
Check the file in Reader to make sure it's done it properly.
Thanks collagrafx. I appreciate the time you have taken to help out.
I hope after all this it will work %wrd
Hello again:
Since no solution seemed to be working I decided to deinstall and reinstall everything in hopes things would finally work. However I'm still having the same problems.
3DSMax 9 is much better to use than Gmax. I am determined to get this to work.
I have a number of pics below with hopefully some useful info for those who are more knowlegable than me with tech stuff.
Here is my 3dsmax.ini file
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F4353%2F3dsmaxinfoxm8.jpg&hash=8a049bc7f600cb9152b8fb22ac51cd35f697a73c)
This is my BatforMax.ini file
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg172.imageshack.us%2Fimg172%2F3498%2Fbatformaxinfooz9.jpg&hash=43624e63d9ddda9d7f054758cea3c520b95bb8f4)
from there I went through the instructions provided in the BatforMax zip.
#4 reads as "Edit the following paths to point to the correct location of the \gamepacks\BAT\temp and \gamepack\BAT\OutputFiles directories on your computer.
TempPath=
DestPath= "
I noticed there is no \gamepacks\BAT\temp or \gamepack\BAT\OutputFiles folder just after install (I don't know if that is the way it's supposed to be or not).
I did notice however once I made a run through on a test bat another 3dsmax 9 folder appeared in my 3dsmax folder just above my C:\Autodesk\3dsmax 9\ folder (see pic)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg502.imageshack.us%2Fimg502%2F8307%2F23dsmax9foldersfi4.jpg&hash=acdaa42c2a23ee520882db5d0701eb32d7858aaa)
Here is the root folder of my main 3dsmax 9 folder:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F5458%2F3dsmax9mainfolderdg8.jpg&hash=b623ae31a6146b7f4b9d662c820ddcf324da10b3)
Notice there is no \outputfilefolder or \temp\ folder. According to the instructions there are supposed to be.
This new folder (the very first folder 3dsmax 9) has subfolders inside 3dsmax 9\gamepacks\bat\outputfiles\
Inside the outputfiles folder after I went through steps 1-17, I got this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F2377%2Foutputfilesfolderpp5.jpg&hash=fd2f0d07e58ef48665ce5a8c5a2e8c8de26b4ca4)
Note: From what callagrafx said concerning the FSH batch and the DATCmd buttons Neither the "FSH batch build" (#16) button nor the "DATCmd" (#17) buttons are working properly for me.
I am frustrated but willing to work this through until I get it to work if someone is still willing to help.
Thanks very much
You have a space in the 3dsmax9 folder name...there should be no spaces. You will need to reinstall again I'm afraid to c:\3dsmax9 (no spaces) then reset the bat4max.ini file and the 3dsmax.ini file to reflect this re-install.
Once you have eliminated all the spaces from the path that FSHTool uses (edit the .BAT file that gets created in the BAT folder and you will see the file path) you should be able to finally convert the renders to a game asset.
Let us know how you get on.
callagrafx: Thanks for all your help. It seems to work now. I appreciate it :thumbsup:
I have another question that I'll ask here instead of starting another post. I tried to put an Omni nitelite in my scene but it didn't work.
For the light name I simply put what I would have in GMAX (eg- niteliteOmni1 -). Is there a special/different way of putting nitelites in 3dsmax?
Thanks again... ;D
Nope, you use the same method as GMAX, with the nitelite prefix. However, for some reason the nightwindows texture method doesn't work, so for Max 9, stick with the conventional lighting.
Thanks again callagrafx :)